TEXT: Arms 
  &
  Armor 
  v3.5
  by Jim Butler, Steve Creech, and Kevin Ruesch
  Distributed worldwide to the book trade by Osseum Entertainment (www.osseum.com); distributed to the toy, comic, and hobby 
  trade by Bastion Press (www.bastionpress.com) and regional distributors.
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  tem’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used according to the terms of the d20 System 
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  2
  Lead Design
  Steven Creech, Kevin Ruesch and Jim Butler
  Additional Design
  Aaron Clancy, Allan Lee, Alexander Freed, Arthur Borko, Ben Mowbray, Bob Cooper, Bret Boyd, Cam-
  eron Ironsides, Charles W. Plemons III, Chris ‘Barak’ Chandler, Chris Scaturo, Christopher Smith Adair, 
  Christophor ‘SuperGuido’ Rick, David M. Finch, Deborah Teramis Christian, Duane Nutley, Eric Driks, 
  F.Wesley Schneider, Faisal Abdullah, G. William Harper, Greg Dent, Joel Flank, Johnathan M. Richards, 
  Justin D. Jacobson, Kevin Melka, Luke Johnson, Mike Kogan, Nathan E. Irving, Neal Levin, Spike Y. Jones, 
  Steven Russell, Thomas E. A. Kyle, Viktor Viktorov, W. Robert ‘Mynex’ Reed III, Yamir Ortiz Morales, and 
  Yury Pavlotsky
  Editor-in-Chief
  Jim Butler
  Art Director
  Todd Morasch, Hal Greenberg
  Cover Artist
  Jonathan Kirtz
  Interior Illustrations
  Adam Denton, Chris Keefe, Christopher Pickrell, James Byrd, Jason Stephens, Jeff Ward, Rick Hershey, 
  Thomas Galambos, and Todd Morasch
  Proofreaders
  Bruce Boughner, Lee Hammock, and Todd Laing
  Playtesters
  Adam Lange, Alex Gibson, Andrew Chiarello, Antonio Jose Blasco Lopez, Ben Shalom, Bill Hallum, Brian 
  Welker, Carl Monnen, Chema Verde, Chris Scaturo, Chris Silsby, Clif Wilde, Darren Richley, David Ver-
  shaw II, Dominic Amann, Dustin Huibregtse, Ed DeParasis, Erik Driks, Francisco J. Alvarez, George Phil-
  lips, James Grifﬁth, Jason C. Sonia, Jared Reichman, Jason Freezer, JC Alvarez, Jesus M. Garcia, Juan Carlos 
  Penaranda, Karen Fioravanti, Keith Woodward, Ken Miller, Mark Perneta, Matthew Smith, Megan C. Rob-
  ertson, Melissa Manuel, Michael J. Brisbois, Michael Kogan, Mike Kessler, Nathan Graves, Paul Grosse, Pete 
  Graﬁus, Raul Valle, Rick Wehr, Robert Hoffman, Sean Pike, Shannon Bennett, Ty Grizzle, Vince Bacon, and 
  William Holder.
  Acknowledgments: We wish to thank our families and friends for the encouragement and support you’ve 
  given us while we worked on this massive endeavor. A special nod of gratitude goes out to the kind folks at 
  MonkeyGod Enterprises and The Game Mechanics for their cooperation in helping us include Open Game 
  Content from their products into this book. We’d also like to thank the many gamers who have openly sup-
  ported Bastion Press since the beginning. This book is dedicated to you. May it provide you with some seri-
  ous fun and countless hours of enjoyment during your travels within the realms of fantasy everywhere.
  
  3
  Introduction ..........................................4
  How to use this book .....................................4
  Honorable Mention ...........................................................4
  Chapter 1: Weapons .............................5
  Categories ........................................................5
  Qualities .........................................................10
  Weapon Descriptions ..................................11
  Masterwork Weapons .................................34
  Separating Double Weapons .....................34
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities .......35
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor .......61
  Assorted Weapons .......................................61
  Variant Rule: Alternate Siege Weapon Payloads .......63
  Artifacts ..........................................................81
  Chapter 4: Armor .............................86
  Armor Qualities ............................................86
  Masterwork Armor ......................................95
  Armor Costs by Size ....................................95
  Donning Armor ............................................95
  Extras ..............................................................96
  Armor as Damage Reduction .....................97
  What Kind of DR? ...........................................................97
  Armor Class or DR? ........................................................97
  Enchanted Armor ............................................................97
  Critical Hits ......................................................................99
  Shield Parries ................................................99
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities ....... 100
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry 118
  Masks ............................................................129
  Artifacts ........................................................132
  Chapter 7: New Materials .......... 135
  Tensile Mercury Expertise [General]  ........................138
  Tensile Mercury Mastery [General]  ..........................138
  Durability ....................................................139
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends 140
  Divine Ranks ..............................................140
  Primal Artifacts .............................................................140
  Artifacts and Relics .......................................................140
  Divine Items ...................................................................140
  Legendary Weapons .....................................................141
  Scions ............................................................143
  Legends in the Campaign ............................................143
  Battle Scions ................................................144
  Faith Scions .................................................147
  Spell Scions .................................................149
  Swift Scions .................................................151
  Magical Ability Chains .............................153
   Weapon Ability Chains ...............................................154
  Armor/Shield Ability Chains .....................................154
  Intelligent Weapons ..................................154
  Outsider Weapons .....................................156
  Chapter 9: Cursed Items .............159
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs ..163
  Amulet Servitors ........................................163
  Guardian Amulet Servitor ...........................................163
  Killer Amulet Servitor, Lesser .....................................164
  Killer Amulet Servitor, Greater ...................................164
  Golem Armor ..............................................166
  Golem, Amber ............................................168
  Golem, Force Guardian .............................170
  Silver Steeds Of Inarial .............................171
  Collected Tables
  Table 1.1: Weapons ...........................................................6
  Table 1.2: Weapon Damage ...........................................10
  Table 1.3: Alchemical Arrows .......................................12
  Table 2.1: Base Enchantments .......................................35
  Table 2.2: Minor Enchantments ....................................36
  Table 2.3: Bane Weapons ................................................37
  Table 2.4: Medium Weapon Qualities ..........................38
  Table 2.5: Major Weapon Qualities ..............................39
  Table 2.6: Dread Weapons .............................................44
  Table 3.1: Speciﬁc Weapons ...........................................61
  Table 3.2: Class-Oriented Weapons ..............................62
  Table 3.3: Arrows of Slaying ..........................................64
  Table 3.4: Domain Rods .................................................66
  Table 3.5: Dragontooth Longspear Effects ..................69
  Table 4.1: Light Armor and Shields ..............................87
  Table 4.2: Medium Armor ..............................................88
  Table 4.3: Heavy Armor .................................................89
  Table 4.4: Shields & Extras .............................................90
  Table 4.5: Armor Costs by Size .....................................95
  Table 4.6: Donning Armor .............................................95
  Table 4.7: DR by Armor ..................................................98
  Table 4.8: Armor Class or Damage Reduction? ..........99
  Table 5.1: Base Enchantments .....................................100
  Table 5.2: Minor Armor Qualities ...............................101
  Table 5.3: Medium Armor Qualities ...........................103
  Table 5.4: Major Armor Qualities ...............................104
  Table 6.1: Minor Wondrous Armor ............................118
  Table 6.2: Medium Wondrous Armor ........................120
  Table 6.3: Major Wondrous Armor ............................123
  Table 6.4: Epic Wondrous Armors .............................127
  Table 7.1: Durability .....................................................139
  Table 8.1: Legendary Weapons ...................................142
  Table 8.2: Battle Scion ...................................................145
  Table 8.3: Abilities Granted by Dragondeath ...........146
  Table 8.4: Faith Scion ....................................................147
  Table 8.5: Abilities for the Hammer of Dwarven Souls 148
  Table 8.6: Spell Scion ....................................................149
  Table 8.7: Abilities Granted by the Hellspawn ...........151
  Table 8.8: Swift Scion ....................................................152
  Table 8.9: Abilities Granted by the Dreamcatcher ......153
  Table 8.10: Extraordinary Special Purpose Powers ..155
  Table of Contents
  
  4
  INTRODUCTION
  • Chapter 4: Armor forms the heart of any de-
  fensive qualities and reinforcements. Heroes 
  would be wise to invest in a strong defense 
  (assuming they haven’t spent all their gold on 
  their new weapon).
  • Chapter 5: Armor Qualities presents a com-
  prehensive listing of magical armor and shield 
  qualities. Defend yourself from attack by infus-
  ing your armor with unique powers and abili-
  ties.
  • Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry provides a list-
  ing of premade magical armors suitable for 
  any campaign (including epic and artifact-level 
  items).
  • Chapter 7: New Materials gives new substanc-
  es that can be added into the creation of magi-
  cal weapons and armor.
  • Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends details items of 
  power and legend, divine weapons, and some 
  unique prestige classes that go along with 
  them.
  • Chapter 9: Cursed Items shows the darker side 
  of magic creation. 
  • Chapter 10: Martial Constructs provides both 
  players and game masters with constructs that 
  are useful in any campaign world.
  Everything within these pages is designed with a 
  single purpose, to add more depth and character to 
  your personal campaign world. Enjoy!
  Honorable Mention
  P
  roducts mentioned in Arms & Armor v3.5 are 
  produced by Bastion Press. All of them are 
  available at your favorite local gaming store 
  or as a PDF download at www.rpgnow.com. None 
  of the products referenced are required to use this 
  book.
  To the Death!
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  B
  ack in the ‘Classic Age’ of slaying drag-
  ons and saving the world, all it took 
  was a sturdy +5 sword and a suit of full 
  plate +5 to outﬁt the traditional adven-
  turer in the latest fashion. These days, 
  however, it takes foresight, careful planning, and a 
  full coin purse to make sure that one is prepared for 
  the challenges that lie ahead. Charging into battle 
  against a red dragon? Better get that suit of full plate 
  with ignan properties back from the cleaners. Looking 
  to take out the medusa? Better polish up that tower 
  shield with gaze protection and bring along a bright 
  light. Today’s adventurer has an entire closet full of 
  the latest fashions and state-of-the-art defenses.
  But a great defense does not save the day unless 
  coupled with a strong offense. Weapons of power 
  are a necessity for the world’s greatest heroes. That 
  dragon deserves to taste the heavy head of a wyrm 
  hammer, and that medusa could use a few chops from 
  a trusted jagged weapon. Such are the tales sung by 
  bards and penned by historians through the ages. 
  In 2001, Bastion Press gave you Arms & Armor for 
  the third edition rules. Now, we present you with 
  Arms and Armor v3.5 for the revised rules and with 
  that comes a wealth of readily useful content. Con-
  taining hundreds of new types of weapons, armor, 
  and materials drawn from the open content of a 
  multitude of sources along with original and never-
  before-seen material, this book offers longtime play-
  ers new tools for adventure. Treasure troves never 
  had it so good with the addition of scores of new 
  magic items, ranging from useful tricks and gadgets 
  to powerful constructs and artifacts. Game Masters 
  seeking a surprise can turn to over a hundred new 
  magical qualities for weapons and armor or consult 
  a number of optional rules, each with the ability to 
  add a new twist to long-standing games.
  We remember the excitement of our ﬁrst adven-
  tures, when every new magic item or device was 
  something strange and new, something that both 
  character and player had never seen before. We 
  hope to rekindle that spirit of discovery within these 
  pages.
  How to use this book
  A
  rms and Armor v3.5 is divided into eleven 
  distinct chapters designed to make it 
  easier for quick reference purposes.
  • Chapter 1: Weapons provides a complete list-
  ing of weapons. These represent the building 
  blocks that can lead to great and powerful en-
  chantments.
  • Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities provides a com-
  prehensive listing of magical weapon proper-
  ties. Add these to your favored weapon to be-
  come truly fearsome in combat!
  • Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor contains premade 
  magical weapons ready for any campaign (in-
  cluding epic and artifact-level items). GM Note: 
  Make sure to give some of these to the villains 
  in the campaign as well!
  
  5
  CHAPTER 1: WEAPONS
  W
  eapons are the iconic signa-
  ture of many stalwart war-
  riors, sneaky rogues, and 
  battle-hardened barbarians. 
  Even the most spell-depen-
  dent wizard keeps some kind of martial weapon 
  nearby to defend herself when spells fail and the call 
  to arms is sounded. Holy clerics wield weapons fa-
  vored by their gods, and many unique holy weapons, 
  from holy avengers to maces of disruption, are highly 
  sought after by the faithful of many religions.
  Clever players looking for more weapons for 
  their heroes might seek other weapons not listed in 
  the standard resources. From brass knuckles to the 
  wind and ﬁre wheel, these weapons represent ad-
  ditional options for heroes looking to add some ﬂair 
  and personality to the mystique surrounding their 
  adventuring exploits.
  Categories
  W
  eapons are grouped into several inter-
  locking sets of categories. These catego-
  ries pertain to what training is needed 
  to become proﬁcient in a weapon’s use (simple, 
  martial, or exotic), the weapon’s usefulness either in 
  close combat (melee) or at a distance (ranged, which 
  includes both thrown and projectile weapons), its 
  relative encumbrance (light, one-handed, or two-
  handed), and its size (Small, Medium, or Large).
  Simple, Martial, and Exotic Weapons: Any-
  body but a druid, monk, rogue, or wizard is proﬁ-
  cient with all simple weapons. Barbarians, ﬁghters, 
  paladins, and rangers are proﬁcient with all simple 
  and all martial weapons. Characters of other classes 
  are proﬁcient with an assortment of mainly simple 
  weapons and possibly also some martial or even ex-
  otic weapons. A character that uses a weapon with 
  which he or she is not proﬁcient takes a –4 penalty 
  on attack rolls.
  Melee and Ranged Weapons: Melee weapons 
  are used for making melee attacks, though some of 
  them can be thrown as well. Ranged weapons are 
  thrown weapons or projectile weapons that are not 
  effective in melee.
  Reach Weapons: Glaives, guisarmes, lances, long-
  spears, ranseurs, spiked chains, and whips are reach 
  weapons. A reach weapon is a melee weapon that 
  allows its wielder to strike at targets that aren’t ad-
  jacent to him or her. Most reach weapons double 
  the wielder’s natural reach, meaning that a typical 
  Small or Medium wielder of such a weapon can at-
  tack a creature 10 feet away, but not a creature in an 
  adjacent square. A typical Large character wielding 
  a reach weapon of the appropriate size can attack a 
  creature 15 or 20 feet away, but not adjacent crea-
  tures or creatures up to 10 feet away.
  Double Weapons: Dire ﬂails, dwarven urgroshes, 
  gnome hooked hammers, orc double axes, quarter-
  staffs, and two-bladed swords are double weapons. 
  A character can ﬁght with both ends of a double 
  weapon as if ﬁghting with two weapons, but he or 
  she incurs all the normal attack penalties associated 
  with two-weapon combat, just as though the charac-
  ter were wielding a one-handed weapon and a light 
  weapon.
  The character can also choose to use a double 
  weapon two handed, attacking with only one end of 
  it. A creature wielding a double weapon in one hand 
  can’t use it as a double weapon—only one end of the 
  weapon can be used in any given round.
  Thrown Weapons: Daggers, clubs, short spears, 
  spears, darts, javelins, throwing axes, light hammers, 
  tridents, shuriken, and nets are thrown weapons. 
  The wielder applies his or her Strength modiﬁer to 
  damage dealt by thrown weapons (except for splash 
  weapons). It is possible to throw a weapon that isn’t 
  designed to be thrown (that is, a melee weapon that 
  doesn’t have a numeric entry in the Range Increment 
  column on Table: Weapons), but a character that 
  does so takes a -4 penalty on the attack roll. Throw-
  ing a light or one-handed weapon is a standard ac-
  tion, while throwing a two-handed weapon is a 
  full-round action. Regardless of the type of weapon, 
  such an attack scores a threat only on a natural roll 
  of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. Such 
  a weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.
  Projectile Weapons: Light crossbows, slings, heavy 
  crossbows, shortbows, composite shortbows, long-
  bows, composite longbows, hand crossbows, and 
  repeating crossbows are projectile weapons. Most 
  projectile weapons require two hands to use (see 
  speciﬁc weapon descriptions). A character gets no 
  Strength bonus on damage rolls with a projectile 
  weapon unless it’s a specially built composite short-
  bow, specially built composite longbow, or sling. If 
  the character has a penalty for low Strength, apply 
  it to damage rolls when he or she uses a bow or a 
  sling.
  Ammunition: Projectile weapons use ammunition: 
  arrows (for bows), bolts (for crossbows), or sling bul-
  lets (for slings). When using a bow, a character can 
  draw ammunition as a free action; crossbows and 
  slings require an action for reloading. Generally 
  speaking, ammunition that hits its target is destroyed 
  or rendered useless, while normal ammunition that 
  misses has a 50% chance of being destroyed or lost.
  Although they are thrown weapons, shuriken are 
  treated as ammunition for the purposes of drawing 
  them, crafting masterwork or otherwise special ver-
  sions of them (see Masterwork Weapons), and what 
  happens to them after they are thrown.
  Light, One-Handed, and Two-Handed Melee 
  Weapons: This designation is a measure of how 
  much effort it takes to wield a weapon in combat. 
  It indicates whether a melee weapon, when wielded 
  by a character of the weapon’s size category, is con-
  sidered a light weapon, a one-handed weapon, or a 
  two-handed weapon.
  Light: A light weapon is easier to use in one’s 
  off hand than a one-handed weapon is, and it can 
  be used while grappling. A light weapon is used in 
  one hand. Add the wielder’s Strength bonus (if any) 
  to damage rolls for melee attacks with a light weap-
  
  6
  Table 1.1: Weapons
  Simple Weapons
  Cost
  Dmg (S)
  Dmg (M)
  Critical
  Range  
  Increment
  Weight1
  Type2
  Unarmed Attacks
  Angon
  2 gp
  1d4
  2d4
  19-20/x2
  20 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Brass knuckles
  5 sp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  —
  1 lb.
  B
  Chain, ladies’
  5 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  x2
  —
  ¼ lb.
  B
  Gauntlet
  2 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  x2
  —
  1 lb.
  B
  Knife, push
  1 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  x3
  —
  ½ lb.
  P
  Razor, ﬁxed
  3 sp
  1d2
  1d3
  x2
  —
  ½ lb.
  S
  Unarmed strike
  —
  1d23
  1d33
  x2
  —
  —
  B
  Light Melee Weapons
  Claws of the weasel
  5 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x4
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Comb, iron
  2 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x3
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Dagger
  2 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  19–20/x2
  10 ft.
  1 lb.
  P or S
  Dagger, carvet
  40 gp
  1d3+1
  1d4+1
  19-20/x2
  10 ft.
  1 lb.
  P
  Dagger, leeching
  10 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  19-20/x2
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Dagger, punching
  2 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x3
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Dagger, Ta Mo
  6 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  19-20/x2
  10 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Dirk
  2 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  19-20/x2
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Gaff
  2 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  x3
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Garrote, wire
  2 sp
  1d2
  1d2
  —
  —
  ¼ lb.
  S
  Gauntlet, spiked
  5 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Gutblade
  5 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  18-20/x2
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Knife, black
  2 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  19-20/x2
  —
  ½ lb.
  P
  Mace, light
  5 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  4 lb.
  B
  Sickle
  6 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Stiletto
  4 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  19-20/x2
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  One-Handed Melee Weapons
  Claw, ﬁghting
  5 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  2 lb.
  P
  Club
  —
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  10 ft.
  3 lb.
  B
  Flute, iron
  5 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  —
  1 lb.
  B
  Mace, chained6
  75 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  12 lb.
  B
  Mace, heavy
  12 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  8 lb.
  B
  Machete
  5 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  10 ft.
  2 lb.
  S
  Morningstar
  8 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  6 lb.
  B or P
  Pilam
  2 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  20 ft.
  4 lb.
  P
  Pipe, iron
  5 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  B
  Shortspear
  1 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  20 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Two-Handed Melee Weapons
  Hammer, golden melon
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  14 lb.
  B
  Longspear4
  5 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  9 lb.
  P
  Mace, two-handed
  20 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19-20/x2
  —
  15 lb.
  B
  Quarterstaff5
  —
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  x2
  —
  4 lb.
  B
  Rake
  10 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  7 lb.
  B or P
  Spear
  2 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  20 ft.
  6 lb.
  P
  Staff, lashing
  3 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  5 lb.
  B
  Staff, spike5
  20 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  x2
  —
  6 lb.
  B
  Staff, telescopic5
  85 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  x2
  —
  5 lb.
  B
  Staff-Spear5
  45 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  x2
  —
  5 lb.
  B or P
  Ranged Weapons
  Bolt, hollow crossbow (10)
  25 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  x2
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  Crossbow, heavy
  50 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19–20/x2
  120 ft.
  8 lb.
  P
  Bolts, crossbow (10)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Crossbow, light
  35 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19–20/x2
  80 ft.
  4 lb.
  P
  Bolts, crossbow (10)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Dart
  5 sp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  20 ft.
  ½ lb.
  P
  Javelin
  1 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  30 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Javelin, star-bite
  310 gp
  2d4
  2d6
  19-20/x3
  20 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Knife, throwing
  1 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  x2
  10 ft.
  ½ lb.
  P
  Sandsling
  2 gp
  —
  —
  —
  15 ft.
  1 lb.
  —
  Sling
  —
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  50 ft.
  0 lb.
  B
  Bullets, sling (10)
  1 sp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  5 lb.
  —
    Bullets, spiked (10)
  5 sp
  1d3+1
  1d4+1
  x2
  —
  5 lb.
  B
    Sling shuriken (20)7
  5 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  x3
  —
  6 lb.
  S
    Stones, stun (20)7
  1 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  x2
  -10 ft.
  5 lb.
  B
  Thrower, javelin
  2 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  2 lb.
  —
  Martial Weapons
  Light Melee Weapons
  Axe, throwing
  8 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  10 ft.
  2 lb.
  S
  Bushknife
  10 gp
  1d6
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  4 lb.
  S
  Hammer, light
  1 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  20 ft.
  2 lb.
  B
  Handaxe
  6 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  3 lb.
  S
  Kukri
  27 gp
  1d4+1
  1d6+1
  18–20/x2
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Pick, light
  4 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x4
  —
  3 lb.
  P
  Saber, fencing
  20 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  18-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  P
  Sap
  1 gp
  1d43
  1d63
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  B
  Shield, light
  Special
  1d2
  1d3
  x2
  —
  Special
  B
  Spade, duck
  15 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  S
  
  7
  Martial Weapons (Continued)
  Cost
  Dmg (S)
  Dmg (M)
  Critical
  Range  
  Increment
  Weight1
  Type2
  Spiked armor
  Special
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  Special
  P
  Spiked shield, light
  Special
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  —
  Special
  P
  Sword, cinqueda
  15 gp
  1d4
  2d3
  x3
  —
  3 lb.
  P
  Sword, short
  10 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19–20/x2
  —
  2 lb.
  P
  One-Handed Melee Weapons
  Backsword, basket-hilted
  20 gp
  1d4/1d3
  1d6/1d4
  18-20/x2
  —
  6 lb.
  S or B
  Battleaxe
  10 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  6 lb.
  S
  Blade, fanged
  450 gp
  1d6+1
  1d8+1
  19-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  S
  Flail
  8 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  5 lb.
  B
  Longsword
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19–20/x2
  —
  4 lb.
  S
  Pick, heavy
  8 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x4
  —
  6 lb.
  P
  Pick, rafter’s-unextended
  250 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x4
  —
  8 lb.
  P
  Rapier
  20 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  18–20/x2
  —
  2 lb.
  P
  Scimitar
  15 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  18–20/x2
  —
  4 lb.
  S
  Shield, heavy
  special
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  —
  special
  B
  Spiked shield, heavy
  special
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  special
  P
  Straightsword
  20 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  2 lb.
  S or P
  Sword, dadao
  25 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x3
  —
  5 lb.
  S
  Sword, schiavona
  25 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  P or S
  Trident
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  10 ft.
  4 lb.
  P
  Warhammer
  12 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  5 lb.
  B
  Two-Handed Melee Weapons
  Axe, widowmaker
  35 gp
  1d10
  1d12
  19-20/x3
  —
  25 lb.
  S
  Bardiche
  30 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19-20/x2
  —
  9 lb.
  S
  Claw, zhua
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  7 lb.
  S
  Cleaver, nightling
  35 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  —
  20 lb.
  S
  Club, wolf teeth
  8 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  5 lb.
  B and P
  Cudgel, monk’s
  12 gp
  2d3
  2d4
  x2
  —
  13 lb.
  B
  Dragon whisker fork6
  20 gp
  2d3
  2d4
  x2
  20 ft.
  7 lb.
  P
  Falchion
  75 gp
  1d6
  2d4
  18–20/x2
  —
  8 lb.
  S
  Fork, tiger
  15 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x2
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  P
  Fork, war
  20 gp
  1d10
  1d12
  19-20/x2
  —
  15 lb.
  P and S
  Gae bolga
  20 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  15 ft.
  10 lb.
  P
  Glaive4
  8 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x3
  —
  10 lb.
  S
  Greataxe
  20 gp
  1d10
  1d12
  x3
  —
  12 lb.
  S
  Greatclub
  5 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x2
  —
  8 lb.
  B
  Flail, heavy
  15 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19–20/x2
  —
  10 lb.
  B
  Greatsword
  50 gp
  1d10
  2d6
  19–20/x2
  —
  8 lb.
  S
  Greatsword, angel’s blade
  150 gp
  1d10
  2d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  8 lb.
  S
    Adamantine strip
  500 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
    Cold iron strip
  75 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
    Silver strip
  200 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  Greatsword, weighted
  80 gp
  1d12
  2d8
  18-20/x2
  —
  12 lb.
  S
  Guisarme4
  9 gp
  1d6
  2d4
  x3
  —
  12 lb.
  S
  Halberd
  10 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x3
  —
  12 lb.
  P or S
  Hammer, double5
  150 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3
  —
  35 lb.
  B
  Lance4
  10 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  10 lb.
  P
  Maul, bladed
  9 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x2
  —
  10 lb.
  B or S
  Maul, ogre
  70 gp
  1d10
  2d8
  19-20/x3
  —
  50 lb.
  B or P
  Pick, rafter’s-extended4
  250 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  8 lb.
  P
  Pike
  7 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  13 lb.
  P
  Polearm, gold coin spade
  20 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  7 lb.
  B or S
  Polearm, great pole axe4
  50 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  25 lb.
  P or S
  Polearm, poleaxe
  20 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  —
  12 lb.
  B, P, S
  Ranseur4
  10 gp
  1d6
  2d4
  x3
  —
  12 lb.
  P
  Scythe
  18 gp
  1d6
  2d4
  x4
  —
  10 lb.
  P or S
  Spear, hooked6
  4 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  P
  Spear, wolf4
  20 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  20 lb.
  P
  Staff, battle
  10 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x2
  —
  15 lb.
  B
  Sword, claymore
  60 gp
  1d10
  1d12
  19-20/x2
  —
  15 lb.
  S
  Sword, executioner’s
  75 gp
  1d10
  1d12
  x4
  —
  18 lb.
  S
  Sword, ghost head
  80 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  —
  17 lb.
  S
  Ranged Weapons
  Arrows, alchemical (5)
  50 gp
  1
  1
  x2
  ½ distance 
  1 lb.
  B or P
  Arrows, axehead (20)7
  5 gp
  —
  —
  x2
  Per bow
  7 lb.
  P
  Arrows, barbed (20)
  2 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19-20/x2
  Per bow
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows, grappling (5)
  50 gp
  —
  1d4
  x2
  ½ distance 
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows, hollow (20)
  25 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  x2
  —
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows, ironshod (20)7
  10 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19-20/x3
  -60 ft.
  20 lb.
  P
  Arrows, lung puncture (20)7
  4 gp
  -1
  -1
  x2
  -20 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Arrows, penetrating (20)7
  3 gp
  —
  —
  18-20/x3
  -30 ft.
  9 lb.
  P
  Arrows, piercing (20)
  2 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  Per bow
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows, sonic (5)
  10 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  x2
  Per bow
  3 lb.
  P
  Bow, double recurve
  120gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  100 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Bow, light war
  45 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  60 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Launcher, ﬂask
  50 gp
  —
  —
  19-20/x2
  60 ft.
  8 lb.
  S
  
  8
  Martial Weapons (Continued)
  Cost
  Dmg (S)
  Dmg (M)
  Critical
  Range  
  Increment
  Weight1
  Type2
  Longbow
  75 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  100 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Longbow, composite
  100 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  110 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Shortbow
  30 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  60 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Shortbow, composite
  75 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  70 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Exotic Weapons
  Light Melee Weapons
  Brush, judge’s
  2 gp
  1d3
  1d3
  x2
  10 ft.
  ½ lb.
  P
  Dagger, ribbon
  1 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  x2
  20 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Dagger, triple-bladed
  45 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  18-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  P or S
  Degger
  4 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  2 lb.
  P
  Glove, cat
  5 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Hairpin, poisoned
  15 gp
  1d2
  1d2
  x2
  —
  .1 lb.
  P
  Horncaps, serrated
  75 gp
  1d10
  1d10
  19-20/x2
  —
  5 lb.
  S
  Kama
  2 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Knife, elven long
  40 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  18-20/x2
  10 ft.
  2 lb. 
  P or S
  Nunchaku
  2 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  B
  Piercer, emei
  2 gp
  1d2
  1d3
  x3
  —
  ½ lb.
  P
  Sai
  1 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  10 ft.
  1 lb.
  B
  Siangham
  3 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  One-Handed Melee Weapons
  Blade, duck
  12 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Blade, rooster
  16 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  2 lb.
  P
  Bracerblade
  20 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x2
  —
  4 lb.
  S
  Buckler, bladed
  20 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  6 lb.
  S
  Buckler-blade
  30 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  x3
  —
  6 lb.
  P
  Chain, scarf6
  10 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d4/1d4
  x3
  —
  1 lb.
  S
  Chainblade4
  300 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  17-20/x2
  —
  6 lb.
  S
  Claw, double ﬂying
  18 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x2
  —
  4 lb.
  S
  Gauntlet, battle
  25 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  5 lb.
  B
  Gauntlet, sword
  55 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  P
  Halberd, horse
  5 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  P
  Hokk6
  10 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  3 lb.
  S
  Hook, combat6
  10 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  3 lb.
  P
  Mace, ox head
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  12 lb.
  B
  Ring blade
  25 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x2
  —
  4 lb.
  S
  Ring, snake
  14 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  19-20/x2
  —
  2 lb.
  P or S
  Spear, elven light
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x2
  20 ft.
  4 lb.
  P
  Sword, bastard
  35 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19–20/x2
  —
  6 lb.
  S
  Sword, katana
  400 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19-20/x2
  —
  6 lb.
  S
  Sword, rang blade
  120 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19-20/x2
  30 ft.
  2 lb.
  S
  Sword, tiger hook6
  15 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  P or S
  Sword, unicorn horn
  15 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Waraxe, dwarven
  30 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x3
  —
  8 lb.
  S
  Wheel, wind and ﬁre
  16 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Whip4
  1 gp
  1d23
  1d33
  x2
  —
  2 lb.
  S
  Whip, manticore tail4
  50 gp
  1d3 + poison 1d3 + poison
  19-20/x2
  10 ft. (max)
  2 lb.
  S
  Two-Handed Melee Weapons
  Axe, battering
  200 gp
  —
  3d6
  x3
  —
  40 lb.
  P and S
  Axe, bloodaxe
  50 gp
  1d12
  2d8
  x3
  —
  20 lb.
  S
  Axe, chained6
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  15 lb.
  S
  Axe, crushing5
  75 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3/x2
  —
  25 lb.
  B and S
  Axe, double-chained6
  30 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3
  —
  20 lb.
  S
  Axe, double-headed
  40 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x3
  —
  15 lb.
  S
  Axe, elephant4
  40 gp
  —
  1d12
  x4
  —
  25 lb.
  S
  Axe, hooked6
  35 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  15 lb.
  S
  Axe, orc double5
  60 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3
  —
  15 lb.
  S
  Axe-Hammer
  55 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3
  —
  8 lb.
  B and S
  Battlehammer, dwarven
  40 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x3
  —
  20 lb.
  B
  Blade, water parting
  12 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  S
  Bladeharp5
  150 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  19-20/x2
  —
  20 lb.
  S
  Bladestaff
  20 gp
  1d4/1d6
  1d6/2d4
  x2
  —
  8 lb.
  B or S
  Chain, balled5,6
  20 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x2
  —
  18 lb.
  B and P
  Chain, dragon head6
  10 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d4/1d4
  x2
  —
  3 lb.
  B or P
  Chain, spiked4
  25 gp
  1d6
  2d4
  x2
  —
  10 lb.
  P
  Flail, dire5
  90 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x2
  —
  10 lb.
  B
  Flail, hook6
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19-20/x2
  —
  20 lb.
  B or S
  Flying weight4,6
  5 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  10 ft.
  1½ lb.
  B
  Hammer, gnome hooked5
  20 gp
  1d6/1d4
  1d8/1d6
  x3/x4
  —
  6 lb.
  B and P
  Hook, nine teeth6
  18 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  —
  3 lb.
  P or S
  Lance, sky
  1,060 
  gp
  1d10
  1d12
  x3
  —
  10 lb.
  P
  Mace, double5
  70 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x2
  —
  22 lb.
  B
  Pike, dwarven charge breaker4
  70 gp
  2d4
  2d4
  x3
  —
  1 lb.
  P
  
  9
  Exotic Weapons (Continued)
  Cost
  Dmg (S)
  Dmg (M)
  Critical
  Range  
  Increment
  Weight1
  Type2
  Polearm, heaven lotus phoenix tail4,5
  150 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3
  20 ft.
  11 lb.
  P and S
  Polearm, horse hacking5
  30 gp
  1d4/1d3
  1d6/1d4
  x2
  —
  8 lb.
  B and S
  Polearm, pen4
  15 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  18-20/x2
  —
  5 lb.
  P
  Sickle, four section
  12 gp
  1d6
  2d4
  x3
  —
  11 lb.
  B or S
  Slave catcher5,6
  25gp
  1d3/d3
  1d4/1d4
  x2
  15 ft.
  8 lb.
  B
  Spade, monk’s5,6
  30 gp
  1d8/1d6
  1d10/2d4
  x2
  —
  11 lb.
  S
  Spear, bane5
  50 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3/x2
  20 ft.
  7 lb.
  B and P
  Spear, double-headed
  5 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  x3
  20 ft.
  6 lb.
  P
  Spear, jump
  8 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  7 lb.
  P
  Stone, meteor hammer4,5,6
  8 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  3 lb.
  B
  Stone, mother and son hammer4,5,6
  7 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  19-20/x2
  —
  7 lb.
  B
  Sword, cicada wing5
  120 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  10 lb.
  S
  Sword, double-bladed
  60 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19-20/x2
  —
  8 lb.
  S
  Sword, double short5
  30 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  5 lb.
  P
  Sword, heaven and  
  earth, sun and moon5
  120 gp
  1d4/1d4
  1d6/1d6
  19-20/x2
  —
  10 lb.
  S
  Sword, pole6
  10 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19-20/x2
  5 ft.
  5 lb.
  S
  Sword, ribbon6
  15 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  —
  3 lb.
  S
  Sword, two-bladed5
  100 gp
  1d6/1d6
  1d8/1d8
  19–20/x2
  —
  10 lb.
  S
  Sword, war cleaver
  50 gp
  2d3
  2d4
  19-20/x2
  —
  10 lb.
  S
  Urgrosh, dwarven5
  50 gp
  1d6/1d4
  1d8/1d6
  x3
  —
  12 lb.
  S or P
  Warhammer, war maul
  75 gp
  1d12
  2d8
  x3
  —
  30 lb.
  B
  Ranged Weapons
  Blowgun
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  30 ft.
  ½ lb.
  P
    Blowgun darts (10)
  1 sp
  1
  1
  x2
  —
  .1 lb.
  —
  Blowgun, mini
  5 sp
  —
  —
  —
  10 ft.
  .3 lb.
  P
    Blowgun darts (10)
  1 sp
  1
  1
  x2
  —
  .1 lb.
  —
  Bolas
  5 gp
  1d33
  1d43
  x2
  10 ft.
  2 lb.
  B
  Cloak, dueling
  15 gp
  —
  —
  —
  10 ft.
  3 lb.
  —
  Crossbow, dual
  150 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19-20/x2
  80 ft.
  9 lb.
  P
  Bolts (10)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Crossbow, hand
  100 gp
  1d3
  1d4
  19–20/x2
  30 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Bolts (10)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Crossbow, repeating hand
  350 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  19-20/x2
  30 ft.
  4 lb.
  P
    3-bolt clip (3 bolts)
  5 sp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
    5-bolt clip (5 bolts)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
    10-bolt clip (10 bolts)
  2 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Crossbow, repeating heavy
  400 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19–20/x2
  120 ft.
  12 lb.
  P
  Bolts (5)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Crossbow, repeating light
  250 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  19–20/x2
  80 ft.
  6 lb.
  P
  Bolts (5)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Crossbow, triple-threat
  80 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19-20/x2
  100 ft.
  15 lb.
  P
  Bolts (12)
  3 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Flutegun
  15 gp
  —
  —
  —
  30 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Greatbow
  250 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x3
  90ft.
  5 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Greatbow, composite
  325 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  x3
  10 ft.
  5 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Harpoon
  100 gp
  1d10
  1d12
  19-20/x2
  60 ft.
  15 lb.
  P
    Harpoon spear
  5 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  5 lb.
  —
  Launcher, razor disk
  1 gp
  1d8
  1d10
  19-20/x2
  30 ft.
  2 lb.
  S
    Razor disk (5)
  5 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  1 lb.
  —
  Longbow, horse archer’s
  135 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  120 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Longbow, horse archer’s composite
  160 gp
  1d6
  1d8
  x3
  130 ft.
  3 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Shortbow, horse archer’s
  90 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  80 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Shortbow, horse archer’s composite
  135 gp
  1d4
  1d6
  x3
  90 ft.
  2 lb.
  P
  Arrows (20)
  1 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  —
  Net
  20 gp
  —
  —
  —
  10 ft.
  6 lb.
  —
  Shuriken (5)
  1 gp
  1
  1d2
  x2
  10 ft.
  ½ lb.
  P
  Slingstick, halﬂing
  10 gp
  1d4
  1d4
  x2
  50 ft.
  1 lb.
  B
  1 Weight ﬁgures are for Medium weapons. A Small weapon weighs half as much, and a Large weapon weighs twice as much.
  2 When two types are given, the weapon is both types if the entry speciﬁes “and,” or either type (player’s choice at time of attack)  
  if the entry speciﬁes “or.” B-Bludgeoning, P=Piercing, S=Slashing.
  3 The weapon deals nonlethal damage rather than lethal damage.
  4 Reach weapon.
  5 Double weapon.
  6 May be used in making Trip attempts
  7 This ammunition alters the base weapon’s normal range and/or damage
  
