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Restoring Logic to Bad Omen: Replace Ominous Bottles with "Lingering Curse"

The Problem:
The current Ominous Bottle mechanic (added in 1.21) breaks the game's immersion and internal logic. As many players feel, it turns a "deadly curse" into an optional, consumable item. It feels unnatural that killing a Raid Captain has no immediate consequence unless the player "chooses" to be cursed by drinking a bottle. It is the equivalent of punching someone and having them ask for permission to be angry. It removes the "revenge" aspect that made Pillagers a unique threat.

The Suggestion: The "Lingering Ominous Cloud"
Instead of dropping a physical bottle, killing a Raid Captain should release a Lingering Ominous Effect in a small area (3x3 or 5x5 blocks) around the death location.

• How it works: When a Captain dies, a dark, smoky particle cloud appears on the ground (similar to Lingering Potions but dark/ominous).
  
  
• The Mechanic: Standing in the cloud effect for 20 seconds gives the curse. During this time, the Illager icon will flashing increasingly faster; once the 20 seconds are up, the player receives the Raid Omen effect.

• The Choice: This preserves player agency (you can walk away to avoid the raid), but it feels like a natural part of the world. You are actively "investigating" or "succumbing" to the dark magic of the Illagers.
  
  Thanks for reading my idea!

Registered User shared this idea

• April 30, 2026 17:36
• Edited
• Report a Concern

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  Registered User commented

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  • April 30, 2026 17:10
  • Edited
  • Report a Concern
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  Why this is better:

  1. Restores Lore: It brings back the idea that Pillagers are dangerous and their leaders carry a dark curse that doesn't just turn into a convenient "juice bottle."
  2. Maintains Consistency: It aligns with Cory Scheviak’s original 2019 vision of Pillagers being a "worthy adversary" that actively challenges the player's safety.
  3. Realism: In war, you don't choose when the enemy gets mad. With this change, the consequence is tied to the location and the action, not a menu-like consumption of an item.