Bestow Curse Spell Details
You touch a creature and speak a word of necromancy that causes it to become undead. The target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 10d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the target dies while under the effect of this spell, it rises as an undead creature under your control. ..
When you cast a curse spell, you touch the target creature. If the target creature is immune to being cursed, or if it succeeds on a Wisdom saving throw, the spell has no effect. Curse spells can have one of several effects depending on the type of curse used. The effects are as follows: -A blight curse causes the target to become sickly and weak. -A confusion curse makes the target unable to think clearly. -A darkness curse makes it difficult for the target to see in dim light or darkness. -A death curse causes the victim to die prematurely. ..
When casting a spell, you have the ability to choose one of the curse options presented below. This curse will affect the target in some way, either causing them harm or granting them a benefit. Your DM has final say on what curse you choose, and it must be within the bounds of the spell’s effects. ..
The curse effect lasts for the duration of the spell or until a remove curse spell is cast on the target. If the curse effect is removed by a spell such as Remove Curse, then it will automatically expire.
You may force a creature to have disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws made with one ability score of your choice at casting. You may force the creature to have disadvantage on attack rolls against you. You deal an additional 1d8 necrotic damage for any attack or spell dealt to the target. You may force the target to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw at the start of each of its turns before it can act. If it fails the saving throw, it cannot take an action.
At level 5, the spell has a duration of 8 hours.
This spell allows the caster to maintain concentration on the spell even if they are not wearing any armor or carrying any weapons.
What Does All This Mean?
Bestow Curse can help a spellcaster in many combat situations by providing them with different spell effects. This allows the caster to choose the right effect for the situation at hand, making them more effective in battle.
The effect of a spell cannot be changed once it has been chosen. If another spellcaster casts a spell on the same target, the first effect will cancel out. ..
The biggest point is that the description does not mention the most important part of the story. ..
Spellcasters with the 5th level spell slot can cast this spell without demanding concentration, which is a huge bonus.
However, the fun of the spell is that you can also work with your dungeon master to create a custom curse. ..
Custom Curses
When considering curse effects, it is important to compare what other spells of the same level or lower can achieve. This will help you determine which curse effect would be the best for your situation.
A spell effect that is comparable to a spell of a higher level, would change the balance of the spell and may set an unfavorable precedent.
- Pain
- Death
- Suffering from a disease
- Torment
- Trouble in the world
Inability to speak or make Constitution saves each turn in order to be able to rest. Inability to rest for the duration (useful as the duration is extended with higher level casting). Change of appearance (maybe gain the head of a ass like in a Midsummer’s Night Dream). To see other people as a different creature. Age the creature by 1d4+10 years. A level of exhaustion. A madness effect flaw from the table in the Dungeon Master’s Guide
Who Gets It?
This spell allows a character to invoke the power of the sign of ill omen, granting them increased damage and healing abilities for a short period of time. ..
A spell that can be picked up by a Divine Soul sorcerer, Eldritch Knight fighter, or Arcane Trickster rogue.
Bestow Curse is a spell that can be used to improve your chances of success when casting spells.
Bestow Curse: Pros?
The spell debuffs the caster by -10% of their maximum health.
Debuffing is a play style that many people enjoy. If you’re looking to add some extra excitement to your games, then debuffing is a must-have.
Being able to impose a disadvantage on a saving throw for more than one round is very powerful and hard to achieve through other routes. Possibly more powerful though, is the effect to deny a creature its entire action if it fails its Wisdom save. ..
A combat ending spell that causes a boss creature with a low wisdom score to die.
Touch spells can be cast through familiars, meeting the criteria for a familiar casting the spell. ..
This is a way to keep you safe.
The curse can have a debilitating effect on the target for a short amount of time, depending on how it is set up.
The biggest bonus of this spell is that it allows for more tactical moves than usual. This is because it is cast at a fifth level, which means that there are many characters who can use it and excellent teamwork is required to make the most of its abilities. ..
Downsides
The Bestow Curse spell has a downside that is related to the perk of the spell; you need to expend a 5th level spell slot to get the most out of it.
Animate objects, contagion, and wall of force can all be used to create a powerful barrier.
If you’re a wizard or bard who doesn’t want to get into melee combat, you might want to consider using touch spells instead. ..
Roleplay
Cursing someone is a common tradition in our history. There are plenty of things to draw from when cursing someone.
You can add flavor to the spell effects by having the creature emit a foul smell. This will make Charisma checks and saves difficult, as well as making it difficult for creatures to resist being affected by the spell.
When you give a creature disadvantage on attacks, it may struggle to land any blows. ..
To add that witchlike flavor to your spell, you could pluck a hair from the subject or extract a drop of their blood. ..
There are many ways to cast a spell, and invoking the power of a god or warlock patron is one great way to add an extra layer of thematic depth to your spellcasting. ..
How To Use Bestow Curse
Really, there are so many effective uses to consider. And its effect to deny a creature an action is very appealing.
When possible, it’s best to use a debilitating spell from an allied caster or yourself if you cast at 5th level to avoid concentration. I’ll list a few good combinations here, but the focus will be on lower level spells as they get more use throughout the game. ..
Wisdom (spell) Athletics (save) This would allow the caster to cast two spells at once, one with a Wisdom save and one with a regular save.
Tasha’s Hideous Laugh (1st level spell) Crown of Madness (2nd level spell) Hold Person (2nd level spell)
Alternatively, you could target Constitution checks and saves to make sure concentration checks fail, as well as making them susceptible to powerful spells, such as Blindness/deafness (2nd level spell) or Contagion (5th level spell). ..
Targeting Strength checks and saves works well on creatures that like to grapple, or as a set up to then attack with a spell like Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp (2nd level spell which can restrain and crush a target).
Bane is a spell that can be used to weaken an opponent. It can also be used to cause fear in others.
This will ensure that the target creature has disadvantage on a set ability saving throw, and they also have to subtract a d4 from their roll as well as their attacks, making the chances of success much slimmer.
Ideas For DMs
Bestow Curse can be used to create a plot hook for a party. By using this spell, you can add an extra layer of excitement to your event.
At the beginning of the game, have your big bad boss curse a party member at 9th level. So now they have to find someone who can remove the curse.
One possible way to explain a player character’s (or NPC’s) backstory is through their family history. ..
A fun spell for enemies is to have, especially hags or those in league with them. The storytelling potential with this spell is fantastic. Discuss ideas with your DM as you go through the campaign, or even before starting.
The Big Picture
Curse is one of my favorite spells because it offers a lot of strategic and roleplay opportunities. ..
The chance to cast a spell without concentrating is incredibly powerful. But it’s easiest to see why it’s so great once you put it to good use.
Curse the day you were born.