  10
  on if it’s used in the primary hand, or one-half the 
  wielder’s Strength bonus if it’s used in the off hand. 
  Using two hands to wield a light weapon gives no 
  advantage on damage; the Strength bonus applies as 
  though the weapon were held in the wielder’s pri-
  mary hand only. An unarmed strike is always con-
  sidered a light weapon.
  One-Handed: A one-handed weapon can be used 
  in either the primary hand or the off hand. Add the 
  wielder’s Strength bonus to damage rolls for melee 
  attacks with a one-handed weapon if it’s used in 
  the primary hand, or ½ his or her Strength bonus if 
  it’s used in the off hand. If a one-handed weapon is 
  wielded with two hands during melee combat, add 
  1½ times the character’s Strength bonus to damage 
  rolls.
  Two-Handed: Two hands are required to use a 
  two-handed melee weapon effectively. Apply 1½ 
  times the character’s Strength bonus to damage rolls 
  for melee attacks with such a weapon. 
  Weapon Size: Every weapon has a size category. 
  This designation indicates the size of the creature for 
  which the weapon was designed.
  A weapon’s size category isn’t the same as its 
  size as an object. Instead, a weapon’s size category 
  is keyed to the size of the intended wielder. In gen-
  eral, a light weapon is an object two size categories 
  smaller than the wielder, a one-handed weapon is 
  an object one size category smaller than the wielder, 
  and a two-handed weapon is an object of the same 
  size category as the wielder.
  Inappropriately Sized Weapons: A creature can’t 
  make optimum use of a weapon that isn’t properly 
  sized for it. A cumulative –2 penalty applies on at-
  tack rolls for each size category of difference between 
  the size of its intended wielder and the size of its ac-
  tual wielder. If the creature isn’t proﬁcient with the 
  weapon a –4 nonproﬁciency penalty also applies.
  The measure of how much effort it takes to use 
  a weapon (whether the weapon is designated as a 
  light, one-handed, or two-handed weapon for a par-
  ticular wielder) is altered by one step for each size 
  category of difference between the wielder’s size 
  and the size of the creature for which the weapon 
  was designed. If a weapon’s designation would be 
  changed to something other than light, one-handed, 
  or two-handed by this alteration, the creature can’t 
  wield the weapon at all.
  Improvised Weapons: Sometimes objects not 
  crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat. 
  Because such objects are not designed for this use, 
  any creature that uses one in combat is considered 
  to be nonproﬁcient with it and takes a –4 penalty on 
  attack rolls made with that object. To determine the 
  size category and appropriate damage for an impro-
  vised weapon, compare its relative size and dam-
  age potential to the weapon list to ﬁnd a reasonable 
  match. An improvised weapon scores a threat on a 
  natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a criti-
  cal hit. An improvised thrown weapon has a range 
  increment of 10 feet.
  Qualities
  H
  ere is the format for weapon entries 
  (given as column headings on Table 1:1: 
  Weapons).
  Cost: This value is the weapon’s cost in gold piec-
  es (gp) or silver pieces (sp). The cost includes miscel-
  laneous gear that goes with the weapon.
  This cost is the same for a Small or Medium ver-
  sion of the weapon. A Large version costs twice the 
  listed price.
  Damage: The Damage columns give the damage 
  dealt by the weapon on a successful hit. The column 
  labeled “Dmg (S)” is for Small weapons. The column 
  labeled “Dmg (M)” is for Medium weapons. If two 
  damage ranges are given then the weapon is a dou-
  ble weapon. Use the second damage ﬁgure given for 
  the double weapon’s extra attack. Table: Tiny and 
  Large Weapon Damage gives weapon damage val-
  ues for weapons of those sizes.
  Table 1.2: Weapon Damage
  Medium 
  Weapon  
  Damage
  Tiny  
  Weapon 
  Damage
  Large  
  Weapon 
  Damage
  1d2
  —
  1d3
  1d3
  1
  1d4
  1d4
  1d2
  1d6
  1d6
  1d3
  1d8
  1d8
  1d4
  2d6
  1d10
  1d6
  2d8
  1d12
  1d8
  3d6
  2d4
  1d4
  2d6
  2d6
  1d8
  3d6
  2d8
  1d10
  3d8
  2d10
  2d6
  4d8
  Critical: The entry in this column notes how the 
  weapon is used with the rules for critical hits. When 
  your character scores a critical hit, roll the damage 
  two, three, or four times, as indicated by its critical 
  multiplier (using all applicable modiﬁers on each 
  roll), and add all the results together.
  Exception: Extra damage over and above a weap-
  on’s normal damage is not multiplied when you 
  score a critical hit. 
  x2: The weapon deals double damage on a criti-
  cal hit.
  x3: The weapon deals triple damage on a critical 
  hit.
  x3/x4: One head of this double weapon deals 
  triple damage on a critical hit. The other head deals 
  quadruple damage on a critical hit.
  x4: The weapon deals quadruple damage on a 
  critical hit.
  19–20/x2: The weapon scores a threat on a natural 
  roll of 19 or 20 (instead of just 20) and deals double 
  damage on a critical hit. (The weapon has a threat 
  range of 19–20.)
  18–20/x2: The weapon scores a threat on a natu-
  ral roll of 18, 19, or 20 (instead of just 20) and deals 
  double damage on a critical hit. (The weapon has a 
  threat range of 18–20.)
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  11
  Range Increment: Any attack at less than this dis-
  tance is not penalized for range. However, each full 
  range increment imposes a cumulative –2 penalty on 
  the attack roll. A thrown weapon has a maximum 
  range of ﬁve range increments. A projectile weapon 
  can shoot out to ten range increments.
  Weight: This column gives the weight of a Me-
  dium version of the weapon. Halve this number for 
  Small weapons and double it for Large weapons.
  Type: Weapons are classiﬁed according to the 
  type of damage they deal: bludgeoning, piercing, 
  or slashing. Some monsters may be resistant or im-
  mune to attacks from certain types of weapons.
  Some weapons deal damage of multiple types. If 
  a weapon is of two types, the damage it deals is not 
  half one type and half another; all of it is both types. 
  Therefore, a creature would have to be immune to 
  both types of damage to ignore any of the damage 
  from such a weapon.
  In other cases, a weapon can deal either of two 
  types of damage. In a situation when the damage 
  type is signiﬁcant, the wielder can choose which 
  type of damage to deal with such a weapon.
  Special: Some weapons have special features. 
  See the weapon descriptions for details.
  Weapon Descriptions
  T
  his section describes a variety of nonmagi-
  cal weaponry. Refer to Table 1.1: Weapons 
  for the statistics for these items.
  Angon: This is a barbed javelin intended for 
  throwing. Like a typical javelin, it can be used in 
  melee combat, but not nearly as well (suffering -4 to 
  melee attack rolls). The head of the javelin is charac-
  terized by a number of vicious barbs that inﬂict ter-
  rible wounds. When a critical hit is scored, the angon 
  has become imbedded in the victim. This hinders 
  combat (-2 to all actions until removed), but ripping 
  the offending weapon out of a body causes an ad-
  ditional 2d4 points of damage. Extracting an angon 
  is even challenging for a skilled healer: a successful 
  heal check (DC 15) inﬂicts only 1d4 points of dam-
  age to the victim, while a DC 20 roll results in a clean 
  removal without further damage.
  Arrow: An arrow used as a melee weapon is 
  treated as a light improvised weapon (–4 penalty 
  on attack rolls) and deals damage as a dagger of its 
  size (critical multiplier x2). Arrows come in a leather 
  quiver that holds 20 arrows. An arrow that hits its 
  target is destroyed; one that misses has a 50% chance 
  of being destroyed or lost.
  Arrow, Alchemical: The heads of these arrows 
  are made from a pointed glass vial. The vial is made 
  from a thin glass designed to break upon impact. 
  A successful ranged touch attack accomplishes this 
  goal, as well as dealing 1 point of damage. The vial 
  may be ﬁlled with one of a wide variety of alchemical 
  substances. A Craft (Alchemy) check must be made 
  with a DC of 18 to properly create an alchemical ar-
  row. It has half the normal range increment. There 
  is no chance to recover a missed arrow, as it breaks 
  upon impacting anything.
  Arrow, Axehead: This arrow has a small curved 
  blade afﬁxed to the head of the shaft. In addition to 
  causing Slashing damage instead of Piercing dam-
  age, axehead arrows may be used to cut strings, 
  ropes or vines from distance.
  Arrow, Barbed: While similar in size and weight 
  to the traditional arrows used in warfare, these ar-
  rows are more likely to inﬂict a critical hit on the 
  target.
  Arrow, Grappling: The head of this arrow was 
  probably developed by some ingenious gnome. It 
  consists of two steel blades on a center pin, which 
  are designed to spring out once ﬁred from the bow. 
  The shaft of this arrow is reinforced to hold 250 lbs. 
  The arrow has half the normal range increment. A 
  ranged attack is made with an AC of the target be-
  ing 15.
  Arrow, Hollow: These appear to be normal ar-
  rows or crossbow bolts, but the shaft has been hol-
  lowed and waxed, allowing it to contain two doses 
  of poison. When it hits its target, the shaft shatters 
  and delivers the poison. Damage is reduced by the 
  lighter weight and construction.
  Arrow, Ironshod: The shaft of this arrow is 
  composed of solid steel or cold iron, making it very 
  heavy—so much that these arrows can only be ﬁred 
  from a composite longbow with a Strength rating of 
  +2 or better. Even then the arrow’s range is greatly 
  diminished, but it possesses great penetrating pow-
  er.
  Arrow, Lung Puncture: Often crafted from bam-
  boo, this hollow arrow has an extremely narrow 
  point designed to penetrate bone. Short-ranged, 
  prone to breakage, and not particularly lethal, few 
  warriors choose to use it. In the hands of a skilled 
  archer, it is quite deadly and capable of penetrating 
  into the lungs and creating sucking chest wounds—
  the air quite literally seeping from the organ through 
  the hollow weapon. A character scoring a critical hit 
  inﬂicts no additional damage, but inﬂicts 1d6 points 
  of temporary Constitution damage. Unless the vic-
  tim makes a Fortitude save (DC 10 + archer’s ranged 
  attack bonus), the target begins to feel his breath 
  literally slip away (see the Drowning rules in the 
  DMG). Preventing a character from expiring in such 
  a manner requires a successful Heal check (DC 20), 
  or the removal of the arrow and some manner of 
  healing magic.
  Arrow, Penetrating: This mithral arrow is weight-
  ed to rotate tightly in ﬂight. The result is devastat-
  ing, allowing a small band of archers to literally rip 
  to shreds advancing columns of enemy troops. On a 
  critical hit, the penetrating arrow does triple damage 
  and rips right through the victim, continuing on its 
  ﬂight. The archer may make another attack roll to 
  hit a second foe in the immediate ﬂight path and not 
  further than 10 ft. behind the ﬁrst victim. The arrow 
  cannot penetrate through a second victim, even if 
  the attack roll should result in a second critical hit.
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  12
  Unfortunately, the weight of the arrow and the 
  trajectory at which it must be ﬁred in order to score 
  penetrating hits greatly reduces its effective range.
  Arrow, Piercing: The piercing arrowhead is a 
  four-inch long, stiletto-like design, which allows 
  the blade to pass through some types of armor far 
  more easily than conventional broad heads. When 
  used against padded, leather, studded leather, scale, 
  or chainmail armor, these arrows gain a +2 circum-
  stance bonus to hit. This bonus does not apply to 
  damage. 
  Arrow, Sonic: The head of this arrow is a three-
  inch-long cylinder that’s about ½ inch thick. The cyl-
  inder is hollowed out with a variety of holes allow-
  ing air to pass through them. Depending of the type 
  of holes, a wide range of sound can be produced. A 
  Craft (Musical Instrument) check needs to be made 
  (DC 15) to produce a proper sounding sonic arrow. 
  These arrows are primarily ﬁred off to warn all with-
  in earshot of it. The arrows can be made to sound 
  like a variety of animal sounds. A Craft (Musical 
  Instrument) check (DC 18) needs to be made to ac-
  complish this. Expert crafters have been known to 
  make a version of this arrow that whines at such an 
  intense pitch. All who hear it must make a Reﬂex 
  save (DC 15) to cover their ears or be –1 to hit, dam-
  age and skill check due to loss of balance, minor pain 
  and nausea for 1d3 rounds.
  Axe, Bloodaxe: A bloodaxe is a massive double-
  bladed battleaxe that is too large for a Medium-size 
  creature to use with two hands without special train-
  ing; thus, it is an exotic weapon. Medium creatures 
  cannot use a bloodaxe one-handed at all. A large 
  creature can use the axe with two hands as a martial 
  weapon, or it could use the bloodaxe with one hand, 
  but would be assessed the standard –4 non-proﬁ-
  ciency penalty to its attack rolls. A Large creature 
  with the Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency feat can use the 
  bloodaxe in one hand without penalty. The weapon 
  gets its name from its ability to cut most human-
  sized creatures in half with one swing.
  Axe, Chained: The chained axe is a double-blad-
  ed axe-head attached to a haft by a length of chain. 
  Similar to the ﬂail, this weapon requires more pre-
  cision to strike with the edges of the axe. Wielders 
  get a +2 bonus on their opposed attack roll when 
  attempting to disarm an enemy (including the roll 
  to avoid being disarmed if they fail to disarm their 
  enemy).
  This weapon can also be used to make trip at-
  tacks. If tripped during their own trip attempt, 
  characters can drop the chained axe to negate being 
  tripped theselves.
  Axe, Crushing: A crushing axe is a double weap-
  on, consisting of strong shaft with a heavy battleaxe 
  blade at one end and a heavy mace head at the other. 
  A crushing axe can be used as a double weapon, 
  incurring all the penalties of ﬁghting with a one-
  handed weapon and light weapon. A creature using 
  a double weapon in one hand, such as an ogre using 
  a crushing axe ,cannot use it as a double weapon.
  Axe, Double Chained: The double-chained axe is 
  a long haft with a chain axe attached to either end. It 
  may be used as a double weapon, but the user incurs 
  all the normal attack penalties for ﬁghting with two 
  weapons, as if he were using a one-handed weapon 
  and a light weapon. The double-chained axe may not 
  be used as a double weapon if wielded in one hand.
  Table 1.3: Alchemical Arrows
  Arrows
  Description
  Acid
  This highly concentrated acid delivers 1d6 points of acid damage upon impact. It con-
  tinues to deliver an additional 1d4 points of damage until the target takes one full 
  round to wipe it off. If left untreated, a typical acid can burn for 3d4 rounds before 
  dissipating naturally.
  Adhesive
  This arrow is extremely useful when combined with a rope behind pulled behind it as 
  it ﬂies to its target. Upon impact, the adhesive property effectively glues the arrow to 
  its target. This adhesive can support up to 300 lbs. It requires a Strength Check (DC 20) 
  to pull it free.
  Oil
  This arrow has multiple uses. If three or more strike a single target, that target must 
  make a Balance Check DC 12 before doing anything that round or fall. If a thin cloth is 
  wrapped around the vial and lit on ﬁre, it explodes in a ﬂash upon impact. The target 
  takes 1d6 points of ﬁre damage and must make a Reﬂex Save (DC 15) or be blinded for 
  1d3 rounds. It continues to burn for 1d4 points of damage for the next two rounds until 
  the oil is consumed.
  Poison
  These vials can contain a gas or contact version of any poison that is available in these 
  forms. Refer to the DMG or Pale Designs: A Poisoner’s Handbook (BAS-1007) for more 
  information on the effects of various poisons.
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  13
  This axe provides a +2 bonus on opposed attack 
  rolls when attempting to disarm an enemy (includ-
  ing the roll to avoid being disarmed if the character 
  fails to disarm his enemy).
  This weapon can make trip attacks. If tripped dur-
  ing a trip attempt, the wielder can drop the chained 
  axe to avoid being tripped themselves.
  Axe, Double-Headed: This unusual battleaxe has 
  two axe-heads, both oriented in the same direction 
  so that both heads hit with a single strike. A double-
  headed axe is too awkward to use in one hand with-
  out special training; thus it is an exotic weapon. A 
  Medium-size character can use a double-headed axe 
  two-handed as a martial weapon, and a Large crea-
  ture can use it one-handed in the same way.
  Axe, Elephant: This is a huge axe with a crescent-
  moon shaped blade, and is speciﬁ cally designed 
  for hamstringing elephants, though it is capable of 
  delivering devastating wounds against any sort of 
  foe. The weapon is quite intimidating, and is often 
  decorated to make it look even more menacing. It is 
  not uncommon to ﬁ nd elephant axes adorned with 
  tassels, the skulls of small animals, and horriﬁ c en-
  gravings.
  Elephant axes are capable of inﬂ icting grievous 
  critical hits. Unfortunately, they are so close to being 
  Huge weapons that any Medium-sized user suffers 
  a -4 attack penalty when wielding one, and a Large 
  user suffers a -4 attack penalty when attempting 
  to use it one-handed. The elephant axe has a 10 ft. 
  reach, allowing the wielder to use it with relative 
  safety against massive foes such as elephants, dino-
  saurs, dragons, and the like.
  Axe, Hooked: This single-bladed axe has a 
  curved metal hook on the opposite side, allowing 
  you to make trip attacks with the weapon. If you are 
  tripped during your own trip attempt, you may drop 
  the axe in order to avoid being tripped yourself.
  Axe, Orc Double: An orc double axe is a double 
  weapon. You can ﬁ ght with it as if ﬁ ghting with two 
  weapons, but you incur all the normal attack penal-
  ties associated with ﬁ ghting with two weapons, just 
  as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a 
  light weapon. A creature wielding an orc double axe 
  in one hand can’t use it as a double weapon—only 
  one end of the weapon can be used in any given 
  round.
  Axe, Widowmaker: A widowmaker is a huge 
  double-bladed axe crafted primarily by human-
  oids such as nightlings, asherakes, and hobgoblins. 
  The top portion of each axe blade is extended and 
  barbed, allowing the widowmaker to be used as a 
  piercing weapon, dealing 1d8 points of damage.
  Axe-Hammer: An exotic weapon, the axe-ham-
  mer is long hafted with an axe blade on one side of 
  the head and a blunt hammer surface on the other. 
  Due to the strange balance of the weapon, axe or 
  hammer wielders cannot use it proﬁ ciently; special 
  training is required.
  Backsword, Basket-hilted: The favorite weapon 
  in many medieval lands is the basket-hilted back-
  sword. This single-edged sword is around three feet 
  in length, and the hilt features a hand guard—often 
  elegantly crafted—that covers the top and front of 
  the hand. Like a rapier, the guard protects the hand, 
  but unlike a rapier’s guard, the basket hilt guard is 
  heavy, making the weapon more suitable for slash-
  ing than thrusting. The heavy basket is a weapon in 
  its own right. A successful attack roll with the weap-
  on can also be resolved as a basket punch, inﬂ icting 
  bludgeoning damage.
  Bardiche: This is a heavy axe with a long, broad 
  blade 2 to 3 ft. in length mounted by two rings onto a 
  4 ft. shaft. This is a two-handed weapon when wield-
  ed by a medium-sized or smaller creature.
  Battlehammer, Dwarven: A dwarven battleham-
  mer is too large to use in one hand unless the wielder 
  is Large size or greater.
  Blade, Duck: (Yuen Yang Yue) Also sometimes 
  called a “Deer Horn,” the duck blade is formed from 
  two interlocking crescent blades and is normally 
  used in pairs.
  Blade, Fanged: This blade is similar in length to 
  a longsword, but it is constructed from a rare wood 
  called steelwood (see the New Materials section) 
  and lined with a series of razor sharp spikes. The hilt 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  14
  of the weapon is normally wrapped in leather, and is 
  often decorated with hanging beadwork and feath-
  ers. Many barbarians and druids favor this weapon.
  Blade, Rooster: (Xiong Dao) Resembling a ﬂ at-
  tened all-metal tonfa with elaborate protrusions and 
  a spear-like thrusting head, the rooster blade is used 
  to stab. Rooster blades are normally used in pairs.
  Blade, Water Parting (Fen Shui Dun): This device 
  is sometimes described as a shield, but is actually a 
  weapon. The water parting blade is crescent-shaped, 
  mounted at both ends on a short wooden rod. 
  Bladeharp: A bladeharp is a sturdily crafted 
  harp, ﬁ t with blades around the outside edges. It can 
  either be played as a harp or wielded as a weapon. 
  The harp is constructed from steel-reinforced wood 
  so as not to break when it is employed in combat.
  Bladestaff: The bladestaff looks just like a nor-
  mal walking staff or quarterstaff, but a blade can be 
  made to swing out of the wood when the weapon 
  is activated by its user. It can then be wielded like a 
  scythe inﬂ icting slashing damage or simply used as 
  a bludgeoning weapon. Activation of the blade is a 
  free action and the type of damage must be declared 
  prior to the attack.
  Blowgun: Especially prevalent among primitive 
  humanoid tribes dwelling in jungle and forest envi-
  ronments, a blowgun is simply a hollow tube that 
  propels a tiny projectile when its wielder breathes 
  into it. Measuring between several inches and two 
  feet in length, the user carefully drops a needle or 
  quill into the tube before pressing one end against 
  his lips and strongly exhaling. The missile travels 
  through the tube and races toward its intended tar-
  get. Although its range and damage are vastly inferi-
  or to other ranged weapons, humanoids employing 
  a blowgun typically use the device in conjunction 
  with poison. While one dose of poison coats only a 
  single arrow, the same amount of poison coats three 
  needles or quills. The blowgun functions as a thrown 
  weapon rather than a projectile weapon. It is a tiny, 
  exotic ranged weapon.
  Blowgun, Mini: The mini-blowgun is a thin tube 
  approximately 12” to 16” in length. Although this 
  weapon has a very limited range (increment 10ft.) it 
  is highly concealable. The weapon is used one-hand-
  ed but can be ﬁ red using only the mouth, but the at-
  tack roll suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to hit.
  Bolas: You can use this weapon to make a ranged 
  trip attack against an opponent. You can’t be tripped 
  during your own trip attempt when using a set of 
  bolas.
  Bolt: A crossbow bolt used as a melee weapon is 
  treated as a light improvised weapon (–4 penalty on 
  attack rolls) and deals damage as a dagger of its size 
  (critical x2). Bolts come in a wooden case that holds 
  10 bolts (or 5, for a repeating crossbow). A bolt that 
  hits its target is destroyed; one that misses has a 50% 
  chance of being destroyed or lost.
  Bolt, Hollow Crossbow: These are what appear 
  to be normal crossbow bolts. However the shaft has 
  been hollowed and waxed, allowing it to contain two 
  doses of poison. When it strikes its target, the shaft 
  shatters and delivers the poison. Damage is reduced 
  by the lighter weight and construction.
  Bow, Double Recurve: The double recurve bow 
  must be wielded with two hands. It is an incredibly 
  powerful bow and should be considered the equiva-
  lent of a masterwork mighty composite longbow +2. 
  Bow, Light War: Well made, the light war bow is 
  a stout weapon—a strong draw but a short body. The 
  advantage of this bow is that it does not make the 
  archer as prominent a target as a larger bow would, 
  since the draw is accomplished much sooner and the 
  required stance less dramatic. As with all bows, both 
  hands are required to use this weapon. Optionally, 
  those already proﬁ cient with bows may ﬁ re this bow 
  as if they had the Rapid Shot feat (although they do 
  not gain the bonus of the prerequisite Point Blank 
  Shot feat as well). This bonus does not stack with 
  Rapid Shot if the user already has this feat.
  Bracerblade: This appears to be a standard leath-
  er or metal brace with a scythe-like or axe-like blade 
  ﬁ xed along the length of the bracer. A bracerblade 
  can be used either as a weapon or defensively as a 
  light shield. If two are used as weapons in the same 
  Weapons
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  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  15
  round, you suffer all penalties for using a two-weap-
  on ﬁghting style. 
  Brass Knuckles: Crude but effective weapons 
  of the street, brass knuckles increase the damage 
  inﬂicted by unarmed strikes, allowing a medium-
  sized character to deal 1d4 points of subdual dam-
  age in combat and a small-sized character to deal 
  1d3 points. The Weapon Finesse feat allows users to 
  apply their Dexterity modiﬁers instead of Strength 
  modiﬁers to attack rolls with brass knuckles. Avail-
  able in three sizes: slender for elves, halﬂings, and 
  pickers; medium for humans and dover (from Com-
  plete Minions); and extra-thick for half-orcs.
  Brush, Judge’s (Pan Guan Bi): The judge’s brush 
  is an all-metal, brush-shaped thrusting weapon that 
  is normally used in pairs. The Weapon Finesse feat 
  can be used to apply Dexterity modiﬁers instead of 
  Strength to attack rolls.
  Buckler-Blade: The buckler-blade consists of 
  a buckler that is strapped to the wrist in a normal 
  fashion, plus a retractable punching dagger of Small 
  size. The blade can be extended past the ﬁst and 
  locked in place, allowing it to be used as an effec-
  tive weapon. The advantage of the buckler-blade is 
  that when using the full defense option, it provides 
  the protection of a buckler. If a hero wishes to at-
  tack, he has a capable weapon. Attacking with the 
  buckler-blade negates the +1 armor bonus, but does 
  not cause the normal –1 penalty to attack when us-
  ing a buckler and a weapon with the same hand. The 
  buckler blade functions as a buckler when not used 
  to attack.
  Buckler, Bladed: A bladed buckler looks like a 
  streamlined steel buckler with sharp blades on the 
  top and bottom. Nonproﬁcient wielders may use 
  a bladed buckler only as a normal buckler. Proﬁ-
  cient wielders may make shield bash attacks with 
  the bladed buckler, dealing 1d6 points of damage 
  with each successful hit. A shield bash attack with 
  this weapon does not suffer the usual -1 penalty for 
  wielding a weapon with the buckler arm. However, 
  if you make a shield bash attack with a bladed buck-
  ler, you do not gain its armor bonus to AC for that 
  action. It takes a full round action that provokes an 
  attack of opportunity to attach a bladed buckler so it 
  can be used as a weapon. This also applies to remov-
  ing the buckler.
  A bladed buckler can have both armor and weap-
  on enhancements and special abilities. Both combine 
  and count as weapon enhancements for the purpose 
  of determining price. When representing the shield’s 
  bonuses, the weapon and armor portions are sepa-
  rated, with the weapon portion shown ﬁrst. Thus a 
  bladed buckler with a +2 enhancement bonus on at-
  tacks and damage and a +1 enhancement bonus to 
  Armor Class would be represented as a +2/+1 bladed 
  buckler and priced as a +3 weapon.
  Bullets, Sling: Bullets come in a leather pouch 
  that holds 10 bullets. A bullet that hits its target is 
  destroyed; one that misses has a 50% chance of being 
  destroyed or lost.
  Bushknife: Many halﬂings and rangers use the 
  bushknife as both a weapon and a tool. It has a short, 
  chopping blade that is useful for clearing a way 
  through heavy brush.
  Chain, Balled: Similar to a spiked chain, a balled 
  chain has a large morning star head attached to each 
  end. A balled chain has reach and can strike at op-
  ponents 10 feet away. In addition, unlike many other 
  weapons with reach, the balled chain can be used 
  against adjacent foes. 
  Balled chains may be used as double weapons, 
  but doing so limits their reach to ﬁve feet and incurs 
  all the normal attack penalties associated with ﬁght-
  ing with two weapons, as if the wielder were using a 
  one-handed weapon and a light weapon.
  Because the chain can wrap around an enemy’s 
  leg or other limb, it can make trip attacks. If tripped 
  during his trip attempt, the wielder can drop the 
  chain to avoid being tripped.
  The balled chain provides a +2 bonus to opposed 
  attack rolls when attempting to disarm an opponent 
  (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if the dis-
  arming attempt fails).
  Weapons
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  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  16
  The Weapon Finesse feat may be used to apply 
  Dexterity modiﬁ ers instead of Strength modiﬁ ers to 
  attack rolls with a balled chain.
  Chain, Dragon Head (Long Tao Gun Ban): A 
  rare weapon, the dragon head stick is not a stick at 
  all, but is a six-foot length of thin chain with a metal 
  weight shaped like a dragon’s head at one end and a 
  barbed metal dart at the other. A dragon head stick 
  is a double weapon, and if used as such, it incurs 
  all of the normal attack penalties associated with 
  ﬁ ghting with two weapons (although the off-hand 
  weapon is considered light). A dragon head stick 
  can also be used to make trip attacks. If the wielder 
  is tripped during her trip attempt, she can drop the 
  weapon to avoid being tripped herself. The Weapon 
  Finesse feat can be applied to add Dexterity modiﬁ -
  ers instead of Strength modiﬁ ers to attack rolls with 
  a dragon head stick. A dragon head stick can also be 
  used to disarm an opponent, adding a +2 bonus to 
  disarm attempts.
  Chain, Ladies’: An understated version of the 
  metal gauntlet, this weapon allows unarmed at-
  tacks to deal normal damage, rather than the nor-
  mal nonlethal damage. A fashion statement for the 
  safety-conscious lady, ladies’ chains have three rows 
  of stylish silver chains covering the back of the hand, 
  linked by a bracelet at the wrist and a silver ring on 
  the foreﬁ nger. The chains, deceptively styled for 
  looks, are set with clusters of sharp metal barbs on 
  the outside. While ill suited for hand-holding, this 
  popular ladies’ weapon is perfect for discouraging 
  the unwelcome advances of any unsavory suitor.
  Chain, Scarf: A scarf chain is a thin weighted 
  chain sewn into a silk scarf (included in the price). It 
  can be used like a spiked chain, and can be used as 
  a garrote by wrapping it about an opponent’s neck. 
  The scarf chain is an easily concealable weapon, as it 
  simply appears to be an ordinary silk scarf.
  Upon making and maintaining a successful grap-
  ple attack with a scarf chain, follow the normal rules 
  for suffocation. Creatures grappled with this weap-
  on are not able to speak or shout (and casting spells 
  requiring verbal components is impossible). Also, 
  while grappled by a scarf chain, a character takes the 
  full weapon damage each round.
  A scarf chain can also be used to make trip and 
  disarm attacks, giving its wielder a +1 bonus to his 
  opposed attack rolls.
  Chain, Spiked: A spiked chain has reach, so you 
  can strike opponents 10 feet away with it. In addi-
  tion, unlike most other weapons with reach, it can be 
  used against an adjacent foe.
  You can make trip attacks with the chain. If you 
  are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can 
  drop the chain to avoid being tripped yourself. 
  When using a spiked chain, you get a +2 bonus on 
  opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent 
  (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if such 
  an attempt fails).
  You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply 
  your Dexterity modiﬁ er instead of your Strength 
  modiﬁ er to attack rolls with a spiked chain sized for 
  you, even though it isn’t a light weapon for you.
  Chainblade: The chainblade has a handle and 
  crosspiece like that of a sword with a 5 to 7 ft. long 
  segmented blade. The segments are joined together 
  by a slotted hinge that allows the blade as a whole to 
  move freely along the thin axis while remain ridged 
  along the ﬂ at, giving the weapon a snaky, whiplike 
  motion.
  Claw, Double Flying (Shuang Fei Zhua): The 
  double ﬂ ying claw consists of two metal claws—the 
  ﬁ ve hooks on each spread like a clawing hand—con-
  nected by a doubled cord six feet or more in length. 
  A double ﬂ ying claw is a double weapon. When 
  used as a double weapon, it incurs all of the normal 
  attack penalties associated with ﬁ ghting with two 
  weapons (although the off-hand weapon is consid-
  ered light). The wielder can make trip attacks with 
  a double ﬂ ying claw, and if he is tripped during the 
  trip attempt, he can drop the weapon to avoid be-
  ing tripped himself. A double ﬂ ying claw can also be 
  used to disarm an opponent, adding a +2 bonus to 
  disarm attempts.
  Claw, Fighting: A primitive weapon, a ﬁ ghting 
  claw consists of a long bone rod, sharpened at both 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  17
  ends, with three spikes sticking straight out from the 
  center. It is held in a closed ﬁst with the spikes pok-
  ing out between the ﬁngers. Assassins often use this 
  weapon to disguise murders as wild beast attacks.
  Claw, Zhua: This ancient polearm is nothing 
  more than a staff topped with a dragonlike hand 
  with the ﬁngers spread in a clawing posture. Each 
  ﬁnger is tipped with a hooked metal talon. It is used 
  to make raking slashes.
  Claws of the Weasel: These items ﬁt like gaunt-
  lets, and have 6 inch metal claws that can be used for 
  both climbing and for ﬁghting. For combat purposes, 
  they function the same as spiked gauntlets. When a 
  character wears these when making a Climb check, 
  he receives a +4 circumstance bonus.
  Cleaver, Nightling: This weapon is the favorite 
  weapon of the nightling (see Complete Minions). 
  It consists of a long, straight, heavy, single-edged 
  blade, and has a long hilt designed for two hands. 
  This weapon is wielded more like an axe than a 
  sword.
  Cloak, Dueling: These large, heavy, often elabo-
  rate cloaks are weighted along the bottom edge with 
  numerous small lead beads sewn into the seam. 
  Dueling cloaks are used to parry with, and wound 
  around a character’s off-hand to act as a buckler (+1 
  Armor Bonus, –1 Armor Check Penalty, 5% Arcane 
  Spell Failure), but may also be thrown like a net to 
  entangle opponents. When thrown, a dueling cloak 
  requires a ranged touch attack against its target. The 
  cloak’s maximum range is 10 feet, and it suffers no 
  range penalties. Upon a successful hit, the cloak en-
  tangles its target. An entangled creature suffers a 
  –2 penalty on attack rolls, a –4 penalty on effective 
  Dexterity, and may not charge, run, or move at more 
  than half speed. An entangled creature must succeed 
  at a Concentration check (DC 15) to cast a spell. The 
  entangled creature may attempt to escape by taking 
  a full round action to pass an Escape Artist check 
  (DC 10) or Strength check (DC 20; the cloak has 3 
  hp). A dueling cloak is only useful against creatures 
  between Tiny and Medium size and need not be 
  folded to be thrown effectively.
  Club, Wolf Teeth (Lan Ya Ban):  A large blud-
  geoning tool, the wolf teeth club is essentially a large, 
  spiked head afﬁxed to a slender ﬁve-foot pole.
  Comb, Iron (Tie Su Zi): This large iron comb fea-
  tures sharp teeth, and although it can be worn in the 
  hair, it is normally gripped and used to punch with, 
  inﬂicting puncture wounds.
  Crossbow, Dual: The dual-crossbow features the 
  mechanisms of two light crossbows—one mounted 
  one atop the other—attached to a single stock. Each 
  mechanism may be ﬁred independently like a light 
  crossbow, or both mechanisms may be ﬁred simulta-
  neously at a single target (at a –1 penalty, roll dam-
  age for each bolt individually). A dual crossbow 
  requires two hands to use, regardless of the user’s 
  size. Drawing a dual-crossbow back requires pull-
  ing a modiﬁed lever. Loading a dual-crossbow is a 
  move-equivalent action that provokes an attack of 
  opportunity. Two such actions are required to re-
  load both mechanisms. Due to its unusual nature 
  and balance, a dual-crossbow is an exotic weapon. 
  A Small or larger character can shoot, but not load, 
  a dual-crossbow with one hand at a –4 penalty. A 
  Small or larger character can shoot a dual-crossbow 
  with each hand as noted for heavy crossbows.
  Crossbow, Hand: You can draw a hand crossbow 
  back by hand. Loading a hand crossbow is a move 
  action that provokes an attack of opportunity. You 
  can shoot—but not load—a hand crossbow with one 
  hand at no penalty. You can shoot a hand crossbow 
  with each hand, but you take a penalty on attack 
  rolls as if attacking with two light weapons.
  Crossbow, Heavy: You draw a heavy crossbow 
  back by turning a small winch. Loading a heavy 
  crossbow is a full-round action that provokes at-
  tacks of opportunity. Normally, operating a heavy 
  crossbow requires two hands. However, you can 
  shoot—but not load—a heavy crossbow with one 
  hand at a –4 penalty on attack rolls. You can shoot 
  a heavy crossbow with each hand, but you take a 
  penalty on attack rolls as if attacking with two one-
  handed weapons. This penalty is cumulative with 
  the penalty for one-handed ﬁring.
  Crossbow, Light: You draw a light crossbow 
  back by pulling a lever. Loading a light crossbow is 
  a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity. 
  Normally, operating a light crossbow requires two 
  hands. However, you can shoot—but not load—a 
  light crossbow with one hand at a –2 penalty on at-
  tack rolls. You can shoot a light crossbow with each 
  hand, but you take a penalty on attack rolls as if at-
  tacking with two light weapons. This penalty is cu-
  mulative with the penalty for one-handed ﬁring.
  Crossbow, Repeating: The repeating crossbow 
  (heavy or light) holds 5 crossbow bolts. As long as 
  it holds bolts, you can reload it by pulling the re-
  loading lever (a free action). Loading a new case of 
  5 bolts is a full-round action that provokes attacks of 
  opportunity.
  You can ﬁre a repeating crossbow with one hand 
  or ﬁre a repeating crossbow in each hand in the same 
  manner as you would a normal crossbow of the same 
  size. However, you must ﬁre the weapon with two 
  hands in order to use the reloading lever, and you 
  must use two hands to load a new case of bolts.
  Crossbow, Repeating Hand: A repeating hand 
  crossbow looks like a miniature version of its repeat-
  ing cousin. As long as it holds bolts, the wielder can 
  ﬁre a repeating hand crossbow up to his normal num-
  ber of attacks without reloading. Loading a repeat-
  ing hand crossbow with a new clip is a full-round 
  action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
  Crossbow, Triple-threat: This is a rare heavy 
  crossbow with an extra wide stock. Three heavy bolt 
  grooves run down the length of the stock with an 
  especially wide string release at its base. This allows 
  for up to three bolts to be ﬁred at once. The wielder 
  must make three separate attack rolls—one for each 
  bolt—and all bolts must be ﬁred simultaneously at 
  the same target.
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  18
  The crossbow is rather bulky and requires two 
  hands to ﬁ re as well as load it. Because of its size, 
  small-sized creatures, regardless of strength, must 
  level the weapon upon a sturdy base of some sort, 
  effectively bracing it so that it may be aimed prop-
  erly. Fully loading the weapon is a full round action 
  and provokes an attack of opportunity. 
  Cudgel, Monk’s (Chan Zhang):  Originating in 
  monasteries, the monk’s cudgel features a long, stur-
  dy shaft, topped with a large cagelike bludgeoning 
  head made of metal bars. All monks are automati-
  cally proﬁ cient in the use of this weapon.
  Dagger: You get a +2 bonus on Sleight of Hand 
  checks made to conceal a dagger on your body (see 
  the Sleight of Hand skill).
  Dagger, Carvet: This small knife is made from 
  the beak of a carvet (from Complete 
  ). Strong as normal iron, this blade is razor sharp. 
  Primitive cultures and barbarians often employ this 
  type of weapon.
  Dagger, Leeching: This dagger has a long, thin 
  blade and a wider than normal handle, which unbal-
  ances the weapon enough to make throwing it im-
  possible. At the base of the blade is a hollow “fang” 
  that runs down into the dagger’s handle, which is 
  also hollow and holds a removable glass vacuum 
  tube.
  When maximum damage is rolled (4 on a d4) or 
  on a critical strike, the “fang” pierces the victim and 
  breaks the seal in the tube, extracting a sample of the 
  victim’s blood, ichor, or other bodily ﬂ uids. Once ob-
  taining a sample, a leeching dagger may not sample 
  further until its seal is restored. Fluid samples can be 
  used to create any number of alchemical or magical 
  creations, making these daggers a must for any trav-
  eling mage or alchemist.
  Dagger, Ribbon: Ribbon daggers consist of a 
  small ﬂ at blade and a series of ribbons or strings for 
  the handle. The user spins the weapon much like 
  a sling. The beneﬁ t of these weapons is in conceal-
  ment. Because the blade is so small, it can be placed 
  on or in clothing, leaving only brightly colored rib-
  bons showing. This weapon is used mostly by enter-
  tainers who want that extra protection, but they can 
  also be worn as a fashion statement in long hair.
  Dagger, Ta Mo: Ta mo hidden daggers are two 
  identical daggers that slot together to form an inno-
  cent-looking small baton, not more than one foot in 
  length. The Weapon Finesse feat can be used to ap-
  ply Dexterity modiﬁ ers instead of Strength to attack 
  rolls.
  Dagger, Triple-Bladed: This weapon is favored 
  by duelists as an off-hand parrying weapon. To all 
  appearances, this is a normal main gauche with a 
  broad quillion for parrying. A release catch in the 
  hilt allows the blade to separate into three parts, 
  forming a tridentlike weapon that can be more ef-
  ﬁ ciently used for trapping an opponent’s weapon. 
  If the opened dagger is used to disarm an opponent, 
  the wielder receives a +3 bonus to the opposed at-
  tack roll (including on the roll if the disarm fails).
  Deggar: The deggar is a two-bladed knife that is 
  useful for quickly cutting ropes, skinning ﬁ sh, and 
  disarming opponents. The two blades are slightly an-
  gled in the pommel and offset to create a small open-
  ing in which blades can be trapped momentarily. A 
  proﬁ cient user that attempts to disarm an opponent 
  with a deggar gains a +2 circumstance bonus to the 
  attempt. In addition, because of its strange construc-
  tion, a deggar’s wielder gains a +2 circumstance bo-
  nus on any attempts to avoid being disarmed.
  Part of the training with a deggar is learning to 
  catch weapons in the space between the two blades. 
  As a result, if the character wielding the deggar 
  readies an action he may attempt to disarm any op-
  ponent that attacks him as an attack of opportunity. 
  This does not provoke an attack of opportunity, al-
  though a normal disarm attempt still does.
  Dirk: One of the most utilitarian of all weapons, 
  the dirk is the most common weapon of many im-
  poverished areas. It is a single-edged blade twelve 
  to eighteen inches long with a carved handle and no 
  cross guard. In combat, it is normally used in a back-
  handed grip. A dirk functions as a dagger, except for 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  19
  its size and its ability to be used in the same hand as 
  a targe shield. See the description of the targe in the 
  Shields section for special rules.
  Dragon Whisker Fork (Long Xu Cho): A slender, 
  two-handed trident, the dragon whisker fork’s two 
  side tines are wavy and extend horizontally from the 
  weapon, while the central tine is typically wide and 
  ﬂ at.
  Flail, Dire: A dire ﬂ ail is a double weapon. You 
  can ﬁ ght with it as if ﬁ ghting with two weapons, but 
  you incur all the normal attack penalties associated 
  with ﬁ ghting with two weapons, just as if you were 
  using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. A 
  creature wielding a dire ﬂ ail in one hand can’t use it 
  as a double weapon—only one end of the weapon 
  can be used in any given round.
  When using a dire ﬂ ail, you get a +2 bonus on 
  opposed attack rolls made to disarm an enemy (in-
  cluding the opposed attack roll to avoid being dis-
  armed if such an attempt fails). You can also use this 
  weapon to make trip attacks. If you are tripped dur-
  ing your own trip attempt, you can drop the dire ﬂ ail 
  to avoid being tripped yourself.
  Flail or Heavy Flail: With a ﬂ ail, you get a +2 bo-
  nus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an en-
  emy (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if 
  such an attempt fails).
  You can also use this weapon to make trip attacks. 
  If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you 
  can drop the ﬂ ail to avoid being tripped.
  Flail, Hook: This weapon is similar to a standard 
  heavy ﬂ ail, except that its head consists of a large 
  bladed hook. When used to disarm an opponent, 
  it provides a +3 bonus to the opposed attack roll. 
  This ﬂ ail can also be used to make trip attacks. If the 
  wielder is tripped during a trip attempt with a hook 
  ﬂ ail, she can drop it to avoid being tripped herself.
  Flute, Iron (Tie Di): Nothing more than a ﬂ ute 
  made entirely of iron, the iron ﬂ ute is not an obvious 
  weapon, but can be used as a light baton in combat.
  Flutegun: A favorite weapon of bardic assassins, 
  this ordinary-looking ﬂ ute contains a hidden blow-
  gun mechanism. This is an exotic ranged weapon 
  that can be played as a ﬂ ute and used as a missile 
  weapon at the same time. The needles ﬁ red by the 
  ﬂ utegun do no damage, but can deliver a potent 
  dose of poison. The gun only holds one needle at a 
  time, but can be reloaded while playing with a suc-
  cessful Perform check (DC 10). The total Perform 
  check becomes the DC for any opposed Spot checks 
  to notice the reloading.
  Flying Weight (Shuang Tao Fei Chui): The ﬂ y-
  ing weight is an oval or conical, egg-sized metal 
  weight attached at the end of a cord of up to 15 feet 
  in length. The ﬂ ying weight is spun in the air and 
  twirled around various parts of the body to gain tre-
  mendous momentum. The ﬂ ying weight is a reach 
  weapon that can strike opponents up to 15 feet away. 
  Unlike other reach weapons, the weight can also 
  strike at adjacent foes. The wielder makes trip and 
  disarm attacks at a +1 bonus with a ﬂ ying weight, 
  and if tripped during a trip attempt, he can drop it to 
  avoid being tripped. Characters may use the Weap-
  on Finesse feat to add Dexterity instead of Strength 
  modiﬁ ers to attack rolls with a ﬂ ying weight.
  Wandering monks and clerics sometimes carry 
  specially constructed aspergillums that double as 
  ﬂ ying weights. When ﬁ lled with holy water, these 
  become devastating weapons against the undead. 
  Another variation on the ﬂ ying weight is to replace 
  the round weight with a longer, narrower pointed 
  one. This “rope javelin” changes the weapon type to 
  “piercing” but decreases the damage to 1d6. A ﬂ ying 
  weight also makes a good impromptu grapple, giv-
  ing its user a +1 circumstance bonus to Climb checks 
  when used to scale walls and other structures.
  Fork, Tiger (Hu Cha): Named because it was his-
  torically used to hunt tigers, the tiger fork is a large 
  trident with heavy tines.
  Fork, War: The war fork is a short polearm with 
  two broad parallel sword blades afﬁ xed to the end. 
  These blades can be used for stabbing, or they can 
  be swung like an axe. The war fork has a ﬁ ve-foot 
  reach. If readied against charging opponents, it deals 
  double damage.
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  20
  Gae Bolga: A heavy shortspear with a wick-
  edly barbed head, the gae bolga is a feared weapon 
  wielded by the mightiest warriors of certain barbar-
  ian tribes. When thrust into a wound, the barbs catch 
  on the ﬂ esh and organs. When the spear is with-
  drawn, it tears the victim’s entrails out in a rather 
  messy fashion.
  If a critical hit is inﬂ icted, the head imbeds into 
  the wound. A character may remove it by making 
  a successful Strength check with a DC equal to one-
  half the damage inﬂ icted by the critical hit. When the 
  gae bolga is removed, it inﬂ icts an extra 2d4 points of 
  damage. This damage may be halved if it is removed 
  with a successful Heal check (DC 15).
  Gaff: Wielded by ravvimen, the gaff is little more 
  than a 6 inch long barbed ﬁ shhook afﬁ xed in a per-
  pendicular fashion to a wooden, bone or steel rod 
  roughly four inches long and no more than an inch 
  in circumference.
  Garrote, Wire: Besides the use implied by its 
  name, this sharp, skin piercing weapon is also use-
  ful for subduing opponents in combat. Upon mak-
  ing and maintaining a successful grapple attack with 
  the weapon, follow the normal rules for suffocation. 
  Creatures grappled with this weapon are not able to 
  speak or shout.
  Gauntlet: This metal glove lets you deal lethal 
  damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed 
  strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise consid-
  ered an unarmed attack. The cost and weight given 
  are for a single gauntlet. Medium and heavy armors 
  (except breastplate) come with gauntlets.
  Gauntlet, Battle: The battle gauntlet is a thick, 
  heavy, oversized metal glove, heavily padded inside, 
  and reinforced with large studs on the knuckles. In 
  addition to providing a handy striking implement, 
  adding weight and protection to the user’s blow, it 
  is also large and sturdy enough to effectively func-
  tion as a buckler (+1 Armor Bonus, –1 Armor Check 
  Penalty, 5% Arcane Spell Failure). Someone wearing 
  a battle gauntlet can still hold and use a weapon, but 
  the extra weight on the arm inﬂ icts a –1 penalty on 
  attack rolls and negates the battle gauntlet’s use as a 
  buckler for the rest of the round. This penalty stacks 
  with those for ﬁ ghting with an off hand weapon or 
  two weapons, if appropriate. Opponents cannot use 
  disarm actions to disarm wearers of a battle gaunt-
  let. An attack with a battle gauntlet is considered 
  an armed attack. The cost and weight given is for a 
  single gauntlet.
  Gauntlet, Spiked: Your opponent cannot use a 
  disarm action to disarm you of spiked gauntlets. The 
  cost and weight given are for a single gauntlet. An 
  attack with a spiked gauntlet is considered an armed 
  attack.
  Gauntlet, Sword: A sword gauntlet is a short 
  sword blade attached to the back of a bracer and 
  hand guard with a crosswise grip. The wielder holds 
  the grip for leverage with the blade extending out 
  from the back of the hand. Donning or removing this 
  weapon is a move-equivalent action (though it is a 
  free action if the wielder has the Quick Draw feat). 
  Sword gauntlets may not be disarmed, but prevent 
  anything else from being held in the hand wielding 
  the blade.
  Glaive: A glaive has reach. You can strike oppo-
  nents 10 feet away with it, but you can’t use it against 
  an adjacent foe.
  Glove, Cat: Cat gloves are tough yet supple 
  leather gloves, each ﬁ nger tipped with a small but 
  sharp steel claw. These weapons are used to rake an 
  opponent with a clawing action. Their surreptitious 
  nature makes them a favorite weapon of many as-
  sassins and rogues. Opponents cannot disarm the 
  wearer of a cat glove. An attack with a cat glove is 
  considered an armed attack. The cost and weight 
  given is for a single glove. The Weapon Finesse feat 
  may be used to apply Dexterity modiﬁ ers instead of 
  Strength modiﬁ ers to attack rolls.
  Greatbow: Although most elven scouts and 
  hunters prefer the smaller size and greater range 
  of the longbow, select groups of soldiers train with 
  greatbows, typically using them from battle plat-
  forms built high in great trees. A Medium greatbow 
  is 6 ft. or more in height when strung, and only long 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  21
  hours of training will allow an archer to proﬁciently 
  use this weapon. 
  A greatbow is too unwieldy to use while mount-
  ed. As with other bows, if the wielder has a penalty 
  for low Strength, he must apply it to damage rolls 
  when using a greatbow. If he has a bonus for high 
  Strength, he may apply it to damage rolls only when 
  he uses a composite greatbow (see below).
  Greatbow, Composite: Composite greatbows 
  follow all of the normal rules for composite bows, 
  including strength ratings. For purposes of weapon 
  proﬁciency and similar feats, a composite greatbow 
  is treated as a greatbow. For example, if a character 
  has Weapon Focus (Greatbow), that feat applies to 
  both greatbow and composite greatbow.
  Greatsword, Angel’s Blade: These large great-
  swords look just like normal greatswords except for 
  the rectangular groove cut into the center of the blade. 
  This groove accepts special slotted metal strips that 
  are ﬁtted to the sword to allow it to bypass damage 
  reduction based on a weapon’s composition. Thus, a 
  character might ﬁt a silver strip into the slot in order 
  to more effectively ﬁght a lycanthrope, or a strip of 
  cold iron when attacking a creature from the lower 
  planes.
  It requires a full round action that provokes an 
  attack of opportunity to add or remove a strip from 
  the weapon. The weapon does not gain any special 
  abilities of the metal used in the strip, such as the 
  enhancement bonus of adamantine.
  Greatsword, Weighted: This greatsword is a 
  single-edged blade with a weight just over halfway 
  up the length of the blade, attached to its back. The 
  sword is weighted to such a ﬁnely balanced degree 
  that it has no adverse effect on the wielder, however 
  the extra weight allows the weapon more effective 
  cutting power.
  Guisarme: A guisarme has reach. You can strike 
  opponents 10 feet away with it, but you can’t use it 
  against an adjacent foe. You can also use it to make 
  trip attacks. If you are tripped during your own trip 
  attempt, you can drop the guisarme to avoid being 
  tripped yourself.
  Gutblade: A tiny weapon, the gutblade is a sin-
  gle-edged dagger with an arrow shaped tip and a 
  sharp backward sweeping hook on the front of the 
  blade. Designed by barbarian tribes for skinning 
  and gutting, this blade often sees use as a secondary 
  weapon in battle.
  Hairpin, Poisoned: This six-inch hairpin appears 
  little different from the normal variety. A poison 
  hairpin is usually made of silver, and its end is of-
  ten ornately decorated or inlaid with precious met-
  als, shells, or rare woods. These hairpins are usually 
  worn in pairs and are used to draw up long hair to 
  the back or to the side. The hairpin can be used as a 
  weapon and is equipped with a secret poison reserve. 
  The poison can be released upon piercing an oppo-
  nent by the depression of a small catch. The reserve 
  holds enough poison for two strikes. Not surpris-
  ingly, a great number of these weapons have found 
  their way into many a royal court and harems.
  Halberd: If you use a ready action to set a hal-
  berd against a charge, you deal double damage on a 
  successful hit against a charging character. You can 
  use a halberd to make trip attacks. If you are tripped 
  during your own trip attempt, you can drop the hal-
  berd to avoid being tripped yourself.
  Halberd, Horse (Ma Ji): The horse halberd is a 
  strange framework of sharpened wooden rods that 
  form a tonfa-like device that is strapped to the user’s 
  arm, and therefore cannot be disarmed. Horse hal-
  berds are always used in pairs.
  Hammer, Double: As with other double weap-
  ons, the double hammer allows you to ﬁght with it 
  as if ﬁghting with two weapons. If you do, you in-
  cur all of the normal attack penalties associated with 
  ﬁghting with two weapons, as if you were using a 
  one-handed weapon and a light weapon. A creature 
  using a double weapon in one hand, such as an ogre 
  using a double hammer, cannot use it as a double 
  weapon.
  Hammer, Gnome Hooked: A gnome hooked 
  hammer is a double weapon. You can ﬁght with it 
  as if ﬁghting with two weapons, but you incur all 
  the normal attack penalties associated with ﬁghting 
  with two weapons, just as if you were using a one-
  handed weapon and a light weapon. The hammer’s 
  blunt head is a bludgeoning weapon that deals 1d6 
  points of damage (crit x3). Its hook is a piercing 
  weapon that deals 1d4 points of damage (crit x4). 
  You can use either head as the primary weapon. The 
  other head is the offhand weapon. A creature wield-
  ing a gnome hooked hammer in one hand can’t use 
  it as a double weapon—only one end of the weapon 
  can be used in any given round.
  You can use a gnome hooked hammer to make 
  trip attacks. If you are tripped during your own trip 
  attempt, you can drop the gnome hooked hammer 
  to avoid being tripped. Gnomes treat gnome hooked 
  hammers as martial weapons.
  Hammer, Golden Melon: This short rod bears a 
  large faceted iron head. It is slightly heavier than a 
  mace and deals tremendous, crushing blows to its 
  targets.
  Harpoon: A harpoon is an extra heavy crossbow 
  adapted to ﬁre short, barbed spears. The spears can 
  be afﬁxed to a cable (up to 30 ft. in length) that is 
  wound onto a spool afﬁxed beneath the muzzle of 
  the bow. When the harpoon strikes an opponent and 
  deals 7 or more points of damage, the head becomes 
  lodged in the target’s body. The target is then bound 
  by the cable to the harpoon, and can be tugged to-
  ward the wielder with an opposed Strength check. 
  The cable (AC 14, hardness 8, hp 2) can be cut with 
  a slashing weapon, or the spear may be pulled out 
  the body (a standard action) with a Strength check 
  of 20 (inﬂicting 1d10 points of damage). Loading a 
  harpoon is a full-round action that provokes an at-
  tack of opportunity.
  Hokk: The hokk is a small exotic melee weap-
  on, consisting of a semicircular blade afﬁxed with 
  a crossbar hilt. Small hooks extend from the blade 
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  22
  where it meets the handle. The hokk can be used to 
  disarm an opponent in melee.
  Hook, Combat: An unusual and cruel weapon, 
  the combat hook has a foot long, wickedly sharp, 
  curved hook, much like an oversized meat hook, at-
  tached to a sturdy handle. Attacks with this weapon 
  utilize a ripping action.
  Hook, Nine Teeth (Jiu Zi Gou): Vaguely simi-
  lar to the more common tiger hook, the nine teeth 
  hook is a long metal rod with a sharpened end and 
  features a backward-pointing hook. A large metal 
  guard, edged with nine large teeth-like serrations, 
  protects the weapon’s handle. One can also make 
  trip and disarm attacks with a nine teeth hook, and 
  if tripped during the trip attempt, one can drop it to 
  avoid being tripped. Nine teeth hooks are typically 
  used in pairs.
  Horncaps, Serrated: These razor-lined horn-
  caps must be speciﬁ cally ﬁ tted to each individual 
  minotaur. Existing horncaps can be retroﬁ tted can 
  be retroﬁ tted for a cost of 10 gp. When a minotaur 
  is wearing serrated horncaps, his gore attack deals 
  1d10 points of damage and threatens a critical on a 
  19-20. In addition, he adds an additional 1d6 points 
  of damage when using his powerful charge ability.
  Javelin: Since it is not designed for melee, you 
  are treated as nonproﬁ cient with it and take a –4 
  penalty on attack rolls if you use a javelin as a melee 
  weapon.
  Javelin, Star-bite: This is a masterwork javelin 
  whose head hides a tension-cocked mechanism that 
  drives barbs or blades out of the head of the weap-
  on when it strikes a target. It also contains a poison 
  reservoir that is revealed when the haft is twisted, 
  allowing poison to be added. The shaft is screwed 
  back onto the head.
  The impact of the weapon striking a target trig-
  gers the mechanism that forces the barbs or jagged 
  blades out into the target’s ﬂ esh, releasing the poi-
  son. In addition, the blades lock in place inﬂ icting 
  2d4 points of damage if pulled from the wound, or 
  1d4 points if surgically removed with a successful 
  Heal check (DC 15).
  Kama: The kama is a special monk weapon. This 
  designation gives a monk wielding a kama special 
  options. You can use a kama to make trip attacks. If 
  you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you 
  can drop the kama to avoid being tripped yourself.
  Knife, Black (Skean Dhu): No honest rogue 
  would ever be caught unarmed, and to these ends 
  many carry a black knife. This diminutive knife is 
  usually hidden somewhere on the body as a last re-
  sort, but can be placed visibly in the top of a stocking 
  or boot as a gesture of peace to a trusted host. The 
  hilt is often made of common materials like wood 
  or stag horn, but can be richly decorated with gem-
  stones or insignia. The single-edged blade is only a 
  few inches long, and the slim proﬁ le makes it easy 
  to conceal, enabling deadly, unexpected attacks. A 
  black knife confers a +2 circumstance bonus to Dis-
  guise checks made to conceal it somewhere on a 
  character’s body.
  Knife, Elven Long: This long, thin knife is bal-
  anced for throwing despite the slight curve in its 
  blade. Elven hunters and assassins favor it because 
  of the versatility and small size it offers.
  Knife, Push (Chi Shou): Smaller than a punch 
  dagger, the push knife is easily concealed, even in 
  the palm of the hand. It is normally gripped in the 
  palm, with the small punching blade projecting from 
  between the user’s ﬁ ngers. A strike with a push knife 
  is considered an unarmed attack.
  Knife, Throwing: Easily concealed, this needle-
  like blade is approximately four inches in length. 
  The lightweight, ﬂ uid nature of these weapons al-
  lows the wielder to throw two at a time from his pri-
  mary weapon hand. 
  Kukri: This crudely made weapon is a short, 
  heavy, curved blade with a jagged interior cutting 
  edge. The jagged cuts delivered by this weapon are 
  difﬁ cult to bandage and often carry an increased 
  risk of infection (10% chance of contracting a disease 
  from its wounds). 
  Additionally, the blade is sectioned, with a catch 
  on the hilt that the wielder can use to cause the blade 
  to curl shut. Using the weapon in this fashion can 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  23
  enable the user to grip an opponent’s weapon (+2 to 
  Grapple or disarm checks). If grappled with a kukri, 
  freeing oneself from a hold requires tearing one’s self 
  free from the weapon, inﬂicting full weapon damage 
  (base damage 1d6 +1).
  Lance: A lance deals double damage when used 
  from the back of a charging mount. It has reach, 
  so you can strike opponents 10 feet away with it, 
  but you can’t use it against an adjacent foe. While 
  mounted, you can wield a lance with one hand.
  Lance, Sky: A sky lance is meant for use from 
  the back of an aerial mount. Due to the size of such 
  mounts, especially their wingspan, the lance is ex-
  ceptionally long, typically about 30 feet. A lance 
  made of normal material would be impossibly dif-
  ﬁcult to wield, so it is usually created from aeroglass 
  (see Chapter 7: New Materials). This type of lance 
  inﬂicts double damage if charging, and triple dam-
  age if diving from a great height.
  Launcher, Flask: The ﬂask launcher is a basic 
  light crossbow design ﬁtted with a slotted tube along 
  the top. The tube is padded to help protect the vial 
  ammunition inside from damage and to keep it from 
  slipping out while carried. 
  Flask launchers are usually sold with a padded 
  case containing 10 empty test tube style vials. These 
  can be ﬁlled with oil, Holy water, poison, acid, and 
  so on. Each vial holds one dose of liquid. These vials 
  are typical of those found in any alchemist’s shop, 
  and any local glass blower can manufacture them for 
  1 gp per score (20).
  Launcher, Razor Disk: A razor disk launcher is 
  a simple length of wood divided into four prongs 
  by two deep slits cut at a cross along its length. The 
  power of the weapon comes from the missiles them-
  selves: sharp, often toothed, disks with short central 
  axles. String is wound tightly around one end of a 
  disk’s axle, and when properly loaded, a proﬁcient 
  wielder pulls the string away quickly, causing the 
  disk to spin rapidly within the launcher. The wielder 
  then snaps the launcher in the direction of a target, 
  causing the spinning disk to ﬂy toward it. Loading 
  a disk and unwinding the string is a move equiva-
  lent action that provokes an attack of opportunity. 
  Winding a string onto a disk requires a full round, 
  although disks can be wound and stored ahead of 
  time. Launching a disk without spinning it reduces 
  the range increment to 10 feet and damage to 1d6.
  Longbow: You need at least two hands to use a 
  bow, regardless of its size. If you have a penalty for 
  low Strength, apply it to damage rolls when you use 
  a longbow. If you have a bonus for high Strength, 
  you can apply it to damage rolls only when you use 
  a composite longbow (see below).
  Longbow, Composite: You can use a composite 
  longbow while mounted. All composite bows are 
  made with a particular strength rating (that is, each 
  requires a minimum Strength modiﬁer to use with 
  proﬁciency). If your Strength bonus is less than the 
  strength rating of the composite bow, you can’t ef-
  fectively use it, so you take a –2 penalty on attacks 
  with it. The default composite longbow requires a 
  Strength modiﬁer of +0 or higher to use with pro-
  ﬁciency. A composite longbow can be made with a 
  high strength rating to take advantage of an above-
  average Strength score; this feature allows you 
  to add your Strength bonus to damage, up to the 
  maximum bonus indicated for the bow. Each point 
  of Strength bonus granted by the bow adds 100 gp 
  to its cost. For purposes of weapon proﬁciency and 
  similar feats, a composite longbow is treated as if it 
  were a longbow.
  Longbow, Horse Archer’s: This longbow is de-
  signed to be ﬁred from the back of any mount. Its 
  unique balance and design make it especially stable 
  in such a circumstance, reducing the penalties for 
  ﬁring to -2 instead of -4 if your mount is making a 
  double move, or -4 instead of -8 if your mount is 
  running. If used in combination with the Mounted 
  Archery feat, the double move penalty is eliminated, 
  and a -2 penalty is assessed instead of the -4 for a 
  mount that is running.
  The bow is so uniquely balanced that its range 
  increment increases by 20 ft., whether ﬁred from a 
  mount or not. Taking the Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency 
  (horse archer’s bow) feat grants the wielder proﬁ-
  ciency with either the longbow or the shortbow and 
  with their component forms.
  Longbow, Horse Archer’s Composite: The com-
  posite horse archer’s bows follow all of the normal 
  rules for composite bows, including strength rat-
  ings. It otherwise conforms to the rules detailed for 
  the horse archer’s longbow.
  Longspear: A longspear has reach. You can strike 
  opponents 10 feet away with it, but you can’t use it 
  against an adjacent foe. If you use a ready action to 
  set a longspear against a charge, you deal double 
  damage on a successful hit against a charging char-
  acter.
  Mace, Chained: A chained mace functions exact-
  ly like a heavy mace until its head is removed. When 
  twisted, the mace head detaches from the haft and a 
  length of chain slides from the hollow handle. This 
  effectively converts the weapon into a light ﬂail. As 
  a ﬂail, the weapon takes on all the properties for dis-
  arming or tripping as a regular ﬂail. Changing from 
  one weapon to the other is a move-equivalent action 
  unless the wielder has the Quick Draw feat (where 
  such a transformation is considered a free action). 
  Mace, Double: A double mace is a large double 
  weapon. When used as if ﬁghting with two weap-
  ons, it incurs all the normal attack penalties associ-
  ated with two weapon ﬁghting as if it were a one-
  handed weapon and a light weapon. A creature us-
  ing a double weapon in one hand cannot use it as a 
  double weapon.
  Mace, Ox Head: Typically wielded by priests 
  and carried as a scepter or badge of ofﬁce, the head 
  of this weapon is made in the form of the head of 
  an ox or other animal. This two-ﬂanged mace is also 
  worked in such a fashion that the animal’s nostrils 
  make a whistling noise when the weapon is swung. 
  This sound has the effect of unnerving opponents 
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  24
  when wielded by an expert, offering a +4 circum-
  stance check to Intimidate checks.
  Mace, Two-handed: This heavy weapon is de-
  signed to do two things well, destroy plate armor 
  and break bones. On a critical hit, it does normal 
  damage to any plate armor (or similar armor like a 
  breastplate) in the area it strikes as well as the usual 
  extra damage to the wearer. 
  Machete: Although smaller than a short sword, 
  the machete is still an effective primary weapon for 
  Small creatures, made all the more deadly because of 
  its use as a ranged weapon.
  Maul, Bladed: The bladed maul is actually a 
  whole class of weapons that consist of a sword-
  shaped cudgel or maul set with blades made of natu-
  ral materials, like pieces of obsidian or sharks’ teeth. 
  Like most cudgels, the body of the weapon is some 
  form of hardwood and the majority of this weapon’s 
  damage comes from crashing blows.
  These weapons are favored by primitive cultures 
  and by races to whom the use of metal is either un-
  desirable or uncommon. It is particularly favored by 
  water-dwelling races like merfolk and sahaugin.
  Maul, Ogre: A standard ogre maul is a Large ex-
  otic weapon, used for devastating double-handed 
  attacks by Large-sized barbaric creatures of all types. 
  Part hammer and part pickaxe, these weapons are 
  massive clubs of raw iron, 7 ft. of crudely fashioned 
  black metal topped with a blunt and pointed double-
  sided head.
  Any creature of medium-size or smaller struck by 
  a critical hit from an ogre maul is thrown backwards 
  in addition to taking the critical damage. Critically 
  hit creatures are ﬂ ung backwards 10 ft., suffering an 
  extra 1d10 hit points of damage in addition to any 
  critical damage suffered. Creatures ﬂ ung backwards 
  must roll a Reﬂ ex (DC 12) or fall prone. Creatures 
  of medium-size whose Strength score is less than 20 
  cannot use this weapon, small-sized creatures can-
  not use this weapon regardless of Strength.
  Net: A net is used to entangle enemies. When you 
  throw a net, you make a ranged touch attack against 
  your target. A net’s maximum range is 10 feet. If you 
  hit, the target is entangled. An entangled creature 
  takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty on 
  Dexterity, can move at only half speed, and cannot 
  charge or run. If you control the trailing rope by suc-
  ceeding on an opposed Strength check while hold-
  ing it, the entangled creature can move only within 
  the limits that the rope allows. If the entangled crea-
  ture attempts to cast a spell, it must make a DC 15 
  Concentration check or be unable to cast the spell. A 
  net is useful only against creatures within one size 
  category of you.
  An entangled creature can escape with a DC 20 
  Escape Artist check (a full-round action). The net has 
  5 hit points and can be burst with a DC 25 Strength 
  check (also a full-round action). A net must be fold-
  ed to be thrown effectively. The ﬁ rst time you throw 
  your net in a ﬁ ght, you make a normal ranged touch 
  attack roll. After the net is unfolded, you take a –4 
  penalty on attack rolls with it. It takes 2 rounds for a 
  proﬁ cient user to fold a net and twice that long for a 
  nonproﬁ cient one to do so.
  Nunchaku: The nunchaku is a special monk 
  weapon. This designation gives a monk wielding 
  nunchaku special options. With a nunchaku, you get 
  a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm 
  an enemy (including the roll to avoid being disarmed 
  if such an attempt fails).
  Pick, Rafter’s: This weapon’s primary function is 
  as a tool useful for climbing and exploring. In its nor-
  mal form, it resembles a small pick or ice axe and can 
  be used either for climbing or for digging through 
  soft earth and rockfalls.
  Twisting the handle allows the haft to telescope 
  up to nine feet in length. This lengthened form is set 
  with small handholds, allowing the rafter’s pick to 
  be used as either a polearm, or to give the wielder a 
  leg up over an obstacle. Twisting the haft in the op-
  posite direction allows the shaft to retract. Extending 
  or retracting the hilt is a standard action. In either 
  form, this item affords a +2 circumstance bonus on 
  all Climb checks, particularly on slippery inclined 
  surfaces or over barriers.
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  25
  Piercer, Emei (Emei Ci): The emei piercer is a 
  foot-long slender metal rod, sharpened at both ends 
  with an adjustable ring afﬁ xed to its midpoint. The 
  ring is worn on the index ﬁ nger, allowing the rod to 
  be gripped comfortably for stabbing attacks, with no 
  chance of the weapon being dropped or disarmed. 
  Emei piercers are nearly always used in pairs. The 
  Weapon Finesse feat can be applied to add one’s 
  Dexterity modiﬁ er instead of one’s Strength modi-
  ﬁ er to attack rolls.
  Pike: The pike has the longest reach of any 
  weapon available to Medium sized creatures, but 
  its unwieldy nature makes it a weapon more suited 
  to armies than adventurers. Pikes are typically used 
  in a battle formation where the ﬁ rst rank has tower 
  shields, the second has a polearm of some type, and 
  the third is equipped with pikes. Missile troops are 
  usually placed behind the pikemen.
  A pike has a 15-foot reach and does double dam-
  age when readied against a charge. However, it can-
  not be used to make either attacks of opportunity or 
  full-attacks. It is possible to grip the pike further up 
  its pole than usual and use it as a longspear with a 
  –4 circumstance penalty to attack rolls. This stacks 
  with the –4 proﬁ ciency penalty if the character is 
  not proﬁ cient with the longspear. When used as a 
  longspear, the pike may be used to make full-attacks 
  and attacks of opportunity, but has only a 10-foot 
  reach. Changing between using a pike normally or 
  as a longspear is an action equivalent to drawing a 
  weapon. A masterwork pike cuts the circumstance 
  penalty for using it as a longspear in half (to –2) in 
  addition to the regular beneﬁ ts of being a master-
  work weapon.
  Pike, Dwarven Charge Breaker: This long-hafted 
  pike features a stout but unwieldy crosspiece 3 ft. be-
  low the weapon’s tip. If you use a ready action to set 
  this weapon against a charge, you deal double dam-
  age provided you score a hit against a charging op-
  ponent. In addition, you can prevent that opponent 
  from reaching you by winning an opposed grapple 
  check against the strength of his charge.
  Pilam: This is a stocky javelin with a 2 ft. long, 
  barbed steel rod as a spearhead. Although less aero-
  dynamic than a standard javelin, the pilam has tre-
  mendous penetrating power. Upon a critical hit, 
  along with whatever critical damage and critical 
  effect, the pilam penetrates and imbeds itself in the 
  target’s shield (if it uses one) and weights it down 
  as the spearhead bends, itself becoming useless. This 
  does, however, make the shield encumbered and 
  useless, negating its AC bonus. Extracting the pilam 
  requires a Strength check (DC 15) and provokes an 
  attack of opportunity. Because the spearhead often 
  bends, becoming useless, the pilam is considered a 
  disposable weapon so masterwork pilam are a rarity 
  and magical ones are unheard of.
  Pipe, Iron (Tie Yan Dao): Another seemingly 
  innocuous weapon, the iron pipe is a long, slender 
  smoking pipe constructed entirely of iron. The bowl 
  is heavy enough to strike clubbing blows. All monks 
  are automatically proﬁ cient in the use of this weap-
  on.
  Polearm, Gold Coin Spade (Jin Qian Chan): This 
  polearm features a large, round, ﬂ at striking head in 
  the shape of a large coin.
  Polearm, Great Poleaxe: This mighty barbarian 
  weapon is essentially a dual-bladed bardiche, with a 
  30-inch long blade on either end of a 5 ft. long shaft. 
  It can be used as either a large axe to make slashing 
  attacks, or with thrusting attacks as with a polearm. 
  As a double weapon, one can still ﬁ ght with it as if 
  ﬁ ghting with two weapons, but suffers all penalties 
  associated with two-weapon ﬁ ghting. Because of the 
  weight of this weapon, any creature medium-sized 
  or smaller must use two hands to wield it.
  If a character inﬂ icts a critical hit while charging, 
  in addition to double damage, he strikes as if he has 
  the Improved Bull Rush feat. This allows him to use 
  his Strength modiﬁ er multiplied by 1.5 when mak-
  ing opposed Strength checks.
  Polearm, Heaven Lotus Phoenix Tail (Tian He 
  Feng Wei Tang): An extremely elaborate and rare 
  martial arts weapon, the heaven lotus phoenix tail 
  has a large, sharp, and exceedingly ornate head af-
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  26
  ﬁxed to one end of a pole, and a sharp, crescent-
  shaped spade head afﬁxed to the other. A heaven 
  lotus phoenix tail is a double weapon. When using 
  it as a double weapon, the wielder incurs all of the 
  normal attack penalties associated with ﬁghting 
  with two weapons (although the off-hand weapon 
  is considered light). A creature using a heaven lotus 
  phoenix tail in one hand cannot use it as a double 
  weapon.
  Polearm, Horse Hacking (Zhan Ma Dao): Among 
  the most peculiar of polearms, the horse hacking 
  sword has a short, slightly curved, single edged 
  blade, and bears two crescent-shaped bladed hand-
  guards attached to the shaft. A horse hacking sword 
  is a double weapon. One can ﬁght with it as if ﬁght-
  ing with two weapons, incurring all of the normal 
  attack penalties associated with ﬁghting with two 
  weapons (although the off-hand weapon is consid-
  ered light). A creature using a horse hacking sword 
  in one hand cannot use it as a double weapon.
  Polearm, Pen (Bi Guo): Not actually a pen at all, 
  this weapon is a polearm with a metal head shaped 
  like a hand clenching a sharpened metal brush. The 
  middle ﬁnger and foreﬁnger are also extended and 
  tipped with sharp nails. As it is difﬁcult to wield 
  and used to strike at vital points, the pen is an Exotic 
  weapon. The Weapon Finesse feat can be used to ap-
  ply Dexterity modiﬁers instead of Strength to attack 
  rolls with a pen.
  Polearm, Poleaxe: This is a 5 ft. long polearm with 
  a circular crosspiece near one end and a combination 
  hammer, axe and spear weapon head at the other. 
  This special weapon head allows for bludgeoning, 
  slashing and piercing attacks. The kind of damage 
  intended must be declared prior to each attack.
  Quarterstaff: A quarterstaff is a double weapon. 
  You can ﬁght with it as if ﬁghting with two weap-
  ons, but you incur all the normal attack penalties as-
  sociated with ﬁghting with two weapons, just as if 
  you were using a one-handed weapon and a light 
  weapon. A creature wielding a quarterstaff in one 
  hand can’t use it as a double weapon—only one end 
  of the weapon can be used in any given round. The 
  quarterstaff is a special monk weapon. This desig-
  nation gives a monk wielding a quarterstaff special 
  options.
  Rake (Pa): A quintessential martial artist’s weap-
  on, the rake is a long pole topped with a sturdy met-
  al rake head, each tine of which is sharpened. This 
  martial version of the rake was developed from the 
  common agricultural tool. All monks are automati-
  cally proﬁcient in the use of this weapon.
  Ranseur: A ranseur has reach. You can strike 
  opponents 10 feet away with it, but you can’t use it 
  against an adjacent foe. With a ranseur, you get a +2 
  bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an op-
  ponent (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if 
  such an attempt fails).
  Rapier: You can use the Weapon Finesse feat 
  to apply your Dexterity modiﬁer instead of your 
  Strength modiﬁer to attack rolls with a rapier sized 
  for you, even though it isn’t a light weapon for you. 
  You can’t wield a rapier in two hands in order to ap-
  ply 1½ times your Strength bonus to damage.
  Razor, Fixed: This highly concealable weapon ﬁts 
  (carefully) in the palm of the hand. The razor blade 
  afﬁxes to a plain brass ring worn on the middle or 
  foreﬁnger. Though it prevents the wearer from mak-
  ing a ﬁst, when pressed, the wearer can make a slash-
  ing attack with the slap of an open palm against an 
  opponent. Attacks with ﬁxed razors are considered 
  unarmed.
  Ring Blade: This weapon consists of a circular 
  blade with a crossbar running across its diameter. 
  It can either be used as an exotic melee weapon or 
  as a shield. Its wielder can switch between functions 
  from round to round. If enchanted, its bonus applies 
  offensively when used as a weapon, and defensively 
  when used as a shield. 
  Ring, Snake (She Huan): A one-foot diameter 
  sharpened ring used in melee, the snake ring is 
  much like the wind and ﬁre wheel, but has a wavy-
  shaped stabbing blade projecting horizontally from 
  each side of the ring’s base. Snake rings are normally 
  used in pairs.
  Saber, Fencing: A light slashing sword, the fenc-
  ing saber is a courtly weapon, used by many duelists 
  and fencers. It is a very sharp and very fast weapon 
  and compares favorably with the rapier. Saber fenc-
  ers may use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply their 
  Dexterity modiﬁer instead of their Strength modiﬁer 
  to attack rolls with a fencing saber.
  Sai: With a sai, you get a +4 bonus on opposed 
  attack rolls made to disarm an enemy (including the 
  roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails). 
  The sai is a special monk weapon. This designation 
  gives a monk wielding the sai special options.
  Sandsling: The sandsling is a primitive device 
  used to ﬂing sand into an opponent’s face, causing a 
  temporary loss of sight. It consists of two long straps 
  of leather attached to a cylindrical tube ﬁlled with 
  sand. One side of the tube has a hinged lid, while the 
  other is sealed shut. When the sling is swung around, 
  one of the leather straps holds the lid closed, keeping 
  the sand in the tube. As soon as this strap is released, 
  the lid opens and the sand shoots out, ﬂying toward 
  the intended target.
  The sandsling was invented by desert dwelling 
  nomadic tribes. It quickly achieved popularity, as its 
  ammunition was readily obtainable. Many adven-
  turers have discovered other creative uses, replacing 
  the sand with various types of ammunition such as 
  dust of appearance or pepper. A hit with sand from a 
  sandsling dazzles the victim for 1d3 rounds, causing 
  a –1 circumstance penalty to all attack rolls, saving 
  throws, and skill checks unless a Fortitude save (DC 
  15) is successful. The weapon has no effect on sight-
  less creatures.
  Scythe: A scythe can be used to make trip attacks. 
  If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you 
  can drop the scythe to avoid being tripped.
  Shield, Heavy or Light: You can bash with a 
  shield instead of using it for defense. See Armor for 
  details.
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  27
  Shortbow: You need at least two hands to use 
  a bow, regardless of its size. You can use a short-
  bow while mounted. If you have a penalty for low 
  Strength, apply it to damage rolls when you use a 
  shortbow. If you have a bonus for high Strength, you 
  can apply it to damage rolls when you use a com-
  posite shortbow (see below) but not a regular short-
  bow.
  Shortbow, Composite: All composite bows are 
  made with a particular strength rating (that is, each 
  requires a minimum Strength modiﬁ er to use with 
  proﬁ ciency). If your Strength bonus is lower than the 
  strength rating of the composite bow, you can’t ef-
  fectively use it, so you take a –2 penalty on attacks 
  with it. The default composite shortbow requires a 
  Strength modiﬁ er of +0 or higher to use with proﬁ -
  ciency. A composite shortbow can be made with a 
  high strength rating to take advantage of an above-
  average Strength score; this feature allows you to 
  add your Strength bonus to damage, up to the maxi-
  mum bonus indicated for the bow. Each point of 
  Strength bonus granted by the bow adds 75 gp to its 
  cost.  For purposes of weapon proﬁ ciency and simi-
  lar feats, a composite shortbow is treated as if it were 
  a shortbow.
  Shortbow, Horse Archer’s: This shortbow is de-
  signed to be ﬁ red from the back of any mount. Its 
  unique balance and design make it especially stable 
  in such a circumstance, reducing the penalties for 
  ﬁ ring to -2 instead of -4 if your mount is making a 
  double move, or -4 instead of -8 if your mount is 
  running. If used in combination with the Mounted 
  Archery feat, the double move penalty is eliminated, 
  and a -2 penalty is assessed instead of the -4 for a 
  mount that is running.
  The bow is so uniquely balanced that its range 
  increment increases by 20 ft., whether ﬁ red from a 
  mount or not. Taking the Exotic Weapon Proﬁ ciency 
  (horse archer’s bow) feat grants the wielder proﬁ -
  ciency with either the longbow or the shortbow and 
  with their component forms.
  Shortbow, Horse Archer’s Composite: This 
  shortbow is designed to be ﬁ red from the back of 
  any mount. Its unique balance and design make 
  it especially stable in such a circumstance, reduc-
  ing the penalties for ﬁ ring to -2 instead of -4 if your 
  mount is making a double move, or -4 instead of -8 if 
  your mount is running. If used in combination with 
  the Mounted Archery feat, the double move penalty 
  is eliminated, and a -2 penalty is assessed instead of 
  the -4 for a mount that is running. Composite horse 
  archer’s bows follow all of the normal rules for com-
  posite bows, including strength ratings. Taking the 
  Exotic Weapon Proﬁ ciency (horse archer’s bow) 
  feat grants the wielder proﬁ ciency with either the 
  longbow or the shortbow and with their component 
  forms.
  Shortspear: A shortspear is small enough to 
  wield one-handed. It may also be thrown.
  Shuriken: A shuriken is a special monk weapon. 
  This designation gives a monk wielding shuriken 
  special options. A shuriken can’t be used as a melee 
  weapon.
  Although they are thrown weapons, shuriken are 
  treated as ammunition for the purposes of drawing 
  them, crafting masterwork or otherwise special ver-
  sions of them and what happens to them after they 
  are thrown.
  Siangham: The siangham is a special monk 
  weapon. This designation gives a monk wielding the 
  siangham special options.
  Sickle: A sickle can be used to make trip attacks. 
  If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you 
  can drop the sickle to avoid being tripped.
  Sickle, Four-Section (Si Jie Tang): The four-sec-
  tion sickle consists of four wooden rods, each con-
  nected by a short chain. The end of the last rod has 
  a pair of wavy sickle-like blades afﬁ xed. The four-
  section sickle requires two hands to use and is con-
  sidered a double weapon. One can ﬁ ght with it as 
  if ﬁ ghting with two weapons, incurring all of the 
  normal attack penalties associated with ﬁ ghting 
  with two weapons (although the off-hand weapon 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  28
  is considered light). The wielder can also make trip 
  or disarm attacks with the four-section sickle, and if 
  tripped during a trip attempt, he can drop the weap-
  on to avoid being tripped himself.
  Slave Catcher: A slave catcher is composed of 
  a staff with lengths of long, whiplike cord attached 
  to both ends. The ends of these cords are split into 
  lashes of many smaller strands tipped with small, 
  spiked balls of iron.
  Any wielder may use one of the slave catcher’s 
  lashes like a whip. Treat a lash as a ranged weapon 
  with a maximum range of 15 ft. and no range penal-
  ties. The lash deals 1d4 points of damage on a suc-
  cessful hit. A proﬁ cient wielder can lash with both 
  ends of the slave catcher, incurring all of the normal 
  attack penalties associated with two-weapon ﬁ ght-
  ing, as if wielding a one-handed weapon and a light 
  weapon. In addition, a proﬁ cient wielder may opt 
  to deal nonlethal damage with each hit at no addi-
  tional penalty. A nonproﬁ cient wielder cannot use 
  the slave catcher as a double weapon. A creature that 
  can wield a double weapon in one hand can’t use it 
  as a double weapon.
  Because the slave catcher can wrap around an 
  enemy’s leg or other limb, the wielder can make 
  trip attacks with it. If he is tripped during the trip 
  attempt, the slave catcher may be dropped to allow 
  the wielder to avoid falling. In addition, a proﬁ cient 
  wielder using the slave catcher as a double weap-
  on two-handed may add one-and-a-half times his 
  Strength bonus to trip attempts with it, rather than 
  just his Strength bonus.
  When wielding a slave catcher, the wielder gets 
  a +2 bonus on his opposed attack roll when attempt-
  ing to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep 
  from being disarmed if the attack fails). Since a slave 
  catcher is a Large weapon, it must be wielded two-
  handed by Medium-size creatures; this grants ad-
  ditional bonuses to disarm attempts as described in 
  the PHB.
  Sling: Your Strength modiﬁ er applies to damage 
  rolls when you use a sling, just as it does for thrown 
  weapons. You can ﬁ re, but not load, a sling with one 
  hand. Loading a sling is a move action that requires 
  two hands and provokes attacks of opportunity.
  You can hurl ordinary stones with a sling, but 
  stones are not as dense or as round as bullets. Thus, 
  such an attack deals damage as if the weapon was 
  designed for a creature one size category smaller 
  than you and you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls.
  Sling shuriken: Sling shuriken are cunning cre-
  ations of gnomish artisans. They are a combination 
  of sling stone, spinning top, and razorblade. When 
  the shuriken is released from the sling, counter-
  weights inside react against the spin and trigger the 
  release of four viciously sharp blades. If aimed cor-
  rectly, the sling shuriken blades slice into the target. 
  However, if the sling shuriken blades are deployed 
  an instant too late (the intended target is within 20 
  ft.), the shuriken bounces off and inﬂ icts only nor-
  mal sling bullet damage (bludgeoning).
  Slingstick, Halﬂ ing: The halﬂ ing slingstick is a 
  sturdy but very ﬂ exible switch of wood about two 
  to three feet in length that splits into a Y shape at 
  one end. The Y has a leather pocket stretched across 
  it to hold any standard sling bullet. Attached to the 
  opposite end is a one-foot cord that ends in a small 
  loop, into which the barbed back edge of any stan-
  dard broad headed bolt ﬁ ts. There are usually leath-
  er-wrapped grips near both ends of the slingstick.
  The true advantage of the slingstick is its versa-
  tility, being able to project sling bullets and cross-
  bow bolts. If the wielder has a sufﬁ cient number of 
  attacks, she can easily switch between either forms 
  of ammunition in the same combat round. Also, the 
  whiplike action used to ﬁ re the weapon does not re-
  quire a lot of space, making it a perfect ranged weap-
  on in close-quarters combat.
  Spade, Duck (Yuen Yang Chan): More akin to 
  a large-bladed, all-metal handaxe than a spade, the 
  duck spade is an effective slashing weapon, and is 
  normally used in pairs.
  Spade, Monk’s (Yue Ya Chan): The monk’s spade 
  is a stout staff topped at one end with a ﬂ at, sharp-
  ened spade head, and at the other with a crescent-
  shaped blade. Frequently, steel rings hang from the 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  29
  shovel blade, jingling like bells as it strikes in battle. 
  The monk spade makes a good weapon for taking 
  on multiple opponents or going against those on 
  horseback. Bracing the weapon against an immobile 
  surface, the wielder gets a +4 circumstance bonus to 
  Armor Class against charging or mounted attacks.
  A monk’s spade is a double weapon. One can 
  ﬁ ght with it as if ﬁ ghting with two weapons, incur-
  ring all of the normal attack penalties associated 
  with ﬁ ghting with two weapons (although the off-
  hand weapon is considered light). A creature using 
  a monk’s spade in one hand cannot use it as a double 
  weapon. A monk using a monk’s spade ﬁ ghts with 
  his unarmed base attack bonus and more favorable 
  number of attacks per round, though she must take 
  the Exotic Weapon Proﬁ ciency feat to do so.
  The monk’s spade can be used to disarm oppo-
  nents by ﬁ rst catching their weapon, then twisting 
  and either snapping it or propelling it some distance 
  away. Disarm attacks made in this manner receive a 
  +1 bonus. Monks often favor this weapon because of 
  its utilitarian value; they dangle bundles of clothes 
  or equipment from one end while balancing the oth-
  er end over their shoulders. The shovel blade also 
  makes for an excellent impromptu frying pan.
  Spear: A spear can be thrown. If you use a ready 
  action to set a spear against a charge, you deal dou-
  ble damage on a successful hit against a charging 
  character.
  Spear, Bane: The bane spear is a durable short-
  spear, the butt end of which is set with long, solid, 
  mace ﬂ anges that resemble an arrow’s ﬂ etching, giv-
  ing the bane spear an appearance remarkably like 
  that of a huge arrow. A bane spear is a double weap-
  on, and can be used both to stab like a spear, and 
  to bludgeon with the mace ﬂ anges. Fighting with a 
  bane spear as double weapon incurs all of the nor-
  mal attack penalties associated with ﬁ ghting with 
  two weapons; a one-handed weapon and a light 
  weapon. A creature using a double weapon in one 
  hand cannot use it as a double weapon. A bane spear 
  may also be thrown effectively, the mace ﬂ anges/
  ﬂ etching acting to stabilize and spin the spear.
  Spear, Double-Headed (Shuang Tou Qiang): A 
  common martial artist’s weapon, the double-headed 
  spear has a spearhead at each end of the shaft. A 
  double-headed spear is a double weapon, and when 
  used as such, incurs all the normal attack penal-
  ties associated with ﬁ ghting with two weapons (al-
  though the off-hand weapon is considered light). A 
  creature using a double-headed spear in one hand 
  cannot use it as a double weapon. A double-headed 
  spear may also be thrown effectively.
  Spear, Hooked (Lian Dao Qiang): The hooked 
  spear is nothing more than a longspear, with the ad-
  dition of a small, backward facing hook at the base 
  of the spearhead, used for making trip attacks. If 
  the wielder is tripped during a trip attempt with a 
  hooked spear, she can drop it to avoid being tripped 
  herself.
  Spear, Jump: This weapon is a normal shortspear 
  with a crossbar set near the tip. The wielder can set 
  his feet on the crossbar and fall for a distance, land-
  ing on the point with the full weight of his body. This 
  is considered a standard melee attack. If this attack 
  hits its target, an additional 1d10 points of damage 
  per 10 feet of falling is dealt (1d6 for small creatures, 
  1d12 for large). This damage is multiplied on a criti-
  cal hit. Anyone who makes this type of attack takes 
  full falling damage for the distance of the fall minus 
  10 feet. A reﬂ ex save (DC distance fallen in feet) al-
  lows the attacker to halve this damage, but only if a 
  successful attack is scored on an opponent. (Jumping 
  out of a tree and missing is a painful lesson, but it 
  must be learned.)
  The jump spear is typically employed as an am-
  bush attack. Wielders hide in trees and on low cliffs 
  and wait for a target to walk below. If a jump spear is 
  used in normal melee, it functions as a shortspear.
  Spear, Light Elven: Essentially a shortspear with 
  a longer, thinner blade, the elven light spear is quick 
  and deadly in the hands of a skilled wielder. Those 
  not trained in its use ﬁ nd it unbalanced and encum-
  bering. Experts favor this weapon because they can 
  wield it effectively and yet carry a shield in their 
  off-hand. Martial artists and monks can wield light 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  30
  elven spears in their off-hands as if they were light 
  weapons.
  If the wielder readies an action to set this spear 
  against a charge, double damage is dealt on a suc-
  cessful hit against a charging creature. The Weapon 
  Finesse feat may be used to apply a Dexterity modi-
  ﬁer instead of a Strength modiﬁer to attack rolls with 
  this weapon.
  Spear, Wolf (Lan Qiang): An exceedingly rare 
  weapon, the wolf spear is a polearm of up to 15 feet 
  in length. The spear’s head is surrounded by barbed, 
  metal, treelike branches. A wolf spear is a Reach 
  weapon. It can be used to strike opponents up to 10 
  feet away, but cannot be used against an adjacent 
  foe.
  Spiked Armor: You can outﬁt your armor with 
  spikes, which can deal damage in a grapple or as a 
  separate attack. See Armor for details.
  Spiked Bullets: These sling bullets are crafted 
  with sharp studs covering their surfaces, inﬂicting 
  more damage than standard sling bullets. However, 
  their irregular shape means that they are not quite 
  as accurate as standard sling bullets, so attacks with 
  them suffer a –1 penalty.
  Spiked Shield, Heavy or Light: You can bash 
  with a spiked shield instead of using it for defense. 
  See Armor for details.
  Staff, Battle: Often wielded by ﬁghter/wizards 
  and sorcerers, the battle staff is a heavily constructed 
  staff reinforced along its length with steel. Battle staff 
  heads are often studded to increase damage.
  Staff, Lashing (Chang Xiao Bang): A staff with a 
  single nunchaku-like ﬂail head, the lashing staff re-
  sembles an agricultural ﬂail.
  Staff-Spear: This weapon resembles a normal 
  quarterstaff and can be used as such. However, 
  pressing two switches on the handle causes spear-
  heads to spring forth at each end of the staff, either 
  simultaneously or one at time.
  Characters that coordinate the release of the spear 
  head with a successful attack roll inﬂict a bonus of 
  +1d6 damage. Retracting a spear head is a standard 
  action that does not provoke an attack of opportu-
  nity, and users can retract both heads as a full round 
  action. The spearstaff may be used as a double weap-
  on. Fighting with a spearstaff as a double weapon 
  incurs all the normal penalties associated with ﬁght-
  ing with two weapons as if the user was wielding a 
  one-handed weapon and a light weapon.
  Staff, Spike: This staff is a combination between a 
  quarterstaff and crowbar. It has the length of a quar-
  terstaff and the same traits, such as being a double 
  weapon. The top and bottom of the staff differ from 
  the traditional one by coming to a point and being 
  made of heavy iron. This has two unusual effects. 
  The staff is treated as a masterwork quarterstaff for 
  combat purposes, granting a +1 attack bonus. It also 
  is speciﬁcally designed to lever things open and 
  ﬁt into one of the ends into cracks in walls for the 
  purpose of breaking holes in them. This grants the 
  wielder a +5 bonus against the break DCs of all types 
  of wood, masonry, and stone walls.
  Staff, Telescopic: Resembling nothing more than 
  a foot-long iron tube when retracted, the telescopic 
  staff is a popular innovation that is often disguised 
  as a scroll tube. With the touch of a button, it instant-
  ly telescopes out at both ends to form a six-foot staff 
  of tubular iron. Pressing the button again causes 
  the internal spring mechanism to retract the staff. A 
  telescopic staff is a double weapon that incurs all of 
  the normal attack penalties associated with ﬁghting 
  with a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. A 
  creature using a double weapon in one hand, such 
  as an ogre using a telescopic staff, cannot use it as a 
  double weapon.
  Stiletto: This is a dagger with an exceptionally 
  long and thin blade designed to penetrate the joints 
  and seams of armor. Stilettos gain a +2 bonus to at-
  tack rolls when used against Medium or Heavy 
  armor. The stiletto is not balanced and cannot be 
  thrown.
  Stone, Meteor Hammer (Liu Xing Chui): A mete-
  or hammer is similar to a ﬂying weight. The weapon 
  consists of 15 feet of ﬁnely woven rope that branches 
  at the end into two shorter lengths. Attached to each 
  end of the branch is a heavy, ovoid weight made of 
  steel. The wielder can spin the weighted branches 
  alone, using them as an impromptu ﬂail, spin the en-
  tire length of rope similar to a ﬂying weight, or use 
  some combination of the two techniques. In battle, 
  the wielder resembles nothing short of a deadly, 
  ﬂashing-metal whirlwind.
  A meteor hammer can be used as a double weap-
  on, a reach weapon, and a weapon capable of making 
  trip attacks. A meteor hammer can strike opponents 
  up to 15 feet away, but unlike other reach weapons, 
  can be used against adjacent foes. The meteor ham-
  mer may make trip attacks, and if tripped during a 
  trip attempt, the wielder can drop the meteor ham-
  mer to avoid being tripped. One can also ﬁght with 
  it as if ﬁghting with two weapons, incurring all of 
  the normal attack penalties associated with ﬁghting 
  with two weapons (although the off-hand weapon 
  is considered light). A creature using a meteor ham-
  mer in one hand cannot use it as a double weapon. 
  The Weapon Finesse feat can be used to apply Dex-
  terity modiﬁers instead of Strength to attack rolls 
  with a meteor hammer. The wielder gets a +1 bonus 
  to opposed checks when attempting either a trip or 
  a disarm action. 
  Stone, Mother and Son Hammer (Zi Mu Chui): 
  The mother and son hammer resembles the meteor 
  hammer, but is much larger and heavier, each strik-
  ing head being the size of a small melon, and the cord 
  being replaced with a chain. This is a reach weapon, 
  and can be used to strike opponents up to 10 feet 
  away. Unlike other reach weapons, it can be used 
  against adjacent foes. The wielder can also make dis-
  arm and trip attacks, and if tripped during a trip at-
  tempt, can drop the hammer to avoid being tripped. 
  The mother and son hammer grants its wielder a +1 
  bonus to all trip and disarm attacks.
  A mother and son hammer is a double weapon. 
  One can ﬁght with it as if ﬁghting with two weap-
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  31
  ons, incurring all of the normal attack penalties as-
  sociated with ﬁ ghting with two weapons (although 
  the off-hand weapon is considered light). Unlike the 
  meteor hammer and ﬂ ying weight, the Weapon Fi-
  nesse feat may not be used with the mother and son 
  hammer.
  Stones, Stun: Typically, sling stones are made of 
  baked clay and are designed to injure or kill. How-
  ever, some cultures use specialized weighted stones 
  made from soft, unbaked clay designed to stun. This 
  is particularly valuable when the victim needs to be 
  taken alive, and as a result slavers in particular favor 
  this ammunition. Wet clay is more limited in range 
  (40 ft range increment instead of 50), but deals only 
  subdual damage. On a critical hit, damage is doubled 
  as normal, but the victim must make a Fortitude save 
  (DC 10 + attackers base ranged attack bonus) or be 
  considered Stunned for one round. Stunned charac-
  ters can’t act and lose any Dexterity bonus to Armor 
  Class, while attackers get a +2 bonus on attack rolls 
  against a stunned opponent.
  Straightsword (Jian):  Widely used by practitio-
  ners of the martial arts, the straightsword is a light, 
  slender, double-edged weapon, and is considered 
  a sword of reﬁ nement. The Weapon Finesse feat 
  can be used to apply Dexterity modiﬁ ers instead of 
  Strength to attack rolls with a straightsword.
  Strike, Unarmed: A Medium character deals 1d3 
  points of nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike. 
  A Small character deals 1d2 points of nonlethal dam-
  age. A monk or any character with the Improved Un-
  armed Strike feat can deal lethal or nonlethal dam-
  age with unarmed strikes, at her option. The damage 
  from an unarmed strike is considered weapon dam-
  age for the purposes of effects that give you a bonus 
  on weapon damage rolls.
  An unarmed strike is always considered a light 
  weapon. Therefore, you can use the Weapon Finesse 
  feat to apply your Dexterity modiﬁ er instead of your 
  Strength modiﬁ er to attack rolls with an unarmed 
  strike.
  Sword, Bastard: A bastard sword is too large 
  to use in one hand without special training; thus, it 
  is an exotic weapon. A character can use a bastard 
  sword two-handed as a martial weapon.
  Sword, Cicada Wing (Chan Zi Dao): Also called 
  a butterﬂ y wing sword, the cicada wing sword is a 
  two-foot iron bar with a short, single-edged sword 
  blade at each end, and two sharp crescent-shaped 
  hand guards afﬁ xed to the bar. A cicada wing sword 
  is a double weapon, and may be used as if ﬁ ghting 
  with two weapons, but doing so incurs all of the nor-
  mal attack penalties associated with ﬁ ghting with 
  two weapons (although the off-hand weapon is con-
  sidered light). A creature using a cicada wing sword 
  in one hand cannot use it as a double weapon.
  Sword, Cinqueda: This is the classic “ﬁ ve-ﬁ nger” 
  Italian shortsword. The base of its blade is as broad 
  as a hand, tapering quickly up to a narrow point.
  Sword, Claymore: The claymore is the famous 
  Scottish greatsword. These weapons are usually be-
  tween four and six feet long, with a double-edged 
  blade and extended hilt for a two-handed grip. Some 
  of these weapons feature drooping quillions, and 
  most have a leather-covered ricasso, which allows 
  the shoulder of the blade to be gripped for better 
  control in close-quarter ﬁ ghting. The claymore is a 
  weapon that requires strength and control to wield 
  effectively, and its weight and length gives it sig-
  niﬁ cant momentum that can be used to advantage 
  when ﬁ ghting multiple opponents. When used by a 
  character with the Cleave feat, a successful Strength 
  check (DC 15) allows one additional Cleave attack 
  in a round.
  Sword, Dadao: This heavy single-bladed sword 
  bears a long handle and a curved, tapered blade. 
  It can be wielded either one or two handed to deal 
  powerful blows in melee.
  Sword, Double-Bladed: The double-bladed 
  sword resembles a longsword, save that it has two 
  blades mounted parallel to each other, and a length-
  ened hilt. A double-bladed sword is too awkward 
  to use in one hand without special training, making 
  it an exotic weapon. A Medium sized character can 
  use a double-bladed sword two-handed as a martial 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  32
  weapon, or a Large creature can use it one-handed 
  in the same way.
  Sword, Double Short: A double short sword is 
  a double weapon. The wielder can ﬁght with it as if 
  ﬁghting with two weapons, but if he does, all nor-
  mal attack penalties are incurred. A creature wield-
  ing a double weapon in one hand can’t use it as a 
  double weapon. However, a Medium-size creature 
  proﬁcient in the double short sword may wield it 
  with two hands when using it as a double weapon. 
  The Weapon Finesse feat may be used to apply its 
  Dexterity modiﬁer instead of its Strength modiﬁer to 
  attack rolls with both ends. 
  Sword, Executioner’s: Although not very practi-
  cal for combat, the executioner’s sword has a long 
  tradition of service—it is used to behead criminals. 
  These blades are never used for anything but execu-
  tions by their proper wielders, but some have taken 
  to using beheading swords for more mundane pur-
  poses. Using a beheading sword in combat incurs 
  a –4 penalty to attack (cumulative with the penalty 
  for not being proﬁcient with the weapon) due to its 
  strange balance. Executioner’s swords are balanced 
  for chopping from an overhand position, rather 
  than completing complicated combat maneuvers. 
  Anyone with the Martial Weapon proﬁciency and 
  a Strength score of at least 14 who takes an Exotic 
  Weapon Proﬁciency in this weapon ignores the –4 
  penalty for using it.
  Sword, Ghost Head (Gui Tao Dao): This heavy 
  broadsword has a curved, tapered, single-edged 
  blade with saw teeth on its back edge. It is typically 
  wielded two handed and used to deal powerful, 
  gaping wounds to its targets.
  Sword, Heaven and Earth, Sun and Moon: 
  Symbolic of balance, the heaven and earth, sun and 
  moon sword is much like the cicada wing sword, 
  save that its handguards are farther apart, and its 
  sword blades are curved. A heaven and earth, sun 
  and moon sword is a double weapon. One can ﬁght 
  with it as if ﬁghting with two weapons, incurring all 
  of the normal attack penalties associated with ﬁght-
  ing with two weapons (although the off-hand weap-
  on is considered light). A creature using a heaven 
  and earth, sun and moon sword in one hand cannot 
  use it as a double weapon.
  Sword, Pole: The pole sword is a short hafted 
  polearm with a long, wide blade at one end and a 
  steel ring at the other. Often used as a sword because 
  it is easily wielded in one hand, its ring and wooden 
  haft makes it easy to perform martial maneuvers 
  that would be difﬁcult using a regular sword or full-
  length polearm. Sometimes, colorful silk cloth or 
  thin ropes are tied to the ring, allowing the wielder 
  to extend the reach of the weapon by spinning it or 
  throwing it short distances—when used in this way, 
  it adds a +2 bonus to Trip attacks.
  Warriors and monks like to use the pole sword 
  when mounted on horseback because it affords more 
  ﬂexibility than standard melee weapons. Of course, 
  it is still no match for a lance or spear in terms of 
  reach and impact, but in one-on-one battles, or when 
  taking on a poorly armed mob, it does the job quite 
  well.
  Sword, Rang Blade: This delicately balanced, 
  single-edged sword is designed both for use as a me-
  lee weapon and for ranged attacks. A rang blade has 
  a long handle and two air ﬁns, one on the tang and 
  one at the base of the blade, just above the hilt. When 
  thrown at an opponent, a rang blade ﬂies like a boo-
  merang and returns to the wielder’s hand. A rang 
  blade can do damage to an opponent without alter-
  ing its ﬂight path, although if it scores a critical hit on 
  a foe, it sticks in his body and does not return.
  A rang blade takes time to sail out and return, 
  and thereafter can only be thrown once in a single 
  round. However, an individual proﬁcient in the 
  weapon, having a base attack bonus of +6 or higher, 
  possessing an Intelligence score of 12 or greater, and 
  spends a second exotic weapon proﬁciency feat on 
  the weapon, can adjust the path of the blade to strike 
  at more than one foe in a single throw. Treat such 
  attempts as if they were separate attack rolls. A char-
  acter may strike as many foes in a throw as he has 
  attacks in the round. However, a single opponent 
  cannot be struck more than twice in a single throw.
  A rang blade enchanted with the weightless qual-
  ity has its range increment increased to 50 ft. War-
  riors that are serious about their rang blades often 
  seek out magical scabbards of return for them.
  Sword, Ribbon (Shuang Dao): A common weap-
  on in many lands, the ribbon sword is often used in 
  pairs. It has a single-edged blade, three-quarters of 
  which is long and straight; the last quarter curves 
  outward slightly and widens before tapering to a 
  point. The hilt curves slightly and has a pair of long 
  silk strips attached to the pommel. Users with the 
  Exotic Weapon proﬁciency use the silk cloths to their 
  advantage in battle. As long as he wields two sh-
  uang dao and is engaged in melee, the user receives 
  a +1 circumstance Armor Class bonus as the twirling 
  silks mask some of his movements and potentially 
  distracts his opponents, making it more difﬁcult for 
  them to accurately strike him.
  Some ribbon swords have nine large rings looped 
  through the outside, unsharpened edge. These rings 
  allow the wielder to “tangle” his opponent’s weap-
  on. A nine-ringed shuang dao increases the sword’s 
  weight by two pounds and allows the wielder to dis-
  arm opponents, granting a +1 circumstance bonus to 
  such attacks.
  Sword, Schiavona: The schiavona soldier’s 
  sword is suitable for both cutting and thrusting. Its 
  extreme ease of use and excellent balance makes it 
  equally suitable for both foot soldiers and cavalry. 
  The hilt is a complex assembly of iron bars, which 
  forms a basket that provides very good protection 
  for the wielder’s hand without the bulk associated 
  with most basket hilts. On the inner side of the cross 
  guard is an iron thumb loop. A type of schiavona 
  with a more elaborate guard in the form of inter-
  locking leaves and stems is a favored sword among 
  elves.
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  33
  The sword’s blade is typically a bit less than four 
  feet long with little taper until the very end, where 
  it comes to a point. In most regards, the sword re-
  sembles a claymore and is commonly used in combi-
  nation with a buckler.
  Sword, Tiger Hook (Hu Gou): In appearance, the 
  tiger hook resembles a slender, all-metal sword with 
  a heavily forward-hooked tip and a sharp, crescent-
  shaped handguard. Instead of a pommel, a tiger 
  hook has a sharp spike. A wielder can make trip and 
  disarm attacks with a tiger hook, receiving a +2 cir-
  cumstance bonus to opposed check rolls when doing 
  either. If tripped during a trip attempt, the wielder 
  can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped. The 
  swords can also be linked together by their hooks 
  and spun, essentially doubling their reach. A skilled 
  martial artist typically uses tiger hooks to disarm or 
  trip up his enemies while he uses his feet, elbows 
  and head to inﬂ ict damage upon them. The tiger 
  hook is normally used in pairs, and so are built of 
  lighter metal than most swords, making them easier 
  to wield together. These swords are considered to be 
  light off-hand weapons.
  Sword, Two-Bladed: A two-bladed sword is 
  a double weapon. You can ﬁ ght with it as if ﬁ ght-
  ing with two weapons, but you incur all the normal 
  attack penalties associated with ﬁ ghting with two 
  weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed 
  weapon and a light weapon. A creature wielding 
  a two-bladed sword in one hand can’t use it as a 
  double weapon—only one end of the weapon can be 
  used in any given round.
  Sword, Unicorn Horn (Lin Jiao Dao): A short, 
  broad-bladed sword, the unicorn horn sword has 
  a forward-curving blade, a rear-facing hook, and a 
  sharp crescent-shaped handguard. Unicorn horn 
  swords are normally used in pairs.
  Sword, War Cleaver: A war cleaver is a heavy-
  bladed, broad, curved, single-edged sword favored 
  by the most powerful and skilled hobgoblin ﬁ ghters. 
  A war cleaver is too awkward to use in one hand 
  without special training; thus it is an exotic weapon. 
  A Medium-size character can use a war cleaver two-
  handed as a martial weapon, or a Large creature can 
  use it one-handed in the same way.
  Thrower, Javelin: Also known as an atl-atl, this 
  ancient weapon provides greater leverage to thrown 
  javelins, increasing their range and power. The jav-
  elin thrower is a grooved stick with a notch at one 
  end used for propelling javelins. To use the throw-
  er, a javelin is loaded into the groove, and the user 
  swings the stick with an overhand throw motion, 
  ﬂ inging the javelin forward with much more force 
  than is possible with an unassisted throw.
  Using a javelin thrower doubles a javelin’s range 
  increment to 40 feet, increases its threat range to 19-
  20, and increases its critical multiplier to x3. Unfor-
  tunately, loading a javelin thrower is a standard ac-
  tion, and using one to throw a javelin is a standard 
  action also. This prevents skilled throwers from 
  making multiple attacks.
  Trident: This weapon can be thrown. If you use 
  a ready action to set a trident against a charge, you 
  deal double damage on a successful hit against a 
  charging creature.
  Urgrosh, Dwarven: A dwarven urgrosh is a 
  double weapon. You can ﬁ ght with it as if ﬁ ghting 
  with two weapons, but it incurs all the normal at-
  tack penalties associated with ﬁ ghting with two 
  weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed 
  weapon and a light weapon. The urgrosh’s axe head 
  is a slashing weapon that deals 1d8 points of dam-
  age. Its spear head is a piercing weapon that deals 
  1d6 points of damage. You can use either head as the 
  primary weapon. The other is the off-hand weapon. 
  A creature wielding a dwarven urgrosh in one hand 
  can’t use it as a double weapon—only one end of the 
  weapon can be used in any given round.
  If you use a ready action to set an urgrosh against 
  a charge, you deal double damage if you score a hit 
  against a charging creature. If you use an urgrosh 
  against a charging creature, the spear head is the 
  part of the weapon that deals damage. Dwarves treat 
  dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons.
  Waraxe, Dwarven: A dwarven waraxe is too 
  large to use in one hand without special training; 
  Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  34
  thus, it is an exotic weapon. A Medium character 
  can use a dwarven waraxe two-handed as a martial 
  weapon, or a Large creature can use it one-handed in 
  the same way. A dwarf treats a dwarven waraxe as a 
  martial weapon even when using it in one hand.
  Warhammer, War Maul: The war maul is a ﬁve-
  foot warhammer that is too heavy to use for an un-
  trained Medium creature, even with two hands. A 
  Medium creature with the Exotic Weapon Proﬁcien-
  cy can wield the war maul with two hands suffering 
  a –2 penalty to attack rolls. A Large creature could 
  use the war maul with two hands as a martial weap-
  on, or with one hand as an exotic weapon. A Large 
  creature without the Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency who 
  uses the war maul in one hand suffers the standard 
  -4 nonproﬁciency penalty to its attack rolls.
  Wheel, Wind and Fire (Juan Huo Lun): A beauti-
  ful and elaborate weapon, the wind and ﬁre wheel 
  is a sharpened, one-foot diameter metal ring used in 
  melee, the outside edge of which often features three 
  to ﬁve small, ornate blades. The wind and ﬁre wheel 
  is normally used in pairs.
  Whip: A whip deals nonlethal damage. It deals 
  no damage to any creature with an armor bonus 
  of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3 or 
  higher. The whip is treated as a melee weapon with 
  15-foot reach, though you don’t threaten the area 
  into which you can make an attack. In addition, un-
  like most other weapons with reach, you can use it 
  against foes anywhere within your reach (including 
  adjacent foes).
  Using a whip provokes an attack of opportunity, 
  just as if you had used a ranged weapon. You can 
  make trip attacks with a whip. If you are tripped dur-
  ing your own trip attempt, you can drop the whip to 
  avoid being tripped yourself. When using a whip, 
  you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to 
  disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from 
  being disarmed if the attack fails). You can use the 
  Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modi-
  ﬁer instead of your Strength modiﬁer to attack rolls 
  with a whip sized for you, even though it isn’t a light 
  weapon for you.
  Whip, Manticore Tail: The manticore tail is an 
  unusual whip that ends in a leather cocoon with 
  long hooked needles protruding from the tip, giving 
  it an appearance similar to the tail of the legendary 
  manticore. This cocoon hides a deadly secret, for it 
  is a reservoir for poison. Centrifugal force generated 
  when the whip is spun overhead pushes the poison 
  slowly through the narrow, hollow needles at the 
  tip, which is then delivered to the victim’s blood 
  stream upon a successful strike by the hooks. The 
  needles are designed such that the poison can only 
  run through them if sufﬁcient force is applied, so the 
  manticore tail does not leak when it is not in use. The 
  leather reservoir is ﬁrm enough that it is difﬁcult to 
  squeeze the poison out by hand. Unlike the whip the 
  manticore tail causes real damage. It can be used to 
  make trip attacks and to disarm your opponent.
  Masterwork Weapons
  A 
  masterwork weapon is a ﬁnely crafted 
  version of a normal weapon. Wielding it 
  provides a +1 enhancement bonus on at-
  tack rolls. You can’t add the masterwork quality to 
  a weapon after it is created; it must be crafted as a 
  masterwork weapon (see the Craft skill). The mas-
  terwork quality adds 300 gp to the cost of a normal 
  weapon (or 6 gp to the cost of a single unit of ammu-
  nition). Adding the masterwork quality to a double 
  weapon costs twice the normal increase (+600 gp).
  Masterwork ammunition is damaged (effectively 
  destroyed) when used. The enhancement bonus of 
  masterwork ammunition does not stack with any 
  enhancement bonus of the projectile weapon ﬁring 
  it.
  All magic weapons are automatically considered 
  to be of masterwork quality. The enhancement bo-
  nus granted by the masterwork quality doesn’t stack 
  with the enhancement bonus provided by the weap-
  on’s magic. Even though some types of armor and 
  shields can be used as weapons, you can’t create a 
  masterwork version of such an item that confers an 
  enhancement bonus on attack rolls. Instead, master-
  work armor and shields have lessened armor check 
  penalties.
  Separating Double Weapons
  A 
  separating double weapon functions 
  like a normal weapon of its type, but it 
  is designed to be able to separate into 
  two weapons. A quick twist of the haft can divide 
  a separating dire ﬂail into two light ﬂails, one for 
  each hand. Separating or connecting such a weapon 
  is a move-equivalent action unless the wielder has 
  the Quick Draw feat. Combined with this feat, the 
  weapon can be separated or connected as a free ac-
  tion once per round.
  Dwarven craftsmen who found that double 
  weapons could become a hindrance in conﬁned ar-
  eas originally designed separating double weapons. 
  By making the weapons separate, they became more 
  versatile. The idea soon spread to other races and 
  the weapons are becoming more common. Swords-
  men ﬁnd that carrying a two-bladed sword is easier 
  when it can become two long swords to carry in 
  scabbards.
  A separating double weapon costs an additional 
  100 gold over the cost of a normal double weapon of 
  its type. To acquire a masterwork separating double 
  weapon, the extra cost of masterwork weapons must 
  be added as well.
  Chapter 1: Weapons
  
