Blacksmithing
- Special Materials
- Customizations
- Magical Enhancements
Optimizations
Keen
A keen weapon is optimized for striking weak points. It grants bonuses to critical hit rating and critical power.
| Level | Cost | Primary Effect | Secondary Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 gp | +1 crit | When you inflict critical damage, half your critical bonus damage repeats each round (Con ends) |
| 8 | 14 gp | +1 crit, +50% crit power | Critical hits inflict frail (Con ends). |
| 12 | 45 gp | +2 crit, +50% crit power | Repeating critical damage is now 100% of the original critical bonus damage. |
| 16 | 140 gp | +2 crit, +100% crit power | Critical hits can inflict weakened (Con ends) or clumsy (Dex ends) at your option. |
| 20 | 440 gp | +3 crit, +100% crit power | All attacks inflict ongoing damage equal to your normal critical bonus damage, stacking with critical hits (Con ends). |
Mighty
A mighty weapon is heavy, hardened, and optimized for raw power. It grants bonuses to damage and armor penetration.
| Level | Cost | Primary Effect | Secondary Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 gp | +1 hit power, +1 armor penetration | When an enemy successfully parries or blocks your attack, they become unbalanced for 1 round. |
| 8 | 14 gp | +2 hit power, +2 armor penetration | Your successful attacks cause a stacking -2 penalty to the target's Armor rating (resets on short rest). |
| 12 | 45 gp | +3 hit power, +3 armor penetration | All of your attacks cause unbalanced on a hit (Con ends). |
| 16 | 140 gp | +4 hit power, +4 armor penetration | Your armor reduction increases to -4. Also, when you reduce a target's armor to 0 (or score a hit on anyone who already had 0), they become vulnerable to all physical damage. |
| 20 | 440 gp | +5 hit power, +5 armor penetration | Half of your damage ignores parry and block; against targets with 0 armor, all of your damage ignores parry and block. |
Swift
A swift weapon is optimized for speed and precision. It grants bonuses to attack rolls and parry checks.
| Level | Cost | Primary Effect | Secondary Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 gp | +1 hit, +1 parry | Bonus parry attempt each round without expending reaction |
| 8 | 14 gp | +2 hit, +2 parry | When you score a hit or successfully parry, gain 50% haste for 1 round (stacks and refreshes). |
| 12 | 45 gp | +3 hit, +3 parry | Choose one target as a free action; you gain unlimited parry attempts against them without spending a reaction. |
| 16 | 140 gp | +4 hit, +4 parry | Haste bonus increases to 100%. |
| 20 | 440 gp | +5 hit, +5 parry | Parry never requires a reaction. |
Special Materials
Rank 1
Mithral
Light and flexible, but still strong. Same punch as steel at half the weight.
Pure mithril is usually found in certain types of white sand, although some have found somewhat pure veins in the earth. It can be forged into weapons and armor in its pure form, but it quite difficult and the secret is known to few. However, even in its unrefined form, it can be mixed with bronze, making it stronger, yet lighter, and giving it a characteristic pattern similar to Damascus steel. It appears to oxidize the bronze, revealing its blue-green color, but this is a stable state that does not degrade the material.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Weapon | 3 | 2 gp | +1 hit, +1 crit |
| Heavy Weapon | 5 | 5.5 gp | +1 hit power, +2 armor penetration |
| Light Armor | 4 | 3 gp | No armor penalties |
| Heavy Armor | 6 | 8 gp | Penalties count as light armor |
Cold Iron
Damned hard to forge, harms outsiders readily.
Iron is a special material, with cosmic significance. Draconic astronomers say that the stars have hearts of iron--seemingly preposterous, but perhaps dragons know better--and that iron is the fundamental material of the universe. This may be so, for in its pure form, iron is inherently harmful to all extraplanar creatures. However, heat degrades this property of iron, so to retain it, the iron must be cold-forged. This requires special equipment and training, and quite understandably, is very labor-intensive.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 4 | 3 gp | Extraplanar creatures are vulnerable to its damage. |
| Armor | 6 | 8 gp | Extraplanar creatures have disadvantage on natural and unarmed attacks against you, and contacting you causes medium internal damage per instance. |
Silver
Good for killing monsters, bad vs armor.
