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You place a curse on the subject. Choose one of the following.
* -6 decrease to an ability score (minimum 1).
* -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks.
* Each turn, the target has a 50% chance to act normally; otherwise, it takes no action.You may also invent your own curse, but it should be no more powerful than those described above.
That last line is a potential gold mine. I know I've seen another thread like this but my search-fu has failed me so let's make another one. Let's see some interesting, fun, flavorful, and/or just plain out-there curses that fit the bill of "no more powerful" than the listed three but are certainly more interesting alternatives.
1. "May you be just about to sneeze forever."
The cursed character always feels as if they are just on the verge of unleashing a sneeze, yet it never comes. The stuffed, congested feeling refuses to fade until the curse is broken. If the character sneezes due to another effect (such as sneezing powder, another spell, etc.), the feeling is not relieved.
This imposes a -4 penalty on Perception, Initiative, and Concentration checks due to distraction.
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Also, I think your inspiration is coming from...was it a Dragon magazine article, or a Kobold Quarterly article? One of the two.
Alright, I'll take a stab at this.
3. "May you feel the pain of all the death you bring!"
The next time the target kills a sentient creature, a -1 penalty to either Wisdom or Charisma (caster's choice on casting) is inflicted. The penalty increases to -2 on the next murder (for a total of -3), and -4 on the next, and so on, doubling until the score reaches 1 or the curse is lifted.
4. "As you lived in dishonor, so you shall die!"
Every time damage is dealt to the target, there is a 10% chance he will contract a disease chosen by the GM. The same disease cannot be contracted twice through this curse.
5. "Let the world see you, not for what you are, but for what you have done!"
Similar to #3, this curse causes the wounds inflicted by the target to be inflicted upon the target--at least in appearance. While no actual hit point damage is dealt, the GM should inflict one point of Charisma damage for roughly every 15 points of damage the target inflicts on others (the GM might consider adjusting the scale for higher levels).
The ability damage can be healed (thus removing the false wounds), but it will continue to be brought on by the target's attacks until the curse itself is lifted.
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6. "Sleep Well..."
Every night you are visited by nightmares. -1 to wisdom based checks from mental exhaustion, beginning after your first rest.
6A. "Father wishes you goodnight" he whispers with a smile
Same as the above, however your visions are of the patron of the caster. Particularly fun if the caster is an occultist or worshipper of the far realms. Over a period of time (A week or so?) the penalty might increase to -2. Long periods seeing tentacle beast or demons who speak a truth you don't want to know in foreign languages you understand but can't hear tends to do things to your head.
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7) "Oh, but you can bleed....": Whenever the recipient of this curse is struck by a piercing or slashing weapon, they also gain bleed for one point per round. Every blow adds to this, cumulative, so if three arrows strike the target, they bleed for three points each round. The bleeding can be stopped with any curative magic or a DC 20 Heal check, but further wounds will reinstate the effect.
8) "What was I doing?": Whenever the target is struck by a bludgeoning weapon, they are affected by a modify memory effect, negating their memory of the last round.
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10. "Sweet dreams!" she says with a smile and sweet sounding chime.
You go to sleep and are visited by nothing but euphoria and bliss. You can no longer wake up without assistance from another person and when you do you miss the bliss and euphoria gifted upon you. -4 to saves against effects that cause you to fall asleep(such as slumber hex or sleep). Characters normally immune to sleep affects lose that immunity for as long as they bear this curse.
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I like the sleep theme--it reminds me of the use of Ranna as a binding spell from the Abhorsen trilogy. Ah, nostalgia.
With that in mind, here's yet another sleep-related curse:
11. "Aren't you tired?"
The target is constantly Fatigued and takes a -5 on Perception checks. In addition, he requires half again as much sleep to recover spells and Hit Points. The extra time can be split up however the target likes--for instance, he can sleep the normal eight hours, then sleep for one hour during the important meeting, half an hour during watch duty, etc.
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12. "Aren't you Cold?"
The character is overcome with persistent chills, regardless of the ambient temperature in the area. They take a -4 penalty on all saves against heat and cold effects, as well as effects with the [Cold] and [Fire] subtypes. In addition, the victim takes the penalty on Sense Motive checks and saves against mind-affecting effects if the goal is to convince them to approach an open flame, and does not receive the second save against a mind-affecting spell for the command being against their nature and/or self-destructive.
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13. Curse of Prehensile Hair (great for characters that love their luxurious locks)
Whenever you try to eat, locks of your hair come alive and try to knock it away. If you're fast, *maybe* you can get some of it, but you'll never get enough. You are permanently fatigued due to insufficient food intake, and if you have a ring of sustenance, you must try to eat AND wear the ring to be well fed.
