Treasure: Special Materials

Treasure: Special Materials

One thing I liked in Dungeons and Dragons was the special materials. Some had neat qualities by themselves, some were used only to exploit the vulnerabilities of monsters. In my opinion, GURPS usually depends less on magic and magic items than D&D, so the special materials provide additional mundane options. There are some materials described already (silver, orichalcum, meteoric iron, and so on), but I decided to convert some of the most common ones from D&D. I really have no idea how to assign CF modifiers, so I was working on a hunch, but I would appreciate any suggestions.

Adamantine

Mined from rocks that fell from the heavens, this ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon or suit of armor. Adamantine has nearly the same density as steel, but its DR, hit points, and structural strength are 1/3 higher than those of steel. Adamantine armor can be one-third lighter for the same protection or equally heavy for protection 1/3 better. A steel weapon has cheap quality when hit by an adamantine weapon (see p. B274). Cutting and impaling damage dealt by an adamantine weapon has a (2) armor divisor. Adamantine weapons have +49 CF, other items have +19 CF.

Adamantine Battleaxe

This nonmagical axe is made out of adamantine. It is 1/3 lighter than normal and has a (2) armor divisor.

            Cost: $2,500.

Adamantine Breastplate

This nonmagical breastplate is made of adamantine. It’s 1/3 lighter than normal medium plate armor, but provides the same protection.

Cost: $25,000.

TL	Description	DR	Location	Cost	Weight	Don	Notes
4	Adamantine Breastplate	6	Torso; front only	$25,000	7	45

   

Adamantine Dagger

This nonmagical dagger is made out of adamantine. It is 1/3 lighter than normal and has a (2) armor divisor.

            Cost: $1,000.

TL	Weapon	Damage	Reach	Parry	Cost	Weight	ST	Notes
AXE/MACE (DX-5, Flail-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-3)
0	Adamantine Battleaxe	sw+2(2) cut	1	0U	$2,500	2.65	11
KNIFE (DX-4, Force Sword-3, Main-Gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)
1	Adamantine Dagger	thr-1(2) imp	C	-1	$1,000	0.17	5	Can be thrown

Cold Iron

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. Metal melee weapons, thrown weapons, and projectiles can be made of cold iron to exploit supernatural monster Vulnerability, but have +2 to odds of breakage. +19 CF. Cold iron-coated and -edged weapons only have +2 CF, and use the breakage properties of the underlying material. For a cold iron-coated or -edged weapon, reduce the wounding multiplier: x2 becomes x1.5, x3 becomes x2, and x4 becomes x3.

Masterwork Cold Iron Longsword

This nonmagical longsword is made out of cold iron. It can exploit supernatural monster Vulnerability, has +2 to odds of breakage, but is finely balanced, which grants the wielder +1 to skill.

            Cost: $16,800.

TL	Weapon	Damage	Reach	Parry	Cost	Weight	ST	Notes
BROADSWORD (DX-5, Force Sword-4, Rapier-4, Saber-4, Shortsword-2, or Two-Handed Sword-4
3	Masterwork Cold Iron Longsword or	sw+1 cut	1	0	$16,800	4	10
		thr+2 imp	1,2	0	-	-	10

Darkwood

This rare wood is very light. Any wooden or mostly wooden weapon (for example, a spear) made of darkwood, weighs half as much. Multiply the required ST by 0.7. A darkwood shield has the same DB, but is twice lighter. +24 CF for weapons and armor, +59 CF for shields.

Darkwood Buckler

This nonmagical parrying buckler (LT116) is made of darkwood. It’s twice lighter than a normal parrying buckler.

Cost: $3,000.

Darkwood Shield

This nonmagical medium light shield (LT116) is made of darkwood. It’s twice lighter than a normal medium light shield.

Cost: $2,700.

TL	Description	DB	Cost	Weight	DR/HP	Cover DR	Notes
0	Darkwood Buckler	1	$3,000	4	4/16	8	+1 to Block
0	Darkwood Shield	2	$2,700	3.5	2/16	6

Mithral

Mithral, being a very rare metal, looks like glistening silver. Mithral has nearly the same density as steel, but its DR, hit points, and structural strength are twice higher than those of steel. Mithral armor can be twice lighter for the same protection or equally heavy for protection twice better. +24 CF.

Mithral Heavy Shield

This heavy large shield (LT116) is made of mithral and thus is much lighter than a standard steel shield.

Cost: $2,250.

TL	Description	DB	Cost	Weight	DR/HP	Cover DR	Notes
1	Mithral Heavy Shield	3	$2,250	10	4/22	9

Mithral Shirt

This extremely light chain shirt is made of very fine mithral links. It’s twice lighter than normal fine mail armor, but provides the same protection.

Cost: $22,500.

TL	Description	DR	Location	Cost	Weight	Don	Holdout	Notes
2	Mithral Shirt	4*	Torso	$22,500	7.5	15	-2	-2 DR vs crushing

  

Silver
Silver already is described on B275 and LT59. Let's at least make a Balanced silver dagger as an example.

Masterwork Silver Dagger

This nonmagical dagger is made out of silver (B275, LT59). It can exploit supernatural monster Vulnerability, has +2 to odds of breakage, but is finely balanced, which grants the wielder +1 to skill.

            Cost: $480.

TL	Weapon	Damage	Reach	Parry	Cost	Weight	ST	Notes
KNIFE (DX-4, Force Sword-3, Main-Gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)
1	Masterwork Silver Dagger	thr-1 imp	C	-1	$480	0.25	5	Can be thrown