Lets move the Cursed Item discussion into its own thread, so we don't clutter up other threads.

Rule ideas about Cursed Items.

Cost $0, and must buy along with something else.
No benefit, only penalty, and can't be lost.

Or...

Cost money, not required to buy.
Has both a benefit and penalty.

Or...

Any combination of above and/or other ideas.

Ideas for getting rid of cursed items:
1. Discard another Item of the same catagory: Example: Discard a Unique Item to get rid of a Unique Cursed Item
2. Spend Clues to Discard a Cursed Item
3. Close a Gate but Don't Seal the Gate and Discard 1 Cursed Item
4. When becoming Blessed, also Discard 1 Cursed Item
5. When Lost in Time and Space, Discard 1 Cursed Item
6. Draw a Corruption/Madness/Injury Card and Discard 1 Cursed Item

An item along the lines of you don't have to buy, and provides a benefit for a cost.

oh oh or give cursed items a Dimensional Symbol so you have to close the appropriate gate to get rid of them.

Also something that is in need of discussing is how many Cursed Items should be inserted into any deck, to avoid over saturation.

dkw said:

Yes... That is something that definitely concerns me... Especially if they are mandatory purchases. I suppose the question one ought to ask, is how many cursed items woulld ideally appear per game per character, then try and figure out how much shopping each character can usually afford to do.

(I'm looking forward to Innsmouth so someone can get a cursed item that gives the fishey look) ;'D actually, that's not the only reason why I'm looking forward to Innsmouth (gee, reeeeeally? ;') yep, you guessed it).

Hrm... I'd say if you're going to include cost/benefit cards, give those prices and don't make them mandatory purchases. Make Cursed Items a class of their own, and mandatory purchases. As for being discardable... I'd say it depends on the flavor of the curse.

Good idea dkw. I'll repost my items tomorrow evening when I get home. Here's a summary of my opinions on Cursed Items:

"Cursed Items: You must take a Cursed Item if given the option. Cursed Items cannot be traded or discarded except as follows: <insert the rules we decide on; personally I prefer 1, 4 and 6>. When a Cursed Item is gained through shopping, another item may be bought as well. If a Cursed Item is gained by other means (such as encounters), a second item of the same type is acquired with it."

I think that would prevent Cursed Items from screwing things up too bad. Instead they would only affect the game in the way they are used, not by costing you a shopping turn, etc.

I also like Gam's idea of having a certain dimensional symbol on each, and all cursed items are discarded just like monsters when a gate is closed. (I also keep shortening MrsGamura's name with each post I make. Soon you will just be G!) I don't know if this is practical though, since we can't add those symbols to items without just typing it out.

Cursed Items should usually have a cost of $0, with both an upside and a downside built into the item's effects. Though if one is created with a particularly nice upside it could be given a non-zero dollar value. The downside should be just bad enough to make the upside *almost* not worth it. i.e. They're very give-and-take.

They should only rarely be optional to use (otherwise you can just decide not to use it, which makes it pointless if it was also free to acquire).

This makes me think we'll see a few different kinds of Cursed Items. Some will be optional to use but cost money, some will be free but take effect automatically, some will be expensive but have only a minor downside (so the fact that it's Cursed is the only real issue with it), etc. Sooo many possibilities...

@ 1 cursed item for every 20 unique items sounds good or maybe 30...

Okay... From reading other peoples posts, here are a few things I think are necessary to consider.

1.Cursed item to regular item ratio (so that the deck doesn't swarm with cursed items).

2.Not having *too* many crippling cursed items (some will be only irritating, and some deadly)

3.Having different degrees of deadliness to cursed items (there shouldn't be too many cursed items that ruin investigators :') and the ones that do exist should be thematically flavorful, no one wants to be devoured by generic tentacles, for happy devourings, try Cthulhu brand!)

