Do we know if this will be a thing being implemented, I always found it facinating that a powerfull artifact would have drawbacks, there are so many combination of curses that can be implemented not just on items but also to characters. Of course with quests involved to cure these curses.
They dont necessarily have to be cursed but the items could have a drawback like +3 vs undead -1 to living, etc.
Just a fun topic to get peoples thoughts ;)
They've been increasingly rare. I believe a 'modern MMO' aspect that rewards must be wholly positive (and overly powerful, but that's another thing).
I would love to see a lot more items having pros and cons. It makes the game much more interesting. Real meaningful choice.
"Cursed" items, though, make me think of something that has been even more rare in MMOs - almost non-existant. An item that when unidentified seems like any other magical item, but when equipped reveals it's true nature - usually something badly negative if not deadly. Some items even seem to be a good identified item until worn to fool and trap the user.
This would often lead to not just needing a Remove Curse spell cast, but a whole quest followed to, maybe vist a Sage and follows hint to removal and eventually lead to a shrine where the curse can be removed, but find you need to bring other ingrediants or maybe a crafter or whatever to get the removal finally done.
Sometimes when the curse is removed, the item becomes a useful and powerful item. Sometimes it leads to another optional quest to destroy the item?
Would love to see some of these!
I could see this coming into play with the perception system as well. An item may be required for a particular zone to combat the effects of the environment. But the item simoultatiously weighs you down or provides some other adverse affect you have to work through (gimped hp, ac etc)
I remember cursed items from long ago. They added a lot of excitement. I'd love to see them in Pantheon.
I'd be happy to see items with a mix of positive and negative magical effects. Or awesome stats but balanced by a negative effect. But to me, the real definition of a "cursed" item is Disposalist's description of a 'hidden' curse that you won't know about until you use or equip it. That's the most exciting form, to risk slow or quick death when you try it. Additionally, with the cursed items I remember you could not UN-equip a cursed item until you died or 'removed' the curse from the item.
It would also be interesting to see the Perception system tied in to some of these items. Those with high perception skill might have some % chance to recognize the hidden curse before using it, or maybe would be able to see how to remove the curse (how to start the quest).
Great subject, Yaladan.
I love the idea of cursed items being items that have huge detriments until you can get them removed. Reminds me of Baldur's Gate with the cursed items that couldn't be removed without cure curse.
I think though that it shouldn't be specific "items" that are cursed, but rather certain "curses" that affect items. By making the curse the primary affector, they would be able to apply the curse to any item, but the curse would have a story line associated with it.
I also love the idea of not knowing its cursed until you put it on, then not being able to remove the item until it is destroyed or purified. This would really throw it in the players hands to how bad they want that item. Would you suffer the detriments while you frantically searched for a way to purify the item intact, or would you get frustrated and just destroy the item in favor of an item you know is beneficial?
You could tier curses, you could regionalize curses, you could make biased curses.... so much to do!
Yaladan said:Do we know if this will be a thing being implemented, I always found it facinating that a powerfull artifact would have drawbacks, there are so many combination of curses that can be implemented not just on items but also to characters. Of course with quests involved to cure these curses.
They dont necessarily have to be cursed but the items could have a drawback like +3 vs undead -1 to living, etc.
Just a fun topic to get peoples thoughts ;)
Not just 'powerful artifacts' but every item, every skill, every weapon...everything essentially, should have both positives and negatives and that these should actually be noticeable. You should be looking at the pros/cons of each item to see which positives are worth the negatives.
I remember - not realizing I had become a vampire in Oblivion.
Suddenly dungeons were easier, monsters didnt seem so hard. difficult to sell at times. coincidentally I was always out and about at night, and then during the day it- was something wrong with my screen and why was I diring to easily to this scamp that I would normally plow through?
I liked that kind of discovery.
As far as on items, I would like ot see it go both ways, an item cursed becomes more powerfull when the curse is removed but still good when cursed, and likewise a holy weapon become nasty powerful when a curse is applied- hopefully through some cathartic questline like: take your former paladins holy blade of purging and curse it by having your level 10 progeny commit suicide with it over your grave to ressurrect your now miserable lich/direlord self, leaving the blade now cursed for you to pick up- Oh!