Understanding Cursed Equipment in Dragon Quest 1&2
As you explore the dangerous world of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, you’ll encounter powerful enemies every few steps. Combat is already challenging enough without additional complications—but then you stumble upon cursed equipment, and things get even more difficult.
Cursed items are a classic Dragon Quest trap that catches many players off guard. The game doesn’t explicitly label these pieces as “cursed” before you equip them, which means you might innocently put on a new helmet or armor piece only to discover you can’t take it off. Once cursed, you’re stuck with that equipment until you seek help from the proper source.
Let me walk you through everything you need to know about identifying, managing, and ultimately removing these troublesome curses.
What Happens When You Equip Cursed Items
The moment you equip a cursed piece of equipment, several things happen:
Immediate effects:
- The item becomes locked to your character—you cannot unequip it through normal means
- Negative status effects or penalties activate (varies by item)
- Your menu will show the item as equipped with no option to remove it
Common curse effects include:
- Taking random damage during exploration or combat
- Attracting more frequent enemy encounters
- Stat penalties (reduced defense, attack, etc.)
- Other detrimental effects depending on the specific cursed item
The curse persists indefinitely until you take specific action to remove it. You can’t just wait it out or hope it goes away on its own.
How to Identify Cursed Items BEFORE Equipping Them
Here’s some good news: the game actually gives you hints about which items are cursed if you know what to look for.
Reading Item Descriptions
Before equipping any new piece of equipment, always check its description carefully. Cursed items typically have descriptions that hint at their dangerous nature.
Warning signs in item descriptions:
- Mentions of taking damage for no apparent reason
- References to attracting enemies or bad luck
- Ominous or foreboding language
- Warnings about “mysterious” or “strange” effects
If an item’s description sounds suspiciously vague or mentions anything about negative consequences, that’s your red flag. Leave it in your inventory and don’t equip it unless you have a specific reason to do so.
Pro tip: When you find new equipment in treasure chests or from defeated enemies, get in the habit of reading descriptions before immediately equipping. This simple practice can save you a lot of gold and frustration.
How to Remove Curses: The Benediction Service
Once you’ve been cursed, there’s only one way to break free: the Benediction service offered at churches throughout both Dragon Quest 1 and Dragon Quest 2.
Where to Find Benediction Services
Locations: Towns with churches or NPCs marked as nuns on the map
These are the same locations where you can:
- Manually save your game progress
- Check how much experience you need for your next level
- Revive fallen party members (in Dragon Quest 2)
- Receive other church-related services
Essentially, if you see a church or a nun NPC in a town, that’s where you can get uncursed.
How Benediction Works
Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Travel to any town with a church or nun NPC
- Speak to the nun
- Select the Benediction option from the menu
- Pay the required gold cost
- The curse is removed, and the cursed item is placed back in your inventory
Critical detail: Benediction only removes the curse effect from your character—it does NOT remove the curse from the item itself. The cursed equipment remains cursed and will re-curse you if you equip it again.
Think of Benediction as breaking the bond between you and the cursed item, not purifying the item itself.
The Cost of Benediction
Here’s where things get tricky: Benediction is expensive, especially in the early game.
The service requires a substantial amount of gold, which can feel painful when you’re just starting out and scraping together funds for basic healing items, better equipment, and inn stays. Similar to how you need to manage resources for dealing with poison tiles, curse removal is another expense you need to budget for.
Financial impact:
- Early game (Levels 1-10): Benediction costs feel very expensive relative to your gold income
- Mid game (Levels 11-20): Still significant but more manageable
- Late game (Level 21+): The cost becomes less impactful as you accumulate more wealth
Important advice: Don’t make a habit of getting cursed repeatedly. Each Benediction drains your gold reserves, and if you’re constantly removing curses, you’ll quickly find yourself broke and unable to afford important purchases like upgraded weapons or armor.
Strategic Use of Cursed Equipment
Here’s where things get interesting: not all cursed items are useless. Some cursed equipment pieces actually have superior stats compared to non-cursed alternatives at the same stage of the game.
Examples of Powerful Cursed Items
Ten Ton Toupee – Despite being cursed, offers strong defensive stats
Zombie Mail – Provides excellent armor rating but comes with curse effects
These items present a risk-reward scenario: yes, they’re cursed, but they might make you significantly more powerful in combat.
When Cursed Equipment Might Be Worth Using
Consider this tactical approach:
Dungeon-specific strategy:
- Before entering a dangerous dungeon, equip the powerful cursed item
- Use its superior stats to make fights easier throughout the dungeon
- After completing the dungeon and returning to town, pay for Benediction to remove the curse
- Store the cursed item for future use if needed
The math:
- Cost of Benediction = X gold
- Value gained from easier dungeon completion = Fewer healing items used + faster progression + reduced risk of death
If the benefits outweigh the Benediction cost, using cursed equipment temporarily can actually be a smart tactical decision.
