Cursed Items Of Power

[bibliophile20]

Been playing around with the idea of cursed Items of Power and how to best emulate the "cursed" aspect with the DFRPG system.  So, here's my first offering; let me know what you think of this approach and I'll take that into account for future items.


Pride [-3]
Description: The ancient bronze sword known as Gehuah, הוואג, “Pride”, is long and storied, but, in short, the weapon is cursed.  Any warrior who takes up the blade for honor, glory, power and fame is fated to win every battle but his last, whereupon he will be broken and left in ignominy.  This often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, as wielders become obsessed with the blade, and break when it leaves their grasp. 

One Time Discount: As an ancient bronze sword, sharp as a razor and inscribed with equally ancient Hebrew, Pride is a tad conspicuous and grants a +2 refresh discount.

It Is What It Is: Pride is an incredibly sharp bronze two-handed and well-balanced sword, with its keenness being just beyond what should be possible.  It possesses the damage and other attributes of swords.

Unbreakable: Pride is well named, being the sword of a warrior seeking glory on the field of battle.  The only way to break it would be if the one wielding it refused to give into its corrupting influences and fought and won a fight against a major foe, fighting not for himself, but for others.

Imparted Abilities:

Demonic Co-Pilot [-1]: The blade has a mind of its own, whispering half-truths to its wielder, thoughts and dreams about the covetous eyes of his fellows, even as it helps carve a swath through the field of battle.
Inhuman Speed [-2]
Inhuman Strength [-2]
A very basic cursed sword, with the ability to make a trained warrior very, very deadly on the battlefield, and a neurotic wreck off of the field, until, finally, the guy snaps.  Thoughts?

[Amseriah]

Well, I see where you are going with it.  I think that having a cursed Item of Power could be very fun, however I think that it should have a larger rebate than a regular Item of Power.  In this instance it actually costs more to have the item be cursed than a regular sword that granted Inhuman Strength and Speed because you also have to pay the -1 for Demonic Co-Pilot (I understand that that gives you a little extra power too, but it is really not worth 1 point, because you most likely don't want to go along with the voices in your head).  So maybe they gave you a 2 pt rebate for small items and a 3 pt rebate for larger ones.  Maybe even a larger discount than that.  What, other than RP, is the appeal to the player for picking up such an item?

[bitterpill]

This is how I would do a cursed Blade

Kilkash [-3]
Description: This sword was passed down through the lines of the Byzantium Kings and contains a powerful curse, those who wield it will crave more and more power until they are eventually destroyed from the inside.  

One Time Discount: A full Arcadian Scimitar is sight to behold and one that is very conspicuous and grants a +2 refresh discount.

It Is What It Is: Kilkash is an Arcadian Scimitar and as such is a large slightly curved blade with a handle set with black onyx, weapons 3

Unbreakable: It is said if a true and noble king was to ever wield the sword its cursed would be lifted.

Imparted Abilities:

Feeding Dependency Power [+1]: The Blade imparts great power unto the wielder at a cost as it comes with all the hubris of Gilgamesh and unquenchable thirst for power which if not satisfied will devour the user of the sword. (anything which is either raising yourself or lowering someone else qualifies as helping your hunger).
  
Supernatural Speed [-4]
Supernatural Strength [-4]
Inhuman Toughness -2
Inhuman Recovery -2 
[catch + 2 Women]
Incite Awe [range] -2

Refresh -9

[Drachasor]

Feeding Dependency is really good.  I'm reminded of tales of blades that must taste blood before being sheathed again.  Feeding Dependency would model this very well (including feeding on the user if they don't feed the blade).

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of good curses besides that and Demonic Co-pilot.

Though, a cursed weapon could have something like a Sponsored Agenda, granting a Debt Track.  Perhaps with the addition of being able to Compel even at 0 Debt (but you get a fate point if you get compelled there).  Of course, the aspect would have to be properly chosen to BE a curse.

[bibliophile20]

So:
Demonic Co-Pilot for items that drive their owners to insanity.
Feeding Dependency for items that have a need to shed blood, tears or pain.
Sponsored Agenda for items that have a goal of their own.

any other suggestions?  This actually fits well with some of the concepts I have scribbled down (and some that have been stolen inspired from other sources), including a gun that might have all three...

[Bruce Coulson]

Guide My Hand/Steps.

The item leads its wielder into situations favorable for the items' agenda.

[infusco]

This is how I would do a cursed Blade

Kilkash [-3]
Description: This sword was passed down through the lines of the Byzantium Kings and contains a powerful curse, those who wield it will crave more and more power until they are eventually destroyed from the inside.  

