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Danu
2007-01-18, 11:41 AM
Orichalcum
Orichalcum is a legendary magical alloy created from gold and copper that combines the beautiful sheen of gold with the hardiness of copper to form a metal that is greater then both. The process for creating true orichalcum is known only to the greatest of mage-smiths, a secret guarded with great jealousy. While some kings might boast weapons forged of the silvery mithral or the rare black adamantine, only the greatest of emperors might lay claim to weapons made of this beautiful golden metal.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum is made chiefly of an alloy between gold and copper, mixed with some magical reagents. After the item made of this exotic metal is complete but still red-hot, it is emerged in nearly frozen water. The copper quickly oxidizes and becomes a black patina on the surface of the metal. After a carefully maintained acid wash, the patina is removed and the item is scrubbed to a beautiful golden hue.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifSlashing and piercing weapons made of orichalcum have an unusually fine edges that never need to be sharpened, granting such weapons a +1 nonmagical enhancement bonus on damage rolls. Spells and effects that increase the critical threat range of a slashing or piercing weapon are enhanced by 1 point. For example, a keen orichalcum halberd would have a critical threat range of 18-20, a keen orichalcum longsword would have a critical threat range of 16-20. A keen orichalcum scimitar would have a critical threat range of 14-20. An orichalcum weapon is so hard that it has the natural ability to bypass the hardness of items, and ignores the hardness of any material with a hardness of 15 or less. (Orichalcum has no effect on harder metals, such as adamantine, unless it is further treated with refora. See below for information on refora.)
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum is a wonderfully fluid and flexible material, which lends itself to the creation of armor extraordinarily well. Spell failure chances for any armor made from orichalcum are decreased by 5%, the maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and the armor check penalties are lessened by 2 (to a minimum of 0).
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum has the same weight as steel. It has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and a hardness of 15. Only weapons, armor, and shields normally made of metal can be fashioned from orichalcum. An arrow could be made of orichalcum, but a quarterstaff could not. Orichalcum is so difficult to make correctly that the material is extremely costly. For this reason, all orichalcum items are inherently masterwork.


{table]Type of Item|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition| +100 gp
Light armor|+8,000 gp
Medium armor| +13,000 gp
Heavy armor| +18,000 gp
Weapon| +5,000 gp
[/table]

Blackfire
Blackfire is a strange material, and quite possibly one of the rarest materials ever known. The secret to creating the material is thought to have been granted to ancient azer by a celestial being for use in their battles against enemies also native to the Elemental Plane of Fire (such as salamanders and efreeti), but since modern azer are no longer able to produce the unusual material, they cannot credit this claim. For this reason, all blackfire weapons currently in existence are thought to be the products of ancient azer lines, since the hilts of such items are frequently designed with names or phrases from the unique azer dialect of Ignan.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifBlackfire is named aptly; it appears to be black fire caught in the form of a weapon, constantly shifting and moving with the wind. The ore is actually relatively cool to the touch, capable of being wielded with ungloved hands.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA nonmagical blackfire weapon has the same properties as a steel weapon of the same type; it has the same hardness, weight, and hit points. Blackfire weapons bypass the damage reduction of any creature with the cold subtype, as if it were constructed of the appropriate metal or had the appropriate alignment. In addition, blackfire weapons that deal fire damage ignore fire resistance, deal 1/2 damage to creatures ordinarily immune to fire, and deal double damage to creatures vulnerable to fire. When a blackfire weapon is sundered, whatever properties containing the material are dissolved and the weapon is forever destroyed. Blackfire weapons are inherently masterwork, however, and they take magical properties unusually well.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFor every +1 enhancement bonus on the weapon, a blackfire weapon's hardness and hit points are increased by 2. A magical blackfire weapon deals all of its damage as fire damage, including any bonus dealt by a high strength score or a special ability (such as smite evil). Blackfire weapons cannot be imbued with any special abilties that would deal cold damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFor example, a +1 blackfire longsword deals 1d8+1 points of fire damage. A +1 flaming blackfire longsword deals 1d8+1 +1d6 points of fire damage. A +1 spell-storing blackfire longsword with a scorching ray stored would deal 1d8+1 plus 4d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. In all cases, the weapon ignores fire resistance, deals 1/2 that damage to creatures immune to fire, and deals double damage to creatures vulnerable to fire.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIn most cases, a blackfire weapon will be found in the hands of a notable azer warrior; an heirloom dating back literally thousands of years. In some rare cases, the weapons might be discovered in the hands of salamander and efreeti warriors who have stolen or looted the weapons from their ancient enemies. Azers of the appropriate lineage might pay a handsome reward... or ransom... for the return of their ancestral weapon.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifWhile the azer no longer possess the ability to forge the weapons, they are capable of altering the hilts of the weapons (a practice no other race can manage) in order to suit their desires. In some very rare cases, they might reward heroic non-azer with these weapons, specifically re-tooled with images and words describing the deed this hero accomplished to earn such a prize.


