Objects and Materials in Astora | World Anvil

Objects and Materials

In addition to Magic Items created with spells, some substances have innate special properties.   If you make a suit of armor or weapon out of more than one special material, you get the benefit of only the most prevalent material. However, you can build a double weapon with each head made of a different special material.   Each of the special materials described below can have additional impacts when used on a weapon. Some creatures have damage reduction based on their creature type or core concept. Some are resistant to all but a special type of damage, such as that dealt by evil-aligned weapons or bludgeoning weapons. Others are vulnerable to weapons of a particular material. Characters may choose to carry several different types of weapons, depending upon the campaign and types of creatures they most commonly encounter.   Each material also has a rarity, denoting the difficulty in obtaining objects made of such material. The effects of each rarity are as follows:
  • Common: Common materials can be found most anywhere, and are available by default when purchasing items.
  • Uncommon: Uncommon materials are prevalent, but not ubiquitous. They can usually be found in large cities or specialized shops. They are available with DM approval, and may sometimes require a small effort to obtain.
  • Rare: Rare materials exist only in small amounts or in a few areas, and are not typically available (though they may still be well known). Rare materials or items made from them are only available as found or given by the DM, and obtaining it by request will either be impossible or require a great deal of effort (usually in the form of a quest) to obtain.
 

Abysium

This glowing, blue-green substance can be a source of great energy. It also causes those who spend extended amounts of time near it to grow ill and die unless proper precautions are taken. Abysium functions as steel when used for weapons and armor, but those who carry or wear abysium arms or armor become Sickened for as long as the gear is carried or worn. Likewise, those in an area with heavy concentrations of abysium become Sickened for as long as they remain in the area. This is a Poison effect.   Weapons and armor made from abysium glow with an intensity equal to that of a candle. Abysium can also be powdered and alchemically distilled with other rare catalysts and chemicals to form a much more potent toxin. A pound of Abysium is enough to make 1 dose of abysium powder.   Hit Points Per Inch: As steel   Hardness: As steel   Rarity: Rare  

Adamantine

This ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon or suit of armor. Weapons fashioned from adamantine have a natural ability to bypass hardness when sundering weapons or attacking objects, ignoring hardness less than 20. Armor made from adamantine grants its wearer Damage Reduction of 1/- if it’s light armor, 2/- if it’s medium armor, and 3/- if it’s heavy armor. Adamantine is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the price. Thus, adamantine weapons and ammunition have a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and the armor check penalty of adamantine armor is lessened by 1 compared to ordinary armor of its type. Items without metal parts cannot be made from adamantine. An arrow could be made of adamantine, but a quarterstaff could not.   Only weapons, armor, and shields normally made of metal can be fashioned from adamantine. Weapons, armor and shields normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have one-third more hit points than normal.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Ammunition+60 gp per missile
Light armor+5,000 gp
Medium armor+10,000 gp
Heavy armor+15,000 gp
Weapon+3,000 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 40   Hardness: 20   Rarity: Uncommon   Craft Check Modifier: -8
 

Angelskin

The preserved skin of an angel retains a portion of celestial grace and can be crafted into leather, hide, or studded leather armor. Angelskin radiates a moderate good aura that masks malign auras. Any evil aura radiated by the wearer is reduced in strength by 10 Hit Dice. Auras reduced below 1 Hit Die can’t be detected by means such as Detect Evil; the creature doesn’t detect as evil, though this has no effect on other aspects of the creature’s Alignment. For example, a weak chaotic creature wearing angelskin armor detects as chaotic, but not evil.   Spells and supernatural abilities that have special effects when cast on or used against creatures with evil alignments wearing angelskin armor (even beneficial effects) have a 20% chance of treating an evil wearer as neutral instead. Ongoing effects such as smite evil make this roll the first time they are used against the creature; if the effect treats the target as neutral, it does so for the remainder of the effect’s duration. If the ongoing effect applies to an area and the wearer leaves that area, the percentage chance should be rolled again. Permanent Magic Items such as holy weapons always treat the wearer as evil. Armor constructed from angelskin is always of masterwork quality.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Light armor+1,000 gp
Medium armor+2,000 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 5   Hardness: 5   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -2
 

Aszite

The twin ores of aszite and druchite are found only on the Plane of Shadows. These ores are highly sought after for structural construction, as well as for their use in enhancing armor and weapons.   The navy-blue ore known as aszite is often used to reinforce buildings in the Shadowlands. While aszite cannot be properly worked into weapons, it can be added in the form of veinlike reinforcements to most armor (except padded armor and chain shirts), where it absorbs and amplifies certain unique magical properties.   Adding aszite veins to armor increases the item’s weight by 10%. The added veins are capable of absorbing extra power from spells with the darkness descriptor. The wearer of aszite-veined armor gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks when affected by a spell with the darkness descriptor. In addition, spells with the darkness descriptor that last multiple rounds last 1 round longer when affecting a creature with aszite-veined armor. If the spell affects an object (such as a Darkness spell) then targeting a piece of aszite-veined armor instead increases the spell’s duration by 50%.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Light armor+750 gp
Medium armor+750 gp
Heavy armor+750 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 20   Hardness: 15   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -4
 

