I am running a campaign and wanting to give them along the way a couple cursed item to find and watch the chaos unfold little. Please let me know if they are to harsh or need some re works, but I am loving the ideas so far. Thank you in advance.
1st - a Wand
At first glance, this appears to be a simple wooden wand, tipped with a faintly glowing gem. But upon attunement, its true form is revealed: the gem becomes a bloody, blinking eye, and grotesque legs sprout from its shaft like a centipede crossed with a spider.
The curse binds the wand to you. It can either be wielded openly like a normal wand, or it may retreat into your flesh, burrowing beneath your skin and leaving the eye embedded in your chest or palm. The eye constantly blinks and weeps blood.
Cursed Form (Eldritch Horror Transformation)
When you attune to this wand, you are permanently cursed. You cannot willingly unattune to it unless a Remove Cursespell of 7th level or higher is cast. While attuned, your body is twisted into a horrifying shape:
Antlers sprouting from your head, dripping with black ichor, your limbs elongate and your legs become horse-like. You fingers grow into Jagged claws and your mouth widens making from for sharp fangs. Your eye turn black with small red pupils. Your voice echoes unnaturally, and beasts are immediately afraid of you.
Properties
Spellcasting Focus. You can use this wand as a +2 arcane focus, and you can change any spell damage to ether fire or necrotic.
Eldritch Mutations. While attuned, your body is warped, granting you the following traits:
Claws. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 + strength or dexterity slashing damage.
Nightmare Form. You have advantage on Intimidation checks, but disadvantage on Persuasion checks with humanoids.
Eyes of Horror. You gain darkvision out to 150 feet.
Horrid Spell Surge. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher using the wand, roll a d6:
1. You take 2d6 psychic damage as the wand feeds on you.
2–5. The spell gains +1d6 necrotic damage on all damage rolls.
6. The wand lashes out and an additional eldritch bolt fires from the eye at a creature of your choice within 50 feet of the spell’s target, dealing 2d8 force damage.
Cursed Binding
The wand is jealous and possessive. While attuned, if you try to attune to another magic item that requires attunement, you take 4d10 psychic damage and the attempt fails.
Once per day if you are reduced to 0 hit points, the wand attempts to stabilize you by force. Your body writhes as eldritch tendrils knit your wounds. You immediately regain 1 hit point, but the wand permanently mutates part of your body (horns twist further, claws lengthen, skin mottles with dark veins).
Eldritch Form
Once per long rest, you can embrace the full horror: for 1 minute you transform fully into the abomination the wand wants you to be.
You gain +3 AC, your claws deal 2d8 slashing + 1d6 necrotic damage and have a reach of 10 feet, and your speed increases by 15 feet.
You have a bite attack that deals 3d8 piercing damage. And if you kill a creature you automatically eat them and regenerate 3d6 hit points.
All creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of their next turn.
You are vulnerable to radiant damage but immune to poison and necrotic damage, and resistant to fire.
When the transformation ends, you suffer 2 levels of exhaustion, and have to make a DC 15 wisdom saving throw or take 3d6 physic damage.
2nd - The eye
At first, this looks like a simple locked wooden box, unassuming and plain. However, when it is opened, struck, or even left near sleeping creatures, its true form is revealed:
The wood melts away into writhing hundreds of small tentacles and a single large eye glares from its centre.
It leaps onto the victim’s face, burrows into their flesh, and rips out an eye to replace it with its own.
If this occurs while the victim is asleep, they must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or remain paralyzed, numbed to the pain. Only upon waking do they realize something is horribly wrong.
Once attached, the eye cannot be removed short of a Wish spell or a 9th-level Remove Curse. The horror fuses into your body: its tentacles snake through your brain, muscles, and organs, replacing one of your eyes with its bloody, blinking orb. You and the parasite share thoughts, but its hunger gnaws at you constantly.
While bonded with the Collumith The Parasite’s you gain the following benefits:
Darkvision 300 ft.
You can speak and understand Infernal, Abyssal, and Primordial.
You gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws.
You are immune to the charmed condition.
Your speed increases by 10 feet.
Your Constitution score increases by +1, to a maximum of 22.
The Parasite’s Hunger
The eye is alive, and it requires flesh and blood daily. When it sees an appetising creature or when you slay a creature, the parasite may demand to feed on it. If you refuse or disobey its hunger, it lashes out:
You take 5d6 psychic damage, no save. (The DM may also impose exhaustion or growing mutations as long-term consequences.)
Tendril Strike
A number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus, you may unleash the parasite’s tendrils from your mouth or hands.
Range: 30 feet.
Attack: Melee spell attack using your spell attack modifier.
Hit: 2d8 piercing + 2d6 necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of their next turn.
Corruption
Every time you use the parasite’s tendrils, your body warps slightly (elongated limbs, black veins, twitching antlers, or red spikes). After significant use, the DM may choose to fully transform you into a monster under their control.
The parasite whispers in your mind constantly, demanding obedience. If you disobey there are consequences but willingness to feed and be one with it may result in additional powers and abilities.
NPCs may notice your inhuman eye, glowing faintly red and black, and react with fear or aggression.
So the Eye is simply a buff to their character, but that allows you to take away their character whenever you want.
Whereas the Wand basically turns a spellcaster into a martial character.
I guess my question is what's the point? Sure they are "cool" and 'edgey" with some "horror" text descriptions. But, how will they create chaos if that is what you want?
