Curse (715)

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Curse (715)
Mnemonic [CURSE]
Duration Instantaneous
Attack Magic - Damage - Disabling  
Subtype Warding 
Target(s) Single 
Interval Variable 
Damage Type Hitpoint 
State(s) Inflicted See below 
Critical Type Unbalance
Disruption
Impact 
Sorcerer Base Spells
Blood Burst (701) Attack
Mana Disruption (702) Attack
Corrupt Essence (703) Attack
Phase (704) Utility
Disintegrate (705) Attack
Mind Jolt (706) Attack
Eye Spy (707) Utility
Limb Disruption (708) Attack
Grasp of the Grave (709) Attack
Energy Maelstrom (710) Attack
Pain (711) Attack
Cloak of Shadows (712) Defensive
Balefire (713) Attack
Scroll Infusion (714) Utility
Curse (715) Attack
Pestilence (716) Attack
Evil Eye (717) Attack
Torment (718) Attack
Dark Catalyst (719) Attack
Implosion (720) Attack
Minor Summoning (725) Utility
Animate Dead (730) Utility
Ensorcell (735) Utility
Planar Shift (740) Utility

Curse imparts one of eight dangerous curses upon a target. Use CURSE to control which curse or nightmare is cast. Stance variance still works on some curses also. The spell may also be cast directly upon items. Any damage inflicted by Curse is generally somewhat minor; it is more commonly used as a disabling spell. In the case of Curse of the Star, it can also be used to boost bolt AS.

Type Stance Color Success Effects Power
Clumsy Offensive Pure black Moves erratically Target constantly falls down (causing injury) and may have difficulty standing; may curse worn items. (Unbalance crit) 0
Weakness Advancing Deep crimson Trembles noticeably -40 AS; health loss.
(Impact crit)
2
Darkness Forward Blood red Trembles slightly -15 AS; may curse held items 3
Itch Neutral Swirling grey Shivers weakly -50 DS and occasionally forced to scratch, dropping items and causing roundtime 4
Hex Guarded Brackish blue Shakes slightly -24 or 25 TD, no warding check 5
Pox Defensive Sickly green Cringes Health loss. (Disruption crit) 2
Nightmare Any None Nightmare Health loss, may stun or fall Special
Star Any None Loses some inner strength -10 AS plus -1 AS per 3 sorcerer ranks above 15. Upon death of target AS penalty transfers to caster as bolt AS bonus (sorcerers only) 15

Some of the above information was harvested from the QRS script, which can be found here.

Usage

  • PREP 715 | CURSE {target} {cursename}
  • PREP 715 | CAST {target} or INCANT 715 in the specified stance for any stance-based Curse.

Curse Power and Lore Benefit

Power refers to the sorcerer's ability as it pertains to this spell and to what curse-choices are available, thus it can largely be ignored when it comes to the casting process itself. With a cursing power of 50 or greater, all curse variants are available. Type CURSE HELP to see your current power.

A sorcerer's power is derived by adding the known sorcerer spell ranks, plus the number of Spiritual Lore, Summoning ranks (divided by three), plus Wisdom bonus (divided by two), plus Influence bonus (divided by five). This power cannot be lower than zero.

Curse Power = Sorcerer spells + Sp.Lore, Summoning/3 + WIS bonus/2 + INF bonus/5

Cursing Items and Curse Strength

The original six curses can also be cast upon an item. The caster may safely handle their own cursed items, but the moment another character comes in contact with one, they will be subjected to the curse as if it were just cast upon them. This will cause a warding roll which utilizes the sorcerer's CS at the time of the item being cursed. Cursed items will 'stick' in the hand or inventory of the victim, and can only be removed by having Remove Curse (315) cast upon them.

  • Holy items cannot be cursed
  • The difficulty of removing a curse is based upon a comparison of the caster's ability versus the curse remover's ability
  • Cursing items does not currently work properly with Nightmares or the Star curse

All coefficients are equal between clerics and sorcerers. There is no random roll. Whichever caster has the higher strength wins. Additionally, clerics receive an immense bonus to Remove Curse if Neutralize Curse (309) is cast first (see the template discussion page for more about this).

