--- 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 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 --- # Identification, blessings and curses id: roguelike--family-20 type: mechanic key: mechanic/roguelike--family-20 lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-20/ Hidden properties, blessings and curses change an item’s value. Players discover them through inspection, use and special tests. ## At a glance ![The inventory distinguishes known and unknown properties](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/systems-nethack-inventory.webp) [NetHack (menucolors)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nethack-inventory.png) · 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 1. The helmet is marked cursed and is already equipped - Distinguish an unknown property from a confirmed negative effect. - [NetHack Guidebook](https://www.nethack.org/v343/Guidebook.html) ## How it works Identification, blessings and curses are presented in detail in the classic NetHack tradition. Official Guide ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Unknown effect of found item - New link between appearance and effects in each run - Recognition through use - Identification by special action or consumable - Indirect determination of properties based on observable characteristics - Partial recognition of individual characteristics - Hidden negative properties - Blessed, Normal, and Cursed state of an item - Inability to remove cursed equipment - Removing curses and consecrating objects - Changing the action of an item depending on its state ## Context and limits 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. ## Connected materials ## Sources and 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. - [Official Guide](https://www.nethack.org/v367/Guidebook.html) (id: source-06bbf50733ce87d7) - [NetHack (menucolors)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nethack-inventory.png) (id: source-9a1664e49d0e8f50) - [NetHack Guidebook](https://www.nethack.org/v343/Guidebook.html) (id: source-87856bbeffa16f0c) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors