Kargin Notes - Metals and Special Materials
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Thinaun: Very Rare. A dark glittering steel that absorbs souls slain with weapons forged from it. If the wielder is slain while holding the weapon, the wielder’s soul becomes trapped in the weapon. If a soul is already inside of the Thinaun weapon when it tries to absorb a soul, the previous soul is released to the afterlife. A creature whose soul is trapped in the Thinaun weapon cannot be resurrected unless the caster of the resurrection spell wields the weapon. Fiends and other such creatures can extract a trapped soul for their own purposes, meaning it can be used as a bargaining tool for those who traffic in souls.
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Urdrukar: Rare. Armor forged with this metal weigh 5 pounds heavier and have their max DEX modifier reduced by 1, if applicable. However, it also grants the wearer advantage on saving throws against being viewed or detected remotely by divination spells.
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Ysgardian Heartwire: A fine, flexible metal found in the mines of Nidavellir in Ysgard. It can’t make an entire set of armor but it can be incorporated into metal armor to force incoming critical hits to reroll their attack roll. If the reroll hits, the initial attack is still a critical hit. If the reroll misses, the initial attack is no longer a critical hit and is instead a regular hit. Costs 2,000 gp to modify armor in this way.
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BAATORIAN GREEN STEEL (Banesteel)
This sickly green metal is very rarely found outside of the Outer Planes. This is because the ore needed to make the
metal is only found on the Lower Planes, specifically the Nine Hells of Baator. The most common users of
baatorian green steel are the baatezu themselves, who use weapons and armors made of this metal in the Blood War
(their eternal fight against the tanar’ri). This metal is also known as banesteel because the material tends to mirror
the baatezu’s fondness for surgical strikes – weapons made of baatorian green steel inflict far more critical hits than
their mundane counterparts. Baatorian green steel weapons gain a masterwork bonus to hit and damage, as well as
bonuses to their threat range and critical confirmation rolls. In a similar manner, banesteel armors have a
masterwork bonus to resist critical blows, increased protection values, and small bonuses to maximum dexterity,
armor check penalty, and arcane spell failure. Finally, much like celestial mithril, the metal of baatorian green steel
is infused with the essence of the plane of its origin. As such, all items forged of this metal are considered to be
both lawful and evil for purposes of damage reduction. -
TANAR’RI RED STEEL (Bloodsteel)
This rare metal is another product of the Blood War and the Lower Planes. In this case, the metal is crafted in the
infinite layers of the Abyss and is used primarily by the tanar’ri. Tanar’ri red steel is also known as bloodsteel - both
for being the color of fresh blood as well as the tendency for weapons forged of this metal to cause horrific wounds,
especially during critical strikes. Bloodsteel functions best when made into weapons of war. It grants a masterwork
bonus to hit, increased damage, and a higher critical multiplier. For armors and shields, it provides very limited
benefit. Its lighter weight provides for a slightly reduced arcane spell failure chance, as well as a masterwork bonus
to resist critical hits. The primary reason to find bloodsteel armor is that the metal is tougher than mundane steel,
allowing it to stand up to repeated beatings in combat. Like its infernal counterpart of baatorian green steel, tanar’ri
red steel is infused with the essence of its plane of origin. For this metal, however, all items forged from it are
considered to be both chaotic and evil with regard to damage reduction. -
GITHYANKI MITHRIL (Mindsilver)
This very rare, highly prized, metal is mined and forged on the Astral Plane by the githyanki. Items made of this
