Weapons and armor can be crafted using materials that possess innate special properties. If you make a suit of armor or weapon out of more than one special material, you get the benefit of only the most prevalent material. However, you can build a double weapon with each head made of a different special material.

Each of the special materials described below has a definite game effect. Some creatures have damage reduction making them resistant to all but a special type of damage, such as that dealt by evil-aligned weapons or bludgeoning weapons. Others are vulnerable to weapons of a particular material. Characters may choose to carry several different types of weapons, depending upon the types of creatures they most commonly encounter.

Special Materials (from Paizo)

Adamantine

Mined from rocks that fell from the heavens, this ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon or suit of armor.

Weapons Weapons fashioned from adamantine have a natural ability to bypass hardness when sundering weapons or attacking objects, ignoring hardness less than 20.

Armor Armor made from adamantine grants its wearer damage reduction of 1/— if it's light armor, 2/— if it's medium armor, and 3/— if it's heavy armor. Adamantine is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given. Thus, adamantine weapons and ammunition have a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and the armor check penalty of adamantine armor is lessened by 1 compared to ordinary armor of its type. Items without metal parts cannot be made from adamantine. An arrow could be made of adamantine, but a quarterstaff could not.

HP/inch 40. Weapons and armor normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have one-third more hit points than normal.

Hardness 20

Cost Adamantine is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given.

Type of Adamantine Item	Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition	+60 gp per missile
Light armor	+5,000 gp
Medium armor	+10,000 gp
Heavy armor	+15,000 gp
Weapon	+3,000 gp

Bone

Source: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat

Bone can be used in place of wood and steel in weapons and armor. Other animal-based materials like horn, shell, and ivory also use the rules for bone weapon and armor. The cost of a bone weapon or bone armor is half the price of a normal weapon or armor of its type.

Weapons Light and one-handed melee weapons, as well as two-handed weapons that deal bludgeoning damage only, can be crafted from bone. Hafted two-handed weapons such as spears can be crafted with bone tips, as can arrowheads. Other two-handed weapons cannot be constructed of bone. Bone weapons have half the hardness of their base weapons and have the fragile weapon quality. Masterwork bone weapons also have the fragile quality, but magic bone weapons do not. Bone weapons take a –2 penalty on damage rolls (minimum 1 damage).

Armor Studded leather, scale mail, breastplates, and wooden shields can all be constructed using bone. Bone either replaces the metal components of the armor, or in the case of wooden shields, large pieces of bone or shell replace the wood.

Bone armor has a hardness of 5 and has the fragile armor quality. Masterwork bone armor also has the fragile quality, but magic bone armor does not. The armor/shield bonus of bone armor is reduced by 1, but in the case of studded leather, the armor check penalty is also reduced by 1 (to 0).

Bronze

Source: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat

Before the advent of iron and steel, bronze ruled the world. This easily worked metal can be used in place of steel for both weapons and armor.

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

Weapons Light and one-handed weapons can be crafted from bronze. Likewise, spear points, arrowheads, and axe heads can be crafted from bronze, even those that are parts of two-handed weapons. Bronze is too weak to be used for two-handed weapons made entirely out of metal, and cannot typically be used to craft polearms, with the exception of the rhomphaia, which is provided in the section on Bronze Age equipment.

Bronze weapons have the hardness of their base weapons but also have the fragile quality. Bronze weapons do the same damage as steel weapons of the same type, and have the same cost and weight.

Armor Bronze can be used to create any medium or light armor made entirely of metal or that has metal components. It protects a creature as well as steel armor does, but it has the fragile quality. Bronze armor has the same cost and weight as normal steel armor of its type. Bronze armor has a hardness of 9.

Darkwood

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

Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow or spear) made from darkwood is considered a masterwork item and weighs only half as much as a normal wooden item of that type. Items not normally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battleaxe or a mace) either cannot be made from darkwood or do not gain any special benefit from being made of darkwood. The armor check penalty of a darkwood shield is lessened by 2 compared to an ordinary shield of its type.

HP/inch 10

Hardness 5

Cost To determine the price of a darkwood item, use the original weight but add 10 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item.

Dragonhide

Armorsmiths can work with the hides of dragons to produce armor or shields of masterwork quality.

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

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

HP/inch 10 (hide of a dragon is typically between 1/2 inch and 1 inch thick).

Hardness 10

Cost Dragonhide armor costs twice as much as masterwork armor of the same type, but it takes no longer to make than ordinary armor of that type (double all Craft results). If the armor or shield is later given the ability to protect the wearer against that energy type, the cost to add such protection is reduced by 25%.

Gold

Source: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat

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

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

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

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

Iron, Cold

This iron, mined deep underground and known for its effectiveness against demons and fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties.

Items without metal parts cannot be made from cold iron. An arrow could be made of cold iron, but a quarterstaff could not.

HP/inch 30

Hardness 10

Cost Weapons x2 normal. Add magic enhancement +2,000 gp.

Cost (Longer Wording) "Weapons made of cold iron cost twice as much to make as their normal counterparts. Also, adding any magical enhancements to a cold iron weapon increases its price by 2,000 gp. This increase is applied the first time the item is enhanced, not once per ability added. A double weapon with one cold iron half costs 50% more than normal."

