Practical Magic is a 1998 American romantic comedy film that revolves around the lives of two sisters who are witches. The film, directed by Griffin Dunne, stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. With its magical theme and whimsical atmosphere, Practical Magic has inspired numerous artists in various forms, including music. The soundtrack of Practical Magic is particularly enchanting, featuring a collection of songs that reflect the magical atmosphere of the film. One of the songs that stand out in the soundtrack is "If You Ever Did Believe" by Stevie Nicks. This hauntingly beautiful song captivates listeners with its haunting vocals and mystical lyrics, evoking a sense of wonder and enchantment.
Casting a Darker Shadow: Elevating Curses in D&D 5E
Curses are a staple in all Fantasy media. Whether it turns a heart to stone, blights a land, or makes your death tied to the petals of a rose, they often play a role. Role-playing games are no exception, especially Dungeons & Dragons. 5th Edition has a few areas where curses pop up, but they are far from consistent. Sometimes they even feel a bit lacking. But in this RAW Review, we will look at all of them. We will talk about the official instances of curses, what they do well, what they struggle with, and how we can improve in those areas (with a sneak peek at material you can grab for your table!). So buckle in, as we look at Curses!
Limited Curses
In D&D 5E, curses make their presence known, but interestingly, there’s no universal rulebook for them in most core material—Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft being a notable exception, but we’ll get into that later. So what do we see in 5th Edition? Well, there are three specific types of curses to look out for: Lycanthropy, Curses Attack Effects, and Cursed Items.
Were-beast in Faerun
Source: Magic the Gathering by Andrea De Dominicis
In the world of horror, Lycanthropes are a must-have, serving as a transformative curse that often kicks in against the creature’s will and forces them to act on their animal instincts. D&D 5E embraces this tradition, offering a whole menagerie of Were-creatures to terrify your players.
You have the traditional Werewolves, as well as Werebears, Wererats, Wereboars, and even Weretigers (I am sure anyone familiar with Curse of Strahd will think I’m missing one, but: Spoilers).
The section on The Curse of Lycanthropy, found in the Monster Manual, is one of the more in-depth sections on curses. Lycanthropy can most commonly come from being bitten by a were-creature and failing a Constitution saving throw, which gives the victim a choice. They can either embrace the curse, giving into their new bestial spirit, or try to resist it and maintain their old identity.
Either choice notes that during a Full Moon (the frequency of which can vary by setting and number of moons in said setting) “the curse becomes too strong to resist, transforming the individual into its beast form — or into a horrible hybrid form that combines animal and humanoid traits”.
This entry goes on further to talk about Lycanthropy in a Player Character. It once again notes the saving throw needed to avoid being cursed, as well as what happens if the humanoid embraces the curse, as well as specifics on alignment changes. The character changes are:
- Werebear. Strength of 19 if not already higher, and +1 to AC when in Beast or Hybrid form. Natural attacks gained use Strength.
- Wereboar. Strength of 17 if not already higher, and +1 to AC when in Beast or Hybrid form. Natural attacks gained use Strength. The Charge trait uses Strength and Proficiency Bonus.
- Wererat. Dexterity of 15, if not already higher. Natural attacks gained use Strength or Dexterity, whichever is highest.
- Weretiger. Strength of 17 if not already higher, and +1 to AC when in Beast or Hybrid form. Natural attacks gained use Strength. The Pounce trait uses Strength and Proficiency Bonus.
- Werewolf. Strength of 15 if not already higher, and +1 to AC when in Beast or Hybrid form. Natural attacks gained use Strength.
As noted, the DM has the authority to decide whether an alignment change results in the PC being placed under the DM's control until the curse is removed or lifted. Players can cure this curse through a remove curse spell for those afflicted and wish for a natural born lycanthrope.
Curse Attacks
Source: Magic the Gathering by Anna Pavleeva
A few of the official monsters have a curse attached to their stat block, most commonly an additional effect of an action. One of the more iconic creatures is the Mummy or Mummy Lord . Mummies have, in popular culture, often been tied to some sort of curse. Either the curse gave them their unlife, or they are paired with a curse guarding what they are protecting.
