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Special Materials and New Armor 3.5
Special Materials and New Armor 3.5
5
ABBREVIATIONS: glass. When refined and forged, the metal is silver-blue with a
ACP ARMOR CHECK PENALTY green reflective shine- It is famous for holding a sharp edge
ASFC ARCANE SPELL FAILURE CHANCE even when abused and is the favored material for making keen
MDB MAXIMUM DEXTERITY BONUS weapons.
Armor made from arandur grants sonic resistance 2. Items not
ADAMANTINE: Found only in meteorites and the rar- primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected. (A suit of
est of veins in magical areas, this ultrahard metal adds to the chainmail is affected, while a suit of studded leather is not.)
quality of a weapon or suit of armor. Weapons fashioned from Arandur has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness
adamantine have a natural ability to bypass hardness when sun- 12.
dering weapons or attacking objects, ignoring hardness less Type of Arandur Item Item Cost Modifier
than 20. Armor made from adamantine grants its wearer dam- Chain shirt +2,000 gp
age reduction of 1/– if it’s light armor, 2/– if it’s medium ar- Medium armor (other than Hide) +2,000 gp
mor, and 3/– if it’s heavy armor. Adamantine is so costly that Heavy armor +2,000 gp
weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork Magic of Faerûn, p.178.
quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given be-
low. Thus, adamantine weapons and ammunition have a +1 ASTRAL DRIFTMETAL: This extraordinarily rare min-
enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and the armor check pen- eral is mined only on Tu’narath and other islands of matter
alty of adamantine armor is lessened by 1 compared to ordinary floating on the Astral Plane. It is very similar to iron but has a
armor of its type. Items without metal parts cannot be made single remarkable feature. Armor crafted from astral driftmetal
from adamantine. An arrow could be made of adamantine, but is fully effective against incorporeal attacks, as if it were made
a quarterstaff could not. of force. The armor’s full armor bonus to Armor Class (includ-
Only weapons, armor, and shields normally made of metal can ing any enhancement bonus) applies to the wearer’s touch Ar-
be fashioned from adamantine. Weapons, armor, and shields mor Class against incorporeal attacks.
normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have on- Astral driftmetal is not malleable enough to be worked into
third more hit points than normal; for instance, an adamantine chainmail or scale mail; only a breastplate, shield, or any form
greatsword has 13 hit points instead of the normal 10 hit of heavy armor can be made from it.
points. A suit of driftmetal armor weighs the same as a suit of armor
Adamantine has 40 hit points per inch of thickness and hard- made of steel. Other statistics of the armor (maximum Dexter-
ness 20. ity bonus, armor check penalty, spell failure chance) are un-
Type of Adamantine Item Item Cost Modifier changed.
Ammunition +60 gp Astral driftmetal has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and
Light armor +5,000 gp hardness 12.
Medium armor +10,000 gp
Heavy armor +15,000 gp Type of Astral Driftmetal Item Item Cost Modifier
Weapon +3,000 gp Scale mail +12,000 gp
Shield * +5,000 gp Breastplate +12,000 gp
* see the FAQ Shield +12,000 gp
Heavy armor +12,000 gp
Dungeon Master’s Guide, p. 283.
Planar Handbook, p. 70.
ALCHEMICAL SILVER: A complex process involving
AURORUM: This luminous steel gleams with varying
metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of
hues of pink and indigo. An aurorum weapon, shield, or suit of
steel so that is bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such
armor that has been sundered can be reforged by bringing to-
as lycanthropes.
gether its fragments (a full-round action). The broken pieces
On a successful attack with a silvered weapon, the wielder takes
bond quickly and seamlessly, restoring the item to its previous
a –1 penalty on the damage roll (with the usual minimum of 1
state.
point per damage). The alchemical silvering process can’t be
Aurorum has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness
applied to nonmetal items, and it doesn’t work on rare metals
10.
such as adamantine, cold iron, and mithral.
Alchemical silver has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and Type of Aurorum Item Item Cost Modifier
Weapon +4,000 gp
hardness 8. Shield +4,000 gp
Type of Alchemical Silver Item Item Cost Modifier Armor +4,000 gp
Ammunition +2 gp
Light weapon +20 gp
Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 38.
One-handed weapon, or one head of a double +90 gp
weapon BAATORIAN GREEN STEEL [SERPENT STEEL]:
Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a dou- +180 gp Deep in the mines of the Nine Hells of Baator, veins of green-
ble weapon flecked iron run through the rock. This rare metal, when alloyed
Dungeon Master’s Guide, p. 284. into steel, can be used to create weapons of amazing sharpness.
