What material should the parts of a magical katana be made out of?

[eyebreaker7]

I've been poking around on google for a while now and I'm not finding the answers I'm looking for. I've read that ivory can be both good and bad. Same with jade. What sort of material should I use to make the hilt of my sword that has a design on the end? The design is a roaring lion's head if that matters. Detail involved in that. The guard is made of mithril. The blade I'm not sure what to make it out of but looks like the blade is made out of a single piece of ice with electricity flickering in and around it. It's going to be a katana if that matters? Slightly curved blade also. It's not something I personally will be crafting. It will be an item we discovered/found.

“The Kryton” (“The Lion's Roar”)+3 frost, shock katana/nodachi. (can deal frost or shock damage as desired by the wielder. This can be changed as a standard action)
This +3 frost shock nodachi looks like the blade is made out of a single piece of ice with electricity flickering in and around it. The hilt looks to be made out of a single piece of some form of jade with a roaring lion's head at the end. The guard is made of mithril.
Once per week, the sword can shoot forth a Cone of Cold as if cast by a 11th level caster. Anyone caught in the cone must make a Will save or be under the effects of a slow spell as if cast by a 5th level caster.
Once per week it can also shoot forth a lightning bolt as if cast by a 5th level caster.


Should I just make it ALL out of mithril since it's the strongest metal?

[RNightstalker]

IIRC Adamantium is tougher than mithril, plus it is tied to a DR. If you prefer both, mithril handle for show and adamantium for effect.

[Gavinfoxx]

Should I just make it ALL out of mithril since it's the strongest metal?

Why do you think mithril is the strongest metal?

[eyebreaker7]

I read somewhere "Adamant is one of the hardest substances known, but it is also brittle. A sword made of adamant could slice through most metals but would snap off if struck by another blade or even a smartly wielded wooden cudgel."
That's about ADAMANT not adamantite.
Adamantine
This alloy, of five-eighths adamant to two-eighths silver and one-eighth electrum (itself a natural alloy of silver and gold) retains the hardness of adamant, but combines it with a rugged durability that makes adamantine so hard to shatter that it is the favored substance for the making of war hammer heads, the best nonmithral armor, and harbor chains.

So my mistake.

[lightningcat]

Mithral counts as silver for bypassing DR.

[eyebreaker7]

Seriously? That's sweet! Where can I see the official rule on that?

[Thunder999]

Adamantium is in no way brittle, it's insanely durable, possibly the hardest material to sunder (though I wouldn't be surprised if some weird nigh invulnerable self healing material exists in a random splat), it also beats a type of DR and bypasses hardness for when you want to hack through the wall because the door is trapped.

Of course you actually want one each and a third made from cold iron because DR exists.

[eyebreaker7]

So I want an adamantium, a silver & a cold iron? Or I guess i should say an adamantium (that also covers silver) and a cold iron?

What about the hilt? Again something very strong but also carveable for the lion's head at the butt end.

[daremetoidareyo]

Obviously for the hilt, you would want a solidified scream of a banshee.

[Gavinfoxx]

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?442820-Special-Materials-Index

Here's some of my favorites

Abyssal Bloodiron: replicates cold iron, bonus to confirm crits. PH

Adamantine: bypasses /adamantine damage reduction, ignores hardness 20 and below when used to sunder items. DMG

Baatorian Green Steel: enhancement bonus to damage. A&EG

Cyrite (Arcane Steel): bypasses /magic damage reduction PGtE

Darksteel: deals bonus electricity damage. MoF

Fever Iron: deals bonus fire damage. MoF

Hizagkuur: deals bonus electricity damage. MoF updated on page 157 of Underdark adds bonus fire and electricity damage, considered silver and adds cold resistance for armor

Oerthblood: must be primarily metallic, +1 luck bonus on att and dmg, and applies a penalty if hit, Dragon Magazine 351 pg 45

Pearlsteel: reduces the penalties of using a weapon underwater. SW

Solarian Truesteel: bonus to confirm crits. BoED

[NontheistCleric]

Mithral counts as silver for bypassing DR.

Not necessarily, depending on the system. It's true in Pathfinder, but not, I believe, in 3.5.

[eyebreaker7]

Do you by chance know what pages of the DMG this info is on? I can't find it anywhere sorry. The others seem to rare sounding. Never heard of them actually. lol.