  35
  CHAPTER 2: WEAPON QUALITIES
  not run or drip down onto the hands of the wielder. 
  A successful hit with this weapon deals +1d6 points 
  of acid damage. This magical acid does not damage 
  inanimate objects. Missile weapons with this en-
  chantment bestow the acid upon their ammunition.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, acid arrow; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Acid Burst: Weapons with this quality function 
  as acidic weapons that also splash their targets with 
  acid on a successful critical hit. This magical acid 
  does not damage inanimate objects. On a critical hit 
  an acidic burst weapon with a x2 critical multiplier 
  deals +1d10 points of acid damage, a x3 weapon 
  deals +2d10, and a x4 weapon deals +3d10. Missile 
  weapons with this enchantment bestow the acid 
  burst quality upon their ammunition.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, acid arrow; Mar-
  ket Price: +2 bonus.
  Acidic Blast: On command, an acidic blast weap-
  on drips acid (though this deals no damage to the 
  wielder). On any hit, this acid splashes the creature 
  struck, dealing +3d6 points of bonus acid damage. 
  On a successful critical hit it instead deals +6d6 
  points of acid damage (or +9d6 if the critical mul-
  tiplier is x3, or +12d6 if the critical multiplier is x4). 
  Bows, crossbows, and slings with this special ability 
  bestow the bonus acid damage upon their ammuni-
  tion. 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, acid fog; Market Price: +6 bonus. 
  Alterable, Minor: Weapons that possess the al-
  terable enchantment are literally able to change their 
  form and type upon command. After undergoing 
  this enchantment, a weapon’s form becomes blurred 
  and indistinct, possessing a hazy or occasionally wa-
  vering quality. Alterable weapons can change from 
  one weapon type to another at the command of 
  the wielder, to a maximum of up to three distinct 
  weapons, preselected by the crafter. For example, a 
  weapon with the minor alterable enchantment could 
  change from a longsword to a warhammer to a spear 
  upon command. Weapons do not necessarily need 
  to be held to change form, but they must be in physi-
  cal contact with the wielder.
  All the weapon types must be in the same size 
  category in order for the change to occur. 
  Minor alterable weapons cannot change 
  from melee types to ranged types and 
  visa versa. These weapons retain all 
  magical enchantments and enhance-
  ments in all their forms, although quali-
  ties that apply only to speciﬁc weapon 
  types (such as crushing, keen, or vorpal) 
  do not function when the weapon is not 
  of the required type.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 
  15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, polymorph any object; Market Price: 
  +1 bonus.
  Table 2.1: Base Enchantments
  %
  Special Ability
  Cost
  1-35
  Serrations
  +50
  36-50
  Weeping
  +80
  51-65
  Burning
  +90
  66-75
  Laced, Substance
  +1,000
  76-80
  Iconic
  +2,000
  81-86
  Imprinted
  +2,000
  87-92
  Signal Flare
  +2,000
  93-94
  Gadlings, Bracing
  +10,880
  95-96
  Gadlings, Cheetah
  +10,880
  97-98
  Gadlings, Mirrored
  +10,880
  99-00
  Gadlings, Resistance
  +10,880
  W
  hile the best medicine against 
  a fearsome beast is the sharp 
  edge of a trusted weapon, 
  there are times when addi-
  tional magic is required to 
  save the day. From swords that absorb a lightning 
  bolt spell to staves imbued with the power to bring 
  forth undead servants, prepared adventurers (and 
  truly wicked villains) wield much more than a 
  simple enchanted weapon of destruction. Compiled 
  here are number of the most popular magical addi-
  tions to weapons.
  Table Notes: Tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, and 2.5 contain 
  a listing of all available weapon qualities. They’re 
  sorted by market price adjustment, allowing the GM 
  to roll quickly to give out a weapon that has a unique 
  magical quality to it. 
  Absorption, Spell: Adventurers worlds over 
  covet weapons that possess this enchantment. Spell 
  absorption weapons can absorb spells that are cast di-
  rectly at the wielder. The weapon converts absorbed 
  spells into pure magical energy that can be channeled 
  by the wielder to either boost attacks or to heal. 
  When targeted by a spell, the wielder is entitled 
  to make a Spellcraft check to determine the spell be-
  ing cast. If successful, the wielder can choose wheth-
  er to absorb the spell effect or not. If the Spellcraft 
  check fails, the spell is automatically absorbed. 
  Once absorbing energy, the weapon must be dis-
  charged in one round. A charged weapon deals 1d4 
  points of additional damage per spell level absorbed 
  on a successful attack. Alternatively, a charged 
  weapon can be used to heal the wielder for 1d4 hit 
  points per spell level absorbed. Use of the healing 
  power is a move-equivalent action.
  If the wielder does not use the absorbed magical 
  energy within one round, or if she attacks a creature 
  but fails to hit with the spell-charged weapon, she 
  immediately suffers 1d4 points of damage per spell 
  level (Fortitude save; DC 22 for half) as the weapon 
  discharges the energy contained within it. A spell 
  absorption weapon can absorb up to 10 spell levels 
  per day.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell turning; Market 
  Price: +3 bonus.
  Acidic: Upon command, an acidic weapon be-
  comes coated in a thick, sticky acid. This acid does 
  