Any slashing or piercing weapon created with Baatorian green
AMARATHA* [SHIELDSTONE]: Also known as steel has a natural enhancement bonus of +1 to damage. This
shieldstone, amaratha is a soft, greenish white or very pale bonus does not stack with any other enhancement bonus. Thus,
green, sparkling type of jewel. It is most often found in exposed a green steel (+1 to damage) longsword with a +4 enhancement
canyon walls or in the Underdark. bonus effectively has a +4 enhancement bonus on both attacks
An amaratha included in any wand whose effect provides resis- and damage. In an area where magic does not function, it still
tance or immunity to acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic energy retains its natural +1 enhancement bonus on damage. A mas-
adds +2 to the effective caster level of the effect. terwork green steel slashing or piercing weapon would have a
Type of Amratha Item Item Cost Modifier +1 bonus on both attack and damage rolls (from a combination
Wand (Immunity or resistance to energy) +5,000 gp of masterwork and the green steel). Though green steel is a
Magic of Faerûn, p. 175. common component of keen weapons produced in the Lower
Planes, it grants no other special ability to such weapons.
ARANDUR: Arandur is a rare natural metal found ig-
neous rock, usually as streaks of blue-green ore amid vitreous
DARKWOOD [ZALANTAR]: This rare magic wood is DRAGONHIDE: Armorsmiths can work with the
as hard as normal wood but very light. Any wooden or mostly hides of dragons to produce masterwork armor or shields for
wooden item (such as a bow, an arrow, or a spear) made from the normal cost (see Dungeon Master’s Guide, p. 283). The armor
darkwood is considered a masterwork item and weighs only half created has no special properties other than its masterwork
as much as a normal wooden item of that type. Items not nor- quality. (An armorsmith who also has the Dragoncrafter feat
mally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battle- can imbue even greater powers into the armor created, see
axe or a mace) either cannot be made from darkwood or do not Dragoncraft items [Draconomicon, p. 116]).
gain any special benefit from being made of darkwood. The The following table shows the types and sizes of armor a
armor check penalty of a darkwood shield is lessened by 2 dragon’s body can supply. The terms on the table are defined
compared to an ordinary shield of that type. To determine the below.
price of a darkwood item, use the original weight but add 10 gp Armor Type and Size: These four columns show which kinds of
per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item. armor can be made from dragonhide, and the largest size a sin-
Darkwood has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness gle set of armor can be if made from a dragon of a certain size.
5. […]
Type of Darkwood Item Item Cost Modifier
A single hide can yield more than one set of armor if the armor
Shield +150 gp, +10 gp/lb. is sized for creatures smaller than the size given on the table.
Weapon +300 gp, +10 gp/lb. For each size category of the finished armor smaller than the
Dungeon Master’s Guide, p. 283. size given on the table, double the number of sets of armor can
be made. […]
Shield?: A “Yes” entry in this column indicated that enough
hide is left over after the armorsmithing process to create one
GLASS: Glass has 1 hit points per inch of thickness HIDE: Leather has 5 hit points per inch of thickness
and hardness 1. and hardness 2.
Type of Glass Item Item Cost Modifier Type of Hide Item Item Cost Modifier
+0 gp
Player’s Handbook, p. 166. Player’s Handbook, p. 166.
GNOME BATTLE CLOAK: This exotic shield is not a HIZAGKUUR: This rare pale silvery gray metal is
shield in the typical sense, but rather a special cloak that can be named for its discoverer, a dwarf from long ago. It is found
used to foil an opponent’s attacks. Since the cloak is not really a only in scattered, but very rich, deposits deep in the Underdark
shield, it confers no shield bonus to wearers who do not have as a soft, greenish-gray claylike ore or a flaky mud. One misstep
the appropriate exotic shield proficiency. in its refining, and it remains useless mud.
You cannot use a battle cloak to make a shield bash attack, but Armor made from hizagkuur grants cold resistance 2. Weapons
a proficient user can use it to make a disarm attempt. When forged of hizagkuur inflict +1 point of electricity damage and
using a gnome battle cloak, you gain a +4 bonus on opposed +1 point of fire damage (this is cumulative with other abilities).
attack rolls made to disarm an enemy (including the roll to Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected (A
avoid being disarmed is such an attempt fails). longsword or a suit of chainmail is affected, while a spear or a
When used in combat, a gnome battle cloak occupies a hand suit of studded leather is not.) Hizagkuur can never be used in a
just as a light shield does, allowing you to carry other items in magic item that uses cold effects, such as a frost or icy burst
that hand but not wield a weapon with it. Gnome battle cloaks weapon.
are retrieved and readied just like other shields. Hizagkuur has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness
Shield 10.
