Special Materials

Weapons, armor and some other items can sometimes be crafted using materials that possess 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 has a definite game effect. Some creatures have damage reduction making them 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 types of creatures they most commonly encounter.

(See Also Special Materials (Third-Party))

What is a Power Component?

[Source]

It is an item or object often alchemical in nature used as a material component or focus for a spell in order to alter or augment the spell’s normal effects. Those listed in this product are all material components (and as such are consumed in the casting) as we found though playtesting that power components that function as foci tend to be unbalancing, since foci end up working like unlimited metamagic rods. You can only use one power component to alter or augment the casting of a single spell at a time.

Power Components and Magic items: Power component affected magic items do not function like metamagic rods; they instead apply their benefit to a single spell effect the item can produce. You can only apply one power component to one effect on an item at a time. 1 round per two caster levels (minimum 1 round, maximum 10 rounds) in addition to the damage. Spells cast with this power component gain the cold descriptor.

If the spell already has the cold descriptor, the duration of the staggered condition becomes 1 round per caster level (maximum 20 rounds). A cold chill accompanies the casting and one can see your breath as you speak the intonations when you use this power component. This adds a 55 gp material cost to the spel’ls components. If used to make a wand, it increases its market price by 2,750 gp; if used to make a continuous or a useactivated item, add 7,330 gp to the item’s market price.

Scarcity: Generally GMs should treat all of these items as being rarer than the existing special materials found in the Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook™ as flooding an adventure or a campaign with these new materials and components would ultimately undermine their “special” nature. This product introduces many new materials and components not to saturate the game, but to provide the GM with multiple options so he or she is not forced to introduce the same special material or power component over and over again. Scarcity also helps to maintain game balance. By introducing a small number GMs will be able to see how a player uses it and determine that use will affect their game. We found supplying two of the same type of power component was best, as some players horded singular power components, waiting for the perfect moment to use it, or they saved it for the final battle. Giving PCs two power components or intruding it as affecting an existing wand allowed them more freedom to experiment with it.

However, remember pricing is ultimately based on game balance and not on the application of the theory of supply and demand.

If the item has uses per day, add to the market price 1,466 gp multiplied by its uses per day, to a maximum of 4 uses per day.

Special Materials by Paizo

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Abysium

Source: PAP61

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.

Abysium Powder: Poison—ingested; save Fortitude DC 18; onset 10 minutes; frequency 1/minute for 6 minutes; effect 1d4 Con damage plus nausea; cure 2 saves; cost 900 gp.

Adamantine

Source: PZO1110

HP/inch 40 (weapons and armor normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have one-third more hit points than normal.; Hardness 20; Cost Adamantine is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given.

Type of Item Item Cost 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

Adamantine is extremely strong and favored by weapon and armor smiths alike for its ability to cut through solid barriers with ease and endure heavy blows.

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 prices given. 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.

Angelskin

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch 5; Hardness 5; Cost see table

Type of Item Price Modifier
Light armor +1,000 gp
Medium armor +2,000 gp

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 (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; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.

Aszite

Source: PCS:DR

Type of Aszite-Veined Item Item Price Modifier
Light armor +750 gp
Medium armor +750 gp
Heavy armor +1,000 gp

The twin ores of aszite and druchite are found only on the Shadow Plane. 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. While aszite cannot be properly worked into weapons, it can be added in the form of veinlike reinforcements to armor, 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%.

Aszite has hardness 15 and has 20 hit points per inch of thickness.

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Basalt, Magic Bridge

Source: PCS:MCoM

Value 5 sp/lb.; HP/inch 30*; Hardness 10 (assumed to have same HP/inch as Iron since it has the same Hardness. Will update after double-checking source soon)

The stones are infused with a unique variant of ancient preservative magic. Scholars suspect that these features have grown in the stones of the bridge over the ages since an even older time, and were not originally intended or even anticipated by the structure’s architects. Bridge stones harvested from underwater rubble or mined from offshore pilings are not only of great value to builders and sculptors, but also of particular interest to those seeking to create stone constructs.

Physical Properties: Magic bridge basalt is as hard as iron, while retaining its other stony features for carving and building. It has hardness 10 and typically fetches a price of about 5 sp per pound.