metal have a dull silver appearance, with faint highlights that resemble distant clouds. (Over a long period of time,
the patterns of these highlights will drift and change shape.) Githyanki mithril performs nearly identically to
celestial mithril, save that its masterwork properties are its to hit, critical check, AND critical damage bonuses. It
also provides a bonus to base damage and range increment. And much like glowsteel, it is considered to be silver
with regards to damage reduction. Likewise, armors of githyanki mithril are nearly identical to celestial mithril,
although the chance of arcane spell failure is not as low and it does not resist critical strikes any better than normal
steel. However, the reason why it is called mindsilver is the reason why the githyanki use it to forge their dreaded
silver swords and try to keep them out of non-gith hands. The metal is inherently psionic, and weapons made from
this metal more easily disrupt the spells or psionic powers of a struck foe. Additionally, armors forged of mindsilver
grant the wearer a small bonus vs. mind-affecting abilities as well as a small increase in mental hardness, allowing
the wearer an increased defense against mental attacks. Due to its inherent psionic nature, items of githyanki mithril
do not require any crystalline components to be psionically empowered. -
CRANOR (Tree-gold)
This metal isn’t metal at all. Instead, it is specially treated and hardened tree sap. It is most commonly found among
elves or forest-based metal-poor cultures. Weapons made of tree-gold tend to be sharper than metal, gaining a
masterwork bonus to hit, a small increase in range increment, an increased threat range, and an improved chance to
cause a critical hit. As cranor is not a metal, it is immune to rust and electricity. This nonconductive property
extends itself to those who wear tree-gold armor. Also, as the material isn’t metal, druids may wear any type of
armor when it is made from tree-gold. However, cranor also has its drawbacks. As it is merely tree sap, items made
from this material tend to be brittle and are more easily broken. Additionally, cranor is vulnerable to sonic attacks. -
LAEN (Smokesteel)
Laen is a cloudy gray crystal that, from a distance, resembles solidified smoke. (Hence, the alternate name of
smokesteel.) Much like cranor, this very rare material is n’t truly a metal. It is actually a dense crystal found on the
Elemental Plane of Earth. This density is what provides the benefits associated with it. Weapons receive a
masterwork bonus to hit, increased damage, increased critical multiplier, as well as improved hardness and hit
points. Additionally, any weapon formed of laen is considered to be blunt, regardless of its actual shape. Armo r
gains increased protective value, a resistance to critical hits, along with better hardness and hit point values. As
smokesteel is not a metal, it is immune to rust and fire, and druids may wear any armor formed from this material.
Armors made of laen impart the fire resistance to their wearers. However, as a crystal, smokesteel is vulnerable to
cold, which makes it brittle and prone to shattering. -
STORMWOOD
This material is used primarily to improve the performance of ranged weapons. Stormwood is the name given to
lumber harvested from trees that grow on either on the highest mountain peaks of Arborea or the windswept tunnels
of Pandemonium. Having grown in the punishing winds, items made of stormwood have an affinity for the air. As
a result, weapons made of stormwood are very lightweight, and are able to thrown (or fired) much further than their
mundane counterparts. (Pandemonium stormwood differs from its Arborean cousin in that missiles made from it
give a distinctive whistle when fired or thrown.) Although intended primarily for ammunition such as arrows or
bolts, some bounty hunters find cause to make melee weapons out of stormwood. This is because these weapons
become capable of inflicting only nonlethal damage, but at no penalty to hit (although there is a small decrease to
the weapon’s threat range). -
LEAF ARMOR
This material can only be used to modify nonmetallic armors – padded, leather, studded leather, and hide.