Alchemical Silver

A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes.   On a successful attack with a silvered weapon, the wielder takes a -1 penalty on the damage roll (with the usual minimum of 1 point of damage). The alchemical silvering process can’t be applied to nonmetal items, and it doesn’t work on rare metals such as adamantine, cold iron, and mithral.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Ammunition+2 gp
Light weapon+20 gp
One-handed weapon+90 gp
One head of a double weapon+90 gp
Two-handed weapon+180 gp
Both heads of a double weapon+180 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 8   Rarity: Common   Craft Check Modifier: -4
 

Bone

Bone can be used in place of wood and steel in weapons and armor. Other animal-based materials like horn, shell, and ivory also use the rules for bone weapon and armor. The cost of a bone weapon or bone armor is half the price of a normal weapon or armor of its type.   Light and one-handed melee weapons, as well as two-handed weapons that deal bludgeoning damage only, can be crafted from bone. Hafted two-handed weapons such as spears can be crafted with bone tips, as can arrowheads. Other two-handed weapons cannot be constructed of bone. Bone weapons have half the normal hit points and have the fragile Weapon Special Quality. Masterwork bone weapons also have the fragile Weapon Special Quality, but magic bone weapons do not. Bone weapons take a –2 penalty on damage rolls (minimum 1 damage).   Armor Studded leather, scale mail, breastplates, and wooden shields can all be constructed using bone. Bone either replaces the metal components of the armor, or in the case of wooden shields, large pieces of bone or shell replace the wood. Bone armor has a half the normal hit points and has the fragile armor quality. Masterwork bone armor also has the fragile quality, but magic bone armor does not. The armor/shield bonus of bone armor is reduced by 1, but in the case of studded leather, the armor check penalty is also reduced by 1 (to 0). Fragile armor gains the Broken condition if an attack against it rolls a natural 20 and confirms the critical, and is destroyed if it happens while already Broken.   Hit Points Per Inch: Half normal   Hardness: 5   Rarity: Common   Cost: 50% normal   Craft Check Modifier: +2  

Bronze

Before the advent of iron and steel, bronze ruled the world. This easily worked metal can be used in place of steel for both weapons and armor.   Light and one-handed weapons can be crafted from bronze. Likewise, spear points, arrowheads, and axe heads can be crafted from bronze, even those that are parts of two-handed weapons. Bronze is too weak to be used for two-handed weapons made entirely out of metal, and cannot typically be used to craft polearms, with the exception of the rhomphaia. Bronze weapons have the hardness of their base weapons but also have the fragile Weapon Special Quality. Bronze weapons do the same damage as steel weapons of the same type, and have the same cost and weight.   Bronze can be used to create any medium or light armor made entirely of metal or that has metal components. It protects a creature as well as steel armor does, but it has the fragile quality. Fragile armor gains the Broken condition if an attack against it rolls a natural 20 and confirms the critical, and is destroyed if it happens while already Broken. Bronze armor has the same cost and weight as normal steel armor of its type.   Hit Points Per Inch: As steel   Hardness: As steel   Rarity: Common   Cost: As normal   Craft Check Modifier: +4  

Cold Iron

This iron, mined deep underground, known for its effectiveness against Fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties. Weapons made of cold iron cost twice as much to make as their normal counterparts. Also, any magical enhancements are more costly to apply to cold iron. The cost of enchanting Cold Iron is increased by 1,000gp per bonus level for armor, and 2,000gp per bonus level for weapons. Magical properties with a fixed cost have their cost increased by 50% when applied to Cold Iron.   Items without metal parts cannot be made from cold iron. An arrow could be made of cold iron, but a quarterstaff could not.   Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Common   Cost: Double Normal (150% normal for one side of a double weapon)   Craft Check Modifier: -2  

Darkleaf Cloth

Darkleaf cloth is a special form of flexible material made by weaving together leaves and thin strips of bark from darkwood trees, then treating the resulting fabric with special alchemical processes. The resulting material is tough as cured hide but much lighter, making it an excellent material from which to create armor. Spell failure chances for armors made from darkleaf cloth decrease by 10% (to a minimum of 5%), maximum Dexterity bonuses increase by 2, and armor check penalties decrease by 3 (to a minimum of 0).   An item made from darkleaf cloth weighs half as much as the same item made from normal cured leather, furs, or hides. Items not primarily constructed of leather, fur, or hide are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of darkleaf cloth. As such padded, leather, studded leather, and hide armor can be made out of darkleaf cloth (although other types of armor made of leather or hide might be possible). Because darkleaf cloth remains flexible, it cannot be used to construct rigid items such as shields or metal armors. Armors fashioned from darkleaf cloth are always masterwork items as well.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Clothing+500 gp
Light Armor+750 gp
Medium Armor+1,500 gp
Other Items+375 gp/lb
Hit Points Per Inch: 20   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Uncommon   Craft Check Modifier: -4
 

