New Materials, Artifacts, & Magic Items (3.5: PEACH)

[The Neoclassic]

I'm working on creating magic items, special materials, and weapon/armor abilities for my homebrew setting of Vere. Hopefully many of these are things which would be useful in other games as well!

Beatific Songmetal: Found on chaotic good planes, beatific songmetal is a rare, nonmagical metal. In appearance, it’s a shade less pale than white gold. When worked like steel into a piercing or slashing weapon, it reverberates in odd and beautiful ways which deal 1 point of sonic damage to all successful attacks, cumulative with any other sonic abilities added to the weapon. Any attempts to put an [evil], [lawful], or non-sonic energy enhancement, either permanently or as a temporary spell effect, to a weapon made of beatific songmetal automatically fails. Such attempts to fuse such non-compatible energies weaken the songmetal, so much so that on the third occasion such magic is tried, the beatific metal is twisted and ruined beyond repair. Attacks upon the weapon or metal from such sources, however, function normally, as they are an offensive rather than invasive method.
Weapons made of beatific songmetal cost +1,400 gp (or +70 gp per individual arrow). Weapons fashioned from beatific songmetal are always masterwork as well, a cost taken into account with the above prices.
In Vere: Beatific songmetal is only found on the planes of Soranus (CG god of elves) and Spes (CG god of joy), and is usually only used by bards or elves.
Beatific songmetal has 25 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.

Hydrahide: Armorsmiths can work with the hides of standard hydras to produce armor or shields of masterwork quality. By using the best sections of hide and scales, an armorsmith can make masterwork banded mail, masterwork scale mail, or masterwork breastplate armor.
Because hydrahide armor isn’t made of metal, druids can wear it without penalty.
Hydrahide armor costs double what masterwork armor of that type ordinarily costs, but it takes no longer to make than ordinary armor of that type.
In Vere: Hydrahide is commonly found in the Union of Havia, where steel is harder to find but hydras and other swamp monsters are common. As such, all sorts of leather armors have been popular and affordable in Havia for centuries.
Hydrahide has 8 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.

Nemurne: Also known as necromancer’s mirthral, after the substance which it closely resemebles. nemurne is found in tiny quantities on the Material Plane but its primary sources are extraplanar. Armor made from nemurne grants the wearer a resistance of 10 against both positive and negative energy effects. This includes beneficial spells (healing) and harmful effects; the metal does not distinguish between the two.
Additionally, nemurne is a lighter material than steel and more suitable for the flexibility necessary for precise & delicate movements. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 1, and armor check penalties are lessened by 2 (to a minimum of 0). An armor made from nemurne weighs two-thirds as much as a usual armor of that style would. Nemurne cannot be made into padded, leather, studded leather, or hide armor.
Nemurne isn’t particularly suitable for weapons or shields, and hence is used solely in armor. Armor fashioned from nemurne is always masterwork as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.
In Vere: Nemurne is found only in Uuneh, the home plane of Brenyx (LE goddess of sorrow and undead).
Nemurne has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 15.
Type of Nemurne Item: Item Cost Modifier
Light armor: +2,000 gp
Medium armor: +4,000 gp
Heavy armor: +7,000 gp

Swamp-attuned: This armor’s materials and enchantments are attuned with swampy areas. The wearer takes no movement penalty for traveling through swampy terrain, and also gains a +4 competence bonus to survival checks in swamps and marshes. Only leather, hide, hydrahide, dragonhide, or plant-based armors can be swamp-attuned.
Faint transmutation; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of movement; Price +3,000 gp.


Any ideas for a better name than "Swamp-attuned"? I think it's fairly lame, though the ability is useful for my setting.

[Cieyrin]

I'll just go item by item:

Beatific Songmetal: By putting effects on it, do you mean just trying to give it the unholy weapon enhancement or would that include attempting to cast corrupt weapon or align weapon on it? Also, I assume the sonic damage doesn't stack with any weapon enhancement that produces sonic damage, much like other materials that produce elemental damage.

Hydrahide: How exactly does one make chainmail out of scales and hide? 0_o
That's kinda the territory of metals and what not. If you really want a light armor to make hydrahide out of, why not utilize leather scale from the A&EG? Makes more sense and it's druid-compliant, unlike studded leather. Also, what kinda hydra we talking here? Standard hydra? Would you get fire or cold resist if the hydra you carved up was a pyro- or cryohydra?

Nemurne: Nothing really off other than the price, as it starts off twice as expensive in the light range (which I expected), then meets up at medium and then is cheaper at heavy, which makes little sense to me, as it seems like this stuff should be rarer than mithral and you naturally need more of it heavier armors, so why're they cheaper than mithral in the higher categories? I'd think the tiers would be 2000, 5000, 10000, personally.