If you cut your hair to try to prevent the effect, it will grow back as soon as it is not being directly observed by anyone.
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14. "May you live forever..."
The target of the curse cannot die, but they no longer heal hit points or ability damage naturally, and every time they fall below 0, instead of falling unconsious they take 1 point of Wisdom damage then and each additional time they are struck while below 0.
I'd say it's a bit too much as written, but tossing a fort/will save (curse caster's choice) every time it's triggered (and maybe limit the amount of times it can be triggered in succession - once per hour or so) would balance it cleanly IMO.
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18. "I have you know my pretty" She hisses and smiles.
-4 to saving throws against charms and compulsions.
19. "Is that fur?" he chuckles.
The user takes on an animalistic appearance. Funny ears, fur, maybe a tail if their particularly unlucky, maybe scales if that's your thing. -4 to bluff and diplomacy.
20. "You won't get better..."
Roll twice on caster level checks to dispel baleful polymorph.
19. "Is that fur?" he chuckles.
The user takes on an animalistic appearance. Funny ears, fur, maybe a tail if their particularly unlucky, maybe scales if that's your thing. -4 to bluff and diplomacy.
I think a lot of people might just find the visual effect cool. It should strictly be the unnattractive aspects of animals. The long face of a donkey, the slobbering tongue of a dog, etc.
I think a lot of people might just find the visual effect cool. It should strictly be the unnattractive aspects of animals. The long face of a donkey, the slobbering tongue of a dog, etc.
19. "Is that fur?" he chuckles.
The user takes on an animalistic appearance. Funny ears, fur, maybe a tail if their particularly unlucky, maybe scales if that's your thing. -4 to bluff and diplomacy.
One man's drooling dog tongue is another's dream come true. Honestly its hard to rank changes like that because they're so subjective, so I just gave it a flat mechanical penalty.
21. "I love faeries... Don't you?"
You trust and like fey more than you should. -4 against saves against spell like abilities of fae, and -4 penalty to sense motive against fey creatures.
22. "Do you really know what is real?"
You no longer trust yourself on reality... or anything really. -5 to sense motive.
23. Reflection of Perfection
When you look in the mirror you see a perfect you, always! Your really unkempt however, and take a -4 to charisma based checks. These can be mitigated by having someone else help you clean up.(Why would you want to though? You look perfect after all...)
24. "You still believe in magic at your age?"
The target must make a Will save whenever he wishes to cast a spell or use a supernatural ability. Failure means the ability has no effect. The use is still expended, and the target's action is still used up.
24. "You still believe in magic at your age?"
The target must make a Will save whenever he wishes to cast a spell or use a supernatural ability. Failure means the ability has no effect. The use is still expended, and the target's action is still used up.
That's really powerful unless the Will save is really easy.
Is it really any more powerful than losing 50% of one's actions overall?
Is it really any more powerful than losing 50% of one's actions overall?
Depends on the casters will and the DC imo. I'm not a big fan of rolling for every action myself, and expending the spell is a bit much I think. Here some alternatives(and a few more).
25.Superstitious
You don't feel easy around magic or the supernatural and have trouble trusting even your allies. While cursed you must make saving throws to resist all spells, even those cast by allies.
26.Crisis of Faith
You have trouble trusting your own divine power, whether it be a deity or a patron or the power from within yourself. Roll a will save to overcome this equal to the DC of the curse cast on you to cast a divine spell. The spell is not expended.
27.Sit!
The caster picks a phrase. When spoken aloud (standard action spell trigger) by anyone the cursed victim must make a saving throw equal to the DC of the or fall prone.
28."I will not be forgotten..."
The subject is haunted by a visage of the caster. They appear on the edge of their view in dark, moving in shadows, and in reflections. Depending on the death this spirit may appear as benevolent or violent, but can take no action in the real world and is always unnerving. The target is shaken for 1 round/level upon entering darkness they can't see, or witnessing their own reflection.
29.The body is a plaything of the mind
The subject is easier to control and change by outside forces. -4 to saves against transmutation and enchantment effects.
Is it really any more powerful than losing 50% of one's actions overall?Depends on the casters will and the DC imo. I'm not a big fan of rolling for every action myself, and expending the spell is a bit much I think.
Assuming you meant the target's will, I don't see why your personal dislike of one of the three official Curses makes my curse too powerful. The only thing that keeps it from being less useful than the much more general "50% Off" is the Will save difference.