{table]Weapon Type|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition| +200 gp
Light weapon|+3,000 gp
One-handed weapon| +12,000 gp
Two-handed weapon| +25,000 gp
[/table]

Ocanthicite
Ocanthicite, also commonly called 'black ice' is a strange material native to the 4th layer of Acheron, Ocanthus. Ocanthicite is only discovered in the shape of a weapon, and all of these weapons share a common history; they are the natural byproducts of a peculiar race of outsiders native to Acheron. A black ice weapon is naturally formed by creatures with the 'Ocanthicite' subtype, who may create weapons of this substance as a standard action. When one of these creatures is destroyed, there is a chance that their weapon might survive.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifDespite its origin, ocanthicite may be rendered into a metal and reforged into weapons and armor that suit the individual wielder. The process of smelting the ore is difficult, however, requiring a creature with the cold subtype for handling the ore, but requiring temperatures in excess of three thousand degrees Fahrenheit to actually melt the ore into a workable form. For this reason, the metal is usually given to experienced frost giants and glacier dwarves for production.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAny item made of ocanthicite is supernaturally cold. Any creature touching or being struck by an ocanthicite item is dealt 1d6 points of cold damage and 2 points of Wisdom damage each round it remains in contact with the ore. A successful DC 12 Will save negates the Wisdom damage. Creatures with the Cold subtype are unaffected by the Wisdom damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAn ocanthicite weapon deals this damage to any creature it strikes, while ocanthicite armor deals this damage to any creature that dons it. Creatures with at least 6 points of cold resistance may ignore the cold damage, but only creatures with the Cold subtype may ignore the 2 points of Wisdom damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOcanthicite responds especially well to magical enhancements (such as frost and icy burst) that increase it's ability to deal cold damage. It costs 10% less to apply such enhancements to an ocanthicite weapon.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOcanthicite has hardness 10 and 20 hit points per inch of thickness.


{table]Weapon Type|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition|+55 gp
Light weapon|+1,500 gp
One-handed weapon|+6,000 gp
Two-handed weapon|+13,500 gp
Other items|+750 gp/ pound
[/table]

Refora
Initially considered a waste mineral, refora is infrequently discovered as a blue-green clay in deposits of silver and nickel, along with platinum. It's unique properties were discovered when a dwarven engineer began to use the clay as a buffer in crates use to transport other metals. When forged, the clay caused these metals to take on a strangely beautiful ice-blue patina, and faintly enhanced the ore's ability to handle stress.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAfter long years of experimentation with the ore, it was discovered that certain quantities of this clay, when alloyed with other metals, could produce a strain of material stronger then the original. By itself, however, refora produces a unspectacular (though attractive) blue metal that is simply too pliable and useless as anything other then a decorative item, having a hardness of 1, and 3 hit points per inch of thickness. Some dwarves fashion decorative items and vessels (cups, chalices, or containers for holy water) from refora, although such items must be treated with care, due to their fragility.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifWhen alloyed with another metal, however, refora really starts to shine. Refora can be used in the forging of any other metal, including rare metals such as adamantine and mithral. In most metals it gives the item a strange watery-blue coloration that shines beautifully in light. It also serves to enhance the innate hardness and hit points of any material it is alloyed with, depending on how much refora is used in the process.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIn addition, if a metal has a special feature based off its hardness, such as adamatine's ability to bypass the hardness of any metal with a hardness of 20 or less, refora naturally enhances this based on the amount used. For example, adamantine worked with 5 pounds of refora has a hardness of 26, and 55 hit points per inch of thickness. It therefore ignores the hardness of any material that has a hardness of 26 or less.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifCrystals grown or discovered in areas rich with deposits of heavy metals might also be alloyed with refora, although the process is slightly different. Before crystal items are crafted, they are coated with refora and heated until the crystal itself becomes white-hot. If the crystal has a sufficient metal concentration, the refora bonds with the crystal, enhancing it in the same fashion it enhances metal. But finding crystals with a high enough level of metal can be very difficult. Mundane crystal cannot be enhanced with refora, only 5% of deep crystals discovered may be enhanced by refora, and only 15% of the crysteel crystals discovered may be enhanced by refora.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA weapon modified by refora always counts as the base metal's type for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. A cold iron refora weapon is treated as cold iron, and a alchemical silver weapon is treated as silver. Some creatures might exist, however, that are vulnerable to weapons augmented by refora.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifDue to its rarity, refora has a significant cost. 1 pound of the material costs 1000 gold. As stated above, the effects of refora change depending on how much of the material is used in the alloy process. The material is only forged in the following quantities; a refora item will never be forged using 6 pounds of the material, for example, since there is no appreciable difference except in the following amounts. Refora is used only 1, 3, 5 or 10 pound increments, depending on the desired cost range.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifRefora also modifies the difficulty in making items. Adding refora to the item increases the Craft DC by 2 for every pound of refora used. For example, a steel longsword that used 5 pounds of refora would have a Craft DC of 25. The masterwork component of any item made of refora is not affected by this increase, only the item itself is.