Originally developed by elves, leaf armor can found in any race or culture that lives primarily in a forested and
metal-poor environment. Artisans make leaf armor by weaving forest leaves together and then treating them with a
special alchemical process. This results in a suit of armor that is as tough and flexible as leather, with considerably
less encumbrance. This results in a bonus to the armor’s maximum dexterity bonus and a reduction in both armor
check penalty and arcane spell failure. Leaf armor is available in both “springtime” (vivid green) and “autumn”
(red, orange, and yellow) styles. This camouflage pattern grants a wearer of leaf armor a +2 bonus to hide checks in
natural surroundings. -
IRONBARK ARMOR
What leaf armor is to nonmetallic armors, ironbark armor is to the metallic ones. Where normal armor uses metal
and leather, ironbark uses wood and leaf. The wood comes from the ironwood tree, and is then subjected to an
alchemical process similar to that used in leaf armor. The results are similar; a lighter weight and less restrictive suit
of armor. Ironbark armors gain the same bonus as leaf armors. The appearance of ironbark armor can vary, as the
wood can be treated to have any color or finish, but is quite often done in natural colors to provide a +2 bonus to
hide checks in natural surroundings. One a -
MANARIUM
[TBD]
[Origin: Dwarfverse]
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ULTRANIUM
[TBD]
[Origin: Dwarfverse]
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BLACK ADAMANTIUM
[TBD]
[Origin: Dwarfverse]
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@halfgiant said in Kargin Notes - Metals and Special Materials:
MANARIUM
[TBD]
[Origin: CloudVerse]
thats dwarfverse too - cloudverse is Manacite
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MANACITE
[TBD]
[Origin: CloudVerse]
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Armor
Adamantine: grants damage reduction based on armor category. DMG
Arandur: grants sonic resistance. MoF
Astral Driftmetal: effective against incorporeal attacks as if made of force, only a breastplate, shield, or heavy armor can be made from this material. PH
Aurorum: restores itself if sundered. BoED
Blended Quartz: reduces ASF. A&EG
Blueice: reduces armor category, ACP, and ASF (for cold spells) and increases MDB. FB
Bronze: 1 less AC bonus compared to normal steel armors. Dragon Magazine 319 p 40
Bronzewood reduces weight, doesn’t affect hide in woodlands. A&EG
Camoflauge Dye: grants a hide bonus (only with specific light armors). RoF
Chitin: replaces metal, increases MDB. RotD
Copper, Alchemical: grants cold resistance. MoF
Cyrite (Arcane Steel): grants a +1 resistance bonus to saves. PGtE
Darkleaf, Elven: reduces ASF, ACP, armor category and increases MDB. A&EG
Darksteel: grants acid resistance. MoF
Darkwood (Zalantar): reduces weight and ACP (shields only). DMG
Dlarun: grants fire resistance. MoF
Dragoncraft Armor/Shield: grants energy resistance 5 against the respective dragon as an extraordinary ability. Reduces armor category and ACP, only available for certain armor types. Draco
Dragonhide: replaces metal to craft most armors. Immune to the breath weapon of the respective dragon species (armor only). DMG/Draco
Dragonhide Mantle: grants energy resistance as dragoncraft armor, but uses the shoulder body slot. Draco
Duskwood: breastplate only; reduces armor category, ASF and ACP, increases MDB. MoF
Elukian Clay: increases ACP, does not apply ACP to swim. A&EG
Entropium: increases armor category and Str ACP, reduces Dex ACP, ASF and increase MDB. A&EG
Fever Iron: grants fire resistance. MoF
Flametouched Iron: grants a saving throw bonus vs. evil outsider spells, SL and supernatural abilities. ECS
Fluid Stone - Dragon Magazine 347 pg 51 - Armor grants a +2 on swim checks(other wise treated as steel), looks like glass but hardness of 10 and 5 hps per inch, evaporates immediatly if taken from the water
Glassteel: reduces armor category, ACP and ASF, increases MDB, stronger and lighter than iron. RoF pg 158, updated (nerfed) in Champions of Valor on pg 65
Gold, Alchemical: grants fire and acid resistance, increases armor category, ACP and ASF, decreases MDB. MoF
Hizagkuur: deals bonus electricity damage. MoF updated on page 157 of Underdark adds bonus fire and electricity damage, considered silver and cold resistance for armors
Kaorti: protects the wearer from the effects of the Material Plane The Kaorti Ubercyst see also FF Pg 110
