The Headband of Stupidity is a cursed item, but not one that states that it is "stuck" on the victim. It does, however, state that the victim doesn't realize that it's making them stupid, and will believe anything no matter how stupid it sounds.
How would you handle this in play? Most players would just take it off unless there's a mechanical reason not to. Should the GM just secretly apply the intelligence and knowledge check penalties?
Do it secretly, yes.
When the headband comes off, the penalties come off as well, LazarX.
Depending on how much you trust the player in regards to metagaming, you can also secretly tell them about it so they can RP the gullibility, as appropriate. Then it would be on the other players to notice and figure out why they were acting like that. If they're not that good of an actor, they could give it away too early so your mileage may vary.
When the headband comes off, the penalties come off as well, LazarX.You obviously did not read between my lines.
Sure the character THINKS he's taken it off and he even sees it in his hands. He even sees himself putting on another headband or his bare scalp.
The truth is however the same cursed headband has never left his head, nor will it until either the curse, or his head is removed.
...Except that's not what the headband does.
You may be confusing "stupidity" with "hallucination".
Sure the character THINKS he's taken it off and he even sees it in his hands. He even sees himself putting on another headband or his bare scalp.
And the rest of the party doesn't notice why? If they tell him to take it off for a second so they can stick it on the paladin's horse, he'll do so - it'll sound like a great idea. And then it's off his head.
It's called a cursed item for a reason. If you insist on banality, you can simply say the dammed thing won't come off, in addition to the character's non-interest in doing so. I prefer having a variety in how curses make their effect work. Deluding the bearer is a trope appropriate method.When the headband comes off, the penalties come off as well, LazarX.You obviously did not read between my lines.
Sure the character THINKS he's taken it off and he even sees it in his hands. He even sees himself putting on another headband or his bare scalp.
The truth is however the same cursed headband has never left his head, nor will it until either the curse, or his head is removed.
...Except that's not what the headband does.
You may be confusing "stupidity" with "hallucination".
Your houserules are nice and all, but this is a Rules Question, not a "how should I run this" question.
The rules say that you're stuck with cursed items until the curse is removed. How that rule is implemented is up to the GM.Your houserules are nice and all, but this is a Rules Question, not a "how should I run this" question.It's called a cursed item for a reason. If you insist on banality, you can simply say the dammed thing won't come off, in addition to the character's non-interest in doing so. I prefer having a variety in how curses make their effect work. Deluding the bearer is a trope appropriate method.When the headband comes off, the penalties come off as well, LazarX.You obviously did not read between my lines.
Sure the character THINKS he's taken it off and he even sees it in his hands. He even sees himself putting on another headband or his bare scalp.
The truth is however the same cursed headband has never left his head, nor will it until either the curse, or his head is removed.
...Except that's not what the headband does.
You may be confusing "stupidity" with "hallucination".
"While some cursed items can be simply discarded, others force a compulsion upon the user to keep the item, no matter the costs. Others reappear even if discarded or are impossible to throw away."
Why not? It doesn't say you need a Remove Curse, Limited Wish, Wish or Miracle, so it doesn't. Yes, the character will believe that it's a great hat and they should wear it because it's making them smarter, but there's no physical or mental compulsion to stop them from swapping it out for another headband if someone says that's a good idea.
I am all for there being another version of the cursed headband that is even worse, as you describe, but the version printed in the book can be removed at-will.
And something like the Headband is obviously not one of the "simply discarded" category."While some cursed items can be simply discarded, others force a compulsion upon the user to keep the item, no matter the costs. Others reappear even if discarded or are impossible to throw away."The rules say that you're stuck with cursed items until the curse is removed. How that rule is implemented is up to the GM.Your houserules are nice and all, but this is a Rules Question, not a "how should I run this" question.It's called a cursed item for a reason. If you insist on banality, you can simply say the dammed thing won't come off, in addition to the character's non-interest in doing so. I prefer having a variety in how curses make their effect work. Deluding the bearer is a trope appropriate method.When the headband comes off, the penalties come off as well, LazarX.You obviously did not read between my lines.
Sure the character THINKS he's taken it off and he even sees it in his hands. He even sees himself putting on another headband or his bare scalp.
The truth is however the same cursed headband has never left his head, nor will it until either the curse, or his head is removed.
...Except that's not what the headband does.
You may be confusing "stupidity" with "hallucination".
You wanna quote me the rules text that says it's stuck to you?
Otherwise it quite obviously IS.
I suggest you stat out the item more, give it some Intermittent Functioning, Requirements and Drawbacks.
Something like..
Functions as a +4 Headband of Vast Intellect ONLY in direct sunlight.
Curse remains in full effect whenever not in direct sunlight.
(This will be fun on partly cloudy days.)
PC MUST change their name to a specific name, found inside headband or on back, item only works for characters of that name.
(Have fun with this.)
PC is afflicted with some with some "random" disease that cannot be cured.
(I'd look up something mental or psionic that afflicts INT then WIS and CHR.)
All of this is straight out of UE; Cursed Items. Have fun with it, but don't let them get rid of it or stop using it without a Remove Curse at the least.
I believe those Cursed Items that can be "simply discarded" are those that have an immediate effect, and then can be easily removed such as the Girdle of Opposite Gender. A Headband of Stupidity should be a real problem solver to get rid of.
Don't think of it as a dumb broken magic item, think of it as an encountered trap/creature that must be defeated.