Today I want to pick up from the last article on how I handle identifying magic items, and deal specifically with cursed items.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG) states that:
Most methods of identifying items, including the identify spell, fail to reveal such a curse, although ore might hint at it. A curse should be a surprise to the item’s user when the curse’s effects are revealed.
I agree entirely with idea that a curse should be a surprise, but I also think that player’s deserve a chance to avoid using cursed items. So I use the following:
When a character determines the nature of an item with an Intelligence check (as per my last article), they are unaware of any curses on the items unless the DC succeeds by 5 or more. Attuning to an item will not reveal a curse at all (until the curse makes itself known). Casting Identify will reveal the curse on most items, but some items have in their description that the curse cannot be detected.
Furthermore, casting a divination spell like detect evil and good may give an indication that an item is curses, casting something like augury or commune may also give strong indications if the right questions are asked.
There’s a certain excitement in using unidentified items. I remember the first time I encountered a Girdle of Gender Swap while playing 2nd edition a long time ago and being informed that my male character was now a female and couldn’t remove the belt!
It was a bit annoying, but also hilarious.
The same goes for when a fighter picks up an enchanted weapon and then starts attacking the party because it’s a berserker weapon, or when an item backfires.
Players who are a bit too involved are likely to be offended, everyone else will have fun with it. My advice is to lean into it and remember that it’s a game. Learn to take the cursed items along with the awesome enchanted ones. If you aren’t willing to risk a cursed item, don’t use any magic items!
Keep playing and keep having fun!