Silver is a noble metal, prized for its beauty and rarity. It is also a powerful material for crafting weapons, as it is inherently harmful to creatures that are impure, or ignoble, as so many monsters are. Of course, silver is not normally prized for its hardness or durability. Typical silver weapons have an iron core with silver plating, which lends durability, but the silver degrades quickly when used against armor meant for iron. Not unexpectedly, maintaining silver weapons and armor is a costly endeavor.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 4 | 3 gp | Creatures that are monstrous are vulnerable to its damage. |
| Armor | 6 | 8 gp | Creatures that are monstrous have disadvantage on natural and unarmed attacks against you, and contacting you causes medium internal damage per instance. |
Obsidian
Sharp and brittle, but can be reforged with magic.
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass that has been used for crafting weapons and tools for thousands of years. It is known for its sharpness and brittleness, which can make it a dangerous material to work with. However, skilled artisans can use magic to reinforce obsidian, making it more durable and less likely to shatter. Obsidian weapons are prized for their ability to inflict deep wounds, while obsidian armor can provide excellent protection against slashing attacks.
Natural Obsidian
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 4 | 3 gp | +1 crit rating. On hit, half damage repeats as internal damage each round (Con ends). Subject gains resistance to healing until the internal damage ends. On a critical miss, the weapon shatters and becomes unusable until repaired. |
| Armor | 6 | 8 gp | TBD |
| Shield | 4 | 3 gp | This is a very bad idea. |
Magically Reinforced Obsidian
Same as natural obsidian, but the weapon or armor is magically reinforced to prevent shattering. This increases level by 4. Thus:
Rank 2
Frosteel
Always cold to the touch, and can freeze things on contact.
Frosteel is a magical material that is said to be the essence of winter itself. It is found in the coldest and most desolate places, such as the peaks of the tallest mountains or the depths of the frozen tundra. Frosteel is prized for its unique properties, which include being perpetually cold to the touch and having the ability to freeze things on contact. Weapons made from frosteel can inflict frostbite on their targets, while armor made from frosteel can provide resistance to cold damage and even freeze attackers on contact.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 8 | 14 gp | On hit suffers chilled (Con ends). Gain +4 critical range against chilled targets (+8 vs rooted). |
| Armor | 10 | 26 gp | When an enemy hits you with a melee attack, they suffer chilled (Con ends). Gain +4 critical range against chilled targets (+8 vs rooted). Grants resistance to cold damage. |
| Shield | 8 | 14 gp | Same effect as armor. Resistance stacks with armor. |
Special: if you strike a frosteel weapon against a frosteel armor or shield, a burst of frost erupts from the point of contact, causing the weapon's damage as cold damage to enemies in a burst 2, and inflicting chilled (Con ends). Recharge 33%, std action.
Infernal Iron
Everburning, and smells of brimstone.
Infernal iron is a rare and exotic material that is said to be forged in the fiery depths of the Nine Hells. It is a dark, reddish-black metal that is perpetually hot to the touch and emits a faint smell of brimstone. Infernal iron is prized for its unique properties, which include being resistant to fire damage and having the ability to burn things on contact. Weapons made from infernal iron can inflict burns on their targets, while armor made from infernal iron can provide resistance to fire damage and even burn attackers on contact.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 8 | 14 gp | On hit, half the damage repeats as fire damage each round (Dex ends). |
| Armor | 10 | 26 gp | When an enemy hits you with a melee attack, they suffer fire damage equal to half the damage they just dealt, plus same ongoing (Dex ends). Grants resistance to fire damage. |
| Shield | 8 | 14 gp | Same effect as armor. Resistance stacks with armor. |
Special: if you strike an infernal iron weapon against an infernal iron armor or shield, a burst of flame erupts from the point of contact, causing the weapon's damage as fire damage to enemies in a burst 2, plus same ongoing (Dex ends). Recharge 33%, std action.
Skyforged Steel
Thunder echoes when it strikes, and it can call down lightning.
Skyforged steel is a rare and magical material that is said to be imbued with the power of storms. It is a silvery-blue metal that crackles with electricity and emits a faint hum of thunder. Skyforged steel is prized for its unique properties, which include being able to channel lightning and thunder. Weapons made from skyforged steel can call down lightning on their targets, while armor made from skyforged steel can provide resistance to lightning damage and even shock attackers on contact.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 8 | 14 gp | On hit, a lightning bolt strikes the target, causing stun 1 rd (Con negates; on success, take half weapon damage as additional lightning damage). |
| Armor | 10 | 26 gp | When an enemy hits you with a melee attack, they suffer stun 1 rd (Con negates; on success, take half weapon damage as additional lightning damage). Grants resistance to lightning damage. |
| Shield | 8 | 14 gp | Same effect as armor. Resistance stacks with armor. |
Special: if you strike a skyforged weapon against a skyforged armor or shield, a close burst 2 of thunder erupts from the point of contact, causing the weapon's damage as sonic lightning damage to enemies and stunning them 1 rd (Con negates; on success, they are pushed back 5 squares). Recharge 33%, std action.
