{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/roguelike--family-20","type":"mechanic","id":"roguelike--family-20","lang":"en","title":"Identification, blessings and curses","summary":"Hidden properties, blessings and curses change an item’s value. Players discover them through inspection, use and special tests.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-20/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-20.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-20.md","aliases":["Identification and curses"],"tags":["Roguelikes and roguelites","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-06bbf50733ce87d7","source-9a1664e49d0e8f50","source-87856bbeffa16f0c"],"sources":[{"id":"source-06bbf50733ce87d7","title":"Official Guide","url":"https://www.nethack.org/v367/Guidebook.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-9a1664e49d0e8f50","title":"NetHack (menucolors)","url":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nethack-inventory.png","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-87856bbeffa16f0c","title":"NetHack Guidebook","url":"https://www.nethack.org/v343/Guidebook.html","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Identification, blessings and curses are presented in detail in the classic NetHack tradition. Official Guide"},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-20-variants\"></a>\n\n- Unknown effect of found item <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-01\"></a>\n- New link between appearance and effects in each run <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-02\"></a>\n- Recognition through use <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-03\"></a>\n- Identification by special action or consumable <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-04\"></a>\n- Indirect determination of properties based on observable characteristics <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-05\"></a>\n- Partial recognition of individual characteristics <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-06\"></a>\n- Hidden negative properties <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-07\"></a>\n- Blessed, Normal, and Cursed state of an item <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-08\"></a>\n- Inability to remove cursed equipment <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-09\"></a>\n- Removing curses and consecrating objects <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-10\"></a>\n- Changing the action of an item depending on its state <a id=\"variant-roguelike-20-11\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"A wide author's map of classic turn-based roguelikes, modern roguelites and hybrids. Families describe options for organizing a run, and not mandatory features of the genre. Constant metaprogression is not found in all roguelikes. Related systems can be combined; the list is not a closed standard."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"roguelike","id":"family-20","title":"Roguelikes and roguelites","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/roguelike/#family-20","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Identification and curses","description":"Hidden properties, blessings and curses change an item’s value. Players discover them through inspection, use and special tests.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/systems-nethack-inventory.webp","width":644,"height":461,"game":"NetHack (menucolors)","sourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nethack-inventory.png","originalUrl":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Nethack-inventory.png","credit":"NetHack developers; screenshot by Shen, 2006, with the menucolors patch","rights":"NetHack General Public License. Converted to WebP on 2026-10-22. License: https://www.nethack.org/common/license.html; bundled copy: images/mechanics/nethack-license.txt. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nethack-inventory.png","caption":"The inventory distinguishes known and unknown properties","alt":"The inventory distinguishes known and unknown properties","markers":[{"x":52,"y":23,"label":"The helmet is marked cursed and is already equipped"}]},"tips":["Distinguish an unknown property from a confirmed negative effect."],"examples":[{"title":"NetHack Guidebook","url":"https://www.nethack.org/v343/Guidebook.html"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/roguelike"}}