Swamp-attuned: Marsh-Blessed has a little more of a ring to my ear, for what that's worth.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[The Neoclassic]

Beatific Songmetal: By putting effects on it, do you mean just trying to give it the unholy weapon enhancement or would that include attempting to cast corrupt weapon or align weapon on it?

Either, since corrupt weapon is basically a temporary unholy effect (I think?). Would this best be clarified by saying "Any attempts to put an [evil], [lawful], or non-sonic energy enhancement, either permanently or as a temporary spell effect, to a weapon made of beatific songmetal automatically fails"?


Also, I assume the sonic damage doesn't stack with any weapon enhancement that produces sonic damage, much like other materials that produce elemental damage.

I wish I had my Magic of FR book with me, so I could compare prices to their elementally materials. :smallfrown: Anyway, I actually wanted it to stack; does that mean I should up the price?


Hydrahide: How exactly does one make chainmail out of scales and hide? 0_o

Yeahhhh, good point. I think what I may instead do is have an unusual armor which is only made out of hydrahide and has similar stats to chain mail or studded leather.


Also, what kinda hydra we talking here? Standard hydra? Would you get fire or cold resist if the hydra you carved up was a pyro- or cryohydra?

I should specify standard hydra. I may add in pyro- or cyrohydrahide later, now that I think of it, but they are far less common.


Nemurne: Nothing really off other than the price, as it starts off twice as expensive in the light range (which I expected), then meets up at medium and then is cheaper at heavy, which makes little sense to me, as it seems like this stuff should be rarer than mithral and you naturally need more of it heavier armors, so why're they cheaper than mithral in the higher categories? I'd think the tiers would be 2000, 5000, 10000, personally.

The reason I didn't increase the price as much per armor category as mithral is because a lot of that for mithral is (I think) because mithral makes heavy armor act like medium and medium armor act like light, something which nemurne doesn't do. That said, its resistance is pretty powerful I think... Perhaps I should go with 4,000, 7,000, and 10,000?


Swamp-attuned: Marsh-Blessed has a little more of a ring to my ear, for what that's worth.

Hmm, that might be better than what I have. I'll think on it more; it still doesn't feel *quite* right.

Thank you very much for your awesomely useful feedback (as usual)! :smallsmile:

[The Neoclassic]

St. Autumna was a cleric of Meniaos (LG god of marriage) who worked tirelessly for unity of Havia and peace amongst all its various sects, cultures, and races. The city of St. Autumna is named after him.

The Bracers of St. Autumna: These silver bracers are ornately decorated with a design of cypress branches and interlocked rings inlaid in emerald and ivory. The bracers impart two negative levels when worn by an evil individual; nothing can restore these levels while the bracers are worn, but removing them instantly ends this penalty. When worn by a nonevil creature, they grant the wearer a +3 holy bonus to AC. If the creature’s patron is Menaios, the bracers further grant a +4 insight bonus to Heal checks and may use dictum once per day at caster level 20

The Mantle of St. Autumna: This mantle has rich embroidery of scenes of swamps and holy sites, with some additional imagery related to dedication ceremonies, such as marriage and paladins taking oaths. The mantle imparts two negative levels when worn by an evil individual; nothing can restore these levels while the bracers are worn, but removing it instantly ends this penalty. On a nonevil creature, the mantle grants a +2 holy bonus to Will saves and grants them the ability to use the spell tongues at will. If the creature’s patron is Menaios, the mantle further imparts a +2 enhancement bonus to Wisdom and the ability to remove disease at will.

Both items: An individual wearing both the mantle and bracers of St. Autumna who has Menaios as his patron becomes immune to spells and spell-like abilities with the [Chaotic] descriptor and gains immunity to fear. A divine spellcaster whose patron is Menaios gains a +1 effective caster level for the purposes of preparing and casting spells (as if he was a full level higher, for the purposes of spellcasting only).

[deuxhero]

Just say it gives an evil character negetive levels, like every other aligned item does.

[Milskidasith]

Also, "as a 20th level cleric" is a really, really bad way to phrase it. You should say "at caster level 20."

[The Neoclassic]

Also, "as a 20th level cleric" is a really, really bad way to phrase it. You should say "at caster level 20."

"Really, really bad"? What sort of horrors could that raise? I didn't realize it was such offensive terminology rather than just a slip of phrasing. :smallwink: I only used it as I'd remembered seeing it written similarly in other places in the past, like this:


1/day -- dancing lights, darkness, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, faerie fire, and levitate. These abilities are as the spells cast by a sorcerer of the drider's sorcerer level (save DC 10 + Cha modifier + spell level). If the drider has no sorcerer levels, the abilities are cast as a 1st-level sorcerer.