The strength formula for a Curse and/or Remove Curse on an item is based on the following factors:

  • Discipline and Aura bonuses
  • Appropriate spell ranks for each caster (Sorcerer or Cleric Base circles). Spell ranks count significantly more than lore ranks.
  • Ranks in the appropriate lore (Summoning for Curse, Blessings for Remove Curse)
  • Level (the coefficient for this is reduced if the spell is not native to the caster)

Nightmare

This spell will cause the target to experience their worst nightmare, which will manifest in their mind and begin to attack them. Though the spell is actually just an illusion, the target will suffer stuns and small amounts of damage. Targets will routinely fall to their knees and begin to weep before the vision in their mind.

Spell Mechanics

Due to the nature of the spell, it is set to begin ten seconds after a warding failure. The target will initially feel a chill breeze and nothing else. The vision, once manifested, will remain for one second per warding failure over 100. (An endroll of 132, for example, would be a duration of 32 seconds) As a bonus to the spell, creatures that are normally immune to stuns will suffer short stuns from this spell. Many creatures are immune to this spell, however, including all undead and various monstrous creatures.

Sorcerers with a higher Curse Power can control which nightmare to inflict upon a target. They might even be able to create a customized nightmare of their very own. To specify a particular nightmare, refer to the numbers in the table below (a number is not needed for the non-specific option.) F.ex., to bury your target alive in a dastardly nightmare:

PREP 715
CURSE {target} NIGHTMARE 13

Nightmare curse list:

Number Type Power
0 Non-specific option 10
1 Terror of the Storm Giant 25
2 Terror of the Rolton 25
3 Terror of the Purple Myklian 25
4 Terror of the Banshee 25
5 Terror of the Lesser Vruul 25
6 Terror of the Mammoth Arachnid 25
7 Terror of the Dark Shambler 25
8 Terror of the Puma 25
9 Terror of the Fire Hound 25
10 Terror of the Steel Golem 25
Number Type Power
11 Farewell Tooth Thee 50
12 Mother Dearest 50
13 Buried Alive 50
14 Don't Pick At It 50
15 Taking the Plunge 50
16 The End of the World 50
17 Just One More 50
18 The Visit 50
19 Roasted, Toasted 50
20 Midnight Swim 50
99 Your custom nightmare 0

Rose Illusion

The Sorcerer Guild skill Illusion Rose contains this spell. Any non-sorcerer eating one of those roses will be under the effect of this spell for one second per level of the sorcerer who created the rose. Any player dying from the small amounts of damage done during this spell will cause a murder charge for the caster.

Star Curse

Every living being or thing was born under the soft glow of a certain star. Traditions of old suggests that the type of birth-star ascendant has a very important influence on a person's life, traits and future. By cursing that very star, a sorcerer can interfere with a victim's life and power. Under certain circumstances the sorcerer can even absorb some of that power and make use of it in nefarious ways.

Those abused by this curse will find that they've lost a general AS of 10, plus 1 for every 3 sorcerer spell ranks above 15 that the caster has learned - this is capped at the caster's level. If the caster is a sorcerer, that person will gain the equivalent amount of spell/bolt AS when the victim dies. This bonus will last for 1200 sec with and added duration of 60 seconds per target level. The duration is stackable.

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Messaging

Clumsy
Initial cast:
You gesture at a hill troll.
CS: +252 - TD: +59 + CvA: -11 + d100: +38 == +220
Warding failed!
A thread of pure black magic issues forth from your hand toward the hill troll.   It coils itself around the troll, whirling malevolently before disappearing within its body.
A hill troll begins to move erratically and looks extremely clumsy! 
Ongoing:
A hill troll suddenly trips and falls over!
A hill troll was injured in the fall!
... 10 points of damage!
Pop!  Kneecap wrenched. 
Ending:
The hill troll looks much more coordinated. 
Weakness
Initial cast:
You gesture at a hill troll.
CS: +252 - TD: +59 + CvA: +9 + d100: +24 == +226
Warding failed!
A thread of deep crimson magic issues forth from your hand toward the hill troll.  It coils itself around the troll, whirling malevolently before disappearing within its body.
A hill troll trembles noticeably and looks extremely weak! 
Ongoing:
The hill troll shakes slightly, looking very weak. 