Darkwood

This rare magic wood is as hard as normal wood but very light. Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow, an arrow, or a spear) made from darkwood is considered a masterwork item and weighs only half as much as a normal wooden item of that type. Items not normally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battleaxe or a mace) either cannot be made from darkwood or do not gain any special benefit from being made of darkwood. The armor check penalty of a darkwood shield is lessened by 2 compared to an ordinary shield of its type. To determine the price of a darkwood item, use the original weight but add 10 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item (use the non-darkwood weight to calculate the price).   Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 5   Rarity: Uncommon   Cost: +10gp per lb (non-darkwood weight)   Craft Check Modifier: None  

Druchite

The twin ores of aszite and druchite are found only on the Plane of Shadow. These ores are highly sought after for structural construction, as well as for their use in enhancing armor and weapons. The black-and-violet ore known as druchite is so dark that even creatures that are adapted to see in lightless conditions can have extreme difficulty perceiving it. Druchite ore can be worked into armor and weapons by applying it in delicate veins or inlaid patterns across the equipment. Druchite cannot be worked into soft or highly flexible items, such as padded armor, chain shirts, or whips.   Druchite-veined armor grants the wearer additional defenses against creatures with Darkvision. The wearer always benefits from a 10% miss chance while in an area of dim light or Darkness, even if they are perceived by a creature using Darkvision. Other sensory abilities, such as Blindsense or True Seeing, bypass this effect entirely.   Druchite-veined weapons grant their wielder a +2 Circumstance Bonus on attack rolls against creatures perceiving them with Darkvision. The wielder receives no bonus when attacking creatures using other senses, such as Blindsense, or benefiting from True Seeing.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Ammunition+12 gp per item
Light Armor+1,000 gp
Medium Armor+1,500 gp
Heavy Armor+2,000 gp
Weapon+1,200 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 40   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -4
 

Dragonhide

Armorsmiths can work with the hides of Dragons to produce armor or shields of masterwork quality. Dragons can be harvested for dragon hides and scales with which to craft such armor and shields. The material cost for the various types of armor and shields that can be crafted with dragonhide are provided in the table below. Costs are for medium armor, and are doubled for each size above medium.   Because dragonhide armor isn’t made of metal, druids can wear it without penalty.   All dragonhide armor and shields are of masterwork quality, and the masterwork portion of the cost is four times the normal cost. This increase in cost has no effect on the time it takes to craft said armor. Due to the rarity of the raw materials, the material components for the armor have no listed cost, and must typically be self-sourced to make such equipment.  
Type of ItemMaterial Cost
Hide Armor1 Dragon Hide
Scale Mail1 Dragon Hide + 5 Scales
Banded Mail1 Dragon Hide + 10 Scales
Breastplate1 Dragon Hide + 10 Scales
Half Plate1 Dragon Hide + 15 Scales
Full Plate1 Dragon Hide + 20 Scales
Light Shield1/2 Dragon Hide
Heavy Shield1/2 Dragon Hide + 3 Scales
Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -2
 

Enchanting Dragonhide Armor

Because of the nature of Dragons, shields and armor crafted from their remains take especially well to enchantments that provide elemental resistances. A piece that is made fully or in part from a particular type of dragon can be enchanted for the appropriate type of elemental resistance (matching the type of elemental immunity the dragon had) much easier and at a lower cost than normal shields and armor.   The type of hide used for a set of armor or shield determines the type of elemental resistance that is easier to enchant on the item. The base resistance is 5 for armor and 2 for shields, and increases by 1 for each scale used of a type matching the hide. Requirements to perform the enchantment are: CL 5th, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, and the Resist Energy spell. The base cost of the enchantment is 500gp per point of reistance.  

Elysian Bronze

First crafted in ages long forgotten by unknown entities and bestowed as gifts to monster-slaying heroes among the lesser races, Elysian bronze retains the brazen coloration of its namesake but is as hard as steel.   A weapon made of Elysian bronze adds a +1 bonus on weapon damage rolls against Magical Beasts and Monstrous Humanoids (this damage is multiplied on a critical hit). After a creature uses an Elysian bronze weapon to deal damage to a magical beast or monstrous humanoid, the wielder gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls against that specific creature type (for example, against chimeras, not all magical beasts) for the next 24 hours, or until the weapon deals damage to a different kind of magical beast or monstrous humanoid.   Armor made of Elysian bronze also protects its wearer against the natural weapons or unarmed strikes of Magical Beasts and Monstrous Humanoids, providing Damage Reduction as if it were adamantine (1/— for light armor, 2/— for medium armor, or 3/— for heavy armor). It does not provide this protection against creatures of other types.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Ammunition+20 gp per item
Light Armor+1,000 gp
Medium Armor+2,000 gp
Heavy Armor+3,000 gp
Weapon+1,000 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: None
 

