I like making the players spend hitdice to gain the benefit from the weapon.
For example, when they make an attack roll they must spend any number of hit dice as a part of the attack. Per hit die spent the number they must roll on the d20 to score a critical hit decreases by 1. So if they spend 1 hit die they would crit on 19 and 20. 2 hit die 18->20 so on an so forth. Additionally, when they spend hit dice in this way roll the hitndice spent and take damage equal to the total rolled. This gives a risk reward to using the bow.
Edit: spelling. I'm on my phone so please forgive any disgusting errors
Those seem more like buffs than curses. That being said I like the additional poison damage, kinda like how a flame tongue works, but more “viper fang” and for a ranged weapon.
If you want a fun curse that’s more RP focused than mechanical I’m a fan of curses that impose Personality Traits/Ideals/Bonds/Flaws on a character until/unless the curse is lifted. Those curses challenge the player more than their PC, but not all players would appreciate something like that. (The ones that do love it though.)
I'm a fan of curses that become evident later on. A cursed assassin's bow might leave a mark on the arrows that identifies the assassin. If you're looking for enhancements, silencing is very thematic. Another interesting enhancement would be to have the arrows deal ongoing poison damage while making the target ethereal, so that they can't get help.
Is the weapon cursed in the sense that it curses the wielder, or do you just mean that it curses the target?
If you want to curse the target then you might take a look at bestow curse; imposing one of those effects automatically might be too strong depending upon level, but you could always give it limited charges?
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I want to make a cursed bow that an assassin would use.
Is giving the benefit of sneak attack too OP? Maybe with limited charges?
Additional poison damage?
Turns arrows invisible for limited time?
Casts silence on the target?
What would be a fun, thematic curse?
I like making the players spend hitdice to gain the benefit from the weapon.
For example, when they make an attack roll they must spend any number of hit dice as a part of the attack. Per hit die spent the number they must roll on the d20 to score a critical hit decreases by 1. So if they spend 1 hit die they would crit on 19 and 20. 2 hit die 18->20 so on an so forth. Additionally, when they spend hit dice in this way roll the hitndice spent and take damage equal to the total rolled. This gives a risk reward to using the bow.
Edit: spelling. I'm on my phone so please forgive any disgusting errors
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Those seem more like buffs than curses. That being said I like the additional poison damage, kinda like how a flame tongue works, but more “viper fang” and for a ranged weapon.
If you want a fun curse that’s more RP focused than mechanical I’m a fan of curses that impose Personality Traits/Ideals/Bonds/Flaws on a character until/unless the curse is lifted. Those curses challenge the player more than their PC, but not all players would appreciate something like that. (The ones that do love it though.)
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I'm a fan of curses that become evident later on. A cursed assassin's bow might leave a mark on the arrows that identifies the assassin. If you're looking for enhancements, silencing is very thematic. Another interesting enhancement would be to have the arrows deal ongoing poison damage while making the target ethereal, so that they can't get help.
Is the weapon cursed in the sense that it curses the wielder, or do you just mean that it curses the target?
If you want to curse the target then you might take a look at bestow curse; imposing one of those effects automatically might be too strong depending upon level, but you could always give it limited charges?
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.