Cresella's Collection of Cursed Items
Oh? You seek magic items, yes? You seek power? Come come, come into my store. I have many powerful items to offer. Be warned though, some of them may be a bit... well, I'm sure you'll find out eventually. Please, look around. Tell me if you see anything you like.
Bastion of Protection
Shield, rare (requires attunement)
A large tower shield, pained blue with a silver border, bearing the crest of a mighty empire. While wearing and attuned to this shield, allies within 15 feet gain a +2 bonus to their AC.
Cursed. This shield is cursed, forcing you to protect others, but not yourself. You do not gain the AC bonus from wearing this shield. In addition, you cannot willingly unattune from this item until you are affected by the remove curse spell, and you gain the following flaw: "I am too willing to sacrifice myself for others".
Critical Edge
Weapon (any), rare (requires attunement)
This weapon has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. When you make an attack roll with this weapon while attuned to it, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Cursed. This weapon is cursed, causing enemy's weapon attacks against you to score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. This curse is only revealed after a creature lands a critical strike against you.
Desmond's Mirror of Knowledge
Wondrous item, rare
A small, polished silver hand mirror, the frame of which are engraved with beautiful writings in an ancient and forgotten language. When you look into the mirror, you see your reflection as normal, however it moves and acts on its own.
When you make an Intelligence check to learn or recall knowledge, you can look into the mirror and ask it for help, giving you a +10 bonus to your roll. This can even help you learn information that you should not be able to know, such as the location of an item.
Once you ask the mirror a question, you cannot do so again until the next dawn.
Cursed. The mirror is cursed, and has a mind of its own. Using the identify on the mirror does not reveal that is it cursed. When you ask the mirror a question, the DM rolls a percentile die in secret. On a roll of 1-25, the mirror will lie to you, and give you false information. If a creature attempts to learn if the mirror is telling the truth, it must make an insight check against the mirror's deception check. The mirror has a +12 bonus to deception.
Cursed Items; Alternate Rules
By RAW, cursed items cannot be removed until the remove curse spell is cast on the creature attuned to the item, and that identify will not reveal the curse (DMG, pg. 138-139). While I feel like this works for some items, other times, it takes away from the fun of the items. I enjoy cursed items that the players willingly choose to use, deciding that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
While using these items, I suggest allowing your players to attune and unattune to these items as they see fit unless the item explicitly says they cannot. This makes these items significantly more interesting to use, instead of just having a "HAHA, the itme was cursed!" gotcha moment, only for the players to cast a 3rd level spell and throw the item away.
Gambler's Lucky Dice
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
A small gold bracelet with a pair of charms attached to it, one a white die with blue dots, and the other a black die with red dots. The dice are said to be a lucky charm, aiding someone when they need it most.
While wearing this charm and attuned to it, you can roll a d6 and add the result to any roll you make. You can do so after rolling the dice, but before knowing the outcome of the roll.
Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until the next dawn.
Cursed. The charm is cursed, causing the wearer's luck to come back to bite them. After the creature uses the ability of this item, the DM is able to roll a d6 and subtract the result to any roll the creature makes. Once the DM uses this feature, the item recharges, and the creature can use this items ability again.
Ring of Ultimate Arcanum
Ring, very rare (requires attunement from a spellcaster)
A beautiful mythril ring, embedded with a series of different gemstones. While attuned to and wearing this ring, you gain an additional spell slot of your highest level (Max 5th level).
Cursed. This ring is cursed, preventing you from pouring more magic into your lesser spells. While attuned to this ring, you cannot upcast any of your spells. For example, if you know the fireball spell, you can only cast it with 3rd-level spell slots.
Vampiric Fang
Weapon (any sword), rare (requires attunement)
A wicked blade bathed in vampire blood for a fortnight. This blade has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. Additionally, this weapon has 3 charges. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend a charge to deal an extra 2d6 necrotic damage, gaining temporary hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. This item regains all expended charges at dawn.
Cursed. This weapon is cursed by the vampire who was slain to create it, draining your lifeforce. When you use this item to gain temporary hit points, your maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount of temporary hit points that you gain. Your maximum hit points return to normal at the end of a long rest.
Additionally, you cannot willingly unattune from this item until you are affected by the remove curse spell.
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Art:
My Little Saviour - LaVolpeCimina
Ring of Three Wishes - Mark Winters, owned by ©Wizards of the Coast LLC
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