Building Constructs: When a construct’s materials consist entirely of the stone, its Craft DC increases by +5 , but the required Caster Level decreases by 1. In addition, stone constructs crafted from Magic Bridge Basalt gain a +2 bonus to Strength and gain twice as many bonus hit points as normal from the construct type.

Bone

Source: PZO1118

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.

Weapons 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 hardness of their base weapons and have the fragile weapon quality. Masterwork bone weapons also have the fragile 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 hardness of 5 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).

Bronze

Source: PZO1118

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.

For simplicity’s sake, similar or component metals such as brass, copper, or even tin can use the following rules, even though in reality bronze is both harder and more reliable than those metals.

Weapons 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, which is provided in the section on Bronze Age equipment. Bronze weapons have the hardness of their base weapons but also have the fragile quality. Bronze weapons do the same damage as steel weapons of the same type, and have the same cost and weight.

Armor 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. Bronze armor has the same cost and weight as normal steel armor of its type. Bronze armor has a hardness of 9.

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Cryptstone

Source PAP139

Cryptstone is a dense gray stone scavenged from mausoleums that often appears ancient and pitted.

A weapon made of cryptstone grants a +1 bonus on weapon damage rolls against undead creatures; this damage is multiplied on a critical hit.

Additionally, any non-magical weapon made of cryptstone affects incorporeal undead as if it were a magic weapon, and weapons made of cryptstone that have the disruption special ability increase the DC of that ability by +1.

Cryptstone can be used to craft bludgeoning melee weapons and ammunition that deals bludgeoning damage. Weapons made of cryptstone are always considered masterwork, and the masterwork costs are included in the listed prices. Items not primarily made from stone are not meaningfully affected by being partially made from cryptstone.

Cryptstone has the same hit points and hardness as steel.

Type of Cryptstone Item Item Price Modifier
Ammunition +10 gp per item
Weapon +500 gp

Crystal, Blood

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch 10; Hardness 10; Cost see table

Type of Item Price Modifier
Ammunition +30 gp per item
Weapon +1,500 gp

Mysterious radiation deep below the surface of the earth warps once-ordinary quartz into bloodcraving stone. If an attack with a piercing or slashing blood crystal weapon hits a target suffering from a bleed effect, the creature takes 1 additional point of damage from the attack as the blood crystal drains blood from the wound. This applies even if the creature was taking bleed damage before the attack with the blood crystal weapon. This does not increase the amount of the bleed effect.

Unfed blood crystal has a pale pink hue, darkening toward deep crimson as it becomes saturated with blood. Piercing or slashing weapons composed entirely or partially of metal can be made from blood crystal. Unworked blood crystal has a value of 500 gp per pound. Weapons made with blood crystal have one-half the normal hit points. Armor and shields cannot be made of blood crystal, as they would feed on the wearer’s own wounds.

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Darkleaf Cloth

Source: PZO1121

HP/inch 20; Hardness 10; Cost see table

Type of Item Cost Modifier
Clothing +500 gp
Light armor +750 gp
Medium armor +1,500 gp
Other items +375 gp/lb.

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; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.

Darkwood

Source: PZO1110

HP/inch 10; Hardness 5; Cost 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.

This rare magic wood is as hard as normal wood but very light.

Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow or 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.

Druchite

Source: PCS:DR

Type of Druchite-Veined Item Item Price 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

The twin ores of aszite and druchite are found only on the Shadow Plane. 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-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 she is 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.

Druchite has hardness 10 and 40 hit points per inch of thickness.

Djezet

Source: PAP61

One of the strangest of skymetals, rust-red djezet is liquid at all temperatures. This makes the metal relatively useless for crafting objects, but most who seek out this substance intend to use it instead as an additional component for spellcasting, as it possesses an ability to enhance magic. When used as an additional material component, a dose of djezet increases the effective spell level by 1, which stacks with a heightened spell. To function as an additional material component, the spellcaster must use a number of doses of djezet equal to the spell’s original level—additional djezet doses have no effect. Djezet costs 200 gp per dose.