Important caveat: This strategy works best when:
- You have enough gold to comfortably afford multiple Benediction services
- The dungeon is challenging enough that the stat boost matters
- You’re experienced enough to assess whether the trade-off is worthwhile
For newer players or those low on funds, it’s generally safer to avoid cursed items altogether.
Cursed Items to Avoid vs. Consider
Not all cursed items are created equal. Some have such severe drawbacks that they’re never worth using, while others offer genuine strategic value.
Generally avoid:
- Cursed items with extremely detrimental effects (constant damage, severe stat penalties)
- Cursed equipment when you’re low on gold
- Any cursed item during critical story sections where you can’t easily reach a church
Consider using strategically:
- Cursed items with high stats but manageable drawbacks
- When you’re about to tackle a difficult dungeon and can afford the Benediction afterward
- If you’re grinding for levels and the stat boost speeds up the process
When in doubt, don’t equip it. The gold saved from avoiding Benediction services can be invested in legitimate upgrades that don’t come with strings attached.
Tips for Managing Curses Effectively
Based on the mechanics and costs involved, here are some practical guidelines:
Prevention is better than cure:
- Always read item descriptions before equipping
- If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is
- Keep cursed items in your inventory but clearly marked in your mind as “do not equip”
Gold management:
- Budget for at least one Benediction service if you’re experimenting with cursed gear
- Don’t spend your last gold on equipment if you might need Benediction soon
- Consider the opportunity cost: could that gold be better spent on non-cursed upgrades?
Tactical considerations:
- Save your game before equipping suspicious items (so you can reload if needed)
- Only use cursed equipment when you’re close to a town with church services
- Plan your dungeon runs so you can return to town for Benediction before the curse becomes unbearable
For completionists:
- Some cursed items may be needed for collections or specific challenges
- You’ll need to remove curses at least once to fully experience the mechanic
- Budget accordingly if you’re trying to test all equipment types
Church Locations and Accessibility
Churches are fairly common throughout both games, which is fortunate given the Benediction service’s importance.
Dragon Quest 1 church locations:
- Most major towns have churches or nun NPCs
- You’re rarely more than a Zoom spell cast away from assistance
Dragon Quest 2 church locations:
- Even more widespread given the larger world
- Multiple party members mean more potential curse victims, so accessibility is important
The good news is that once you unlock fast travel options, reaching a church for Benediction becomes much more convenient. Early game curse removal requires more planning since you’ll be walking everywhere.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Through both games, players tend to make these recurring errors:
Mistake #1: Equipping without reading Solution: Always check item descriptions first
Mistake #2: Using cursed items when broke Solution: Ensure you have enough gold for Benediction before equipping cursed gear
Mistake #3: Forgetting Benediction doesn’t purify items Solution: Remember cursed items stay cursed—mark them in your mental inventory
Mistake #4: Getting repeatedly cursed by the same item Solution: If you’ve been burned once, don’t equip that item again unless you have a specific strategy
Mistake #5: Cursing yourself right before a major boss fight Solution: Test new equipment in safe areas, not immediately before critical encounters
Is It Worth Using Cursed Equipment?
The honest answer: it depends on your playstyle and current situation.
For conservative players:
- Stick with non-cursed equipment exclusively
- The hassle and cost of Benediction outweigh the marginal stat benefits
- Focus on legitimate upgrades and careful resource management
For aggressive min-maxers:
- Cursed items can provide temporary power spikes when used strategically
- The Benediction cost is acceptable if it enables faster progression
- Treat curses as a resource management puzzle rather than a trap
For casual players:
- Probably best to avoid cursed items unless you’re curious
- The gold cost can be frustrating if you’re not optimizing your income
- There are plenty of strong non-cursed options throughout both games
For completionists:
- You’ll want to experience the curse/removal mechanic at least once
- Budget for it as part of your overall completion goals
- Consider it part of the full Dragon Quest experience
Additional Resources
If you’re looking to optimize your playthrough and avoid unnecessary setbacks:
- Learn about obtaining powerful non-cursed equipment like Erdrick’s Armour
- Check out general combat and item management strategies
- Explore special scrolls and skills for alternatives to risky equipment
- Master navigation and fast travel to reach churches quickly when needed
Final Thoughts
Cursed equipment is one of those classic JRPG mechanics that adds both danger and depth to Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. While it can be frustrating to accidentally curse yourself, understanding how the system works empowers you to either avoid it entirely or use it strategically.
The key takeaways:
- Prevention: Read item descriptions carefully before equipping anything suspicious
- Removal: Visit churches/nuns and pay for Benediction to remove curses
- The catch: Benediction is expensive, especially early game
- Strategic option: Some cursed items have great stats and can be worth temporary use
- Remember: Cursed items stay cursed even after Benediction removes them from you
Whether you choose to experiment with cursed equipment or avoid it like the plague, at least now you know how to deal with the consequences. And if you do get cursed, you’ll know exactly where to go and what to expect when seeking help.
Safe travels through Alefgard and Torland—and watch what you put on your head!