Fire-Forged Steel

Dwarves stumbled across the secret of crafting fire-forged steel in an effort to make forge-friendly tools. It didn’t take them long to adapt its unique properties to arms and armor. Fire-forged steel channels heat in one direction to protect its wearer or wielder. Armor or weapons made from fire-forged steel are always considered masterwork.   When it is crafted into armor, heat is channeled away from the wearer, offering some limited protection. Armor crafted from fire-forged steel grants the wearer fire resistance 2.   Weapons crafted from fire-forged steel similarly channel heat away from the wearer; this does not grant the wielder energy resistance. Instead, the blade absorbs and channels heat to the parts of the weapon that contact enemies. If the weapon is exposed to 10 points or more of fire damage (such as from an opponent’s Fireball or by holding it in a campfire for 1 full round), the weapon adds +1d4 points of fire damage to its attacks for the next 2 rounds. If the wielder is wearing fire-forged armor and using a fire-forged weapon, this bonus damage increases to 1d6 points of fire damage and lasts for 4 rounds. This bonus damage does not stack with fire damage from weapon enhancements such as flaming.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Ammunition+15 gp per item
Light Armor+1,000 gp
Medium Armor+2,500 gp
Heavy Armor+3,000 gp
Weapon+600 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -6
 

Frost-Forged Steel

This material is the same substance as fire-forged steel with a subtle difference in the alignment of the metal during crafting. Instead of channeling heat away from the wearer, it channels heat toward the wearer. Frost-forged steel works similarly to fire-forged steel, except its effects apply to cold damage rather than fire damage. This means frost-forged steel weapons are less useful than their fire-forged counterparts, as there are few non-magical sources of cold that can quickly imbue it with enough cold energy to deal bonus damage. Armor or weapons made from frost-forged steel are always considered masterwork.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Ammunition+15 gp per item
Light Armor+1,000 gp
Medium Armor+2,500 gp
Heavy Armor+3,000 gp
Weapon+600 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -6
 

Greenwood

The secret of greenwood lies in its harvesting. Each length is taken, with leaves still attached, from a tree animated by a treant and cut with care to avoid the death of the tree. A dryad then speaks to and shapes the wood, coaxing the living green of the leaves into the grain of the wood itself. The resulting wood remains alive as long as it is doused with at least one gallon of water (plus 1 gallon for every 10 pounds of the item’s weight) once per week and allowed to rest for an hour in contact with fertile soil. Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow or spear) made from greenwood is considered a masterwork item. Items not normally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battleaxe or a mace) either cannot be made from greenwood or do not gain any special benefit from being made of greenwood.   When damp and in contact with fertile soil, living greenwood heals damage to itself at a rate of 1 hit point per hour, even repairing breaks and regrowing missing pieces. If the weapon has the broken condition, it is repaired during the first hour of contact with fertile soil. Greenwood items take only one-quarter damage from fire.   Greenwood can be altered or enhanced with wood-shaping magic such as Ironwood, Wood Shape, and Warp Wood. The duration of any such effect on a greenwood item is doubled.   Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 5   Rarity: Rare   Cost: +50gp per lb   Craft Check Modifier:None. Cannot be crafted normally  

Griffon Mane

This rough-spun cloth, ranging in color from golden-brown to brown-black, is woven from the mane of leonine Magical Beasts, primarily griffons but also chimeras and manticores, and is exceptionally strong and light. Wearing a cloak, robe, clothing outfit, or padded or quilted armor made from griffon mane grants a +2 Competence Bonus on Fly checks. If an item made of griffon mane is magically given the ability to fly, the cost to add that specific magical property is reduced by 10%, though this does not reduce the cost of any other abilities the item has.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Light Armor+200 gp
Other Items+50 gp/lb
Hit Points Per Inch: 4   Hardness: 1   Rarity: Uncommon   Craft Check Modifier: None
 

Horacalcum

This dull, coppery substance warps time around it, making things seem to speed up or slow down. Almost never found in amounts greater than a pound, horacalcum is the same weight and density as steel, but is much more durable. A weapon made of horacalcum gains a +1 Circumstance Bonus on attack rolls (ammunition can be made of horacalcum, but doesn’t grant any bonus on attack rolls). An entire suit of armor made from this metal is fantastically expensive, but since a suit of horacalcum armor allows its wearer to perceive time at a slower rate (and thus react more quickly), some consider the cost justifiable. A suit of light horacalcum armor grants a +1 bonus on Initiative checks, medium horacalcum armor grants a +2 bonus on Initiative checks, and heavy horacalcum armor grants a +3 bonus on Initiative checks. Weapons and armor made of horacalcum are always of masterwork quality.   Weapons and armor made of horacalcum have one-quarter more hit points than normal.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Light Armor+10,000 gp
Medium Armor+30,000 gp
Heavy Armor+60,000 gp
Weapon+6,000 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 15   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -2
 