Dragonhide

Source: PPC:Dragonslayer’s

HP/inch 10 (hide of a dragon is typically between 1/2 inch and 1 inch thick); Hardness 10; Cost Dragonhide armor costs twice as much as masterwork armor of the same type, but it takes no longer to make than ordinary armor of that type (double all Craft results). If the armor or shield is later given the ability to protect the wearer against that energy type, the cost to add such protection is reduced by 25%.

A classic status symbol for adventurers, dragonhide armor is coveted for its toughness. Armorsmiths can work with the hides of dragons to produce armor or shields of masterwork quality.

One dragon produces enough hide for a single suit of masterwork hide armor for a creature one size category smaller than the dragon. By selecting only choice scales and bits of hide, an armorsmith can produce one suit of masterwork banded mail for a creature two sizes smaller, one suit of masterwork half-plate for a creature three sizes smaller, or one masterwork breastplate or suit of full plate for a creature four sizes smaller. In each case, enough hide is available to produce a light or heavy masterwork shield in addition to the armor, provided that the dragon is Large or larger. If the dragonhide comes from a dragon that had immunity to an energy type, the armor is also immune to that energy type, although this does not confer any protection to the wearer.

Because dragonhide armor isn’t made of metal, druids can wear it without penalty.

Though smiths have been making dragonhide armor for centuries without the benefit of dragoncrafting, those with the Dragoncrafting feat are able to improve upon an already excellent product.

Normally, if a suit of dragonhide armor has energy immunity, one may enhance such a suit with additional energy protection for the wearer at a 25% reduced cost. However, only effects with the same elemental type as the armor’s immunity are eligible for this discount. An artisan with the Dragoncrafting feat may add 1 additional elemental protection to a suit of dragonhide armor at the same 25% discount, even if this energy resistance is not normally associated with the type of dragonhide being used.

Dragonskin

Source: PPC:Dragonslayer’s

The choicest, most malleable skin from a dragon’s underbelly can be added to any weapon with a hilt or handle. Dragonskin grips may be added to an existing weapon, or incorporated into a new weapon during crafting. The skin provides extra grip, granting the wielder a +2 bonus to CMD against disarm attempts. Producing a dragonskin grip requires the Dragoncrafting feat and a successful DC 15 Craft (bows or weapons) check.

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Eel Hide

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch as leather; Hardness as leather; Cost Armor crafted from eel hide is always considered masterwork, and the masterwork costs are included in the listed prices.

Type of Item Price Modifier
Light armor +1,200 gp
Medium armor +1,800 gp

This supple material offers as much protection as leather, but is more flexible and resistant to electricity. Leather, hide, or studded leather armor can be produced with eel hide. The armor check penalty of such armor is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and the maximum Dexterity bonus of the armor is increased by 1. Additionally, wearing eel hide grants the wearer electricity resistance 2.

Elysian Bronze

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch as steel; Hardness as steel; Cost n/a

Type of Item Price 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

First crafted in the deeps of time by the titans 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.

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Gold

Source: PZO1118

Typically only used for ceremonial weapons and armor, metal equipment made from gold is fragile, heavy, and expensive. Often golden armor is gold-plated rather than constructed entirely from gold.

The rules shown are for the rare item constructed entirely of gold rather than being gold-plated. Gold-plated items triple the base cost of weapons and armor and have the same properties as the item the gold is plating. Items constructed purely of gold cost 10 times the normal cost for items of their type. Gold items weigh 50% more than typical weapons or armor of their type.

Weapons Gold is often too soft to hold a decent edge, but light weapons that do piercing or slashing damage can be constructed of gold or some nearly gold alloy. They take a –2 penalty on damage rolls (minimum 1 damage). Gold weapons have a hardness of half their base weapons’ and also have the fragile quality.

Armor Gold can be fashioned into light or medium metal armor. The softness and the weight of the metal decrease the armor/shield bonus by 2, and increase the armor check penalty by 2. Gold armor has a hardness 5 and the fragile quality.

Greenwood

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch as wood; Hardness as wood; Cost To determine the price of a greenwood item, use the original weight but add 50 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item. Items made from darkwood cannot be made into 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, shape wood, and warp wood. The duration of any such effect on a greenwood item is doubled.

Griffon Mane

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch as normal cloth x2; Hardness 1; Cost see table

Type of Item Price Modifier
Light armor +200 gp
Other items +50 gp/lb.