[RNightstalker]

Do you by chance know what pages of the DMG this info is on? I can't find it anywhere sorry. The others seem to rare sounding. Never heard of them actually. lol.

Adamantium and Mithral are p283-4

[InvisibleBison]

Why does it matter what material the hilt is made out of? As far as I know, only the material of the blade itself is going to have any mechanical effects.

[RNightstalker]

Why does it matter what material the hilt is made out of? As far as I know, only the material of the blade itself is going to have any mechanical effects.

Maybe dude wants to have a sword that looks bad to the bone?

[DeTess]

Adamantium is in no way brittle, it's insanely durable, possibly the hardest material to sunder.

Just a small note, a brittle material does not have to be weak. Brittleness simply means that it'll deform very little before breaking. Metals tend to deform a lot before breaking (making them not brittle), while something like carbon fiber tends to deform very little, making it a brittle material.

[Nifft]

I remember reading that katanas were forged from low-quality iron, which is why they were folded so many times -- and the folding is why they get the pretty ripple patterns on the blades.

So for an authentic katana, you ought to start with lower-quality metal.

[Gavinfoxx]

Do you by chance know what pages of the DMG this info is on? I can't find it anywhere sorry. The others seem to rare sounding. Never heard of them actually. lol.

Most of the materials aren't in the DMG. The letters at the end of each for my post are the acronyms for what books they're from!

[Bohandas]

Whatever it;s made out of, it needs to be folded over 1000 times

[RNightstalker]

Whatever it;s made out of, it needs to be folded over 1000 times

IIRC they don't fold it that many times, but when they keep folding it there are over 1000 layers which helps it stay sharp. One thing I think they did do right in 3.x is make katana's masterwork by default.

[Nifft]

Whatever it;s made out of, it needs to be folded over 1000 times

That sort of folding only makes a katana the finest blades known to mankind.

Dwarves and elves ought to retain access to even better blades.

[Quertus]

So, in a "what would you take if going to Konasuba (sp?)" thread, I, not knowing the Anime, choose "my katana". It is a (needlessly?) overly-complex version of what you seem to want to make.

Short version, it's a hilt that's "bigger on the inside", able to store multiple blades. 9 such blades (all most know about) can be accessed by stroking the corresponding "tail" of the 9-tailed fox that adorns the hilt. Or by willing it forth (the "tails" work even for those who are unaware of these blades).

The 9 blades are different materials - silver, cold iron, adamantine, Kuni crystal, etc. All are enchanted to +1.

The hilt can provide any of several enchantments to the blade (chosen by will, or by pressing a small gemstone corresponding to the power): Flaming, Frost, Keen, etc.

-----

In general, I'm fond of the idea of forging the blade and its twin from iron from the blood of 1,000 X (humans, elves, orcs, whatever), because I did the math once, and found that the blood of an average human contains one five hundredth of the iron necessarily to forge a katana.

In your case? Make it from a lightning bolt that got trapped in ice somehow.

[Vizzerdrix]

That sort of folding only makes a katana the finest blades known to mankind.

Not true, they just have really good PR.

As for the blade, I believe uranium is the traditional material we are supposed to reply with.

[Quertus]

Fulgurite! That's the word I was looking for!

So, take some sand to the Arctic North, or to the elemental plane of cold or whatever. Control Weather to get lightning to strike the sand. Magic it to ice. Forge into katana.

No real statistical benefits, just coolness.

[Fizban]

Adamantium is in no way brittle, it's insanely durable, possibly the hardest material to sunder (though I wouldn't be surprised if some weird nigh invulnerable self healing material exists in a random splat), it also beats a type of DR and bypasses hardness for when you want to hack through the wall because the door is trapped.
Only bypasses hardness of less than 20 in 3.5- so not other adamanatine, or magically reinforced steel, nor mithril with a +3 or higher bonus, or stuff with sufficiently strong Hardening spells, or. . . And yes, there is the infinity +1 "Obdurium" in Stronghold Builder's Guide, because someone wanted a nonmagical metal with hardness 30 (and double hit points), and there's also Aurorum in Book of Exalted Deeds which will re-fuse itself with all magic intact if you assemble the pieces.