4.Having cursed item use be mandatory unless it is a balanced benefit/detriment item— in which case it shouldn't actually be a "Cursed Item" which in my opinion should be an item subcategory (that means you have to buy it— preferably for zero to two dollars). An item with balanced benefits and detriments like Voodoo Doll should be an optional purchase in my opinion. Although I want to see those sorts of items on this thread too :')

5.While some cursed items should probably have discard conditions, some shouldn't— lets face it, Lovecraft was often about inescapable doom— so, take these points into consideration.

6.The reshop idea is good (in my opinion). No one is going to want to have a cursed item *and* a lost turn. If a person draws a cursed item in their three cards, they should take the cursed item, and draw one more card (this will also prevent players from losing access to cards if they're trying to cycle a deck, or from just bumping into a dozen cursed items with a single unlucky draw).

So... Three tiers of cursed items? What should the ratio be for each?

1. Inescapable DOOOOOOM.

2. About as bad as an injury or madness card, but removable, for a price.

3.Cost/benefits are fairly balanced (should always have a price and perhaps should not be classed as a cursed item).

---

Mmm, also, on a semi-related note. Unless you really want to, you probably shouldn't tie cursed cards with corruption cards, while I love BGOTW, alot of players didn't buy it (I think— it could just be a false impression I've gotten from reading the forums though).

dkw said:

Unless you are making a herald, I'd strive for a neutral effect on the game -- it's just something different that happens--half good/half bad. The Voodoo Doll could be an example of that (assuming that stamina and clues are equal). However, since there is a choice on when to use it, it's probably overall a benefit. There's many times having another clue just coming out of the Other World will save another whole adventure there and another investigator would gladly give up a stamina for that.

I'd do the voodoo doll effect: Every turn, gain 1 clue token but an investigator loses 1 Stamina. (could be yourself). (Would be great for the gangster, even the doctor, so you could deliberately exempt them if you wanted, but I wouldn't, though I'd probably just make it untradeable). Otherwise you can get rid of it like a normal item.

Theme: It's not exactly how voodoo dolls work but it's a cursed voodoo doll and the owner can't help but use it. (or maybe s/he doesn't even know the clue gain is at the expense of someone else.)

Every time an item is gained, draw a cursed item along with it. The cost, of course, is free (Muhaaaaa). It that's too much, roll a die and on a 1 (or whatever number) gain a cursed item.

heh... you must've missed my suggestion ::cough cough:: I mean warning, against using Voodoo Doll with Join The Winning Team ;'D

Heh! And if you wanted to *really* see a cursed Voodoo Doll :') you would make it a *mandatory* per upkeep use (that would also be usable on yourself). Compulsive pin pushing :')

I have been doing some thinking about cursed items. Here is an alternative thought. Instead of putting the cursed items in the decks as normal...what if there were certain "artifact" items that were put into the Common and Unique decks, that once drawn or purchased, you then drew from a second deck to see just what you got. Say, there is an item like this...

Then you put all your fun cursed items, as well as some good items in the Artifact deck, with at least 50% good in the deck. That way, you could get a bargain and get a really nice thing for $3 or you could get a +1 two handed sword that you have to use in any fight...

Sothis said: I also like Gam's idea of having a certain dimensional symbol on each, and all cursed items are discarded just like monsters when a gate is closed. (I also keep shortening MrsGamura's name with each post I make. Soon you will just be G!) I don't know if this is practical though, since we can't add those symbols to items without just typing it out.

You could use the corruption card front and add the item back from strange eons. Corruption cards have an active and/or passive action.

Cursed Items should usually have a cost of $0, with both an upside and a downside built into the item's effects. Though if one is created with a particularly nice upside it could be given a non-zero dollar value. The downside should be just bad enough to make the upside *almost* not worth it. i.e. They're very give-and-take.

Perfect!

"They should only rarely be optional to use (otherwise you can just decide not to use it, which makes it pointless if it was also free to acquire).

This makes me think we'll see a few different kinds of Cursed Items. Some will be optional to use but cost money, some will be free but take effect automatically, some will be expensive but have only a minor downside (so the fact that it's Cursed is the only real issue with it), etc. Sooo many possibilities..."

