Re: detect curse

[Bill Dyess <dyessww@Eng.Auburn.EDU>]

> The differences make the detect curse much more wanted spell then the identify.
>  - it is fast and doesn't use much mana

Speed doesn't mean much either way since it's a non-combat spell.

>  - it makes the identify last half the time if you are using identify spell
>    if you are using scolls you use only half the normal amount.

Meaning that you have half as many (assuming half are cursed) items to
identify as before, because you know they are cursed?  True, it does. 
However, you now have to know two spells or have an extra scroll to do it. 
Plus, more importantly, detect magic does much the same thing by weeding
out the mundane items. 

>  - you can still sell the item and get money

Sounds like a bug.

> So I think there are very good reasons for it to be high level spell the same
> way as remove curse or anything else that has to do with curses are.  After
> all magic and curses are in a way "different areas" so it is hard to use magic
> for anything that consernes curses.

Well, I hate to let reality views and logic get in the way of my games, 
but you could argue that this is not the case, as identify works on 
cursed items quite well.

I hate to start a religious war over this though.  Is it really that 
important?  Sure, it will change the game a bit, just like any other 
capability (such as detect magic and identify do now).  However, I can't 
see it unbalancing anything.

Since I like my horses good and dead, let me relate a story.  A friend of 
mine recently started playing crossfire.  He quickly learned that the 
only way to find out if an item was worth anything or not was to wear 
it.  He also quickly learned that some items are cursed.  He has worn 
cursed items three or four times now, spending a great deal of effort to 
gain enough gold to buy a remove curse scroll each time, and has now 
learned that wearing items just doesn't pay.  What does he do now?  He 
sells everything.  Period.  No checking, no detection, just sell it.  A 
low level detect curse would clear up his problem.  He would have a 
reason to save up and buy the spell, and he wouldn't spend all his time 
adventuring in a cursed state.  

It says a lot about the game that he is still playing at all, considering
his early luck. 

(is the horse dead yet?)

It is also silly to believe that it takes less knowledge to remove a 
cursed than it does to detect one.

 --Bill