Curses in C&C

[kajukenbo]

Hello all.

I do not see any sort of "Detect Curse" in the PHB.
Is there any sort of spell in a different manual?
Is there no way to determine if armor, a ring or scroll is cursed BEFORE it is worn or read?

Also, I understand that "Remove Curse" will let a PC get rid of a cursed item - but not actually remove the curse from the item.

So if that is the case, what happens if you cast "Remove Curse" on a cursed scroll?

Spell scrolls now look like a nearly unstoppable trap for casters if there is no "Detect Curse".
I mean, couldn't the cursed scroll be an immediately detonating 6d6 "Fireball"?
"Bestow Curse" seems like it is cursing a person, not an object.

This seems like a dangerous gray area / omission here.

Am I missing something?

[serleran]

no. d&d and therefore c&c has never had detect curse as a "core" spell. their use, like anything (such as unavoidable traps) must rely on discretion and fair adjudication. detect magic may be able to help and some allow identify to act as a sort of protection, but any direct spell/effect would have to be added; I would recommend looking at The Arcanum.

[redwullf]

It's very easy to detect the curses around my gaming table. They're usually 4 letters in length and start with an "f" or an "s."

[Arduin]

"D&D" core (phb) has never had a detect curse spell. It has always been a point of unknown danger to PCs (and hilarious fun for GM's).

[kajukenbo]

Fair enough. I did not even think to check my old boxed set.
I just thought I remembered it from 1e.

Thanks

[Omote]

It's very easy to detect the curses around my gaming table. They're usually 4 letters in length and start with an "f" or an "s."

THIS. In every sense of the word, THIS!

~O

[serleran]

If one were inclined, I would offer that detect curse would be a 4th level spell; dispel curse would be 6th.

In C&C, and its parent form of D&D, it is a bad idea to find a magic item and immediately start to use it. You should consult a learned individual and learn about the item first, whether that be the local bard, magic-user, or sage. This also encourages the game master to have a history/story for the item rather than just being "another thing of +1, cursed."

[kajukenbo]

That makes sense serleran, but it sort of brings me back to "how does the wise old sage know if it is safe?"
I will consider the idea of detect curse at 4th level; dispel curse at 6th - for guys like those Sages and Bards you speak of.

Thanks as always for the feedback guys

[Lord Crimson]

I don't have my book on hand at the moment... but does the Identify spell reveal cursed items?

If so, that's a level 1 "detect curse" spell by default.

[Lurker]

If one were inclined, I would offer that detect curse would be a 4th level spell; dispel curse would be 6th.

In C&C, and its parent form of D&D, it is a bad idea to find a magic item and immediately start to use it. You should consult a learned individual and learn about the item first, whether that be the local bard, magic-user, or sage. This also encourages the game master to have a history/story for the item rather than just being "another thing of +1, cursed."

Rgr on that, that is why I never have generic magic item or a random magic item. That being said I tend to play a little lower magic level than the "norm"

[kajukenbo]

I don't have my book on hand at the moment... but does the Identify spell reveal cursed items?

If so, that's a level 1 "detect curse" spell by default.

Identify is for functions, right?
IIRC, it reveals stuff like "+1"
I do not know if I would classify a Curse as a "function".

Then again, that is why I started the thread

Thanks as always

[kajukenbo]

I would recommend looking at The Arcanum.

??

[serleran]

That makes sense serleran, but it sort of brings me back to "how does the wise old sage know if it is safe?"
I will consider the idea of detect curse at 4th level; dispel curse at 6th - for guys like those Sages and Bards you speak of.

Thanks as always for the feedback guys

The easy answer is: research. If items are to be unique, assuming they are, then each would have its own history, list of owners, legends, lre, myths, etc etc. Somewhere in there, there may be an idea of supposed curses, what caused it, possibilities to end it, and all that good stuff. Sort of like The One Ring... you may not know what it is at first, but upon discovering it (identifying), can uncover more information to keep it secret, keep it safe.

[Arduin]

The easy answer is: research. If items are to be unique, assuming they are, then each would have its own history, list of owners, legends, lre, myths, etc etc. Somewhere in there, there may be an idea of supposed curses, what caused it, possibilities to end it, and all that good stuff. Sort of like The One Ring... you may not know what it is at first, but upon discovering it (identifying), can uncover more information to keep it secret, keep it safe.

That all depends. A humble +1 sword that turned out cursed and the maker tucks it away in his lair and forgets about it. 1000 years later PC discovers the treasures long buried. A Bard will have to call the SOL Hotline...

[serleran]

I would recommend looking at The Arcanum.

??

The Arcanum is an old game, sort of like AD&D, which is extremely similar to C&C.

[serleran]

That all depends. A humble +1 sword that turned out cursed and the maker tucks it away in his lair and forgets about it. 1000 years later PC discovers the treasures long buried. A Bard will have to call the SOL Hotline...

Naturally. If an item has no story, there is no story to uncover. This, again, is why the person running the game needs to fairly adjudicate the use of curses.