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.

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Horacalcum

Source: PAP61

The rarest of the known skymetals, 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 simultaneously 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—the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.

Weapons and armor made of horacalcum have one-quarter more hit points than normal. Horacalcum has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 15. Horacalcum increases a weapon’s costs by 6,000 gp, light armor by 10,000 gp, medium armor by 30,000 gp, and heavy armor by 60,000 gp.

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Inubrix

Source: PAP61

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 the softest of the solid skymetals, 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 easily. Inubrix has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 5.

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). Inubrix increases a weapon’s costs by 5,000 gp.

Iron, Cold

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch 30; Hardness 10; Cost Weapons x2 normal. Add magic enhancement +2,000 gp.

This iron, mined deep underground and known for its effectiveness against demons and 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, adding any magical enhancements to a cold iron weapon increases its price by 2,000 gp. This increase is applied the first time the item is enhanced, not once per ability added. A double weapon with one cold iron half costs 50% more than normal. Items without metal parts cannot be made from cold iron. An arrow could be made of cold iron, but a quarterstaff could not.

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Lead-Lined

Source: PSCS

Lead-lined weapons hit with greater impact, gaining a +1 bonus to damage rolls when dealing bludgeoning or slashing damage (this extra damage is multiplied on a critical hit). This bonus to damage is doubled for two-handed weapons. Lead-lined clothing and armor grants its wearer negative energy resistance 1 for light armor and clothing, 3 for medium armor, and 5 for heavy armor. However, the wearer takes a -1 penalty to all Dexterity– and Strength-based skill checks due to the unusual weight.

Lead-lined objects weigh 1.5 times as much as their normal counterparts. Otherwise, lead-lined steel has the same statistics as normal steel.

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Mindglass

Source: PZO90126

Mindglass is a special material as strong as steel that also provides the bearer with protection against an opponent’s psychic abilities. When a creature wielding a melee weapon made of mindglass succeeds at a saving throw against a psychic or mind-affecting effect from a creature, the weapon stores some of that energy and holds it for a future attack. A mindglass weapon can store this energy for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell, or half the creature’s CR if the effect wasn’t a spell or spell-like ability. If the weapon hits a creature while still holding this energy, it suffuses the target with a disruptive field for 1 round. On a critical hit, the disruptive field effect instead lasts for a number of rounds equal to the weapon’s critical multiplier.

While affected by this field, a target must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 15 + twice the spell’s level) to cast any spell or spell-like ability (in addition to any other required concentration checks). If the check is failed, the affected creature’s spell or spell-like ability is wasted. A Small or Medium weapon made of mindglass costs an additional 13,000 gp.

Mithral

Source: PZO1110

FAQ

What weight do I use to determine the price of a mithral weapon or non-armor item?

To determine the additional price for the mithral (as compared to the normal item’s price), use the non-mithral item’s original weight and multiply that by 500 gp per pound.

For example, a steel dagger for a Medium creature weighs 1 pound. For its mithral equivalent, multiply that weight (1 lb.) times 500 gp/pound, or +500 gp. When added to the original item’s cost (2 gp), the mithral dagger’s total price is 502 gp.

There are likely some inconsistent mithral item prices in print, and these will be addressed in future printings of these books, as appropriate.

[Source]

HP/inch 30; Hardness 15; Cost Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.; Weight 1/2 normal; Weight (Longer Wording) 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).

Type of Item Item Cost Modifier
Light armor +1,000 gp
Medium armor +4,000 gp
Heavy armor +9,000 gp
Shield +1,000 gp
Other items +500 gp/lb.

Mithral is a very rare silvery, glistening metal that is lighter than steel 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. A character wearing mithral full plate must be proficient in wearing heavy armor to avoid adding the armor’s check penalty to all his attack rolls and skill checks that involve moving. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonuses are increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased by 3 (to a minimum of 0).

Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of mithral. (A longsword can be a mithral weapon, while a quarterstaff cannot.) Mithral weapons count as silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

-N-

Noqual

Source: PAP61

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. 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.