I may change it to giving negative levels, but more because it's easier terminology than just because that's what most other items do.

[Milskidasith]

"Really, really bad"? What sort of horrors could that raise? I didn't realize it was such offensive terminology rather than just a slip of phrasing. :smallwink: I only used it as I'd remembered seeing it written similarly in other places in the past, like this:



I may change it to giving negative levels, but more because it's easier terminology than just because that's what most other items do.

Well, CL 20 is a lot clearer than Cleric 20. Really, really bad was a bit of an exaggeration, but clarity would be nice.

And casting "as a 1st level sorcerer" was only put there because it uses your sorcerer level for that ability.

[The Neoclassic]

Well, CL 20 is a lot clearer than Cleric 20. Really, really bad was a bit of an exaggeration, but clarity would be nice.

And casting "as a 1st level sorcerer" was only put there because it uses your sorcerer level for that ability.

Fair enough. Don't get me wrong; I like clarity! I also realize that magical items aren't my strong suit and that I do need some wording tweaked. I just like to know when it's a minor issue versus "THE WHOLE ITEM IS DESTROYED!" :smallbiggrin: Anyway, I shall be rewording that and the negative level thing as soon as I finish the post.

Also, here's one more minor artifact, followed by two magic items. I apologize for the lack of setting context; I'm fleshing out the Union of Havia in bits and pieces, so I don't have a nice complete overview for it even though I want to get some of the crunch for its local items ironed out.

Aspect of the Alligator Bandana: These bandanas were originally created by druids who resided in the swamps when alligators were still common. Both the druids and alligators have since nearly died out. Only six known bandanas remain, though more may exist.
Wearing an aspect of the alligator bandana allows an individual with at least eight levels in druid to wild shape into an alligator at will. Additionally, it grants any wearer a +4 insight bonus to Survival checks (only in or related to wetland areas) and a +2 natural armor bonus. All natural and unarmed attacks by the creature deal an additional one point of damage upon each successful hit.
Due to the age and powerful magic of the bandanas, most of them have developed minor defects. Some will not function more than 500 ft. from a swamp, and at least one turns the wearer’s skin an unappealing mottled green. All of them require those who’ve worn them in the past 24 hours to make a Fortitude save (DC 20) once per day, at a random point some time between noon and midnight. A successful save means the wearer only feels a mild queasiness for a few moments. Failing one’s save means that the character is sickened for the next ten minutes, usually including severe headache and vomiting.

Baton of Diagnosis: At will, the wielder of this baton may concentrate on any living creature within thirty feet. After one round of concentration, the baton glows red if that creature is infected with a disease, green if they’re poisoned, and blue if they’re magically cursed. It doesn’t glow if none of these conditions applies. Additionally, if the target is diseased, the wielder knows the name of the disease or diseases with which they’re infected.
Faint divination; CL 4th; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must have 7 ranks in Heal; Price 2,700 gp.

Baton of the Quack: This baton functions like a baton of diagnosis except that it is only accurate 50% of the time, and the other half of the time gives a random diagnosis. The wielder isn’t aware of when the baton is working accurately or not, and tends to trust all its diagnoses as accurate unless given strong evidence to convince them otherwise. Additionally, the wielder suffers a -2 Wisdom penalty whenever they are holding or using the baton.
Moderate divination; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse; Price 1,100 gp.


Now that I think of it, I still need to do the auras and CL for the artifacts. I'll add that in soon!

[Milskidasith]

I don't recall ever reading anything about 'gators in D&D; I know there are crocodiles, but where would I find the stat block for an alligator?

[Cieyrin]

I don't recall ever reading anything about 'gators in D&D; I know there are crocodiles, but where would I find the stat block for an alligator?

They're honestly not all that different, at least from a rules standpoint. I'd use the crocodile stats interchangeably for an alligator. They're both crocodilians, just differently adapted to their environment around them.

Now, in answer to Neo:

Either, since corrupt weapon is basically a temporary unholy effect (I think?). Would this best be clarified by saying "Any attempts to put an [evil], [lawful], or non-sonic energy enhancement, either permanently or as a temporary spell effect, to a weapon made of beatific songmetal automatically fails"?

Sounds like a suitable fix to me.


I wish I had my Magic of FR book with me, so I could compare prices to their elementally materials. :smallfrown: Anyway, I actually wanted it to stack; does that mean I should up the price?