I'll be interested to see your ideas

TatteredKing said:

If you want ;') gee, you're too nice though, I'd much rather just see smiling people swallow poison.

MrsGamura said:

Heh... But the question is 1 cursed item of what calibur? Because there are Curses?!?! And then there are CURSES!!!!

just tossing out ideas.

as for what calibur of curses...I'd make it a range...just as there are a range of good items.

A Herald that gives out Cursed Items, not a bad idea.

As for ratio of Cursed Items, maybe 2-4 Inescapable Doom Items in the deck?

Here is the Voodoo Doll as a true Cursed Item as opposed to an Benefit/Penalty item, applying the Rule "Must Buy if you Draw it."

Avi_dreader said:

1/20 Curses

1/40 CURSES

1/100 CURSES!!! arg get it off me...what do human brains taste like!?!?

Cursed Mission sounds fun too...

You have ten turns to complete it

3-4 locations

Sac: Certain Dimensinal Symbol (Common Ones Only) Monster Trophy, Reduce Max San or Stam

Fail AO awakens

Pass Seal a Unstable Location!

MrsGamura said:

Heh... I'd make it 1/20 Curses, 1/20 CURSES, and 1/40 CURSES!!!

dkw said:

Not a serious suggestion ;') but another thematic alternative for "cancelling" a Voodoo Doll would be gaining an ally ;'D someone *else* to use it on.

The first version was more the serious kind. This one was more of an example based on the general consensus of what Cursed Items should be.

Avi_dreader said:

Unintended consequence : Another investigator may just want to bless the holder of this little doll!

Although this is a Herald Idea, I believe it belongs more in this Thread because of what we are making here.

So, lets keep the Cursed Item ideas flowing so he can have some fun.

No, I think I like the original Voodoo Doll more. Just make it a little bigger downside (2 Stamina, or doesn't untap normally, whatever). Now that we've had a few suggestions for different severity Cursed Items, I think it would be awesome if some were worse than others.

And of course, the best ideas come from stealing a little bit from everybody. With TatteredKing's suggestion of placeholder cards, and Avi and Gam's reminder that we may have *too many* Cursed Items, I'm thinking something like this might be a great answer:

1. Make a generalized card for Cursed Item. This placeholder can be given a Unique cardback and be placed in that deck, as well as the Common and Exhibit decks with their cardbacks. The number of placeholders in each deck can be set to whatever ratio of Cursed Items you want to see in your particular game at the time. General guideline can be 1:20 (or whatever) as suggested earlier. So maybe there's 5 in the Unique Deck, 2 in the Exhibit Deck, etc.

2. When a Cursed Item card is drawn (whether shopping or gained through encounter), it is discarded (because it doesn't do anything really, just a placeholder) and the player must draw the top card from the Cursed Item deck and pay any cost listed to obtain it. Then he continues his turn as normal (finishes shopping or encounter, etc).

3. The Cursed Item deck contains EVERY Cursed Item all in one place. The super-doom ones, the bad-but-good ones, and so forth. Everything! The number of each type will reflect how bad you want the draws to be (i.e. lots of doom ones, etc). So you can make the Cursed Item deck really horrible, or not so bad because it's filled with stuff like the Voodoo Doll, or whatever mix you enjoy most.

4. And HELL YES there should be Cursed Missions in there as well, just like how there's Missions in the Unique Deck. Only Cursed Missions are HORRIBLE if you don't make time to complete them! (Nice idea Gam!)

What do you think? I think this would be a very functional way of adding them into any game while allowing you to have full control over a) how often they show up, and b) how horrible they're likely to be. Curse you guys, now I'm going to be stuck compulsively thinking up Cursed Items for days! XD

Edit: NICE HERALD dkw. That will be a fun one later when we have enough Cursed Items to make a deck. Sort of a way to showcase Cursed Items like crazy, rather than having them show up only a few times per game.

More Voodoo.

And something everyone will hate.