Leafweave, Elven: reduces ASF and ACP, increases MDB, cannot replace metal armors. A&EG
Living Metal: reduces ACP and ASF, increases MDB. MoF
Mindsteel: +4 vs mind influencing effects. +25% weight -2 ac, +1 armor check penalty. Dragon Magazine Annual 5
Mithral: reduces armor category, ACP and ASF, raises MDB. DMG
Mournlode, Purple: resistance bonus vs. the spells, SL and supernatural abilities of undead. MoE
Platinum, Alchemical: grants cold and sonic resistance, increases armor category, ACP and ASF, decreases MDB. MoF
Oerthblood: must be primarily metallic, grants DR and a luck bonus to saves vs magic, Dragon Magazine 351 pg 45
Riverine: half the armor bonus becomes deflection (see misc. for more properties). SW
Sentira: replicates mithral, required to craft emotional armor (emotional armor has some pretty decent bonuses. All three are published in the same book: Calming, Dreadful, and Vengeful). SoS
Shadowsilk: can only be used to make certain light armors, grants a bonus to hide/move silently, increases MDB, reduces ACP and ASF (in shadows/darkness). ToM
Starmetal: replicates adamantine. CAr
Susalian Chainweave: grants damage reduction /piercing. CM
Thistledown: used for padded armor, provides a bonus to hide checks in shadowy/dark areas. RotW
Urdrukar(mindsteel): increases the DC vs. scrying on the wearer, doubles ASF. A&EG
Wildwood: reduces the AC bonus, ACP and ASF, increases MDB and has no ACP when used to hide in undergrowth. Wildwood heals itself if soaked in water or while in sunlight. RotW
Ysgardian Heartwire: increases AC vs. crit comfirms. A&EG -
Misc
Blueice: weighs half as much as metal, maintains a freezing temperature. FB
Bluewood: items weigh half, not effective for weapons. UE
Cinnabryl: 20 hps per inch, hardness of 8, used to make special talismans. Dragon 315
Colored Metal: makes anything your favorite color. RotD
Crystal: replaces metal. EXH
Darkwood (Zalantar): reduces the weight of wooden items by half. DMG
Densewood: increases weight and the break DC of the item. ECS
Dragonshard: grants special abilities, usually crafted to make wondrous items. ECS
Dwarvencraft: increases an items hp, hardness, and break DC (this modifies a material, similar to a template). RoS
Flametouched Iron: increases your effective level for turning. ECS
Fyrite - Dragon Magazine 347 pg 48-9 - metal objects (including armor and weapons) are immune to all fire and heat, but take double damage from cold sources.
Livewood: allows the item to be affected by most spells that affect living plants. ECS
Mithral: reduces the weight of an item by half. DMG
Moonblood: sacred bonus to AC. BoED
Mournlode, Purple: damages undead when used as a holy symbol for turning. MoE
Obdurium: Hardness 30, HP 60 per inch. SBG
Pure Ore - Dragon Magazine 347 pg 47 - adds masterwork quality , double the hit points and double the hardness to metal objects
Red Steel: costs less to enchant items 30 hps per inch, hardness of 15. Dragon 315
Riverine: invulnerable to physical damage, susceptible to certain dispelling effects. SW
Soarwood: increases the speed of a boat or ship. ECS
Storm Tears: replicates the spell heart’s ease. BoED
Targath: saving throw bonus vs. disease. ECS
Vermeil: a red powder that causes The Red Curse and obscures magical auras. Dragon 315
Blood Glass (Secrets of Xen’drik p. 147). Weapons deal +1 damage and are -10% weight, but are much more fragile: lower hardness and vulnerable to shatter.
Chameleon Leather (Serpent Kingdoms p. 148). Similar to leather, but grants a +2 circumstance bonus to Hide checks.
Chitine Web (FR Underdark p. 66). Similar to leather scale, but made out of spider-slobber. Decays unless you periodically add more spider-slobber.
Coral (A&EG p. 15). Roughly equivalent to splint or banded mail, but cheaper than stone plate.
Dendritic Crystal (A&EG p. 15/Races of Faerun p. 157). Crystal armor that grows on you… literally. In fact, the only way to take it off is to break out of it. Keep at least 5 pounds of it on you, and it grows back in 8 hours.
Dhenuka Hide (Oriental Adventures p. 75). Made out of rhino skin. Better AC than hide armor (comparable to scale mail), but MaxDex and ACP are worse.
Dreamhide (Secrets of Xen’drik p. 136). Made from the skin of dream serpents. Comparable to a chain shirt but has better MaxDex.
Dwarven Stone (A&EG p. 17). Similar to heavy plate, but better ACP.
Feather Cloak (Sandstorm p. 99). Similar to leather, but better in a hot environment.