Just a small note, a brittle material does not have to be weak. Brittleness simply means that it'll deform very little before breaking. Metals tend to deform a lot before breaking (making them not brittle), while something like carbon fiber tends to deform very little, making it a brittle material.
And adamantine only has 33% more hit points than steel, and steel swords don't actually have very many hit points. If you can break through or ignore the hardness, adamantine is only slightly less "brittle" than steel. Or if you compare the ratios, for being twice as hard it only has 2/3 of twice the hit points.

[Max Caysey]

Should I just make it ALL out of mithril since it's the strongest metal?

The strongest metal in the whole D&D 3.5 is Oerthblooded Pure Ore Obdurium!

Obdurium has Hardness and HP: 30/60 per inch of thickness.

Get it in Pure Ore form, meaning the purest form of the metal, doubles the hardness and HP = 60/120

Oerthblood, (a magical alloy mixed into the pure ore obdurium) further doubles hardness and one and a half times the hp = 120/180. Furthermore, Oerthblood also reduces the enchantment cost and time by 25%

So no, mithral is far far far from the strongest metal!

[Vrock Bait]

Not true, they just have really good PR.

As for the blade, I believe uranium is the traditional material we are supposed to reply with.

I believe he was referencing a copypasta meme. Can I sig this?

[eyebreaker7]

Maybe dude wants to have a sword that looks bad to the bone?

I was actually thinking of a bone handle but how would I make it strong enough not to break? Would that just happen when enchanted or would there be something specific I would need to do? And yes it is just for looks no other reason. Just to be different.


thanks for the pages note in the DMG RNightstalker



Fulgurite! That's the word I was looking for!

So, take some sand to the Arctic North, or to the elemental plane of cold or whatever. Control Weather to get lightning to strike the sand. Magic it to ice. Forge into katana.

No real statistical benefits, just coolness.
Maybe a poly any item spell to shape it? :)

[RNightstalker]

The strongest metal in the whole D&D 3.5 is Oerthblooded Pure Ore Obdurium!

Obdurium has Hardness and HP: 30/60 per inch of thickness.

Get it in Pure Ore form, meaning the purest form of the metal, doubles the hardness and HP = 60/120

Oerthblood, (a magical alloy mixed into the pure ore obdurium) further doubles hardness and one and a half times the hp = 120/180. Furthermore, Oerthblood also reduces the enchantment cost and time by 25%

So no, mithral is far far far from the strongest metal!

Got a source?

[Max Caysey]

Got a source?

Obdurium is from Stronghold Builders Guidebook

Pure Ore version is from Dragon magazine #347

Oerthblood is from Dragon Magazine #351

[Gavinfoxx]

That sort of folding only makes a katana the finest blades known to mankind.

Dwarves and elves ought to retain access to even better blades.

Oh my god, it's a real Katana fanboy in the wild!

I thought they went extinct!

[daremetoidareyo]

I mean, id rather make my katana out of the raw dream ore of a sleeping redcap, but everyone's gots their thing

[eyebreaker7]

Fulgurite! That's the word I was looking for!

So, take some sand to the Arctic North, or to the elemental plane of cold or whatever. Control Weather to get lightning to strike the sand. Magic it to ice. Forge into katana.

No real statistical benefits, just coolness.

Would that actually work? Doing that and then a poly any item? But would it be strong enough to use? "just coolness" I see what you did there. Bet it wasn't even intentional?

[RNightstalker]

Obdurium is from Stronghold Builders Guidebook

Pure Ore version is from Dragon magazine #347

Oerthblood is from Dragon Magazine #351

So I guess the only way to calculate price on Obdurium is calculate how many pounds go into the weapon you're crafting?

[Max Caysey]

So I guess the only way to calculate price on Obdurium is calculate how many pounds go into the weapon you're crafting?

Well Pure Ore cost +400gp per lbs of item in question and Oerthblood cost +6000gp... Obdurium cost twise of what adamantine costs.

So a Katana made from Oerthblooded Pure Ore Obdurium would cost 335+6000+6000+2400=14735gp. And thats without any enchantments! Make sure to have it be Dwarvencrafted too!

[eyebreaker7]

Obdurium is from Stronghold Builders Guidebook


Hardness and HP: 30/60 per inch of thickness.? What exactly is the "per inch of thickness"? A sword isn't even 1 inch thick. I think I'm misunderstanding here. Someone please explain?