{table]Amount Used|Cost Modifier|Craft DC Modifier|Hardness / Hit points per inch modifiers
1 lb.|+1,000 gp|+2|+2/ +3 hp/inch
3 lbs.|+3,000 gp|+6|+4/ +10 hp/inch
5 lbs.|+5,000 gp|+10|+6/ +15 hp/inch
10 lbs.|+10,000 gp|+20|+8/ +20 hp/inch
[/table]
-----------------------------

Thoughts, questions, and comments are always welcome and encouraged.

Thomar_of_Uointer
2007-01-18, 01:13 PM
Orichalhum: Looks okay, why not improve the threat range first? What about shields?
Blackfire: Does the hardness and hit point increase replace the normal increases for enhancement bonuses? If the weapon already deals fire damage (something I don't see stated explicitly), it's going to ignore damage reduction already.
Ocanthicite: Eeevil! Looks good.
Refora: Looks good too.

Danu
2007-01-18, 03:14 PM
Orichalhum: Looks okay, why not improve the threat range first? What about shields?

About the first question, I'm not quite sure what your asking.

A shield could certaintly be made from orichalcum. It would cost the same as a suit of light armor, and it would reduce the armor check penalty by 2 and arcane spell failure by 5%. When shield bashing, you gain the ability to over-come hardness, but you would not gain the enhancement bonus to damage or the critical benefit (since it deals bludgeoning damage).


Blackfire: Does the hardness and hit point increase replace the normal increases for enhancement bonuses? If the weapon already deals fire damage (something I don't see stated explicitly), it's going to ignore damage reduction already.

Yes. The hardness and hit points increase over-rides the normal for enhancement bonuses.

A nonmagical blackfire weapon does not_deal fire damage. Only magical blackfire weapons deal all of their damage as fire damage. A nonmagical blackfire weapon that was somehow granted the ability to deal extra fire damage (from a spell, racial ability, or class ability) would grant its ability to overcome fire resistance, etc. For example, an azer who wielded the weapon would conduct his natural 'heat' extraordinary ability through the weapon.

Also, blackfire weapons over-come the damage reduction of a creature with the cold subtype, regardless of that creature's normal damage reduction. For example, if you struck a young adult white dragon with a nonmagical blackfire weapon, you would ignore the dragon's DR 5/magic, even though the weapon itself is not magical. You would not, however, deal double damage, because nonmagical blackfire weapons do not deal fire damage.


Ocanthicite: Eeevil! Looks good.
Refora: Looks good too.

Ocanthicite was originally called 'blackice' until one of my players complained that he kept getting its abilities confused with blackfire. Since ocanthicite is nowhere near as cool as blackfire, I changed the name. :smallsmile:

Yakk
2007-01-19, 12:59 PM
Too many names starting with O.

:)

Talyn
2007-01-19, 01:32 PM
Orichalcum - wasn't that the legendary metal they supposed used in Atlantis?

Oh, and I love Ocanthcite. Mind if I steal it for my campaign? I think I'll have all the cold-immune devils wielding weapons made from it...

Danu
2007-01-19, 06:51 PM
Too many names starting with O.

:)

*lol*



Orichalcum - wasn't that the legendary metal they supposed used in Atlantis?