  36
  Table 2.2: Minor Weapon Qualities
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price 
  Modiﬁer
  1
  Acidic
  +1
  2
  Alterable, Minor
  +1
  3
  Aquatic
  +1
  4-7
  Bane
  +1
  5
  Bleeding
  +1
  6
  Burst, Dark
  +1
  7-9
  Burst, Sun
  +1
  10-11
  Cascading
  +1
  12
  Clamping
  +1
  13-15
  Concealed
  +1
  16
  Death Oath
  +1
  17-19
  Defending
  +1
  20-22
  Distance
  +1
  23-24
  Echotrapping
  +1
  25
  Elongating
  +1
  26
  Feybrand
  +1
  27-33
  Flaming
  +1
  34-35
  Folding
  +1
  36
  Forceful
  +1
  37-40
  Frost
  +1
  41-43
  Ghost Touch
  +1
  44
  Impact
  +1
  45
  Inspiration
  +1
  46
  Intense
  +1
  47-48
  Invisible
  +1
  49-52
  Keen
  +1
  53
  Ki Focus
  +1
  54
  Kinetic
  +1
  55
  Lunar
  +1
  56
  Merciful
  +1
  57-58
  Mighty Cleaving
  +1
  59-60
  Mighty Sundering
  +1
  61
  Nature’s Bane
  +1
  62-63
  Penetrating
  +1
  64
  Precision
  +1
  65-66
  Puncturing
  +1
  67-68
  Quick Draw
  +1
  69
  Reforming
  +1
  70
  Rending
  +1
  71-72
  Retribution
  +1
  73-75
  Returning
  +1
  76
  Rust Protection
  +1
  77
  Seeking
  +1
  78
  Sensing
  +1
  79-80
  Shock
  +1
  81
  Silent
  +1
  82-83
  Sneak Attack
  +1
  84-85
  Spell Storing
  +1
  86
  Spelltouch
  +1
  87
  Spiritual
  +1
  88
  Splintering
  +1
  89
  Stoneblessed
  +1
  90-91
  Storing
  +1
  92
  Stout
  +1
  93
  Stunning
  +1
  94
  Sympathetic
  +1
  95
  Thorny
  +1
  96
  Throwing
  +1
  97
  Thundering
  +1
  98
  Tracer
  +1
  99
  Undetectable
  +1
  00
  Vicious
  +1
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price 
  Modiﬁer
  1-2
  Acid Burst
  +2
  3-4
  Anarchic
  +2
  5-6
  Axiomatic
  +2
  7-8
  Balance
  +2
  9-10
  Blinding
  +2
  11-12
  Breaking
  +2
  13-14
  Class Bane
  +2
  15-16
  Conjoined
  +2
  17-18
  Consecrated
  +2
  19-20
  Corruption
  +2
  21-22
  Darklight
  +2
  23-24
  Death Oath
  +2
  25-26
  Deathchill
  +2
  27-28
  Deﬂecting
  +2
  29-30
  Disruption
  +2
  31-32
  Drinking
  +2
  33-34
  Echotrapping
  +2
  35-36
  Ferocity
  +2
  37-38
  Flaming Burst
  +2
  39-40
  Force Bubble
  +2
  41-42
  Holy
  +2
  43-44
  Icy Burst
  +2
  45-46
  Interfering
  +2
  47-48
  Jagged
  +2
  49-50
  Kinetic, Improved
  +2
  51-52
  Mire
  +2
  53-54
  Muse
  +2
  55-56
  Pestilence
  +2
  57-58
  Quickened
  +2
  59-60
  Reﬂection, Spell
  +2
  61-62
  Repelling
  +2
  63-64
  Sacriﬁcing
  +2
  65-66
  Serpent
  +2
  67-68
  Shocking Burst
  +2
  69-70
  Shrieking
  +2
  71-72
  Solace
  +2
  73-74
  Solace, Dark
  +2
  75-76
  Soul Burner
  +2
  77-78
  Sundering
  +2
  79-80
  Threnody
  +2
  81-82
  Totem
  +2
  83-84
  Tracking
  +2
  85-86
  Tripping
  +2
  87-88
  Truthcutter
  +2
  89-90
  Unholy
  +2
  91-94
  Weightless
  +2
  95-96
  Will Sapping
  +2
  97-98
  Wounding
  +2
  99-00
  WyrdWeave
  +2
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  37
  Alterable, Major: Major alterable weapons are 
  quite similar to minor alterable ones, except that there 
  is no limit to the number of weapon types they can 
  change into. The only requirement is that the wield-
  er must have seen the weapon type before. This 
  enchantment does not allow duplication of speciﬁc 
  weapons, only weapon types. Detail work, materi-
  als, and decorations cannot be duplicated.
  A major alterable, for example, could change from 
  a claymore to a dire ﬂail to a crossbow upon com-
  mand. These weapons do not necessarily need to be 
  held to change form, but they must be in physical 
  contact with the wielder. Changing the weapon’s 
  size category, or changing a melee weapon into a 
  ranged weapon or visa versa, requires a successful 
  Concentration check (DC 12). Alterable weapons re-
  tain all magical enchantments and enhancements no 
  matter what form they take.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph any 
  object; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Anarchic: An anarchic weapon is chaotically 
  aligned and infused with the power of chaos. It 
  makes the weapon chaos-aligned and thus bypasses 
  the corresponding damage reduction. It deals an ex-
  tra 2d6 points of damage against all of lawful align-
  ment. It bestows one negative level on any lawful 
  creature attempting to wield it. The negative level 
  remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disap-
  pears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This 
  negative level never results in actual level loss, but 
  it cannot be overcome in any way (including resto-
  ration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, 
  crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the chaotic 
  power upon their ammunition.
  Moderate evocation [chaotic]; Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chaos 
  hammer, creator must be chaotic; Market Price: +2 bo-
  nus.
  Anarchic Power: This weapon is chaos-aligned 
  and thus bypasses the corresponding damage re-
  duction. When a weapon of anarchic power strikes a 
  lawful target, this power deals +3d6 points of bonus 
  chaotic damage to the target, and the target gains one 
  negative level (Fortitude DC 23 to remove 24 hours 
  later). On a successful critical hit it instead deals +6d6 
  points of chaotic damage and bestows two negative 
  levels (or +9d6 and three negative levels if the criti-
  cal multiplier is x3, or +12d6 and four negative levels 
  if the critical multiplier is x4). The weapon bestows 
  three negative levels on any lawful creature attempt-
  ing to wield it. These negative levels remain as long 
  as the weapon is in hand and disappear when the 
  weapon is no longer wielded. These negative levels 
  never result in actual level loss, but they cannot be 
  overcome in any way (including restoration spells) 
  while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and 
  slings with this special ability bestow the anarchic 
  power upon their ammunition. This special ability 
  does not stack with the nonepic anarchic special abil-
  ity. 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, word of chaos; Market Price: +8 bo-
  nus. 
  Aquatic: Weapons with the aquatic quality func-
  tion normally underwater. The wielder does not 
  suffer any attack or damage penalties for using the 
  weapon in normal fresh or salt water. This quality 
  does not allow the wielder to use the weapon un-
  hindered in other liquids, such as acid, magma, or 
  magical solutions. 
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of move-
  ment; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Axiomatic: An axiomatic weapon is lawfully 
  aligned and infused with the power of law. It makes 
  the weapon law-aligned and thus bypasses the cor-
  responding damage reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 
  points of damage against all of chaotic alignment. It 
  bestows one negative level on any chaotic creature 
  attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as 
  long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when 
  the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level 
  never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be 
  overcome in any way (including restoration spells) 
  while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and 
  slings so crafted bestow the lawful power upon their 
  ammunition.
  Moderate evocation [lawful]; Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, order’s 
  Table 2.3: Bane Weapons
  d%
  Designated Foe
  01–05
  Aberrations
  06–09
  Animals
  10–16
  Constructs
  17–22
  Dragons
  23–27
  Elementals
  28–32
  Fey
  33–39
  Giants
  40
  Humanoids, aquatic
  41–42
  Humanoids, dwarf
  43–44
  Humanoids, elf
  45
  Humanoids, gnoll
  46
  Humanoids, gnome
  47–49
  Humanoids, goblinoid
  50
  Humanoids, halﬂing
  51–54
  Humanoids, human
  55–57
  Humanoids, reptilian
  58–60
  Humanoids, orc
  61–65
  Magical beasts
  66–70
  Monstrous humanoids
  71–72
  Oozes
  73
  Outsiders, air
  74–76
  Outsiders, chaotic
  77
  Outsiders, earth
  78–80
  Outsiders, evil
  81
  Outsiders, ﬁre
  82–84
  Outsiders, good
  85–87
  Outsiders, lawful
  88
  Outsiders, water
  89–90
  Plants
  91–98
  Undead
  99–100
  Vermin
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  38
  wrath, creator must be lawful; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Axiomatic Power: This weapon is 
  lawful-aligned and thus bypasses the 
  corresponding 
  damager 
  reduction. 
  When a weapon of axiomatic power 
  strikes a chaotic target, this power 
  erupts forth and deals +3d6 points of 
  bonus lawful damage to the target, and 
  the target gains one negative level (For-
  titude DC 23 to remove 24 hours later). 
  On a successful critical hit it instead 
  deals +6d6 points of lawful damage and 
  bestows two negative levels (or +9d6 
  and three negative levels if the criti-
  cal multiplier is x3, or +12d6 and four 
  negative levels if the critical multiplier is 
  x4). The weapon bestows three negative 
  levels on any chaotic creature attempt-
  ing to wield it. These negative levels re-
  main as long as the weapon is in hand 
  and disappear when the weapon is no 
  longer wielded. These negative levels 
  never result in actual level loss, but they 
  cannot be overcome in any way (includ-
  ing restoration spells) while the weapon 
  is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings 
  with this special ability bestow the law-
  ful power upon their ammunition. This 
  special ability does not stack with the 
  nonepic axiomatic special ability. 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 23rd; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, 
  dictum; Market Price: +8 bonus. 
  Balance: A balanced weapon is neu-
  trally aligned and infused with the 
  power of balance. It deals +1d6 points 
  of balance damage against all creatures 
  of lawful or chaotic alignments. It be-
  stows one negative level on anyone of 
  lawful or chaotic alignment attempting 
  to wield it. This negative level never re-
  sults in actual level loss, and cannot be 
  overcome in any way while the weap-
  on is wielded, but dissipates when the 
  weapon is put down. Missile weapons 
  so enchanted bestow the balance power 
  upon their ammunition.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 
  7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, detect law, detect chaos, creator 
  must be of neither lawful nor chaotic 
  alignment; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Balm: Weapons that possess this en-
  chantment constantly radiate an aura of soothing, 
  positive energy that heals wounds, protects from 
  diseases, and aids in ﬁghting off infections and im-
  purities. Balm weapons commonly appear as normal 
  items that possess a golden sheen, occasionally dis-
  playing sigils of healing and positive energy upon 
  their surfaces. These weapons grant Fast Healing 2 
  to characters wielding them, as well as a +2 luck bo-
  nus to all Fortitude saves versus disease. 
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gentle repose, pla-
  nar ally; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Bane: A bane weapon excels at attacking one 
  type or subtype of creature. Against its designated 
  foe, its effective enhancement bonus is +2 better than 
  Table 2.4: Medium Weapon Qualities
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price Modiﬁer
  1-3
  Absorption, Spell
  +3
  4-7
  Alterable, Major
  +3
  8-10
  Balm
  +3
  11-13
  Blinking
  +3
  14-16
  Blood-linked
  +3
  17-20
  Bone, Celestial
  +3
  21-25
  Bone, Fiendish
  +3
  26-29
  Boring
  +3
  30-32
  Bouncing
  +3
  33-35
  Counterstrike
  +3
  36-38
  Death Oath
  +3
  39-41
  Deﬂecting
  +3
  42-45
  Dispelling
  +3
  46-48
  Echotrapping
  +3
  49-52
  Firm Faith
  +3
  53-55
  Ghoulish
  +3
  56-59
  Hellﬁre
  +3
  60-63
  Pestilence, Greater
  +3
  64-67
  Prismatic
  +3
  68-70
  Resistance, Spell
  +3
  71-74
  Runic
  +3
  75-78
  Soul Burner
  +3
  79-81
  Spawning
  +3
  82-85
  Speed
  +3
  86-88
  Spell Storing, Greater
  +3
  89-91
  Spellcutter
  +3
  92-94
  Totem, Dire
  +3
  95-97
  Undead Creator, Minor
  +3
  98-00
  Vampiric
  +3
  1-7
  Brilliant Energy
  +4
  8-15
  Dancing
  +4
  16-23
  Death Oath
  +4
  24-30
  Deﬂecting
  +4
  31-38
  Echotrapping
  +4
  39-45
  Equalizing
  +4
  46-52
  Phoenix
  +4
  53-58
  Ruinous
  +4
  59-63
  Shadow Energy
  +4
  64-70
  Solace, Greater
  +4
  71-78
  Solace, Greater Dark
  +4
  79-85
  Soul Burner
  +4
  86-91
  Spell Echoing
  +4
  92-00
  Twin
  +4
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  39
  its normal enhancement bonus. It deals 
  an extra +2d6 points of damage against 
  the foe. Bows, crossbows, and slings so 
  crafted bestow the bane quality upon 
  their ammunition. To randomly deter-
  mine a weapon’s designated foe, see 
  Table 2.3: Bane Weapons.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 
  8th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, summon monster I; Market Price: 
  +1 bonus.
  Bleeding: A bleeding weapon normal-
  ly appears used and bloody no matter 
  how often it is cleaned. The weapon has 
  blood grooves carved into it that draw 
  blood from its victims. On a successful 
  hit the blade causes its victim to bleed 1 
  extra hit point per round for 5 rounds. 
  Only slashing and piercing weapons can 
  be bleeding weapons.
  Light necromancy; Caster Level: 3rd, 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, Inﬂict Minor Wounds; Market Price: 
  +1 Bonus.
  Blinding: Weapons with this qual-
  ity dim the vision of those struck with a 
  critical hit. Those affected must make a 
  Fortitude save (DC 19) or be blinded, as 
  per the spell blindness.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 
  6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, blindness; Market Price: +2 bo-
  nus.
  Blinking: While holding a blinking 
  weapon, the wielder, at the utterance of 
  a command word, is affected by the blink 
  spell. This includes all bonuses and pen-
  alties associated with the spell. A sepa-
  rate command word turns off the effect. 
  The blink effect may be turned on and off at will, but 
  cannot be used for a total of more than ten minutes 
  in a single day.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blink; Market 
  Price: +3 bonus.
  Blood-Linked: A blood-linked weapon is magi-
  cally enhanced to serve as a conduit between the 
  character wielding it and the victim. Whenever a 
  blood-linked weapon damages a target, one-half of 
  the damage inﬂicted is stored as hit points in a magi-
  cal reservoir within the weapon. A blood mage may, 
  as a free action, drain hit points from the weapon’s 
  reservoir and use them to power the Blood Power 
  feat (see Spells & Magic). Hit points stored in such a 
  weapon disperses at a rate of one hit point per day. 
  This enhancement may only be applied to pierc-
  ing or slashing melee weapons. Each blood-linked 
  weapon can store up to 15 hit points in its reservoir. 
  Actual blood is not stored in the weapon; it simply 
  holds part of the life force the target lost due to the 
  wound.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, vampiric touch; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Bone, Celestial: Weapons possessing this qual-
  ity have not only their appearances altered, but their 
  entire composition. This powerful enchantment lit-
  erally changes the weapon from one of wood, metal, 
  or stone to one of celestial bone – the very essence of 
  goodness and light.
  These items shine with a divine light, constantly 
  radiating as if a daylight spell had been cast upon 
  them. These weapons cannot be broken by any phys-
  ical means (although powerful spells such as disinte-
  grate and mage’s disjunction have a chance of destroy-
  ing them) and retain all prior bonuses and abilities. 
  In addition, a weapon with this enchantment confers 
  the following powers upon its wielder once per day: 
  bless, shield of faith, and holy smite. Clerics or paladins 
  possessing these weapons can also add the weapon’s 
  enchantment bonus to their turn undead checks
  Any non-good creature that picks up the weapon 
  gains two negative levels that cannot be overcome in 
  any way, although they never result in actual level 
  Table 2.5: Major Weapon Qualities
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price Modi-
  ﬁer
  1-5
  Contingency
  +5
  6-10
  Crushing
  +5
  11-15
  Deﬂecting
  +5
  16-20
  Dread Conduit
  +5
  21-25
  Echotrapping
  +5
  26-30
  Reﬂection, Greater Spell
  +5
  31-35
  Rusting
  +5
  36-40
  Skewering
  +5
  41-44
  Undead Creator, Major
  +5
  44-47
  Vampiric, Greater
  +5
  48-50
  Vorpal
  +5
  51-53
  Acidic Blast
  +6
  54-56
  Distant Shot
  +6
  57-59
  Echotrapping
  +6
  60-63
  Fiery Blast
  +6
  64-67
  Icy Blast
  +6
  68-70
  Lightning Blast
  +6
  71-73
  Mighty Disruption
  +6
  74-77
  Sonic Blast
  +6
  78-80
  Sync
  +6
  81-84
  Triple-Throw
  +6
  85-87
  Unerring Accuracy
  +6
  88-90
  Dread
  +7
  91-92
  Anarchic Power
  +8
  93-94
  Axiomatic Power
  +8
  95-96
  Everdancing
  +8
  97-98
  Holy Power
  +8
  99-00
  Unholy Power
  +8
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  40
  loss and disappear when the weapon is set down 
  again.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gentle repose, pla-
  nar ally; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Bone, Fiendish: Weapons possessing this qual-
  ity not only have their appearances altered, but their 
  entire composition. This powerful enchantment lit-
  erally changes the weapon from one of wood, metal, 
  or stone to one of ﬁ endish bone – the very essence of 
  evil and darkness.
  These items radiate with a profane gloom, pos-
  sessing a constant umbra as if a deeper darkness spell 
  had been cast upon them. These weapons cannot be 
  broken by any physical means (although powerful 
  spells such as disintegrate and mage’s disjunction have 
  a chance of destroying them) and retain all prior bo-
  nuses and abilities. In addition, a weapon with this 
  enchantment confers the following powers upon its 
  wielder once per day: bane, entropic shield, and unholy 
  smite. Clerics or blackguards possessing these weap-
  ons can also add the weapon’s enchantment bonus 
  to their rebuke or command undead checks
  Any non-evil creature that picks up the weapon 
  gains two negative levels that cannot be overcome in 
  any way, although they never result in actual level 
  loss and disappear when the weapon is set down 
  again.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gentle repose, pla-
  nar ally; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Boring: This enhancement may only be placed 
  upon ranged piercing weapons. The heads of weap-
  ons with this special ability appear to have a pair 
  of insect-like mandibles. Upon a successful hit they 
  animate and chew through ﬂ esh and bone, dealing 
  an additional +1d6 points of damage to the target 
  for 1d3 rounds thereafter, unless a full round action 
  is taken to remove the ammunition (inﬂ icting an ad-
  ditional 2 points of damage per projectile in the pro-
  cess).
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, giant insect; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Bouncing: This weapon quality may only be 
  placed on ammunition. A bouncing arrow, sling bul-
  let, or crossbow bolt weaves through the air toward 
  its target in an unpredictable fashion. An opponent 
  targeted by a bouncing ammunition is denied its Ar-
  mor bonus to AC (as a ranged touch attack).
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike; Mar-
  ket Price: +3 bonus.
  Breaking: This enchantment increases the threat 
  range of a weapon by one. All critical hits inﬂ icted 
  with a weapon of breaking also inﬂ ict a Critical Ef-
  fect, critical threat rolls less than a factor level of 3 
  are considered a Mild Severity. Critical Effects are 
  detailed in Torn Asunder: Critical Hits. Only blud-
  geoning weapons can be enchanted with breaking. 
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisite: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shatter; Mar-
  ket Price: +2 bonus.
  Brilliant Energy: A brilliant energy weapon 
  has its signiﬁ cant portion transformed into light, 
  although this does not modify the item’s weight. It 
  always gives off light as a torch (20-foot radius). A 
  brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving matter. 
  Armor and shield bonuses to AC (including any 
  enhancement bonuses to that armor) do not count 
  against it because the weapon passes through armor. 
  (Dexterity, deﬂ ection, the Dodge feat, natural armor, 
  and other such bonuses still apply.) A brilliant en-
  ergy weapon cannot harm undead, constructs, and 
  objects. This property can only be applied to melee 
  weapons, thrown weapons, and ammunition.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 16th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gaseous form, 
  continual ﬂ ame; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Burning: A burning weapon is a cheaper, non-
  magical approximation of a ﬂ aming weapon. Nearly 
  any bludgeoning weapon can be crafted as a burn-
  ing weapon. In place of the ordinary weapon head, 
  burning weapons have a heavy steel cage. Within 
  An acidic burst weapon
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  41
  the cage is placed an oil-soaked rag, which is then 
  set aﬂame. This simple invention lets the wielder use 
  both the weapon and a shield while also beneﬁting 
  from the effect of simple torchlight.
  Like any torch, a burning weapon can be used 
  to set things alight, helping in battles against mon-
  sters such as trolls or mummies. As a melee touch 
  attack, the wielder may hold his burning weapon up 
  against a foe to try to set it on ﬁre. If successful, the 
  foe takes 1d6 points of ﬁre damage, unless it forgoes 
  its next action to beat the ﬂames out, allowing it a 
  Reﬂex save (DC 15) to avoid harm. Market Price: +90 
  gp.
  Burst, Dark: Weapons that possess this enchant-
  ment are generally indistinguishable from those with 
  only basic enhancements. Occasionally, one may be 
  found with a shadowy or dark motif and is typically 
  mistaken for an unholy item. A dark burst weapon 
  that scores a critical hit against a foe immediately 
  casts darkness upon the target.
  Faint evocation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, darkness; Market Price: 
  +1 bonus.
  Burst, Sun: Most sun burst weapons are plainly 
  crafted, although occasionally one can be found with 
  a sun or light motif. These weapons are often mis-
  taken for holy items. A sun burst weapon that scores 
  a critical hit against a foe immediately casts daylight 
  upon the target.
  Faint evocation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, daylight; Market Price: 
  +1 bonus.
  Cascading: More devastating with each succes-
  sive hit, a cascading weapon is capable of dealing out 
  enormous amounts of damage, especially to poorly 
  armored foes. This quality may only be placed on 
  melee weapons. Each time a wielder hits with a cas-
  cading weapon, he receives a cumulative +1 morale 
  bonus on subsequent attack and damage rolls made 
  with the weapon that round. All bonuses granted by 
  a cascading weapon are lost at the beginning of the 
  wielder’s next round and missing even a single at-
  tack during a round causes the bonus to revert to 
  +0. The bonuses granted by a cascading weapon 
  also carry over into attacks of opportunity or other 
  attacks made outside of normal initiative.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Clamping: Weapons imbued with the clamping 
  quality can afﬁx themselves to nearly any object, al-
  though typically they are clamped to the wielder’s 
  hand. Characters using such weapons cannot be 
  disarmed, nor can they accidentally drop them. A 
  command word must be spoken to release a weapon 
  once clamped.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spider climb; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Class Bane: A class bane weapon excels at attack-
  ing one character class. Against its designated foe, 
  its effective enhancement bonus is +2 better than its 
  normal enhancement bonus. It deals an extra 2d6 
  points of damage against the foe. Bows, crossbows, 
  and slings so crafted bestow the bane quality upon 
  their ammunition. To randomly determine a weap-
  on’s designated foe, roll on the following table.
  d%
  Designated Foe
  01-09
  Barbarian
  10-18
  Bard
  19-27
  Cleric
  28-36
  Druid
  37-47
  Fighter
  48-56
  Monk
  57-65
  Paladin
  66-74
  Ranger
  75-83
  Rogue
  84-91
  Sorcerer
  92-100
  Wizard
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, summon monster 
  I; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Concealed: This enchantment causes the weapon 
  to shrink to 1/12th its normal size. One command 
  word controls both the reduction and expansion of 
  the weapon. This is a standard action. Magic weap-
  ons retain their magical properties even while re-
  duced. Enchantments such as brilliant energy could 
  still make concealing the weapon a difﬁcult task.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shrink item; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Conjoined: This highly useful enchantment is 
  typically placed upon particularly cherished weap-
  ons. Conjoined weapons cannot be lost or stolen. If 
  somehow separated from its owner, a command 
  word teleports a conjoined weapon back to its stow-
  age place upon the owner’s person, whether this be 
  scabbard, boot sheath, holster, or backpack. This 
  weapon holster is part of the enchantment, and must 
  be equipped in order to achieve ownership of the 
  weapon.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, teleport; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Consecrated: A consecrated weapon is attuned to 
  holy places. The weapon does +2d6 points of bonus 
  damage when it’s wielded on holy ground.
  Moderate evocation [good]; Caster Level: 8th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless, conse-
  crate; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Contingency: Weapons that possess this en-
  chantment are always elaborate, baroque affairs, 
  often appearing to be designed more for ceremony 
  than for actual combat. However, these weapons are 
  powerful tools in any battle and should be heeded 
  as such. Contingency weapons allow their wielders 
  to place a number of spells into them in a certain or-
  der and have these spells, upon the execution of a 
  particular set of circumstances, be cast in rapid suc-
  cession (2 per round in the order they were added 
  to the weapon until all spells have been cast). New 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  42
  spells may be cast into the weapon once per day. 
  The contingency for their discharge must be set at 
  this time. Refer to the spell contingency to determine 
  what kinds of conditions are valid. The total spell 
  level of the combined spells cannot exceed twice the 
  enchantment bonus of the weapon.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites:
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, contingency; Market 
  Price: +5 bonus.
  Corruption: This evil enhancement grants a sav-
  ing throw adjustment to whomever it deals damage. 
  Against good or neutral creatures, a corruption weap-
  on bestows a –1 profane penalty to all saves. If the 
  weapon strikes an evil creature, however, it grants it 
  a +1 profane bonus to its saving throws. The profane 
  bonuses from weapons of corruption stack and are 
  cumulative up to a +5 bonus. The corruption effect 
  lasts 1d4+1 minutes.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, doom; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Counterstrike: The counterstrike ability may be 
  bestowed upon any Small or Tiny weapon. Once per 
  round, when an opponent in melee with the wield-
  er of a counterstrike weapon attacks and misses, the 
  wielder may immediately launch an attack of oppor-
  tunity against him with the counterstrike weapon—
  even if he has already attacked in the round.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 12th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste; Market 
  Price: +3 bonus.
  Crushing: Weapons that possess the crushing en-
  chantment are essentially the bludgeoning equiva-
  lents to vorpal weapons. Upon a successful critical 
  hit, a weapon with this enchantment completely 
  crushes the target’s head (if it has one), into dust. As 
  with vorpal weapons, many creatures such as oozes, 
  abominations, golems, and some undead are not af-
  fected by the loss of a head, so the GM may have 
  to make a judgment call as to the weapon’s effect 
  against such foes.
  Strong necromancy and transmutation; Caster 
  Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, forceful hand, ﬁ nger of death; Market Price: +5 bo-
  nus.
  Dancing: A dancing weapon can be loosed to 
  attack on its own (a standard action). It ﬁ ghts for 4 
  rounds using the base attack bonus of the one who 
  released it and then drops. While dancing, it cannot 
  make attacks of opportunity, and the person who ac-
  tivated it is not considered armed with the weapon. 
  In all other respects, it is considered wielded or at-
  tended by the creature for all maneuvers and effects 
  that target items. While dancing, it takes up the same 
  space as the activating character and can attack adja-
  cent foes (weapons with reach can attack opponents 
  up to 10 feet away). The dancing weapon accompa-
  nies the person who activated it everywhere, wheth-
  er she moves by physical or magical means. If the 
  wielder who loosed it has an unoccupied hand, she 
  can grasp it while it is attacking on its own as a free 
  action; when so retrieved the weapon can’t dance 
  (attack on its own) again for 4 rounds.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects; 
  Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Darklight: This weapon possesses the innate 
  ability to drain warmth and light from an area 10 
  feet in diameter around its wielder. Normally, this 
  effect is only moderately noticeable, but twice per 
  day the wielder may amplify it. This ampliﬁ ed effect 
  is similar to the spell darkness, with the added effect 
  that the temperature in the area affected is reduced 
  by 10 degrees per point of Constitution bonus of the 
  wielder. The effects of exposure are detailed under 
  ‘Cold Dangers’ in Chapter 8 of the DMG. 
  Moderate conjuration and evocation [cold]; Cast-
  er Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, cone of cold, darkness; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Deathchill: This weapon inﬂ icts double normal 
  damage to all incorporeal creatures struck by it. On a 
  critical hit against an incorporeal creature, instead of 
  doubling the damage, the deathchill quality simply 
  increases the damage multiplier by 1. This enchant-
  ment can only be applied to weapons that also bear 
  the ghost touch quality.
  A clamping weapon
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  43
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, plane shift, chill 
  metal, heat metal, ghost touch ability; Market Price: +2 
  bonus.
  Death Oath: A set of up to ten weapons can be 
  crafted at one time with this enchantment. Each 
  weapon can be of a different type and each may bear 
  various other additional enchantments. The culmi-
  nation of the death oath requires one person for each 
  weapon to be present for a daylong ceremony dur-
  ing which they vow the death of a single, named in-
  dividual or entity (as per the geas/quest spell). It is not 
  necessary that the original oath takers use the weap-
  ons; anyone can gain the full beneﬁts of one but the 
  oath takers are the ones subject to the geas.
  If the named individual is killed by one of these 
  weapons, his soul is drawn into the weapon. Unless 
  the weapon is later destroyed, this prevents resur-
  rection by any means, including miracle or a wish. 
  After the named individual is killed by one of these 
  weapons, all beneﬁts and special abilities granted by 
  the death oath to all weapons in the set permanently 
  disappear (excepting that the soul remains trapped 
  in one weapon).
  Whenever the oath taker for a particular weapon 
  is killed, that weapon permanently disappears, and 
  all remaining weapons in the set gain a cumula-
  tive +1 luck bonus to damage. For instance, if two 
  oath takers died, the remaining weapons would 
  each receive a +2 luck bonus to damage. Death oath 
  weapons that have disappeared do not reappear if 
  their oath takers are resurrected. In addition, other 
  beneﬁts accrue after a certain number of oath takers 
  are killed. These effects are cumulative, and initiate 
  whenever the weapon scores a critical hit. See the 
  table below for details.
  # Oath  
  Takers 
  Killed
  Additional Effects
  3 or more
  Poison (Fort save DC18, 1d6 Str/
  1d6 Str)
  6 or more
  Dimensional Anchor (Will save 
  DC 19)
  9
  Death (Fort save DC 22,  if suc-
  cessful still take 3d6+19 points of 
  additional damage)
  If the last oath taker for a weapon in a set is killed, 
  the weapon vanishes, leaving the oath forever un-
  fulﬁlled. If the oath can no longer be accomplished 
  due to the death of the targeted individual by other 
  means, the weapons still remain and receive their 
  full powers until all oath takers have passed away.
  Strong (all schools); Caster Level: 19th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, dimensional an-
  chor, ﬁnger of death, geas/quest, ray of enfeeblement, soul 
  bind, an additional 1,000 gp per HD of the target of 
  the oath must be spent in the ritual; Market Price: Per 
  weapon, based on the number of weapons in the set: 
  1–3 (+1 bonus), 4–6 (+2 bonus), 7–9 (+3 bonus), 10 
  (+4 bonus).
  Defending: A defending weapon allows the 
  wielder to transfer some or all of the sword’s en-
  hancement bonus to his AC as a bonus that stacks 
  with all others. As a free action, the wielder chooses 
  how to allocate the weapon’s enhancement bonus at 
  the start of his turn before using the weapon, and the 
  effect to AC lasts until his next turn.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shield or shield of 
  faith; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Deﬂecting: Deﬂecting items project an invisible 
  ﬁeld of force that provides additional protection be-
  yond that of the weapon itself and its enchantment 
  bonus. This ﬁeld can either be invisible, or appear as 
  a shadowy shell around the wielder. This enchant-
  ment adds a deﬂection bonus to the weapon, its cost 
  varying depending on its potency.
  +1 deﬂection bonus: Moderate abjuration [force]; 
  Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, shield; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  +2 deﬂection bonus: Moderate abjuration [force]; 
  Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, shield; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  +3 deﬂection bonus: Moderate abjuration [force]; 
  Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, shield; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  +4 deﬂection bonus: Moderate abjuration [force]; 
  Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, shield; Market Price: +5 bonus.
  Dispelling: Weapons with the dispelling quality 
  dispel magical spells and effects on a successful hit. 
  For example, striking a creature under the effects of 
  improved invisibility may make it visible. On a suc-
  cessful hit, roll a targeted dispel check, as per the 
  spell greater dispel magic, at the weapon’s caster level 
  vs. caster level of the effect. Only one spell or effect 
  may be dispelled per hit. If more than one effect is 
  in place, the weakest (in terms of caster level) is dis-
  pelled ﬁrst. This weapon cannot be used to dispel 
  effects not applied to a creature.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, greater dispel magic; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Disruption: A weapon of disruption is the bane 
  of all undead. Any undead creature struck in combat 
  must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or be destroyed. 
  A weapon of disruption must be a bludgeoning 
  weapon.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 14th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, heal; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Distance: This property can only be placed on a 
  ranged weapon. A weapon of distance has double 
  the range increment of other weapons of its kind.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, clairaudience/
  clairvoyance; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Distant Shot: A distant shot weapon can be used 
  against any target within line of sight at no penalty 
  for range. 
  Strong divination; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  44
  Arms and Armor, discern location; 
  Market Price: +6 bonus. 
  Dread: A dread weapon excels 
  at attacking one type of creature. 
  Against its designated foe, its ef-
  fective enhancement bonus is +4 
  better than its normal enhance-
  ment bonus. Further, it deals 
  +4d6 points of bonus damage 
  against the foe, and if it scores a 
  successful critical hit against the 
  foe, that creature must make a 
  Fortitude save (DC 27) or be de-
  stroyed instantly and turned to 
  dust. (This even affects creatures 
  immune to critical hits or death 
  magic.) To randomly determine 
  a dread weapon’s designated foe, 
  see Table 2.6: Dread Weapons. 
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 22nd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, summon monster IX; Market Price: 
  +7 bonus. 
  Dread Conduit: Each of these weapons is attuned 
  to a particular evil power of the lower planes. When 
  a critical hit is scored with one of these weapons the 
  target must immediately roll a Fortitude save (DC 
  17 + the magical bonus of the weapon). If success-
  ful, the target suffers the regular critical damage for 
  that weapon. If the target fails its save, their soul (life 
  force) is drawn out and they die. Souls absorbed by 
  the weapon are siphoned directly to the dark entity 
  that the weapon is linked to. Only a true resurrection 
  spell can retrieve the lost soul. 
   Adding this property automatically makes the 
  weapon evil in nature and any Good aligned crea-
  ture that wields the weapon gains two negative 
  levels. These negative levels remain only as long as 
  the weapon is in hand. The level loss cannot be over-
  come by any means while the weapon is wielded.
   Strong necromancy [Evil]; Caster Level: 15th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ﬁnger of 
  death, soul bind; Market Price: +5 bonus.
  Drinking: Any time the blade or head of this 
  weapon is covered in liquid (such as blood, poison, 
  or holy water) and the command word is spoken, the 
  weapon absorbs the liquid, storing it. At any time 
  after, when the command word is again spoken, 
  the weapon will release the stored liquid, becoming 
  sheathed in it. After “drinking” the weapon is con-
  sidered saturated and cannot absorb again until it is 
  purged.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 8th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Knowledge 
  (poisons) or Craft (alchemy); Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Echotrapping: Through the use of potent en-
  chantments, an item can be made magically reso-
  nant. Such items hold a pattern or blueprint of spells 
  to which their owners are exposed.
  An echotrapping item can store the pattern of one 
  spell per day per plus of Market Price. The item’s 
  wielder can learn spells caught in the item as if from 
  another wizard’s spell book. Learning a given spell 
  (Spellcraft DC 20 + the level of the spell) removes it 
  from the weapon and places it in a spell book; a failed 
  check erases the stored spell. Spontaneous casters 
  can spend spell slots to cast the spell, or even learn 
  the spell as a known spell if they have a slot avail-
  able. Only spells of up to sixth level can be stored in 
  an echotrapping item.
  Strong divination (plus aura of stored spell); Cast-
  er Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, read magic; Market Price: +1 bonus per spell 
  capacity. (An item that can hold ﬁve spells costs as 
  per a +5 item.)
  Elongating: Only ﬂexible melee weapons (those 
  made with chain, rope, leather, etc.) can have the 
  elongating ability. As a free action, the wielder 
  can will the weapon to stretch up to twice its nor-
  mal length, thus doubling the weapon’s range. The 
  weapon automatically recoils to its normal length 
  after it has disengaged the target, such as after an 
  attack, disarm or a trip attempt. 
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, animate rope; Market Price: +1 bo-
  nus.
  Equalizing: If the wielder of a melee weapon with 
  this property is ﬁghting a creature with a Challenge 
  Rating equal to or lower than his own, this power 
  has no effect. If the wielder’s opponent has a Chal-
  lenge Rating higher than his own, each successful 
  strike inﬂicts a temporary negative level (Fort save 
  DC of 23 to negate). A strike is successful if it hits, 
  even if it inﬂicts no damage due to the target’s Dam-
  age Reduction, resistances, or other factors. Treat the 
  opponent’s effective Challenge Rating as equal to its 
  actual Challenge Rating minus its current number of 
  negative levels. Once the opponent’s effective Chal-
  lenge Rating equals that of the weapon’s wielder, the 
  weapon ceases to inﬂict negative levels.
  The wielder gains no temporary hit points from 
  the energy drain, and the negative levels inﬂicted by 
  such a weapon can never result in permanent level 
  loss. They all disappear as soon as the weapon’s 
  wielder is defeated in combat, or after 24 hours if the 
  victim successfully ﬂees.
  Table 2.6: Dread Weapons
  d%
  Designated Foe
  d%
  Designated Foe
  01–05
  Aberrations
  58–60
  Humanoids, orc
  06–09
  Animals
  61–65
  Magical beasts
  10–16
  Constructs
  66–70
  Monstrous humanoids
  17–22
  Dragons
  71–72
  Oozes
  23–27
  Elementals
  73
  Outsiders, air
  28–32
  Fey
  74–76
  Outsiders, chaotic
  33–39
  Giants
  77
  Outsiders, earth
  40
  Humanoids, aquatic
  78–80
  Outsiders, evil
  41–42
  Humanoids, dwarf
  81
  Outsiders, ﬁre
  43–44
  Humanoids, elf
  82–84
  Outsiders, good
  45
  Humanoids, gnoll
  85–87
  Outsiders, lawful
  46
  Humanoids, gnome
  88
  Outsiders, water
  47–49
  Humanoids, goblinoid
  89–90
  Plants
  50
  Humanoids, halﬂing
  91–98
  Undead
  51–54
  Humanoids, human
  99–100
  Vermin
  55–57
  Humanoids, reptilian
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  45
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 17th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, energy drain; 
  Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Everdancing: An everdancing weapon is much 
  like a dancing weapon, though it can be loosed 
  with a free action and will ﬁght as long as desired. 
  It can move up to 60 feet away from its owner. Its 
  owner can instruct it to move to a different target 
  as a move-equivalent action. If its owner is rendered 
  unconscious or otherwise unable to direct it, it will 
  ﬁght the same opponent as long as that opponent is 
  conscious and within range. The owner of an ever-
  dancing weapon can grasp it again as a free action 
  (assuming it is within reach). 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 23rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, animate objects; Market Price: +8 bo-
  nus. 
  Ferocity: Rare in the extreme, the ﬁrst ferocious 
  weapons were constructed by the ith’n ya’roo (see 
  Complete Minions) out of the remains of fallen en-
  emies. Even the most mundane of their weapons is a 
  source of profound pride for these barbaric warriors, 
  causing them to imbue their favorites with the fero-
  cious enchantment.
  A ferocious weapon grants the wielder a +1 luck 
  bonus to attack and damage rolls for every +1 of en-
  chantment bonus imbued into the weapon. This fe-
  rocity ability can be called upon as a free action once 
  per day per point of enchantment of the weapon, but 
  calling forth the ferocity power must be done before 
  an attack roll is made. Once used, the ferocity power 
  remains in effect for 1d6 rounds.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, divine favor; Mar-
  ket Price: +2 bonus.
  Feybrand: Generally used in some form of pole-
  arm, these weapons sense the presence of Fey-kind 
  and the metal head or tip of the weapon begins to 
  heat up, glowing red hot when within close proxim-
  ity. When creatures of the Fey subtype are within 60 
  ft. of the weapon the tip visibly heats up, glowing 
  softly and doing an additional +1d4 points of ﬁre 
  damage. When a Fey creature comes within 30 ft. 
  the weapon’s tip becomes red hot, glowing brightly. 
  Its heat can be felt from up to 5 ft. away. When a 
  feybrand weapon strikes, it inﬂicts an additional 2d4 
  points of ﬁre damage. 
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, heat metal; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Fiery Blast: On command, a ﬁery blast weapon 
  is sheathed in ﬁre (though this deals no damage to 
  the wielder). On any hit, this ﬁre engulfs the creature 
  struck, dealing +3d6 points of bonus ﬁre damage. On 
  a successful critical hit it instead deals +6d6 points of 
  ﬁre damage (or +9d6 if the critical multiplier is x3, 
  or +12d6 if the critical multiplier is x4). Bows, cross-
  bows, and slings with this special ability bestow the 
  bonus ﬁre damage upon their ammunition. 
  Strong evocation [ﬁre]; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, ﬁreball; Market Price: +6 bonus. 
  Firm Faith: Weapons possessing this enchant-
  ment are not composed of wood, metal, and leather, 
  but rather from the very essence of a priest’s faith. 
  As such, these items can only be used by characters 
  that expressly serve a higher power and who receive 
  spells from that divine source (such as clerics, dru-
  ids, paladins, and rangers). All other creatures sim-
  ply cannot pick up one of these items, as if there is 
  no substance to it.
  Generally, ﬁrm faith weapons take on forms that 
  are indicative and representative of the higher pow-
  er from which they come. For example, a warham-
  mer of a plant god might be composed of living, 
  ever-growing bark and leaves. Wielders of ﬁrm faith 
  items receive the ability to cast spells from a single 
  one of their domains at a +1 caster level (the domain 
  must be chosen by the creature upon ﬁrst touching 
  the weapon). Divine spellcasters without speciﬁc 
  domains gain the caster level bonus to all spells of 
  the highest spell level they can cast when ﬁrst using 
  the weapon in combat (for example, a 4th level druid 
  would gain the bonus to all 2nd level spells). This 
  bonus stacks with other, similar bonuses.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Arms and Armor, spiritual weapon, 
  prayer; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Flaming: Upon command, a ﬂaming weapon is 
  sheathed in ﬁre. The ﬁre does not harm the wielder. 
  The effect remains until another command is given. 
  A ﬂaming weapon deals an extra +1d6 points of ﬁre 
  damage on a successful hit. Bows, crossbows, and 
  slings so crafted bestow the ﬁre energy upon their 
  ammunition.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 10th; Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor and ﬂame blade, ﬂame strike, 
  or ﬁreball; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Flaming Burst: A ﬂaming burst weapon func-
  tions as a ﬂaming weapon that also explodes with 
  ﬂame upon striking a successful critical hit. The ﬁre 
  does not harm the wielder. In addition to the extra 
  ﬁre damage from the ﬂaming ability (see above), a 
  ﬂaming burst weapon deals an extra 1d10 points of 
  ﬁre damage on a successful critical hit. If the weap-
  on’s critical multiplier is x3, add an extra 2d10 points 
  of ﬁre damage instead, and if the multiplier is x4, 
  add an extra 3d10 points of ﬁre damage. Bows, cross-
  bows, and slings so crafted bestow the ﬁre energy 
  upon their ammunition. Even if the ﬂaming ability is 
  not active, the weapon still deals its extra ﬁre dam-
  age on a successful critical hit.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor and ﬂame blade, ﬂame 
  strike, or ﬁreball; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Folding: Weapons that possess this enchantment 
  usually display a hazy, almost insubstantial quality 
  about them, which seems to come and go from mo-
  ment to moment. Once the command word is spo-
  ken, the weapon folds into a small, thin square of 
  nondescript, gray colored cloth that is easily stored. 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  46
  This enchantment is widely sought after by many, 
  especially rogues and assassins. Unfolding these 
  items is a standard action, usually keyed to a com-
  mand phrase or sound, such as a whistle.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shrink item; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Force Bubble: This enchantment can only be 
  added to ammunition. Any creature hit by a force 
  bubble missile must make a Reﬂex save (DC 17) or be 
  surrounded by an impenetrable bubble of force for 
  2d4 rounds, similar to a resilient sphere spell.
  Moderate evocation [force]; Caster Level: 8th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resilient 
  sphere; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Forceful: The forceful enchantment can be applied 
  to any weapon, and causes the weapon’s standard 
  damage die to be increased by one type. Damage 
  dice progresses along the following line: 1d3, 1d4, 
  1d6, 1d8 or 2d4, 1d10, 1d12 or 2d6, 2d8, 1d20 or 2d10, 
  3d10, and 2d20. If an option is given, the enchanter 
  can choose either one. A forceful longsword, for ex-
  ample, would deal 1d10 points of damage upon a 
  successful hit. This enchantment can be applied to 
  the same weapon up to three times, its effects stack-
  ing each time.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enlarge; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Frost: Upon command, a frost weapon is sheathed 
  in icy cold. The cold does not harm the wielder. The 
  effect remains until another command is given. 
  A frost weapon deals an extra +1d6 points of cold 
  damage on a successful hit. Bows, crossbows, and 
  slings so crafted bestow the cold energy upon their 
  ammunition.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill metal or ice 
  storm; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Gadlings: These iron or steel studs can be at-
  tached to the outer surface of a warrior’s gauntlets, 
  functioning more as decoration than anything else. 
  Sometimes they remain simple, unadorned studs; 
  other times they are spiked, bejeweled, or forged 
  into the shape of exotic, mythological animals. Oc-
  casionally a noble lord or knight may wear gadlings 
  to signify his rank or level of accomplishment, their 
  gadlings functioning as diminutive replicas of the 
  heraldic crests bestowed by a proud liege.
  Magical gadlings are quite common amongst 
  those who can afford them. In most tournaments 
  and other kinds of ritual combat, they are expressly 
  frowned upon. Only one type of magical gadling 
  may be worked into a single gauntlet. Magical 
  gadlings can be added to magical gauntlets, allow-
  ing both enchantments to still function. The fol-
  lowing are but a few of the many types of available 
  magical gadlings:
  Bracing Gadlings: These are simple, almost primi-
  tive, bits of carved wood. Once per day, the wearer 
  may call on them to lend him strength, giving him a 
  +2 enhancement bonus to his Strength score for the 
  next four rounds.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; 
  Market Price: 10,880 gp; Cost to Create: 5,400 gp + 432 
  XP.
  Gadlings of Resistance: Once per day, these 
  gadlings grant can their wearer a +1 morale bonus 
  to all saving throws for 10 minutes. Twelve carved 
  stone gadlings must be attached to a gauntlet in or-
  der to enchant it in this manner.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Market Price: 
  10,880 gp; Cost to Create: 5,400 gp + 432 XP.
  Gadlings of the Cheetah: Once per day these 
  gadlings can confer upon their wearer an enhanced 
  speed, giving her a +2 Dexterity bonus and an im-
  proved movement rating of +20 feet for 10 minutes 
  (this ability can’t be turned on and off, however; it 
  lasts for 10 minutes from the time it was activated). 
  The movement increase conferred by the gadlings 
  does not stack with boots of striding and springing or 
  other magical enhancements. The gadlings are com-
  posed of small tufts of yellow-orange fur bound to 
  light pieces of gold quartz. 
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cat’s grace; Mar-
  ket Price: 10,880 gp; Cost to Create: 5,400 gp + 432 XP.
  Mirrored Gadlings: These are highly polished and 
  enchanted gadlings that serve to blind one’s oppo-
  nent in battle. Once per day, the wearer may invoke 
  their magic, causing a painful burst of light that can 
  be aimed straight at a designated foe, who must 
  make a successful Reﬂex save (DC 15) or be blinded 
  for 1d4 rounds.
  Faint evocation [light]; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, daylight; Market 
  Price: 10,880 gp; Cost to Create: 5,400 gp + 432 XP.
  Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon deals damage 
  normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of 
  its bonus. (An incorporeal creature’s 50% chance to 
  avoid damage does not apply to attacks with ghost 
  touch weapons.) The weapon can be picked up and 
  moved by an incorporeal creature at any time. A 
  manifesting ghost can wield the weapon against cor-
  poreal foes. Essentially, a ghost touch weapon counts 
  as either corporeal or incorporeal at any given time, 
  whichever is more beneﬁcial to the wielder.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, plane shift; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Ghoulish: A ghoulish weapon reeks of carrion 
  and has an unhealthy look to it. Any time that it 
  strikes a successful critical hit on a living creature, 
  the target must make a Fortitude save at DC 14 or 
  be paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds. Even if the target 
  survives an encounter with such a weapon, it is po-
  tentially infected with ghoul fever (Fortitude save 
  DC 12, for effects see the ghoul entry in the MM). 
    Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead, 
  ghoul touch; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  47
  Hellﬁre: A hellﬁre weapon functions as a ﬂam-
  ing burst weapon (see the DMG), but on a successful 
  critical hit the weapon explodes in a great roar of bil-
  lowing ﬂame and spraying magma. This burst deals 
  +1d10 points of ﬁre damage to all within 10 feet of 
  the victim, excluding the wielder. The damage in-
  creases to +2d10 if the weapon’s critical multiplier is 
  x3, or +3d10 if it is x4. Bows, crossbows, and slings 
  so enchanted bestow this ability on their ammuni-
  tion.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 14th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ﬂame blade, ﬂame strike, 
  or ﬁreball; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Holy: A holy weapon is imbued with holy pow-
  er. This power makes the weapon good-aligned and 
  thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. 
  It deals an extra +2d6 points of damage against all of 
  evil alignment. It bestows one negative level on any 
  evil creature attempting to wield it. The negative 
  level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and 
  disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. 
  This negative level never results in actual level loss, 
  but it cannot be overcome in any way (including res-
  toration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, 
  crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the holy 
  power upon their ammunition.
  Moderate evocation [good]; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, holy smite, 
  creator must be good; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Holy Power: This weapon is good-aligned and 
  thus bypasses the corresponding damager reduc-
  tion. When a weapon of holy power strikes an evil 
  target, this power erupts forth and deals +3d6 points 
  of bonus holy (good) damage to the target, and the 
  target gains one negative level (Fortitude DC 23 to 
  remove 24 hours later). On a successful critical hit 
  it instead deals +6d6 points of holy (good) dam-
  age and bestows two negative levels (or +9d6 and 
  three negative levels if the critical multiplier is x3, or 
  +12d6 and four negative levels if the critical multi-
  plier is x4). The weapon bestows three negative lev-
  els on any evil creature attempting to wield it. These 
  negative levels remain as long as the weapon is in 
  hand and disappear when the weapon is no longer 
  wielded. These negative levels never result in ac-
  tual level loss, but they cannot be overcome in any 
  way (including restoration spells) while the weapon 
  is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings with this 
  special ability bestow the holy power upon their am-
  munition. This special ability does not stack with the 
  nonepic holy special ability. 
  Strong evocation [good]; Caster Level: 23rd; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, holy word; Market Price: +8 
  bonus. 
  Iconic: Rogues, wizards, rangers, and all who 
  prefer to travel light hold weapons that possess this 
  enchantment dear. Upon command, these weapons 
  instantly change into a small cloak-pin, brooch, coin, 
  or badge that can be worn or carried easily and ef-
  fortlessly by the wielder. Only the wielder of the 
  weapon can carry the item in this manner, as the 
  moment it leaves his person, it reverts to its normal 
  size and dimensions. One minor limitation of this 
  enchantment is that the iconic form of the weapon 
  must bear the image of the weapon in some manner. 
  For instance, when an iconic halberd is converted to 
  its smaller size (a coin, perhaps), it plainly bears the 
  likeness of a halberd upon its surface.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shrink item, 
  minor creation; Market Price: +2,000 gp.
  Icy Blast: On command, an icy blast weapon is 
  sheathed in icy cold (though this deals no damage 
  to the wielder). On any hit, this cold washes over the 
  creature struck, dealing +3d6 points of bonus cold 
  damage. On a successful critical hit it instead deals 
  +6d6 points of cold damage (or +9d6 if the critical 
  multiplier is x3, or +12d6 if the critical multiplier is 
  x4). Bows, crossbows, and slings with this special 
  ability bestow the bonus cold damage upon their 
  ammunition. 
  Strong evocation [cold]; Caster Level: 21st; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, cone of cold; Market Price: +6 
  bonus. 
  Icy Burst: An icy burst weapon functions as 
  a frost weapon that also explodes with frost upon 
  striking a successful critical hit. The frost does not 
  harm the wielder. In addition to the extra damage 
  from the frost ability, an icy burst weapon deals an 
  extra 1d10 points of cold damage on a successful 
  critical hit. If the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, 
  add an extra 2d10 points of cold damage instead, 
  and if the multiplier is x4, add an extra 3d10 points. 
  Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the 
  cold energy upon their ammunition. Even if the frost 
  ability is not active, the weapon still deals its extra 
  cold damage on a successful critical hit.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill metal or ice 
  storm; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Impact: The magical might of an impact weapon 
  helps its wielder deliver tremendously powerful 
  blows. Upon a successful hit with an impact weapon, 
  an additional 1d4 points of damage is dealt. This 
  quality may only be applied to bludgeoning weap-
  ons.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; 
  Market Price: +1bonus.
  Imprinted: This weapon was made for one par-
  ticular person, family, gender, group, lineage, or 
  race, speciﬁed at its creation. Anyone other than an 
  intended user that picks up the weapon suffers 4d8 
  points of electrical damage (Fortitude save DC 15 
  for half damage) each time it is grasped. Once dis-
  charged, the weapon can be used normally until set 
  down again, although it functions only as an ordi-
  nary nonmagical weapon. All other magical proper-
  ties of an imprinted weapon remain hidden except 
  for the imprinted owner.
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  48
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, glyph of warding, 
  locate creature; Market Price: +2,000 gp.
  Inspiration: Weapons that possess this enchant-
  ment are a boon to all, but particularly to bards, who 
  often ﬁnd themselves in need of inspiration. Inspira-
  tion weapons are usually breathtakingly beautiful, 
  ornate affairs with sumptuous inlays and ﬁligrees, 
  and are exceptionally ﬂashy and impressive as a 
  whole. However, their special abilities lie not within 
  their appearances, but rather within their power to 
  inspire. Once per day as a free action, the weapon 
  can be called upon to grant its wielder +6 ranks in 
  the Perform skill. These ranks are temporary and 
  vanish within 1d4 hours. The bonus does not stack 
  with other inspiration items.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Arms and Armor, enthrall; Market Price: +1 bo-
  nus.
  Intense: A weapon with the intense enchantment 
  is essentially the bludgeoning equivalent of a keen 
  weapon. The intense enchantment doubles the threat 
  range of a bludgeoning weapon. For instance, a sling 
  stone has a normal threat range of 20, but an intense 
  sling stone scores a threat upon a 19–20.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 11th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, forceful 
  hand; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Interfering: A successful strike with an inter-
  fering weapon disrupts any spellcasting ability the 
  target possesses. For the three rounds following a 
  hit, the target must succeed a Concentration check 
  (DC 17) in order to cast a spell. A critical hit from 
  an interfering weapon increases the effect’s duration 
  to 6 rounds and the Concentration DC to 21. The 
  duration of the enchantment is not cumulative for 
  multiple strikes. Bows, crossbows, and slings so en-
  chanted bestow this power upon their ammunition.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, dispel magic; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Invisible: Only the grip of this weapon is visible. 
  Blows from it are thus more difﬁcult to avoid, and 
  opponents suffer a –4 penalty to sunder and disarm 
  attempts against the weapon’s wielder. The wielder 
  gains a +4 bonus to feinting attempts with the weap-
  on. This all comes at a price, however. This may only 
  be applied to melee weapons.
   Moderate illusion: Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, invisibility; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Jagged: Weapons possessing this enchantment 
  have their appearances altered from their standard 
  designs. The lines of their form become ragged, 
  sprouting wicked barbs and sharp, clawlike protru-
  sions. Often such changes to the weapons’ appear-
  ance seem almost demonic, but there are no infernal 
  associations attributed to this enchantment.
  The critical multiplier of a jagged weapon is in-
  creased by 1, and an ordinary strike by the weapon 
  deals an additional +1d6 points of damage. This en-
  chantment can only be added to slashing weapons 
  and does not stack with the keen quality.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, inﬂict moderate 
  wounds; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Keen: This ability doubles the threat range of a 
  weapon. Only piercing or slashing weapons can be 
  keen. This beneﬁt doesn’t stack with any other effect 
  that expands the threat range of a weapon (such as 
  the keen edge spell or the Improved Critical feat).
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, keen edge; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Ki Focus: The magic weapon serves as a channel 
  for the wielder’s ki, allowing her to use her special ki 
  attacks through the weapon as if they were unarmed 
  attacks. These attacks include the monk’s stunning 
  attack, ki strike, and quivering palm, as well as the 
  Stunning Fist feat. Only melee weapons can have the 
  ki focus ability.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 8th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must 
  be a monk; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Kinetic: A kinetic weapon can be rapidly swung 
  to build up additional force that is transferred to 
  its next attack. For each consecutive round that 
  the wielder swings the weapon in wide circles, the 
  weapon builds up an additional 1d6 damage and +1 
  circumstance attack bonus. The wielder cannot en-
  gage in combat or ﬁght defensively while swinging 
  the weapon to increase its kinetic energy. This is a 
  standard action that provokes an Attack of Opportu-
  nity. The additional force must be applied to the next 
  single attack roll made the round after the wielder 
  is done swinging. The maximum bonus that can be 
  built up in a kinetic weapon is +3d6 damage and +3 
  to attack.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; 
  Market Price: +1 Bonus.
  Kinetic, Improved: As kinetic, but the maximum 
  bonus is +5d6 damage and +5 to attack.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Empower 
  Spell, bull’s strength; Market Price: +2 Bonus.
  Laced, Substance: Weapons that possess this 
  enchantment are loaded with various harmful sub-
  stances. Sometimes substance-laced weapons bear 
  alchemical symbols that hint at their enchantment. 
  Substance laced weapons can store up to twelve doses 
  of a variety of substances, such as poison, oil, alche-
  mist’s ﬁre, smoke, acid, potions, and so on. These 
  substances are released at will by the wielder. A 
  substance can be released upon a successful strike 
  (typically poison), poured out (as with a potion), or 
  sprayed into the air around the wielder (as with a 
  smoke capsule). The weapon must be held in order 
  to release a substance. When a substance is released, 
  the wielder must call a speciﬁc reservoir by its num-
  ber from 1 to 12. Players are encouraged to keep 
  proper track of what each location contains to pre-
  vent disastrous results.
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  49
  Once depleted, the substance reservoirs must 
  be carefully replenished, requiring 1d3 minutes per 
  substance type to reload.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 4 ranks in 
  Alchemy; Market Price: +1,000 gp.
  Lightning Blast: On command, a lightning blast 
  weapon crackles with electrical energy (though this 
  deals no damage to the wielder). On any hit, light-
  ning coruscates around the creature struck, dealing  
  +3d6 points of bonus electricity damage. On a suc-
  cessful critical hit it instead deals +6d6 points of elec-
  tricity damage (or +9d6 if the critical multiplier is x3, 
  or +12d6 if the critical multiplier is x4). Bows, cross-
  bows, and slings with this special ability bestow the 
  bonus electricity damage upon their ammunition. 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, lightning bolt; Market Price: +6 bo-
  nus. 
  Lunar: A lunar weapon’s enhancement bonus 
  changes with the phases of the moon (or a speciﬁc 
  moon if many exist in the campaign world). Dur-
  ing the new moon, the enhancement bonus is un-
  changed. The effective enhancement bonus becomes 
  +1 better than its normal enhancement bonus during 
  the ﬁrst and last quarter of the moon. This rises to +3 
  during the time of a full moon. Note that these bo-
  nuses are effective only at night, although the moon 
  does not actually have to be visible for them to take 
  effect. There is a variant of this ability called ‘dark 
  lunar’, which gains power during the new moon in-
  stead of the full moon.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Merciful: The weapon deals an extra +1d6 points 
  of nonlethal damage. On command, the weapon 
  suppresses this ability until commanded to resume 
  it. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the 
  merciful effect upon their ammunition.
  Faint conjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure light wounds; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Mighty Cleaving: A mighty cleaving weapon al-
  lows a wielder with the Cleave feat to make one ad-
  ditional cleave attempt in a round.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, divine power; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Mighty Disruption: Any undead creature struck 
  in combat must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 21) 
  or be destroyed. A weapon of mighty disruption 
  must be a bludgeoning weapon. 
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, true resurrection; Market Price: +6 
  bonus. 
  Mighty Sundering: This enchantment increases 
  a weapon’s enhancement bonus by +1 only in re-
  gards to the magical arms and armors it can damage 
  or be damaged by. Also, this type of weapon deals 
  an additional +1d6 points of damage to inanimate 
  objects (with the exception of constructs). Thus, a +3 
  weapon with this enchantment can damage armor 
  and weapons with up to a +4 enchantment, doing an 
  additional +1d6 points of damage, while in return a 
  weapon needs at least a +4 enhancement bonus to 
  damage the +3 mighty sundering weapon. 
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, stoneskin; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Mire: Weapons that possess this enchantment 
  usually appear thicker, heavier, broader, and more 
  unbalanced than others of their type. Despite their 
  appearance, they are no more difﬁcult to wield than 
  normal weapons. Upon a successful critical hit, the 
  weapon’s target must succeed at a Reﬂex save (DC 
  15) or become mired, anchored to the spot upon 
  which they stand. Mired creatures have their feet 
  magically held to the ground for 1d4 rounds, are un-
  able to walk, and lose any Dexterity bonuses to AC. 
  This enchantment has no effect on creatures not in 
  contact with the ground.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, entangle; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Muse: Muse weapons are always elaborate af-
  fairs, resplendent with etchings of famous legends 
  and tooled inlays of precious stones and metals, 
  which are pleasures for the eye to behold. A bard in 
  possession of a muse weapon receives a +5 insight 
  bonus to all Bardic Knowledge checks. Anyone pos-
  sessing a muse weapon gains a +2 to all Craft checks 
  and is able to cast legend lore as a standard action 
  once per day.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Arms and Armor, legend lore, caster 
  must have at least one level in bard; Market Price: +2 
  bonus.
  Nature’s Bane: A nature’s bane weapon is en-
  hanced with the destruction of the natural world in 
  mind. When used to attack naturally formed, un-
  crafted targets or materials (such as a tree or cavern 
  wall) 5 points of the target’s hardness is ignored. 
  Objects crafted directly from un-augmented natural 
  materials (such as a wood door, but not a steel door) 
  have 3 points of hardness ignored when attacked 
  by these weapons. Creatures made of natural sub-
  stances (such as a dryad or stone golem) or spells 
  that conjure such materials into being (like wall of 
  stone) are unaffected by the special abilities of these 
  weapons.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shatter; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Penetrating: A penetrating weapon is simply the 
  piercing version of a keen weapon. Piercing weapons 
  given this quality have their critical threat ranges 
  doubled. A penetrating spear for example, scores a 
  critical threat on a 19 or 20.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 11th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, keen edge; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  50
  Pestilence: A pestilence weapon is a diseased 
  weapon that passes on its sickness whenever it suc-
  ceeds in a critical hit. A pestilence weapon is a car-
  rier of one of the following diseases: blinding sick-
  ness, cackle fever, ﬁlth fever, mindﬁre, red ache, the 
  shakes, or slimy doom. The disease is chosen when 
  the item is created. No matter what the disease, if the 
  target fails the saving throw (Fortitude DC 18), he 
  contracts it immediately, with no incubation period. 
  A creature struck with a disease cannot be further 
  infected with the same disease while still suffering 
  its effects.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, contagion; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Pestilence, Greater: The more powerful version 
  of the pestilence enchantment, greater pestilence weap-
  ons carry all of the diseases of their lesser counter-
  parts and randomly spread them upon a successful 
  critical hit (Fortitude DC 20). In all other respects, 
  greater pestilence weapons function identically to 
  their lesser counterparts.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, contagion; Mar-
  ket Price: +3 bonus.
  Phoenix: A weapon with the phoenix ability al-
  lows its wielder to experience an unusual rebirth; 
  if he is slain by a particular type of attack, he may 
  make a Will save (DC 10 + the slayer’s CR). If suc-
  cessful, the wielder is resurrected one round later, 
  at full hit points. The phoenix weapon is destroyed 
  in the process.
  The known subtypes of phoenix weapons are: 
  ﬁre, cold, lightning, venom (which works against 
  all poisons), and nemesis (which works against an 
  assassin’s death attack).
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 18th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resurrection; 
  Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Precision: This enchantment grants the weapon 
  a +5 luck bonus to a roll that determines whether 
  a hit is a critical hit or not. This enchantment pro-
  vides no bonus for normal attack rolls, however the 
  +5 may be used as a modiﬁer to determine the Factor 
  Level of a Critical Effect (see Torn Asunder: Critical 
  Hits for these optional rules). Bows, crossbows, and 
  slings so enchanted bestow this power upon their 
  ammunition.
  Faint divination; Caster Level: 1st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Puncturing: Puncturing weapons are able to pen-
  etrate a single substance (such as stone, iron, or gem-
  stone) far more easily than usual weapons, granting 
  a +2 luck bonus to attack and damage rolls when 
  used against objects made of or opponents wear-
  ing armor made of the appropriate substance. Such 
  weapons must have part of their structure (such as 
  the hilt, the haft, the head, and so on) forged from the 
  substance. This is often simply a round or oval inset 
  of the material somewhere on the weapon’s surface. 
  These items can be very handy for tasks such as scal-
  ing walls, ﬁghting armored opponents, or even com-
  bating particular golem types. 
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, protection from 
  elements; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Prismatic: Wreathed in shifting colors, a prismatic 
  weapon releases a spray of colors upon hitting a tar-
  get. On a successful critical hit, colored rays spring 
  from the weapon, affecting the target with a random 
  prismatic effect. Except as noted, the effects are simi-
  lar to those caused by a prismatic spray spell. Bows, 
  crossbows, and slings that are so ensorcelled bestow 
  the prismatic ability upon their ammunition.
  1d8
  Color
  Effect (Save DC is 20)
  1
  Red
  20 points of ﬁre damage  
  (Reﬂex half)
  2
  Orange
  40 points of acid damage  
  (Reﬂex half)
  3
  Yellow
  80 points of electricity damage 
  (Reﬂex half)
  4
  Green
  Poison (Kills; Fortitude for 1d6 
  points of Con damage)
  5
  Blue
  Turned to stone  
  (Fortitude negates)
  6
  Indigo
  Insane (as insanity spell;  
  Will negates)
  7
  Violet
  Sent to another plane  
  (Will negates)
  8
  Struck by two rays (roll twice 
  more, ignoring any other “8” 
  results).
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 14th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, prismatic spray; Market 
  Price: +3 bonus.
  Quick Draw: A weapon with this ability seem 
  to spring into the wielder’s hand when he needs 
  it, acting as if he had the Quick Draw feat: A nor-
  mal weapon is drawn as a free action instead of a 
  move action, and a concealed weapon is drawn as 
  a move action instead of as a standard action. If the 
  wielder personally possessed the Quick Draw feat, 
  then drawing a hidden weapon becomes a free ac-
  tion, while drawing a normal weapon occurs so 
  rapidly that those watching one would swear that 
  the weapon teleported itself from its scabbard to the 
  user’s hand.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Quickened: This enhancement allows the wield-
  er to attack swiftly, often landing the ﬁrst blow in 
  a ﬁght. It provides the wielder with a +4 initiative 
  bonus while wielding the weapon.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Improved 
  Initiative, cat’s grace; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Reﬂection, Spell: Those who must do battle with 
  spellcasters seek out weapons with the spell reﬂection 
  enhancement. These items constantly shimmer with 
  an aura of mirrorlike motes, their surfaces silvered 
  and highly reﬂective. A spell reﬂecting weapon’s 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  51
  enchantment takes effect when a spell of a speciﬁc 
  school speciﬁcally targets the wielder. The wielder 
  is allowed a Reﬂex save vs. the spell (even if none 
  is normally available), and if successful, the spell’s 
  effect is reﬂected back upon the caster as per the spell 
  turning spell. Each such weapon is attuned to only 
  one school of magic, which must be speciﬁed at the 
  time of creation. This quality can be used no more 
  than three times per day, and a weapon can shield 
  against no more than a single school of magic (spell 
  reﬂection qualities do not stack).
  Effect and area spells do not activate the spell re-
  ﬂection quality. In addition, a weapon must be wield-
  ed in order for the spell reﬂection quality to activate (it 
  is dormant when sheathed or stored).
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell turning; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Reﬂection, Greater Spell: These weapons are 
  similar to spell reﬂecting weapons, except that they 
  are able to reﬂect three spells per day from any 
  school.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell turning; Market 
  Price: +5 bonus.
  Reforming: This handy enhancement allows 
  weapons that have been sundered to reform on the 
  following round. Depending on whether the sun-
  dering occurred before or after the wielder acts, it 
  can be used again the following round. Doing so 
  permanently uses up one of the weapon’s enhance-
  ment bonuses; thus a +2 reforming longsword that 
  was sundered will reform as a +1 longsword. If the 
  weapon only has a +1 enhancement, then the special 
  ability is used up to reform the weapon, leaving it 
  as an ordinary +1 weapon. Note that the weapon’s 
  material must still exist for it to be reformed. Thus, a 
  weapon that has been disintegrated or subjected to a 
  rust monster’s attack cannot be reformed. This abil-
  ity may only be applied to melee weapons.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, make whole; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Rending: A successful hit with a weapon with 
  this ability does no damage to the target, but de-
  stroys 1 point of Armor Class gained from any 
  physical armor (not natural armor or any magical 
  enhancements) by cutting leather or padded armor 
  or slicing through cords, straps, and bands holding 
  more substantial protection in place.
  Rending weapons have enhancement bonuses 
  that add to the wielder’s attack roll and allow him 
  to damage magical armor with an equal or lesser en-
  hancement bonus, but the bonus of a rending weapon 
  doesn’t increase the damage it does to an opponent’s 
  armor. No rending weapon is able to damage an ar-
  tifact.
  As rending weapons do no damage to the person 
  inside the armor, there’s no reason to imbue this abil-
  ity in high-damage melee weapons, so most rending 
  weapons are light weapons (such as daggers and 
  handaxes) used in the off hand, while a damaging 
  weapon is held in the wielder’s primary hand to 
  press the advantage the rending weapon creates.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, keen edge; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus
  Repelling: Only blunt weapons can have the 
  repelling ability. When scoring a critical hit with a 
  repelling weapon, the target is thrown backwards 
  5 ft., directly away from the wielder. In addition to 
  the movement, the target suffers 1d6 points of dam-
  age from the force of the blow and must make a Re-
  ﬂex save (DC 10 + extra damage done by the repel-
  ling ability) or be knocked to the ground (prone). 
  If the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, the target 
  is thrown back 10ft. and suffers 2d6 points of dam-
  age and if the multiplier is x4, the target suffers 3d6 
  points of damage and is thrown back 15ft. Note: the 
  movement forced by the weapon does not allow the 
  wielder an Attack of Opportunity against the target. 
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, repulsion; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Resistance, Spell: resisting weapons always ap-
  pear crafted out of a ﬂat, dull, gray colored substance 
  that seems porous, much like pumice. Such weapons 
  bolster the innate spell resistance of the wielder by 5. 
  If the wielder does not have spell resistance already, 
  she gains a spell resistance of 10 + her Charisma 
  modiﬁer. Missiles, such as arrows, cannot receive 
  this enchantment.
  This quality can be activated three times per day 
  as a free action that lasts for 1d4+1 minutes. The 
  weapon itself always possesses an SR equal to its 
  caster’s level +10.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance; Market 
  Price: +3 bonus.
  Retribution: This power can only be enchant-
  ed into a melee weapon. Every time the wielder is 
  wounded in combat, the enhancement bonus of the 
  weapon increases by one against the opponent caus-
  ing the wound, for the duration of the combat. The 
  enhancement bonus of the weapon only increases 
  against one opponent at a time. If the wielder is 
  wounded by a second opponent, he may choose to 
  start increasing the weapon’s enhancement bonus 
  against the new opponent. In this case, any bonuses 
  against the ﬁrst opponent are lost. The weapon may 
  increase to a limit of +5.
  A combat ends when either the wielder or his op-
  ponent is killed or rendered unconscious, or when 
  one of them surrenders or successfully ﬂees. As a 
  guideline, if the GM stops measuring time in rounds, 
  the combat is over. If the wielder later engages in 
  combat with the same opponent, there is no special 
  bonus from this power at the beginning of the com-
  bat.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 18th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, limited wish; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Returning: This special ability can only be placed 
  on a weapon that can be thrown. A returning weapon 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  52
  ﬂ ies through the air back to the creature that threw 
  it. It returns to the thrower just before the creature’s 
  next turn (and is therefore ready to use again in that 
  turn).
  Catching a returning weapon when it comes back 
  is a free action. If the character can’t catch it, or if the 
  character has moved since throwing it, the weapon 
  drops to the ground in the square from which it was 
  thrown.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, telekinesis; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Ruinous: A ruinous weapon allows the wielder to 
  cast destruction as a 13th level cleric upon a creature 
  struck once per day. A Fortitude save (DC 17) avoids 
  death. The wielder can decide to use the weapon’s 
  ability after striking the blow. Doing so is a free ac-
  tion, but the destruction must be cast on the same 
  round as the strike.
  A ruinous weapon bestows two negative levels 
  on any nonevil creature that wields it. The negative 
  levels remain as long as the weapon is in hand and 
  disappear when the weapon is no longer wielded. 
  These negative levels never result in actual level 
  loss, but they cannot be overcome in any way while 
  the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings 
  that are so ensorcelled bestow the ruinous ability 
  upon their ammunition.
  Strong necromancy [death]; Caster Level: 13th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, destruc-
  tion; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Runic: This weapon is covered in runes and con-
  tains three runestones within it. The runes are likely 
  to be ones associated with combat. The weapon may 
  be attuned to, but it only counts as attuning to one 
  rune (see Spells & Magic from Bastion Press).
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 14th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Dagaz rune; Mar-
  ket Price: +3 bonus.
  Rust Protection: Weapons protected by this en-
  chantment are immune to all normal and magical 
  forms of rust, including rust monster attacks and the 
  effects of rusting grasp. This enchantment is typically 
  used for melee weapons, although metallic missile 
  weapons may ﬁ nd this enchantment useful as well.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, protection from 
  elements or rusting grasp; Market Price +1 bonus.
  Rusting: Rusting weapons are always badly pit-
  ted and corroded, and the weapon with this special 
  ability confers a -1 circumstance penalty on attacks 
  made by its wielder due to its poor condition. Some 
  sages have speculated that the rusting ability is not 
  purposely added to a weapon, but is instead the re-
  sult of an earlier ensorcelment that has faded. When 
  used in combat they have the effect of the rusting 
  grasp spell cast by a 7th level druid.
  Only melee weapons with a signiﬁ cant portion 
  of metal (such as a longsword, but not a longspear 
  or greatclub) may have this ability. Rusting weapons 
  never shed light when drawn.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, rusting grasp; 
  Market Price: +5 bonus.
  Sacriﬁ cing: When using a sacriﬁ cing weapon, the 
  wielder may expend hit points or Constitution for 
  greater damage results. As a free action, before an 
  attack is rolled, the wielder may expend up to 10 hit 
  points and/or 4 points of Constitution with the at-
  tack; treat these as normal HP and ability score dam-
  ages. For each 2 hit points expended this way, the 
  wielder gains a +1 to weapon attack and damage 
  roll. For each 1 Constitution expended this way, the 
  critical range increases by 2 or the critical multiplier 
  by 1. Lost hit points and Constitution can be restored 
  via magic or by the passage of time.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, vampiric touch; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Seeking: Only ranged weapons can have this 
  ability. The weapon veers toward its target, negating 
  any miss chances that would otherwise apply, such 
  as from concealment. (The wielder still has to aim 
  the weapon at the right square. Arrows mistakenly 
  shot into an empty space, for example, do not veer 
  and hit invisible enemies, even if they are nearby.)
  Strong divination; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true seeing; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Sensing: This type of weapon senses any one type 
  of creature within 60 feet. Glowing with a color cho-
  sen by its creator, a sensing weapon activates upon 
  detecting the presence of a designated type of crea-
  ture. The intensity of the glow varies based on the 
  total number of applicable creatures within range. 
  The glow is barely visible for 1–3 creatures, faint 
  (equivalent to a candle) for 4–6 creatures, bright (like 
  torchlight) for 7–12 creatures, intense (as bright as 
  daylight) for 13–20 creatures, and dazzling for more 
  creatures. A creature of the speciﬁ ed type who looks 
  at the dazzling glow (treat as a gaze attack) is dazed
  for one round, suffering a –1 penalty to attack rolls. 
  ﬂ ies through the air back to the creature that threw 
  made by its wielder due to its poor condition. Some 
  Variant Rule: Siege Weapons and Siege Ammunition
  A
  ny weapon ability that can be applied to a missile weapon launcher (a weapon that uses 
  ammunition, such as a bow) can also be applied to a siege engine that hurls ammunition (a 
  ballista or catapult). Double the cost of the magical portion of the weapon costs, and apply it 
  to the normal price of a masterwork siege weapon.
  Any weapon ability that can be applied to ammunition can also be applied to siege engine ammuni-
  tion. Siege engine ammunition costs the same as normal ammunition, but is created in batches of 10, 
  rather than 50.
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  53
  This ability is frequently given to bane weapons, and 
  the table given for bane weapons can be used to de-
  termine which creature is sensed.
  Faint divination; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, locate creature; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Serrations: Any bladed weapon can be specially 
  created with a serrated cutting edge or edges. Strikes 
  with such weapons produce vicious, jagged wounds, 
  and as a result, these weapons do an extra point of 
  damage. For example, a serrated longsword does 
  1d8+1 points of damage, a serrated falchion does 
  2d4+1 damage, and so on. Serrations take longer 
  to forge than ordinary edges, and as a result such 
  weapons are rare and expensive.
  Masterwork serrated weapons gain the combined 
  beneﬁts of both properties. Adding serrations to a 
  weapon reduces its hardness by 2. Market Price: +50 
  gp.
  Serpent: When this weapon is cast upon the 
  ground, it transforms into a viper the same size cat-
  egory as the weapon, with maximum hit points. At 
  the wielder’s command, when the serpent is slain, 
  or when one minute per point of the weapon’s en-
  hancement bonus has expired, the snake transforms 
  back into the weapon. After spending time in ser-
  pent form and returning to weapon form, the serpent 
  weapon cannot be changed into a viper again until 
  an equal amount of time is spent in weapon form as 
  was spent in serpent form.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, baleful poly-
  morph; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Shadow Energy: A shadow energy weapon has 
  its effective portion (blade, axe head, spearhead, etc.) 
  transformed into shadow. A shadow energy weapon 
  ignores nonliving matter. Armor bonuses provided 
  by physical armor (as opposed to spells) are inef-
  fective against weapons imbued with this quality. 
  Other bonuses to Armor Class (dexterity, deﬂection, 
  Dodge, natural armor, etc.) still apply. A shadow 
  energy weapon automatically dispels a light or con-
  tinual ﬂame spell if touched to the object upon which 
  the spell was cast. A shadow energy weapon causes 
  no damage to targets that are not alive. Bows, cross-
  bows, and slings cannot be enchanted with this abil-
  ity. This does not alter the item’s weight.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 16th; Prerequi-
  sites; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gaseous form, chill 
  touch; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Shock: Upon command, a shock weapon is 
  sheathed in crackling electricity. The electricity does 
  not harm the wielder. The effect remains until an-
  other command is given. A shock weapon deals an 
  extra 1d6 points of electricity damage on a successful 
  hit. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow 
  the electrical energy upon their ammunition.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning or 
  lightning bolt; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Shocking Burst: A shocking burst weapon func-
  tions as a shock weapon that also explodes with 
  electricity upon striking a successful critical hit. The 
  electricity does not harm the wielder. In addition to 
  the extra electricity damage from the shock ability, a 
  shocking burst weapon deals an extra +1d10 points 
  of electricity damage on a successful critical hit. If 
  the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, add an extra 
  +2d10 points of electricity damage instead, and if the 
  multiplier is x4, add an extra +3d10 points. Bows, 
  crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the electric-
  ity energy upon their ammunition. Even if the shock 
  ability is not active, the weapon still deals its extra 
  electricity damage on a successful critical hit.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning or 
  lightning bolt; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Shrieking: This particular enchantment can only 
  be placed upon ranged weapons. Items so enchant-
  ed are physically altered so that their surfaces are 
  riddled with numerous carved, painted, or stitched 
  screaming faces. This shocking appearance often 
  causes people to think shrieking items bear dark 
  magic or some type of curse. When ﬁred or thrown, 
  the weapon lets out a deafening shriek at its point 
  of origin that acts as a shout spell. Shrieking weapons 
  confer this ability to their missiles.
  Moderate evocation [sonic]; Caster Level: 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shout; Mar-
  ket Price: +2 bonus.
  Signal Flare: This special quality can only be ap-
  plied to bows, crossbows, and slings. Such a weapon 
  can be used to alter its normal ammunition into a 
  signal ﬂare. At will, the wielder ﬁres the ammuni-
  tion straight into the air, and at the apex of its arc 
  it glows as if under the effects of a double-strength 
  continual ﬂame spell. Once the signal ﬂare activates, it 
  slowly ﬂoats back to the ground as per the feather fall 
  spell. Once landing, the magical light extinguishes. 
  Ammunition ﬁred from a signal ﬂare weapon at op-
  ponents has no special qualities.
  Faint evocation [light]; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, continual ﬂame, 
  feather fall; Market Price: +2,000 gp.
  Silent: Sought by rogues and assassins, this am-
  munition appears no different from their ordinary 
  counterparts. They are not hard to identify, howev-
  er, for they create absolutely no noise when handled. 
  Once ﬁred, the ammunition created by this quality 
  radiates a silence spell in a 20-foot-radius. The silence 
  persists for 5 minutes before dissipating. All ammu-
  nition ﬁred activates, so the magical quality is wast-
  ed whether the projectile strikes its target or not.
  Faint illusion [glamer]; Caster Level: 5th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, silence; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Skewering: This enchantment creates essentially 
  the piercing version of a vorpal weapon. Upon a suc-
  cessful critical hit with a piercing weapon, it skewers 
  the heart of the target, killing it immediately. Crea-
  tures without hearts or with unusual anatomies may 
  not be affected by this quality, requiring the GM to 
  use his best judgment in such circumstances. Skewer-
  ing weapons must be of the piercing type.
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  54
  Strong necromancy and transmutation; Caster 
  Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, keen edge, death spell; Market Price: +5 bonus.
  Sneak Attack: Once per day, a user with the 
  sneak attack ability may use a weapon with this en-
  chantment to make a sneak attack with a +20 insight 
  bonus to the attack roll. Sneak attack weapons are of-
  ten given as prizes to low-level members of thieves’ 
  guilds.
  Faint divination; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Solace: Many may wield weapons that possess 
  this enchantment, but only paladins can truly uti-
  lize a solace weapon’s full abilities. These items usu-
  ally appear as if completely bleached to a dull white 
  ﬁnish. Normally, as a part of the enchantment, the 
  wielder’s holy symbol is added to the item in bas-
  relief. When the powers of a solace item are used, the 
  symbol glows with a holy, silvered light.
  A paladin in contact with a solace weapon gains 
  divine assistance (an additional 1d8 points) when 
  healing others via his lay on hands power. Also, the 
  paladin gains a +1 sacred bonus to all saves as long 
  as he wields the item. Lastly, a solace weapon also 
  prevents its wielder, if he should perish while using 
  it, from becoming undead.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Arms and Armor, consecrate, cure light wounds; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Solace, Greater: These weapons are similar to 
  solace weapons except that they further boost a pal-
  adin’s healing abilities (adding an additional 2d8 
  points), add a +2 sacred bonus to all her saves, and 
  upon her death, immediately transport her soul to 
  her deities’ realm, where she is then honored among 
  the chosen of her god. Resurrection is still possible, 
  however.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Arms and Armor, consecrate, cure major 
  wounds; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Solace, Dark: Only blackguards can truly utilize 
  the full abilities of dark solace weapons. These items 
  usually appear to have been completely scorched to 
  a ﬂat, dull, black ﬁnish. Normally, as a part of the 
  enchantment, the wielder’s unholy symbol is added 
  to the item in bas-relief. When the weapon’s powers 
  are used, the symbol glows with an unholy, searing, 
  crimson light.
  Blackguard using these items gain the corrupted 
  assistance of their dark gods when harming others 
  via their sneak attack (which adds an additional +1d6 
  points of damage to the attack). Also, the blackguard 
  herself gains a +1 profane bonus to all saves as long 
  as she wields the item. Lastly, a dark solace weapon 
  also precludes that the wielder, if she should perish 
  while using it, immediately becomes a sentient un-
  dead in the servitude of the dark power that fueled 
  the item.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Arms and Armor, desecrate, inﬂict minor 
  wounds; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Solace, Greater Dark: These weapons are similar 
  to dark solace weapons except that they further boost 
  a blackguard’s sneak attack ability (adding an addi-
  tional +2d6 points of damage), add a +2 profane bo-
  nus to all his saves, and upon his death, immediately 
  transport his soul to the sinister realm of his deity, 
  where he then becomes a lesser devil or demon.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Arms and Armor, desecrate, inﬂict major 
  wounds; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Sonic Blast: On command, a sonic blast weapon 
  emits a low thrumming hum (though this deals no 
  damage to the wielder). On any hit, this becomes 
  a thunderous roar that deals +3d6 points of bonus 
  sonic damage to the creature struck. On a successful 
  critical hit it instead deals +6d6 points of sonic dam-
  age (or +9d6 if the critical multiplier is x3, or +12d6 
  if the critical multiplier is x4). Bows, crossbows, and 
  slings with this special ability bestow the bonus son-
  ic damage upon their ammunition. 
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, shout; Market Price: +6 bonus. 
  Soul Burner: Fueled by dark magics, soul burn-
  ers steal the very life energy of creatures they slay, 
  channeling that power into their strikes. When a soul 
  burning weapon reduces the hit points of a living 
  creature to –1 or lower, the creature dies immedi-
  ately, and the weapon gains a single level of life en-
  ergy. A soul burner can store only a limited amount 
  of life energy at any given time. When the weapon 
  reaches its capacity for souls, no new energy may be 
  absorbed until some is expended. Soul burners ab-
  sorb generic life energy, not actual individual souls. 
  Anyone slain by one of these weapons can be raised 
  or resurrected normally.
  On any hit with the weapon, as a free action, the 
  wielder may release some of this stored energy, deal-
  ing 1d6 points of additional damage per level stored. 
  For instance, if three levels are stored in the weapon, 
  3d6 points of damage can be added to a single at-
  tack, or 1d6 points of damage can be added to three 
  separate attacks. This additional damage is not mul-
  tiplied on critical hits. 
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 8th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enervation; 
  Market Price: 4 soul limit (+2 bonus), 8 soul limit (+3 
  bonus), 12 soul limit (+4 bonus).
  Spawning: These weapons allow the creation of 
  minions to assist the wielder in combat. Any creature 
  slain by a spawning weapon rises as zombie of the 
  appropriate size with average hit points. The newly 
  risen dead obey the verbal commands of the wielder 
  for ten minutes or until slain again. Zombies created 
  in this manner may be turned, destroyed, rebuked, 
  or commanded as normal, but commanded undead 
  become corpses again after the ten-minute duration 
  ends.
  A creature is considered slain by the weapon if 
  a successful attack by it was the last external source 
  of hit point damage to that creature. A spawning 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  55
  weapon does not raise the bodies of foes who are 
  constructs or already undead.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 12th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Speed: When making a full attack action, the 
  wielder of a speed weapon may make one extra at-
  tack with it. The attack uses the wielder’s full base 
  attack bonus, plus any modiﬁ ers appropriate to the 
  situation. This beneﬁ t is not cumulative with similar 
  effects, such as a haste spell.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste; Market 
  Price: +3 bonus.
  Spell Echoing: A spell echoing weapon allows the 
  wielder to duplicate any arcane spell cast within a 5 
  ft. radius. The maximum level of the spell is equal to 
  the enhancement bonus of the weapon. If the spell 
  was cast in a slot higher than the weapon can echo, 
  the spell is not echoed.
  The echoed spell must be cast in the same round 
  as the original spell, and the weapon cannot echo 
  spells with a casting time greater than one round. 
  All echoed spells are cast at the level and DC of the 
  original caster. Echoed spells are not subject to ar-
  cane spell failure due to armor. Casting an echoed 
  spell is a full attack action and may draw an attack 
  of opportunity.
  Strong (no school); Caster Level: 18th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Market Price: +4 
  bonus.
  Spell Storing: A spell storing weapon allows a 
  spellcaster to store a single targeted spell of up to 
  3rd level in the weapon. (The spell must have a cast-
  ing time of 1 standard action.) Any time the weapon 
  strikes a creature and the creature takes damage 
  from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell 
  on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires. 
  (This special ability is an exception to the general 
  rule that casting a spell from an item takes at least as 
  long as casting that spell normally.) Once the spell 
  has been cast from the weapon, a spellcaster can cast 
  any other targeted spell of up to 3rd level into it. The 
  weapon magically imparts to the wielder the name 
  of the spell currently stored within it. A randomly 
  rolled spell storing weapon has a 50% chance to have 
  a spell stored in it already.
  Strong evocation (plus aura of stored spell); Cast-
  er Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, creator must be a caster of at least 12th level; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Spell Storing, Greater: A greater spell storing
  weapon is similar to a typical spell storing item, ex-
  cept that it can hold multiple spells totaling up to 6 
  spell levels (0-level spells count as ½). For example, 
  a greater spell storing warhammer could store one 6th-
  level spell or three 2nd-level spells. Only one stored 
  spell can be cast at a time. Greater spell storing weap-
  ons can hold either arcane or divine spells, but not 
  both types concurrently. Casting a spell from a great-
  er spell storing weapon takes a standard action.
  Strong evocation (plus aura of stored spells); 
  Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, imbue with spell ability; Market Price: +3 
  bonus.
  Spellcutter: This enchantment, when activated 
  by a command word, sheathes the weapon’s blade 
  or head with a localized antimagic ﬁ eld when the 
  command word is spoken. This temporarily negates 
  the weapon’s other enchantments (if any) but also 
  allows the weapon to penetrate any protective spells 
  or magic shielding the target. In addition, the weap-
  on can be used to cut a temporary opening in energy 
  walls, such as wall of force and prismatic wall. These 
  openings only last long enough for one creature to 
  ﬁ t through before the wall reseals itself. Bows, cross-
  bows and slings so enchanted bestow this power 
  upon their ammunition.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites:
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, antimagic shell or anti-
  magic ﬁ eld; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Spelltouch: Weapons that possess this enchant-
  ment are typically of ranged types favored by mag-
  es, although the enchantment can be placed upon 
  any weapon. Spelltouch items are indistinguishable 
  from ordinary weapons.
  Behold the soul burner...
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  56
  A spelltouch weapon allows its wielder to cast 
  touch spells through it. The spellcaster must cast 
  the spell into the weapon, where it is stored until 
  it touches an opponent. With a successful touch at-
  tack, the spell is cast on the target. A caster can cast 
  a touch spell onto a spelltouch weapon wielded by 
  another character, thus allowing the other person to 
  make the attack.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spectral hand; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Spiritual: A spiritual weapon can be used as 
  the divine focus for the spiritual weapon spell, if the 
  weapon type is appropriate for the cleric’s deity, or 
  the cleric’s alignment weapon if they worship no 
  speciﬁc god. When the weapon is used as a focus 
  for the spiritual weapon spell, this particular weapon, 
  with its regular powers, appears in place of the nor-
  mal generic weapon. This weapon is transformed 
  into a weapon of pure force for the duration of the 
  spell, and, apart from its enhancement bonus or spe-
  cial qualities, conforms to the normal characteristics 
  of the force weapon created by the spiritual weapon 
  spell. When the spell ends, the spiritual weapon ap-
  pears back in the caster’s hand.
  Faint evocation [force]; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spiritual weapon; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Splintering: This ability can be placed only on 
  ranged piercing weapons. Upon striking a creature, 
  a splintering weapon shatters into multiple shards 
  that dig into the target’s body. Until the splinters 
  are removed, the creature cannot heal the damage 
  inﬂicted by the weapon either naturally or magical-
  ly. All splinters can be extracted with a DC 20 Heal 
  check and 10 minutes of work, or a regenerate spell. 
  A vampire struck by a splintering weapon made of 
  wood must succeed on a DC 25 Fortitude save or be 
  affected as if staked.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, warp wood; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Stoneblessed: If a character is wielding a 
  stoneblessed weapon and is in contact with the ground 
  or worked stone, he gains a +1 bonus to attack and 
  damage rolls. This effectively increases the weap-
  on’s enhancement bonus. In addition, stoneblessed 
  weapons deal an extra 1d6 points of damage against 
  creatures with the Earth subtype if the wielder is in 
  contact with the ground.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 8th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, stone shape; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Storing: A storing weapon must be a missile-
  launching ranged weapon such as a sling, crossbow, 
  or bow. A weapon enchanted with this type of magic 
  can store up to 50 projectiles in an extradimensional 
  space tied to the weapon’s launching mechanism. 
  The user need only ﬁt the projectile to be stored into 
  the weapon and concentrate to store the projectile in 
  this extradimensional space; doing so is a standard 
  action. The user can retrieve a projectile from this 
  space by preparing to ﬁre the weapon and concen-
  trating on the missile to be ﬁred. If different types of 
  missiles are stored in the weapon, only the projec-
  tile concentrated upon by the user is conjured forth. 
  Calling forth a projectile to be ﬁred upon is a free ac-
  tion. Crossbows enchanted with this magic need not 
  be manually loaded during the heat of battle, and as 
  a result the user may use all of his attacks with the 
  weapon as a full round action.
  If a weapon of storing is placed within a porta-
  ble hole, bag of holding, or similar extradimensional 
  space, the weapon of storage is destroyed and all of 
  the stored projectiles inside are expelled violently 
  in a 30 foot burst. This explosion of projectiles does 
  1d6 points of damage per ﬁve projectiles released in 
  this manner to all creatures in this area; a Reﬂex save 
  (DC 15) halves the damage done. All the projectiles 
  are destroyed in this explosion.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, secret chest; Market Price: +1 
  bonus.
  Stout: Stout weapons are particularly hard to 
  break. Any weapon used to break a stout weapon 
  takes damage as if the stout weapon was being used 
  to break the attacking weapon if the attacker fails his 
  opposed attack rolls. A stout weapon has a +5 bonus 
  to both hit points and hardness. If a stout weapon 
  ever breaks, everyone within 15 ft. takes 1d3 per 
  point of enhancement bonus slashing damage from 
  ﬂying shards (Reﬂex save (DC 18) for half damage).
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 12th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, greater magic 
  weapon; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Stunning: When scoring a critical hit against 
  an opponent, a stunning weapon stuns him for one 
  round, causing him to drop any held items. Crea-
  tures immune to critical hits or stunning take no ef-
  fect from this enhancement.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shout; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Sundering: Sunder weapons appear to be more 
  reinforced and sturdier than other weapons of their 
  type. Using a sunder weapon grants the wielder the 
  free use the Sunder feat. A wielder who already has 
  the Sunder feat gains a +2 competence bonus on sun-
  der attempts.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must 
  possess the Sunder Feat; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Sympathetic: Sympathetic weapons create a 
  magical bond between the blade and the wound it 
  inﬂicts. This bond lingers a number of hours equal 
  to the amount of damage inﬂicted by the weapon. 
  A weapon can only be sympathetically attuned to 
  one person at a time—if the weapon is used to inﬂict 
  damage on someone, it breaks any existing bonds it 
  has made and bonds to the new victim. Casting re-
  move curse or break enchantment on the bonded char-
  acter also destroys a bond. The bond can be used as a 
  channel for poisons or touch delivered spells. If poi-
  son is placed onto the blade while the bond exists, it 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  57
  teleports through the bond into the victim’s wound, 
  instantly afﬂicting the bonded victim. Casting spells 
  through the bond is more difﬁcult. The caster must 
  make a Concentration check, DC equal to 15 + the 
  spell level. This roll is penalized an amount equal 
  to the number of minutes since the wound was ﬁrst 
  inﬂicted—for example, if the sympathetic weapon 
  was used ten minutes ago, the Concentration check 
  would be 25 +  the spell level.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, teleport; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Sync: Extremely rare, sync weapons are usually 
  only found in the possession of their deadly creators, 
  who give these weapons their name (as detailed in 
  Complete Minions). Weapons with the sync enchant-
  ment behave like those with the major alterable qual-
  ity in that they can change their form to match their 
  masters’ wills, however, they can only take the form 
  of melee weapons. Sync weapons also display a strik-
  ingly different and far more lethal power.
  Just as their creators’ abilities and skills increase 
  in each round of single, focused combat, weapons 
  that possess the sync enchantment also increase their 
  power. For each round of focused, one-on-one com-
  bat against the same individual opponent, the weap-
  on’s user gains a cumulative luck bonus of +1 (up 
  to a max bonus of +10) to attack and damage rolls 
  made with the weapon. Once a different opponent 
  is targeted with the weapon, the enhancement bo-
  nus drops back to its original level. When wielded 
  by a sync, this type of weapon mimics the shape of 
  its foe’s weapon.
  Strong enchantments; Caster Level: 17th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph any 
  object, true strike, creator must be a sync; Market Price: 
  +6 bonus.
  Thorny: Whenever anyone except its owner 
  touches a thorny weapon, he takes damage equal 
  to the weapon’s enhancement bonus (no save; no 
  attack roll necessary). When the owner dies, the 
  thorny weapon may be freely claimed (although it 
  bloodies the new owner the ﬁrst time he grasps it). 
  The weapon may also be transferred by one owner 
  to another, with the new owner taking damage the 
  ﬁrst time he grasps it.
  Faint necromancy; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, inﬂict light wounds; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Threnody: Threnody weapons are beautiful, with 
  etching, vanes, bells or tiny holes and eyelets to ring, 
  sing or hum as the weapon is wielded, and often 
  given resonating chambers to add to the beauty of 
  the sounds. If a bard wielding a weapon with this 
  property succeeds at a Countersong check, the sonic 
  attack the bard countered is trapped in the item for 
  later use. Releasing an attack held in the weapon is 
  a standard action, but does not provoke attacks of 
  opportunity, and requires a Perform check (DC 15). 
  Each weapon may only hold one attack at a time. 
  Threnody weapons with stored sonic attacks hum or 
  ring softly with ethereal chords of notes. On storing 
  an attack, they emit a resonant, bell-like tolling. 
  A threnody weapon may be used to evoke any of 
  the bard’s musical abilities as if it were an instrument 
  (though all Perform checks are at +2 to DC and the 
  bard must still sing as normal). For spellcasting pur-
  poses, the bard may cast while wielding the weapon, 
  using its tones to substitute for the somatic compo-
  nent of playing an instrument, due to the melodious 
  tones made when swinging the threnody weapon. 
  However, the bard may not attack while using the 
  threnody weapon in this manner.
  Strong evocation [sonic]; Caster Level: 12th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Ghost Sound, 
  creator must be a bard; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Throwing: This ability can only be placed on a 
  melee weapon. A melee weapon crafted with this 
  ability gains a range increment of 10 feet and can be 
  thrown by a wielder proﬁcient in its normal use.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, magic stone; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Thundering: A thundering weapon creates a 
  cacophonous roar upon landing a critical hit. The 
  sonic energy does not harm the wielder. A thunder-
  ing weapon deals an extra 1d8 points of sonic dam-
  age on a successful critical hit. If the weapon’s criti-
  cal multiplier is x3, add an extra 2d8 points of sonic 
  damage instead, and if the multiplier is x4, add an 
  extra 3d8 points of sonic damage. Bows, crossbows, 
  and slings so crafted bestow the sonic energy upon 
  their ammunition. Subjects dealt a critical hit by a 
  thundering weapon must make a DC 14 Fortitude 
  save or be deafened permanently.
  Faint necromancy; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blindness/deafness; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Totem: Weapons that possess this enchantment 
  only exhibit their powers when wielded by barbar-
  ians, rangers, druids, or those priests with access to 
  the animal domain. These items are constructed from 
  animal bones, fur, teeth, horns, and hide, but the 
  quality of workmanship and level of detail used in 
  their crafting is stunning. These details always cen-
  ter on a central animal theme. A spiked club could be 
  crafted from the skull and claws of a bear, or a spear 
  might be tipped with an eagle’s beak and adorned 
  with its feathers.
  Totem items confer three powers upon the wield-
  er. First they allow the user to speak with animals three 
  times per day as a standard action. Secondly, they 
  confer upon their user a +3 circumstance bonus on all 
  reaction rolls when dealing with the animal whose 
  totem they wield. This bonus stacks with similar 
  bonuses even if an individual possesses a matched 
  set of items. For example, if a barbarian uses a pair 
  of totem hand-axes that revolve around the theme of 
  the badger, he enjoys a +6 circumstance bonus on 
  reaction rolls upon encountering a badger. Lastly, 
  the wielder of these items can use them to bolster his 
  physical abilities up to once a day, as a free action. 
  This bolstering adds a +2 enhancement bonus to the 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  58
  indicated ability and remains in effect for a number 
  of minutes equal to the character’s level. As to which 
  abilities are bolstered, refer to the chart below.
  Animal Totem
  Bolstered Ability
  Bear/Eagle
  Str
  Owl/Badger
  Wis
  Hawk/Rabbit
  Int
  Otter/Fox
  Dex
  Wolf/Elk
  Con
  Coyote/Deer
  Cha
  GMs are encouraged to create new types of totem 
  weapons to ﬁt their campaign. Totem weapons are 
  usually derived from normal, nonmagical creatures 
  only, making totem items that derive their powers 
  from fantastic creatures like griffons or minotaurs 
  extremely rare.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Arms and Armor, animal friendship, 
  summon nature’s ally IV; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Totem, Dire: A dire totem weapon has similar 
  properties to an ordinary totem weapon. The only 
  differences are that the totem used is that of a dire 
  animal, and the ability enhancement is increased to 
  +4.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Arms and Armor, animal friendship, 
  summon nature’s ally V; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Tracer: This particular enchantment can only be 
  placed upon bows and crossbows. When released 
  from the weapon, ammunition immediately begins 
  to glow as a light spell. The color of this light can 
  be of any hue, as dictated by the wielder upon ﬁr-
  ing. Regardless of whether it hits or not, this glow-
  ing ammunition grants a +2 competency bonus to 
  attack roll for the next shot, if ﬁred at the same target 
  and as long as the target moves less than 30 feet be-
  tween shots. This bonus does not stack. The glowing 
  ammunition can also illuminate the area it passes 
  through (as a light spell) until it ends its ﬂight, when 
  it terminates.
  Faint evocation [light]; Caster Level: 5th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, light; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Tracking: This enchantment allows the wielder 
  to track a target he has engaged in battle and blood-
  ed with his tracking weapon. Any foe struck by the 
  ranger with the tracking weapon grants the wielder 
  a +4 insight bonus on all tracking attempts versus 
  that creature for 1d4 days. In addition, the wielder 
  gets a +4 insight bonus on all Spot checks to discover 
  his quarry’s location.
  Faint divination; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Triple-Throw: This special ability can only be 
  placed on a weapon that can be thrown. A triple-
  throw weapon creates two duplicates of itself when 
  thrown. Both the original and the duplicate weap-
  ons attack separately (at the same attack bonus). 
  Regardless of the success of any of the attacks, the 
  duplicates immediately disappear after the attack is 
  completed. Any bonuses on damage due to accuracy 
  or precision (including those from sneak attacks, the 
  Precise Shot feat, or the ranger’s favored enemy bo-
  nus) apply only to the original weapon’s damage, 
  not to the duplicates. 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, shades; Market Price: +6 bonus. 
  Tripping: This weapon grants its wielder the 
  Improved Trip feat. A wielder who already has the 
  Improved Trip feat gains a +2 competence bonus 
  on trip attempts. This bonus can only be applied to 
  weapon types that can be used to make trip attacks.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, caster must 
  have the Improved Trip feat; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Twin: When two individuals wielding a pair of 
  these matched weapons stand within 10 ft. of each 
  other, they gain a +2 damage bonus on attacks with 
  the weapons. Furthermore, if they speak the com-
  mand word at the same time (a free action), they 
  trigger a special enchantment on the weapons that 
  adds an additional +1d6 damage on weapon attacks, 
  which lasts for three rounds. If the twin weapon 
  wielders are relatives or sworn brothers, the dam-
  age bonus increases to +2d6; if they are twins them-
  selves, the bonus increases to +3d6. The special 
  enhancement can only be invoked once per day. If 
  a single individual wields both twin weapons, the 
  bonus is reduced to +1/+1d6.
  Strong divination and enchantment; Caster Level: 
  18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  locate creature, both weapons must be made at the 
  same time; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Truthcutter: A truthcutter weapon has the ability 
  to reveal hidden truths, showing things as they truly 
  are. In the instant a truthcutter weapon strikes an op-
  ponent whose true self is somehow hidden by magic 
  (whether it be the result of an alter self or polymorph 
  spell, a doppelganger in altered form, or an invisible 
  enemy) the truth of his situation is shown, just for an 
  instant. This does not dispel the opponent’s magic, 
  it merely reveals the truth about him for a split-sec-
  ond, but this is often enough to give the wielder of 
  the truthcutter weapon important knowledge about 
  who (or what) he’s ﬁghting. If used against an illu-
  sion, the illusion ﬂickers out when “struck” by the 
  truthcutter weapon but returns again almost imme-
  diately. A strike by a truthcutter weapon dispels a 
  mirror image just as a normal weapon does, however. 
  Bows, crossbows, and slings bestow the truthcutter 
  ability upon their ammunition.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true seeing; Mar-
  ket Price: +2 bonus.
  Undead Creator, Minor: Any suitable creature 
  killed by an undead creating weapon rises one round 
  later as a zombie under the wielder’s control. In ad-
  dition, use of this type of weapon adds an additional 
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  59
  10 HD to the total amount of undead that the wield-
  er can control at any one time. A wielder without 
  the ability to command undead can control up to 
  10 HD worth of zombies created through use of his 
  weapon.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Undead Creator, Major: This type of weapon is 
  similar to a minor undead creator except that slain crea-
  tures rise again as wights instead of zombies. Also, 
  the maximum number of undead the wield may con-
  trol rises by +15 HD. A wielder without the ability to 
  command undead can control up to 15 HD worth of 
  wights created only through use of his weapon.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, create undead; 
  Market Price: +5 bonus.
  Undetectable: Weapons enhanced with the un-
  detectable property appear to be nonmagical cre-
  ations. If subjected to a detect magic spell, they do not 
  radiate an aura of magic. 
  Faint illusion [glamer]; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, undetectable aura; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Unerring Accuracy: Ranged attacks made with 
  this weapon negate the AC bonus granted by any 
  cover short of total cover. The weapon’s ranged at-
  tacks also ignore any miss chance from concealment 
  (including total concealment, but the must still aim 
  his or her attacks at the correct square). 
  Strong divination; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic Arms 
  and Armor, true seeing; Market Price: +6 bonus. 
  Unholy: An unholy weapon is imbued with 
  unholy power. This power makes the weapon evil-
  aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding dam-
  age reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage 
  against all of good alignment. It bestows one nega-
  tive level on any good creature attempting to wield 
  it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon 
  is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no 
  longer wielded. This negative level never results in 
  actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any 
  way (including restoration spells) while the weapon 
  is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted 
  bestow the unholy power upon their ammunition.
  Moderate evocation [evil]; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, unholy 
  blight, creator must be evil; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Unholy Power: This weapon is evil-aligned and 
  this bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. 
  When a weapon of unholy power strikes a good tar-
  get, this power erupts forth and deals +3d6 points 
  of bonus unholy (evil) damage to the target, and the 
  target gains one negative level (Fortitude DC 23 to 
  remove 24 hours later). On a successful critical hit 
  it instead deals +6d6 points of unholy (evil) dam-
  age and bestows two negative levels (or +9d6 and 
  three negative levels if the critical multiplier is x3, 
  or +12d6 and four negative levels if the critical mul-
  tiplier is x4). The weapon bestows three negative 
  levels on any good creature attempting to wield it. 
  These negative levels remain as long as the weapon 
  is in hand and disappear when the weapon is no 
  longer wielded. These negative levels never result in 
  actual level loss, but they cannot be overcome in any 
  way (including restoration spells) while the weapon 
  is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings with this 
  special ability bestow the unholy power upon their 
  ammunition. This special ability does not stack with 
  the nonepic unholy special ability. 
  Strong evocation [evil]; Caster Level: 23rd; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, unholy word; Market Price: 
  +8 bonus.
  Vampiric: Weapons with the vampiric quality 
  siphon the life energy of creatures they wound in 
  combat. Each time a living creature takes damage 
  from a vampiric weapon, the wielder is healed as 
  detailed below.
  Unholy power battleaxe
  Illustrated by Chris Pickrell
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  60
  Damage Inﬂicted
  Healing Effesct
  Less than 8 points
  None
  9-16 points
  1d4
  17-20 points
  1d8
  21-24 points
  1d12
  25-30 points
  2d8
  31 points or more
  3d8
  Only handheld melee weapons can become vam-
  piric weapons. The healing effect applies only to at-
  tacks against living creatures of the same type as the 
  wielder (subtypes need not be identical). Hit points 
  gained through the vampiric nature of this weapon 
  cannot be stored (so an unwounded wielder of a 
  vampiric weapon gains no beneﬁts from using it). 
  Striking undead creatures does not cause any nega-
  tive effects for the wielder.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure serious 
  wounds, vampiric touch; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Vampiric, Greater: Weapons with this enchant-
  ment have the same abilities as the regular version, 
  except that the healing effect applies against any liv-
  ing creature that is struck by the weapon.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure serious 
  wounds, vampiric touch; Market Price: +5 bonus.
  Vicious: When a vicious weapon strikes an op-
  ponent, it creates a ﬂash of disruptive energy that 
  resonates between the opponent and the wielder. 
  This energy deals an extra 2d6 points of damage to 
  the opponent and 1d6 points of damage to the wield-
  er. Only melee weapons can be vicious.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enervation; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Vorpal: This potent and feared ability allows the 
  weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon 
  a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to 
  conﬁrm the critical hit), the weapon severs the oppo-
  nent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some crea-
  tures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have 
  no heads. Others, such as golems and undead crea-
  tures other than vampires, are not affected by the 
  loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, 
  die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon 
  must be a slashing weapon.
  Strong necromancy and transmutation; Caster 
  Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, circle of death, keen edge; Market Price: +5 bonus.
  Weeping: Weapons of this type are usually 
  wielded by militant clerics or assassins. Weeping 
  weapons contain a small hollow reservoir within 
  their heads that can be ﬁlled with a few ounces of 
  liquid via a corked funnel. Numerous channels run 
  to the surface of the weapon, allowing the liquid to 
  escape with a sharp ﬂick of the wrist. Liquids com-
  monly used in weeping weapons include holy water 
  and poisons. Acids are occasionally used, but they 
  require the weapon to be made from resistant mate-
  rial.
  Small and Tiny weapons are only able to hold 
  one dose, Medium-size weapons can hold two dos-
  es, and Large weapons can hold up to three doses. 
  Building a weeping reservoir and channels adds +5 
  to the DC for crafting a weapon, and reduces the 
  weapon’s hardness by 2. Market Price: +80 gp.
  Weightless: Weapons with this quality are not 
  really weightless; they just feel weightless to those 
  wielding them. Characters wielding weightless weap-
  ons can swing them with more power and ﬁnesse 
  than normal. The wielder ﬁghts with the weapon 
  as if his Strength score is effectively 2 points higher 
  than it really is, giving a +1 bonus to hit and to dam-
  age. Additionally, a character can wield a weightless 
  weapon up to one size category larger than them-
  selves one handed, and can apply the Weapon Fi-
  nesse feat to such weapons.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, levitate; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Will Sapping: A living creature struck with a 
  weapon possessing this enhancement must make a 
  Will save (DC 20) or take 1 point of temporary Wis-
  dom damage. On a critical hit, this point is perma-
  nently drained.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Wounding: A wounding weapon deals 1 point 
  of Constitution damage from blood loss when it hits 
  a creature. A critical hit does not multiply the Con-
  stitution damage. Creatures immune to critical hits 
  (such as plants and constructs) are immune to the 
  Constitution damage dealt by this weapon.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, mage’s sword; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  WyrdWeave: Weapons possessing this enchant-
  ment are not composed of wood, metal, or leather, 
  but rather forged from the very essence of magic 
  itself. As such, the special properties of these items 
  only function when they are used by arcane spell-
  casters. Such weapons take on forms that are repre-
  sentative of the character’s personality, so the staff 
  of a wizard who favors necromantic spells might ap-
  pear to be composed of fused bone and rotten ﬂesh.
  Wielders of wyrdweave items cast all spells of one 
  of their available schools at a +1 caster level (the 
  school must be chosen by the character upon ﬁrst 
  touching the weapon). This bonus stacks with other, 
  similar bonuses. Level bonuses due to wyrdweave 
  items do not stack, although each weapon may be 
  applied to a different school.
  Moderate (aura of whatever school the wielder is 
  attuned to at the time); Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Arms and Armor: mage armor, greater magic 
  weapon; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Chapter 2: Weapon Qualities
  