Make sure to have it be Dwarvencrafted too!


Why? Does it make a difference?

[Max Caysey]

Hardness and HP: 30/60 per inch of thickness.? What exactly is the "per inch of thickness"? A sword isn't even 1 inch thick. I think I'm misunderstanding here. Someone please explain?

Find a bastard swords Hardness and HP stats. You'll see it has 10/10. So steel has 10/ 30 Hardness and Hp. So a Katana would have hardness 120, hitpoints 60.



Why? Does it make a difference?

Yes it makes it even stronger! Look it up!

[Gavinfoxx]

Make sure to add some castings of Hardening on it too!

[eyebreaker7]

Yes it makes it even stronger! Look it up!

Can you point me toward where to look please? My google-fu is lacking.



Well Pure Ore cost +400gp per lbs of item in question and Oerthblood cost +6000gp... Obdurium cost twise of what adamantine costs.

So a Katana made from Oerthblooded Pure Ore Obdurium would cost 335+6000+6000+2400=14735gp. And thats without any enchantments! Make sure to have it be Dwarvencrafted too!


Also, did I calculate this weapon right?
14,735 gp (base price)
+8000 = holy (+2 price modifier)
+18,000 = upgrading to thundering (+1 price modifier)
+72,000 = enchanted to +3 (+3 price modifier)
112,735 = total gp cost

[Vizzerdrix]

I believe he was referencing a copypasta meme. Can I sig this?

As you wish.

[RNightstalker]

14,735 gp (base price)
+8000 = holy (+2 price modifier)
+18,000 = upgrading to thundering (+1 price modifier)
+72,000 = enchanted to +3 (+3 price modifier)
112,735 = total gp cost

It needs to become a magic weapon before you can add magical enchantments on it. So:
14735-Base
+2000-(+1)
+16000-Holy (+3 total)
+14000-Thundering (+4 total)
+40000-(+1->+3, +6 total)
86735 total if my math didn't fail me

[Kelb_Panthera]

Make the whole thing out of riverine from stormwrack. It's outright indestructible unless the foe can muster up a disintegrate, sphere of annihiliation, or rod of cancellation.

For the cool factor, it's ultra-high pressure water sandwiched between planes of non-magical force.

[Saintheart]

Make the whole thing out of riverine from stormwrack. It's outright indestructible unless the foe can muster up a disintegrate, sphere of annihiliation, or rod of cancellation.

For the cool factor, it's ultra-high pressure water sandwiched between planes of non-magical force.

Too bad your DM then has a legitimate basis upon which to say that every spell you cast on it fails. :smallbiggrin:

[Max Caysey]

Can you point me toward where to look please? My google-fu is lacking.



Well Pure Ore cost +400gp per lbs of item in question and Oerthblood cost +6000gp... Obdurium cost twise of what adamantine costs.

So a Katana made from Oerthblooded Pure Ore Obdurium would cost 335+6000+6000+2400=14735gp. And thats without any enchantments! Make sure to have it be Dwarvencrafted too!


Also, did I calculate this weapon right?
14,735 gp (base price)
+8000 = holy (+2 price modifier)
+18,000 = upgrading to thundering (+1 price modifier)
+72,000 = enchanted to +3 (+3 price modifier)
112,735 = total gp cost

Dwarvencrafted is in Races of Stone, page 159, it doubles the price for masterwork to 600. So the base price of the weapon would be: 15.035

The weapon needs to have a minimum of +1 enchantment, before you pile on other enchantments. So the weapon in question would at least be a +7. Remember that the Oerthblood alloy reduces the time and cost (including exp) of enchanting to 75% of normal. So thats quite a hefty reduction!

Your +7 weapon (if you only make it +1) costs 113.035gp. Now since its made with Oerthblood. Take the cost of a normal +7 weapon = 98.000x0.75 = 73.500gp + the base cost of 15035 for a total cost= 88.535gp.

I just want to say that there are quite a few things more you could do. Could make it Razor-Sharp (DR#358), folded metal (DR#358), and if you allow 3rd party, laminated and serrated too... from Mercenaries, by Monte Cook.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Too bad your DM then has a legitimate basis upon which to say that every spell you cast on it fails. :smallbiggrin:

No it doesn't. It's a non-magical object, same as a weapon made of any other material. That's just a GM being d-bag and not banning the material in the first place when he doesn't want it or just being a troll that cares more about amusing himself than providing a good game. Either way it's nonsense and you should instantly call him on it.