Inubrix

This metal’s structure allows it to pass through iron and steel without touching them, seeming to shift in and out of phase with reality. Inubrix is a soft metal, being only slightly less malleable than lead. As a result, it doesn’t function well for crafting armor. Though inubrix weapons can penetrate most metal armors with relative ease, the weapons tend to break easy.   An inubrix weapon deals damage as if it were one size category smaller than its actual size, and is always treated as if it had the Broken condition. It ignores all armor or shield bonuses granted by iron or steel armor or shields. Inubrix weapons cannot damage these materials at all (and, by extension, cannot harm iron golems or similar creatures).   Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 5   Rarity: Rare   Cost: +5,000 gp   Craft Check Modifier: +4  

Kanthaal Steel

Kanthaal steel is considered to those who know of it to be one of the great lost wonders of the ancient world. The process of forging it was a closely guarded secret belonging to the dwarven nation of Khundrakar, and the technique seems to have passed from the world along with them. As light as mithral, as hard as adamantine, and layered to create rings of alternating silver, blue, and grey, it is a material as beautiful as it is functional. Weapons and armor made from Kanthaal steel share the combined properties of mithral, adamantine, and cold iron.   Items made from kanthaal weigh half as much as the same item made from steel, and 50% more hit points than normal.   Like mithral, Kanthaal armor is treated as one category lighter (to a minimum of light armor), spell failure chance is reduced by 10% (to a minimum of 5%), maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are lessened by 3 (to a minimum of 0). Light Kanthaal armor gains a DR of 1/-, medium armor gains DR 2/-, and heavy armor gains DR 3/-.   Weapons made from Kanthaal ignore hardness of less than 20, and have a +1 Enhancement Bonus to all attack and damage rolls.   Kanthaal weapons and armor are resistant to magical infusions, and thus enchanting them is more difficult and expensive than other materials. The base cost of enchanting Kanthaal is increased by 2,000gp per bonus level for armor, and 4,000gp per bonus level for weapons. Magical properties with a fixed cost have their cost increased by 50% when applied to Kanthaal equipment.   All kanthaal equipment is of masterwork quality.   Hit Points Per Inch: 40   Hardness: 20   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -10  

Living Steel

Some trees suck up potent minerals through their roots the same way others draw water from the ground. Though these trees blunt saws and axes used to hew them and shrug off fire, they eventually succumb to time or the elements. When properly harvested, these fallen trees produce nuggets of a metal called living steel. This glossy green metal slowly repairs itself. An item made from living steel repairs damage to itself at a rate of 2 hit points per day, or 1 hit point per day if it has the broken condition. Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of living steel.   Armor and shields made from living steel can damage metal weapons that strike them. Whenever the wielder of a metal weapon rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll against a creature wearing living steel armor or wielding a living steel shield, the item must make a DC 20 Fortitude Save or gain the broken condition. If the weapon already has the broken condition, it is instead destroyed. Living steel cannot damage weapons with hardness 15 or greater in this way.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Ammunition+10 gp per item
Light Armor+500 gp
Medium Armor+1,000 gp
Heavy Armor+1,500 gp
Weapon+500 gp
Shield+100 gp
Other Item+250 gp/lb
Hit Points Per Inch: 35   Hardness: 15   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -6
 

Mithral

Mithral is a very rare silvery, glistening metal that is lighter than iron but just as hard. When worked like steel, it becomes a wonderful material from which to create armor and is occasionally used for other items as well. Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of Movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. This decrease does not apply to proficiency in wearing the armor. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are lessened by 3 (to a minimum of 0).   An item made from mithral weighs half as much as the same item made from other metals. In the case of weapons, this lighter weight does not change a weapon’s size category or the ease with which it can be wielded (whether it is light, one-handed, or two-handed). Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of mithral. (A longsword can be a mithral weapon, while a scythe cannot be.)   Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Light Armor+1,000 gp
Medium Armor+4,000 gp
Heavy Armor+9,000 gp
Shields+1,000 gp
Other Items+500 gp/lb
Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 15   Rarity: Uncommon   Craft Check Modifier: +2
 