  61
  CHAPTER 3: WEAPONS OF VALOR
  Assorted Weapons
  S
  ome of the most effective, useful, and strange 
  of all magical weapons defy categorization. 
  This section describes the wealth of axes, 
  clubs, daggers, spears, staves and other miscella-
  neous magical arms found throughout the known 
  worlds.
  Acidic Tar: This thin glass ﬂask contains a quan-
  tity of sticky acidic tar from the fabled tar beast 
  (from Complete Minions). If hurled at a target, the 
  ﬂask breaks open, and the acid tar inﬂicts 1d6 points 
  of damage per round, remaining effective for 1d4 
  rounds or until washed off. If struck characters are 
  wearing armor, the armor must also make a Reﬂex 
  saving throw (DC 12) or be destroyed.
  Creatures not directly struck within ﬁve feet of 
  the point of impact take 1d4 points of damage from 
  splashes. These creatures are in no danger of losing 
  equipment to the acid. Market Price: 50 gp.
  Adamantine Battleaxe: This nonmagical axe is 
  made out of adamantine. As a masterwork weapon, 
  it has a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls.  Mar-
  ket Price: 3,010 gp.
  Adamantine Dagger: This nonmagical dagger is 
  made out of adamantine. As a masterwork weapon, 
  it has a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls. Mar-
  ket Price: 3,002 gp.
  Table 3.1: Specific Weapons
  Minor
  Medium
  Major
  Speciﬁc Weapon
  Market Price
  01–15
  —
  —
  Sleep arrow
  132 gp
  16–25
  —
  —
  Screaming bolt
  267 gp
  26–45
  —
  —
  Silver dagger, masterwork
  322 gp
  46–65
  —
  —
  Cold iron longsword, masterwork
  330 gp
  66–75
  01–09
  —
  Javelin of lightning
  1,500 gp
  76–80
  10–15
  —
  Slaying arrow
  2,282 gp
  81–90
  16–24
  —
  Adamantine dagger
  3,002 gp
  91–100
  25–33
  —
  Adamantine battleaxe
  3,010 gp
  —
  34–37
  —
  Slaying arrow (greater)
  4,057 gp
  —
  38–40
  —
  Shatterspike
  4,315 gp
  —
  41–46
  —
  Dagger of venom
  8,302 gp
  —
  47–51
  —
  Trident of warning
  10,115 gp
  —
  52–57
  01–04
  Assassin’s dagger
  10,302 gp
  —
  58–62
  05–07
  Shifter’s sorrow
  12,780 gp
  —
  63–66
  08–09
  Trident of ﬁsh command
  18,650 gp
  —
  67–74
  10–13
  Flame tongue
  20,715 gp
  —
  75–79
  14–17
  Luck blade (0 wishes)
  22,060 gp
  —
  80–86
  18–24
  Sword of subtlety
  22,310 gp
  —
  87–91
  25–31
  Sword of the planes
  22,315 gp
  —
  92–95
  32–37
  Nine lives stealer
  23,057 gp
  —
  96–98
  38–42
  Sword of life stealing
  25,715 gp
  —
  99–100
  43–46
  Oathbow
  25,600 gp
  —
  —
  47–51
  Mace of terror
  38,552 gp
  —
  —
  52–57
  Life-drinker
  40,320 gp
  —
  —
  58–62
  Sylvan scimitar
  47,315 gp
  —
  —
  63–67
  Rapier of puncturing
  50,320 gp
  —
  —
  68–73
  Sun blade
  50,335 gp
  —
  —
  74–79
  Frost brand
  54,475 gp
  —
  —
  80–84
  Dwarven thrower
  60,312 gp
  —
  —
  85–91
  Luck blade (1 wish)
  62,360 gp
  —
  —
  92–95
  Mace of smiting
  75,312 gp
  —
  —
  96–97
  Luck blade (2 wishes)
  102,660 gp
  —
  —
  98–99
  Holy avenger
  120,630 gp
  —
  —
  100
  Luck blade (3 wishes)
  142,960 gp
  A
  lchemists, 
  weaponsmiths, 
  and 
  spellcrafters of all persuasions 
  have worked together for count-
  less eons to craft weapons that 
  have become known throughout 
  the multiverse. While that dagger of venom was origi-
  nally a unique item, it’s become so popular that as-
  sassins of all races know to ask for one by name at 
  their guildhall. 
  There are also points in a game where a GM 
  wants to quickly hand out a cool new weapon but 
  doesn’t want to spend 20 minutes making one up by 
  hand. The weapons in this chapter are for just such 
  occasions—unique weapons with all the math and 
  casting levels done so they can be quickly introduced 
  into a game. Make sure to give one to your favorite 
  monster (who will gleefully use it on the PCs before 
  they succumb to being the heroes’ loot).
  Class-Oriented Weapons: Many of the most use-
  ful magical weapons are designed to help their users 
  excel in their chosen ﬁelds. A list of some of the more 
  popular weapons, by class, is available in Table 3.2: 
  Class-Oriented Weapons.
  
