frontmatter

role: public
title: Curses
foundry:
  id: cursesTable00001
  base: RollTable
  data:
    name: Curses
    formula: 1d6
    description: Permanent curses from a Spellcraft research backfire (Mishap 19-20).
    img: "icons/magic/death/skull-horned-goat-pentagram-red.webp"
    results:
      - { range: [1, 1], name: "Mark of Failure. A glowing sigil appears on the caster's forehead, palm, or throat. It pulses faintly whenever they cast any spell, visible to anyone within 30 ft." }
      - { range: [2, 2], name: "Bleeding Magic. When the caster takes damage, they lose one expended spell slot of the lowest level they still have remaining for the day (once per turn, as energy bleeds away from the wound)." }
      - { range: [3, 3], name: "Shadow Echo. Every spell the caster casts leaves a faint after-image of its visual effects lingering in the air for 1 minute, marking their casting clearly even to non-casters." }
      - { range: [4, 4], name: "Whispering Tongue. Fragments of the failed spell's verbal components leak into the caster's speech at inopportune moments. Disadvantage on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks." }
      - { range: [5, 5], name: "Frayed Concentration. The caster has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain Concentration on spells." }
      - { range: [6, 6], name: "Hollowed Spell. Pick one of the caster's currently-known spells of the failed research's level. Before each casting of that spell, roll a d10; on a 1, the spell fails to fire and the slot is consumed." }

Curses

When a Mishap Table result inflicts a curse (a research attempt that misses by 10+ and then rolls 19-20), roll on this table or pick. Curses are permanent and last until removed by remove curse, greater restoration, or a major plot beat.

Table

Roll — Permanent curses from a Spellcraft research backfire (Mishap 19-20).

Roll	Result
1	Mark of Failure. A glowing sigil appears on the caster's forehead, palm, or throat. It pulses faintly whenever they cast any spell, visible to anyone within 30 ft.
2	Bleeding Magic. When the caster takes damage, they lose one expended spell slot of the lowest level they still have remaining for the day (once per turn, as energy bleeds away from the wound).
3	Shadow Echo. Every spell the caster casts leaves a faint after-image of its visual effects lingering in the air for 1 minute, marking their casting clearly even to non-casters.
4	Whispering Tongue. Fragments of the failed spell's verbal components leak into the caster's speech at inopportune moments. Disadvantage on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
5	Frayed Concentration. The caster has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain Concentration on spells.
6	Hollowed Spell. Pick one of the caster's currently-known spells of the failed research's level. Before each casting of that spell, roll a d10; on a 1, the spell fails to fire and the slot is consumed.

Updated Jun 20, 2026