In the Mummy Stat blocks, under the Rotting Fist attack, we have the mechanics for mummy rot. This requires a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. Upon a failure, the cursed target can’t regain hit points, and maximum reduces by 10 every 24 hours. If the cursed creature’s maximum goes to 0, the target dies and turns to dust. This is a fairly painful curse that could easily wipe out a low level spellcaster.
The remove curse spell or “other magic” can remove this curse. While the book does not provide any clarification on other magics, this most likely refers to dealing with the mummy entirely in order to remove the curse, which is outside of the statblock, in the Ending a Mummy’s Curse section, which states :
“More commonly, a mummy can be sent back to its endless rest by undoing the transgression that caused it to rise. A sacred idol might be replaced in its niche, a stolen treasure could be returned to its tomb, or a temple might be purified of despoiling bloodshed.”
Cursed Items
Source: Magic the Gathering by Aaron Miller
Finally, we have what might be the most iconic for Dungeons & Dragons and fantasy as well, Cursed Magic Items. Critical Role will remember Campaign 1, and how one of the main characters struggled with a cursed magical item. The item in question influenced and eventually pushed the victim to more and more bloodthirsty acts in order to feed its power. Outside of this, these items are not all too rare, and have their own section in the DMG.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide talks about Cursed Items in the Treasure section, noting that
“Most methods of identifying items, including the identify spell, fail to reveal such a curse, although lore might hint at it. A curse should be a surprise to the item’s user when the curse’s effects are revealed.”
So this means that even with the power of the identify spell, curses will often go undetected, only arising when an unaware victim attunes themselves to the object.
In the core Dungeons and Dragons 5E material, there are around 20 items that are considered “cursed”. Some of the more commonly known items are the Berserker’s Axe and (one of my personal favorites) the Shield of Missile Attraction .
As specified in most the official cursed items and in the DMG, cursed items cannot be willingly unattuned unless the victim breaks the curse first. So once a character has attuned to their cursed item, they will have to stick with it until they can resolve it.
Most commonly, the remove curse spell is noted as one way, though any of the more powerful items (anything considered an artifact, for example) will often take much more to resolve.
Curse Thoughts
The three types of curses in D&D 5E serve different purposes but also share some interesting overlaps:
- Combat Connection: Both Lycanthropy and Mummy Rot are combat-related conditions. They aren’t just your run-of-the-mill injuries; they pack an extra cursed punch.
- Double-edged Sword: Cursed Items and Lycanthropy offer a blend of boon and bane. Whether they’re more beneficial or detrimental depends on how you use them. For instance, you might revel in the strength of your new magical sword, but be less thrilled about its requirement to draw humanoid blood—friend or foe—each time it’s unsheathed
Despite these differences and overlaps, there’s one unifying factor: all three types of curses can be lifted with a Remove Curse spell.
This 3rd level spell, accessible by Clerics, Paladins, Warlocks, and Wizards, requires an action and no material components to either end the effects of a curse or, with a cursed item, unattune a cursed item from a player, allowing the item to be removed. So any 5th level full caster will have access to this spell. So if you have a party with a Wizard, Cleric, or Bard, that means that late tier 1/early tier 2 play.
Put, I really dislike this spell. Curses feel like they have the potential complication that leads to its own story, or provide a risk/reward situation that a character has to grow to accept. But most spellcasters can remove even the most ancient of afflicted lycanthropes in 6 seconds with some words.
I think this system has its benefits. There are a few benefits to making Curses something that players can remove by trading a resource. You won’t risk slowing or diverting a game because of the impact of a curse. You also won’t have to worry too much about a curse potentially causing a TPK.
I think this spell works well for Cursed Items. With how the official material approaches them, cursed items act more like traps that the party might have to handle during an encounter. It creates a situation where the party might not want to gamble on a brand new sword or wand for fear of having drawbacks. If they do, they then have to decide if removing the problem is worth a 3rd level spell slot, which is a valuable resource. That means a potential spirit guardians or fireball goes away for the sake of fixing something.