I could see just changing it to either supernatural abilities or spells/spell-like abilities, but it's not really much more powerful than what it's based off--indeed, in many cases it is drastically weaker.
The only thing that keeps it from being less useful than the much more general "50% Off" is the Will save difference.
Well that and eating spell slots. You cast a lot of spells in a day. If your will save is weak it could be even more than 50%, or it could be as low as 5%. 50% of those spell slots going byebye sounds way more painful to me, personally.
Hm. I guess you're right. Alright, I'd remove the part about losing the slots, then. The caster wastes his action and feels foolish, but can always try again.
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31. "Your faith betrays you!"
This curse causes normally beneficial abilities from divine sources to harm you. Beneficial divine spells cast on you deal 1 damage per spell level, and channeling that heals you deals one damage per die rolled.(Fun fact, rolling 5D6, it would take about 5 3rd level spells for this to actually catch up with the average damage of a spell on level.) This curse doesn't stop you from benefiting from channeling or spells.
32. "You should show more skin"
Armor you wear shifts into something more visually appealing, but less covering. -2 AC, but hey, you look great!
33. Testing your bonds
Your feel the need to be close to your animal companion. You take a -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks when not within 30 feet of your animal companion. This curse goes away if your animal companion passes, but returns if you gain a new one.
34. Scared of Horses
Your terrified of getting on a mount. You gain the shaken condition when your on top of any creature.
Hm. I guess you're right. Alright, I'd remove the part about losing the slots, then. The caster wastes his action and feels foolish, but can always try again.
It was replied to before I reached it but that's what I was going to say as well.
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Some fun out of combat curses.
"May Your Wealth Mutltiply"
Every piece of mundane treasure you pick up becomes its value in copper pieces, including worn treasure. Hence if your character picks up a diamond worth 5000 gp, it becomes 500000 copper pieces. Any gold or silver is automatically converted.
"Ladykiller"/"Man Eater"
The victim of this curse becomes irresistible to members of whichever sex they're attracted to. Any member of that sex in their vicinity must pass a will save or become infatuated with the subject of the curse. They will incessantly try to win the subject's favor and see others as romantic rivals, whom they will plot against or challenge outright. (This would be a fun one to subject a Paladin to. Imagine the champion of order trying to fix that mess.)
You Have Such Pretty Eyes
The subject grows several eyes all over their bodies. These eyes cannot be removed with illusion magic and are present in any form the subject polymorphs into, although they may be covered by normal means. If the subject fails to cover them, they suffer a -5 to all diplomacy checks, and NPC's may start with an attitude 1 step lower than typical. (Friendly becomes Neutral, Neutral becomes Unfriendly and so on.) Furthermore, every successful attack on the subject has a 10% chance of hitting one of the eyes and becoming a critical threat.
Looks Like Rain
The subject has a constant cloud directly overhead pouring torrential rain with strong winds. This cloud continues to affect the subject, even indoors. (Though holding an umbrella will shield them from the rain, nothing stops it.) While under the cloud the subject is considered to be in rough terrain and otherwise affected as though traveling and performing combat in a severe storm. Spells can only be cast by passing a concentration check.
The last curse before death...
"I might rot in my grave, but you'll get to rot with me!"
Your body takes on a rotten complexion, and you take a -2 decrease to Str, Dex and Con.
People around you might mistake you for an undead, and you will probably have a hard time with people in general.
How about
"I have half a mind...you take it"
The Target gains +2 INT and loses the 'immune to mind-effects' trait
?
Depends on the target. Giving a vermin, plant, construct, ooze, or undead sapience is both a blessing and a curse. Ideally curses are purely curse with no bonuses. You could also still be immune to mind affects through other means. So its kind of hit or miss, but thematic and cool at the same time.
41. Age Without Wisdom
The victims mind regresses and loses the intelligence and wisdom that's gained through age. They lose a point in wisdom, intelligence, and charisma everyday until they reach young(Make a save each morning, a success stops the regression on that day and days after, but not the curse). Not as awful for someone in their 20's as someone in their 200's.
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*Casts Thread Resurrection*
I thought of a new one this morning.
42) T-Rex arms. Your arms and only your arms shrink two size categories. Hilarity ensues.
43) Laugh track. When they do or say anything, especially when they are being serious, raucous laughter comes out of thin air. Silence only suspends it. You need a remove curse to get rid of it. It gives a conditional -2 to charisma skills, except performances, which are +2. It also ruins stealth. It's a favorite among cartoon hags.