One Time Discount: A full Arcadian Scimitar is sight to behold and one that is very conspicuous and grants a +2 refresh discount.

It Is What It Is: Kilkash is an Arcadian Scimitar and as such is a large slightly curved blade with a handle set with black onyx, weapons 3

Unbreakable: It is said if a true and noble king was to ever wield the sword its cursed would be lifted.

Imparted Abilities:

Feeding Dependency Power [+1]: The Blade imparts great power unto the wielder at a cost as it comes with all the hubris of Gilgamesh and unquenchable thirst for power which if not satisfied will devour the user of the sword. (anything which is either raising yourself or lowering someone else qualifies as helping your hunger).
  
Supernatural Speed [-4]
Supernatural Strength [-4]
Inhuman Toughness -1 [catch + 2 Women]
Inhuman Regeneration -1
Incite Awe [range] -2

Refresh -9

Bitter, just a quick note ... a catch cannot reduce the refresh cost of Toughness powers below -1. So since you have -2 in Toughness powers, the catch would be a +1. Otherwise, it's a mighty fine blade

[Mal_Luck]

Bitter, just a quick note ... a catch cannot reduce the refresh cost of Toughness powers below -1. So since you have -2 in Toughness powers, the catch would be a +1. Otherwise, it's a mighty fine blade

I think he's calling Inhuman Recovery, Inhuman Regeneration. In which case, he has -4 total toughness powers and a +2 Catch is fine.

Though I wonder if Women is broad enough (I'm so sorry for that pun) to warrant a +3 Catch.

[infusco]

I think he's calling Inhuman Recovery, Inhuman Regeneration. In which case, he has -4 total toughness powers and a +2 Catch is fine.

Though I wonder if Women is broad enough (I'm so sorry for that pun) to warrant a +3 Catch.

Ah gotcha. He just labeled them both as -1 instead of -2. I didn't pick up on that.

And yeah, I'd definitely say being vulnerable to 49-50% of all mortals on the planet warrants a +3 catch.

[Drachasor]

Ah gotcha. He just labeled them both as -1 instead of -2. I didn't pick up on that.

And yeah, I'd definitely say being vulnerable to 49-50% of all mortals on the planet warrants a +3 catch.

Hey, some of us don't have reasonably easy access to women though!

Edit:  This actually ends up being an interesting question in more general terms.  With Inhuman or Superhuman Strength, using a woman as a bludgeoning weapon is fairly easy.  Should one take into account the immorality of using a given catch as making it less accessible?

[Katarn]

Someone should stat the One Ring (or like object).

[Moriden]

Should one take into account the immorality of using a given catch as making it less accessible?

if surrounded by immoral people no. if surrounded by moral people for the entire chronicle then sure.

[Peteman]

Gehuah, גהווא,

You mispelled the Hebrew. It should look like that.

[KOFFEYKID]

Heres an Item of power I helped stat up with Mal_Luck, and HobbitGuy1420.

Mad Jack's Scalpel [-2]
Description: This is the scalpel that Jack the Ripper favored over all others, insanely sharp, this scalpel always stays clean, no matter how much blood it spills.
Effects:
Insanely Sharp. This scalpel is preternaturally sharp. It's weapon rating is increased by 2 (to a total of 3).
Inhuman Speed. The user of this blade can move much faster than the average madman, this first manifests as efficiency on the operating table, but soon blossoms into a sort of frenetic movement.
The Doctor is In. The scalpel not only cuts cleaner than any other blade, it seems to know how the body works. Users of this scalpel receive a +1 bonus to scholarship for medical purposes, and can use Scholarship instead of weapons when using the scalpel (with the +1 bonus).
A Hidden Hunger. This weapon has a hidden hunger, to violently rip into unwilling victims in, what history has agreed, a sadistic, sociopathic manner. The User of the weapon gains a Hunger track that he is unaware of, when it is filled he goes temporarily mad for a scene (or longer, if hunger consequences are taken).
It Is What It Is. It's a Scalpel, a small knife, due to its preternatural sharpness it counts as a weapon 3 dagger.
Unbreakable. Mad Jack's Scalpel cannot be broken, bent, dulled, tarnished, show any other signs of damage or wear and tear. The only way to destroy it is to pervert it's use.

[Mal_Luck]

Further clarification, the IoP is intended for a villain NPC... not a PC. The Consequences involve making them more deranged and curious about cutting up human bodies until they take the Extreme Consequence: THE RIPPER REBORN. But you'll have to read NYC to see how that goes.