Cost Armor Bonus MDB ACP ASFC Speed Weight
5 gp +1 — +0 0% — 1 lb. Type of Hizagkuur Item Item Cost Modifier
Chain shirt +2,000 gp
Races of Stone, p. 155. Medium armor (other than Hide) +2,000 gp
Heavy armor +2,000 gp
GNOME TWIST CLOTH: This unusual exotic armor is Weapon +3,000 gp
made of loose, flowing cloth strips tied and hung on the wearer. Magic of Faerûn, p. 179.
Proficient wearers twist and sway within the armor, causing
their opponents to strike empty air rather than armor whenever ICE: Ice has 3 hit points per inch of thickness and
they miss with an attack. If you have the Exotic Armor Profi- hardness 0.
ciency (gnome twist cloth) feat, the armor bonus from gnome Type of Ice Item Item Cost Modifier
twist cloth, including any enhancement bonus to AC, protects
against touch attacks (unlike other armor bonuses to Armor Player’s Handbook, p. 166.
Class, which do not apply against touch attacks).
Light armor ICESTEEL [DLARUN]: This bone-white metal, some-
Cost Armor Bonus MDB ACP ASFC Speed Weight times known as dlarun, can take a high polish and is often mis-
150 gp +1 — +0 5% 30/20 ft. 5 lb.
taken for ivory when seen in finished items, but has a distinc-
Races of Stone, p. 159. tive greenish sheen in candlelight. Icesteel ore is found in the
clay dug from riverbanks, and when first refined it is soft and
GOLD**: While most use gold as a currency, spell- easily carved. A second heating makes it hard and durable. This
casters know of gold’s magical properties. When magically re- property makes the metal ideal for decorative work and figu-
fined and treated, gold can be made as hard as steel. The rines.
following information refers to magically treated gold. Armor made from icesteel grants fire resistance 2. Weapons
Armor made from treated gold grants acid and fire resistance 2. forged of icesteel inflict +1 point of frost damage each time
Gold armors are one category heavier than normal for purposes they hit (this is cumulative with other abilities, such as frost or
of movement and other limitations (for example, whether a icy burst). Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully
PLATINUM**: This silvery-white metal superficially RIMEFIRE ICE: This form of ice is found only in ice-
resembles aluminum but is extremely heavy. Because it is so bergs inhabited by rimefire eidolons. These icebergs are ap-
malleable, it must be magically altered to the rigidity of steel so proximately 95% normal ice, but the remaining 5% consists of
it can maintain its shape even when used in combat. This proc- veins of pale blue ice that glows softly, providing illumination
ess also catalyzes its magical properties. The following informa- equal to that of a torch. Rimefire ice is especially cold to the
tion refers to magically treated platinum. touch, and any creature that comes in contact with it takes 1
Armor made from treated platinum grants cold and sonic resis- point of cold damage per round of contact. Any amount of re-
tance 2. Platinum armors are one category heavier than normal sistance or immunity to cold […] provides complete protection
for purposes of movement and other limitations (for example, from this cold damage.
whether a barbarian can use his fast movement ability while The most unusual aspect of rimefire ice is that it is approxi-
wearing armor or not). Light armors are treated as medium, and mately as flammable as wood; it does not melt when heat is ap-
medium and heavy armors are treated as heavy. Spell failure plied to it. Burning rimefire ice does not deal fire damage,
chances for armor and shields made from gold are increased by though, even if it is ignited by an open flame. Rather, burning
10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is decreased by 2 (which may rimefire ice deals cold damage on anything unfortunate enough
bring it below 0), and armor check penalties are increased by 3. to get too close.
Armor not primarily of metal is not meaningfully affected. (A Rimefire ice weapons glow with blue light, providing illumina-
suit of chainmail is affected, while a suit of studded leather is tion to a 20-foot radius. They also deal +1 point of cold dam-
not.) age on each successful hit.
Platinum weapons are considered heavy weapons (see “Heavy Rimefire ice has 5 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness
Weapons” below). 3.
Magically treated platinum has 30 hit points per inch of thick- Type of Rimefire Ice Item Item Cost Modifier
ness and hardness 10. Weapon +750 gp
Other objects +500 gp/lb.
Type of Platinum Item Item Cost Modifier
Armor +5,000 gp Frostburn, p. 80.
Weapon (1d3) +1,500 gp
Weapon (1d4—1d6) +2,500 gp RING ARMOR: Ring armor is composed of tough
Weapon (1d8+) +7,000 gp
leather, heavily reinforced with hundreds of small metal rings.
Magic of Faerûn, p. 180. Ring armor is the precursor to chainmail and is commonly
found in cultures that haven’t discovered how to create that
RAVENAR*: Ravenar, a glossy, black variety of tour- type of armor. It is a cheap and effective protection, popular
maline that is also called schorl, is highly valued in the northern among town guards.
half of Faerûn. The gem is less prized in other lands, where it Medium Armor
carries little value. Ravenar is commonly used for inlay work on Cost Armor Bonus MDB ACP ASFC Speed Weight
daggers, buckles, and the like. 75 gp +4 +4 –3 30% 20/15 ft. 35 lb.