The hill troll flinches in pain!
... 10 points of damage!
Light blow to left arm. 
Ending:
The hill troll no longer looks so weak. 
Darkness
Initial cast:
You gesture at a hill troll.
CS: +252 - TD: +59 + CvA: -11 + d100: +4 == +186
Warding failed!
A thread of blood red magic issues forth from your hand toward the hill troll. It coils itself around the troll, whirling malevolently before disappearing within its body.
A hill troll trembles slightly and looks very weak! 
(No ongoing messaging.)
Ending:
The hill troll no longer appears so weak. 
Itch
Initial cast:
You gesture at a hill troll.
CS: +252 - TD: +59 + CvA: -11 + d100: +31 == +213
Warding failed!
A thread of swirling gray magic issues forth from your hand toward the hill troll.  It coils itself around the troll, whirling malevolently before disappearing within its body.
A hill troll shivers weakly and looks very uncomfortable! 
Ongoing:
The hill troll shakes slightly, looking quite weak. 

A hill troll scratches itself uncontrollably!
The hill troll drops its sword! 
Ending:
The hill troll looks somewhat less weakened and much more comfortable. 
Hex
Initial cast:
You gesture at a hill troll.
A thread of brackish blue magic issues forth from your hand toward the hill troll.  It coils itself around the troll, whirling malevolently before disappearing within its body.
A hill troll shakes slightly and looks very vulnerable! 
(No ongoing messaging.)
Ending:
The hill troll appears a bit less vulnerable. 
Pox
Initial cast:
You gesture at a hill troll.
CS: +252 - TD: +59 + CvA: -11 + d100: +43 == +225
Warding failed!
A thread of sickly green magic issues forth from your hand toward the hill troll.  It coils itself around the troll, whirling malevolently before disappearing within its body.
A hill troll cringes and looks extremely ill. 
Ongoing:
The hill troll shivers slightly. 

A sickly green mist erupts from the hill troll and slowly circles its body.  The mist condenses in one location and quickly sinks into the troll!  The troll contorts itself in pain!
... 15 points of damage!
Minor muscle tearing on the hill troll's left leg.
The hill troll is stunned! 

A sickly green mist erupts from the hill troll and slowly circles its body.  The mist condenses in one location and quickly sinks into the troll!  The troll contorts itself in pain!
... 20 points of damage!
The hill troll's neck bones snap.
Head looks precariously balanced now.
The hill troll is stunned! 
Ending:
The hill troll no longer looks so ill. 
Item
You gesture at a black crystal.
A wisp of brackish blue magic flows from your hand toward the black crystal.  It wraps itself around the crystal, swirling momentarily before disappearing within it.
Nightmare
Initial cast:
>prep 715

You trace an intricate sign that contorts in the air while forcefully invoking Curse...
Your spell is ready.

>curse troll nightmare 2

Holding a hill troll in your gaze, you utter a foul curse upon her.
  CS: +297 - TD: +230 + CvA: +12 + d100: +98 - -5 == +182
  Warding failed!
You weave the "Terror of the Rolton" nightmare for a hill troll.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
Ongoing:
A hill troll flinches and cringes at nothing.
>
A hill troll suddenly looks terrified!
>
A hill troll's eyes suddenly glaze over.
>
A hill troll begins to sob pitifully.
She falls to her knees!
>
A hill troll weeps softly.
>
A hill troll is able to move again.
Star Curse
Initial cast:
>pre 715
You trace an intricate sign that contorts in the air while forcefully invoking Curse...
Your spell is ready.
>curse troll star
Holding a hill troll in your gaze, you utter a foul curse upon him.
   CS: +219 - TD: +59 + CvA: +20 + d100: +35 == +215
   Warding failed!
The hill troll loses some inner strength.
You are seized by a sudden premonition of his demise.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
Target death:
incant 702
You trace an intricate sign that contorts in the air while forcefully invoking Mana Disruption...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a hill troll.
   CS: +219 - TD: +59 + CvA: +20 + d100: +11 == +191
   Warding failed!
   Massive internal disruption.
The hill troll screams one last time and dies.
The deep blue glow leaves a hill troll.
You acquire a certain murky complexion, and you feel more deft.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
Recast messaging while active:
Your complexion grows murkier.
Wearing off:
Your murky complexion fades away, and you feel less deft.
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