Noqual has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10. Noqual ore is worth 50 gp per pound. Noqual increases the cost of light armor by 4,000 gp, medium armor by 8,000 gp, heavy armor by 12,000 gp, a shield by 2,000 gp, and a weapon or other item by 500 gp. Creating a magic item that incorporates any amount of noqual into it increases the price of creation by 5,000 gp, as costly reagents and alchemical supplies must be used to treat the metal during the process.

-O-

Obsidian

Source: PZO1118

Cost 1/2 normal.; Weight 3/4 normal.; Cost/Weight (Longer Wording) “Obsidian weapons cost half of what base items of their type do, and weigh 75% of what base items of their type do.”

This black volcanic glass is extremely sharp, and can be shaped into a variety of weapons that do piercing and slashing damage. Bits of obsidian inserted into a length of tempered wood create effective swords called terbutjes.

Weapons Obsidian can be used to craft light and one-handed weapons that do piercing or slashing damage, as well as spear tips and arrowheads. Obsidian weapons have half the hardness of their base weapon and have the fragile quality.

Armor The fragile glass nature of obsidian is perfect for creating sharp points and blades, but those same qualities make it unsuitable for creating armor. Armor cannot be constructed from obsidian.

-S-

Siccatite

Source: PAP61

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.) Siccatite increases the cost of a weapon by 1,000 gp and armor by 6,000 gp (regardless of the armor’s type).

Silver, Alchemical

Source: PZO1110

HP/inch 10; Hardness 8; Cost see table

Type of Item Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition +2 gp
Light weapon +20 gp
One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon +90 gp
Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon +180 gp

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 slashing or piercing weapon, the wielder takes a –1 penalty on the damage roll (with a 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.

Silversheen

Source PC:QGttE

HP/inch 10; Hardness 8; Cost +750 gp.

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.

Blades made of silversheen are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the price given. A blade made of silversheen has its price increased by 750 gp. Crafting a silversheen blade requires Craft (alchemy) 5 ranks and Craft (weaponsmithing) 5 ranks.

Skymetal Alloys

Source: PAP61

Both ancient and modern metallurgists have devised numerous alloys that mix skymetals with other materials. Many of these are highly specialized, but one deserves special mention: glaucite. This dull gray metal is an alloy of adamantine and iron. Though it has hardness 15 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness, glaucite is half again as heavy as iron and difficult to work with. The material of choice for ship hulls and robot frames, but is generally sought after only by collectors and eccentrics as a material for new items or other projects.

Steel, Fire-forged

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch as steel; Hardness as steel; Cost Armor or weapons made from fire-forged steel are always considered masterwork, and the masterwork costs are included in the listed prices.

Type of Item Price Modifier
Ammunition +15 gp per item
Light armor +1,000 gp
Medium armor +2,500 gp
Heavy armor +3,000 gp
Weapon +600 gp

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. 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.

Steel, Frost-Forged

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch as steel; Hardness as steel; Cost Armor or weapons made from frost-forged steel are always considered masterwork, and the masterwork costs are included in the listed prices.

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.

Steel, Living

Source: PZO1123

HP/inch 35; Hardness 15; Cost see table

Type of Item Price 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 items +250 gp/lb.

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 adamantine weapons in this way.

Steel, Singing

Source PPZO94102

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%, 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, he can do so as a move action instead. If the wielder can normally start a bardic performance as a move action, he 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; this cost is included in the price. Singing steel has 20 hp per inch of thickness and hardness 10. Although formed partially from mithral, singing steel items weigh as much as their normal counterparts.

Type of Item Price 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.

Steel, Stainless

Source: PSCS

Stainless steel is both rust resistant and splendidly shiny. Steel objects electroplated with chromium are immune to rusting effects, such as the rusting grasp spell or from a rust monster’s touch. To determine the price of a stainless steel item, use the original weight but add 10 gp per pound to the price of that item. Stainless steel has the same statistics as normal steel.

Stone

Source: PZO1118

Cost 1/4 normal.; Weight 3/4 normal.

Stone Age weapons almost always utilize stone in some way. From rocks lashed to wooden hafts to create early maces and axes, to flint knives and stone arrowheads, these primitive weapons are still deadly.

Weapons Light and one-handed bludgeoning weapons, spears, axes, daggers and arrowheads can all be made of stone. Weapons made of stone have half the hardness of their base weapons, and have the fragile quality.