Rank 3
Darksteel
Unbreakable, and can cut through nearly anything.
Adamantite ore is an extremely heavy, dull-black ore that is found deep underground, often in the vicinity of powerful ley lines. The secret of purifying it is legendary, but less fantastic is the process of pulverizing the ore and mixing it with steel, which produces a material that is much stronger than normal steel, and has a characteristic dark gray color. Darksteel is prized for its incredible durability and ability to hold an edge, making it an ideal material for crafting weapons and armor. Weapons made from darksteel can cut through nearly anything, while armor made from darksteel can provide unparalleled protection against physical damage.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 12 | 45 gp | Ignores armor bonuses to AC, and any natural or armor-granted resistance. Never needs to be sharpened or repaired. |
| Armor | 14 | 80 gp | Grants resistance to all physical damage. |
| Shield | 12 | 45 gp | Double block rating. |
Note: all of these advantages are negated when opposing pure adamantium.
Truesilver
Shines with a light of its own, and reflects everything, even magic.
Pure mithril can be worked into weapons and armor, but it surprisingly poor at both. It is very light, but deforms too readily, and the lack of weight hurts weapons more than it helps. However, when mithril is alloyed with steel and several other catalysts, it produces a corrosion-resistant steel that can be polished to a mirror finish, and has a characteristic silvery sheen. This material is known as truesilver, and it is prized for its unique properties, which include being able to reflect magic and light. Weapons made from truesilver can reflect spells back at their casters, while armor made from truesilver can provide resistance to magical damage and even reflect spells back at attackers on contact.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 12 | 45 gp | You can use the Parry reaction against targeted spells or area spells centered on you; on success, the spell is reflected back at its caster using your Parry result as the DC. |
| Armor | 14 | 80 gp | Gain resistance to all magical damage. Any targeted spell or area spell centered on you is reflected back at its caster if the attack did not beat your AC. |
| Shield | 12 | 45 gp | Gain resistance to all magical damage. Any blocked magical damage is reflected back at its caster. |
Diamond
The hardest substance in existence, and an ideal channel for all magical energies.
Diamond is a naturally occurring mineral that is formed deep within the Earth's mantle under extreme pressure and heat. It is the hardest known substance, but too brittle in its natural state to be used for crafting weapons or armor. However, when diamond is infused with magic, it becomes incredibly durable and can be used to create some of the most powerful weapons and armor in existence. Not only prized for its hardness, diamond is also an ideal channel for magical energies, making it ideal to be paired with magical means of damage.
| Applied To | Level | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | 12 | 45 gp | +2 crit, +100% crit power, +4 armor penetration. Any energy-damage spell can be cast into it, and stored therein, releasing itself when the weapon hits, inflicting its normal effect in addition to the weapon's normal damage. |
| Armor | 14 | 80 gp | Grants resistance to all damage from lesser materials. Any energy-based spell can be cast into it, granting resistance to that damage type until swapped out for another energy type, or until a long rest. |
| Shield | 12 | 45 gp | When blocking energy attacks, the blocked energy is absorbed into the shield, granting resistance to that damage type. You can, at your option, release the absorbed energy either with a shield bash, or as a reaction when hit by a melee attack, inflicting the absorbed energy damage to the target that hit your shield. |
Rank 4
- Force: made of invisible force, can arrest momentum effortlessly, and can strike with the weight of a falling mountain.
- Void: made of absolute nothingness, absorbs all it touches.
- Light: made of pure light, it blinds and sears with its brilliance, and can penetrate any defense.
Rank 5
- Prismatic: made of every color of magic, its overlapping traits make it unpredictable and powerful.
- Adamantium: the legendary unbreakable metal, it is said to be forged in the heart of a dying star, and can cut through anything except itself.
- Time: a paradoxical material that exists outside of time, it can strike with the weight of ages, and can even reverse time for a target on hit.