  62
  Antler Spear: This weapon is crafted form the 
  antler of a dire elk. Normally, it is a +2 shortspear. In 
  the hands of a druid, the spear gains an additional 
  +1 enhancement bonus (for a total enhancement bo-
  nus of +3) and gains the returning and distance spe-
  cial abilities. 
  Moderate divination and transmutation; Caster 
  Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, creator must be a druid of at least 10th level; 
  Market Price: 32,302 gp; Cost to Create: 16,151 gp + 
  1,292 XP.
  Arrow, Arcane Eye: When ﬁred at a creature, this 
  nondescript arrow is simply a +1 arrow. But if ﬁred 
  into an object, an arcane eye arrow can be activated 
  later for remote surveillance. At any time within 24 
  hours after it has been lodged into an object, the ar-
  cher can choose to activate it, seeing from the per-
  spective of the arrow as though the spell arcane eye 
  (except that the arrow cannot be moved). This gives 
  a 180-degree view centered on the arrow, includ-
  ing up and down, although normal obstructions 
  can limit this view. Darkvision and low-light vision 
  function normally. The archer must concentrate to 
  maintain this effect. 
  If the arrow is lodged in an object in motion, the 
  archer can see everything the arrow passes that is 
  visible in that arc. This effect lasts for up to 10 min-
  utes, although the archer may end it at any time. 
  Once the effect has ended, the arrow crumbles to 
  dust and the ability no longer functions. An arcane 
  eye arrow must be ﬁred from a bow to function in 
  its intended capacity. It cannot be simply placed or 
  thrust into an object.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, arcane eye; Mar-
  ket Price: 346 gp; Cost to Create: 176 gp + 13 XP.
  Arrow, Eagle: When ﬁred, this arrow transforms 
  itself into a celestial eagle which attacks the intended 
  target. The celestial eagle has one additional Hit Die 
  and a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls. The eagle 
  remains until the target is dead, destroyed, dispelled, 
  or ﬁve rounds have passed. After each use, the eagle 
  and the arrow disappear. 
  Faint conjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, summon monster II; 
  Market Price: 263 gp; Cost to Create: 132 gp + 11 XP.
  Arrow, Fear: When one of these black +1 arrows 
  strikes its target, it explodes in a shower of black 
  motes. The target takes nonlethal damage only and 
  must make a Will save (DC 16) to avoid becoming 
  panicked for 7 rounds. On a successful save, the target 
  is only shaken for 1 round.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear; Market 
  Price: 746 gp; Cost to Create: 376 gp + 29 XP.
  Arrow, Greaser: These useful +1 arrows serve 
  two roles, both dealing damage to and hindering 
  their targets. The point of ﬁrst impact for a greaser 
  arrow is immediately the center of a grease spell. This 
  effect activates regardless of whether or not the ﬁrst 
  thing struck by the arrow is the intended target. If 
  this projectile is deﬂected or otherwise blocked, the 
  arcane energies are still released at the point of de-
  ﬂection, often giving a nasty surprise to creatures 
  relying on the Deﬂect Arrows feat to defend them-
  selves. Arrows of this nature are consumed upon the 
  release of the grease effect.
  Faint conjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, grease; Market Price: 
  155 gp; Cost to Create: 78 gp + 6 XP.
  Arrow, Gremmin: The sharpened teeth extracted 
  from the covetous gremmin form the tips of these 
  disorienting +1 arrows. Creatures struck by the ar-
  rows must make a Will save (DC 14) or lose sense of 
  direction and move in a randomly determined head-
  ing during that round. (Use the grenade like weapon 
  chart from the PHB to determine the creature’s exact 
  heading.) The creature receives a new saving throw 
  every round to shrug off the effect.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, hallucinatory terrain; 
  Market Price: 60 gp each; Cost to Create: 30 gp + 1 XP.
  Arrow, Grimdeath: Grimdeath arrows plague 
  their victims by breathing life to the victim’s most 
  terrifying fears. Any creature struck by a grimdeath 
  arrow must make a Will save (DC 16); otherwise, 
  the creature mistakenly views his adversaries as the 
  physical manifestations of his darkest phobias. If one 
  of his enemies strikes him in the next 1d4 rounds, 
  he must make a Fortitude save (DC 16) or die from 
  fright. A successful saving throw still results in 3d6 
  Table 3.2: Class-Oriented Weapons
  Assassins
  Assassin’s Dagger
  Dagger of Venom
  Shadow Dagger
  Silent Dagger
  Barbarians
  Axe of the Berserker
  Chaosbringer
  Bards
  Flute Sword
  Harp Bow
  Requiem Flute
  Slapstick
  Blackguards
  Unholy Despoiler
  Unholy Vindicator
  Clerics
  Death Blade 
  Domain Rods
  Finaldeath 
  Scabrous Mace
  Druids
  Elemental Fork
  Staff of the Summoner
  Stormcaller
  Sylvan Scimitar
  Fighters
  Shatterspike 
  Sword of Power
  Monks
  Gauntlets of the Master
  Martial Gloves
  Paladins
  Hammer of the Sun
  Holy Avenger 
  Holy Devastator 
  Soulcleanser
  Rangers
  Razor of Flensing
  Trickle Sword
  Rogues
  Backstabber Sword
  Dagger of Venom
  Picker Picker
  Sword of Subtlety
  Sorcerers/Wizards
  Dagger of Souls
  School Staves
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  63
  points of damage, but it also ends the effect. Grim-
  death arrows act as +2 weapons.
  Moderate illusion (phantasm); Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, phantas-
  mal killer; Market Price: 707 gp; Cost to Create: 357 gp 
  + 14 XP.
  Arrow of the Forest: So long as the archer can 
  see at least a glimpse of his target when aiming, this 
  +1 arrow can ignore any cover or concealment in a 
  forest setting, ﬂ ying between leaves and branches, 
  wending their way around tree trunks, to strike true 
  at their targets. If the target enjoys total concealment, 
  the arrows’ special ability is ignored, however any-
  thing less than total concealment counts as no con-
  cealment for these arrows.
  Faint divination; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike; Market 
  Price: 167 gp; Cost to Create: 84 gp + 7 XP
  Arrow, Retrieving: When ﬁ red at a creature, 
  this golden arrow is simply a +1 arrow. But against 
  objects, its true properties are revealed. When a re-
  trieving arrow strikes an unattended object weighing 
  50 lbs. or less, that object is immediately teleported 
  to the archer’s hand. (Objects have a base AC of 10 
  and an effective Dexterity of 0. They receive normal 
  bonuses for size, and range increment penalties do 
  apply.)
  Retrieving arrows may also be used to disarm op-
  ponents or retrieve other items they hold. The archer 
  must hit the target object’s AC (10 + size modiﬁ er 
  + Dexterity modiﬁ er of the opponent carrying the 
  object). The object makes a Will save to resist, using 
  the carrying opponent’s Will saving throw bonus. If 
  the archer does not have a hand free to hold the tele-
  ported object, it appears at his feet. Neither ability 
  functions against targets beyond three range incre-
  ments.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, teleport object; 
  Market Price: 4,596 gp; Cost to Create: 2,301 gp + 183 
  XP.
  Arrow, Rot: Carved to look like worm-eaten 
  wood, these +1 arrows are most potent against wood-
  en targets. A rot arrow ﬁ red at a wooden object, or 
  a creature composed primarily of wood, deals nor-
  mal damage and then produces a disintegrate effect 
  against that target as the spell (22d6 points of dam-
  age).
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 11th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, disintegrate; 
  Market Price: 1,696 gp; Cost to Create: 851 gp + 67 XP.
  Arrow of Seeing: Any missile can hold this en-
  chantment, although it is most commonly found 
  on arrows. An arrow of seeing is magically attuned 
  to an enchanted necklace that must be worn in or-
  der to use the arrow. Both arrow and necklace bear 
  matching eye runes. Anyone wearing the necklace 
  that ﬁ res one of these arrows receives a vision, as if 
  he were seeing through the head of the arrow, until 
  the end of its ﬂ ight. Arrows with this enchantment 
  have double their normal range, have a +2 enhance-
  ment bonus, and are treated as if they have 60-foot 
  darkvision.
  These arrows may be used to see down a dark 
  hallway or deep into a pit. Often they are used in 
  sieges and battles in order to gather intelligence on 
  enemy positions. The necklace is reusable; the arrow 
  is not. New arrows of seeing can be crafted and at-
  tuned to a reused necklace.
  Seeing Necklace: Faint divination; Caster Level: 5th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, clairaudi-
  ence/clairvoyance; Market Price: 21,000 gp; Cost to Cre-
  ate: 10,500 gp + 840 XP.
  Arrow of Seeing (1): Moderate divination; Caster 
  Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, darkvision; Market Price: 360 gp; Cost to Create:
  180 gp + 14 XP.
  Arrow, Slaying: This +1 arrow is keyed to a par-
  ticular type or subtype of creature. If it strikes such 
  a creature, the target must make a DC 20 Fortitude 
  save or die (or, in the case of unliving targets, be 
  destroyed). Note that even creatures normally ex-
  empt from Fortitude saves (undead and constructs) 
  are subject to this attack. When keyed to a living 
  creature, this is a death effect (and thus death ward 
  protects a target). To determine the type or subtype 
  of creature the arrow is keyed to, roll on the table 
  below. A greater slaying arrow functions just like a 
  normal slaying arrow, but the DC to avoid the death 
  effect is 23.
  63
  Variant Rule: Alternate Siege Weapon Payloads
  A 
  catapult or trebuchet may ﬁ re other payloads than simply large stones. Here are a few pos-
  sible alternatives:
  Burning pitch: Reduce damage by 1 die, then add +1d6 ﬁ re damage. Anything struck must 
  make a Reﬂ ex save (DC 12) or catch on ﬁ re. Burning pitch costs twice as much as normal ammunition.
  Heated sand: More a distraction and irritant than an actual damaging weapon, heated sand ﬁ nds its 
  way in between crevices in armor and irritates the skin. Anyone in a 40 ft. radius spread from the impact 
  point suffers a –1 morale penalty to attacks, saves and skill checks and must make a DC 12 concentration 
  check to cast any spells. A Will save (DC 12) negates this effect. Heated Sand costs the same as normal 
  ammunition.
  Enemy body parts: The heads (or other body parts) of allies of the targets can have an extremely de-
  moralizing effect. Anyone in a 40 ft. radius spread from the impact point suffers a –2 morale penalty to 
  attacks, saves and skill checks. This is a mind-affecting effect. A Will save (DC 12) negates this effect.
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  64
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ﬁ nger of death 
  (slaying arrow) or heightened ﬁ nger of death (greater 
  slaying arrow); Market Price: 2,282 gp (slaying arrow) 
  or 4,057 gp (greater slaying arrow); Cost to Create: 1,144 
  gp 5 sp + 91 XP (slaying arrow) or 2,032 gp + 162 XP 
  (greater slaying arrow).
  Arrow, Sleep: This +1 arrow is painted white and 
  has white ﬂ etching. If it strikes a foe so that it would 
  normally deal damage, it instead bursts into magi-
  cal energy that deals nonlethal damage (in the same 
  amount as would be lethal damage) and forces the 
  target to make a DC 11 Will save or fall asleep.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, sleep; Market Price: 132 
  gp; Cost to Create: 69 gp 5 sp + 5 XP.
  Arrow, Suffocating: When one of these green, 
  sticky +1 arrows strikes its target, it deals nonle-
  thal damage only and can affect only creatures that 
  breathe and have a single head. As the suffocating 
  arrow strikes, a small green glob of sticky paste ex-
  plodes from the arrowhead, striking the target’s face 
  (or wherever its breathing oriﬁ ce is located) instantly 
  hardening in place. The target must hold its breath 
  or begin to suffocate.
  The hardened paste can be removed with a suc-
  cessful Strength check (DC 25) or by dealing at least 
  10 points of damage to it. However, dealing damage 
  to the paste deals an equal amount of damage to the 
  suffocating creature. The paste dissolves into noth-
  ingness on its own after 1 hour.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Market 
  Price: 796 gp; Cost to Create: 401 gp + 31 XP.
  Assassin’s Dagger: This wicked-looking, curved 
  +2 dagger provides a +1 bonus to the base DC of the 
  Fortitude save required by the death attack of an as-
  sassin. The dagger must be used in the death attack 
  to grant the increased DC, of course.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, slay living; Mar-
  ket Price: 18,302 gp; Cost to Create: 9,302 gp + 720 XP.
  Axe of the Berserker: This axe functions as an 
  ordinary +2 battleaxe under most conditions. When 
  wielded by a barbarian while under the effects of a 
  barbarian rage, its additional powers activate. The 
  axe increases the wielder’s Strength by an additional 
  +4 (an enhancement bonus) and provides a +2 de-
  ﬂ ection bonus to his AC. Additionally, the wielder 
  is not fatigued when the rage ends, as long as the 
  axe remained in his hands for the entire duration of 
  the rage. Most axes of these types are primitive and 
  etched with brutal and violent scenes of battle. A 
  quarter of these weapons are greataxes.
  Table 3.3: Arrows of Slaying
  d%
  Designated Type or Subtype
  01–05
  Aberrations
  06–09
  Animals
  10–16
  Constructs
  17–22
  Dragons
  23–27
  Elementals
  28–32
  Fey
  33–39
  Giants
  40
  Humanoids, aquatic
  41–42
  Humanoids, dwarf
  43–44
  Humanoids, elf
  45
  Humanoids, gnoll
  46
  Humanoids, gnome
  47–49
  Humanoids, goblinoid
  50
  Humanoids, halﬂ ing
  51–54
  Humanoids, human
  55–57
  Humanoids, reptilian
  58–60
  Humanoids, orc
  61–65
  Magical beasts
  66–70
  Monstrous humanoids
  71–72
  Oozes
  73
  Outsiders, air
  74–76
  Outsiders, chaotic
  77
  Outsiders, earth
  78–80
  Outsiders, evil
  81
  Outsiders, ﬁ re
  82–84
  Outsiders, good
  85–87
  Outsiders, lawful
  88
  Outsiders, water
  89–90
  Plants
  91–98
  Undead
  99–100
  Vermin
  Ranged Weapons
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  65
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; 
  Market Price: 24,310 gp; Cost to Create: 12,155 gp +922 
  XP.
  Backstabber: This +6 short sword adds +2d6 to 
  the wielder’s sneak attack damage. If the wielder 
  does not have the sneak attack ability, this weapon 
  does not grant it. 
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Mag-
  ic Arms and Armor, inﬂ ict moderate wounds; Market 
  Price: 770,310 gp; Cost to Create: 385,310 gp + 17,700 
  XP. 
  Black Thresher: This fearsome implement of war 
  looks like an oversized ﬂ ail made of pitted black 
  iron. Jagged spikes protrude from the head in all di-
  rections, some measuring two feet long or more. An 
  enormous black chain attaches this beast to an iron-
  bound darkwood handle. 
  This +2 heavy ﬂ ail requires at least 18 Strength to 
  wield properly. Otherwise, the user takes a -4 pen-
  alty to all attack rolls. However, a blackguard can 
  use this weapon to full effect. In his hands, it func-
  tions as a +4 unholy heavy ﬂ ail that deals triple dam-
  age against inanimate objects.
  Strong evocation [evil]; Caster Level: 15th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, unholy blight, 
  creator must be evil; Market Price: 79,315 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 39,815 gp + 3,160 XP.
  Blade of the Changeling: This slim +3 dagger has 
  a very special property. Its bearer may assume the 
  form of the last humanoid creature whose life he 
  took with the dagger. The blade must simply strike 
  the ﬁ nal blow in order for this power to function; the 
  bearer can then assume that creature’s shape, as per 
  the polymorph spell, at will. 
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph; 
  Market Price: 68,702 gp; Cost to Create: 34,351 gp + 
  2,748 XP
  Bolt, Explosive: Crafted from the elongated ﬁ n-
  gers of the impish nokkers, these deadly +1 bolts 
  explode on contact dealing normal crossbow bolt 
  damage plus 1d6 points of ﬁ re damage. Explosive 
  bolts that hit the target’s touch AC but do not hit its 
  normal AC explode nonetheless dealing the afore-
  mentioned ﬁ re damage but not the bolt’s inherent 
  damage. One nokker yields ten explosive bolts.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Crafts Magic Arms and Armor, ﬂ ame arrow; 
  Market Value: 50 gp each; Cost to Create: 25 gp + 1 
  XP.
  Burning Wall Crossbow: Made from cold iron 
  and adorned with runes from the Elemental Plane 
  of Fire, this powerful weapon functions as a normal 
  +2 heavy crossbow when loaded with bolts. When 
  ﬁ red without loading a bolt, the burning wall cross-
  bow emits a thin red beam. The beam deals no dam-
  age and has no effect on creatures. If the beam hits 
  an immobile object, however, it triggers a complex 
  magical process. If the crossbow is ﬁ red without a 
  bolt again before the end of the next round, it emits 
  a second red beam. If this second beam strikes an 
  object within 50 feet of the ﬁ rst beam’s contact point, 
  a wall of ﬁ re springs up between the two points, as 
  the spell cast by a 12th level sorcerer. To activate the 
  wall of ﬁ re, the two points must be on the same ver-
  tical plane and must have a line of effect between 
  each other. If the burning wall crossbow is ﬁ red again 
  on the next round without a bolt, a second wall of 
  ﬁ re springs up that extends from the second point to 
  the third. The weapon can produce four such wall 
  sections per day (each round during which a wall 
  section is created counts as creating a wall section 
  for the day).
  Strong evocation [ﬁ re]; Caster Level: 12th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, wall of ﬁ re; 
  Market Price: 32,350 gp; Cost to Create: 16, 175 gp + 1, 
  294 XP.
  Chaosbringer: This +6 greataxe of anarchic power 
  grants its wielder the ability to ﬂ y into a rage (identi-
  cal to a barbarian’s rage) once per day (or one ad-
  ditional time per day if the wielder already has the 
  rage class feature). If the wielder has the greater rage 
  class feature, the weapon also grants the wielder the 
  Incite Rage epic feat. 
  Black Thresher
  Illustrated by Jeff Ward
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  66
  Strong 
  evocation 
  [chaotic]; 
  Caster Level: 23rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  Craft Epic Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, rage, mass charm monster; 
  Market Price: 4,025,350 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 2,012,850 gp + 50,250 XP. 
  Chortlebomb: 
  These 
  glass 
  ﬂasks contain a few ounces of 
  chortler dander. When thrown or 
  dropped, the ﬂasks break on im-
  pact and the dander explodes into 
  the air. Anyone within ﬁve feet of 
  the area of impact must succeed 
  at a Fortitude save (DC 16) or fall 
  into painful ﬁts of laughter and 
  choking. Those affected are un-
  able to perform any other actions 
  for 1d4+1 rounds. Market Price: 
  100 gp.
  Dagger of Souls: This murky 
  gray +1 dagger has an uneasy 
  presence about it, as the torment-
  ed faces of the dead seem to be 
  etched onto the blade itself. It al-
  lows the wielder to cast a trap the 
  soul spell (DC 22) against a victim 
  upon a successful melee attack once per day. The 
  wielder must designate the use of the dagger’s abil-
  ity before he attacks (as the spell needs to triggered), 
  but doing so is a free action.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 15th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, trap the soul; 
  Market Price: 218,302 gp; Cost to Create: 109,151 gp + 
  8,732 XP.
  Dagger of Venom: This black +1 dagger has a ser-
  rated edge. It allows the wielder to use a poison effect 
  (as the spell, save DC 14) upon a creature struck by 
  the blade once per day. The wielder can decide to 
  use the power after he has struck. Doing so is a free 
  action, but the poison effect must be invoked in the 
  same round that the dagger strikes.
  Faint necromancy; Caster level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, poison; Market Price: 
  8,302 gp; Cost to Create: 4,302 gp + 320 XP.
  Death Blade: This ﬁnely made steel katana 
  bears a skeleton motif and death runes carved 
  into its hilt. This is a vorpal blade with a +3 en-
  chantment, and anyone wielding it is able to 
  command and rebuke undead as if he were 
  an evil cleric four levels lower than his ac-
  tual character level. This ability can be 
  used 3/day. Evil clerics who wield this 
  weapon can rebuke and command un-
  dead as if they were two levels higher 
  than they are.
  Strong necromancy and transmu-
  tation; Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, keen 
  edge, death spell, halt undead; Market 
  Price: 133,915 gp; Cost to Create: 66,958 gp + 5,357 
  XP.
  Deep Fey Sword: These ornately sculpted bas-
  tard swords are used by the deep fey in their battles. 
  The sword is enchanted with strong glamours, mak-
  ing it appear to be more devastating than it really 
  is. Anyone struck by a deep fey sword must make 
  a Will save vs. the sword’s DC or take an additional 
  amount of illusionary damage. Anyone re-
  duced to 0 hit points or less by this illusion-
  ary damage is subdued. This damage is 
  subdual damage and can be healed accord-
  ingly.
  Deep Fey Sword +2: Additional Dam-
  age: 1d10; Save DC: 15; Moderate illusion; 
  Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, phantasmal killer; Market 
  Price: 58,735 gp; Cost to Create: 29,368 gp + 
  2,349 XP.
  Deep Fey Sword +3: Additional Damage: 
  2d8; Save DC: 16; Moderate illusion; Caster 
  Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, phantasmal killer; Market Price: 68,735 
  gp; Cost to Create: 34,368 gp + 2,749 XP.
  Deep Fey Sword +4: Additional Damage: 
  2d10; Save DC: 17; Strong illusion; Caster Level: 
  12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  phantasmal killer; Market Price: 82,735 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 41,368 gp + 3,309 XP.
  Domain Rods: These sturdy rods are crafted 
  out of the ﬁnest materials available and are de-
  signed to aid specialist spellcasters, both martially 
  and spiritually. In addition to providing magical 
  power, each rod can be used as a formidable weap-
  on, and each can be imprinted with the user’s holy 
  symbol, increasing its potency. Turn attempts made 
  with a holy symbol that is imprinted into a domain 
  rod receive a +2 enhancement bonus. Each rod, when 
  Table 3.4: Domain Rods
  d100
  Rod Type
  Market Price (gp)
  01-05
  Air Rod
  90,602
  06-10
  Animal Rod
  107,800
  11-14
  Chaos Rod
  74,312
  15-18
  Death Rod
  124,437
  19-22
  Destruction Rod
  161,105
  23-27
  Earth Rod
  161,105
  28-32
  Evil Rod
  74,312
  33-37
  Fire Rod
  74,308
  38-41
  Good Rod
  74,312
  42-45
  Healing Rod
  97,000
  46-49
  Knowledge Rod
  60,308
  50-53
  Law Rod
  74,315
  54-57
  Luck Rod
  74,315
  58-61
  Magic Rod
  52,315
  62-65
  Plant Rod
  114,300
  66-70
  Protection Rod
  50,308
  71-75
  Strength Rod
  58,305
  76-80
  Sun Rod
  122,312
  81-85
  Travel Rod
  74,310
  86-90
  Trickery Rod
  88,708
  91-95
  War Rod
  90,920
  96-100
  Water Rod
  74,308
  Death Blade
  Illustrated by Jeff Ward
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  67
  held, provides its user a +2 enhancement bonus to 
  his DC for spells cast within the rod’s domain and 
  a +2 enhancement bonus to saving throws vs. spells 
  and effects of the same domain as the rod.
  Additionally, each rod allows a single spell from 
  its domain, of any level, to be cast into it and held. 
  This spell can be regained by the caster without los-
  ing it from the rod. A spell stored in a domain rod 
  can be cast at any time as if it were a prepared spell. 
  An empty rod can be used as a counterspell to any 
  spell of its domain. When a spell of the correct do-
  main targets the wielder of an empty domain rod, he 
  makes a Spellcraft check to allow the rod to absorb 
  the magic.
  Although these weapons are made for special-
  ists, the wielder of one of these rods does not need to 
  be a specialist, or even a spellcaster in order to take 
  advantage of its properties.
  Air Rod: This delicate shaft consists of a thin crys-
  tal tube ﬁ lled with shimmering mercury. The end is 
  pointed, and the rod is sharpened along one side, 
  allowing it to be used as a +3 rapier. In addition to 
  all other powers granted by the rod, the wielder can 
  take gaseous form once per day.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 11th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gaseous 
  form; Market Price: 90,602 gp; Cost to Create: 45,300 gp 
  + 3,624 XP.
  Animal Rod: This rod is made of carved ivory, 
  and in addition to the powers outlined above, can be 
  wielded as a +3 club. This rod allows its wielder to 
  cast the spell polymorph self once per day. 
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 12th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph 
  self; Market Price: 107,800 gp; Cost to Create: 53,900 gp 
  + 4,312 XP.
  Chaos Rod: This heavy lead rod is weighted so as 
  to function as a powerful bludgeoning tool. In addi-
  tion to all other powers above, this rod serves as a +3 
  chaotic warhammer.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chaos hammer, 
  creator must be chaotic; Market Price: 74,312 gp; Cost 
  to Create: 37,156 gp + 2,972 XP.
  Death Rod: This gruesome bone rod is topped 
  with a shrunken skull. It can be wielded as a +3 heavy 
  mace, and in addition to all other powers, allows its 
  wielder to cast the spell slay living once per day.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 13th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, slay living;
  Market Price: 124,437 gp; Cost to Create: 62,219 gp + 
  4,977 XP.
  Destruction Rod: This withered shaft is made from 
  charred wood, and can be wielded as a +3 light mace. 
  In addition to the standard powers, this rod allows 
  its user to cast the spell disintegrate once per day.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 14th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, disintegrate;
  Market Price: 161,105 gp; Cost to Create: 80,553 gp + 
  6,444 XP.
  Earth Rod: This heavy granite cudgel serves its 
  wielder as a +3 greatclub, as well as providing all the 
  standard powers above, and allowing him to cast his 
  choice of either ﬂ esh to stone or stone to ﬂ esh once per 
  day.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 14th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ﬂ esh to stone, 
  Domain Rods
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  68
  stone to ﬂesh; Market Price: 161,105 gp; Cost to Create: 
  80,553 gp + 6,444 XP.
  Evil Rod: This ornate jeweled rod is crafted from 
  pure gold. In addition to all other powers, it func-
  tions as a +3 unholy heavy mace.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, unholy blight, 
  creator must be evil; Market Price: 74,312 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 37,156 gp + 2,972 XP.
  Fire Rod: This sturdy amber rod functions as a 
  +3 ﬂaming burst morningstar in addition to all other 
  powers outlined above.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ﬂame blade, ﬂame 
  strike, or ﬁreball; Market Price: 74,308 gp; Cost to Create: 
  37,154 gp + 2,972 XP.
  Good Rod: This elegantly crafted platinum rod, 
  in addition to all standard powers, functions as a +3 
  holy heavy mace.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, holy smite, cre-
  ator must be good; Market Price: 74,312 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 37,156 gp + 2,972 XP.
  Healing Rod: This small gnarled shaft is crafted 
  out of congealed blood. It does not function as a 
  weapon in any way, but in addition to all standard 
  powers, allows its user to cast all his healing spells as 
  if they are empowered.
  Strong conjuration [healing]; Caster Level: 12th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure crit-
  ical wounds, creator must have empower spell feat; 
  Market Price: 97,000 gp; Cost to Create: 48,500 gp + 
  3,880 XP.
  Knowledge Rod: This delicate glass rod appears 
  fragile, but it stands up to the most intense of pun-
  ishments. This rod, in addition to all standard prop-
  erties, functions as a +3 heavy pick. Also, when it is 
  held, it prevents its wielder from being caught ﬂat-
  footed.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 11th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, clairaudience/
  clairvoyance; Market Price: 60,308 gp; Cost to Create: 
  30,154 gp + 2,413 XP.
  Law Rod: This heavy gavel is crafted of solid iron. 
  In addition to the standard powers, this rod serves 
  as a +3 lawful warhammer.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, order’s wrath, 
  creator must be lawful; Market Price: 74,315 gp; Cost 
  to Create: 37,158 gp + 2,973.
  Luck Rod: This light rod is crafted from beaten 
  copper. Upon command, the shaft retracts, revealing 
  a sharp blade. This blade can be wielded as a +3 long-
  sword. In addition to all other powers, once per day, 
  a missed attack roll with this rod can be rerolled.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste; Market 
  Price: 74,315 gp; Cost to Create: 37,158 gp + 2,973 XP.
  Magic Rod: This exquisitely sculpted mithral rod 
  bears a retractable head, allowing it to serve as either 
  a +3 morning star, or a +3 heavy ﬂail. This weapon pro-
  vides its user with all the above powers, although it 
  holds two spells instead of the standard one.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Market Price: 
  52,315 gp; Cost to Create: 26,158 gp + 2,093 XP.
  Plant Rod: This shaft is made from living wood, 
  and is covered with green leaves, thorns, and vines. 
  As a weapon, this rod functions like a +3 club. In ad-
  dition to all standard powers, it allows its wielder to 
  speak with plants whenever it is held.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, speak with plants; 
  Market Price: 114,300 gp; Cost to Create: 57,150 gp + 
  4,572 XP.
  Protection Rod: This stark rod is crafted from pure 
  silver, and can be wielded as a +3 morningstar. It also 
  affords its user a +2 deﬂection bonus to his AC.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Market Price: 
  50,308 gp; Cost to Create: 25,154 gp + 2,012 XP.
  Strength Rod: This unusual rod is crafted from 
  hundreds of individually woven strands of sinew. It 
  functions quite effectively as a +3 greatclub. In addi-
  tion to all other powers above, this rod increases its 
  user’s Strength by +4 (an enhancement bonus) when 
  it is wielded as a club.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; 
  Market Price: 58,305 gp; Cost to Create: 29,153 gp + 
  2,332 XP.
  Sun Rod: This fantastic rod is crafted out of pure 
  shimmering sunlight. In addition to all standard 
  powers, this rod can be used as a +3 heavy mace of 
  brilliant energy.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gaseous form, 
  continual ﬂame; Market Price: 122,312 gp; Cost to Cre-
  ate: 61,156 gp + 4,892 XP.
  Travel Rod: This slender shaft appears to be fab-
  ricated out of thousands of individually set feathers. 
  Upon command, a hidden blade slides out of the 
  shaft and allows the rod to be used as a +3 battleaxe. 
  In addition to all standard powers, while wielding 
  this rod, a creature can cast the ﬂy spell once per 
  day.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ﬂy; Market 
  Price: 74,310 gp; Cost to Create: 37,155 gp + 2,972 XP.
  Trickery Rod: This twisted rod is made from the 
  petriﬁed body of a serpent. A command word causes 
  the head to slide out upon a chain, a second com-
  mand orders the rod to fade from view, and a third 
  initiates both effects. In addition to all other powers, 
  this rod can be used as a +3 invisible light ﬂail, and al-
  lows its wielder to cast alter self once per day.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, alter self; Market Price: 
  88,708 gp; Cost to Create: 44,354 gp + 3,548 XP.
  War Rod: This adamantine shaft sprouts two sol-
  id blades upon command, transforming it into a +3 
  greataxe. In addition to all other powers above, three 
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  69
  times a day this rod can be wielded with a +20 in-
  sight bonus to a single attack roll.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike; Mar-
  ket Price: 90,920 gp; Cost to Create: 45,460 gp + 3,637 
  XP.
  Water Rod: This jagged rod appears to be made of 
  solid ice, although it does not melt. It can be wielded 
  as a +3 icy burst morningstar in addition to all other 
  powers deﬁ ned above.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill metal or ice 
  storm; Market Price: 74,308 gp; Cost to Create: 37,154 
  gp + 2,972 XP.
  Doom Bullet: An evil touch clings to these +2 
  sling bullets. A target struck by a doom bullet must 
  succeed at a Will save (DC 15) or suffer the effects of 
  a curse, losing 6 points from its highest ability score. 
  The effects of a doom bullet may be reversed as per a 
  bestow curse spell. A doom bullet is destroyed upon 
  use, whether or not it hits its target.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse; 
  Market Price: 1,031 gp; Cost to Create: 516 gp + 41 XP.
  Domination Bolts: Any creature struck by one of 
  these powerful +3 bolts must succeed at a Will save 
  (DC 23) or become dominated by the creature that 
  struck them. This effect behaves exactly like the spell 
  dominate monster.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 17th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, dominate mon-
  ster; Market Price: 5,675 gp; Cost to Create: 2,838 gp + 
  227 XP.
  Dragontooth Longspear: A dragontooth longspear
  is almost identical to a regular longspear. Mounted 
  at the head of the spear, in lieu of a metal tip, is a 
  dragon’s tooth (which contains magical remnants of 
  the dragon it came from). The force of impact releases 
  this effect in the form of the dragon’s breath weapon, 
  albeit on a signiﬁ cantly reduced scale. A single tooth 
  can only produces a minor spark of dragon breath. 
  Adventurers ﬁ nd attaching a single tooth to most 
  weapons impractical; the burst radius of a tooth is 
  ﬁ ve feet. The awkward shape of a dragon’s tooth 
  makes throwing it or fashioning arrows from it an 
  exercise in futility. 
  A dragontooth longspear has a +1 enhancement bo-
  nus to attack rolls and a secondary effect based on 
  the type of dragon tooth. The save versus all effects 
  has a DC of 20. The tooth’s particular effect is shown 
  in Table 3.5: Dragontooth Longspear Effects.
  Faint divination; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike, an actual 
  dragon tooth must be used; Market Price: 8,305 gp; 
  Cost to Create: 4,153 gp + 332 XP.
  Dwarven Thrower: This weapon functions as 
  a +2 warhammer. In the hands of a dwarf, the war-
  hammer gains an additional +1 enhancement bonus 
  (for a total of +3) and 
  gains 
  the 
  returning
  special ability. It can 
  be hurled with a 30-
  foot range increment. 
  When hurled, it deals 
  an extra 2d8 points of 
  damage against giants 
  or an extra 1d8 points 
  of damage against any 
  other target.
  Moderate 
  evoca-
  tion; Caster Level: 10th; 
  Prerequisites: 
  Craft 
  Table 3.5: Dragontooth Longspear Effects
  Dragon Type
  Effect
  Black
  Acid: 1d4+1 
  Blue
  Electricity: 1d4 
  Brass
  Sleep (Will save negates); unconscious for 1d4 rounds
  Bronze
  Repulsion (Will save negates); ﬂ ees for 1d4 rounds
  Copper
  Slow (Fort save negates); slowed for 1d4 rounds
  Gold
  Weaken (Fort save negates); –2 Str for 1d4 rounds
  Green
  Noxious Vapor (Fort save negates); stunned for 1d4 rounds
  Red
  Fire: 1d4+1 damage
  Silver
  Paralyze (Fort save negates); paralyzed for 1d4 rounds
  White
  Cold: 1d4 damage
  Weapons of Valor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  70
  Magic Arms and Armor, creator must be a dwarf of 
  at least 10th level; Market Price: 60,312 gp; Cost to Cre-
  ate: 30,312 gp + 2,400 XP.
  Elemental Fork: Druids who rely on the powers 
  of the elements in casting their spells are well ad-
  vised to equip themselves with an elemental fork. This 
  enchanted +3 war fork is highly tuned to elemental 
  magic, and any elemental spell cast with the fork 
  in hand is empowered. Any spell which directly 
  involves ﬁre, wind, stone, earth, water, electricity, 
  cold, or heat is considered to be an elemental spell. 
  Additionally, the fork allows its wielder to cast pro-
  tection from elements three times per day.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, protection from 
  energy; Market Price: 139,920 gp; Cost to Create: 69,960 
  gp + 5,597 XP.
  Elven Greatbow: In the hands of any non-elf, this 
  bow performs only as a +2 composite longbow. In the 
  hands of an elf, this weapon functions as a +5 compos-
  ite longbow of unerring accuracy with a Strength bonus 
  that matches its elven wielder’s current Strength at 
  all times. Furthermore, any arrows loosed from the 
  bow are considered keen, regardless of the enhance-
  ment bonus of the arrow ﬁred. 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 23rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, bull’s strength, keen edge, true seeing; 
  Market Price: 2,900,400 gp; Cost to Create: 1,450,400 gp 
  + 39,400 XP. 
  Ever-whirling Chain: This +4 defending everdanc-
  ing spiked chain of speed continuously twitches in its 
  wielder’s hands. The wielder of the ever-whirling 
  chain can use it to make any number of attacks of 
  opportunity per round (as if he or she had the Im-
  proved Combat Reﬂexes feat).
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 23rd; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects, haste, shield 
  (or shield of faith); Market Price: 5,220,325 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 2,610,325 gp + 52,200 XP. 
  Exterminator: These +2 vermin bane swords 
  typically bear spider, insect, or rat motifs upon their 
  blades. The holder of an exterminator is able to oper-
  ate normally in webs as if under the effect of a freedom 
  of movement spell, and can walk along web strands 
  as if moving along solid ground. Additionally, the 
  sword grants a +3 resistance bonus to the wielder’s 
  saving throws against poison. These exceptional 
  powers only function while the weapon is drawn. 
  This enchantment is most often placed upon short 
  swords, small long swords, or other small blades. A 
  few exterminator daggers are even known to exist.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, summon monster 
  I, freedom of movement, spider climb, neutralize poison; 
  Market Price: 67,315 gp; Cost to Create: 33,658 gp + 
  2,693 XP.
  Finaldeath: This +5 undead dread ghost touch morn-
  ingstar also grants its wielder immunity to energy 
  drain attacks. Furthermore, if its wielder is capable 
  of turning undead, he or she gains the Positive En-
  ergy Aura feat.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 22nd; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, death ward, plane shift, sum-
  mon monster IX, creator must be able to turn undead; 
  Market Price: 3,580,308 gp; Cost to Create: 1,790,308 gp 
  + 45,800 XP. 
  Flame Tongue: This is a +1 ﬂaming burst long-
  sword. Once per day, the sword can blast forth a ﬁery 
  ray at any target within 30 feet as a ranged touch 
  attack. The ray deals 4d6 points of ﬁre damage on a 
  successful hit.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, scorching ray, 
  and ﬂame blade, ﬂame strike, or ﬁreball; Market Price: 
  20,715 gp; Cost to Create: 10,515 gp + 816 XP.
  Flute Sword: This unusual creation appears to 
  be some kind of magical ﬂute. If used by someone 
  proﬁcient with ﬂutes, it provides a +5 enhancement 
  bonus to the Perform skill. If a command word is 
  spoken, two blades spring out from the sides of the 
  ﬂute and slide forward to form the equivalent of a 
  +2 longsword, with the ﬂute as its hilt. When twirled 
  and spun around by a bard who is not engaging in 
  combat, the musical notes generated act as a enthrall 
  spell, as cast by an 8th level spellcaster. When used 
  by any other class in combat, the ﬂute makes pleas-
  ing music, but produces no magical effect. A sepa-
  rate command word transforms the sword back into 
  a ﬂute.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, charm person, enthrall; 
  Market Price: 17,100 gp; Cost to Create: 8,550 gp +684 
  XP.
  Frost Brand: This +3 frost greatsword sheds light 
  as a torch when the temperature drops below 0° F. 
  At such times it cannot be concealed when drawn, 
  nor can its light be shut off. Its wielder is protected 
  from ﬁre; the sword absorbs the ﬁrst 10 points of ﬁre 
  damage each round that the wielder would other-
  wise take.
  A frost brand extinguishes all nonmagical ﬁres in 
  its area. As a standard action, it can also dispel lasting 
  ﬁre spells, but not instantaneous effects, though you 
  must succeed on a dispel check (1d20 +14) against 
  each spell to dispel it. 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 14th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ice storm, dispel magic, 
  protection from energy; Market Price: 54,475 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 27,375 gp and 5 sp + 2179 XP.
  Gauntlets of the Master: These enchanted gaunt-
  lets appear to ordinary leather hand gear, but they 
  are imbued with powerful enchantments. In addi-
  tion to acting as a +3 weapon, they have the quali-
  ties of intense and a bane weapon against undead. The 
  intense quality doubles the critical range of an un-
  armed strike, while the bane quality increases the 
  gauntlets to +5 and inﬂicts an additional +2d6 points 
  of damage against undead creatures.
   Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, forceful hand; 
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  71
  Market Price: 50,303 gp; Cost to Create: 25,152 gp + 
  2,012 XP.
  Gripsoul: Gripsoul is a +6 keen long-sword, but in-
  stead of dealing additional damage on a critical hit, 
  the weapon imprisons the victim in a gem set in the 
  pommel of the sword as per a binding spell height-
  ened to 16th level (DC 30). The same is true of any 
  blow that would otherwise kill a foe or knock him or 
  her unconscious. Only one creature can be so held, 
  but the wielder can release the bound soul at any 
  time with a command word. 
  Strong enchantment [mind-affecting]; Caster Lev-
  el: 27th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, binding; Market 
  Price: 1,856,500 gp; Cost to Create: 934,500 gp + 28,440 
  XP. 
  Hammer of the Sun: This sturdy golden war-
  hammer is a potent weapon against 
  both undead and living evil-
  doers. Anyone other than a 
  paladin that picks up this 
  hammer receives one nega-
  tive level, which cannot be 
  restored and remains until 
  the hammer is put down 
  again. In the hands of a 
  paladin, the weapon’s true 
  power manifests; it is pow-
  erless in the hands of any 
  other class.
  This +4 disrupting war-
  hammer is weightless and sheds 
  daylight, as the spell, whenever 
  held. Once per day, the ham-
  mer allows its wielder to 
  cast the spell sunburst, with 
  the hammer as the focus of 
  the spell.
  Strong 
  conjuration; 
  Caster Level: 15th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, daylight, sun-
  beam, heal, levitate; Market Price: 
  240,800 gp; Cost to Create: 120,400 gp + 9,632 XP.
  Harp Bow: A harp bow is a +3 mighty composite 
  shortbow (+2 Strength bonus) with multiple strings 
  that can be played like a harp. Anyone proﬁ cient 
  with harps receives a +7 enhancement bonus to their 
  Performance skill while playing this harp. A suc-
  cessful Performance skill check (DC 20) allows the 
  wielder to play the harp and ﬁ re arrows from it si-
  multaneously.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, emotion; Market 
  Price: 23,425 gp; Cost to Create: 11,713 gp + 937 XP.
  Holy Avenger: This +2 cold iron longsword be-
  comes a +5 holy cold iron longsword in the hands of a 
  paladin. It provides Spell Resistance of 5 + the pala-
  din’s level to the wielder and anyone adjacent to her. 
  It also enables the wielder to use greater dispel magic 
  (once per round as a standard action) at the class 
  level of the paladin. (Only the area dispel is possible, 
  not the targeted dispel or counterspell versions of 
  greater dispel magic.)
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, holy aura, creator 
  must be good; Market Price: 120,630 gp; Cost to Cre-
  ate: 60,630 gp + 4,800 XP.
  Holy Devastator: In the hands of any charac-
  ter other than a paladin, this sword performs as a 
  +3 holy longsword. In the hands of a paladin, this 
  weapon functions as a +7 longsword of holy power 
  and grants a +5 sacred bonus on the wielder’s sav-
  ing throws against spells with the evil descriptor or 
  spells cast by evil characters. If the paladin wielder 
  smites evil with the holy devastator, he or she adds 
  twice her paladin level to damage (rather than her 
  paladin level). 
  Strong 
  evocation 
  [good]; Caster Level: 23rd; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, Craft 
  Epic Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, holy aura, holy smite, 
  holy word; Market Price: 
  4,620,315 gp; Cost to Cre-
  ate: 2,310,315 gp + 56,200 
  XP. 
  Icicle 
  Bow: 
  Crafted 
  from pure ice and strung 
  with hair from the mane of 
  a unicorn, this mighty com-
  posite longbow (+4 Strength 
  bonus) is enchanted to deal 
  an incredible amount of 
  damage to its targets.
  Three times per day 
  (but no more than once 
  per round), the wielder 
  can draw upon the bow’s 
  enormous power to imbue 
  a single arrow with the 
  power to deal an additional 
  10d6 points of cold damage 
  on impact, with a Fort save 
  (DC 17) for half damage.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cone of cold; Market 
  Price: 152,800 gp; Cost to Create: 76,400 gp + 6,112 
  XP.
  Innocuous Weapon: An innocuous weapon is a +2 
  dagger, however it can take on the appearance of vir-
  tually any nonmagical object so long as that object 
  is not an obvious weapon. The weapon mimics the 
  object’s form completely: an innocuous weapon in the 
  form of a candle can be lit, one in the form of a book 
  has pages with writing on them, one in the form of 
  an item of clothing has all appropriate buckles and 
  belts, and so forth. It can’t become more than one 
  item at a time, so commanding it to become “boots” 
  has no effect, but it can be made into an item with 
  more than one constituent part (e.g., a lantern with 
  a hinged shutter) so long as those parts always re-
  main together. The innocuous weapon can even fool 
  Hammer of the Sun
  Illustrated by Jason Stephens
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  72
  a detect magic spell (using misdirection to replace the 
  weapon’s aura with that of some mundane object on 
  the user’s person) if the spell’s caster fails a DC 13 
  Will save.
  The weapon’s user can change it into a speciﬁc 
  form using the command word followed by the one-
  word name of object to be mimicked; for instance, he 
  can say the command word and “book” and it will 
  take the form of a book. The user cannot use a de-
  scriptor longer than one word for the form to be cop-
  ied, so he can’t specify “a red, leather-bound book. 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 15th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, misdirection, 
  polymorph any object; Market Price: 224,302 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 112,151 gp + 8,972 XP.
  Javelin of Lightning: This javelin becomes a 5d6 
  lightning bolt when thrown (Reﬂex DC 14 half). It is 
  consumed in the attack.
  Faint evocation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, lightning bolt; Market 
  Price: 1,500 gp; Cost to Create: 750 gp + 30 XP.
  Life-Drinker: This +1 greataxe is favored by un-
  dead and constructs, who do not suffer its drawback. 
  A life-drinker bestows two negative levels on its tar-
  get whenever it deals damage, just as if its target had 
  been struck by an undead creature. One day after 
  being struck, subjects must make a DC 16 Fortitude 
  save for each negative level or lose a character level.
  Each time a life-drinker deals damage to a foe, it 
  also bestows one negative level on the wielder. Any 
  negative level gained by the wielder in this fashion 
  lasts for 1 hour.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enervation; Mar-
  ket Price: 40,320 gp; Cost to Create: 20,320 gp + 1,600 
  XP.
  Loremaster’s Aide: This +1 quarterstaff is typical-
  ly adorned with arcane symbols, often in the form of 
  eye- and book sigils embossed near the staff’s head. 
  Its holder can cast detect magic at will, and can once 
  per day cast analyze dweomer. The true value of this 
  item shows only in the hands of someone with at 
  least one level in the Loremaster prestige class. Such 
  a wielder gains the additional beneﬁts of a +10 in-
  sight bonus to his Spellcraft skill, and the ability to 
  cast tongues and legend lore once per day.
   Moderate divination; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, detect magic, ana-
  lyze dweomer, tongues, legend lore, 10+ ranks in Spell-
  craft; Market Price: 120,600 gp; Cost to Create: 60,300 
  gp + 4,824 XP.
  Luck Blade: This +2 short sword gives its pos-
  sessor a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. Its pos-
  sessor also gains the power of good fortune, usable 
  once per day. This extraordinary ability allows its 
  possessor to reroll one roll that she just made. She 
  must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse 
  than the original roll. In addition, a luck blade may 
  contain up to three wishes (when randomly rolled, 
  a luck blade holds 1d4–1 wishes, minimum 0). When 
  the last wish is used, the sword remains a +2 short 
  sword, still grants the +1 luck bonus, and still grants 
  its reroll power.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, wish or miracle; Market 
  Price: 22,060 gp (0 wishes), 62,360 gp (1 wish), 102,660 
  gp (2 wishes), 142,960 gp (3 wishes); Cost to Create: 
  11,030 gp + 882 XP (0 wishes), 31,180 gp + 2,494 XP 
  (1 wish); 51,330 gp + 4,106 XP (2 wishes), 71,480 gp + 
  5,718 XP (3 wishes).
  Mace of Ruin: This +7 heavy mace ignores the 
  hardness or damage reduction of any object or crea-
  ture it strikes. Furthermore, the weapon can deal 
  critical hits to objects and constructs as if they were 
  living creatures. 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, disintegrate; Market Price: 1,000,312 
  gp; Cost to Create: 500,312 gp + 20,000 XP. 
  Mace of Smiting: This +3 adamantine heavy mace 
  has a +5 enhancement bonus against constructs, and 
  any critical hit dealt to a construct completely de-
  stroys it (no saving throw). A critical hit dealt to an 
  outsider deals x4 damage rather than x2.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 11th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, disintegrate; 
  Market Price: 75,312 gp; Cost to Create: 39,312 gp + 
  2,880 XP.
  Mace of Terror: On command, this +2 heavy mace 
  causes the wielder’s clothes and appearance to trans-
  form into an illusion of darkest horror such that liv-
  ing creatures in a 30-foot cone become panicked as 
  if by a fear spell (Will DC 16 partial). They take a –2 
  morale penalty on saving throws, and they ﬂee from 
  the wielder. The wielder may use this ability up to 
  three times per day. 
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear; Market Price: 
  38,552 gp; Cost to Create: 19,276 gp + 1,542 XP.
  Martial Gloves: These masterwork leather gloves 
  can be worn on the hands and allow characters to ap-
  ply an enhancement bonus to their unarmed strike 
  attack and damage rolls. These gloves are quite thin 
  and light, and the wearer magically feels as if he is 
  not wearing gloves at all.
  Martial Gloves +1: Moderate enchantment; Caster 
  Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor; Market Price: 2,303 gp; Cost to Create: 1,152 gp 
  + 92 XP.
  Martial Gloves +2: Moderate enchantment; Caster 
  Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor; Market Price: 8,303 gp; Cost to Create: 4,152 gp 
  + 332 XP.
  Martial Gloves +3: Moderate enchantment; Caster 
  Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor; Market Price: 18,303 gp; Cost to Create: 9,152 gp 
  + 732 XP.
  Martial Gloves +4: Strong enchantment; Caster 
  Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor; Market Price: 32,303 gp; Cost to Create: 16,152 gp 
  + 1,292 XP.
  Martial Gloves +5: Strong enchantment; Caster 
  Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  73
  mor; Market Price: 50,303 gp; Cost to Create: 25,152 gp 
  + 2,012 XP.
  Masterwork Cold Iron Longsword: This non-
  magical longsword is crafted out of cold iron. As a 
  masterwork weapon, it has a +1 enhancement bonus 
  on attack rolls. Market Price: 330 gp.
  Morningstar of Bloodletting: This vicious, 
  bloodthirsty weapon draws its power from its com-
  posite material, the severed vertebrae of three sar-
  renels. Whenever the +2 morningstar deals 10 or 
  more points of damage in a single round, it receives 
  a morale bonus to its attack and damage rolls on the 
  subsequent round. If the weapon deals 10-29 points 
  of damage in a round, it receives a +1 morale bonus, 
  while 30-59 points grants a +2 morale bonus and 60 
  or more hit points yields a +3 morale bonus. Wield-
  ers claim that the weapon quivers in delight when-
  ever it draws blood; however, no one seems able to 
  prove the contention.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 13th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, emotion; Market 
  Price: 32,000 gp; Cost to Create: 16,308 gp + 652 XP.
  Nine Lives Stealer: This longsword always per-
  forms as a +2 longsword, but it also has the power to 
  draw the life force from an opponent. It can do this 
  nine times before the ability is lost. At that point, the 
  sword becomes a simple +2 longsword (with a hint 
  of evil about it). A critical hit must be dealt for the 
  sword’s death-dealing ability to function, and this 
  weapon has no effect on creatures not subject to 
  critical hits. The victim is entitled to a DC 20 For-
  titude save to avoid death. If the save is successful, 
  the sword’s death-dealing ability does not function, 
  no use of the ability is expended, and normal critical 
  damage is determined. This sword is evil, and any 
  good character attempting to wield it gains two neg-
  ative levels. These negative levels remain as long as 
  the sword is in hand and disappear when the sword 
  is no longer wielded. These negative levels never re-
  sult in actual level loss, but they cannot be overcome 
  in any way (including restoration spells) while the 
  sword is wielded.
  Strong necromancy [evil]; Caster Level: 13th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ﬁnger of 
  death; Market Price: 23,057 gp; Cost to Create: 11,528 
  gp 5 sp + 922 XP.
  Oathbow: Of elven make, this white +2 composite 
  longbow (+2 Str bonus) whispers “Swift defeat to my 
  enemies” in Elven when nocked and pulled. Once 
  per day, if the archer swears aloud to slay her tar-
  get (a free action), the bow’s whisper becomes the 
  low shout “Swift death to those who have wronged 
  me.” Against such a sworn enemy, the bow has a 
  +5 enhancement bonus, and arrows launched from it 
  deal an additional 2d6 points of damage (and x4 on 
  a critical hit instead of the normal x3). However, the 
  bow is treated as only a masterwork weapon against 
  all foes other than the sworn enemy, and the wielder 
  takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls with any weapon 
  other than the oathbow. These bonuses and penalties 
  last for seven days or until the sworn enemy is slain 
  or destroyed by the wielder of the oathbow, which-
  ever comes ﬁrst.
  The oathbow may only have one sworn enemy at 
  a time. Once the wielder swears to slay a target, he 
  cannot make a new oath until he has slain that target 
  or seven days have passed. Even if the wielder slays 
  the sworn enemy on the same day that he makes the 
  oath, he cannot activate the oathbow’s special power 
  again until 24 hours have passed from the time he 
  made the oath.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must be an 
  elf; Market Price: 25,600 gp; Cost to Create: 13,100 gp 
  + 1,000 XP.
  Oil of Brilliance: This small vial of light green 
  potion is not for consuming, but for increasing the 
  effectiveness of metal blades. With a normal cloth, 
  a thin layer of the oil can be applied to any type of 
  bladed weapon. Once coated, it increases the critical 
  multiplier of the weapon by one, and does not wash 
  off easily, be it by rain, water, or blood. One vial of oil 
  of brilliance can be used to fully cover a medium sized 
  weapon or two small or smaller-sized weapons, and 
  it stays on for one week until its magic fades away, at 
  which time the oil turns white and ﬂakes off.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Brew Potion, keen edge; Market Price: 4,000 
  gp.
  Picker Picker: The picker picker is a powerful 
  magical device developed by picker (see Complete 
  Minions) sorcerers to help them in their worldly pur-
  suits. This sharp, slender +2 dagger bears a delicately 
  crafted key at its pommel. If the wielder of the picker 
  uses the key with his thieves’ tools, he gains a +10 
  competence bonus to all Open Lock checks.
   Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, knock; Market 
  Price: 18,302 gp; Cost to Create: 9,151 gp + 732 XP.
  Quarterstaff of Alacrity: Both ends of this +5 
  quarterstaff of speed have equal enhancement and 
  special powers, meaning that it allows an additional 
  attack with each end every round. While the quarter-
  staff of alacrity is held, it grants its wielder a +5 resis-
  tance bonus on Reﬂex saves. It also deﬂects ranged 
  weapons as if the wielder had the Deﬂect Arrows 
  and Inﬁnite Deﬂection feats. 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Mag-
  ic Arms and Armor, protection from arrows, shield; 
  Market Price: 462,600 gp; Cost to Create: 231,600 gp + 
  14,620 XP. 
  Rapier of Puncturing: Three times per day, this 
  +2 wounding rapier allows the wielder to make a 
  touch attack with the weapon that deals 1d6 points 
  of Constitution damage by draining blood. Creatures 
  immune to critical hits are immune to the Constitu-
  tion damage dealt by this weapon.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 13th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, harm; Market 
  Price: 50,320 gp; Cost to Create: 25,320 gp + 2,000 XP.
  Rapier of Quickness: This +2 rapier is usually 
  adorned with images of fast predatory animals, such 
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  74
  as hawks or cheetahs. When attacking with the ra-
  pier, the wielder receives a +4 enhancement bonus 
  to her initiative checks. Additionally, the rapier can 
  haste its wielder once per day.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste, creator 
  must have the Improved Initiative feat; Market Price: 
  56,720 gp; Cost to Create: 28,360 gp + 2,269 XP.
  Razor of Flensing: This is a grossly oversized 
  straight razor enchanted with potent magic. The 
  magic of the razor of ﬂensing grants proﬁciency 
  with the straight razor to anyone who grips it; for 
  all weapon statistics it can be treated as a +2 kukri of 
  wounding.
  In the hands of an evil ranger, the razor of ﬂensing’s 
  powers fully awaken. The razor glows with a seeth-
  ing red light that provides 20 feet of illumination 
  and does +1d6 damage each time it strikes a living 
  creature. This additional damage is not multiplied 
  by a successful critical hit. The razor performs as a 
  bane weapon versus any of the wielder’s favored en-
  emies, increasing its enhancement bonus to +4 and 
  doing an additional +2d6 damage on a hit against 
  such targets; again, this additional damage is not 
  multiplied by a successful critical hit.
  The most terrible power of the razor of ﬂensing is 
  its ability to create skin wraiths (this is a new mon-
  ster detailed in Complete Minions). Any humanoid 
  creature skinned or slain by a razor of ﬂensing must 
  make a Will save (DC 24) or the body’s lacerated skin 
  suddenly surges into unholy life as a skin wraith, de-
  taching from the carcass if necessary. The wielder of 
  the razor of ﬂensing can command a number of skin 
  wraiths created in this manner equal to his Charisma 
  bonus; any additional skin wraiths created are free-
  willed, but cannot attack or seek to harm the wielder 
  unless they are attacked ﬁrst. Razors of ﬂensing are 
  evil magical weapons and detect as such when scru-
  tinized with a detect evil spell or ability.
  Strong varies [evil]; Caster Level: 12th; Craft Mag-
  ic Arms and Armor, create undead, keen edge, Mage’s 
  sword, summon monster I; Price: 68,600 gp; Weight: 3 
  lb.
  Reaver’s Net: This magical net is made from 
  supple green cords of specially treated seaweed. The 
  cords are studded with tiny suckers, hooks, and ten-
  drils that constantly seethe and roil as if the net were 
  underwater. A reaver’s net functions as a +1 net for 
  all users. 
  Its powers truly awaken when its wielder has the 
  Weapon Specialization (net) feat, at least 10 ranks in 
  Profession (sailor), or at least 1 level of the sea reaver 
  prestige class (see Complete Villains). The net then 
  takes on a life of its own, functioning as a +1 net of 
  distance. Additionally, any creature entangled by the 
  net must make a Fortitude save (DC 14) each round 
  the entanglement persists to avoid being paralyzed 
  for 3d6 minutes. The semi-living nature of the net 
  allows the trained user to refold the net for proper 
  throwing as a move-equivalent action.
  Moderate divination, enchantment, and trans-
  mutation; Caster Level: 9th; Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, clairaudience/clairvoyance, entangle, hold per-
  son; Price: 12,600 gp; Weight: 10 lb.
  Requiem Flute: This odd looking ﬂute seems to 
  have a shroud of light about it, and darkness fades in 
  and out with a slow rhythm. On command, a barely 
  visible force blade appears from the lower end of 
  the ﬂute, and it may be used as a longsword. The 
  sword’s touch attack deals 2d8 force damage, but 
  the wielder may not apply any strength modiﬁer 
  to it. When used as the instrument for bardic music 
  or spellcasting abilities, the bard’s effective level in-
  creases by 4.
  Strong evocation [force]; Caster Level: 13th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Wondrous Item, mage’s sword, shout; 
  Market Price: 165,500 gp; Cost to Create: 82,750 gp + 
  6,620 xp.
  Scabrous Mace: Evil priests of malevolent deities 
  craft this grisly mace from the femur and skull of a 
  walking disease. Naturally, the femur serves as the 
  weapon’s haft while the skull acts as its head. In ad-
  dition to functioning as a +2 heavy mace, a critical hit 
  with the weapon also requires the victim to make a 
  Fortitude save (DC 14) or the mace afﬂicts the op-
  ponent with the contagion spell. The wielder chooses 
  the disease transmitted.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, contagion; Mar-
  ket Price: 18,000 gp; Cost to Create: 9,312 + 372 XP.
  School Staves: Although usable by others, these 
  ﬁnely crafted staves bolster specialist wizards in 
  magic of their chosen schools.
  Each staff, when held, provides its user with a +2 
  enhancement bonus to his DC for spells cast within 
  the staff’s school, as well as bestowing a +2 enhance-
  ment bonus to saving throws vs. spells and effects of 
  the same school as the staff. A school staff also func-
  tions as a +2 quarterstaff if wielded in battle.
  Additionally, each staff has 50 charges that may 
  be spent to cast any spell from the staff’s associated 
  school. Each spell cast from a school staff uses up one 
  charge per spell level. The staff cannot be recharged. 
  Once fully discharged, the staff’s other functions still 
  operate normally.
  Strong of appropriate school; Caster Level: 17th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, wish; 
  Market Price: 87,975 gp; Cost to Create: 43,988 gp + 
  3,519 XP.
  Staff of the Abjurer: This long, sturdy, straight staff 
  is made of solid iron and bears heavy iron spheres 
  on both ends.
  Staff of the Conjurer: This thin staff is crafted out 
  of pressed wax, and glowing runes of all sorts are 
  carved along its length.
  Staff of the Enchanter: This delicate staff consists of 
  a single slender shard of crystal. Various shimmers 
  of colors and lights trickle along its length.
  Staff of the Evoker: This sturdy rod is crafted from 
  a solid branch of darkwood. Simple silver bands 
  adorn both ends of the staff.
  Staff of the Diviner: This long, thin crook is woven 
  from pure threads of platinum. A silver ball caps the 
  base of the staff.
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  75
  Staff of the Illusionist: This staff is slender, and 
  crafted out of an invisible material that probably 
  once was mithral.
  Staff of the Necromancer: This gruesome creation 
  is crafted out of the spine of some unfortunate and 
  bears a shrunken skull at its head.
  Staff of the Transmuter: This staff is of unusual 
  make. Its materials and style vary greatly all along 
  its length. From the base up, the staff is made from 
  stone, then wood, then ﬂ esh, then bone, then lead, 
  then gold, then mithral, and then ﬁ nally adaman-
  tine.
  Scorpion Thrash: This +3 spiked chain is ornately 
  designed with scorpion claws and stingers making 
  up the spikes and barbs along its length. It is a deep 
  drab gray in color, unreﬂ ective of light. Occasion-
  ally, real scorpions can be seen running along the 
  length of the weapon. Although menacing, this does 
  not affect the usage of the weapon. The weapon’s 
  real power lies in its ability to summon a swarm of 
  poisonous scorpions. The wielder slams the length 
  of the chain upon the ground and utters the com-
  mand word, resulting in a creeping doom spell under 
  the wielder’s control. This ability can be used once 
  per day.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 13th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creeping doom; 
  Market Price: 69,085; Cost to Create: 34,705 gp + 2,750 
  XP; Weight: 15 lb.
  Screaming Bolt: These +2 bolts screams when 
  ﬁ red, forcing all enemies of the wielder within 20 
  feet of the path of the bolt to succeed on a DC 14 Will 
  save or become shaken. This is a mind-affecting fear 
  effect.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, doom; Market Price:
  267gp; Cost to Create: 128 gp and 5 sp + 10 XP.
  Scythe of Life-Harvesting: This weapon appears 
  to be a simple farm implement, although it has a 
  slight aura of unease about it. Wielders soon discov-
  er that the scythe is unnaturally cool to the touch, 
  but not painfully so.
  The weapon functions as a +1 scythe, but in the 
  hands of a blackguard it becomes a +3 unholy scythe. 
  In addition, upon scoring a successful critical hit 
  with the weapon, the victim must roll a Fortitude 
  save (DC 20), or be instantly slain by the blade. This 
  has no effect on creatures immune to critical hits. 
  The scythe’s enhancement bonus rises to +5 for one 
  hour after killing a victim in this manner.
  Strong necromancy[evil]; Caster Level: 13th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, unholy 
  smite, ﬁ nger of death, creator must be evil; Market Price:
  89,518 gp; Cost to Create: 44,918 gp + 3,568 XP.
  Serpentine Sword: This +2 longsword appears to 
  have a segmented blade. When held, it grants the 
  bearer a +5 resistance bonus to all poison saving 
  throws. At will, the user can call upon the blade’s 
  serpent strike ability, causing the blade to separate at 
  School Staves
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  76
  each segment and spring out up to 10 feet. A strong 
  wire that snaps the blade back into place at the end 
  of the strike holds the segments of the blade togeth-
  er. Besides gaining reach, the serpent strike can trip 
  a hit opponent (if the user so desires, and succeeds 
  in an opposed Strength check) without allowing the 
  opponent an opportunity to trip the wielder back if 
  the attempt fails.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, neutralize poi-
  son; Market Price: 43,315 gp; Cost to Create: 21,658 gp 
  + 1,733 XP.
  Shadow Dagger: This +1 dagger is crafted from 
  the essence of the Plane of Shadow. It is perfectly in-
  visible in natural darkness and shadows, and can be 
  placed and retrieved in the wielder’s shadow, just 
  as if the shadow was a sheath. An assassin’s killing 
  blow performed with a shadow dagger adds a +2 to 
  the target’s DC to resist the death effect.
  Moderate illusion [shadow]; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shadow con-
  juration; Market Price: 16,302 gp; Cost to Create: 8,151 
  gp + 652 XP.
  Shadow Sword: This +2 longsword is crafted from 
  the essence of the Plane of Shadow. It is perfectly in-
  visible in natural darkness and shadows, and can be 
  placed and retrieved in the wielder’s shadow, just 
  as if the shadow was a sheath. An assassin’s killing 
  blow performed with a shadow sword adds a +4 to the 
  target’s DC to resist the death effect.
  Moderate illusion [shadow]; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shadow con-
  juration; Market Price: 40,315 gp; Cost to Create: 20,158 
  gp + 1,613 XP.
  Shatterspike: Wielders without the Improved 
  Sunder feat use Shatterspike as a +1 longsword only; 
  wielders with the Improved Sunder feat add a +4 
  bonus (including the sword’s +1 enhancement bo-
  nus) to the opposed roll when attempting to strike a 
  foe’s weapon. If successful, Shatterspike deals 1d8+4 
  points of damage plus the wielder’s Strength modi-
  ﬁ er to the target weapon (the target weapon’s hard-
  ness must still be overcome with each hit). Shatter-
  spike can damage weapons with an enhancement 
  bonus of +4 or lower.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: 
  Str 13, Craft Arms and Armor, Power Attack, Im-
  proved Sunder, shatter; Market Price: 4,315 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 2,315 gp + 160 XP; Weight: 4 lb.
  Shifter’s Sorrow: This +1/+1 two-bladed sword has 
  blades of alchemical silver. The weapon deals an ex-
  tra 2d6 points of damage against any creature with 
  the shapechanger subtype. When a shapechanger or 
  a creature in an alternate form (such as a druid using 
  wild shape) is struck by the weapon, it must make a 
  DC 15 Will save or return to its natural form.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Arms and Armor, baleful polymorph; Mar-
  ket Price: 12,780 gp; Cost to Create: 6,780 gp + 480 XP; 
  Weight: 10 lb.
  Shortspear of Lightning: This item resembles a 
  common shortspear except for a jagged line of runes 
  running its entire length and a knob of silver at its 
  end. Most shortspears of lightning are made from ash 
  or oak, but any material that has been struck by 
  lightning (magical or natural) sufﬁ ces. These items 
  combine the properties of a +1 shortspear with that of 
  a 5th-level wand of lightning. A charge from the short-
  spear can be expended when the weapon successfully 
  strikes a target, adding the lightning damage to the 
  weapon damage. When the charges are expended, 
  the shortspear loses all magical properties.
  Faint evocation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites:
  Craft Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, lighting bolt; 
  Market Price: 14,677 gp; Cost to Create: 7, 338 gp + 587 
  XP; Weight: 5 lb.
  Silent Dagger: This is a favored weapon of as-
  sassins and is often poisoned for extra effect. When 
  drawn from its sheath, this +2 dagger creates a one-
  way sound barrier around it with a radius of ﬁ ve 
  feet. Sound moves into the barrier normally, but 
  does not move out. Anyone within the barrier is not 
  able to notice any differences in the sounds around 
  them, although they are fully silenced to anyone out-
  side the barrier. Rogues commonly use this blade to 
  sneak attack guards without alerting others. It also 
  Silent Dagger
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  77
  allows its wielder to move around without being 
  heard. Most silent daggers are cruel affairs, with gro-
  tesquely exaggerated blades and razor-sharp edges. 
  Many of these blades are magically blackened so as 
  not to reﬂect any light.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, silence; Market Price: 
  18,302 gp; Cost to Create: 9,151 gp + 732 XP.
  Silver Dagger, Masterwork: This masterwork 
  alchemical silver dagger is nonmagical. As a mas-
  terwork weapon, it has a +1 enhancement bonus on 
  attack rolls. Market Price: 322 gp.
  Skysplitter: This powerful weapon is a +5 jag-
  ged, shocking burst greataxe. Three times per day, on 
  a successful hit, the wielder can choose to unleash a 
  powerful bolt of lightning (10d6 points of damage, 
  Fortitude save versus DC 18 for half damage) into 
  the target struck. The axe also grants the wielder an 
  electricity resistance of 10.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning, inﬂict 
  moderate wounds, resist elements; Market Price: 266,320 
  gp; Cost to Create: 133,160 gp + 10,653 XP.
  Slapstick: The slapstick is normally a +2 quar-
  terstaff with unusual magical properties designed to 
  annoy adversaries. Up to ﬁve times per day on com-
  mand, the slapstick conjures a very localized grease 
  spell to appear beneath the feet of an opponent in 
  melee combat with the wielder. The opponent 
  must make a Reﬂex save (DC 11); otherwise, he 
  slips and falls to the ground. As long as he re-
  mains in the area or attempts to move out of 
  the area, he must make another save. If his 
  foe fails his save and falls to the ground, 
  the slapstick emits a loud, mocking chuck-
  le clearly audible to everyone within a 30-
  ft. radius of the weapon. The victim affected 
  by the grease spell ﬁnds the sarcastic laugh so 
  irritating that he must make a Will save (DC 14) 
  to avoid losing his composure. Creatures fail-
  ing this save act rashly for the next 1d4 rounds 
  suffering a –1 circumstance penalty to AC and 
  a –2 penalty to Wisdom. Additional failures 
  stack; therefore, an opponent that fails his Will 
  save on two consecutive rounds suffers a –2 
  circumstance penalty to AC and a –4 penalty 
  to Wisdom. The Wisdom reduction has no ef-
  fect on the level of spell a divine spellcaster 
  can cast, but it does apply to all other rolls.
  Moderate conjuration and enchantment; 
  Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, grease, hideous laughter; Mar-
  ket Price: 18,600 gp; Cost to Create: 9,600 gp + 700 
  xp.
  Soulcleanser: Forged for the purpose of oblit-
  erating undead, soulcleansers number among the 
  most feared and despised weapons by the legions 
  of the night. Most soulcleansers are longswords, al-
  though other types of swords occasionally receive 
  this enchantment.
  A soulcleanser glows brightly and shrieks vio-
  lently whenever it is within 30 feet of any undead 
  creature. To most who wield one of these wondrous 
  swords, it acts only as a +1 weapon. However, in the 
  hands of a paladin, the sword’s bonus increases to 
  +3, and its other powers manifest.
  To a paladin, the sword confers a Spell Resis-
  tance of 20 against all hostile magical effects emanat-
  ing from undead sources, including spells cast and 
  magical devices used by undead creatures.
  The following spell-like powers are also usable 
  by the sword’s wielder: holy smite (3/day, save DC 
  17), sunbeam (1/day, save DC 20), and greater res-
  toration (1/day). Also, once per day the sword can 
  weave a holy aura around its wielder, granting him 
  a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +2 resis-
  tance bonus to all saving throws. This aura remains 
  for 10 minutes.
  Upon command, the sword can polymorph itself 
  into an item required to destroy a speciﬁc undead 
  creature, such as a wooden stake for a vampire. In 
  addition to all other powers of the soulcleanser, any 
  non-good creature that wields one is dealt 1d6 points 
  of sacred damage per round of contact.
  Strong (all schools); Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance, 
  sunbeam, holy smite, ﬂy, bull’s strength, polymorph self; 
  Market Price: 307,941 gp; Cost to Create: 153,970 gp + 
  12,318 XP.
  Souldrinker: This +5 bastard sword bestows 2d4 
  negative levels on its target whenever it deals 
  damage, just as if its target had been struck by 
  the energy drain spell. Each negative level be-
  stowed grants the wielder 5 temporary hit 
  points. One day after being struck, the sub-
  ject must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) 
  for each negative level or lose a level. If 
  this sword’s power causes a character to 
  have negative levels at least equal to his or 
  her current level, the character is instantly 
  slain and the wielder gains an additional 10 
  temporary hit points. Temporary hit points 
  gained from this weapon last for a maximum 
  of 1 hour. 
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 21st; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft 
  Epic Magic Arms and Armor, Spell Focus (Nec-
  romancy), energy drain; Market Price: 478,335 
  gp; Cost to Create: 239,315 gp + 14,780 XP. 
  Spiderblade: 
  This 
  basket-hilted 
  long-
  sword appears to be made entirely of cobwebs, 
  although its delicate appearance belies its 
  strength and deadly sharpness. Worked into the 
  sword’s cross guard is a gray spider with small 
  chips of diamonds for eyes. This +2 keen long-
  sword grants its wielder a +3 luck bonus to sav-
  ing throws versus poison and allows the wielder 
  to cast the spell insect plague once per day. This last 
  ability takes the form of a swarm of gray spiders that 
  spill forth from the sword’s blade. The sword’s deli-
  cate construction makes the weapon nearly weight-
  less, and allows the wielder to apply the Weapon 
  Finesse feat to this weapon.
  The Spiderblade
  Illustrated by Jeff Ward
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  78
  Moderate transmutation and conjuration; Caster 
  Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, insect plague, keen edge; Market Price: 36,765 gp; 
  Cost to Create: 18,540 gp +1,458 XP; Weight: 1 lb.
  Staff of Subdual: This +1 quarterstaff is enchant-
  ed to ensure that only nonlethal damage is inﬂicted 
  on its targets. This staff is made of an oaken quarter-
  staff, capped at one end with iron, at the other with 
  silver. The iron-shod end is used against the ground 
  if this is used as a walking staff, but both metallic 
  items are integral to the dweomer that enchants this 
  weapon. No matter how hard a person is struck with 
  the staff, or how much damage is dealt with a criti-
  cal hit, the weapon deals only subdual damage and 
  cannot be used to fatally injure a target. Nonlethal 
  damage is delivered with no negative penalties to 
  the attack. 
  Because of the obvious utility of this weapon in 
  quelling violence without leaving permanent injury, 
  some cities have contracted with local temples to 
  supply their night watchmen with staffs of subdual. 
  Characters who come across a staff of subdual may not 
  realize it behaves differently from a regular quarter-
  staff until several combat encounters have passed. 
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shield other; Market 
  Price: 12,400 gp; Cost to Create: 6,200 gp + 496 XP.
  Staff of the Summoner: This +2 quarterstaff is 
  made from a long, sturdy, oaken branch. Living 
  vines and leaves sprout from it and twine up and 
  down its length. It allows its wielder to call forth the 
  following effects:
  Summon nature’s ally III (1 charge)
  Call lightning (1 charge, DC 15)
  Insect plague (2 charges, DC 17)
  Summon nature’s ally VI (2 charges)
  Creeping doom (3 charges)
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 13th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning, 
  summon nature’s ally III and IV, insect plague, and 
  creeping doom; Market Price: 73,600 gp; Cost to Create: 
  36,800 gp + 2,944 XP.
  Stinging Smoke: This glass ﬂask contains a light, 
  acrid dust. When the ﬂask breaks open, the dust 
  ﬂies into the air in a great cloud, looking like smoke. 
  The dust is extremely painful to the eyes, causing 
  all within 10 feet of the point of impact to make a 
  Fort save (DC 14) or be forced to shut their eyes, ef-
  fectively blinded. The cloud lasts 2d4 rounds before 
  dissipating. Market Price: 35 gp.
  Stormcaller: Forged by elder druids, stormcallers 
  aid nature’s warriors in the protection of the land. 
  In the hands of any character other than a druid, a 
  stormcaller functions only as a +2 scimitar. When in 
  the hands of a druid, it can also be used to cast call 
  lightning three times per day.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning; 
  Market Price: 40,715 gp; Cost to Create: 20,358 gp + 
  1,629 XP.
  Stormbrand: This +4 thundering shocking burst 
  greatsword allows its wielder to ﬂy at will (as the 
  spell). Furthermore, the wielder can move normally 
  (including ﬂying) even in the strongest winds. When 
  the weapon is drawn, the wielder gains electricity 
  and sonic resistance 30. 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, blindness/ deafness, call lightning or 
  lightning bolt, control winds, ﬂy, protection from energy; 
  Market Price: 235,350 gp; Cost to Create: 117,850 gp + 
  12,350 XP. 
  Sun Blade: This sword is the size of a bastard 
  sword. However, a sun blade is wielded as if it were 
  a short sword with respect to weight and ease of use. 
  (In other words, the weapon appears to all viewers 
  to be a bastard sword, and deals bastard sword dam-
  age, but the wielder feels and reacts as if the weap-
  on were a short sword.) Any individual able to use 
  either a bastard sword or a short sword with pro-
  ﬁciency is proﬁcient in the use of a sun blade. Like-
  wise, Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization in 
  short sword and bastard sword apply equally, but 
  the beneﬁts of those feats do not stack.
  In normal combat, the glowing golden blade of 
  the weapon is equal to a +2 bastard sword. Against 
  evil creatures, its enhancement bonus is +4. Against 
  Negative Energy Plane creatures or undead crea-
  tures, the sword deals double damage (and x3 on a 
  critical hit instead of the usual x2).
  The blade also has a special sunlight power. Once 
  per day, the wielder can swing the blade vigorously 
  above her head while speaking a command word. 
  The sunblade then sheds a bright yellow radiance 
  that is like full daylight. The radiance begins shin-
  ing in a 10-foot radius around the sword wielder and 
  extends outward at 5 feet per round for 10 rounds 
  thereafter, to create a globe of light with a 60-foot ra-
  dius. When the wielder stops swinging, the radiance 
  fades to a dim glow that persists for another min-
  ute before disappearing entirely. All sun blades are 
  of good alignment, and any evil creature attempting 
  to wield one gains one negative level. The negative 
  level remains as long as the sword is in hand and 
  disappears when the sword is no longer wielded. 
  This negative level never results in actual level loss, 
  but it cannot be overcome in any way (including res-
  toration spells) while the sword is wielded.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, daylight, creator 
  must be good; Market Price: 50,335 gp; Cost to Create: 
  25,335 gp + 2,000 XP.
  Sword of Ghosts: The steel of the eerie weapon is 
  worked into a pattern that writhes and swirls slowly 
  when examined closely. The blade emits a milky hue 
  that seems to rise from the surface and swirl, like 
  mist or smoke. The weapon is a +3 longsword with 
  the ghost touch quality. Additionally, anything slain 
  by the sword cannot be raised or animated as an un-
  dead creature, though they may be raised or resur-
  rected normally. Even creatures slain by the sword, 
  resurrected, and then again slain by another means 
  cannot be turned into undead creatures.
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  79
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, consecrate, plane 
  shift; Market Price: 44,315 gp; Cost to Create: 22,315 gp 
  + 1,760 XP; Weight: 4 lb.
  Sword of Life Stealing: This black iron +2 long-
  sword bestows a negative level when it deals a criti-
  cal hit. The sword wielder gains 1d6 temporary hit 
  points each time a negative level is bestowed on an-
  other. These temporary hit points last for 24 hours. 
  One day after being struck, subjects must make a DC 
  16 Fortitude save for each negative level or lose a 
  character level.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 17th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enervation; Mar-
  ket Price: 25,715 gp; Cost to Create: 12,857 gp and 5 sp 
  + 1,029 XP.
  Sword of the Planes: This longsword has an en-
  hancement bonus of +1 on the Material Plane, but 
  on any Elemental Plane its enhancement bonus in-
  creases to +2. (The +2 enhancement bonus also ap-
  plies on the Material Plane when the weapon is used 
  against elementals.) It operates as a +3 longsword on 
  the Astral Plane or the Ethereal Plane or when used 
  against opponents native to either of those planes. 
  On any other plane, or against any outsider, it func-
  tions as a +4 longsword.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, plane shift; Market 
  Price: 22,315 gp; Cost to Create: 11,157 gp and 5 sp + 
  893 XP.
  Sword of Power: This wondrous weapon is an 
  elaborate affair of gaudy craftsmanship and power-
  ful enchantments. It is the favorite weapon of many 
  a warlord and conqueror. Most swords of this type 
  are greatswords, although occasionally a bastard 
  sword or a longsword holds this enchantment. The 
  beneﬁ ts of a sword of power are not evident until 
  placed in the hands of one specialized in greatsword 
  (or whatever the sword’s actual type is). To all other 
  wielders, it behaves as if it were simply a +1 sword.
  To a qualiﬁ ed owner, the sword functions as a +5 
  keen weapon, and as long as it remains in his posses-
  sion, his Leadership score is increased by +5. Addi-
  tionally, the sword, when held, repels all spells cast 
  at its wielder as if he were protected by spell turning. 
  Once per day, the sword enables its owner to cast the 
  spell mass suggestion.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 15th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, charm person,
  mass suggestion, spell turning; Market Price: 313,130 
  gp; Cost to Create: 156,565 gp + 12,525 XP.
  Sword of Revealing: This +1 longsword has the 
  special ability of cutting through illusion. When-
  ever the blade passes through an illusion (such as a 
  ﬁ gment produced by one of the many image spells, 
  or the substance of a shadow conjuration), it leaves a 
  rent of reality in its wake; the illusion isn’t dispelled, 
  but the fabric of the illusion in the places actually 
  contacted by the sword are sliced apart, revealing to 
  all whatever lies behind them. Even if the illusion is 
  constantly changing (such as a hypnotic pattern or a 
  persistent image) the rent caused by the sword cannot 
  be patched over by that spell (although casting an-
  other illusion in the same location would cover over 
  the slice of reality).
  A sword of revealing has no effect on non-visual 
  illusions (such as ghost sound), on illusions that dis-
  guise the form of a real person (unless the sword cuts 
  through the illusion in the process of cutting into the 
  person), or on spells like darkness that create a visual 
  effect but are not illusions. The wielder of a sword of 
  revealing is not given any indication by the sword of 
  the presence of illusions, nor does it make him im-
  mune to the affects of the illusions that the sword 
  hasn’t yet punctured.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true seeing; Mar-
  ket Price: 121,115 gp; Cost to Create: 60,558 gp + 4,845 
  XP.
  Sword of Subtlety: A +1 short sword with a thin, 
  dull gray blade, this weapon provides a +4 bonus 
  on its wielder’s attack and damage rolls when he is 
  making a sneak attack with it.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blur; Market Price:
  22,310 gp; Cost to Create: 11,155 gp + 892 XP.
  Sword of Power
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  80
  Sylvan Scimitar: This +3 scimitar, when used out-
  doors in a temperate climate, grants its wielder the 
  use of the Cleave feat and deals an extra 1d6 points 
  of damage.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 11th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, divine power 
  or creator must be a 7th-level druid; Market Price:
  47,315gp; Cost to Create: 23,657 gp and 5 sp + 1,893 
  XP.
  Tentacle of the Fiend: A tentacle of the ﬁ end is a 
  greasy, rubbery whip that inﬂ icts lethal damage. It is 
  a +2 unholy weapon. In the hands of an evil wielder, 
  it moves in a sinuous fashion, whipping and cracking 
  as if it had a mind of its own. The wielder also gains 
  a +4 bonus to trip attacks and a further +4 bonus on 
  opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent 
  (for a total of a +6 bonus on disarm attempts and the 
  roll to keep from being disarmed if the 
  attack fails).
  Moderate 
  transmutation 
  and 
  conjuration [evil]; Caster Level: 8th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, black tentacles, unholy blight; 
  Market Price: 35,501gp; Cost to Create: 
  17,751 gp + 1,420 XP.
  Tooth of the Narwhal: This +3 rapi-
  er, when used on the open sea or within 
  100 feet of the coast, grants its wielder 
  the use of the Expertise feat and deals 
  +1d6 points of bonus damage.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 
  11th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, di-
  vine power or caster must be druid level 
  7th+; Market Price: 55,815 gp; Weight: 3 
  lb.
  Trickle Sword: This +2 longsword 
  of wounding is invaluable for track-
  ing down ﬂ eeing opponents. Anyone 
  struck by this sword is marked, and for 
  2d4 hours, a magical trail of blood is left 
  behind as they move about. This trail is 
  slight, but to anyone holding a trickle sword 
  it appears to glow, allowing for easy tracking 
  (DC 10). This trail remains for a week before fading. 
  If the marked creature manages to close the wounds 
  caused by the sword, the trickle effect ceases. The 
  blood trail left by this sword cannot be wiped out by 
  physical means, as it is magical in nature. However, 
  it is not visible anywhere that blood would not nor-
  mally adhere, such as upon the surface of a stream, 
  or in midair. Pass without trace counters the trickle ef-
  fect for the duration of the spell, and dispel magic can 
  be used to either stop the effect or obliterate the trail. 
  This sword is quite useful both for tracking oppo-
  nents, and for discerning the location of a creature’s 
  lair or nest.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, locate creature; 
  Market Price: 50,315 gp; Cost to Create: 25,158 gp + 
  2,013 XP.
  Trident of Fish Command: The magical proper-
  ties of this +1 trident with a 6-foot-long haft enable 
  its wielder to charm up to 14 HD of aquatic animals 
  (Will DC 16 negates, animals get a +5 bonus if cur-
  rently under attack by the wielder or his allies), no 
  two of which can be more than 30 feet apart. The 
  wielder can use this effect up to three times per day. 
  The wielder can communicate with the animals as 
  if using a speak with animals spell. Animals making 
  their saving throw are free of control, but do not ap-
  proach within 10 feet of the trident. The trident can 
  be used up to three times per day.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, speak with ani-
  mals; Market Price: 18,650 gp; Cost to Create: 9,325 gp 
  + 746 XP.
  Trident of Warning: A weapon of this type en-
  ables its wielder to determine the location, depth, 
  kind, and number of aquatic predators within 680 
  feet. A trident of warning must be grasped and point-
  ed in order for the character using it to gain such 
  information, and it requires 1 round to scan a 
  hemisphere with a radius of 680 feet. The 
  weapon is otherwise a +2 trident.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, locate creature; Market Price:
  10,115 gp; Cost to Create: 5,057 gp 
  and 5 sp + 405 XP.
  Unholy Despoiler: In the hands 
  of any character other than a black-
  guard, this sword performs as a +3 
  unholy longsword. In the hands of a 
  blackguard, this weapon functions 
  as a +7 longsword of unholy power 
  and grants a +5 profane bonus on the 
  wielder’s saving throws against spells 
  with the good descriptor or spells cast 
  by good characters. If a blackguard 
  wielder smites good with the unholy 
  despoiler, he or she adds twice his or 
  her blackguard level to damage (rath-
  er than his or her blackguard level). 
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 
  23rd; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, blasphe-
  my, unholy aura, unholy blight; Market Price: 4,650,315 
  gp; Cost to Create: 2,325,315 gp + 56,500 XP.
  Unholy Vindicator: This +2 cold iron longsword 
  becomes a +5 holy cold iron longsword in the hands 
  of a blackguard or unholy warrior. It provides spell 
  resistance of 5 + the blackguard’s level to the wielder 
  and anyone adjacent to her. It also enables the wield-
  er to use greater dispel magic (once per round as a 
  standard action) at the class level of the blackguard. 
  (Only the area dispel is possible, not the targeted dis-
  pel or counterspell versions of greater dispel magic.)
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, holy aura, creator must 
  be evil; Market Price: 120,630 gp; Cost to Create: 60,630 
  gp + 4,800 XP.
  Whip of Life and Death: This +3 whip is con-
  structed out of incredibly thin, interwoven strands 
  of mithral and adamantine. When it is used to attack, 
  The Trickle Sword
  Illustrated by Jason Stephens
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  81
  it makes an unnerving buzzing sound not unlike a 
  cloud of startled ﬂies taking ﬂight from a ripe 
  corpse. When a whip of life and death strikes a 
  creature, the creature suffers an additional 
  1d8+3 points of negative energy damage 
  (if the target is alive) or 1d8+3 points of 
  positive energy damage (if the target is 
  undead). This additional damage harms 
  anyone struck by the whip, regardless of 
  their armor or natural armor bonus (the 
  normal subdual damage caused by the 
  whip is still blocked by +1 armor or +3 
  natural armor bonuses).
  A whip of life and death can draw positive 
  and negative energy directed at its wield-
  er into itself, storing it for later release. 
  The whip can store such energy from 
  one attack at a time, and the wielder 
  is unaffected by any such attack 
  that is absorbed by the whip. 
  The whip releases this stored 
  energy the next time it strikes 
  a target, causing triple the nor-
  mal energy damage (3d8+9) for 
  that attack. Until this energy is dis-
  charged, the whip cannot absorb further 
  energy. If the carrier of the whip is subject-
  ed to an opposing energy attack while the 
  whip contains energy, both energy types 
  cancel each other out in a burning ﬂash of 
  energy. This causes 2d8+6 points of damage 
  to the wielder (positive or negative, which-
  ever would damage the target more). A char-
  acter that can channel positive or negative energy 
  to turn or rebuke undead can, as a standard action, 
  charge a whip of life and death by using one of his turn 
  undead allocations for the day. The wielder of a whip 
  of life and death gains a +2 bonus to all saving throws 
  against attacks utilizing positive or negative energy.
  Moderate conjuration and necromancy [evil]; 
  Caster Level: 12th level; Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, ability to channel positive or negative energy to 
  turn or rebuke undead, cure light wounds, inﬂict light 
  wounds; Market Price: 62,501 gp; Weight: 2 lb.
  Artifacts
  S
  urfacing from the gulf of time every 
  few centuries, artifacts have the power 
  to change the course of worlds. These 
  items are unique, requiring those who 
  desire their powers to seek them out. 
  Here are some such artifacts.
  Dagger of Memory Snatching 
  (minor artifact)
  T
  his dagger is carved out of a single large 
  emerald and has been magically enchanted 
  to the strength of adamantine. It functions 
  in combat as a +3 dagger. If it is used to kill a living 
  creature, a portion of the dying victim’s memories 
  and knowledge are stored inside of the artifact. 
  These stolen memories and thoughts are stored 
  as experience points. The number of experience 
  points stored when the dagger slays a living 
  target is equal to 5% of the victim’s total experi-
  ence points at the time of death. Stored experi-
  ence points remain trapped in the dagger until its 
  wielder uses them. If the dagger already contains 
  stored experience points, these stored experience 
  points are released in a ﬂash of green light and the 
  new experience points are stored in their place. 
  The dagger can only store the thoughts and 
  memories of one creature at a time.
  If the Dagger of Memory Snatching damages 
  a living target while it contains stored memo-
  ries, the dagger expends 100 of the experience 
  points automatically and bombards the victim’s 
  mind with a cacophony of unrelated 
  thoughts and ideas. A victim sub-
  jected to this must make a Will 
  save (DC 20) or be stunned for 1d6 
  rounds.
  The wielder can also use the 
  stored experience points to pay for the experi-
  ence point cost of casting a spell or creating a 
  magical item. The artifact need not be held by 
  the user to invoke this ability, but it must be 
  worn or carried somewhere on his person. 
  Spending the stored experience points in 
  this manner is an all or nothing affair; all 
  the stored experience points are depleted 
  at once. Any experience points expended 
  in this manner that are not used for the spell 
  or magical item creation are lost. If the experience 
  points expended by the dagger are not enough to 
  meet the spell or item requirements, the caster pays 
  for the difference with his own experience points.
  A creature slain by the Dagger of Memory Snatch-
  ing who is later brought back to life with a true resur-
  rection or similar effect loses those experience points 
  upon being restored from death. If this creature is 
  later struck for damage by the dagger and it still 
  contains a portion of those stored memories, the re-
  maining experience points stored in the artifact are 
  returned to the victim in a ﬂash of light.
  Caster Level: 21st.
  Flail of Rontra  
  (major artifact)
  R
  ontra gave this mighty weapon to her mor-
  tal worshippers long ago. It is currently lost 
  somewhere deep in the earth, its where-
  abouts known only to the Earth Mother herself. 
  Legend tells that in time of need, when the land and 
  its people are in grave danger, Grandmother Rontra 
  will send one of her chosen mortal worshippers on 
  a quest to prove their worth. If successful, she will 
  bestow upon them this dire ﬂail, with the haft of 
  purest silver and the chains on either end solid gold. 
  The spiked balls are as clear as crystal, each bearing 
  a sparkling light within. Although it appears deli-
  Dagger of Memory Snatching
  Illustrated by Chris Keefe
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  82
  cate, the weapon is indestructible and powerful. But 
  until the hero of prophecy wields it, scholars say it 
  appears to be a common ﬂ ail, as much like a farm 
  implement as a weapon of war.
  The ﬂ ail acts as a +5 holy, disruption weapon. 
  While bearing the ﬂ ail, the wielder receives negative 
  energy protection and holy aura as per the spells. The 
  ﬂ ail’s wielder may cast the following spells from the 
  ﬂ ail once per day: earthquake, shape stone, stoneskin, 
  and transmute rock to mud (or transmute mud to rock, 
  at the wielder’s discretion).
  Caster Level: 25th. 
   Skill Blade 
  (major artifact)
  T
  his wondrous longsword is exquisitely 
  crafted and decorated with wild ﬂ our-
  ishes and fantastic jewels. The secret of the 
  sword’s creation is long lost, although scholars link 
  its origin to that of the hated race of the paretiophage 
  (details of this race can be found in Oathbound: Do-
  mains of the Forge). The skill sword actually predates 
  the birth of the paretiophage, and is said to be the 
  experiment that eventually led the race’s founder to 
  transform himself. The sword is imbued with an evil 
  intelligence, requiring anyone who possesses it who 
  is not Chaotic Evil to ﬁ ght its will in order to set it 
  down or to sheathe it.
  The sword itself is a +5 keen clamping longsword. 
  Every time the sword slays a victim, it gains a single 
  rank in the victim’s highest skill. These skill ranks are 
  cumulative, and add on to the skill ranks of anyone 
  holding the sword. For example, if the sword kills 
  a creature whose highest skill is Jump, the sword’s 
  wielder gains a +1 to all jump checks while holding 
  the sword. For purposes of the skill sword, killing a 
  creature means performing the ﬁ nal blow to it before 
  its death. This can be a blow that brings it to just be-
  low 0 hp and causes it to bleed to death, or it can be a 
  coup-de-grace performed on an already dying foe.
  The sword’s wielder has the option to expend the 
  sword’s skill ranks as if they were charges for the 
  sword’s special powers. Spent ranks can be taken 
  from any of the sword’s skills, as decided by the 
  wielder. The sword can use the following powers 
  when charges are spent:
  Alter self (1 charge)
  Dispel magic (1 charge)
  Fly (1 charge)
  Freedom of movement (1 charge)
  Fear (2 charges)
  True seeing (2 charges)
  Slay living (2 charges)
  Teleport (2 charges)
  Iron body (3 charges)
  Prismatic spray (3 charges)
  Each time any of these powers are used for pur-
  poses not in accordance with the sword’s alignment, 
  the wielder must succeed in a battle of personalities 
  with the sword. The skill sword is telepathic, and 
  has the following attributes: Int: 17, Wis: 9, Cha: 19, 
  Ego: 25.
  When ﬁ rst recovered, it is likely that the sword 
  has skill ranks in it. Roll a d6 to determine its state 
  (or GM’s choice):
  1 — No skill ranks;
  2–5 – 1d10 random skills have 1d8 ranks; 
  6 – Every standard skill at 1d10–5 ranks.
  Caster Level: 25th.
   Talon of the Vogel 
  (major artifact)
  T
  he Talon of the Vogel dates back to ancient 
  times, before the Vogel society developed 
  into a peaceful and organized union. At the 
  time of its creation, four factions of the bird people 
  were vying for control of the vogel lands. These were 
  the clans of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. 
  For thousands of years, they fought, none ever able 
  to hold power for more than a short period of time. 
  It was believed that deep in the darkness of these 
  ages a hero would arise, a hero who prophecy de-
  clared would bring peace to the vogel. Generally 
  believed to be the warrior Kaa, the general of the 
  The Skill Blade
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  83
  largest vogel army of the time, this clever and am-
  bitious young bird man conceived of a scheme to 
  wrest power from the four clans. In secret, he met 
  with the high priests of each of the clans, pledging 
  his allegiance to each one for the price of a power-
  ful enchantment. The four rituals were all begun 
  in secret on the same moonless night, and Kaa car-
  ried a bundled object from one to the next, each fac-
  tion imbuing it with their greatest magics. It is still 
  a great subject of argument as to what exactly the 
  Talon of the Vogel was before the enchantments, but 
  as to afterwards, there is no doubt. Once possessing 
  the talon, Kaa turned his army against all the clans 
  in a startling quadruple cross, and declared himself 
  supreme ruler of the vogel. With Kaa bolstered 
  by the talon, the four clans were unable to 
  defeat him, especially as they continued to 
  war amongst themselves. Eventually Kaa 
  reigned supreme and crowned himself 
  emperor of all the vogel lands. 
  Kaa’s rulership ﬁ nally brought peace 
  to the vogel, although their time of ter-
  ror was far from over. Kaa held sway 
  for a thousand years, kept alive by the 
  magic of the talon. A cruel and heart-
  less dictator, Kaa forced his people 
  to live lives little better than those 
  of slaves, their efforts spent on glo-
  rifying him and his name. The capi-
  tal island of the Vogel Empire was 
  slowly built up until its surface was 
  entirely covered by a fantastically or-
  nate palace, the seat of Kaa’s ragged 
  empire. In the thousandth year of 
  Kaa’s reign, the clans achieved what 
  seemed impossible. They united into 
  a single force with the understanding 
  that all the clans were equal, and that 
  no single leader would ever hold 
  sway over any of them. The united 
  army stormed the vogel palace, and 
  fought their way to its center, where 
  the combined powers of the four high 
  priests struck Kaa and the talon at once. 
  Kaa was destroyed, the palace sank into 
  the ocean, and the talon was splintered by 
  a temporal explosion and lost. With Kaa ﬁ -
  nally overthrown, the clans decided to put an 
  end to the miseries of the vogel, and founded a 
  new society, based on cooperation and equality. This 
  society is the basis of the vogel social structure still 
  in place today.
  The talon itself, although damaged, still retained 
  much of its power, and eventually turned up, far 
  away in both time and space. Its history since this 
  time is long and varied, and ﬁ lled with many un-
  known chapters. Presently it is lost, but no one 
  doubts it will turn up again, likely to the detriment 
  of the world.
  The talon of the vogel is temporally shattered and 
  takes on one of four forms, as dictated by the pres-
  ent season of the year. If brought into a land or area 
  without seasons, it usually selects the form most ap-
  propriate for the local conditions. The four forms of 
  the talon are as follows:
  The Blossom of Spring: At the moment of the equi-
  nox, the ice of the sword of winter begins to melt and 
  drip away, leaving behind a single delicate rose. This 
  bloom conveys on its bearer the powers of life and of 
  the rain and ocean. The blossom is not an effective 
  weapon, but contains great magics nonetheless. Any 
  adult who holds the Blossom of Spring instantly be-
  comes young again, their Strength and Wisdom are 
  reduced by 1 from their standard adult scores. Ad-
  ditionally, the blossom gives its wielder the powers 
  of water breathing, control water, freedom of movement, 
  plant growth, and speak with plants. Once per day, the 
  wielder can cast true resurrection, and three times a 
  day, he can cast mass heal, regenerate, and greater 
  restoration. The wielder can also cast cure critical 
  wounds at will. Anyone holding the blossom is 
  protected from the cruel grip of death, as if un-
  der the effect of a death ward. The blossom con-
  tinues to bloom and grow larger and fuller 
  throughout the season.
  The Torch of Summer: In the last few days 
  before the solstice, the Blossom of Spring be-
  gins to dry out and harden, ﬁ nally bursting 
  into a bright ﬂ ame at the exact start of the new 
  season, transforming into the Torch of Sum-
  mer. Anyone who holds the torch of sum-
  mer is cast back into the prime of life, 
  shedding any stat modiﬁ ers due to 
  age. The torch itself functions as 
  a +5 ﬂ aming burst greatclub 
  of disruption, and also gifts 
  its bearer with the powers 
  of ﬁ re, heat, and exuberance. 
  The torch sheds daylight and 
  cannot be extinguished. Three 
  times per day, the wielder of 
  the torch can cast ﬁ re storm, 
  sunburst, and wall of ﬁ re. 
  He can also cast heat 
  metal at will. Addi-
  tionally, any living 
  creature who gazes 
  upon the ﬂ ame of 
  the torch is ﬁ lled 
  with joy unless it 
  succeeds at a Will 
  save (DC 20), and 
  ceases 
  all 
  attacks, 
  overcome with a 
  desire to celebrate life as long as 
  it remains within sight of the torch. This effect is dis-
  pelled if the joyous creature is attacked. The bearer 
  of the torch is also totally immune to the effects of all 
  ﬁ re or heat, magical or otherwise.
  The Sickle of Autumn: As summer winds down, 
  the torch slowly burns downward, until at the equi-
  nox, its ﬂ ame is extinguished, leaving only a bent, 
  wilted ash. If the ash is washed away, a curved blade 
  is revealed, and the talon has now become the Sickle 
  of Autumn. Anyone holding the sickle instantly is 
  supreme ruler of the vogel. With Kaa bolstered 
  by the talon, the four clans were unable to 
  defeat him, especially as they continued to 
  to the vogel, although their time of ter-
  for a thousand years, kept alive by the 
  day, he can cast 
  protected from the cruel grip of death, as if un-
  season, transforming into the 
  mer is cast back into the prime of life, 
  shedding any stat modiﬁ ers due to 
  age. The torch itself functions as 
  times per day, the wielder of 
  the torch can cast 
  Talon of the Vogel
  Illustrated by Jason Stephens
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  
  84
  cast into middle age, losing 1 point from Strength, 
  Dexterity, and Constitution, while gaining 1 point of 
  Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. (These chang-
  es are calculated from standard adulthood scores.) 
  The sickle itself is a +5 vorpal weapon. The bearer of 
  the sickle gains mastery over the earth and the har-
  vest. He can create food at will, as well as shape stone. 
  Three times per day, the wielder of the sickle can 
  cast earthquake, stoneskin, and wall of stone, in addi-
  tion to casting imprisonment once per day. The bearer 
  of the sickle is also immune to petrifaction and gains 
  a burrowing speed of 20.
  The Sword of Winter: On the night of the winter 
  solstice, the sickle begins to grow cold to the touch 
  and water vapor begins to condense around it. The 
  blade of the sickle straightens out, and at the ﬁrst 
  moment of the new season, the water freezes into 
  solid ice, forming a beautifully crafted weapon. 
  Anyone holding this sword is immediately cast into 
  old age, losing 3 points from Strength, Constitution, 
  and Dexterity, but gaining 2 points of Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, and Charisma. (These changes are calcu-
  lated from standard adulthood scores.) The sword 
  of winter is a +5 keen weapon, and upon a critical hit, 
  it freezes its victim and shatters him into a thousand 
  shards (effectively disintegrating him). The bearer of 
  the sword also gains the power of cold and of the 
  storm, can ﬂy and take gaseous form at will, and is im-
  mune to damage or effects from wind, electricity, or 
  cold. Once per day, the bearer of the sword can cast 
  whirlwind, and three times per day he can cast chain 
  lightning, control winds, and cone of cold.
  Caster Level: 25th.
  Tongue of Zuratorkul  
  (minor artifact)
  R
  umored to have been created from the sev-
  ered tongue of the demon Zuratorkul—by 
  none other than Zuratorkul himself—it has 
  appeared throughout the ages in the possession of 
  numerous champions of evil who were devoted to 
  the demon. The Tongue of Zuratorkul is a +5 chaotic 
  unholy trident of icy bursts that is infused with a sa-
  distic and truly evil intelligence. As an intelligent 
  weapon, it has an Intelligence of 16, a Wisdom of 16, 
  and a Charisma of 18. It can communicate with its 
  wielder via empathy and often imposes its emotions 
  upon the wielder when the creature takes actions of 
  which the Tongue does not approve. The Tongue of 
  Zuratorkul is chaotic evil, and detests being wielded 
  by anyone of a different alignment. It tries at all times 
  to impose its will over such an undesirable user.
  As long as its owner remains the chosen wielder 
  of the Tongue of Zuratorkul, he gains the Improved 
  Initiative feat and does not need to sleep, provided 
  the Tongue is within 30 feet of his location. If the 
  owner of the Tongue can cast spells, he still needs to 
  rest for 8 hours before preparing spells, but during 
  this rest he is fully aware of his surroundings. Three 
  times a day, the user can afﬂict a creature struck by 
  the Tongue with an Empowered poison spell. The 
  Tongue of Zuratorkul was created by its demonic heir 
  to defeat good outsiders. Each time it strikes such a 
  creature (but only once per round), the good outsid-
  er must make a Fortitude save (DC 19) or suffer the 
  effects of a destruction spell. Even with a successful 
  saving throw, the outsider takes an additional 10d6 
  points of damage from the attempted destruction. 
  The Tongue of Zuratorkul has an Ego score of 29.
  Caster Level: 21st
  Chapter 3: Weapons of Valor
  Live the Fantasy
  Immerse yourself in the mystery and power of the Oath-
  bound setting with our ﬁrst novel, Forged, by Thomas M. Reid 
  (author of Insurrection: War of the Spider Queen, Book 2).
  For visitors to the Forge, arriving has always been far easier than 
  returning home. But the moment Lyrien Ves’tiral is ripped un-
  willingly from his homeland—from the woman he has pledged to 
  protect—and deposited in this strange, rich tapestry of a world, he 
  intends to escape. The only problem is, someone in the Forge has 
  other plans for him.Seeking both a means of escape and the identity 
  of those who would prevent it, Lyrien quickly ﬁnds himself a pawn 
  in the plots of some of the Forge’s most conniving schemers. 
  As he struggles to disentangle himself from their subtle games, 
  Ves’tiral becomes torn between a need to fulﬁll his duty back home 
  and a growing bond with the mysterious, effusive world that is 
  reshaping his very being, tempering him for a role that just might 
  transform the land itself.
  