Noqual

Noqual looks like a pale green crystal to the untrained eye, but can be worked as iron despite its appearance. Noqual is light—half as heavy as iron, yet just as strong. More importantly, noqual is strangely resistant to magic. An object made of noqual gains a +4 bonus on any saving throw made against a magical source.   Weapons made of noqual weigh half as much as normal, and gain a +1 Enhancement Bonus on damage rolls against Constructs and Undead created by feats or spells. Noqual armor weighs half as much as other armors of its type. For the purposes of Movement and other limitations, heavy noqual armor is treated as medium armor, and medium noqual armor is treated as light armor. The armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus increases by 2, and armor check penalties are reduced by 3 (to a minimum of 0). The armor’s spell failure chance increases by 20% and applies to all magic cast while wearing the armor, regardless of the magic’s source or the wearer’s class abilities. The wearer of a suit of noqual armor gains a +2 Resistance Bonus on all Saving Throws against spells and spell-like abilities.   Creating a magic item that incorporates any amount of noqual into it increases the base price of the item by 10,000 gp, as costly reagents and alchemical supplies must be used to treat the metal during the process.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Light Armor+4,000 gp
Medium Armor+8,000 gp
Heavy Armor+12,000 gp
Shields+2,000 gp
Weapons+500 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: None
 

Siccatite

This shining silver metal is either incredibly hot or freezing cold when found. As of yet, scholars have not determined whether siccatite is actually two similarly hued metals or a single type that determines its own temperature via some unknown process. When raw siccatite is found, it has a 50% chance of being hot siccatite; otherwise, it’s cold siccatite. Physical contact with siccatite deals 1 point of fire (for hot siccatite) or cold (for cold siccatite) damage each round. Hot siccatite can eventually ignite objects, and cold siccatite in water quickly surrounds itself with a 1-foot-thick shell of ice. A weapon made of siccatite deals 1 additional point of damage of the appropriate energy type each time it strikes a foe, but also deals 1 point of the same energy damage to the wielder each round it is used in combat.   Siccatite armor deals 1 point of energy damage (fire or cold) per round to a creature wearing it, and deals 1 point of the same energy damage each full round a creature is grappled by someone wearing siccatite armor. Cold siccatite armor grants Fire Resistance 5, while hot siccatite armor grants Cold Resistance 5 (The type of armor does not alter the amount of resistance granted).  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Weapon+1,000 gp
Armor+6,000 gp
Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -4
 

Silversheen

Blades made of this special metal count as alchemical silver weapons and are immune to rust, including that of rust monsters, the Rusting Grasp spell, and so on. Unlike alchemical silver weapons, silversheen weapons do not take a penalty to damage.   Blades made of silversheen are always masterwork items as well. Crafting a silversheen blade requires Craft (alchemy) 5 ranks and Craft (weaponsmithing) 5 ranks.   Hit Points Per Inch: 30   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Common   Cost: +750 gp for weapons   Craft Check Modifier: None  

Singing Steel

This lustrous golden metal emits beautiful bell-like tones when struck. An alloy of gold and mithral, singing steel was originally created by the Elves.   A weapon made of singing steel counts as alchemical silver for all purposes, including the –1 penalty on damage rolls with singing steel weapons. Most armor made of singing steel is treated as one category lighter (heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light). The armor or shield’s arcane spell failure chance is reduced by 5% (to a minimum of 5%), its maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 1, and its armor check penalty is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0).   When wielding a singing steel weapon, shield, or item weighing at least 5 pounds, or wearing medium or heavy singing steel armor, the wielder or wearer can strike the singing steel as part of beginning a bardic performance. If the wielder can normally start a bardic performance as a Standard Action, they can do so as a Move Action instead. If the wielder can normally start a bardic performance as a Move Action, they can do so as a Swift Action instead. This ability does not function in the area of a Silence spell or similar effect. After using the singing steel in this fashion, the steel must be carefully brushed to remove any lingering vibrations, a process that takes 10 minutes.   Singing steel items are always masterwork. Although formed partially from mithral, singing steel items weigh as much as their normal counterparts.  
Type of ItemPrice Modifier
Light Armor+750 gp
Medium Armor+9,000 gp
Heavy Armor+12,000 gp
Shield+7,000 gp
Weapon+6,000 gp
Other Items+600 gp/lb
Hit Points Per Inch: 20   Hardness: 10   Rarity: Rare   Craft Check Modifier: -2
 

Sunsilk

Sunsilk takes on a golden glitter after it has been left to cure in the sun. Though it is light and flexible, when multiple layers are pressed together, its myriad thin fibers inhibit weapons and can slightly help prevent slashing or piercing weapons from causing harm. Clothing made from sunsilk grants its wearer Damage Reduction 2/bludgeoning. Sunsilk can be incorporated into any suit of armor without hampering the armor’s other qualities, typically as an inner layer of soft lining.   Hit Points Per Inch: 4   Hardness: 5   Rarity: Rare   Cost: +6,000 gp to the cost of a garment or armor   Craft Check Modifier: None  