Firebrass (Secrets of Xen’drik p. 147). Same properties as mithral but looks way more badass.
Mammoth Leather (Races of Stone p. 157). This would be much more badass than a chain shirt if it wasn’t Exotic.
Mud (Races of Faerun p. 158). Its… uh… really cheap? We tried to optimize it in this thread.
Nightscale (FR Underdark p. 66). Same armor bonus as leather but with a MaxDex bonus on steroids.
Scorpion Breastplate (Races of Eberron p. 171/Secrets of Xen’drik p. 136). Another member of the “chitin” family, this one comparable to scale mail.
Siege Beetle Chitin (MMV p. 153). Most obscure member of the “chitin” family, similar to scale mail but has better MaxDex, ACP, and weight. Even better, non-magical resistance to electricity/sonic 5.
Serpentscale Mail (Serpent Kingdoms p. 148). Slightly better (higher MaxDex) than typical scale mail.
Shapesand (Sandstorm p. 102). You can use several jugs of this to shape heavy plate or mechanus gear.
Sharkskin (Races of Faerun p. 158/Stormwrack p. 106). More badass version of studded leather.
Spidersilk (FR Underdark p. 66). One of the best replacements for studded leather. It’s exotic, but if you make it masterwork, the ACP is 0, and thus no penalty for non-proficiency.
Stonemail (FR Underdark p. 66). Similar to chainmail but requires Heavy Armor Proficiency, even though it weighs less than chainmail.
Stone Plate (Races of Stone p. 158). Roughly equivalent to banded mail… but still weighs less than chainmail. WTF?
Tentacled Hide (FR Underdark p. 67). What… I don’t even… how would you not trip over… uh… skip this one.
Thaalud Stone Armor (Anauroch: The Empire of Shade p. 108). Highest armor bonus in print (+12). Made out of a rare stone that is resistant to chips/fractures, and held together with metal rivets, although the description doesn’t say what kind of metal.
Thunderhide (Serpent Kingdoms p. 148). If only this armor was as good as its name… but not as good as leather scale or sharkskin.
Vine (Secrets of Xen’drik p. 136). Similar to chameleon leather, grants a +2 circumstance bonus to hide, but only in a jungle environment, and you need to water it or it withers away.
War Chitin (Secrets of Xen’drik p. 136). Heavier upgrade to the scorpion breastplate, same armor bonus as dragonhide/chitin half-plate but better MaxDex and ACP.
Wicker (A&EG p. 17). A more expensive version of mud, but gives you a +5 circumstance bonus on Hide checks while inside a Pier One Imports store.
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Weapons
Abyssal Bloodiron: replicates cold iron, bonus to confirm crits. PH
Adamantine: bypasses /adamantine damage reduction, ignores hardness 20 and below when used to sunder items. DMG
Aurorum: restores itself if sundered. BoED
Baatorian Green Steel: enhancement bonus to damage. A&EG
Blueice: Slashing weapons deal bonus damage. FB
Blood Obsidian: +1 natural enhancement bonus on damage, hardness 12 and 30 hp per inch of thickness. Dragon Magazine 319 p 39
Bone: -2 attack and damage (minimum damage 1) hardness of 6 10 hps per inch, and weighs half as much Dragon Magazine 319 p 39
Bronze: -1 attack and damage, hardness of 9 and 20 hp per inch. Dragon Magazine 319 p 40
Bronzewood: reduces weight. A&EG
Byeshk: deals bonus damage with bludgeoning weapons, bypasses the damage reduction of daelkyr. ECS
Calomal: overcomes the damage reduction of creatures with the fire subtype. MoE
Copper-Adamantite alloy: d8 d10 d12 damage +1 damage Dragon Magazine Annual 5
Crystal, Deep: deals bonus damage by channeling power points. EXH
Cyrite (Arcane Steel): bypasses /magic damage reduction PGtE
Darksteel: deals bonus electricity damage. MoF
Dlarun: deals bonus frost damage. MoF
Dragonbone Bow: increases the range by 20’ and makes the bow composite. Draco