Arms and Equipment Guide, p. 17.
SHIELD, GAUNTLET: A favorite of divine spell- STILETTO SHIELD: This small wooden shield has a
casters, this exotic shield is a heavy steel shield built with a spe- special switch located on the inside grip. When triggered, four
cial bracing gauntlet. The special gauntlet allows you to carry blades pop out from the edges of the shield, and one larger
other items in your shield hand (such as material spell compo- blade springs out from the middle. Triggering and retracting the
nents), although you cannot use weapons with it. The shield blades is a free action. When the blades are activated, the sti-
hand is likewise free to perform somatic components. letto shield counts as a spiked shield in all respects.
Shield Shield
Cost Armor Bonus MDB ACP ASFC Speed Weight Cost Armor Bonus MDB ACP ASFC Speed Weight
50 gp +2 — –2 35% — 20 lb. 30 gp +1 — –1 5% — +2 lb.
SILVER: Long valued for its purity and beauty, silver STONE: Stone has 15 hit points per inch of thickness
is also used to make weapons and armor. It is commonly used and hardness 8.
in items involving light and moon magic, as well as bane weap- Type of Stone Item Item Cost Modifier
ons dedicated to battling shapeshifters. With the proper magical +0 gp
treatments, silver gains the rigidity of steel. The following in- Player’s Handbook, p. 166.
formation refers to magically treated silver.
Armor made from silver grants electricity resistance 2. Weapons STONE PLATE ARMOR: This armor is made of inter-
forged of treated silver can damage creatures whose damage locking stone plates, cunningly carved for both thinness and
reduction type is silver, and they deal +1 damage to such crea- strength. A layer of cured hide underneath the stone prevents
tures. Items whose striking point or surface is not primarily chafing and cushions the impact of blows. Several layers of
metal are not meaningfully affected. (A longsword or a spear is stone plates usually hang over vital areas, and most of the ar-
affected, while a club is not.) mor’s weight hangs from the shoulders. The suit includes hide
Magically treated silver has 30 hit points per inch of thickness gauntlets with tiny stone plates sewn onto them. Wearing stone
and hardness 10. plate does not violate a druid’s spiritual oath.
Type of Silver Item Item Cost Modifier Heavy armor
Chain shirt +2,000 gp Cost Armor Bonus MDB ACP ASFC Speed Weight
Medium armor (other than Hide) +2,000 gp 750 gp +6 +0 –8 45% 20/15 ft. 100 lb.
Heavy armor +2,000 gp
Races of Stone, p. 158.
Weapon +1,000 gp
Magic of Faerûn, p. 180. STYGIAN ICE: This extraplanar ice comes from Sty-
gia, the fifth layer of Hell. Infused with the soulless evil of that
SOLARIAN TRUESTEEL: Mined on the fourth layer of realm, along with the magical waters of the river Styx, stygian
the Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia, this fine iron need no ice is black and constantly crawls with a thin layer of pale blue
alloy and shines with a silvery gleam. When forged into a mist. Stygian ice is much colder than normal ice, and it melts
weapon, it gives the wielder a +1 bonus on the confirmation slowly in nonfreezing environs. The coldness that this ice ex-
roll for a critical hit. udes is magical in nature, and freezes the mind much more rap-
Solarian truesteel has 25 hit points per inch of thickness and idly than flesh.
hardness 11. Stygian ice deals 1d6 points of damage per round of contact.
Type of Solarian Truesteel Item Item Cost Modifier Worse, if a creature takes damage from this supernatural cold, it
Weapon +1,000 gp must make a DC 12 Will saving throw or take 2 points of Wis-
Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 38. dom damage as its memories are slowly frozen. If a creature’s
Wisdom is reduced to 0, further contact causes Constitution
STARMETAL: This superior alloy is made from mete- damage. A creature whose Constitution is reduced to 0 by Sty-
oric iron – specifically, ore refined from meteors that fall during gian ice rises as a wraith in 2d4 rounds.
the rare appearances of the comet Alhazarde. [The glittering Stygian ice is not much harder than normal ice, so it doesn’t
green*] starmetal is extraordinarily hard, and is equal to ada- make effective armor. Weapons made of Stygian ice are some-
mantine for all purposes (see above), including overcoming what fragile, and each time they deal damage the wielder must
damage reduction or granting damage reduction when used in make a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid dealing the same amount of
armor construction. Starmetal also possesses an inherent magi- damage on the weapon itself. Stygian ice weapon deal 1d6
cal connection to the Material Plane, meaning that weapons points of additional cold damage on a hit; if the creature hit