Sunsilver

A weapon made of sunsilver counts as alchemical silver for all purposes. Items not primarily made of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of sunsilver. (For example, a scimitar or breastplate can be made of sunsilver, while a quarterstaff or hide armor cannot.) In addition, items made of sunsilver are immune to rust effects (such as rusting grasp). While in an area of bright light, a shield or suit of armor made of sunsilver shines brightly, allowing the wearer to reflect light at nearby foes as a Move Action. When they do so, creatures adjacent to the wearer must succeed at a DC 12 Fortitude Save or be Dazzled for 1 round.   Armor and weapons made of sunsilver are always masterwork.   Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 8   Rarity: Rare   Cost: +25 gp per lb of the item   Craft Check Modifier: +2  

Viridium

This deep green volcanic glass is similar to obsidian but is formed when molten rock is tainted with anomalous trace minerals from deep beneath the earth whose emanations are toxic to living things. It can be fragmented to razor sharpness, but even a tiny amount of viridium contacting the bloodstream can pass on a wasting sickness.   Any successful hit with a viridium weapon causes the target to contract leprosy (Fortitude DC 12 negates). On a successful critical hit, a tiny fragment of viridium breaks off within the target, affecting it as though with greenblood oil (Fortitude DC 13 negates, see Poison for details).   A creature carrying a viridium weapon must save every 24 hours or contract leprosy unless the weapon is kept inside an extradimensional space (such as an efficient quiver) or a scabbard lined with lead.   Oozes, Plants, and Outsiders are immune to the deadly emanations of viridium.   Viridium weapons have half the hardness of their base weapon and have the fragile Weapon Special Quality. Viridium can be magically strengthened at an additional cost of +1,000 gp for a weapon or +20 gp for ammunition. This removes the fragile quality from the item but does not otherwise affect its abilities.   Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 5   Rarity: Rare   Cost: +200 gp for weapon, +20 gp for ammunition   Craft Check Modifier: None. Any failure by 5 or more on a Craft check causes the user to contract leprosy (DC 12 Fortitude Save negates)  

Whipwood

Artisan woodworkers can craft this extremely flexible material in a time-consuming process. Whipwood is actually a composite of several bendable wooden fibers woven and fused together to form a flexible but sturdy unit. Only wooden weapons or weapons with wooden hafts (such as axes and spears) can be made out of whipwood.   A creature wielding a whipwood weapon treats its Combat Maneuver Defense as +2 higher for the purpose of avoiding Sunder attempts against that weapon. A whipwood weapon’s hit points increase by +5. Whipwood loses its special qualities if under the effect of an Ironwood spell.   Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 8   Rarity: Uncommon   Cost: +500 gp   Craft Check Modifier: -4  

Wyroot

The root of the wyrwood tree has a peculiar quality. When a weapon constructed of wyroot confirms a critical hit, it absorbs some of the life force of the creature hit. The creature hit takes damage as normal and the wyroot weapon gains 1 life point. As a Swift Action, a wielder with a ki pool or an arcane pool can absorb 1 life point from the wyrwood weapon and convert it into either 1 ki point or 1 arcane pool point. A wyroot weapon can gain at most 1 life point per day and hold up to 1 life point at a time. More powerful wyroot weapons can gain up to 3 life points per day and hold up to 3 life points at a time. Any unspent life points dissipate at dusk. A creature can convert life points from only one wyroot weapon per day.   Wyroot can be used to construct any melee weapon made entirely of wood or with a wooden haft.   Hit Points Per Inch: 10   Hardness: 8   Rarity: Rare   Cost: +1,000 gp for 1 life point, +2,000 gp for 2 life points, +4,000 gp for 3 life points   Craft Check Modifier: -2  

Objects

 

Smashing an Object

Smashing a weapon or shield with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon is accomplished by the Sunder Combat Maneuver. Smashing an object is a lot like sundering a weapon or shield, except that your attack roll is opposed by the object’s AC. Generally, you can smash an object only with a bludgeoning or slashing weapon.  

Armor Class

Objects are easier to hit than creatures because they usually don’t move, but many are tough enough to shrug off some damage from each blow. An object’s Armor Class is equal to 10 + its size modifier + its Dexterity modifier. An inanimate object has not only a Dexterity of 0 (-5 penalty to AC), but also an additional -2 penalty to its AC. Furthermore, if you take a Full-Round Action to line up a shot, you get an automatic hit with a melee weapon and a +5 bonus on attack rolls with a ranged weapon. Object size modifiers to AC are shown in the Size and Armor Class Modifiers table.  

Hardness

Each object has hardness—a number that represents how well it resists damage. Whenever an object takes damage, subtract its hardness from the damage. Only damage in excess of its hardness is deducted from the object’s hit points (see Table: Substance Hardness and Hit Points; Table: Object Hardness and Hit Points; and Table: Common Weapon and Shield Hardness and Hit Points).  