  85
  Good versus Evil
  Illustrated by Chris Pickrell
  
  86
  CHAPTER 4: ARMOR
  next day. He or she takes a –2 penalty on Strength 
  and Dexterity and can’t charge or run. Sleeping in 
  light armor does not cause fatigue.
  Arcane Spell Failure: Armor interferes with the 
  gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast an ar-
  cane spell that has a somatic component. Arcane 
  spellcasters face the possibility of arcane spell failure 
  if they’re wearing armor. Bards can wear light armor 
  without incurring any arcane spell failure chance for 
  their bard spells.
  Casting an Arcane Spell in Armor: A character that 
  casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usu-
  ally make an arcane spell failure roll. The number in 
  the Arcane Spell Failure Chance column on Table: 
  Armor and Shields is the chance that the spell fails 
  and is ruined. If the spell lacks a somatic component, 
  however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane 
  spell failure.
  Shields: If a character is wearing armor and us-
  ing a shield, add the two numbers together to get a 
  single arcane spell failure chance.
  Speed: Medium or heavy armor slows the wear-
  er down. The number on the tables is the character’s 
  speed while wearing the armor. Humans, elves, 
  half-elves, and half-orcs have an unencumbered 
  speed of 30 feet. They use the ﬁrst column. Dwarves, 
  gnomes, and halﬂings have an unencumbered speed 
  of 20 feet. They use the second column. Remember, 
  however, that a dwarf’s land speed remains 20 feet 
  even in medium or heavy armor or when carrying a 
  medium or heavy load.
  Shields: Shields do not affect a character’s speed.
  Weight: This column gives the weight of the ar-
  mor sized for a Medium wearer. Armor ﬁtted for 
  Small characters weighs half as much, and armor for 
  Large characters weighs twice as much.
  Armor Descriptions
  A
  ny special beneﬁts or accessories to the 
  types of armor found on Tables 4.1 
  through Table 4.4 are described below.
  Aeroglass Plate: This fragile looking creation is 
  actually quite stalwart. It is basically just ordinary 
  plate armor crafted from aeroglass (see Chapter 11: 
  New Materials). The silvery, transparent nature of 
  the armor gives it a rather unusual look, and many 
  members of the nobility wear this armor simply as 
  a fashion statement. Aeroglass ﬂoats in water, and 
  this armor has saved many a brave warrior from a 
  watery grave. The armor provides no bonus to Swim 
  checks; it just keeps the wearer on the surface. It is 
  still possible, though, to weigh oneself down with 
  heavy stones in order to dive.
  Aketon, Quilled: Sometimes called an arming 
  doublet, this is a heavy, quilted garment is usually 
  worn as protective cushioning beneath a full suit 
  of plate armor. A standard aketon is really nothing 
  more than unembellished padded armor, often with 
  hooks and eyelets embedded in it for securing pieces 
  of plate. Occasionally, one has strips of chain mail 
  A
  rmors are as diverse in type and 
  style as the various races of a 
  world. This section outlines many 
  of the more common types of ar-
  mor found throughout the inhab-
  ited lands.
  Armor Qualities
  T
  o wear heavier armor effectively, a charac-
  ter can select the Armor Proﬁciency feats, 
  but most classes are automatically proﬁ-
  cient with the armors that work best for them. Ar-
  mor and shields can take damage from some types 
  of attacks. Here is the format for armor entries (given 
  as column headings on Tables 4.1 through 4.4.
  Cost: The cost of the armor for Small or Medium 
  humanoid creatures. See Armor Costs by Size, for 
  armor prices for creatures of different size catego-
  ries.
  Armor/Shield Bonus: Each type of armor grants 
  an armor bonus to AC, while shields grant a shield 
  bonus to AC. The armor bonus from a suit of armor 
  doesn’t stack with other effects or items that grant 
  an armor bonus. Similarly, the shield bonus from a 
  shield doesn’t stack with other effects that grant a 
  shield bonus.
  Maximum Dex Bonus: This number is the maxi-
  mum Dexterity bonus to AC that this type of armor 
  allows. Heavier armors limit mobility, reducing the 
  wearer’s ability to dodge blows. This restriction 
  doesn’t affect any other Dexterity-related abilities.
  Even if a character’s Dexterity bonus to AC drops 
  to 0 because of armor, this situation does not count 
  as losing a Dexterity bonus to AC.  Your character’s 
  encumbrance (the amount of gear he or she carries) 
  may also restrict the maximum Dexterity bonus that 
  can be applied to his or her Armor Class.
  Shields: Shields do not affect a character’s maxi-
  mum Dexterity bonus.
  Armor Check Penalty: Any armor heavier than 
  leather hurts a character’s ability to use some skills. 
  An armor check penalty number is the penalty 
  that applies to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, 
  Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble 
  checks by a character wearing a certain kind of ar-
  mor. Double the normal armor check penalty is ap-
  plied to Swim checks. A character’s encumbrance 
  (the amount of gear carried, including armor) may 
  also apply an armor check penalty.
  Shields: If a character is wearing armor and using 
  a shield, both armor check penalties apply.
  Nonproﬁcient with Armor Worn: A character that 
  wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he 
  or she is not proﬁcient takes the armor’s (and/or 
  shield’s) armor check penalty on attack rolls and on 
  all Strength-based and Dexterity-based ability and 
  skill checks. The penalty for nonproﬁciency with ar-
  mor stacks with the penalty for nonproﬁciency with 
  shields.
  Sleeping in Armor: A character that sleeps in me-
  dium or heavy armor is automatically fatigued the 
  
  87
  attached to the parts that typically remain exposed 
  by overlaying armor and equipment.
  A quilled aketon has razor sharp bone quills sewn 
  into it and is intended to be worn unaccompanied by 
  other pieces. Any opponent that grapples with the 
  quilled warrior must make a Dexterity check (DC 25) 
  each round or take 1d4 points of damage. Some coat 
  the quills with a poisonous gel that causes additional 
  damage if the wounded opponent fails a save, but 
  this is an exceptionally risky tactic for the wearer.
  Armor of the Beetle: This armor is similar to 
  full plate, except that it is even heavier and special 
  care has been taken to reinforcing the weak points 
  in armor such as joints and midpoints. The down-
  side is that this limits the range of movement of the 
  wearer slightly. Many adventurers who brave the 
  underground prefer this armor due to the fact that it 
  increases the chances of surviving any sort of cave-
  in. While wearing this armor, a character caught in 
  the bury zone of a structural collapse sustains only 
  1d6 points of damage rather than the standard 3d6, 
  and takes only 1d4 points of damage per round if 
  pinned.
  Armor Spikes: You can have spikes added to 
  your armor, which allow you to deal extra piercing 
  damage (see Table 1.1: Weapons) on a successful 
  grapple attack. The spikes count as a martial weap-
  on. If you are not proﬁcient with them, you take a 
  –4 penalty on grapple checks when you try to use 
  them. You can also make a regular melee attack (or 
  off-hand attack) with the spikes, and they count as 
  a light weapon in this case. (You can’t also make an 
  attack with armor spikes if you have already made 
  an attack with another off-hand weapon, and vice 
  versa.)
     An enhancement bonus to a suit of armor does 
  not improve the spikes’ effectiveness, but the spikes 
  can be made into magic weapons in their own right.
  Armored Robe: This nonmagical robe is designed 
  to provide arcane spellcasters slight protection 
  against harm without interfering too much in their 
  spellcasting. It is essentially an ordinary wizard’s 
  robe with leather strips sewn within the lining of the 
  fabric. The arms of the robe are unarmored, leaving 
  the arms of the wearer free for somatic gestures. 
  Articulated Half-Plate: Although as restrictive 
  as normal half-plate for most types of movement, ar-
  ticulated half-plate allows a greater freedom to run 
  than other heavy armor. Half-plate does not restrict 
  you to running at only triple your normal speed. 
  Wearing articulate plate requires special training be-
  cause it allows much freer movement when taking 
  simple steps forward than it does when attempting 
  other kinds of movement, such as jumping or climb-
  ing.
  Banded Mail: The suit includes gauntlets.
  Table 4.1: Light Armor and Shields
   
  –— Speed —–
  Light Armor
  Cost
  Armor 
  Bonus
  Max  
  Dex  
  Bonus
  Armor 
  Check 
  Penalty
  Arcane  
  Spell 
  Failure
  (30 ft.)
  (20 ft.)
  Weight1
  Fetish
  25 gp
  +0
  +8
  0
  —
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Silken web
  100 gp
  +0
  +12
  0
  —
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Armored robe
  2 gp
  +1
  +8
  0
  3%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Soft leather half armor
  5 gp
  +1
  +8
  0
  7%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Padded
  5 gp
  +1
  +8
  0
  5%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Aketon, quilled
  10 gp
  +1
  +8
  0
  9%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Cleric’s vest
  10 gp
  +1
  +8
  0
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Woven cord
  10 gp
  +1
  +7
  -1
  5%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Holy vestments
  15 gp
  +1
  +8
  -1
  5%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Doublet, reversible bardic
  20 gp
  +1
  +10
  0
  7%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Chainmail corset
  50 gp
  +1
  +6
  -1
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  20 lb.
  Doublet, shadow
  50 gp
  +1
  +8
  -1
  12%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Bishop’s mantle
  100 gp
  +1
  +8
  -1
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Leather
  10 gp
  +2
  +6
  0
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Barkskin
  20 gp
  +2
  +6
  -1
  12%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Bardic
  25 gp
  +2
  +8
  0
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Beaded
  25 gp
  +2
  +6
  -1
  15%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Cleric’s robe, reinforced
  30 gp
  +2
  +6
  -1
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Robe of yew leaves
  50 gp
  +2
  +6
  0
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Fine leather
  100 gp
  +2
  +8
  0
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Web
  100 gp
  +2
  +8
  0
  7%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  5 lb.
  Elven leafweave5
  1,350 gp
  +2
  +6
  -2
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Buckskin
  15 gp
  +3
  +6
  0
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Double leather
  20 gp
  +3
  +4
  -3
  20%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  20 lb.
  Studded leather
  25 gp
  +3
  +5
  -1
  15%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  20 lb.
  Studded web
  200 gp
  +3
  +7
  -1
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  10 lb.
  Bone exoskeleton
  1,300 gp
  +3
  +6
  -2
  15%
  30 ft. 
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Elven chain
  4,150 gp
  +3
  +4
  -2
  20%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  20 lb.
  Chain shirt
  100 gp
  +4
  +4
  -2
  20%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  25 lb.
  Plated leather
  200 gp
  +4
  +5
  -1
  15%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  25 lb.
  Sap hide
  450 gp
  +4
  +6
  -1
  10%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Spiderweave, silver
  1,500 gp
  +4
  +4
  -2
  25%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  15 lb.
  Heartwood shirt5
  4,500 gp
  +4
  +4
  -3
  25%
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  25 lb.
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  88
  Bardic Armor: Bards everywhere prize this ﬁ ne-
  ly crafted suit of armor and is typically seen during 
  high proﬁ le events. The composition is primarily 
  hardened leather, outﬁ tted with ﬁ ne, tooled etchings 
  and adorned with several gems.
  Barkskin Armor: This strangely 
  thin, yet durable armor is typically 
  made from the bark of an oak or 
  yew tree, though armor made 
  from other trees is not un-
  common. 
  Beaded: This armor 
  is made from beads and 
  woven leather cord. This 
  makes the armor highly 
  decorative, yet still pro-
  vides some degree of 
  protection to the wearer. 
  It is most common among 
  nobility and the priest-
  hood.
  Unlike leather armor, 
  beaded armor is quite com-
  fortable in warm weather and 
  high humidity. Beaded armor 
  causes its wearer to suffer only 
  a -2 penalty to Fortitude saving 
  throws against subdual damage from heat expo-
  sure, instead of the usual -4. Beaded armor can be 
  donned in 1 minute, donned hastily in 5 rounds, and 
  removed in 1 minute.
  Bishop’s Mantle: A bishop’s mantle is a short, 
  chain cloak that covers the wearer’s shoulders and 
  upper back. It is so named because it resembles the 
  velvet mantle worn by the clergy of many religions. 
  Although the mantle is not very effective by itself, it 
  can be draped over another suit of armor, its armor 
  bonus stacking with that of the original piece. An en-
  chanted bishop’s mantle is stackable with enchanted 
  armor, although the enhancement bonuses do 
  not stack, only the armor bonuses.
  If stacked with other armor:
  • 
  -2 to max Dex bonus of original ar-
  mor; can’t go below 0
  • 
  -1 to armor check penalty 
  of original armor
  • 
  +5% to arcane spell failure 
  percentage of original armor
  • Speed reduced to (30 ft.): 
  20 ft.; (20 ft.): 15 ft. if stacked 
  with armor weighing more 
  than 25 lbs.
  Bone 
  Exoskeleton:
  Thin strips of bone line 
  the outside of a hide 
  shirt, making this ar-
  mor both light and 
  durable. Although it 
  offers excellent protec-
  tion compared to 
  most light armor, it does not 
  have the durability of comparable metal armor. This 
  armor may be worn by druids without penalty.
  Bone Mail: An unusual twist in chainmail design, 
  the bone armor has become the pride of many bar-
  barians. Over the course of their adventuring, many 
  of these warriors take to collecting the bones of their 
  hunting targets. Once they have collected enough 
  Table 4.2: Medium Armor
  Medium armor
  Cost
  Armor 
  Bonus
  Max 
  Dex 
  Bonus
  Armor 
  Check 
  Penalty
  Arcane 
  Spell 
  Failure
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  Weight
  Bone plate
  15 gp
  +3
  +4
  -4
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  22 lb.
  Hide
  15 gp
  +3
  +4
  -3
  20%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Clay armor
  25 gp
  +3
  +4
  -3
  22%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Slat armor
  30 gp
  +3
  +4
  -3
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Hide mail, crested
  50 gp
  +3
  +5
  -3
  20%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Hide mail, fur-lined
  50 gp
  +3
  +5
  -3
  23%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Hauberk
  125 gp
  +3
  +4
  -2
  20%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Hide, glacier beast
  500 gp
  +3
  +6
  -3
  20%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Oaken tree bark armor
  50 gp
  +4
  +3
  -4
  20%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Scale mail
  50 gp
  +4
  +3
  -4
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Wooden plate
  50 gp
  +4
  +3
  -4
  22%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Brigandine, scaled
  100 gp
  +4
  +3
  -4
  27%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Sculpted scale mail5
  150 gp
  +4
  +4
  -3
  22%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Aeroglass plate
  1,000 gp
  +4
  +4
  -4
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Woodweave coat5
  1,500 gp
  +4
  +3
  -3
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  15 lb.
  Bone mail
  100 gp
  +5
  +2
  -5
  27%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  35 lb.
  Ringmail
  100 gp
  +5
  +4
  -3
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Chainmail
  150 gp
  +5
  +2
  -5
  30%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  40 lb.
  Iron mantle
  150 gp
  +5
  +2
  -5
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Shock shell
  200 gp
  +5
  +3
  -4
  35%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Breastplate
  200 gp
  +5
  +3
  -4
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Traveler’s plate
  350 gp
  +5
  +4
  -4
  27%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  25 lb.
  Heraldic coin armor
  1,500 gp
  +5
  +3
  -4
  30%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Rigid breastplate
  350 gp
  +6
  +3
  -5
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  35 lb.
  Shalik plate
  4,000 gp
  +7
  +3
  -4
  25%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  30 lb.
  Bardic armor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  89
  bones, they can be crafted into an ornamental suit 
  of bone mail.
  Bone Plate: This armor is fashioned from whale 
  rib bones (usually in lengths from 6 inches to 3 feet), 
  and strung together with sealskin. These long bones 
  prove good deﬂ ection from en-
  emy weapons.
  Breakaway Carapace: A 
  strange invention of elven 
  snipers, a breakaway cara-
  pace consists of thick plates 
  of specially prepared bark. 
  Elves who favor break-
  away carapaces typically 
  climb into hidden van-
  tages in the tops of trees, 
  waiting for their foes to 
  come within sight. The 
  carapace helps protect 
  wearers 
  from 
  tree-
  dwelling 
  predators 
  that might ﬁ nd and 
  surprise them. 
  The carapace’s ar-
  mor bonus stacks with 
  the bonuses from one suit of 
  armor and one shield. How-
  ever, it is not truly armor so 
  much as a shelter, meant to 
  be worn only until the ﬁ ght 
  begins.
  All wearers are consid-
  ered nonproﬁ cient with it (in-
  curring a -9 penalty on attack rolls and on all skill 
  checks that involve moving, including Ride). Don-
  ning a breakaway carapace takes 2 minutes. Shed-
  ding a breakaway carapace is a free action.
  Breastplate: It comes with a helmet and greaves. 
  Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped 
  to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow 
  without penalty while carrying it. You can also use 
  your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are 
  using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to 
  help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 
  penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty 
  stacks with those that may apply for ﬁ ghting with 
  your off hand and for ﬁ ghting with two weapons. 
  In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, 
  you don’t get the buckler’s AC bonus for the rest 
  of the round. You can’t bash someone with a 
  buckler.
  Buckskin Armor: This armor is 
  composed of reinforced buckskin. 
  Barbarians often gather the skin 
  from young bucks to outﬁ t 
  their villages with this type of 
  armor for tribal wars. Armor 
  of this ilk is often the ﬁ rst set 
  a tribal elder gives to a young 
  barbarian once he comes of age 
  to hunt with the adults. 
  Chain Shirt: A chain shirt 
  comes with a steel cap.
  Chainmail: The suit in-
  cludes gauntlets.
  Chainmail Corset:
  Often used by bards, 
  this armor is made of 
  closely linked metal 
  rings and covers the 
  chest and abdomen. 
  Clay Armor: More of a 
  breastplate than an actual suit of ar-
  mor, many barbarians use dried clay 
  and strips of weathered leather to create 
  a unique looking armor. The clay armor is usu-
  ally tooled with symbols that represent the tribe. 
  Cleric’s Vest: Cleric’s vests are crafted from bark 
  or leather, and are designed to ﬁ t easily under robes. 
  While not the most effective form of protection, their 
  light weight and ﬂ exibility provide a decent cover 
  for clerics in the ﬁ eld or wandering the city streets. 
  Many cleric’s vests have a holy symbol tooled into 
  them, identifying the wearer’s religion.
  Table 4.3: Heavy Armor
  Heavy armor
  Cost
  Armor 
  Bonus
  Max
  Dex
  Bonus
  Armor 
  Check 
  Penalty
  Arcane 
  Spell 
  Failure
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  Weight
  Splint mail
  200 gp
  +6
  +0
  -7
  40%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  45 lb.
  Banded mail
  250 gp
  +6
  +1
  -6
  35%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  35 lb.
  Taskmaster armor
  400 gp
  +6
  +1
  -5
  40%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  40 lb.
  Splint, steelwood
  500 gp
  +6
  +2
  -7
  40%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  40 lb.
  Morbius mail
  700 gp
  +6
  +0
  -7
  37%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  45 lb.
  Plant ﬁ ber plate
  500 gp
  +7
  +1
  -7
  40%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  40 lb.
  Half-plate
  600 gp
  +7
  +0
  -7
  40%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  50 lb.
  Articulated half-plate5
  800 gp
  +7
  +1
  -6
  40%
  20 ft.5
  15 ft.5
  45 lb.
  Daggered plate
  800 gp
  +7
  +0
  -7
  45%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  50 lb.
  Gnarled mail
  800 gp
  +7
  +0
  -7
  42%
  20 ft.
  15 ft.
  50 lb.
  Volt polar mail
  1,500 gp
  +7
  +2
  -5
  35%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  35 lb.
  Lancer’s half-plate5
  2,000 gp
  +7
  +1
  -6
  35%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  50 lb.
  Full plate
  1,500 gp
  +8
  +1
  -6
  35%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  50 lb.
  Armor of the beetle
  2,000 gp
  +9
  +0
  -8
  45%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  60 lb.
  Dwarven plate
  2,500 gp
  +10
  +2
  -6
  35%
  20 ft.2
  15 ft.2
  55 lb.
  Double plate
  3,500 gp
  +12
  +0
  -8
  50%
  15 ft.
  10 ft.
  100 lb.
  Bone mail armor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  90
  Crested Hide Mail: Crested hide is a unique 
  blend of spiked armor and rawhide, ideal for both 
  offensive and defensive use. On a successful grapple 
  check, the horn spikes on this armor deal 1d4 points 
  of damage to the victim.
  Daggered Plate: This impressive suit of master-
  work half-plate armor looks quite ornate, with ex-
  quisitely designed interlocking plates. At the shoul-
  ders, two blades are attached that, unless carefully 
  examined, appear to be nothing more than part of 
  the decoration. In order to discover the true nature 
  of this type of armor, anyone examining it must suc-
  ceed at a search check (DC 20).
  This type of armor is often used when inﬁltrating 
  areas where weapons are forbidden. The main fea-
  ture of the armor is that the blades on each shoulder 
  can be unlocked from their positions and wielded as 
  daggers. This armor is very, very uncommon, and 
  never mass-produced. This ensures that the sequence 
  of twists to unlock the blades is unique, thereby fool-
  ing suspicious individuals who try to remove the 
  blades when searching the wearer. These suits of ar-
  mor have saved many adventurers’ necks, although 
  they have brought disaster upon others who have 
  been discovered wearing them in the wrong place. 
  Double Leather: This armor is made from two 
  layers of leather. The inner side is softer, usually 
  made from deer or moose. The outer layer is tanned 
  and strengthened, giving it greater durability. Bar-
  barians often decorate this armor with animal skins 
  or furs to denote their tribe and rank.
  Double Plate: Double plate is rare, although it 
  is occasionally crafted for the truly stalwart. As the 
  name implies, double plate is full plate armor made 
  from extra-thick pieces of metal. A Strength of 16 is 
  required to even be able to stand and walk in this ar-
  mor. This is the best protection money can buy, how-
  ever, and most professional warriors set their sights 
  on enchanting a suit as soon as their skills and coin 
  purse allows. While the slower speed of this armor 
  might seem a disadvantage, most warriors offset this 
  with leggings of mobility or boots of striding and spring-
  ing.
  Dwarven Plate: The pinnacle of dwarven armor-
  smithing, this is the preferred armor of many dwarf 
  paladins and knights. Without training in the use of 
  such heavy armor, it is difﬁcult to do anything other 
  than walk while wearing dwarven plate.
  Elven Leafweave: Made from lacquered leaves 
  by elven crafters, this armor is light, durable, and 
  extremely ﬂexible. Its only disadvantage compared 
  to other light armor is its high price, due mainly to 
  the intricate craftsmanship and rare materials used 
  Table 4.4: Shields & Extras
  Shields
  Cost
  Armor/ 
  Shield 
  Bonus
  Max 
  Dexterity  
  Adjustment
  Armor  
  Check  
  Penalty
  Arcane  
  Spell  
  Failure
  30 ft.
  20 ft.
  Weight
  Buckler
  15 gp
  +1
  —
  -1
  5%
  —
  —
  5 lb.
  Shield, lastthrow5
  95 gp
  +1
  —
  -1
  15%
  —
  —
  4 lb.
  Shield, dust
  25 gp
  +2
  —
  -2
  15%
  —
  —
  15 lb.
  Shield, light wooden
  3 gp
  +1
  —
  -1
  5%
  —
  —
  5 lb.
  Shield, targe
  20 gp
  +1
  —
  -1
  5%
  —
  —
  5 lb.
  Shield, light steel
  9 gp
  +1
  —
  -1
  5%
  —
  —
  6 lb.
  Shield, contoured5
  75 gp
  +2
  —
  -2
  15%
  —
  —
  15 lb.
  Shield, crossbow5
  85 gp
  +2
  —
  -1
  15%
  —
  —
  6 lb.
  Shield, heavy wooden
  7 gp
  +2
  —
  -2
  15%
  —
  —
  10 lb.
  Shield, heavy steel
  20 gp
  +2
  —
  -2
  15%
  —
  —
  15 lb.
  Shield, mountain kite
  100 gp
  +3
  —
  -3
  25%
  —
  —
  20 lb.
  Shield, tower
  30 gp
  +43
  +2
  -10
  50%
  —
  —
  45 lb.
  Extras
  Armor spikes
  +50 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  +10 lb.
  Bardic cloak
  100 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  5 lb.
  Bone armor spikes
  +50
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  +7 lb.
  Breakaway carapace
  150 gp
  +45
  —
  -9
  85%
  15 ft.
  10 ft.
  25 lb.
  Coward’s Shield
  25 gp
  +1
  +5
  —
  20%
  —
  —
  5 lb.
  Gauntlet, locked
  8 gp
  —
  —
  Special
  4
  —
  —
  +5 lb.
  Gorget
  30 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  2 lb.
  Shield spikes
  +10 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  +5 lb.
  Spaulders
  10 gp
  —
  -2
  -1
  20%
  —
  —
  3 lb.
  Tonlet
  50 gp
  +2
  -4
  -3
  10%
  —
  —
  10 lb.
  Tonlet, Short
  75 gp
  +1
  -2
  -1
  5%
  —
  —
  7 lb.
  Weapon tether
  25 gp
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  2 lb.
  Exoskeleton, light
  3,000 gp
  —
  -1
  -2
  5%
  —
  —
  40 lb.
  Exoskeleton, medium
  12,000 gp
  —
  -1
  -2
  10%
  —
  —
  60 lb.
  Exoskeleton, heavy
  27,000 gp
  —
  -1
  -2
  15%
  —
  —
  80 lb.
  1 Weight ﬁgures are for armor sized to ﬁt Medium characters. Armor ﬁtted for Small characters weighs half as much, and 
  armor ﬁtted for Large characters weighs twice as much.
  2 When running in heavy armor, you move only triple your speed, not quadruple.
  3 A tower shield can instead grant you cover. See the description.
  4 Hand not free to cast spells.
  5 See the description of this armor for special rules
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  91
  in its creation. This armor may be worn by druids 
  without penalty.
  Fetish: Fetish armor is made up of tiny pouches 
  holding divine spell components and tied onto a 
  leather harness. Nonmagical fetish armor provides 
  no protection whatsoever, and most suits are there-
  fore magical.
  Fetish armor does not count as armor for the pur-
  poses of heat exposure. It can be donned in 1 min-
  ute, donned hastily in 5 rounds, and removed in 1 
  minute.
  Fine Leather: This armor is very ﬂ exible, even 
  compared with regular leather armor. Proﬁ ciency 
  with ﬁ ne leather doesn’t involve learning how to 
  move in it so much as how to use such thin armor as 
  effective protection.
  Full Plate: The suit includes gauntlets, heavy 
  leather boots, a visored hel-
  met, and a thick layer of 
  padding that is worn un-
  derneath the armor. Each 
  suit of full plate must be in-
  dividually ﬁ tted to its own-
  er by a master armorsmith, 
  although a captured suit can 
  be resized to ﬁ t a new owner 
  at a cost of 200 to 800 (2d4x100) 
  gold pieces.
  Fur-lined Hide Mail: Made 
  from hardened layers of leather, 
  this armor is adorned with soft 
  fur around the neck and waist-
  line. Druids who are learned in 
  the ways of armor craft often create 
  this type of armor for themselves. 
  Gauntlet, Locked: This armored gaunt-
  let has small chains and braces that allow the 
  wearer to attach a weapon to the gauntlet so 
  that it cannot be dropped easily. It provides a 
  +10 bonus on any roll made to keep from being 
  disarmed in combat. Removing a weapon from 
  a locked gauntlet or attaching a weapon to a 
  locked gauntlet is a full-round action that pro-
  vokes attacks of opportunity.
     The price given is for a single locked 
  gauntlet. The weight given applies only if you’re 
  wearing a breastplate, light armor, or no armor. 
  Otherwise, the locked gauntlet replaces a gauntlet 
  you already have as part of the armor.
     While the gauntlet is locked, you can’t use the 
  hand wearing it for casting spells or employing 
  skills. (You can still cast spells with somatic compo-
  nents, provided that your other hand is free.) Like a 
  normal gauntlet, a locked gauntlet lets you deal le-
  thal damage rather than nonlethal damage with an 
  unarmed strike.
  Glacier Beast Hide: The hide of the legendary 
  glacier beast makes an excellent armor if properly 
  cured and crafted. In addition to its defensive prop-
  erties, this armor provides its wearer cold resistance 
  5 due to its excellent heat retention. This armor can 
  be enchanted as any other type of hide armor.
  Gnarled Mail: This unusual looking suit of ar-
  mor is made from the bony external plating of the 
  ravenous gnarl (another creature from Complete Min-
  ions). This mail is made up of various overlapping 
  plates of bone that are fastened onto a leather back-
  ing. A more expensive version is available which is 
  enameled and carefully shaped, giving it a more aes-
  thetically pleasing look. This design work adds an 
  additional 100 gp to the price.
  Half-Plate: The suit includes gauntlets.
  Hauberk: A hauberk is a one-piece set of chain ar-
  mor. It is similar to a chain shirt, except that it hangs 
  lower, to just below the knee. Most hauberks have 
  a hood attached that protects the wearer’s head. A 
  hauberk is cheaper and easier to manufacture than 
  regular chainmail.
  Heartwood Shirt: Made of specially treated 
  wood grown in secret groves, this is one of the ﬁ n-
  est and most expensive forms of armor available. 
  Although made of wood, it has the hard-
  ness ad hit points of normal steel. This 
  armor may be worn by druids with-
  out penalty.
  Heraldic 
  Coin 
  Armor: 
  This 
  unique set of armor is crafted from 
  the various types of coins found 
  in the realms. Everything from 
  copper to the platinum has 
  been used to create intricate 
  patterns, including family 
  crests in some instances. This 
  armor is highly prized by 
  war captains and nobles as a 
  symbol of their status.
  Holy Vestments: Clerical 
  holy vestments are blessed to 
  withstand attacks, protecting 
  their wearers from harm. Of-
  ten made from silk and wool, 
  these robes are both comfortable 
  and easy to move in. The symbol of 
  the patron deity is often embroidered 
  upon the center of the chest of the 
  robes.
  Iron Mantle: Iron mantle armor 
  is made from a number of iron 
  plates held together with leather 
  straps, and covers the wearer’s 
  shoulders and chest.
  Iron mantle armor causes its 
  wearer to suffer only a -3 penalty to Fortitude sav-
  ing throws against subdual damage from heat expo-
  sure, instead of the usual -4. Iron mantle armor can 
  be donned in 4 minutes, donned hastily in 1 minute, 
  and removed in 1 minute.
  Lancer’s Half-Plate: This ﬁ nely crafted half-plate 
  offers substantial beneﬁ ts to mounted wearers. If 
  used in conjunction with a military saddle, lancer’s 
  half-plate adds a +2 circumstance bonus on Ride 
  checks related to staying in the saddle. This bonus 
  stacks with the bonus provided by the military sad-
  dle. If you’re knocked unconscious while wearing a 
  Glacier beast hide armor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  92
  lancer’s half-plate and using a military saddle, you 
  have an 85% chance to stay in the saddle (compared 
  to a 75% chance for a military saddle alone).
  Morbius Mail: Morbius armor is made of a re-
  markably strong gemlike stone. It is typically black 
  in color, though other colors do exist. Though the 
  suit looks rather large and difﬁ cult to manage, its de-
  sign allows for full range of mobility. The additional 
  fortiﬁ cation granted by this type of armor makes it 
  highly prized among barbarians and ﬁ ghters.
  Oaken Tree Bark Armor: Made from the bark 
  of the oak tree, this armor protects its wearer fairly 
  well. 
  Plant Fiber Plate: This heavy armor is made from 
  densely compressed plates of extremely tough and 
  resistant plant ﬁ bers. This armor can be enchanted 
  through standard means.
  Plated Leather: This thick leather armor is rein-
  forced with metal plates. The plates cover only large 
  areas of the body, leaving the joints covered only by 
  leather. Plated leather has enough metal components 
  to be vulnerable to the rust monster’s rust ability and 
  similar attacks. Characters not proﬁ cient in plated 
  leather ﬁ nd the plates awkward and conﬁ ning.
  Reinforced Clerics Robe: These clerical robes 
  have been reinforced with several plates of hardened 
  leather. Their lightweight and nonmetal composition 
  makes them an ideal choice for clerics in the ﬁ eld.
  Reversible Bardic Doublet: This doublet is a 
  close-ﬁ tting jacket, with or without sleeves, that ap-
  pears to be an ordinary piece of clothing. It has sev-
  eral plates of hardened leather sewn between two 
  separate layers of the fabric. These plates are sewn to 
  the inside in such a way that the doublet still moves 
  inconspicuously. 
  Rigid Breastplate: This specially constructed 
  breastplate offers more protection than a normal 
  breastplate, but unless its wearer undergoes speciﬁ c 
  training, it is a great deal more conﬁ ning. Even with 
  the proper training, the armor is slightly more re-
  strictive than a normal breastplate.
  Ringmail: Large metal rings cover a thick suit of 
  leather armor, providing good ﬂ exibility and protec-
  tion for those used to the armor’s strange ﬁ t.
  Robe of Yew Leaves: Druids have long fash-
  ioned their own armor from the bounties of nature, 
  and this unique set of armor is no exception. Fash-
  ioned from the leaves of the yew tree and reinforced 
  with thin strips of tanned leather, this armor is both 
  functional and often quite beautiful. 
  Sap Hide: Sap hide is a lightweight, yet durable 
  armor made from the boiled and processed sap of 
  the bowery tree. Sap hide must be carefully custom 
  ﬁ tted to the body, which makes it not only fairly ex-
  pensive, but difﬁ cult to transfer from one person to 
  another. Sap hide is slightly thicker than leather, but 
  much more ﬂ exible and more resistant to cuts. Sap 
  hide has a ﬁ rm but spongy feel to it and a smooth 
  matte appearance. Sap hide is highly prized as it is 
  comfortable enough to sleep in. Typically a suit of 
  sap hide is made to cover the entire body, but it is 
  not uncommon to see partial versions of the armor.
     Any creature that wears a suit of sap hide that 
  was not speciﬁ cally tailored for him incurs an Armor 
  Check penalty increase to -4. Masterwork sap hide 
  does not have an increased armor bonus, it is simply 
  ﬁ t for enchantment.
  Scale Mail: The suit includes gauntlets.
  Scaled Brigandine: This intricate set of brigan-
  dine armor is made from the scales of the infamous 
  swamp hellion (detailed in Complete Minions, avail-
  able at www.rpgnow.com). Some of the more ob-
  scure types of this armor are patterned in mysterious 
  and often eye-catching designs.
  Sculpted Scale Mail: This carefully smoothed 
  scale mail is painstakingly crafted so that its scales 
  ﬂ ex without noticeably separating, and the joints 
  are protected by larger pieces of smooth metal. This 
  makes it very hard for other creatures to hold the 
  wearer. While wearing sculpted scale mail you gain 
  a +4 circumstance bonus on all checks made to resist 
  being grappled, including rolls to avoid taking dam-
  age or being pinned. Unless trained in the armor, 
  Armor
  Illustrated by Chris Keefe
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  93
  wearers ﬁnd the joint plates of sculpted scale very 
  restrictive.
  Shadow Doublet: This type of armor is referred 
  to as a “shadow doublet” due to its construction of 
  black or dark blue velvet. A thin lining of hardened 
  leather has is sewn to the inner lining of the jacket, 
  offering some protection against blows. The wear-
  er’s hide checks receive a circumstance bonus of +2 
  in dark or shadowy areas.
  Shalik Plate: Shalik plate is extremely rare, as 
  it must be created in its entirety by someone with 
  skill as an artiﬁcer. Shalik plate is essentially a du-
  plicate of metallic plate armor made out of the artiﬁ-
  cial material shalik. Shalik plate is nonmetallic, light, 
  and durable. It never rusts, decays or tarnishes, and 
  wipes clean easily with a damp cloth. Its only draw-
  back is that it can only be repaired magically (usu-
  ally a mending spell is sufﬁcient).
  Shield, Contoured: Essentially a large 
  shield rigged to work like a buckler, a con-
  toured shield is strapped to the shoulder 
  and forearm, leaving the hand free. It is 
  shaped to ﬁt most humanoids and al-
  lows the use of an item in the shield 
  hand just as a buckler does. How-
  ever, the contoured shield is much 
  more unwieldy than a buckler, 
  and it imposes a -1 penalty on all 
  attacks made with bows, cross-
  bows, two-handed melee weap-
  ons, and off-hand melee weap-
  ons. This penalty stacks with 
  those for ﬁghting with your off 
  hand and, if appropriate, for 
  ﬁghting with two weapons. In 
  case, if you use a weapon in 
  your off hand, you don’t get the 
  contoured shield’s AC bonus 
  for the rest of the round.
  Shield, Crossbow: This is 
  a rectangular wooden shield 
  mounted on front of a cross-
  bow. It provides protection 
  only on rounds when you 
  hold the crossbow at the 
  ready (making an attack 
  with it or readying an ac-
  tion to do so). The shield 
  does not interfere with the 
  normal function of the cross-
  bow.
  Shield, Dust: This shield ap-
  pears to be nothing but a large spiked steel shield. 
  However, it consists of two ﬂat layers enclosing a 
  hollow space that can be ﬁlled with dust. When the 
  shield is struck, the force of the blow presses the two 
  layers together, pushing the dust out through the 
  hollow spikes.
  A dust shield is quite rare. It gives its wielder 
  the advantage of a surprise attack while defending. 
  The dust usually dazzles the attacker, giving the de-
  fender time to strike back. Pepper or other creative 
  ammunition can be used instead of dust.
  When an attacker misses an attack roll by an 
  amount equal to the AC bonus of the shield or less, 
  consider the shield hit. The cloud of dust dazzles the 
  attacker for 1d4 rounds, causing him a –1 circum-
  stance penalty to all attack rolls.
  Shield, Heavy, Wooden or Steel: You strap a 
  shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. 
  A heavy shield is so heavy that you can’t use your 
  shield hand for anything else.
  Wooden or Steel: Wooden and steel shields offer 
  the same basic protection, though they respond dif-
  ferently to special attacks.
  Shield Bash Attacks: You can bash an opponent 
  with a heavy shield, using it as an off-hand weapon. 
  See Table 1.1: Weapons for the damage dealt by a 
  shield bash. Used this way, a heavy shield is a mar-
  tial bludgeoning weapon. For the purpose of 
  penalties on attack rolls, treat a heavy 
  shield as a one-handed weap-
  on. If you use your shield as a 
  weapon, you lose its AC bonus 
  until your next action (usually 
  until the next round). An en-
  hancement bonus on a shield does 
  not improve the effectiveness of a 
  shield bash made with it, but the 
  shield can be made into a magic 
  weapon in its own right.
  Shield, Lastthrow: In addition 
  to beneﬁting from its protection, 
  if you are proﬁcient with a last-
  throw shield you can throw it 
  as a ranged weapon, provided 
  you can wield Medium-sized 
  martial weapons in one 
  hand. The thrown shield 
  has a range increment of 
  10 feet and deals 1d6 points 
  of slashing damage with its 
  sharpened rims. Without the veloc-
  ity imparted by a throw, it deals little 
  damage and is therefore unsuited for 
  use as a melee weapon. (You can still 
  make a shield bash attack, but this 
  does not deal the additional slash-
  ing damage.) Magic lastthrow 
  shields are handled much as 
  armor spikes—an enhance-
  ment to the shield’s armor 
  bonus does not affect its 
  attack or damage rolls, nor the shield’s defensive 
  qualities.
  Shield, Light, Wooden or Steel: You strap a 
  shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. 
  A light shield’s weight lets you carry other items in 
  that hand, although you cannot use weapons with 
  it.
  Wooden or Steel: Wooden and steel shields offer 
  the same basic protection, though they respond dif-
  ferently to special attacks.
  Robe of yew leaves
  Illustrated by James Byrd
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  94
  Shield Bash Attacks: You can bash an opponent 
  with a light shield, using it as an off-hand weapon. 
  See Table 1.1: Weapons for the damage dealt by a 
  shield bash. Used this way, a light shield is a martial 
  bludgeoning weapon. For the purpose of penalties 
  on attack rolls, treat a light shield as a light weapon. 
  If you use your shield as a weapon, you lose its AC 
  bonus until your next action (usually until the next 
  round). An enhancement bonus on a shield does not 
  improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made with 
  it, but the shield can be made into a magic weapon 
  in its own right.
  Shield, Mountain Kite: Bigger than any shield 
  other than a tower shield, this slab of metal offers 
  great protection but is simply too heavy to wield 
  properly without special training.
  Shield, Targe: The targe (tärj) is a leather-cov-
  ered wooden shield, often rimmed, 
  bound or studded with metal 
  and including a steel spike 
  that protrudes from the 
  center. The shield is 
  small enough to be 
  worn on the back of 
  the off-hand forearm 
  with a weapon held 
  in that hand (usually 
  a dirk). It functions 
  as a small shield 
  with spikes. 
  As an exception 
  to the normal rules for 
  small shields, the targe 
  allows a dirk held in the 
  same hand to be used in 
  combat. This rule does not 
  allow an extra attack (one for 
  the dirk and one for the targe); it 
  simply allows the two items to be 
  used simultaneously with increased ef-
  fectiveness. The attack is treated as a shield bash that 
  deals 1d6 points of piercing damage (as with shield 
  spikes), but with a critical threat range of 19–20/x2 (as 
  with a dirk). In this conﬁguration, the dirk may not 
  be thrown. The wielder is still subject to all modiﬁers 
  for two-handed ﬁghting and still loses the shield’s 
  AC bonus when using it in a bashing attack.
  Shield, Tower: This massive wooden shield is 
  nearly as tall as you are. In most situations, it pro-
  vides the indicated shield bonus to your AC. How-
  ever, you can instead use it as total cover, though 
  you must give up your attacks to do so. The shield 
  does not, however, provide cover against targeted 
  spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by target-
  ing the shield you are holding. You cannot bash with 
  a tower shield, nor can you use your shield hand for 
  anything else. When employing a tower shield in 
  combat, you take a –2 penalty on attack rolls because 
  of the shield’s encumbrance.
  Shield Spikes: When added to your shield, 
  these spikes turn it into a martial piercing weapon 
  that increases the damage dealt by a shield bash as 
  if the shield were designed for a creature one size 
  category larger than you. You can’t put spikes on a 
  buckler or a tower shield. Otherwise, attacking with 
  a spiked shield is like making a shield bash attack 
  (see above).
  An enhancement bonus on a spiked shield does 
  not improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made 
  with it, but a spiked shield can be made into a magic 
  weapon in its own right.
  Shock Shell: This slightly grotesque approxima-
  tion of plate mail is made from the carapace and exo-
  skeleton of the deadly shock beetle (also detailed in 
  Complete Minions). Although not as sturdy as metal, 
  shock shell is fairly light, and proves to be quite ef-
  fective in a ﬁght.
  Silken Web: This very light and ﬂexible cloth is 
  woven from the silk of the fearsome ebon spider. It 
  offers no special protection on its own, although 
  the material is strong enough to hold 
  enchantments. A +2 silken web 
  suit for example, would grant 
  its wearer a +2 enhancement 
  bonus to his AC. Silken web 
  clothing can also hold any 
  magical armor quality un-
  less otherwise speciﬁed.
  Silver 
  Spiderweave: 
  Despite 
  its 
  appearance, 
  spiderweave is a very light 
  and effective armor style 
  created by elven artisans. 
  Intricate patterns of silver 
  and leather are joined in 
  a spider web pattern. The 
  combination of metal and 
  leather makes this style of spi-
  derweave unsuitable for magic-
  using adventurers.
  Slat Armor: Slat armor is very 
  bulky, and not very maneuverable armor 
  made from rods and slats of wood, braided with 
  sinew and covered by thick hide. It is most useful 
  against slashing and bludgeoning weapons, although 
  piercing weapons may be completely blocked if they 
  happen to strike a slat directly.
  Soft Leather Half Armor: The armor is made 
  from soft leather and crafted to cover the upper tor-
  so. It is small enough to be concealed under cleric’s 
  robes, or worn over the top of them as desired.
  Splint Mail: The suit includes gauntlets.
  Steelwood Splint: As its name implies, this stur-
  dy looking suit of splint armor is crafted from the 
  rare and valuable steelwood tree. It is just as strong 
  and slightly lighter than its more common cousin. 
  No metal pieces are used to make the armor, making 
  it appropriate for characters whose spiritual vows 
  prohibit such things.
  Studded Web: Studded web armor is simply web 
  armor that has been reinforced with studs, chitin or 
  bone. Somewhat more restrictive than web armor, it 
  offers superior protection.
  Dust shield
  Illustrated by Chris Keefe
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  95
  Taskmaster Armor: Taskmaster armor is 
  constructed of light copper and etched with 
  silver streaks. The suit is often custom ﬁtted 
  to the wearer.
  Traveler’s Plate: This light plate armor 
  restricts movement over short distances as 
  normal for medium armor. However, it’s 
  relatively light weight mitigates the slowing 
  effects for proﬁcient wearers when traveling 
  long distances. Your combat movement rate 
  and run speed are reduced as shown on the 
  armor table, but for overland movement of 
  one hour or more, your speed is not reduced 
  by the armor.
  Volt Polar Mail: Volt polar mail is a non-
  metallic plate mail made with the bony armor plates 
  of the terrible volt polar (detailed in Oathbound: 
  Plains of Penance) stitched onto a leather backing. It 
  is similar to gnarled mail, but slightly lighter. Most 
  volt polar mail is unenameled, allowing the soft blue 
  color of the natural bone to stand for itself.
  Web: Web armor is made from light but resilient 
  silk harvested from domesticated monstrous spider. 
  The armor provides as much protection as leather, 
  but its lighter weight is less inhibiting. Even some 
  arcane spellcasters are willing to wear web armor 
  because of its low chance to inhibit spellcasting.
  Wooden Plate: Carved from thick wooden plates, 
  this armor hinders movement and is typically lim-
  ited only to inﬂexible areas of the body, such as the 
  forearms, shins and chest.
  In warm or humid weather, the armor is more 
  comfortable than studded leather. Wooden armor 
  causes its wearer to suffer only a -3 penalty to For-
  titude saving throws against subdual damage from 
  heat exposure, instead of the usual -4. Wooden ar-
  mor can be donned in 4 minutes, donned hastily in 1 
  minute, and removed in 1 minute.
  Woodweave Coat: Made from woven strips of 
  specially treated wood, this armor is favored by 
  many elven rangers and scouts. Although made of 
  wood, it has the hardness and hit points of normal 
  steel. This armor may be worn by druids without 
  penalty.
  Woven Cord: This armor is made from woven 
  rafﬁa ﬁbers. Though not as ﬂexible as leather ar-
  mor, woven cord armor offers superior ventilation. 
  Woven armor causes its wearer to suffer only a -1 
  penalty to Fortitude saving throws against subdual 
  damage from heat exposure, instead of the usual -4. 
  Woven armor can be donned in 1 minute, donned 
  hastily in 5 rounds, and removed in 1 minute.
  Masterwork Armor
  Just as with weapons, you can purchase or craft mas-
  terwork versions of armor or shields. Such a well-
  made item functions like the normal version, except 
  that its armor check penalty is lessened by 1. 
  A masterwork suit of armor or shield costs an ex-
  tra 150 gp over and above the normal cost for that 
  type of armor or shield. The masterwork quality of 
  a suit of armor or shield never provides a bonus on 
  attack or damage rolls, even if the armor or shield is 
  used as a weapon. All magic armors and shields are 
  automatically considered to be of masterwork qual-
  ity. You can’t add the masterwork quality to armor 
  or a shield after it is created; it must be crafted as a 
  masterwork item.
  Armor Costs by Size
  Armor and shields for unusually big creatures, un-
  usually little creatures, and nonhumanoid creatures 
  have different costs and weights from those given 
  on Tables 4.1 through 4.4. Refer to the appropriate 
  line on Table 4.5: Armor Costs by Size and apply 
  the multipliers to cost and weight for the armor type 
  in question.
  Donning Armor
  The time required to don armor depends on its type; 
  see Table 4.6: Donning Armor.
  Table 4.5: Armor Costs by Size
   
  Humanoid
  Nonhumanoid
  Size
  Cost
  Weight
  Cost
  Weight
  Tiny or smaller1
  x½
  x1/10
  x1
  x1/10
  Small
  x1
  x½
  x2
  x½
  Medium
  x1
  x1
  x2
  x1
  Large
  x2
  x2
  x4
  x2
  Huge
  x4
  x5
  x8
  x5
  Gargantuan
  x8
  x8
  x16
  x8
  Colossal
  x16
  x12
  x32
  x12
  1 Divide armor bonus by 2.
  Table 4.6: Donning Armor
  Armor Type
  Don
  Don Hastily
  Remove
  Shield (any)
  1 move action
  n/a
  1 move action
  Padded, leather, hide, studded leather,  
  or chain shirt
  1 minute
  5 rounds
  1 minute1
  Breastplate, scale mail, chainmail,  
  banded mail, or splint mail
  4 minutes1
  1 minute
  1 minute1
  Half-plate or full plate
  4 minutes2
  4 minutes1
  1d4+1 minutes1
  1 If the character has some help, cut this time in half. A single character doing nothing else can help one or two adjacent 
  characters. Two characters can’t help each other don armor at the same time.
  2 The wearer must have help to don this armor. Without help, it can be donned only hastily.
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  96
  Don: This column tells how long it takes a char-
  acter to put the armor on. (One minute is 10 rounds.) 
  Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move ac-
  tion.
  Don Hastily: This column tells how long it takes 
  to put the armor on in a hurry. The armor check pen-
  alty and armor bonus for hastily donned armor are 
  each 1 point worse than normal. 
  Remove: This column tells how long it takes to 
  get the armor off. Loosing a shield (removing it from 
  the arm and dropping it) is only a move action.
  Extras
  While that raging minotaur or orc chieftain isn’t go-
  ing to criticize your fashion sense, there are times 
  when accessories are the order of the day. Whether 
  it’s to reinforce a weakness you’ve discovered or 
  simply to look good at the latest social gathering, 
  here are a few items to consider.
  Bardic Cloak: This cloak is typically constructed 
  of thick wool with several plates of either leather or 
  thin metal sewn inside. Special ﬂ ame-retardant oils 
  used in its construction give this cloak a ﬁ re resis-
  tance of 2. Bards often sell these cloaks in many of 
  the major cities of the realms where adventurers 
  seek protection from the elements.
  Bone Armor Spikes: The barbarians make their 
  own variant on armor spikes, utilizing the bones of 
  the animals they hunt for food. They have found that 
  these bone spikes can be useful in combat, not only 
  as protection, but also as a good self-defense 
  mechanism. 
  Coward’s Shield: A coward’s shield is a 
  piece of simple metal plate secured by straps 
  and worn against the back over one shirt 
  and beneath a second piece of conceal-
  ing clothing. This armor is found 
  now and then on rogues who 
  think they may have to beat a 
  hasty retreat from a ﬁ eld of 
  combat. Some reluctant con-
  scripts and lightly armored 
  ﬁ ghters have taken a page 
  from this book and occa-
  sionally use this gear, but 
  it originated with the rogue 
  class. No one boasts of own-
  ing or using a coward’s shield, 
  but many armorers are happy to 
  quietly provide one with a “light 
  backplate” even if the person 
  owns no other armor. 
  A coward’s shield is usually 
  donned and worn clandestinely. It 
  ﬁ ts under ordinary clothing, pad-
  ded armor, or leather armor that 
  is slightly oversized for the wearer. 
  Some who wear it are simply paranoid 
  about a backstabbing or sneak attack, and indeed, 
  this armor is useful protection against such attacks. 
  Others who wear it either fear their side is going to 
  lose in combat, or already plan to make a quick exit 
  as soon as things become confused enough. 
  A coward’s shield boosts the wearer’s armor 
  class by +1 for any melee, backstabbing, or sneak at-
  tacks made from the rear. In guarding against sneak 
  attack, half the armor’s utility is in the fact that no 
  one knows about it but the wearer. The trade in these 
  backplates is very much under the table. They are 
  called “coward’s shields” by the ﬁ ghters that scorn 
  them—rogues as a class generally refer to them very 
  subtly as simply “extra protection”. 
  Exoskeleton (suitable for steampunk cam-
  paigns): This is a metal framework that ﬁ ts over any 
  existing armor. It consists of articulated rods run-
  ning along the wearer’s torso, arms and legs. Tubing 
  for steam to power the exoskeleton also snakes over 
  the user, and a steam furnace is attached to the back. 
  The exoskeleton adds an enhancement bonus to the 
  wearer’s Strength while it is powered. It also reduc-
  es the armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus to AC by 
  –1, although not to below zero. If the exoskeleton is 
  worn without other armor, the maximum Dexterity 
  bonus allowed is +8. The exoskeleton also adds an 
  additional –2 to the wearer’s armor check penalty.
  Type
  STR Enhancement
  Cost
  Light
  +2
  3,000 gp
  Medium
  +4
  12,000 gp
  Heavy
  +6
  27,000 gp
  The attached steam furnace can 
  power the exoskeleton for one full 
  day before needing to be refueled 
  with more coal. All above penal-
  ties are always present as long 
  as the exoskeleton is worn. The 
  weight listed in Table 4.4: Shields 
  & Extras includes the coal required 
  to power the exoskeleton for one 
  day (additional coal must be 
  carried elsewhere to fuel the 
  suit for tomorrow’s needs; 
  each suit needs 5 pounds of 
  coal per point of Strength 
  enhancement per day).
  Gorget: A gorget is 
  a single armored piece 
  from a full suit of plate 
  that protects the wearer’s 
  neck, upper chest and inner 
  shoulders from harm. While de-
  signed to work integrally with 
  other pieces, it can be worn alone. 
  When struck by a vorpal weapon, the 
  gorget is entitled to a Fortitude save (DC 
  20), and if successful it negates that attack 
  and saves the wearer’s life. Each subsequent vor-
  pal strike increases the DC by +1 until the gorget has 
  been repaired or replaced.
  Spaulders: Spaulders (which almost always 
  come in pairs) are components of a full suit of plate 
  Bone armor spikes
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  97
  armor, and cover the wearer’s outer shoulders and 
  upper arms. They are built out of interlocking plates 
  that allow a person full arm mobility, and are either 
  bolted directly into armor or attached to a doublet 
  through a number of eyelets. Some adventurers who 
  prefer not to wear heavy, cumbersome armor attach 
  spaulders to leather or hide tunics. 
  If worn over another suit of armor, the armor 
  bonus for spaulders stacks with that of the original 
  piece. An enchanted tonlet is stackable with enchant-
  ed armor, although the enhancement bonuses do not 
  stack, only the armor bonuses. Spaulders cannot be 
  added to heavy armor. 
  If stacked with other armor:
  • -2 to max Dex bonus of original armor; can’t 
  go below 0
  • -1 to armor check penalty of original armor
  • +10% to arcane spell failure chance of original 
  armor
  Tonlet: A tonlet is a skirt of sorts made from 
  chain links. It is often used by foot soldiers for ad-
  ditional protection, and is typically hung over their 
  legs and any other armor they might be wearing, 
  reaching almost to their feet. The primary drawback 
  to wearing the tonlet is that it signiﬁcantly reduces 
  mobility by adding extra weight as well as by limit-
  ing movement.
  If draped over another suit of armor, a tonlet’s ar-
  mor bonus stacks with that of the original piece. An 
  enchanted tonlet is stackable with enchanted armor, 
  although the enhancement bonuses do not stack, 
  only the armor bonuses.
  If stacked with other armor:
  • -4 to max Dex bonus of original armor; can’t go 
  below 0
  • -3 to armor check penalty of original armor
  • +10% to arcane spell failure percentage of orig-
  inal armor
  • Speed (30 ft.): 20 ft.; (20 ft.): 15 ft.
  Tonlet, Short: Mounted soldiers sometimes wear 
  lighter, shorter versions of the tonlet, but these pieces 
  are rare, as the protection they offer becomes nearly 
  negligible with the modiﬁcations made to them.
  If stacked with other armor:
  • -2 to max Dex bonus of original armor; can’t go 
  below 0
  • +5% to arcane spell failure chance of original 
  armor
  • Speed reduced to (30 ft.): 20 ft.; (20 ft.): 15 ft. 
  if stacked with armor weighing more than 25 
  lbs.
  Weapon Tether: These chains are made of many 
  small links, and connect a weapon to its wielder’s 
  armor, typically at the belt. Whenever the wearer’s 
  grip on his weapon is broken (such as by a disarm 
  attack), the weapon remains within arm’s reach, and 
  can be grabbed again with a move action. No more 
  than two weapon toggles can be used at the same 
  time. The weapon toggle can either be permanently 
  ﬁxed to a weapon, or attached to a special eyelet on 
  the weapon, which allows easy attaching and detach-
  ing of the chain. Attaching and detaching a weapon 
  toggle to an eyelet is a standard action. Eyelets can 
  be added to most weapons for 4 sp.
  The tether makes a weapon somewhat more 
  awkward to use, so that the user suffers a –1 circum-
  stance penalty to attack rolls. Characters with the Ex-
  otic Weapon proﬁciency (tether) ignore this penalty.
  Armor as Damage Reduction
  E
  ncasing one’s body in armor is an important 
  protective measure for an adventurer to 
  embrace. Vorpal, sharpness, and crushing 
  weapons can cause grievous injury with a single 
  swing. The rules presented below serve to augment 
  this protection, providing more incentive to wear 
  armor. Wearing armor gives you both Damage Re-
  duction and Armor Class, as in Table 4.7: DR by 
  Armor.
  What Kind of DR?
  Wearing armor means keeping track of the various 
  kinds of DR that you have. Each one is different, so 
  it’s important to know what kind of attack you’re 
  facing and what sorts of defenses you have against 
  it. Armor DR only stacks if it’s the same types of DR; 
  the DR granted by the barbarian class ability stacks 
  with armor DR, for instance.
  Fine and Diminutive creatures automatically ig-
  nore DR from armor—there’s just no way to defend 
  against their attacks: They’re able to easily penetrate 
  the folds and joints in the armor to strike home. That 
  means that a human in plate is susceptible to the 
  strike of a grig, a swarm of bees, and other minute 
  hazards. 
  Armor Class or DR?
  As adventurers equip themselves for the trials and 
  tribulations that lie ahead of them, questions of what 
  stacks with what and how DR and AC interact are 
  liable to arise. Table 4.8: Armor or DR? provides the 
  speciﬁcs on how magic and DR interact.
  Enchanted Armor
  The base versions of armor have the same qualities 
  as those presented in Table 7-6: Armor & Shields 
  in the Player’s Handbook. Adding enchantments to 
  armor makes it better than its nonmagical counter-
  parts, as detailed below.
   Armor Check Penalties: These decrease equal 
  to the amount of enchantment placed in the armor. 
  For example, scale mail +2 would have an armor 
  check penalty of -2 (normally -4). It’s possible to 
  completely remove penalties by highly enchanting 
  armor, but you never receive a bonus for over-en-
  chantment (scale mail +5 wouldn’t grant a +1 bonus, 
  for instance). 
  Maximum Dexterity Adjustment: This increase 
  is equal to the amount of enchantment placed into 
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  98
  the armor. For example, scale mail +2 has a Maximum 
  Dexterity Adjustment of +5 (normally only +3).
  Arcane Spell Failure: The maximum reduction 
  allowed is 20% (granted by using both the spellcast-
  ing and weightless qualities, detailed below).
  Speed: A Creature’s speed is normally limited 
  by its race and armor selection, but the armor factor 
  Armor
  Armor 
  Bonus
  DR
  Aeroglass plate
  +2
  2/-
  Aketon, quilled
  +1
  —
  Armor of the beetle
  +5
  4/-
  Armored robe
  +1
  —
  Articulated half-plate5
  +4
  3/-
  Banded mail
  +3
  3/-
  Bardic
  +1
  1/-
  Barkskin
  +1
  1/-
  Beaded
  +1
  1/-
  Bishop’s mantle
  +1
  —
  Bone exoskeleton
  +2
  1/-
  Bone mail
  +3
  2/-
  Bone plate
  +2
  1/-
  Breastplate
  +3
  2/-
  Brigandine, scaled
  +2
  2/-
  Buckskin
  +2
  1/-
  Chain shirt
  +2
  2/-
  Chainmail corset
  +1
  1/-
  Chainmail
  +3
  2/-
  Clay armor
  +2
  1/-
  Cleric’s robe, reinforced
  +1
  1/-
  Cleric’s vest
  +1
  —
  Daggered plate
  +4
  3/-
  Double leather
  +2
  1/-
  Double plate
  +6
  6/-
  Doublet, reversible bardic
  +1
  —
  Doublet, shadow
  +1
  —
  Dwarven plate
  +5
  5/-
  Elven chain
  +3
  2/–
  Elven leafweave5
  +1
  1/-
  Fetish
  +0
  —
  Fine leather
  +1
  1/-
  Full plate
  +4
  4/-
  Gnarled mail
  +4
  3/-
  Half-plate
  +4
  3/-
  Hauberk
  +2
  1/-
  Heartwood shirt5
  +2
  2/-
  Armor
  Armor 
  Bonus
  DR
  Heraldic coin armor
  +3
  2/-
  Hide mail, crested
  +2
  1/-
  Hide mail, fur-lined
  +2
  1/-
  Hide
  +2
  1/-
  Hide, glacier beast
  +2
  1/-
  Holy vestments
  +1
  —
  Iron mantle
  +3
  2/-
  Lancer’s half-plate5
  +4
  3/-
  Leather
  +1
  1/-
  Morbius mail
  +3
  3/-
  Oaken tree bark armor
  +2
  2/-
  Padded
  +1
  —
  Plant ﬁber plate
  +4
  3/-
  Plated leather
  +2
  2/-
  Rigid breastplate
  +3
  3/-
  Ringmail
  +3
  2/-
  Robe of yew leaves
  +1
  1/-
  Sap hide
  +2
  2/-
  Scale mail
  +2
  2/-
  Sculpted scale mail5
  +2
  2/-
  Shalik plate
  +4
  3/-
  Shock shell
  +3
  2/-
  Silken web
  +0
  —
  Slat armor
  +2
  1/-
  Soft leather half armor
  +1
  —
  Spiderweave, silver
  +2
  2/-
  Splint mail
  +3
  3/-
  Splint, steelwood
  +3
  3/-
  Studded leather
  +2
  1/-
  Studded web
  +2
  1/-
  Taskmaster armor
  +3
  3/-
  Traveler’s plate
  +3
  2/-
  Volt polar mail
  +4
  3/-
  Web
  +1
  1/-
  Wooden plate
  +2
  2/-
  Woodweave coat5
  +2
  2/-
  Woven cord
  +1
  —
  Table 4.7: DR by Armor
  can be negated by adding the weightless quality to 
  armor. 
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  99
  Table 4.8: Armor Class or Damage Reduction?
  Type
  Example
  Effect
  Enchanted Armor
  Studded leather +2
  Adds to Armor Class
  Shield
  Large steel shield
  Adds to Armor Class
  Bracers*
  Bracers of armor +10
  Adds to Armor Class
  Natural Armor
  Amulet of natural armor +6
  Adds to Armor Class
  Damage Reduction
  Barbarian Ability
  Stacks with Armor DR
  Magic Item
  Ring of ironskin
  Separate; DR 15/adamantine
  Spell
  Mage armor
  Adds to Armor Class**
  * Wearing bracers adds to Armor Class, making a creature tougher to hit but not adding any other bonus that actual armor 
  grants under these rules. Bracers of armor +5 don’t grant the DR that chain mail does, for instance; it only adds +5 to 
  Armor Class. 
  ** Spells work (and stack) as they always do; As both bracers of armor and mage armor provide an armor bonus, their effects 
  don’t stack with each other or with wearing armor that grants AC of +4 or better.
  Example: Karshen is a 19th-level barbarian with a base DR of 5/- from his class abilities. He’s wearing +3 scale mail armor 
  and a ring of ironskin. That makes his DR 7/– or 15/adamantine. During the ﬁrst round of combat, he’s attacked by two 
  ﬁghters wielding adamantine long swords (where he’ll have his DR 7/–) and a rogue wielding a +4 short sword (where 
  he’ll have his DR 15/adamantine).
  Critical Hits
  Creatures critically hit while wearing armor keep 
  their DR, reducing the amount of damage they suf-
  fer.
   Vorpal/Bludgeoning/Piercing Qualities: Some 
  weapons have the ability to slice or crush the limbs 
  from opponents on a successful hit. Wearing armor 
  now gives the creature a chance to avoid such pit-
  falls. The chance to avoid this ability is as follows:
   Creatures struck must make a saving throw using 
  their base armor DR* as a bonus against a DC of 15**. 
  If the save succeeds, the special quality (but not the 
  damage) is negated. If the save is failed, the usual 
  effects occur.
   * Armors can be hardened and made resistant by 
  enchanting as detailed in Armor Qualities, in Chap-
  ter 5. 
   ** Some special-quality weapons can have more dif-
  ﬁcult DCs to resist their effects.
  Shield Parries
  A 
  ﬁghter with a shield is essentially no dif-
  ferent from one with two weapons, only 
  that one of the weapons is used to block 
  blows instead of attack. Under this optional rule, a 
  creature has the option of using a shield or parrying 
  weapon to parry attacks. A shield used in this man-
  ner is treated just as if the wielder is ﬁghting with 
  two weapons, the off-hand weapon being light. A 
  creature can make a number of shield parries each 
  round equal to the number of attacks he would be 
  able to make with an off-hand weapon.
  A shield parry must be made on an opponent’s 
  turn, and it must be declared before the die roll for 
  the opponent’s attack is made. If the attacker gets 
  multiple attacks, the defender gets to choose which 
  attack he attempts to parry. 
  The value of a shield parry is calculated as fol-
  lows:
  Base Attack Bonus + 
  Dexterity modiﬁer + 
  armor bonus of shield + 
  enhancement bonus of shield
  If the value of the shield parry exceeds the attack 
  roll of the attacker, the attack is blocked.
  A blocked attack may still do damage, however, 
  as a shield is only able to offer so much damage re-
  duction. If the blocked attack roll is sufﬁcient to hit 
  the armor class of the defender, the attacker rolls 
  damage normally and the total amount is subtracted 
  from the DR of the shield used to parry that attack. 
  Any damage remaining is suffered by the shield 
  holder.
  Shield Type
  Damage Reduction
  Parrying Weapon
  10
  Tiny Shield (Buckler)
  10
  Small Shield
  15
  Large Shield
  20
  The wielder of a shield can opt not to counterat-
  tack on any given round, instead simply holding the 
  shield against his body as if it were armor. In this 
  case, no penalties are applied for using two weapons, 
  and the normal rules for shields should be used.
  Sunder: An opponent may make a sunder attack 
  on a parrying weapon or shield, and such an action 
  does not provoke an attack of opportunity when that 
  item is used in a shield parry.
  Chapter 4: Armor
  