I was just stating the point that the FR metals that do the same don't. I don't think it's honestly that game-breaking to do an extra point of sonic, since it's not like there's anything with sonic vulnerability in the game that i'm aware of and the sensitivity of the metal to effects certainly won't make it broken in any way shape or fashion.


Yeahhhh, good point. I think what I may instead do is have an unusual armor which is only made out of hydrahide and has similar stats to chain mail or studded leather.

That's why I suggested Leather Scale. It's like Studded Leather but without the studs. I'd totally link you from RealmsHelp (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/armor.pl?all) but I can't direct link you the stats, since the link goes to the description, which isn't all that useful. They also list it as an exotic armor, which it isn't, it just needs Light Armor proficiency. Nothing all that special about it otherwise. You'll just have to look at it yourself. No need to make a special armor unless you really want to, though I fear that'd be more remaking the wheel than anything else.


The reason I didn't increase the price as much per armor category as mithral is because a lot of that for mithral is (I think) because mithral makes heavy armor act like medium and medium armor act like light, something which nemurne doesn't do. That said, its resistance is pretty powerful I think... Perhaps I should go with 4,000, 7,000, and 10,000?

Oh, I totally missed that it didn't lighten the armor like Mithral. Nevermind then, I was thinking it was like Mithral+ or something. Anyways, I think the resistance is just as much a boon as a hindrance, since it'll stop you from healing easily. Your original pricing scheme works out fine, now that I fully read the description and actually understood it for what it was. ~_~


Thank you very much for your awesomely useful feedback (as usual)! :smallsmile:

No problem. Glad I could help, your homebrew has been a pleasure to read and any way I could help to improve it is a small service in return.:smallsmile:

[The Neoclassic]

Festering Bramblewood Arrows: The festering bramble plant grows at the edges of swamps and produces edible berries. Unfortunately, it doesn't produce much fruit for its size, and a substantial proportion of the plant is prickled, woody stems. The unusual composition of the stems, heavier and better able to be carved to sharp points than most wood, allowed enterprising individuals in centuries past to carve them into arrowheads. They've been falling out of favor as metal becomes more readily available, but a quiver of twenty only costs 8 sp in comparison with typical arrows (which are 20 per 1 gp).
A festering bramblewood arrow deals one damage die lower than arrows usually do with a particular weapon. If a bow usually deals 1d6 damage, it would deal 1d4 damage when a festering bramblewood arrow was used; d8 damage would be reduced to d6. Additionally, festering bramblewood is not as aerodynamic; it reduces the weapon's range increment by 10 ft. when used. Despite these disadvantages, festering bramblewood contains a mild irritant; upon a successful hit, festering bramblewood arrows deal 1 point of acid damage in addition to the aforementioned die-based damage.
Festering bramblewood is not suitable for masterwork arrows. Its acid damage doesn't stack with any other energy effect placed upon the weapon, acid or otherwise. Only arrows for shortbows, longbows, and the composite versions thereof may have festering bramblewood heads.


Sounds like a suitable fix to me.

And done! I think now beatific songmetal is pretty solid. :smallcool: It's still slightly cheaper than FR fever iron and such, but I find those slightly overpriced anyway. Price is easy to fix if later it becomes an issue anyway.


Oh, I totally missed that it didn't lighten the armor like Mithral. Nevermind then, I was thinking it was like Mithral+ or something. Anyways, I think the resistance is just as much a boon as a hindrance, since it'll stop you from healing easily. Your original pricing scheme works out fine, now that I fully read the description and actually understood it for what it was. ~_~

Ah, OK! Pricing shall remain as-is then. :smallsmile:

[Cieyrin]

Festering Bramblewood Arrows: The festering bramble plant grows at the edges of swamps and produces edible berries. Unfortunately, it doesn't produce much fruit for its size, and a substantial proportion of the plant is prickled, woody stems. The unusual composition of the stems, heavier and better able to be carved to sharp points than most wood, allowed enterprising individuals in centuries past to carve them into arrowheads. They've been falling out of favor as metal becomes more readily available, but a quiver of twenty only costs 8 sp in comparison with typical arrows (which are 20 per 1 gp).
A festering bramblewood arrow deals one damage die lower than arrows usually do with a particular weapon. If a bow usually deals 1d6 damage, it would deal 1d4 damage when a festering bramblewood arrow was used; d8 damage would be reduced to d6. Additionally, festering bramblewood is not as aerodynamic; it reduces the weapon's range increment by 10 ft. when used. Despite these disadvantages, festering bramblewood contains a mild irritant; upon a successful hit, festering bramblewood arrows deal 1 point of acid damage in addition to the aforementioned die-based damage.
Festering bramblewood is not suitable for masterwork arrows. Its acid damage doesn't stack with any other energy effect placed upon the weapon, acid or otherwise. Only arrows for shortbows, longbows, and the composite versions thereof may have festering bramblewood heads.

