Day 27: Favourite Cursed Item

I’ve never been a big proponent of cursed items so picking a favourite cursed item is difficult. In fact, the last time I used a cursed item I think was back in the ’80s. It may well have been the Deck of Many Things again!

From what I can see in the SRD, there aren’t many cursed items. This leads me to think that, although they exist, there aren’t that many around. I mean, who would go to all the trouble of creating a magic item that was cursed? First they have to spend the time and money on creating the item. Then they have to work out a way to get it into the hands of their enemy. All without arousing suspicion. Much simplier to just create an item they can use against their enemy directly. Perhaps that’s actually an insight into how my mind works though. Direct action rather than hidden subterfuge.

I also don’t like penalising players when they are expecting a reward. WIth that in mind, and looking again at the cursed items in the 5th Edition SRD, I think demon armor would get my vote for favourite cursed item. You gain magic armour and a magical unarmed attack. You trade this off with disadvantage on attacks again demons and their saving throws and special abilities. So a bonus that the player can use most of the time, with a curse that comes into affect on specific occasions.

This feels to me to be a fair situation. Of course, if your party are fighting lots of demons that curse soon becomes a weight around the character’s neck. Do they then have remove curse cast on them so they can take the armour off? Or do they press on regardless because of the boons it provides? A dilemma for any player but one that makes a cursed item worthwhile to me.