The spell also does not end a curse on a cursed item, just removes it from a player entirely. So this spell is not fixing an item in any way, just removing the problem.
But my opinion still stands. I think as written, the original versions of curses are a little weak and easily overcome. I want to have options to make these things mean something. Luckily, Wizards of the Coast had the same feeling, and had a new idea for Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.
Van Richten’s Update
The fantastic horror supplement VRGTR brought a more horror-centric theme by providing alternate rules for curses. There are many changes here, notable change mentioned at the very beginning, stating that “Spells at the characters’ disposal might relieve these curses’ effects temporarily but can’t lift them completely. The price must be paid”.
The book gives us an impressive layout for building your own curses.The section breaks curses down into three parts: Pronouncement, Burden, and Resolution.
Pronouncement
This section focuses on the narrative elements of the curse, specifically how the dangers and effects of the curse are conveyed to the victim, such as a warning inscribed on the tomb of an ancient king. The goal here is to make sure the character can know what they are walking into.
Burden
The Burden is the effect the curse causes. This section notes these effects will happen immediately, though a player may not notice them until later on if they are more specific.
Resolution
The Resolution goes over the general idea of how a curse can be ended, again focusing on the narrative elements. Perhaps the character has to “return the slab”or otherwise make amends to the entity they have wronged. If this is not something well understood, then research, both mundane and magical, can help with that.
This section also talks about how remove curse plays into these new, more powerful curse options. A spell like remove curse or greater restoration can only suppress these more specific and dramatic curses, with the former suppressing the symptoms for 1 hour and the latter for until the victim finishes a long rest. The book even notes that Death will often end a curse, but not always.
This hauntingly beautiful song captivates listeners with its haunting vocals and mystical lyrics, evoking a sense of wonder and enchantment. Another notable song from the Practical Magic soundtrack is "Blackbird" by The Beatles. This acoustic masterpiece takes listeners on a journey, with its gentle melody and poignant lyrics.
A More Dangerous Curse
There is also a section also talks about Persistent Curses. These curses will often have effects that linger beyond the initial resolution, and require further work to expunge. The suggestion the book provides is casting the remove curse spell, and meeting a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. Upon a failure, the curse remains and the players can try again the check in a specific interval, usually a month.
The use of this song in the film adds an extra layer of magic and sentimentality to the storytelling. In addition to iconic songs like "If You Ever Did Believe" and "Blackbird," the Practical Magic soundtrack also features other artists such as Joni Mitchell, Faith Hill, and Alan Silvestri. Each song on the soundtrack adds depth and emotion to the film, enhancing the overall magical experience for the viewers. The music inspired by Practical Magic goes beyond the soundtrack of the film. Many artists have drawn inspiration from the themes and atmosphere of the movie to create their own magical compositions. Whether it's the ethereal melodies or the mystical lyrics, the influence of Practical Magic can be heard in various genres of music, from folk to pop to alternative. The main idea is that Practical Magic has inspired a range of musicians to create enchanting and magical music..
Reviews for "The Sound of Magic: A Musical Analysis of Practical Magic"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with "Music inspired by Practical Magic". I was expecting enchanting and captivating music, but instead, I got generic and forgettable tunes. None of the songs stood out to me, and I found myself skipping through the album trying to find something that would catch my interest. It lacked the magical and mystical feeling that I was hoping for, and instead, it just felt like a collection of random songs put together.
2. Mark - 1 star
I have to say that "Music inspired by Practical Magic" was a complete letdown. The songs were bland and uninspiring, and I couldn't help but feel like I wasted my time and money on this album. There was nothing memorable about the music, and it failed to capture the essence of the movie it was supposed to be inspired by. It felt like a cash grab, with no real effort put into creating something unique and special.
3. Emily - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Music inspired by Practical Magic", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The songs on the album were average at best, and none of them resonated with me. They lacked emotion and depth, and I found myself feeling bored and uninterested while listening. It's a shame because I love the movie, and I was hoping the music would evoke the same enchanting feeling. Sadly, it fell flat and left me longing for something more magical.