Dragonfang: grants an enhancement bonus to attacks and energy damage of the respective dragon as an extraordinary ability. Draco
Duskwood: steel weapons weigh half as much. MoF
Fever Iron: deals bonus fire damage. MoF
Flametouched Iron: weapon is considered good-aligned. ECS
Frystalline: weapon is considered good-aligned. BoED
Gehennan Moghuth-Iron: penalty to attack and damage, but naturally poisonous. A&EG
Glassteel: makes hidden weapons harder to spot. Stronger and lighter than iron. RoF pg 158, updated (nerfed) in Champions of Valor on pg 65
Gold, Alchemical: increases the damage dice of a weapon.* MoF
Hizagkuur: deals bonus electricity damage. MoF updated on page 157 of Underdark adds bonus fire and electricity damage, considered silver and adds cold resistance for armor
Iron, Cold: bypasses /cold iron damage reduction. DMG
Kaorti: critical becomes X4 when used for slashing or piercing weapons and makes it an Exotic Weapon. It has no effect when used for other items. The Kaorti Ubercyst see also FF Pg 110
Kheferu: bypasses the damage reduction of creatures with the earth subtype. SS
Lenaer wood: -25% weight, +10’ range increment. Dragon Magazine Annual 5
Mournlode, Purple: overcomes undead damage reduction as silver or cold iron. MoE
Nephelium: a ferrous metal identical to iron(same stats) except its transparent. Purposely adding mineral impurities to can produce shades of sapphire, emerald, ruby. Sunless Citadel p.32.
Oerthblood: must be primarily metallic, +1 luck bonus on att and dmg, and applies a penalty if hit, Dragon Magazine 351 pg 45
Pandemonic Silver:replicates silver, creates a 30 ft. aura of fear when unsheathed in windy conditions. CW
Pearlsteel: reduces the penalties of using a weapon underwater. SW
Platinum, Alchemical: increases the damage dice of a weapon.* MoF
Riedran Crysteel: deals bonus damage to psionic creatures. ECS
Rimefire Ice: deals bonus cold damage. FB
Silver, Alchemical: bypasses /silver damage reduction, reduces weapon damage. DMG
Serren: adds the ghost touched property. BoED
Slug crystal: -25% weight, but very brittle. Dragon Magazine Annual 5
Solarian Truesteel: bonus to confirm crits. BoED
Starmetal: replicates adamantine, but deals extra damage to extraplanar creatures. CAr
Stone: -2 attack and damage, hardness of 8 and 15 hos per inch. Dragon Magazine 319 p 40
Stygian Ice: chance to break when dealing damage, deals bonus cold damage and chance to deal WIS damage on hit. FB
Targath: overcomes the damage reduction of Aerenal deathless, reduces attack and damage. ECS
Thinaun: absorbs the souls of those who die while touching the weapon, and prevents their resurrection unless the caster has the weapon at hand. CW
Vakar metal: +2d6 damage vs. elves. Dragon Magazine Annual 5
Wood: club, quarterstaff, sap, great club and all bows and crossbows suffer no penalty, other bludgeoning weapons suffer -3 attack and damage (minimum 1 damage) 5 hardness and 10 hps per inch. Dragon Magazine 319 p 40 -
Gems
Amaratha: increases CL for energy resist spells
Beljuril: electricity descriptors
Black Opal: force descriptors
Black Sapphire: darkness descriptors
Diamond: increases CL for healing spells
Emerald: enchantments
Fire Opal: fire descriptors
Jacinth: fire descriptors
Jasmal: increases CL for spells that provide enhancements to armaments
King’s Tear: divinations
Moonbar: conjuration (calling) spells
Opal: enchantment (charm) spells
Orblen: conjuration (creation) spells
Orl: chaotic descriptors and spells that provide luck bonuses
Ravenar: sonic descriptor
Red Tear: transmutation
Rogue Stone: teleportation and chaotic
Ruby: evocation
Sapphire: conjuraton (summoning)
Star Ruby: illusion
Star Sapphire: abjuration
Tomb Jade: enchantment (compulsion)
Water Opal: divination
Zendalure: necromancy