Mithral

Mithral is a very rare silvery, glistening metal that is lighter than steel but just as hard.

When worked like steel, it becomes a wonderful material from which to create armor, and is occasionally used for other items as well. Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. This decrease does not apply to proficiency in wearing the armor. A character wearing mithral full plate must be proficient in wearing heavy armor to avoid adding the armor's check penalty to all his attack rolls and skill checks that involve moving. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonuses are increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased by 3 (to a minimum of 0).

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

HP/inch 30

Hardness 15

Cost Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.

Weight 1/2 normal

Weight (Longer Wording) An item made from mithral weighs half as much as the same item made from other metals. In the case of weapons, this lighter weight does not change a weapon's size category or the ease with which it can be wielded (whether it is light, one-handed, or two-handed).

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

Nexavaran Steel

Source: Pathfinder Chronicles: Faction Guide

Forged by the Mendevian smiths of Nerosyan out of iron and the unique mineral nexavar, this bluish steel strikes true against monsters vulnerable to cold iron (such as demons). Nexavaran steel is otherwise identical to cold iron.

HP/inch 30

Hardness 10

Cost Weapon Normal cost x 1.5 Adding magic enhancements +3,000 gp (see text)

Cost (Longer Wording) Weapons made of nexavaran steel cost 1-1/2 times as much to make as their normal counterparts. This steel is even more delicate than cold iron regarding magical enhancements; adding enhancements to the steel increases its price by 3,000 gp. This increase is applied the first time the item is enhanced, not once per ability added.

Obsidian

Source: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat

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

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

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

Cost 1/2 normal.

Weight 3/4 normal.

Cost/Weight (Longer Wording) "Obsidian weapons cost half of what base items of their type do, and weigh 75% of what base items of their type do."

SerpentStone

Source: Pathfinder Adventure Path #41

A strange substance unique to the precursor alchemies of the ancient serpentfolk, this mystical material was used extensively in the construction and design of Ilmurea. Its ancient Aklo name is lost to time, but modern explorers have dubbed it “serpentstone” after its ophidian creators.

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

Silver, Alchemical

A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes.

On a successful attack with a silvered slashing or piercing weapon, the wielder takes a –1 penalty on the damage roll (with a minimum of 1 point of damage). The alchemical silvering process can't be applied to nonmetal items, and it doesn't work on rare metals such as adamantine, cold iron, and mithral.

HP/inch 10

Hardness 8

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

Silversheen

Source Pathfinder Companion: Qadira, Gateway to the East

Blades made of this special metal count as alchemical silver weapons and are immune to rust, including that of rust monsters, the rusting grasp spell, and so on.

HP/inch 10

Hardness 8

Cost +750 gp.

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

Stone

Source: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat

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

Weapons Light and one-handed bludgeoning weapons, spears, and arrowheads can all be made of stone. Weapons made of stone have half the hardness of their base weapons, and have the fragile condition. Editor's Note: Probably meant to say fragile "quality" not "condition."

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

Cost 1/4 normal.

Weight 3/4 normal.

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

Special Materials (from 3rd Party Publishers)

Ice

Source Luven Lightfinger’s Gear and Treasure Shop.

Though largely unknown outside of arctic and sub-arctic regions, ice can be used to manufacture weapons and shields. The manufacturing process is very different than the normal process for constructing such items, instead relying on the Craft (ice carving) skill (but with the same DCs for creating weapons and shields). Ice weapons can only exist in areas where the temperature remains below the freezing point – if the temperature rises even one degree above freezing, ice weapons and shields begin to melt, losing 2 hp per minute until the item melts away. Ice weapons and shields can be made permanent, capable of surviving temperatures above freezing, by magic and with some alchemical concoctions. Unless so treated, ice weapons and shields suffer 50% more damage from heat and flame (such as a dragon’s breath or a fireball spell).

Ice weapons are virtually ineffective against metal armor, dealing a maximum of 1 hp damage on strikes against foes clad in any type of metal armor. Ice weapons must also make a DC 15 Fortitude save every time they strike metal armor. Failing the save results in the ice weapon shattering. Though ice swords are manufactured, the nature of ice does not allow for a cutting edge, so any ice weapon that normally does slashing damage will do bludgeoning instead (though the amount of damage does not change). Piercing weapons can still pierce effectively. In addition to the normal damage, ice weapons deal an extra 1d3 points of cold damage with each blow and count as Cold weapons for purposes of overcoming damage resistance or for purposes of vulnerability.

Ice shields are very effective against non-metal weapons, performing as a light or heavy wooden shield. However, against metal weapons, an ice shield has only a +0 (light) or +1 (heavy) shield bonus. Also, with each blow from a metal weapon, an ice shield must make a DC 15 Fortitude save. Failure to save results in the ice shield shattering into worthless shards. An ice shield grants the wielder a +2 bonus to any saving throw against Cold-based spells or attacks targeted at the wielder. The bonus does not apply to area-effect spells, nor does it apply to ranged touch attacks.

GM’s Suggestion

Ice shields and weapons are perfect examples of items for which the GM needs to use their discretion. For all but the harshest of campaign settings, even permanent ice shields and weapons will be seasonal items at best, sold only during the coldest months of winter.

Type of Ice Item	Item Cost Modifier
Weapon/shield	x1/4