What are cursed weapons in Tactics Ogre: Reborn?

And are you cursed if you use one?

Tactics Ogre: Reborn was reintroduced to the world in November 2022. Based on the 2010 tactical role-playing game, this “rebirth” came with enhanced sound, graphics, and gameplay while still sticking to the heart of the beloved original. A new game often means new players, so there may be lingering questions about the basics. One such question is about the so-called cursed weapons. What are they? Are you cursed when you use them? Do you even need to use them? Here is your one-stop shop for answers.

What are cursed weapons?

Cursed weapons can only be found in the Palace of the Dead dungeon runs. There are different cursed weapons on different levels, such as the Banshee Dagger on Floor 64 or the Dark Stalker Katana on Floor 85, but you can only have one of each weapon type at a time. Factors such as class, elements, and racial bonuses may influence which cursed weapon, if any, that you choose to wield.

When you first obtain them, cursed weapons are the weakest weapons you can get. Don’t worry, they don’t actually curse the user either. But if you’re willing to play the long game and make a difficult choice, you can make your cursed weapon one of the most powerful in the game. To do this, you have to sacrifice a member of your team, also called a unit. Dark stuff.

Considering that you have to work to recruit units to your side, this is a hefty price. The price is even higher if you want to have a powerful weapon because it will gain power based on the stats of the unit sacrificed. So you’re not just tossing out your lamest unit in exchange for a powerful sword. The nice thing is that at least you will honor them by naming your weapon after them. That’s something, right?

Who uses a cursed weapon?

Since you’re sacrificing a dear colleague, you probably want to know if it’s worth it. That depends on what kind of player you are! There are no missions or particular foes that require the use of or benefit specifically from using cursed weapons. It’s just something you can do.

The benefit comes to players who enjoy min-maxing. RPG players who like to optimize the stats of the weapon based on the game’s mechanics will find benefit in crunching the numbers here. Since the stats are calculated using the stats of the unit sacrificed, and the player gets to choose which unit is sacrificed, then there’s a level of customization there. Plus, cursed weapons magically don’t weigh anything, so that’s a nice bonus.

Finally, maybe it’s just kind of fun for you. If that’s the case, you may be interested in picking up Cult of the Lamb. Sacrificing members of your cult is part of the game and very entertaining.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn can be a lot to pick up if you’re new to the game, but hopefully this helps. For more information on this game, check out Destructoid’s five tips we wish we knew when starting out!