Hit Points

An object’s hit point total depends on what it is made of and how big it is (see Table: Substance Hardness and Hit Points; Table: Object Hardness and Hit Points; and Table: Common Weapon and Shield Hardness and Hit Points). When an object’s hit points reach 0, it’s ruined.   Very large objects have separate hit point totals for different sections.  

Energy Attacks

Acid and sonic attacks deal damage to most objects just as they do to creatures; roll damage and apply it normally after a successful hit. Electricity and fire attacks deal half damage to most objects; divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the hardness. Cold attacks deal one-quarter damage to most objects; divide the damage dealt by 4 before applying the hardness.  

Ranged Weapon Damage

Objects take half damage from ranged weapons (unless the weapon is a siege engine or something similar). Divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the object’s hardness.  

Ineffective Weapons

Certain weapons just can’t effectively deal damage to certain objects.  

Immunities

Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and to Critical Hits.   Even animated objects, which are otherwise considered creatures, have these immunities because they are Constructs.  

Magic Armor, Shields, and Weapons

Each +1 of enhancement bonus adds 2 to the hardness of armor, a weapon, or a shield and +10 to the item’s hit points.  

Vulnerability to Certain Attacks

Certain attacks are especially successful against some objects. In such cases, attacks deal double their normal damage and may ignore the object’s hardness.  

Damaged Objects

A damaged object remains fully functional until the item’s hit points are reduced to 0, at which point it is destroyed.   Damaged (but not destroyed) objects can be repaired with the Craft skill.  

Saving Throws

Nonmagical, unattended items never make Saving Throws. They are considered to have failed their Saving Throws, so they always are affected by spells. An item attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) makes Saving Throws as the character (that is, using the character’s saving throw bonus).   Magic Items always get Saving Throws. A magic item’s save bonuses are equal to 2 + half its Caster Level. An attended magic item either makes Saving Throws as its owner or uses its own saving throw bonus, whichever is better.  

Animated Objects

Animated objects count as creatures for purposes of determining their Armor Class (do not treat them as inanimate objects).  

Breaking Items

When a character tries to break something with sudden force rather than by dealing damage, use a Strength check (rather than an attack roll and damage roll, as with Sunder) to see whether they succeed. The DC depends more on the construction of the item than on the material.   If an item has lost half or more of its hit points, the DC to break it drops by 4.   Larger and smaller creatures get a Size Modifier on Strength checks to break open doors as follows: Fine -16, Diminutive -12, Tiny -8, Small -4, Large +4, Huge +8, Gargantuan +12, Colossal +16.   A crowbar or portable ram improves a character’s chance of breaking open a door.
Table: Size and Armor Class Modifiers
SizeAC Modifier
Colossal–8
Gargantuan–4
Huge–2
Large–1
Medium+0
Small+1
Tiny+2
Diminutive+4
Fine+8
  Table: Substance Hardness and Hit Points
SubstsanceHardnessHit Points
Glass11/in. of thickness
Paper or cloth02/in. of thickness
Rope02/in. of thickness
Ice03/in. of thickness
Leather or hide25/in. of thickness
Wood510/in. of thickness
Stone815/in. of thickness
Iron or steel1030/in. of thickness
Mithral1530/in. of thickness
Adamantine2040/in. of thickness
  Table: Object Hardness and Hit Points
ObjectHardnessHit PointsBreak DC
Rope (1 in. diameter)0223
Simple wooden door51013
Small chest5117
Good wooden door51518
Treasure chest51523
Strong wooden door52023
Masonry wall (1 ft. thick)89035
Hewn stone (3 ft. thick)854050
Chain10526
Manacles101026
Masterwork manacles101028
Iron door (2 in. thick)106028
  Table: Common Weapon and Shield Hardness and Hit Points
Weapon or ShieldHardness1Hit Points2
Light blade102
One-handed blade105
Two-handed blade1010
Light metal-hafted weapon1010
One-handed metal-hafted weapon1020
Light hafted weapon52
One-handed hafted weapon55
Two-handed hafted weapon510
Projectile weapon55
Buckler105
Light wooden shield57
Heavy wooden shield515
Light steel shield1010
Heavy steel shield1020
Tower shield520
1Add +2 for each +1 enhancement bonus of Magic Items
2Add 10 hp for each +1 enhancement bonus of Magic Items
    Table: Items Affected by Magical Attacks
OrderItem
1stShield
2ndArmor
3rdMagic helmet, hat, or headband
4thItem in hand (including weapon, wand, or the like)
5thMagic cloak
6thStowed or sheathed weapon
7thMagic bracers
8thMagic clothing
9thMagic jewelry (including rings)
10thAnything else
  Table: DCs to Break or Burst Items
Check to:Strength DC
Break down simple door13
Break down good door18
Break down strong door23
Burst rope bonds23
Bend iron bars24
Break down barred door25
Burst chain bonds26
Break down iron door28
ConditionDC Adjustmnet
Hold Portal+5
Arcane Lock+10
 

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