Oh, and I love Ocanthcite. Mind if I steal it for my campaign? I think I'll have all the cold-immune devils wielding weapons made from it...

Yes, orichalcum is the legendary metal from Atlantis that was supposedly extremely hard, but as beautiful as gold.

And in regards to the ocanthicite. You can't steal it, no. Because I'm giving you permission to use it as much as you like. ^_- If you want, I can send you the stats for one of the blackice creatures that actually uses the stuff. Just be prepared... these monsters tend to be a little mean.

Siberys
2007-01-19, 10:20 PM
Yeah, I'd like to know what sort of creatures have the Ocanthicite subtype.

Very Nice!

magic8BALL
2007-01-20, 02:32 AM
About the first question, I'm not quite sure what your asking.

I think he is asking that instead of:

"Spells and effects that increase the critical threat range of a slashing or piercing weapon are enhanced by 1 point"

what about:

"the critical threat range of a slashing or piercing weapon is incread by one point. This effect stacks with magical effects, such as the keen edges spell"

At the moment, the Orichalcum has all the best stuff about Mithril, most of the goodies of Adimantine, plus bonuses to damage and an increaded critical potential, all for one low price. Overpowerd.

I'd change it to: "the critical threat range of a slashing or piercing weapon is incread by one point. This effect is superseeded by magical effects, such as the keen edges spell" and have the price changed to "x20 masterworked weapon".

The following logswords all have a 18-20 threat range:

- Orichalcum Longsword would cost 6 300gp
- +1 Keen Longsword would cost 8 315gp
- +1 Orichalcum Longsword would cost 8 300gp
- +2 Keen Longsword would cost 18 315gp
- +2 Orichalcum Longsword would cost 14 300gp

As you can see, the price is still worth it, and becomes better as the enhancement on the sword grows. Scimitars dont quite get the same effect, but I think this is balanced.

Danu
2007-01-21, 01:51 PM
"the critical threat range of a slashing or piercing weapon is incread by one point. This effect stacks with magical effects, such as the keen edges spell"

Looking back on it now, I can see that it was written a little unclearly. I'm currently working on a modification to clarify that.

The effect only works specifically with magical weapons that possess the keen special weapon ability or weapons under the effects of a keen edges spell. A nonmagical orichalcum weapon's threat range is unchanged.


At the moment, the Orichalcum has all the best stuff about Mithril, most of the goodies of Adimantine, plus bonuses to damage and an increaded critical potential, all for one low price. Overpowerd.

Oh? I'm not sure I agree. Here's why.

Mithral armor is half the weight of steel and treated as a category lighter. Adamantine armor grants damage reduction to its wearer. Orichalcum grants neither of these benefits. Orichalcul armor also grants less benefit in the way of movment... 5% spell failure, +2 Dex, armor check penalty reduced by 2. Mithral grants 10%, +2, -3 in the same order.

In the case of weapons, orichalcum shines, but even this isn't really any better. It grants a enhancement bonus to damage with only slashing and piercing weapons, which would not stack with the standard magical enhancement. Since orichalcum weapons are always masterwork, that means a standard orichalcum weapon has a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage, and making it magical would cost 2000 gold more, without any real gain (other then the fact it's now magical).

You only gain the bonus to your critical threat when the weapon is enhanced by keen. While I wouldn't be terribly surprised if most magical orichalcum weapons had that ability (since that's the way the material is designed), some might prefer it for its other abilities.

Finally, while orichalcum can bypass hardness like adamantine, it's still essentially a weaker metal. It's about the same weight as steel, but the same hardness and strength as mithral.

And, quite frankly, I've never played in a game where 5000 gold for a nonmagical weapon was considered 'cheap'. Realistically, who would pay 8000 gold for orichalcum armor, when mithral is so much cheaper and in its way so much better?

In the case of weapons, why pay 5000 gold for the weapon that has the abilities of adamantine, but doesn't do it as well? Because of the +1 bonus to damage, which doesn't apply if the weapon is magical? Because of the +1 crit bonus that only applies if it's a +1 keen slashing or piercing weapon? Also, just because it can penetrate hardness like adamantine... doesn't mean it's a adamantine weapon. It won't penetrate damage reduction.

Orichalcum combines some of the features of mithral and adamantine, but it does neither as well as the true materials. Because of the combination, it's ultimately worth more. But if you want light armor, you'll likely go with mithral. If you want a beefy sword, you'll likely go with adamantine. Orichalcum is simply prettier.