[Buufreak]

+5 hellforged dwarvencraft oerthblood pure ore obdurium folded metal greatsword with a blood groove, augmented with matter manipulation, hardening, & augment object with a greater crystal of adamant weaponry slotted in. I believe it has 296 hardness and deserves animate object to be cast on it.

Blood groove & folded metal are in dragon 358, oerthblood in 351, and pure ore in 347.

From a thread last year. If you are wanting to go through all the bs of making a weapon as redonks as possible, this is the way to go about it.

Also to squash the super powerful bestest best weapon argument, tamahagane is what they traditionally use in a katana, and the folding process is used solely to remove (but more accurately) spread out and make even the impurities in the metal. They also have a raw iron core to reduce snapping tendencies.

[Nifft]

Oh my god, it's a real Katana fanboy in the wild!

I thought they went extinct! *teleports behind you* Nothing personnel, kid.


From a thread last year. If you are wanting to go through all the bs of making a weapon as redonks as possible, this is the way to go about it.

Also to squash the super powerful bestest best weapon argument, tamahagane is what they traditionally use in a katana, and the folding process is used solely to remove (but more accurately) spread out and make even the impurities in the metal. They also have a raw iron core to reduce snapping tendencies.

Raw Iron is basically Cold Iron but even more vegan, so clearly all katanas should penetrate that kind of DR in addition to whatever other funky stuff they can do.

[Fizban]

No it doesn't. It's a non-magical object, same as a weapon made of any other material.

Being enclosed in magical force
Defending Riverine is like trying to stand your ground in smooth leather boots on a muddy slope in a rainstorm.

That's just a GM being d-bag and not banning the material in the first place when he doesn't want it
The proper call should be for them not to have allowed it in the first place, because a ban is more accurately something removed only after existing and being noticed as a problem. Even the most stringent of DMs should have noticed by now that the usual expectation is all 1st party material, and that if they tell people a book is available, those people will write down anything they want out of the book without even mentioning it. If you want to snipe at DMs for banning or not banning things you like, you should be fighting to make them stop saying "everything's allowed" first.

[Vizzerdrix]

Defending Riverine is like trying to stand your ground in smooth leather boots on a muddy slope in a rainstorm.

Messy, but fun?

[Fizban]

Messy, but fun?
Mostly impossible and you end up looking foolish for trying, but I suppose one might have fun with it :smalltongue:

[Max Caysey]

From a thread last year. If you are wanting to go through all the bs of making a weapon as redonks as possible, this is the way to go about it.

Also to squash the super powerful bestest best weapon argument, tamahagane is what they traditionally use in a katana, and the folding process is used solely to remove (but more accurately) spread out and make even the impurities in the metal. They also have a raw iron core to reduce snapping tendencies.

Don’t forget razor-sharp, for that extra +1 dam!

[eyebreaker7]

Dwarvencrafted is in Races of Stone, page 159, it doubles the price for masterwork to 600. So the base price of the weapon would be: 15.035

Your +7 weapon (if you only make it +1) costs 113.035gp. Now since its made with Oerthblood. Take the cost of a normal +7 weapon = 98.000x0.75 = 73.500gp + the base cost of 15035 for a total cost= 88.535gp.

Thanks for pointing me to the info.
If it's only +1 with the other stuff added after (or can it all be done at once?), why is it considered +7? I thought it was a +6 if it was made into a +3 weapon?
+3 for being a +3 weapon,
holy +2,
thundering +1?

[Max Caysey]

Thanks for pointing me to the info.
If it's only +1 with the other stuff added after (or can it all be done at once?), why is it considered +7? I thought it was a +6 if it was made into a +3 weapon?
+3 for being a +3 weapon,
holy +2,
thundering +1?

It can all be added, and yes it’s +6 I’m bad at reading ha ha

[Willie the Duck]

Also to squash the super powerful bestest best weapon argument, tamahagane is what they traditionally use in a katana, and the folding process is used solely to remove (but more accurately) spread out and make even the impurities in the metal. They also have a raw iron core to reduce snapping tendencies.

