Speaking a curse is no small matter in the Demiplane of Dread. The very nature of the act sends a shiver through the fabric of the land, which cannot help but draw the attention of the dark powers. Thus, as soon as the curse is uttered, the individual laying it must roll a Ravenloft powers check (see Chapter Seven: Powers Checks). The chance of failing this check varies with the power of the curse.
The more deadly the curse, the more likely it is to earn the attention of the dark powers. Table 37 indicates the normal chances that a powers check will fail for a given curse. If a character invoking a curse fails his powers check, he draws the attentions of the dark powers. Dungeon Masters may modify these numbers based on the circumstances of the event. A highly justified curse, for example, would have a smaller chance of failure than one laid out of pure spite and malice.
Table 37: Powers Checks for Cursing
| Curse Strength | Powers Check | |
| Embarrassing | 2% | |
| Frustrating | 4% | |
| Troublesome | 8% | |
| Dangerous | 16% | |
| Lethal | 32% |
Resolving the Curse
Once a curse has been laid, the Dungeon Master must decide whether it takes hold and, if so, its exact effect. The most important rule of thumb is that if the curse dramatically enhances the adventure, then it works. In the AD&D game (no matter what the campaign setting), no table or rule can replace the insight and eye of the Dungeon Master. This holds as true for curses as for encounters, events, ability checks, and combat (in short, die rolls of every kind). If the curse would further the Dungeon Master's story, then it succeeds. On the other hand, if it would impede the progress of the adventure, then it fails.
Still, some demand specific rules - a table that gives them some idea of the percentage chance that a curse will take hold. A curse has a base chance to take effect of 0%. When a curse is laid, the Dungeon Master should proceed through each of the modifiers in Table 38 and then roll against the final total. If the result is equal to or lower than the curse's chance of success, then it succeeds. If not, it fails.
Table 38: Curse Success Chance
| Modifier | ||
| Result of Power Check | ||
| Succeeded | -25% | |
| Failed | +25% | |
| Justification | ||
| Highly justified | +10% | |
| Justified | +0% | |
| Unjustified | -10% | |
| Emotional State | ||
| Highly charged | +15% | |
| Charged | +5% | |
| Normal | -10% | |
| Background | ||
| Vistani | +25% | |
| Other Ravenloft native | +10% | |
| Nonative | -10% | |
| Male | -5% | |
| Female | +10% | |
| Character Type | ||
| Spellcaster | +5% | |
| Nonspellcaster | -5% | |
| Alignment | ||
| Lawfull | -5% | |
| Chaotic | +5% | |
| Good | -10% | |
| Evil | +10% | |
| Drama of Curse | ||
| High | +25% | |
| Average | +0% | |
| Low | -25% | |
| Wording | ||
| Mentions game mechanics | -15% | |
| Includes broad prohibiton | -15% | |
| Not tailored to victim | -15% | |
| No escape clause | -15% |
Curses Laid by Player Characters
Curses can be very powerful, and if used correctly, they can create some stunning effects on both the adventure and the characters. However, if unleashed upon the adventure at an unexpected time, this same potential impact can drive a Dungeon Master to despair. Even the mightiest efforts of the Dungeon Master can be ruined by a casually tossed curse. Thus, player characters should not freely toss curses around.
This does not mean that a player character should be unable to lay a curse. Curses can be entertaining (in game terms), and the players expect to have fun when they enter the realms of the Dungeon Master's imagination. Thus, characters should be able to invoke curses only under controlled circumstances.
The Dungeon Master should pay careful attention to the use of a curse by a player character and should strictly enforce the rules that govern curse content and style. Most importantly, the curse must be appropriately dramatic.
For example, assume the player characters have been hunting a vampire across the wilds of Valachan. On the wooded shores of the Arden River, just outside of Hebelnik, they believe that they have cornered the monster. In reality, however, they have walked into a trap. The vampire easily kills one of their number when it strikes, and the others are left wounded and unable to follow as it flees into the night. If the dying character was not utterly disintegrated, then the Dungeon Master might allow a last few words. With a dying breath, the character could curse the vampire that killed him. Similarly, if one of the other characters in the group had a special relationship to the deceased, he might hold the fallen one and speak a tearful curse against the vampire that claimed his beloved companion.
Such a curse still requires a Ravenloft powers check, of course. That alone can be enough to keep many players from using them. If players insist on invoking curses frequently, ignoring the peril they place themselves in by calling upon the dark powers in this way, the Dungeon Master should simply stop rolling for their checks, assuming that they fail automatically. A player whose character has begun to change into a reptilian swamp dweller is less prone to invite future gifts of the dark powers.