There are definite possible combinations where these items are just straight buffs to the character and the characters will just like them.
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I am running a campaign and wanting to give them along the way a couple cursed item to find and watch the chaos unfold little. Please let me know if they are to harsh or need some re works, but I am loving the ideas so far. Thank you in advance.
1st - a Wand
At first glance, this appears to be a simple wooden wand, tipped with a faintly glowing gem. But upon attunement, its true form is revealed: the gem becomes a bloody, blinking eye, and grotesque legs sprout from its shaft like a centipede crossed with a spider.
The curse binds the wand to you. It can either be wielded openly like a normal wand, or it may retreat into your flesh, burrowing beneath your skin and leaving the eye embedded in your chest or palm. The eye constantly blinks and weeps blood.
Cursed Form (Eldritch Horror Transformation)
When you attune to this wand, you are permanently cursed. You cannot willingly unattune to it unless a Remove Cursespell of 7th level or higher is cast. While attuned, your body is twisted into a horrifying shape:
Antlers sprouting from your head, dripping with black ichor, your limbs elongate and your legs become horse-like. You fingers grow into Jagged claws and your mouth widens making from for sharp fangs. Your eye turn black with small red pupils. Your voice echoes unnaturally, and beasts are immediately afraid of you.
Properties
Spellcasting Focus. You can use this wand as a +2 arcane focus, and you can change any spell damage to ether fire or necrotic.
Eldritch Mutations. While attuned, your body is warped, granting you the following traits:
Claws. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 + strength or dexterity slashing damage.
Nightmare Form. You have advantage on Intimidation checks, but disadvantage on Persuasion checks with humanoids.
Eyes of Horror. You gain darkvision out to 150 feet.
Horrid Spell Surge. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher using the wand, roll a d6:
1. You take 2d6 psychic damage as the wand feeds on you.
2–5. The spell gains +1d6 necrotic damage on all damage rolls.
6. The wand lashes out and an additional eldritch bolt fires from the eye at a creature of your choice within 50 feet of the spell’s target, dealing 2d8 force damage.
Cursed Binding
The wand is jealous and possessive. While attuned, if you try to attune to another magic item that requires attunement, you take 4d10 psychic damage and the attempt fails.
Once per day if you are reduced to 0 hit points, the wand attempts to stabilize you by force. Your body writhes as eldritch tendrils knit your wounds. You immediately regain 1 hit point, but the wand permanently mutates part of your body (horns twist further, claws lengthen, skin mottles with dark veins).
Eldritch Form
Once per long rest, you can embrace the full horror: for 1 minute you transform fully into the abomination the wand wants you to be.
You gain +3 AC, your claws deal 2d8 slashing + 1d6 necrotic damage and have a reach of 10 feet, and your speed increases by 15 feet.
All creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of their next turn.
You are vulnerable to radiant damage but immune to poison and necrotic damage, and resistant to fire.
When the transformation ends, you suffer 2 levels of exhaustion, and have to make a DC 15 wisdom saving throw or take 3d6 physic damage.
2nd - The eye
At first, this looks like a simple locked wooden box, unassuming and plain. However, when it is opened, struck, or even left near sleeping creatures, its true form is revealed:
The wood melts away into writhing hundreds of small tentacles and a single large eye glares from its centre.
It leaps onto the victim’s face, burrows into their flesh, and rips out an eye to replace it with its own.
If this occurs while the victim is asleep, they must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or remain paralyzed, numbed to the pain. Only upon waking do they realize something is horribly wrong.
Once attached, the eye cannot be removed short of a Wish spell or a 9th-level Remove Curse. The horror fuses into your body: its tentacles snake through your brain, muscles, and organs, replacing one of your eyes with its bloody, blinking orb. You and the parasite share thoughts, but its hunger gnaws at you constantly.
While bonded with the Collumith The Parasite’s you gain the following benefits:
Darkvision 300 ft.
You can speak and understand Infernal, Abyssal, and Primordial.
You gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws.
You are immune to the charmed condition.
Your speed increases by 10 feet.
Your Constitution score increases by +1, to a maximum of 22.
The Parasite’s Hunger
The eye is alive, and it requires flesh and blood daily. When it sees an appetising creature or when you slay a creature, the parasite may demand to feed on it. If you refuse or disobey its hunger, it lashes out:
You take 5d6 psychic damage, no save. (The DM may also impose exhaustion or growing mutations as long-term consequences.)
Tendril Strike
A number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus, you may unleash the parasite’s tendrils from your mouth or hands.
Range: 30 feet.
Attack: Melee spell attack using your spell attack modifier.
Hit: 2d8 piercing + 2d6 necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of their next turn.
Corruption
Every time you use the parasite’s tendrils, your body warps slightly (elongated limbs, black veins, twitching antlers, or red spikes). After significant use, the DM may choose to fully transform you into a monster under their control.
The parasite whispers in your mind constantly, demanding obedience. If you disobey there are consequences but willingness to feed and be one with it may result in additional powers and abilities.
NPCs may notice your inhuman eye, glowing faintly red and black, and react with fear or aggression.
So the Eye is simply a buff to their character, but that allows you to take away their character whenever you want.
Whereas the Wand basically turns a spellcaster into a martial character.
I guess my question is what's the point? Sure they are "cool" and 'edgey" with some "horror" text descriptions. But, how will they create chaos if that is what you want?
There are definite possible combinations where these items are just straight buffs to the character and the characters will just like them.