Hmm, no greatbow ammo makes me a little sad but ah well, no big deal. As written, they only lose out on range, really, as the +1 acid damage puts it back to the same average damage as normal arrows, as 1d4+1 puts it at 3.5, same as a d6. Same deal with longbow, d6+1 for 4.5, equaling a d8 damage.

The inability to masterwork makes them specialty arrows, though they are definitely an attractive substitution for normal arrows, with the price drop and higher average damage (2-5 vs. 1-6, 2-7 vs. 1-8). I'd definitely consider using them for quite a while, provided I wasn't facing things with acid resistance (which is probably prevalent in marshy environments, I'd think). Plus, it's a good way to annoy trolls.:smallbiggrin:

[The Neoclassic]

Madden’s Ever-Relevant Tome: This enormous, thick tome has a golden cover which, no matter how well polished or how new, always looks slightly battered or bent. The pages are thin and delicate; when casually browsed, they are always somehow related to what’s on the individual’s mind. The reader can take one minute and peruse the tome, gaining an immediate +4 circumstance bonus to any Knowledge check made within the next round. Additionally, so long as the reader spends at least one minute searching through the tome for the answer immediately prior to the check, she automatically succeeds at any Knowledge check with a DC of 20 or lower. Neither of these abilities has a limit to the number of times used per day. However, an individual without at least one rank in wizard or bard must make a Will save (DC 16 + 2 per additional use of the tome within 24 hours) if they try to use the tome more than once per day. A failed save deals one point of Intelligence damage.
Moderate transmutation; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, legend lore, caster must have at least 10 ranks in two or more Knowledge skills; Price 40,000 gp; Weight 25 lb.

Madden’s Gloves: Despite the name, these flamboyant gloves were never designed or worn by the famous scholar & wizard, Madden. The original creator of this item instead wished to emulate Madden’s magical powers without the investment of decades of study, research, and devotion. When both gloves are worn, they grant the wearer a +10 competence bonus to Use Magic Device, but only for the purposes of using a scroll, using a wand, or deciphering a written spell. Wearing one glove without the other has no effect whatsoever; both must be worn for the magic to be effective.
Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must have at least 13 ranks in Use Magic Device; Price 8,000 gp; Weight negligible.



The inability to masterwork makes them specialty arrows, though they are definitely an attractive substitution for normal arrows, with the price drop and higher average damage (2-5 vs. 1-6, 2-7 vs. 1-8). I'd definitely consider using them for quite a while, provided I wasn't facing things with acid resistance (which is probably prevalent in marshy environments, I'd think). Plus, it's a good way to annoy trolls.:smallbiggrin:

Hmm, I guess they are kind of better and cheaper... but since they can't be masterwork or stacked with other energy effects, I'm hoping that means it'll just be a nifty weapon for one's first few classes and not crazily abused at any point? :smallbiggrin: I didn't even think about using them against trolls; very good point.

[The Neoclassic]

Ring of Patriarchy: This ring grants the wearer +4 to Intimidate, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks made against females (and only female individuals). Additionally, the wearer may use suggestion once per day as a fifth level caster, again only effective against females. This ring only functions for males. Creatures who lack a gender in the humanoid sense (including but not limited to plant creatures and many aberrations) cannot use this ring, nor can a ring’s wearer use its effects against a genderless creature.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, suggestion, creator must be male; Price 9,400 gp; Weight negligible.
Note: As not all groups may be comfortable with the abilities and cultural implications of this item, DMs are advised to use it with discretion. Essentially, if it would bother your group more than intrigue them, don't use this item!

Priest’s Ring: This ring grants a +4 competence bonus to Heal checks.
Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Forge Ring, cure light wounds; Price 1,600 gp.

Shirt of the Guarded Heart: This fine linen shirt grants a +2 sacred bonus to AC as well as a +2 sacred bonus to Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.
Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, resistance; Price 13,000 gp.

[Cieyrin]

I'm not sure 'Patriarchy' is the most appropriate term for the ring, actually. To me, it seems to push subservience and dominance, which occur in the worse of both matriarchies and patriarchies over the repressed sex. If I could be so forward, I'd move to rename it as a Ring of Dominance and allow the creator to decide to which sex to apply it to. Obviously in your world the more common form would be the form of Masculine Dominance but I could see the same ring being made by a magically-empowered stereotypical Amazon society or an extremist feminist movement to support their political manueverings.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.