And folding 1000 times would leave you with garbage, as more of a good thing isn't actually better. Although in that case, it probably was originally supposed to be 1000 layers (from 10 folds, for 2^10=1024 layers).

I think the heyday of annoying katana fanboyism is over, and anyone still asking the questions is likely trying to fit-to-theme, rather than purely wowed by the mystique.

[eyebreaker7]

Well Pure Ore cost +400gp per lbs of item in question and Oerthblood cost +6000gp... Obdurium cost twise of what adamantine costs.

So a Katana made from Oerthblooded Pure Ore Obdurium would cost 335+6000+6000+2400=14735gp. And thats without any enchantments! Make sure to have it be Dwarvencrafted too!
15,100 base (Dwarvencrafter katana = 1000 + 6000+6000 (what is this from?) + 2400 (price of ore)
+1000 (Dwarvencraft katana)
+6000 (Oerthblood ???)
+6000 (Oerthblood ???)
+2400 (Pure Ore Obdurium???)
= 15100

15,400 base
+3 = 18,000 (x0.75=13,500)
+2 holy = (+5 total) 50,000 (x0.75=37,500)
+1 thundering (+6 total) 72,000 (x0.75=54,000)
= 69,100 (total if made all at once, not through upgrading step by step at a later time?


???
Is this cost if I make it myself or if I have someone else do it?
I keep doing the math wrong.

[Buufreak]

Although in that case, it probably was originally supposed to be 1000 layers (from 10 folds, for 2^10=1024 layers).


Yes to the layers, but not necessarily 10 folds. The method of forming the billet can start you with anywhere from 1 to 5 layers, depending on how much starting material is used and the blade master's stacking preference. So let's call it at most 10 folds, but I can see it being as few as 7ish, 8ish.

The big issue with doing this is oxidation. Everytime you heat the metal, then split and fold it, you run the serious risk of a cold shut, which is the term used when the metal doesn't completely meld together in the forging process. These pockets are drastic weak points in any blade, not just a katana, and what starts as a tiny delamination or crack can be catastrophic with only a single swing.

Truth be told, after learning to smith and seeing the absolute headache it can be dealing with the dozens of issues that arise, I can see why masterwork costs so damn much, even before considering special materials.

[Willie the Duck]

Yes to the layers, but not necessarily 10 folds. The method of forming the billet can start you with anywhere from 1 to 5 layers, depending on how much starting material is used and the blade master's stacking preference. So let's call it at most 10 folds, but I can see it being as few as 7ish, 8ish.

I meant the myth/legend. Someone said that it was folded many times, leading to hundreds or thousands of layers, and that evolved (as stories do) into the number of instances of folding being hundreds to thousands.

[Buufreak]

I meant the myth/legend. Someone said that it was folded many times, leading to hundreds or thousands of layers, and that evolved (as stories do) into the number of instances of folding being hundreds to thousands.

I get that. I'm just here to fully and totally demystify.

[Glimbur]

The big issue with doing this is oxidation. Everytime you heat the metal, then split and fold it, you run the serious risk of a cold shut, which is the term used when the metal doesn't completely meld together in the forging process. These pockets are drastic weak points in any blade, not just a katana, and what starts as a tiny delamination or crack can be catastrophic with only a single swing.

That's easy to prevent, just make the sword in an area with no oxygen. I suggest space. How to heat it and manipulate it are left as exercises for the reader.

[Keltest]

I read somewhere "Adamant is one of the hardest substances known, but it is also brittle. A sword made of adamant could slice through most metals but would snap off if struck by another blade or even a smartly wielded wooden cudgel."
That's about ADAMANT not adamantite.
Adamantine
This alloy, of five-eighths adamant to two-eighths silver and one-eighth electrum (itself a natural alloy of silver and gold) retains the hardness of adamant, but combines it with a rugged durability that makes adamantine so hard to shatter that it is the favored substance for the making of war hammer heads, the best nonmithral armor, and harbor chains.

So my mistake.

Im surprised nobody has mentioned this yet, but "Adamant" as opposed to adamantine, is literally diamonds. Adamantine, as a metal, is totally unrelated. And you cant alloy diamonds with anything, as its not a metal.

[Willie the Duck]

That's easy to prevent, just make the sword in an area with no oxygen. I suggest space. How to heat it and manipulate it are left as exercises for the reader.