Armor Armor cannot usually be constructed from stone, but advanced, often alchemically enhanced stone armor made by dwarves or other stone-working cultures does exist (see stone coat).

Cost/Weight (Longer Wording) “Stone weapons cost a quarter of what base items of their type do, and weigh 75% of what base items of their type do.”

Sunsilk

Source PCS:QJ2016

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 DR 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. Sunsilk adds 6,000 gp to the cost of the garment or armor.

Sunsilver

Source PPZO94102

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 she does 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. To determine the price of a sunsilver item, add 25 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item. Sunsilver has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8.

SerpentStone

Source: PAP:41

Serpentstone is a strange substance unique to the precursor alchemies of the ancient serpentfolk. Its ancient name is lost to time, but modern explorers have dubbed it “serpentstone” after its ophidian creators.

Exceptionally resilient, all serpentstone is magically treated stone. When properly worked and treated through eldritch means known only to ancient serpentfolk wizards and sorcerers, serpentstone can be programmed to emit sound and light in a variety of ways, shifting at predetermined times from color to color and tone to tone, from brightness equal to that of daylight to a dim, shadowy glimmer like that of a candle. In addition, serpentstone can be set to radiate heat or cold, or produce illusory smoke, roiling forth thin streams of scented, incense-like fumes designed to delight, enlighten, or otherwise inform serpentfolk in the vicinity. All of these effects function as major image (caster level 18th).

Spiresteel

Source PAP139

Philosophers speculate that spiresteel is composed of a condensed form of pure quintessence. This substance, called spiresteel, exhibits an innate attraction for soul energy.

Armor crafted from spiresteel protects the wearer’s essence, applying half of its armor bonus to AC against attacks made by incorporeal creatures. Weapons crafted from spiresteel appear hungry for the very substance of the foes they are wielded against. When the wielder confirms a critical hit with a spiresteel weapon, the target must succeed at a Will save (DC = 10 + double the weapon’s enhancement bonus), or be staggered for 1 round as a portion of its soul is carved away.

Spiresteel can be used to craft any armor or weapon that is typically made of steel. Items made of spiresteel are always considered masterwork, and the masterwork costs are included in the listed prices.

Spiresteel has the same hit points and hardness as steel.

Type of Spiresteel Item Item Price Modifier
Ammunition +10 gp per item
Light Armor +1,000 gp
Medium Armor +2,000 gp
Heavy Armor +3,000 gp
Weapon +2,000 gp

-V-

Viridium

Source: PZO1123

Type of Item Price Modifier
Ammunition +20 gp per item
Weapon +200 gp

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).

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 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.

Voidglass

Source: Module: Dragon’s Demand

Type of Item Price Modifier
Light armor +1,000 gp
Medium armor +2,000 gp
Heavy armor +4,500 gp
Slashing/piercing weapon +1,000 gp

Grioths wield weapons fashioned from a strange sort of transparent material called voidglass. This material is as hard as steel, but made of crystals that voidglass shapers on unknown worlds grow into the desired shapes.

Voidglass resonates with a creature’s mind, bolstering thought and mental defenses. Any suit of armor normally made from metal can be made of voidglass. A suit of light voidglass armor grants a +1 resistance bonus on all saving throws against mind-affecting magic. This bonus increases to +2 for medium voidglass armor, and +3 for heavy voidglass armor. Voidglass armor isn’t often worn by grioths, but voidglass weapons are another story. The creatures (and perhaps other strange beings with similar psychic capabilities) can funnel violent bursts of psychic energy through these weapons on a hit. In the hands of any creature, a voidglass piercing or slashing weapon deals 1 additional damage on a hit—bludgeoning weapons gain no benefit.

Voidglass has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10. A pound of raw, unworked voidglass is worth 100 gp.

-W-

Whipwood

Source: PZO1121

HP/inch 10; Hardness 8; Cost +500 gp.

Vanara woodworkers 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 CMD 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.

Wyroot

Source: PZO1121

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 is unharmed 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. Constructing a weapon that can hold 1 life point increases the cost by 1,000 gp, constructing one that can hold up to 2 life points increases the cost by 2,000 gp, and constructing one that can hold up to 3 life points increases the cost by 4,000 gp.

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