Why (and How) You Should Use Bestow Curse in D&D 5e!

From combat to RP, this spell does it all! The only limit to what this spell can bring into your D&D worlds is your imagination!
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[@user-vi7zm9lf5e]

I had an idea to make a cursed barbarian. Technically ripped human, but with head of chicken. And yes, when curse is gonna be lifted, it reverts back to ordinary white chicken.

[@smilesschemes]

Truly, a chicken man is an incredibly cursed existence. Oh, to just be a regular chicken instead

[@CreussOnTheFly]

I’m on board with most of the stuff you’re talking about-Bestow Curse is one of my fave spells. As a DM, I would probably start to pump the brakes at intentionally recreating effects of other spells. You rightly mention the shenanigans of upcasting Bestow Curse if this were possible. At that point Bestow Curse starts to function like a Wish spell, and if that were an intended use of the spell then I think it would be listed as an option. My interpretation of the spell text is that when you cast the spell at higher levels the only thing that changes is the duration. Other spells that change effects at higher levels (e.g., Summon Lesser Demons) have explicit guidelines. Bestow Curse only mentions duration.
Still, I love the flavor possibilities and I am always excited when one of my players picks this spell as an option.

[@xiongray]

Personally as a DM, I'd also open up other curses like Lycanthropy but this gets close to "Polymorph" but only if I introduce the curse. The difficult part gauging the power, mechanically, and being creative enough for the DM to allow it. Once you find that perfect ratio, you've got Wish-adjacent. The lanes of power sits between Bestow Curse's four bullets:
-Disadvantage on an ability scores' saves and ability check
-Disadvantage on attacks on you
-No action
-1d8 damage bump
So I can see, several effects close to that lane.
-Once per turn, if using more than half of your Speed, CON save or fall Prone
-Damage bump: 2d4
-Disadvantage on attacks other than you
-Attempts to jump every 5-ft of movement (like a frog)
-Attempts to attack wihlth unarmed strikes (like a werebeast)
-Butterfingers, before they use an item or attack with a weapon, CON Save or they drop whatever they're holding, wasting the action or turning the attack into an Unarmed Strike. They make the same Save at the end of their turn.
-At the start of the creature's turn, WIS save or they spend half movement dancing or the following(somewhere between no action and some action):
-Cannot perform somatic components
-Cannot perform verbal components
-Cannot perform material component
-Cannot use Reactions
-Cannot Attack
-Cannot Cast a Spell
Or (nearly) cosmetic stuff like:
-they appear to be aging quicker
-everyone else around them looks shorter
-everything looks dimmer
-everything tastes amazing
-always 5 mins late

[@smilesschemes]

These are some fun curses

[@linussyren9221]

This is pretty good spell to make DEX or CON saves less of a worry.
For example: Curse DEX and follow up with Disintegrate -> Disadvantage save.
I feel like the higher spell lvl you use the stronger the “custom” curse can be (but talk to DM still ofc)

[@smilesschemes]

Yeah, nerfing dex and con can be great against enemies.
And I'm all for having bestow curse be more flexible the higher its upcast

[@I_regretlife]

So underrated

[@smilesschemes]

Thank ye

[@wingwalker007]

I find it strange that there’s no attack roll needed on this one to be able to touch the foe, like there is with inflict wounds

[@smilesschemes]

This is definitely a weird kinda spell. But you're right about that

[@kenichigoXtomoshimo]

Mordenkainen´s saucy curse so I can put two different curses on someone I really don´t like.

[@smilesschemes]

You mean like having a curse on someone and then being able to slap on another curse whenever you want?

[@ishaayesha6958]

Me on a full moon