If you have the technology to do that, homogenizing the carbon content of your steel probably has been a solved problem.

[Nifft]

If you have the technology to do that, homogenizing the carbon content of your steel probably has been a solved problem.

We're in magical D&D land though.

There were oD&D trap rooms which imposed a vacuum, supplied maintenance-free frictionless surfaces, and so forth.

When we find ourselves in D&D, we have some absurd technology at our disposal.

But somehow we still hit things with swords.

[RNightstalker]

When we find ourselves in D&D, we have some absurd technology at our disposal.

But somehow we still hit things with swords.

Best line I've seen in the playground in a while!

[Khedrac]

You can make the weapon stupidly tough using obdurium, but as a weapon material adamantine is better - it goes through some DR and ignores some hardness.
That said, don't make it adamantine, make it Green Star Metal - same stats as adamantine, but deals an extra 1d6 damage to any creature not on its home plane (i.e. extraplanar creatures) - it's improved adamantine.

Check with your DM whether all the various substance treatments are available - many DMs don't use Dragon Magazine, Oerthblood is specifically from Geryhawk, but I think some of the other options suggested are from Faerun (Forgotten Realms) books. Some of the others are from DMG2 (again not all DMs use) or Unearthed Arcana (optional rules). Again, the A&EG is 3.0 so will need DM's approval for the 3.5 conversion.
Actually this goes for all the suggestions.

Generally, if it is available, a casting a greater magic weapon replaces the need for the weapon to be more than +1 (get the caster a metamagic rod of chain spell to do all the party's weapons in one cast). It is generally thought better to use this and put more + equivalent enchantments on a weapon.

Next, don't forget the fixed cost enchantments - probably the most important one for any primary weapon is everbright (MIC p34) which makes a metal weapon immune to rusting, corrosion and acid attacks for the bargain price of 2,000gp.

If Holy as an enchantment is too expensive, check out Sacred which is only +1 not +2, unfortunately (unless you have a VERY kind DM) you cannot upgrade one into the other.

As for the decorative materials (hilt and guard and inlays) there's a good chance that if you keep these purely descriptive, then they can be counted as part of the mastercraft nature of your weapon.

Oh yes, check out Dungeonscape for other non-magical modification (hollow hilt, wand chamber etc.) but I would use a weapon capsule retainer (Complete Arcane) not an oil chamber.

As for cost - the listed book price of magical enchantments is the normal price to buy, making it costs half that amount plus experience.

[Max Caysey]

You can make the weapon stupidly tough using obdurium, but as a weapon material adamantine is better - it goes through some DR and ignores some hardness.

In stronghold Builders Guidebook, its says under obdurium, "Treat weapons and armor crafted from obdurium as adamantine" I take that to mean obdurium too goes through hardness 20

[eyebreaker7]

Can you use a Limited Wish[I] to construct a fairly complex weapon? I've gotten so screwed up in this how ordeal about what to make the weapon out of that I've mixed in/up TWO weapons I'd like to make. The one with the special ore would be a great sword with essentially 4 blades and guard so it looks like an X if you look at it from either end of the sword. Now I don't know HOW else you could make such a weapon but I'm no smithing expert either. I just imagine it's not possible. Hence using a [I]Limited Wish[I] to create the sword. After that it would be enchanted the normal way not with a [I]Limited Wish[I] or similar magics.
Also I'd be using the [I]Limited Wish from my bonus spell slot for being a Chosen of Mystra. Being that he's only 8th level would he have to wait for the appropriet level to gain the bonus spells just like normal spells and their level?
Another question would be if it could be half alchemical silver and half cold iron? Like making a dual ended weapon with each end being different.


The OTHER weapon is the katana I first started talking about. The one with the blade made that looks like ice with electricity in and over the blade. How would I make the blade so that it looks like it is made out of ice? Someone mentioned creating it out of glass? Then maybe Poly Any Item on it to shape it?
THAT one would be the one I'd like to make the special hilt out of a creature bone. Don't know what creature or what bone. Don't even know if that's possible to be strong enough. This hilt is also the one that would have the roaring lion's head for a pommel/end. So that would have to be considered as well.

I've totally ditched the Spellfire blade by the way. I don't see how it could be made if I don't have the Spellfire ability.

Sorry for all this confusion. We're trying to get back into the game after a few years off. 3.5 is the edition we seem most familiar with and like the most. 4th is OK I guess and we've never tried 5th. Plus we don't have the money for 4th or 5th edition books. We already have some 3.0 & 3.5

[tyckspoon]

The OTHER weapon is the katana I first started talking about. The one with the blade made that looks like ice with electricity in and over the blade. How would I make the blade so that it looks like it is made out of ice? Someone mentioned creating it out of glass? Then maybe Poly Any Item on it to shape it?
THAT one would be the one I'd like to make the special hilt out of a creature bone. Don't know what creature or what bone. Don't even know if that's possible to be strong enough. This hilt is also the one that would have the roaring lion's head for a pommel/end. So that would have to be considered as well.


Honestly you can just.. say it looks like that. It's magic, it don't gotta have an explanation - you only really need a special material if you want it to have special effects beyond just looking neat. But if you really want an ice blade (or one that can reasonably look like it), there's a good handful of possible materials. Frostburn offers Blue Ice, which is literally just magical everfrozen ice that can be used like iron. Expanded Psionics Handbook has crystal/deep crystal (Deep Crystal is only of interest if you're psionic), which again is basically just a "it's steel but you have an excuse for it to look different" material. Glassteel (latest version appears to be Champions of Valor) is just transparent steel, and could potentially be shaped and tinted to give the appearance you want.

There's literally hundreds of creatures scattered through D&D books that could provide a bone suitable to become a handle. Pick one that sounds nifty, go with it. Doesn't have to be inherently sturdy enough to support inserting a blade into it, the magical weapon enhancement process reinforces it (explicitly by RAW - magical weapons have increased hardness and HP, and there's no distinction between the blade and the hilt.)

[Asmotherion]

before I give your answer I have a question. are you interested in game mechanics or an answer on lore perspective? if you are interested what metal to use for a more effective blade, adamantium is probably your answear. Or you could go for a more obscure metal with arcane properties.

If you want lore correct answear, you're looking at steel, and a hilt made of wood.

Finally if you just want the most bad@ss solution, I suggest a hilt made of dragon bone and a gem at the end. Perhaps Cold Iron Or Silver Coating an Adamantium Blade if you want to give a more "monster hunter" feel to the blade.

[eyebreaker7]

I'm looking at the silver vs lycanthropes and some demons and the cold iron for devils. Or the other way around. I was so caught up in making it super strong I didn't consider what it would be used for. Lycans are our main concern right now. Demons/devils are a little ways off still.

If this link works it will give you a bad paint/drawing of what the one sword, not the katana obviously, looks kinda like.

https://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e350/Valygar_Corthala/sword%20drawing_zpsui4ngbyc.jpeg

[InvisibleBison]

Can you use a [I]Limited Wish[I] to construct a fairly complex weapon?

Maybe, but you'll have to ask your DM to be sure. Limited wish can duplicate any sorcerer/wizard spell of up to 6th level, or "Produce any other effect whose power level is in line with the above effects", i.e. an effect as powerful as a 6th level spell. Fabricate, which lets you create complex items from raw materials, is a 5th level spell, but only lets you create items made entirely out of one material. You could argue that removing that restriction increases the power of the effect to that of a 6th level spell, which is still within limited wish's ability to duplicate.

[Vizzerdrix]

Add a bit of targath to it someplace. Gives +2 fort vs diseases.

[Nifft]

Add a bit of targath to it someplace. Gives +2 fort vs diseases.

That's for the codpiece.

Don't want to give any +2 bonus to people I stab with my katana.

[RNightstalker]

I'm looking at the silver vs lycanthropes and some demons and the cold iron for devils. Or the other way around. I was so caught up in making it super strong I didn't consider what it would be used for. Lycans are our main concern right now. Demons/devils are a little ways off still.

If this link works it will give you a bad paint/drawing of what the one sword, not the katana obviously, looks kinda like.

https://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e350/Valygar_Corthala/sword%20drawing_zpsui4ngbyc.jpeg

There are weapon enchantments that can help with different kinds of DR if you're worried about that. Metalline comes to mind first, from the MIC.

[Max Caysey]

If you are interested what metal to use for a more effective blade, adamantium is probably your answear.

Obdurium has the same DR penetrating qualities as adamantine, exept being harder and more durable... so Obdurium is the best answer!