  100
  CHAPTER 5: ARMOR QUALITIES
  W
  hile most enchanters spend 
  their time bolstering the 
  effectiveness of defensive 
  items, the best artiﬁcers im-
  bue them with customized 
  and extraordinary magics. Listed here are dozens of 
  the best enchantments.
  Absorption, Spell: Adventurers everywhere 
  covet armor and shields with this enchantment. 
  Spell absorption items can absorb spells that are cast 
  directly at the wearer (or wielder). These absorbed 
  spells convert to pure magical energy and can be 
  channeled to aid the wielder, either in attacking or 
  in healing others.
  When targeted by a spell, the wielder is entitled 
  to make a Spellcraft check to determine the spell be-
  ing cast. If successful, the wielder can then choose 
  whether to absorb the spell effect or not. If the Spell-
  craft check fails, the spell is automatically absorbed. 
  Once absorbing energy, the item must be dis-
  charged in one round. The wearer can use the charge 
  to damage an opponent by 
  making a melee touch attack. 
  A hit deals 1d4 points of ad-
  ditional damage per spell 
  level absorbed. Alternatively, 
  charged armor can be used 
  to heal the wielder for 1d4 hit 
  points per spell level absorbed. 
  Use of the healing power is a 
  standard action.
  If the wielder does not use 
  the absorbed magical energy 
  within one round, or if she 
  attacks a creature but fails to 
  hit, she immediately suffers 
  1d4 points of damage per 
  spell level (Fortitude save; DC 
  22 for half) as the armor dis-
  charges the energy contained 
  within it. Spell absorption ar-
  mor can absorb up to 10 spell 
  levels per day.
  Strong abjuration; Caster 
  Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, spell 
  turning; Market Price: +4 bo-
  nus.
  Acid Resistance: A suit 
  of armor or a shield with this 
  property normally has a dull 
  gray appearance. The armor 
  absorbs the ﬁrst 10 points of 
  acid damage per attack (simi-
  lar to the resist energy spell).
  Faint 
  abjuration; 
  Caster 
  Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, resist 
  energy; Market Price: +18,000 
  gp.
  Acid 
  Resistance, 
  Im-
  proved: As acid resistance, 
  except it absorbs the ﬁrst 20 points of acid damage 
  per attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +42,000 gp.
  Acid Resistance, Greater: As acid resistance, ex-
  cept it absorbs the ﬁrst 30 points of acid damage per 
  attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +66,000 gp.
  Acid Warding: The armor absorbs the ﬁrst 50 
  points of acid damage per round (similar to the resist 
  energy spell). 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, protection from energy; Market Price: 
  +6 bonus. 
  Acrobat: This armor is normally gaudy in color-
  ation and allows the wearer to ﬂip and tumble like 
  a court jester, granting a +5 competence bonus on 
  Table 5.1: Base Enchantments
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price Modiﬁer
  1-4
  Aspected
  250
  5-7
  Resistant Armor (light)
  500
  8-10
  Emergency Reservoirs
  540
  11-12
  Fluid (light)
  1,000
  13-14
  Resistant Armor (medium)
  1,000
  15-16
  Imprinted
  2,000
  17-18
  Resistant Armor (heavy)
  2,000
  19-20
  Fluid (medium)
  2,500
  21-22
  Glamered
  2,700
  23-24
  Reshaping
  2,700
  25-26
  Acrobat
  3,750
  27-28
  Shadow
  3,750
  29-30
  Silent Moves
  3,750
  31-32
  Slick
  3,750
  33-34
  Fluid (heavy)
  5,000
  35-36
  Shadow, Improved
  15,000
  37-38
  Silent Moves, Improved
  15,000
  39-40
  Slick, Improved
  15,000
  41-43
  Acid Resistance
  18,000
  44-46
  Cold Resistance
  18,000
  47-50
  Electricity Resistance
  18,000
  51-53
  Fire Resistance
  18,000
  54-56
  Negative Energy Resistance
  18,000
  57-60
  Positive Energy Resistance
  18,000
  61-64
  Sonic Resistance
  18,000
  65-69
  Shadow, Greater
  33,750
  70-73
  Silent Moves, Greater
  33,750
  74-77
  Slick, Greater
  33,750
  78-80
  Acid Resistance, Improved
  42,000
  81-83
  Cold Resistance, Improved
  42,000
  84-86
  Electricity Resistance, Improved
  42,000
  87-89
  Fire Resistance, Improved
  42,000
  90-92
  Sonic Resistance, Improved
  42,000
  93-94
  Etherealness
  49,000
  95
  Acid Resistance, Greater
  66,000
  96
  Auran
  66,000
  97
  Cold Resistance, Greater
  66,000
  98
  Electricity Resistance, Greater
  66,000
  99
  Fire Resistance, Greater
  66,000
  00
  Sonic Resistance, Greater
  66,000
  
  101
  Tumble checks. (The armor’s armor check penalty 
  still applies normally).
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cat’s grace; Mar-
  ket Price: +3,750 gp.
  Animated: Upon command, an animated shield 
  ﬂoats within 2 feet of the wielder, protecting her as 
  if she were using it herself but freeing up both her 
  hands. Only one shield can protect a character at a 
  time. A character with an animated shield still takes 
  any penalties associated with shield use, such as ar-
  mor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and 
  nonproﬁciency.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Aquan: Armors that possess the aquan enchant-
  ment are extremely rare, but are prized above all 
  others by mariners and undersea races. These items 
  are generally adorned with wave or ﬁsh motifs, and 
  are always very ﬂuted and seem somewhat ﬂimsy. 
  However, these items are coated with a slick, trans-
  parent ﬁlm that allows movement underwater with-
  out penalty. They also negate all penalties to swim 
  checks due to armor. Non water-breathing creatures 
  that craft this type of armor typically imbue their 
  creations with the water breathing and buoyant quali-
  ties.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of move-
  ment, feather fall; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Arcane: Arcane armor is enchanted in a way so as 
  not to interfere as greatly with arcane spell casting. 
  For every plus of armor enhancement, the chance for 
  arcane spell failure is reduced by 10%. This ability 
  may only be used on light or medium armor.
  Moderate abjuration: Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Elf, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of 
  movement; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Arrow Catching: A shield with this ability at-
  tracts ranged weapons to it. It has a deﬂection bonus 
  of +1 against ranged weapons, causing projectiles 
  and thrown weapons to veer toward it. Any projec-
  tile or thrown weapon aimed at a target within 5 feet 
  of the shield’s wearer diverts from its original target 
  and targets the shield’s bearer instead. (If the wielder 
  has total cover relative to the attacker, the projectile 
  or thrown weapon is not diverted.) 
  Projectiles and thrown weapons that have an en-
  hancement bonus higher than the shield’s enhance-
  ment bonus are not diverted to the wearer (but the 
  shield’s increased AC bonus still applies against 
  Table 5.2: Minor Armor Qualities
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price 
  Modiﬁer
  1-4
  Arrow Catching
  +1
  5-7
  Bashing
  +1
  8-10
  Blinding
  +1
  11-13
  Bludgeoning Resistance
  +1
  14-16
  Buoyant
  +1
  17-19
  Clamping
  +1
  20-22
  Conﬁdence
  +1
  23-25
  Echotrapping
  +1
  26-28
  Floating
  +1
  29-31
  Fortiﬁcation, light
  +1
  32-34
  Gaze Protection
  +1
  35-37
  Grace
  +1
  38-40
  Hardened
  +1
  41-43
  Healing
  +1
  44-46
  Impact Resistance
  +1
  47-50
  Inspiration
  +1
  51-53
  Photosynthetic
  +1
  54-56
  Picker
  +1
  57-60
  Piercing Resistance
  +1
  61-64
  Plant
  +1
  65-69
  Purging
  +1
  70-72
  Quick Don
  +1
  73-75
  Quick Release
  +1
  76-78
  Reduction
  +1
  79-81
  Rust Proof
  +1
  82-84
  Slashing Resistance
  +1
  85-87
  Spell Storing
  +1
  88-90
  Spellcasting (light)
  +1
  91-93
  Storing
  +1
  94-96
  Water Breathing
  +1
  97-00
  Wild
  +1
  1-3
  Animated
  +2
  4-5
  Aquan
  +2
  6-8
  Arrow Deﬂection
  +2
  9-11
  Bull’s Armor (+2)
  +2
  12-14
  Cat’s Armor (+2)
  +2
  15-17
  Dark
  +2
  18-20
  Deﬂecting (+1)
  +2
  21-23
  Desert
  +2
  24-25
  Divine Conduit
  +2
  26-28
  Dopple
  +2
  29-31
  Dread
  +2
  32-34
  Echotrapping
  +2
  35-37
  Glimmer
  +2
  38-40
  Grasping
  +2
  41-43
  Grotesque
  +2
  44-46
  Healing, Greater
  +2
  47-49
  Leadership
  +2
  50-52
  Magnetic
  +2
  53-55
  Morphic
  +2
  56-57
  Muse
  +2
  58-60
  Raven’s Armor (+2)
  +2
  61-63
  Reﬂection, Spell
  +2
  64-65
  Ritual Combat
  +2
  66-68
  Sacriﬁcial
  +2
  69-71
  Seeming
  +2
  72-73
  Shifting
  +2
  74-75
  Smoking
  +2
  76
  Solace
  +2
  77
  Solace, Dark
  +2
  78-79
  Spell Resistance (13)
  +2
  80-82
  Spellcasting (medium)
  +2
  83-84
  Stowing
  +2
  85-87
  Terran
  +2
  88-89
  Totem
  +2
  90-92
  Virtue
  +2
  93-95
  Weightless
  +2
  96-97
  Wolverine (+2)
  +2
  98-00
  Wyrdweave
  +2
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  102
  these weapons). The wielder can activate or deacti-
  vate this ability at will.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, entropic shield; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Arrow Deﬂ ection: This shield protects the 
  wielder as if he had the Deﬂ ect Arrows feat. Once 
  per round when he would normally be struck by a 
  ranged weapon, he can make a DC 20 Reﬂ ex save. 
  If the ranged weapon has an enhancement bonus, 
  the DC increases by that amount. If he succeeds, the 
  shield deﬂ ects the weapon. The shield bearer must be 
  aware of the attack and otherwise capable of acting 
  (not paralyzed or ﬂ at-footed, for instance) to make 
  the attempt, but the act of deﬂ ection doesn’t count 
  as an action. Exceptional ranged weapons, such as 
  boulders hurled by giants or acid arrows, can’t be de-
  ﬂ ected.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  shield; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Aspected: 
  Aspected 
  armor 
  ac-
  commodates not only its wearer’s 
  physical form but also incorporates 
  cosmetic enhancements that suit the 
  wearer’s tastes. The armor displays 
  a holy symbol, family crest, clan 
  emblem, or the like. While wearing 
  aspected armor, the wearer suffers 
  a -5 circumstance penalty on Dis-
  guise checks but receives a +2 cir-
  cumstance bonus on Diplomacy 
  checks in situations where his 
  identity or afﬁ liation are impor-
  tant.
  Faint transmutation; Caster 
  Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, alter 
  self; Market Price: +250 gp.
  Auran: Armors that pos-
  sess the auran enchantment 
  are made of thin veneers of 
  twisting and turning winds 
  that do not disturb the wear-
  er or those around her. Races 
  that have close ties to the air, 
  dwelling atop high mountains, 
  in ﬂ oating cities, or other celestial 
  realms commonly wear them. Those wearing this 
  armor gain the abilities of feather fall (at will), gas-
  eous form (once per day), and levitate (three times per 
  day).
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, feather fall, 
  gaseous form, levitate; Market Price: + 66,000 gp.
  Bashing: A shield with this special ability is de-
  signed to perform a shield bash. A bashing shield 
  deals damage as if it were a weapon of two size 
  categories larger (a Medium light shield thus deals 
  1d6 points of damage and a Medium heavy shield 
  deals 1d8 points of damage). The shield acts as a +1 
  weapon when used to bash, though additional en-
  hancements to the shield can increase it beyond this 
  base amount. Only light and heavy shields can have 
  this ability.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 8th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Blinding: A shield with this ability ﬂ ashes with 
  a brilliant light up to twice per day upon command 
  of the wielder (a free action). Anyone within 20 feet 
  except the wielder must make a DC 14 Reﬂ ex save or 
  be blinded for 1d4 rounds.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, searing light; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Blood-Linked: Whenever a blood mage wear-
  ing armor enhanced by this ability suffers damage 
  from a melee attack, a number of hit points equal to 
  one-half the damage inﬂ icted is stored in the 
  armor for later use. These hit points may 
  be used to pay the hit point cost incurred 
  when using the Blood Power feat (see 
  Spells & Magic). If these hit points are 
  not used, they disperse at a rate of one hit 
  point per day. Blood-linked armor is a dark 
  crimson color. The armor can 
  hold 30 hit points maximum, 
  and it becomes a darker and 
  darker red as the number of 
  stored hit points approaches 
  this maximum.
  Strong necromancy; Caster 
  Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, 
  vampiric touch; Market Price:
  +3 bonus.
  Bludgeoning 
  Resis-
  tance: Armor with this 
  type of enchantment is 
  endowed with a damage 
  resistance of 5/magic, 
  although 
  only 
  against 
  bludgeoning attacks.
  Moderate abjuration; 
  Caster Level: 8th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, stone-
  skin; Market Price: +1.
  Bone, Celestial: This 
  powerful enchantment literally changes an item 
  from one of wood, metal, or stone to one of celestial 
  bone, the very essence of goodness and light. Such 
  armors (or shields) shine with a divine light, con-
  stantly radiating as if a daylight spell had been cast 
  upon them. These items cannot be broken by any 
  physical means (although spells such as disintegrate
  and disjunction do have a chance of destroying them) 
  and they retain all prior bonuses and abilities from 
  before receiving this enchantment. In addition, ce-
  lestial bone items confer the following powers upon 
  their wearers once per day: bless, shield of faith, and 
  holy smite. Clerics and paladins possessing a celestial 
  Cat’s armor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  103
  bone item can add its enchantment bonus to their 
  turn undead checks.
  Any non-good creature that equips the item in-
  curs two negative levels that cannot be overcome in 
  any way, although they never result in actual level 
  loss and disappear when the item is set down again.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gentle repose, pla-
  nar ally; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Bone, Fiendish: This powerful enchantment 
  literally changes an item from one of wood, metal, 
  or stone to one of ﬁendish bone, the very essence of 
  evil and darkness. Such armors (or shields) radiate 
  with a profane gloom, possessing a constant um-
  bra as if a deeper darkness spell has been cast upon 
  them. These items cannot be broken by any physical 
  means (although powerful spells such as disintegrate 
  and disjunction do have a chance of destroying them) 
  and they retain all prior bonuses and abilities that 
  they had before undergoing this enchantment. In 
  addition, armors (or shields) with this enchantment 
  confer the following powers upon their wearers (or 
  wielders) once per day: bane, entropic shield, and the 
  ability to smite good (similar to the spell holy smite). 
  Clerics and blackguards possessing one of these 
  items can also add its enchantment bonus to their 
  rebuke or command undead checks.
  Any non-evil creature that equips the item suf-
  fers two negative levels that cannot be overcome in 
  any way, although they never result in actual level 
  loss and disappear when the item is set down again.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gentle repose, pla-
  nar ally; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Bull’s Armor: This item is decorated with the 
  emblem of a large bull. When worn, it grants an 
  enchantment bonus to the owner’s Strength score. 
  The bonus depends upon the strength of the en-
  chantment. A shield with this enchantment must be 
  wielded in order to receive the bonus, not simply 
  strapped to one’s back. This enchantment also grants 
  its wearer a +2 morale bonus to all saving throws vs. 
  fear effects.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus (+2 to Str), +3 bonus (+4 to 
  Str).
  Buoyant: Armor given this property becomes 
  buoyant and ﬂoats up to the surface upon mental 
  command and remains active until deactivated. The 
  buoyancy enchantment can affect items that weigh 
  up to ten times the weight of the buoyant item.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, levitate; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Cat’s Armor: This suit of armor or shield is deco-
  rated with the emblem of a small cat. When worn, it 
  grants an enchantment bonus to the owner’s Dexteri-
  ty score. The bonus depends upon the strength of the 
  enchantment. A shield with this enchantment must 
  be wielded in order to receive the bonus, not simply 
  strapped to one’s back. This armor also grants a +2 
  circumstance bonus to the wearer’s Move Silently 
  checks.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cat’s grace; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus (+2 to Dex), +3 bonus (+4 to 
  Dex).
  Clamping: This quality can only be applied to 
  shields. Clamping shields afﬁx themselves to the arm 
  when wielded. A character using such a shield can-
  not have it forcibly removed, nor can he accidentally 
  Table 5.3: Medium Armor Qualities
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price 
  Modiﬁer
  1-3
  Arcane
  +3
  4-5
  Blood-linked
  +3
  6-7
  Bone, Celestial
  +3
  8-9
  Bone, Fiendish
  +3
  10-12
  Bull’s Armor (+4)
  +3
  13-15
  Cat’s Armor (+4)
  +3
  16-17
  Dampening
  +3
  18-19
  Dark, Greater
  +3
  20-22
  Deathwarding
  +3
  23-25
  Deﬂecting (+2)
  +3
  26-27
  Dopple, Greater
  +3
  28-29
  Echotrapping
  +3
  30-31
  Empowered Healing
  +3
  32-33
  Firm Faith
  +3
  34-36
  Fortiﬁcation, moderate
  +3
  37-39
  Ghost Touch
  +3
  40-42
  Girding
  +3
  34-45
  Glancing
  +3
  46-48
  Ignan
  +3
  49-50
  Invulnerability
  +3
  51-53
  Moonbeam
  +3
  54-57
  Nagley
  +3
  58-60
  Raven’s Armor (+4)
  +3
  61-64
  Recall
  +3
  65-67
  Resisting, Enhanced Spell
  +3
  68-70
  Retributive
  +3
  7`-74
  Runic
  +3
  75-77
  Rusting
  +3
  78-80
  Spell Resistance (15)
  +3
  81-84
  Spell Storing, Greater
  +3
  85-87
  Steelspray
  +3
  88-90
  Thorny
  +3
  91-93
  Totem, Dire
  +3
  94-95
  Undead Controlling
  +3
  96-97
  Undetectable
  +3
  98-00
  Wolverine (+4)
  +3
  1-10
  Absorption, Spell
  +4
  11-20
  Deﬂecting (+3)
  +4
  21-30
  Echotrapping
  +4
  31-40
  Great Invulnerability
  +4
  41-50
  Phoenix
  +4
  51-60
  Shifting, Greater
  +4
  61-70
  Solace, Greater
  +4
  71-80
  Solace, Greater Dark
  +4
  81-90
  Spell Resistance (17)
  +4
  91-00
  Tentacled
  +4
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  104
  drop it. A command word must be spoken 
  to release a shield once clamped.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, spider climb; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Cold Resistance: A suit of armor or a 
  shield with this property normally has a 
  bluish, icy hue or is adorned with furs and 
  shaggy pelts. The armor absorbs the ﬁrst 
  10 points of cold damage per attack (simi-
  lar to the resist energy spell).
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  resist energy; Market Price: +18,000 gp.
  Cold Resistance, Improved: As cold re-
  sistance, except it absorbs the ﬁrst 20 points 
  of cold damage per attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  resist energy; Market Price: +42,000 gp.
  Cold Resistance, Greater: As cold resis-
  tance, except it absorbs the ﬁrst 30 points of 
  cold damage per attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  resist energy; Market Price: +66,000 gp.
  Cold Warding: The armor absorbs the 
  ﬁrst 50 points of cold damage per round 
  (similar to the resist energy spell). 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, protection from energy; Market Price: 
  +6 bonus. 
  Conﬁdence: Armor and shields with this ability 
  are made of ﬁnely polished steel, often embossed 
  with gold. This ability grants the wearer a +2 en-
  hancement bonus to Charisma. In addition, the wear-
  er +2 circumstance bonus to all Diplomacy checks.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 3rd; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, eagle’s splendor, 
  resistance; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Contingency: Suits of armor and shields that pos-
  sess this enchantment are always elaborate, baroque 
  affairs, often appearing to be designed more for cer-
  emony than for actual combat, although this is far 
  from the case. Contingency items allow their wearers 
  to place within them a number of spells in a certain 
  order and have these spells, upon the execution of a 
  particular set of circumstances, cast in rapid succes-
  sion (2 per round in the order they were added to the 
  item until all spells have been cast). New spells may 
  be cast into the item once per day. The contingen-
  cy for this discharge must be set at this time. Refer 
  to the spell contingency to determine what kinds of 
  conditions are valid and usable. The total spell level 
  of the combined spells cannot exceed twice the en-
  hancement bonus of the item. 
  String evocation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, contingency; Market 
  Price: +5 bonus.
  Dampening: Dampening armor absorbs some of 
  the damage done by a bludgeoning weapon and dis-
  perses it across the entire suit of armor. Damage dealt 
  by nonmagical bludgeoning weapons is reduced to 
  subdual damage. One half of the damage done by 
  a +1 bludgeoning weapon is reduced to subdual 
  damage. One quarter of the damage done by a +2 
  bludgeoning weapon is reduced to subdual damage. 
  Bludgeoning weapons with the intense quality or an 
  enchantment of +3 or better bypasses this ability. 
  Piercing and slashing weapons do normal damage.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, entropic shield, 
  mage armor; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Dark: Armors and shields that possess the dark 
  enchantment are generally a dusky gray color, and 
  are often adorned with strange inlays of dark stones, 
  feathers, or fur. However, it is not for their appear-
  ance, but for their powers, that warriors and rogues 
  alike love them. Items enchanted with the dark en-
  chantment allow the wearer to cast darkness (cen-
  tered on the armor or shield) three times per day. 
  Further, the wearer (wielder) gains the ability to see 
  in this (but no other) magical darkness normally.
  Moderate evocation [darkness]; Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, darkness; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Dark, Greater: Armors and shields that possess 
  the greater dark enchantment, like those with the dark 
  enchantment, are generally a dusky gray color, and 
  are often adorned with strange inlays of dark scales, 
  stones, feathers, or fur. Items enchanted with this en-
  chantment allow the wearer (wielder) to cast deeper 
  darkness (centered on the armor or shield) three times 
  per day. Further, the wearer (wielder) gains the abil-
  ity to see in this (but no other) magical deeper darkness 
  normally.
  Table 5.4: Major Armor Qualities
  %
  Special Ability
  Base Price 
  Modiﬁer
  1-5
  Contingency
  +5
  6-10
  Deﬂecting (+4)
  +5
  11-15
  Echotrapping
  +5
  16-20
  Fortiﬁcation, heavy
  +5
  21-25
  Great Invulnerability
  +5
  26-30
  Negating
  +5
  31-35
  Reﬂection, Greater Spell
  +5
  36-40
  Spell Resistance (19)
  +5
  41-44
  Acid Warding
  +6
  44-49
  Cold Warding
  +6
  50-54
  Echotrapping
  +6
  55-60
  Fire Warding
  +6
  61-64
  Great Invulnerability
  +6
  65-69
  Great Spell Resistance (21)
  +6
  70-75
  Inﬁnite Arrow Deﬂection
  +6
  76-80
  Lightning Warding
  +6
  81-87
  Sonic Warding
  +6
  88-89
  Great Invulnerability
  +7
  90-91
  Great Spell Resistance (23)
  +7
  92-94
  Exceptional Arrow Deﬂection
  +8
  95-97
  Great Spell Resistance (25)
  +8
  98-99
  Great Spell Resistance (27)
  +9
  00
  Great Reﬂection
  +10
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  105
  Moderate evocation [darkness]; Caster Level: 10th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, deeper 
  darkness; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Deathwarding: Armor with this enchantment 
  makes its wearer immune to all types of death mag-
  ic, as per the spell deathward.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, deathward; Mar-
  ket Price: +3 bonus.
  Deﬂecting: Deﬂecting items project an invisible 
  ﬁeld of force that provides additional protection be-
  yond that of the armor itself and its enchantment bo-
  nus. This ﬁeld can either be invisible, or appear as a 
  shadowy shell around the wearer. This enchantment 
  adds a deﬂection bonus to the armor, its cost varying 
  depending on its potency.
  +1 deﬂection bonus: Faint abjuration [force]; 
  Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, shield; Market Price: +2 
  bonus.
  +2 deﬂection bonus: Faint 
  abjuration [force]; Caster Level: 
  3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Mag-
  ic Arms and Armor, shield; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  +3 deﬂection bonus: 
  Faint abjuration [force]; 
  Caster Level: 3rd; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, shield; 
  Market Price: +4 bonus.
  +4 deﬂection bonus: 
  Faint abjuration [force]; 
  Caster Level: 3rd; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, shield; Market 
  Price: +5 bonus.
  Desert: This qual-
  ity gives the wearer of 
  the armor the ability 
  to withstand the wind, 
  sand, heat, and cold of 
  the desert. Those who 
  wear desert armor endure 
  the noonday sun or the 
  midnight chill as though it 
  was temperate, mild, and shad-
  ed; they do not need to make Forti-
  tude saves when exposed to temperatures above 
  90 degrees or below 40 degrees (Fahrenheit). The 
  armor provides a +2 circumstance bonus to saves 
  against a djinni’s whirlwind effect, as well as other 
  wind and sand spells.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, endure elements; Mar-
  ket Price: +2 bonus.
  Divine Conduit: Forged by dwarven priest-
  smiths, divine conduit armor allows wearers with the 
  turn/rebuke undead ability to channel energy into 
  the armor, enhancing its protective qualities. As a 
  free action, you may use a turn/rebuke undead at-
  tempt to gain one of the following effects: acid resis-
  tance 5, cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, or 
  protection from evil. The chosen effect lasts for 1 min-
  ute. The armor can have only one protective quality 
  active at any given time, but you can end an effect 
  at will.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blasphemy or holy 
  word; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Dopple: The unique properties of dopple items 
  make them particularly useful for shapechanging 
  adventurers. Shields with this particular enchant-
  ment are always bucklers and dopple armors are 
  always strange looking mismatched affairs (and 
  are often mistaken for patchwork armors). These en-
  chanted items change shape with their wearers, al-
  lowing both the armor bonus and the enhancement 
  bonus of the item to be retained in all forms.
  String transmutation; Caster Level: 
  15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, polymorph any item; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Dopple, 
  Greater: 
  Greater dopple items 
  are similar to dopple 
  items, excepting that 
  they grant the wear-
  er the ability to cast 
  polymorph, as a move-
  equivalent action, up 
  to three times per day.
  Strong transmuta-
  tion; Caster Level: 17th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Mag-
  ic Arms and Armor, poly-
  morph any item, polymorph 
  self; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Dread: Upon command, 
  a suit of dread armor causes 
  the wearer’s clothes and ap-
  pearance to become an illu-
  sion of horror. This has the 
  same effect as frightful pres-
  ence, which affects all crea-
  tures within 30 feet. Opponents 
  within range become frightened 
  (if the save is failed) or shaken if 
  they make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ 
  wearer’s level + wearer’s Cha modi-
  ﬁer). An opponent that succeeds on the 
  saving throw is immune to any further effects from 
  the dread armor for another 24 hours. This is a mind-
  affecting fear effect.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Echotrapping: Through the use of potent en-
  chantments, an item can be made magically reso-
  nant. Such items hold a pattern or blueprint of spells 
  to which their owners are exposed.
  An echotrapping item can store the pattern of one 
  spell per day per plus of Market Price. The item’s 
  wielder can learn spells caught in the item as if from 
  A Dark shield
  Illustrated by Christopher Keefe
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  106
  another wizard’s spell book. Learning a given spell 
  (Spellcraft DC 20 + the level of the spell) removes it 
  from the weapon and places it in a spell book; a failed 
  check erases the stored spell. Spontaneous casters 
  can spend spell slots to cast the spell, or even learn 
  the spell as a known spell if they have a slot avail-
  able. Only spells of up to sixth level can be stored in 
  an echotrapping item.
  Strong divination (plus aura of stored spell); Cast-
  er Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, read magic; Market Price: +1 bonus per spell 
  capacity. (An item that can hold ﬁve spells costs as 
  per a +5 item.)
  Electricity Resistance: A suit of armor or a shield 
  with this property normally has a bluish hue and of-
  ten bears a storm or lightning motif. The armor ab-
  sorbs the ﬁrst 10 points of electricity damage (similar 
  to the resist energy spell).
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; Market 
  Price: +18,000 gp.
  Electricity Resistance, Improved: As electric-
  ity resistance, except it absorbs the ﬁrst 20 points of 
  electricity damage per attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +42,000 gp.
  Electricity Resistance, Greater: As electricity re-
  sistance, except it absorbs the ﬁrst 30 points of elec-
  tricity damage per attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +66,000 gp.
  Emergency Reservoirs: Emergency reservoirs 
  are small magical pockets that can be ﬁtted inside to 
  any type of heavy or medium armor. The reservoir 
  holds one dose of a potion that is administered sub-
  dermally each time a critical hit is scored against the 
  wearer. Typically the reservoirs are ﬁlled with heal-
  ing potions. Medium armor can hold one emergen-
  cy reservoir, and heavy armor can hold two. Only 
  one reservoir can be triggered in a single round; the 
  wearer presets the order of discharge. 
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, open/close; Mar-
  ket Price: 540 gp; Cost to Create: 270 gp + 22 XP.
  Empowered Healing: A suit of armor with this 
  ability appears to be brightly polished and well 
  maintained. Any cure wounds spell cast on the wear-
  er is affected as if by the Empower Spell metamagic 
  feat.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 15th; Craft Magic 
  Arms & Armor, Empower Spell, cure critical wounds; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Etherealness: On command, this ability allows 
  the wearer of the armor to become ethereal (as the 
  ethereal jaunt spell) once per day. The character can 
  remain ethereal for as long as desired, but once he 
  returns to normal, he cannot become ethereal again 
  that day.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 13th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ethereal jaunt; 
  Market Price: +49,000 gp.
  Exceptional Arrow Deﬂection: This shield func-
  tions like a shield of arrow deﬂection except that it can 
  deﬂect any type of ranged attack (including spells 
  that require a ranged touch attack) as if it were an ar-
  row. Any time the bearer would normally be struck 
  by a ranged attack, he or she can make a Reﬂex sav-
  ing throw (DC 20). If the ranged attack has an en-
  hancement bonus (or a spell level), the DC increases 
  by that amount. If he or she succeeds, the shield 
  deﬂects the attack. The bearer must be aware of the 
  attack and not ﬂat-footed. Attempting to deﬂect a 
  ranged attack doesn’t count as an action. 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 23rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, shield, wall of force; Market Price: 
  +8 bonus. 
  Fire Resistance: A suit of armor with this ability 
  normally has a reddish hue and often is decorated 
  with a draconic motif. The armor absorbs the ﬁrst 10 
  points of ﬁre damage per attack (similar to the resist 
  energy spell).
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; Market 
  Price: +18,000 gp.
  Fire Resistance, Improved: As ﬁre resistance, ex-
  cept it absorbs the ﬁrst 20 points of ﬁre damage per 
  attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +42,000 gp.
  Fire Resistance, Greater: As ﬁre resistance, ex-
  cept it absorbs the ﬁrst 30 points of ﬁre damage per 
  attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +66,000 gp.
  Fire Warding: The armor absorbs the ﬁrst 50 
  points of ﬁre damage per round (similar to the resist 
  energy spell). 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, protection from energy; Market Price: 
  +6 bonus. 
  Firm Faith: Armors and shields that possess this 
  enchantment are composed not of metal, leather, and 
  wood, but rather from the very essence of a priest’s 
  faith in a higher power. As such, these armor and 
  shields can only be worn (or used) by characters that 
  expressly serve a higher power and receive spells 
  from that divine source (such as clerics, druids, pala-
  dins, and rangers). Other creatures ﬁnd they are un-
  able to don such armor or equip such shields, as if 
  they had no substance to them.
  Generally, these enchantments take on forms that 
  are representative of the higher power from which 
  they come. A shield of a sun god might take the form 
  of a scintillating, ﬂaming sun disk. Nevertheless, 
  whatever the appearance of the armor or shield, no 
  additional beneﬁts are gained from its appearance.
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  107
  Wielders (or wearers) of ﬁ rm faith enchanted 
  items receive the ability to cast all spells of one of 
  their domains at a +1 caster level (the domain must 
  be chosen by the character upon ﬁ rst donning the 
  armor). Divine spellcasters other than clerics only 
  gain the +1 caster level to their highest spell level 
  that they can cast when ﬁ rst wearing the armor or 
  shield. For example, a 4th-level druid gains the bonus 
  to all 2nd-level spells. This bonus stacks with other, 
  similar bonuses. Furthermore, these items possess 
  no weight, and function as if they had the weightless
  quality.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spiritual weap-
  on, prayer; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Floating: Only shields can have the ﬂ oat-
  ing ability. On command, the wielder may 
  choose to have the shield ﬂ oat along be-
  hind him, horizontally, 3 ft. off of the 
  ground. The shield will follow at your 
  normal movement rate, falling to the 
  ground if you are ever separated from it 
  by more than 40 ft. While ﬂ oating, the 
  shield conveys no armor bonus, but it 
  can haul up to 600 pounds.
  Faint evocation; Caster Level: 
  3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, ﬂ oating disk; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Fluid: On a command 
  word from it wearer, ﬂ uid ar-
  mor turns into a thick liquid 
  and ﬂ ows into a small metal 
  container specially made to 
  hold it. Another command 
  word causes the armor to 
  ﬂ ow out of the container 
  and re-form on its wearer. 
  You can don or remove ﬂ uid 
  armor as a standard action. 
  Only metal armor may have 
  this enhancement. The con-
  tainer has hardness 10 and 30 
  hit points; if it is destroyed, the 
  armor loses its ﬂ uidic properties.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, minor creation; 
  Market Price: +1,000 gp (light armor), +2,500 gp (me-
  dium armor), +5,000 gp (heavy armor).
  Fortiﬁ cation: This suit of armor or shield pro-
  duces a magical force that protects vital areas of the 
  wearer more effectively. When a critical hit or sneak 
  attack is scored on the wearer, there is a chance that 
  the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage 
  is instead rolled normally.
  Type
  Chance for 
  Normal Damage
  Base Price 
  Modiﬁ er
  Light
  25%
  +1 bonus
  Moderate
  75%
  +3 bonus
  Heavy
  100%
  +5 bonus
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, limited wish or miracle; 
  Market Price: Varies (see above).
  Gaze Protection: Shields are the only devices 
  that can receive this particular enchantment, which 
  gives them a semitransparent appearance. While the 
  bearer interposes the shield directly between himself 
  and his opponent, he is immune to any gaze attack 
  the opponent may have. However, while the shield 
  is being used in this way, its Armor Class and en-
  chantment bonuses are not effective versus melee 
  attacks.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites:
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, invisibility; Market 
  Price +1 bonus.
  Ghost Touch: This armor or shield seems 
  almost translucent. Both its enhancement 
  bonus and its armor bonus count against 
  the attacks of incorporeal creatures. It can 
  be picked up, moved, and worn by incor-
  poreal creatures at any time. Incorpore-
  al creatures gain the armor or shield’s 
  enhancement bonus against both 
  corporeal and incorpo-
  real attacks, and they 
  can still pass freely 
  through solid ob-
  jects.
  Strong 
  trans-
  mutation; 
  Caster 
  Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, etherealness; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Girding: Girding armor 
  absorbs some of the damage 
  done by a slashing weapon and 
  disperses it across the entire suit 
  of armor. Damage dealt by non-
  magical slashing weapons is reduced 
  to subdual damage. One half of the dam-
  age done by a +1 slashing weapon is reduced 
  to subdual damage. One quarter of the damage 
  done by a +2 slashing weapon is reduced to subdual 
  damage. Slashing weapons with the keen quality or 
  an enchantment of +3 or better bypasses this abil-
  ity. Bludgeoning and piercing weapons do normal 
  damage.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, entropic shield, 
  mage armor; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Glamered: A suit of armor with this ability ap-
  pears normal. Upon command, the armor changes 
  shape and form to assume the appearance of a nor-
  mal set of clothing. The armor retains all its proper-
  ties (including weight) when glamered. Only a true 
  seeing spell or similar magic reveals the true nature 
  of the armor when disguised.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, disguise self; Market 
  Price: +2,700 gp.
  Shield of ﬁ rm faith
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  108
  Glancing: Glancing armor absorbs some of the 
  damage done by a piercing weapon and disperses 
  it across the entire suit of armor. Damage dealt by 
  nonmagical piercing weapons is reduced to sub-
  dual damage. One half of the damage done by a +1 
  piercing weapon is reduced to subdual damage. One 
  quarter of the damage done by a +2 piercing weap-
  on is reduced to subdual damage. Piercing weapons 
  with the piercing quality or an enchantment of +3 or 
  better bypasses this ability. Bludgeoning and slash-
  ing weapons do normal damage.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, entro-
  pic shield, mage armor; Market Price: +3 
  bonus.
  Glimmer: Armors and 
  shields that possess this 
  enchantment aid their 
  wearers (or wielders) in 
  several ways. First, they 
  can be activated to cast 
  light on the armor itself, as 
  a free action, at will. This 
  effect makes the entire suit 
  of armor or shield glimmer 
  with a pale, ghostly light, 
  and can also be dispelled 
  by the wearer at will.
  Secondly, these items 
  can be activated to cast 
  faerie ﬁ re, as per the 
  spell, as a free action 
  up to a number of 
  times per day equal 
  to the wearer’s Cha-
  risma bonus (once 
  per day, minimum) 
  plus the defensive bo-
  nus of the armor. For 
  example, a ﬁ ghter with 
  a 12 Cha in +2 glimmered 
  chain mail could cast faer-
  ie ﬁ re up to three times a 
  day.
  Moderate evocation [light]; 
  Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, detect 
  thoughts, faerie ﬁ re, light; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Grace: Armor with this quality becomes more 
  ﬂ exible. Grace armor adds +2 to the maximum dex-
  terity bonus and lowers the armor check penalty by 
  3 to no less than zero.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cat’s grace; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Grasping: Wrapped in ensorcelled chains, grasp-
  ing armor gives its wearer a greatly improved ability 
  to grapple opponents. As soon as you are engaged in 
  a grapple, the chains begin to entangle the opponent, 
  granting a +10 circumstance bonus on your checks 
  made to maintain the grapple or to pin the oppo-
  nent. The armor provides no bonus on checks made 
  to escape a grapple or to damage the opponent. The 
  chains cannot be removed from the armor without 
  destroying it.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate rope; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Great Invulnerability: This suit of armor or 
  shield grants the wearer damage reduction. The 
  damage reduction can be 10/magic, 15/magic, 5/
  epic, or 10/epic, depending on the armor. 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 19th (10/magic), 
  20th (15/magic), 21st (5/epic), 22nd (10/epic); Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, stoneskin, wish, or miracle; 
  Market Price:+4 bonus (10/magic),+5 bonus (15/
  magic),+6 bonus (5/epic),+7 bonus (10/epic). 
  Great Reﬂ ection: Any time its 
  bearer of this shield is targeted 
  with a spell, it automatically 
  reﬂ ects the spell back at the 
  caster (as the spell turning 
  spell). The wearer can 
  lower or raise this effect 
  as a free action (thus al-
  lowing beneﬁ cial spells 
  in as desired). 
  Strong abjuration; 
  Caster Level: 25th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and 
  Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and 
  Armor, spell turn-
  ing; Market Price: 
  +10 bonus. 
  Great Spell Resis-
  tance: This suit of ar-
  mor or shield grants the 
  wearer spell resistance. 
  The spell resistance can 
  be 21, 23, 25, or 27, de-
  pending on the armor. 
  Strong abjuration; Caster 
  Level: 21st (SR 21), 22nd (SR 
  23), 23rd (SR 25), 24th (SR 27); Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft 
  Epic Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance; Market 
  Price: +6 bonus (SR 21), +7 bonus (SR 23), +8 bonus 
  (SR 25), +9 bonus (SR 27). 
  Grotesque: Armors and shields that possess this 
  enchantment undergo an actual physical change 
  wherein their form and shape is twisted into a fright-
  ening and grotesque shape. Usually, these new forms 
  are vaguely humanoid, animalistic, or demonic, but 
  they are all at the very least shocking and at worst, 
  terrifying. Wearers and wielders of these items can 
  cast, as a free action, the fear spell a number of times 
  per day equal to the enhancement bonus of the ar-
  mor. Checks to alter the attitude of non-evil NPCs 
  while grotesque items are equipped receive a –5 cir-
  cumstance penalty.
  Grotesque armor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  109
  Moderate necromancy [fear]; Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Hardened: Armor with this quality has a higher 
  DR than regular armor of its type. Light armor can 
  be hardened once, medium armor can be hardened 
  twice, and heavy armor can be hardened three times. 
  Each application of this quality increases its base DR 
  by 1 point. This quality is only available if your cam-
  paign is using the rules detailed under Damage Re-
  duction in Chapter 4.
  Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft (armorsmith-
  ing-12), interposing hand; Market Price: +1 bonus.
   Healing: Armors and shields that possess this 
  enchantment are considered a boon by all, especially 
  by ﬁghters and those who often ﬁnd themselves in 
  the thick of combat. Healing armors and shields are 
  specially crafted so as to grant healing energies to 
  those in need of them. Once per day as a free action, 
  the armor or shield can be called upon to grant only 
  the wearer (or wielder) the effect of cure moderate 
  wounds.
  Faint conjuration [healing]; Caster Level: 5th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure moder-
  ate wounds; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Healing, Greater: Greater healing armors and 
  shields are similar to those with the healing enchant-
  ment. Once per day as a free action, this armor or 
  shield can be called upon to grant only the wearer 
  (or wielder) the effect of cure serious wounds.
  Moderate conjuration [healing]; Caster Level: 7th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure seri-
  ous wounds; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Ignan: Armor that possesses this enchantment 
  appears to be completely composed of rolling, ﬂick-
  ering ﬂames that do no harm to the wearer or those 
  around her. Races that have close ties to ﬁre, or usu-
  ally dwell within extremely hot or ﬁery realms, com-
  monly wear these items. The armor provides a bo-
  nus of +10 to the wearer’s ﬁre resistance. Those that 
  do not possess such resistance gain a ﬁre resistance 
  of 10. Further, those wearing this type of armor gain 
  the ability to cast pyrotechnics as a standard action 
  three times per day.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist elements, 
  pyrotechnics; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Impact Resistance: Armor with this type of en-
  chantment is endowed with a damage resistance 
  of 5/magic, although only against bludgeoning at-
  tacks.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magical Arms and Armor, stoneskin; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Imprinted: Armor with this quality is made for 
  one particular person, family, gender, group, lin-
  eage, or race, speciﬁed at the armor’s creation. Any-
  one other than an intended user that dons the armor 
  receives 4d8 points of electrical damage each time 
  it is worn. Once discharged, the armor can be used 
  normally until removed, although it functions only 
  as ordinary nonmagical armor. 
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, glyph of warding, 
  locate creature; Market Price: +2,000 gp.
  Inﬁnite Arrow Deﬂection: This shield functions 
  like a shield of arrow deﬂection, though it can deﬂect 
  any number of projectiles or thrown weapons each 
  round. Any time the bearer would normally be 
  struck by a ranged weapon, he or she can make a 
  Reﬂex saving throw (DC 20). If the ranged weapon 
  has an enhancement bonus, the DC increases by that 
  amount. If he or she succeeds, the shield deﬂects 
  the weapon. The bearer must be aware of the attack 
  and not ﬂat-footed. Attempting to deﬂect a ranged 
  weapon doesn’t count as an action. Exceptional 
  ranged weapons, such as boulders hurled by giants 
  or ranged spells, can’t be deﬂected. 
  Strong abjuration [force]; Caster Level: 21st; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, protection from arrows, shield; 
  Market Price: +6 bonus. 
  Inspiration: Items that possess this enchantment 
  are a boon to all, but particularly to bards, who of-
  ten ﬁnd themselves in need of inspiration. Inspira-
  tion armors and shields are usually breathtakingly 
  beautiful, ornate affairs with sumptuous inlays and 
  ﬁligrees, and are exceptionally ﬂashy and impres-
  sive as a whole. However, their special abilities lie 
  not within their appearances, but rather within their 
  power to inspire. Once per day as a free action, the 
  weapon can be called upon to grant its wielder +6 
  ranks in the Perform skill. These ranks are tempo-
  rary and vanish within 1d4 hours. The bonus does 
  not stack with other inspiration items.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Arms and Armor, enthrall; Market Price: +1 bo-
  nus.
  Invulnerability: This suit of armor grants the 
  wearer damage reduction of 5/magic.
  Strong abjuration and perhaps evocation (if mir-
  acle is used); Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, stoneskin, wish or miracle; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Leadership: Armor with this ability increases the 
  wearer’s ability to attract loyal companions and de-
  voted followers. A suit of leadership armor increases 
  the wearer’s leadership score by 2.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, mass charm mon-
  ster; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Lightning Warding: The armor absorbs the ﬁrst 
  50 points of lightning damage per round (similar to 
  the resist energy spell). 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, protection from energy; Market Price: 
  +6 bonus. 
  Magnetic: Items enchanted with the magnetic 
  quality must be at least partly crafted from ferrous 
  material. Such items generate a powerful magnetic 
  ﬁeld that attracts nearby objects. This ﬁeld can be 
  turned on and off at will by the wearer. Any objects 
  worn or held by someone in magnetic armor or hold-
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  110
  ing a magnetic shield are immune to the effects of the 
  magnetic ﬁeld. The effects of this enchantment are 
  slightly different depending on whether it is added 
  to armor or to a shield.
  Magnetic Armor: When the ﬁeld is on, creatures 
  wielding metallic weapons gain a +4 circumstance 
  bonus to hit the wearer, but if they strike success-
  fully, their weapons hold fast to the magnetic armor. 
  Stuck weapons require a successful Strength check 
  (DC 18) to dislodge. Each attempt after the ﬁrst to 
  dislodge a stuck weapon requires a standard action 
  and allows the wearer to perform an attack of op-
  portunity against foes trying to wrest their weapons 
  from the armor.
  Magnetic Shield: While the magnetic ﬁeld is in ef-
  fect, attacks with metal weapons vs. its wielder gain 
  a +2 circumstance bonus to hit. However, there is a 
  chance (10% chance per point of armor bonus grant-
  ed by the shield) that when the wielder is struck by 
  a metal weapon that the weapon sticks to the shield. 
  The weapon’s wielder and the wielder of the shield 
  must either let go or engage in an opposed Strength 
  check. 
  The winner of this check gains sole possession of 
  both stuck items. If both combatants score above 18 
  on their Strength rolls, the objects separate. Thanks 
  to the securing straps on the shield, its wielder gains 
  a +2 circumstance bonus for this Strength challenge. 
  Each attempt after the ﬁrst to dislodge a stuck weap-
  on requires a standard action.
  Often, the wielder of a magnetic shield purposely 
  lets go of it after it sticks to an opponent’s weapon, 
  making the weapon useless. Disengaging a weapon 
  from an unattended magnetic shield is a move-equiv-
  alent action drawing an attack of opportunity, and 
  requires a successful Strength check (DC 20) to per-
  form.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, telekinesis; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Moonbeam: Named because of the color, reﬂec-
  tive quality, and location of its creation, moonbeam 
  armor is actually made of magically woven spider 
  webs. This process is exclusively known to the fey of 
  Between (see Fairies by Bastion Press), and can only 
  be created there. Moonbeam armor has the physical 
  properties of leather armor but the AC bonus of a 
  chain shirt. Other armor types cannot be made with 
  this ability. The armor creation process also imparts 
  the ability to emit a burst of soft white luminescence 
  three times per day (effects of faerie ﬁre on all within 
  a 5 ft. radius).
  Moderate transmutation and evocation [light]; 
  Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, faerie ﬁre, web; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Morphic: Both shields and armors with this en-
  chantment typically have a varied array of different-
  sized creatures emblazoned upon them. These items 
  confer the ability to alter the proportions of one’s 
  body, as per the spell enlarge/reduce as a standard ac-
  tion, up to three times per day. Morphic items always 
  shrink and stretch to ﬁt their wearer’s new size.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enlarge, reduce; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Muse: Armors and shields with the muse en-
  chantment are similar to those with the inspiration 
  enchantment. In addition to being able to increase 
  the wearer’s Performance skill, a bard with such an 
  item receives a +5 insight bonus to all Bardic Knowl-
  edge checks, a +2 competence bonus to all Craft 
  checks, and is able to cast legend lore once per day as 
  a standard action.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enthrall, legend 
  lore; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Nagley: Nagley (detailed in Complete Minions) 
  armors appear as garishly colorful and utterly ridic-
  ulous looking suits that, once donned, always seem 
  to be either just a bit too small or just a tad too large. 
  Rumors abound that these armors are the creations 
  of nagley sorcerers with too much time on their 
  hands. Whatever their origins, these suits of armor 
  allow their wearers to make use of the nagley’s in-
  nate distraction attack once per day as well as the 
  tiny fey’s supernatural dummy ability.
  The distraction ability must be used on an oppo-
  nent’s turn. The wearer of the armor must yell some-
  thing embarrassing to distract his opponent, forcing 
  him to succeed at a Will save (DC 16) or automati-
  cally fail his next die roll. This distracting statement 
  must be made in a language the target understands.
  The dummy ability allows the wearer to turn in-
  visible and create an illusionary duplicate of them-
  selves, complete with sound and voice, up to 20 feet 
  away. This ability can be turned on and off at will, 
  but cannot remain active for more than 10 minutes 
  per day. It otherwise behaves as the spell persistent 
  image.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, displacement persistent 
  image, drop of nagley blood; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Negating: Immediately after the wearer of this 
  armor is hit with a magic weapon, the armor casts 
  greater dispelling on the weapon. (In the case of pro-
  jectile weapons, the armor casts greater dispelling on 
  the weapon that ﬁred the projectile if it is in range. If 
  it is out of range, the armor does nothing.) No weap-
  on can be affected by the armor more than once per 
  day (regardless of the success of the dispel check). 
  Strong Abjuration; Caster Level: 20th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Magic 
  Arms and Armor, greater dispelling; Market Price: +5 
  bonus. 
  Negative Energy Resistance: A suit of armor or 
  a shield with this property normally has a white or 
  cream appearance. The armor absorbs the ﬁrst 10 
  points of negative energy damage per attack (similar 
  to the resist energy spell). The armor does not protect 
  against negative levels, ability damage, death effects, 
  or any other negative energy attack except one that 
  deals hit point damage.
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  111
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, death ward; Mar-
  ket Price: +18,000 gp.
  Phoenix: Armor with the phoenix ability allows 
  its wearer to experience an unusual rebirth; if he is 
  slain by a particular type of attack, he may make a 
  Will save (DC 10 + the slayer’s CR). If successful, the 
  wearer is resurrected one round later, at full hit points. 
  The phoenix armor is destroyed in the process.
  The known subtypes of phoenix weapons are: 
  ﬁ re, cold, lightning, venom (which works against 
  all poisons), and nemesis (which works against an 
  assassin’s death attack).
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 18th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  resurrection; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Photosynthetic: 
  Non-metal-
  lic armor or shields with this 
  ability grants the wearer 
  Fast Healing 1. The wearer 
  must be in direct sunlight 
  for the Fast Healing ef-
  fect to function. Metal-
  lic shields and armor 
  may not have this 
  ability.
  Faint 
  conjura-
  tion; Caster Level: 
  3rd; 
  Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, cure mi-
  nor wounds, creator 
  must be a druid; 
  Market Price: +1 bo-
  nus.
  Picker: Suits of ar-
  mor and shields that pos-
  sess this enchantment ap-
  pear as a hodgepodge of 
  unrelated 
  and 
  seemingly 
  useless items all fused togeth-
  er into a single mass. It is said 
  that this enchantment was ﬁ rst 
  created by the race that shares its 
  name (as detailed in Complete Min-
  ions), which is probably true, considering the race’s 
  unusual and characteristic qualities. Each and every 
  item that receives this enchantment is unique, as 
  they are each crafted from totally random and eclec-
  tic materials. 
  The true advantage of these enchanted items is 
  the fact that they contain a seemingly endless supply 
  of objects. The wearers of picker items can make use 
  of these various and sundry objects by peeling them 
  off of the armor (or shield), at which point, a new 
  and previously unseen item appears in its place, lit-
  erally rising up from beneath the surface of the item. 
  These items may be completely useless or utterly life 
  saving, depending on the situation. Between six and 
  ten objects are normally visible at a single time, but 
  no more than ﬁ ve can be replenished per day. Items 
  appearing can be randomly determined from stan-
  dard equipment lists, or selected at the GM’s whim.
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, major creation; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Piercing Resistance: Armor with this type of en-
  chantment is endowed with a damage resistance of 
  5/magic, although only against piercing attacks.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, stoneskin; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Plant: Armor with this ability becomes a living 
  plant. Attacks that would normally ignore armor 
  (like a brilliant energy weapon) are instead stopped 
  at the surface of the living armor. Only armors com-
  posed primarily of organic materials (like hides, 
  leather, studded leather, plant ﬁ ber plate, and simi-
  lar armors) can have this quality applied to them.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms & Armor, plant growth; 
  Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Positive Energy Resistance: A suit 
  of armor or a shield with this property 
  normally has a dark gray or black ap-
  pearance. It absorbs the ﬁ rst 10 points 
  of positive energy damage per at-
  tack (similar to the 
  resist energy spell). 
  Because undead 
  suffer 
  damage 
  from cure spells, 
  they are typically 
  the only wearers 
  of such armor.
  Moderate nec-
  romancy; 
  Caster 
  Level: 
  7th; 
  Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms 
  and 
  Armor, 
  death 
  ward, 
  creator 
  must be undead; Market 
  Price: +18,000 gp.
  Purging: A favorite of 
  healers, purging armor helps 
  the body ﬁ ght off attacks by poisons 
  and toxins. Creatures wearing such armor while be-
  ing tended to by one proﬁ cient in the Heal skill (and 
  performing the treat poison ability) receive a +4 cir-
  cumstance bonus on their ministrations to the poi-
  soned creature. While wearing this armor, a creature 
  gains a +2 circumstance bonus to all saving throws 
  versus poison.
  Moderate conjuration [healing]; Caster Level: 8th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, neutral-
  ize poison; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Quick Don: Armor and shields possessing this 
  enchantment allow the wearer or wielder to instant-
  ly don them when needed. Quick don armor takes 
  half the time to don (round down) as its nonmagical 
  counterparts.
  Phoenix armor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  112
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Haste; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Quick Release: Armor and shields possessing 
  this enchantment allow the wearer or wielder to 
  instantly remove them when needed. These items 
  are particularly handy when one falls into a deep, 
  rushing stream with while wearing your brand new 
  double plate armor.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Raven’s Armor: This suit of armor or shield is 
  decorated with the emblem of a large raven. When 
  worn, it grants an enhancement bonus to its own-
  er’s Intelligence score. The bonus depends upon the 
  strength of the raven’s armor. A shield with this en-
  chantment must be wielded in order to receive the 
  bonus, not simply strapped to one’s back. Such en-
  hancement bonuses do not stack; only the most pow-
  erful enhancement functions.
  This armor also grants a +2 circumstance bonus 
  to the wearer’s Handle Animal skill.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, identify; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus (+2 to Int), +3 bonus (+4 to Int).
  Recall: When conditions set by the wearer of this 
  type of armor are satisﬁed, he is teleported without er-
  ror to a previously speciﬁed location. The conditions 
  can be general, but must be clear as to exactly when 
  they are triggered. An example condition could be 
  when the user’s hit points drop below zero. This 
  ability can be used once per day. As full-round ac-
  tion, the user can set his current location as the target 
  of the teleport, or change the triggering conditions.
  Strong conjuration [teleportation]; Caster Level: 
  14th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  contingency, teleport without error; Market Price: +3 bo-
  nus.
  Reduction: Armor such as this is a common gift 
  of dwarves and gnomes to friends of taller stock. 
  Upon donning a shield or suit of armor with this 
  quality, the wearer shrinks to half normal height 
  and ⅛ normal weight. This decrease changes the 
  wearer’s size category to the next smaller one, for 
  which they gain a +2 size bonus to dexterity, a –2 
  size penalty to Strength (to a minimum of 1), and 
  a +1 bonus on attack rolls and AC due to reduced 
  size. Space and reach are affected accordingly. This 
  change in stature lasts as long as the armor is worn. 
    Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, reduce person; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Reﬂection, Spell: An item with this quality con-
  stantly shimmers with an aura of mirrorlike motes, 
  and its surface is often silvered and highly reﬂective. 
  The item’s enchantment takes effect when a spell of 
  a given school speciﬁcally targets the bearer. Each 
  speciﬁc item (either armor or shield) is attuned to 
  only one school of magic, which must be speciﬁed 
  upon its creation. A spell-reﬂecting item can reﬂect 7-
  10 (1d6+4) spell levels each day. 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell turning; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Reﬂection, Greater Spell: These items are similar 
  to spell reﬂecting items, except that they are able to 
  reﬂect spells cast from any school.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell turning; Market 
  Price: +5 bonus.
  Reshaping: This quality is a favorite of stalkers, 
  assassins and spies. Armor enchanted with the re-
  shaping property can reform itself upon command, 
  changing its style and appearance. Plain black leather 
  armor enchanted with this quality can transform into 
  golden plate mail with an eagle crest, for example. 
  Speciﬁc uniforms can be adapted to with a success-
  ful Disguise check (DC 15). Only a true seeing spell or 
  similar magic sees through this enchantment.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph any 
  object; Market Price: +2,700 gp. 
  Resistant Armor: Armor with this quality gains 
  a +2 bonus versus a speciﬁc type of special quality 
  damage (piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning). This 
  grants the creature a bonus to the saving throw to ig-
  nore the effects of a slashing, piercing, or bludgeon-
  ing weapon that inﬂicts loss of a limb as special dam-
  age (but does not grant DR). Light armor can have 
  this quality applied once; medium armors twice, and 
  heavy armors three times. It is possible to fortify ar-
  mor against multiple attack forms. Each application 
  stacks with the one before it, granting a cumulative 
  saving throw adjustment. This quality is only avail-
  able if your campaign is using the rules detailed un-
  der Damage Reduction in Chapter 4.
  Example: Dorin the ﬁghter wants to make his 
  plate armor more resistant to vorpal weapons. He 
  has a suit of full plate armor created that has been 
  hardened three times versus slashing attacks. If he’s 
  subjected to a critical hit by a vorpal blade while 
  wearing his new armor, he now gets a +10 bonus (+4 
  for his armor and +6 from hardening) on his DC 15 
  saving throw to resist the effects. Versus a piercing 
  or bludgeoning weapon, he would only have a +4 
  bonus on such saves.
   Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft (armorsmith-
  ing-12) stoneskin; Market Price: +500 gp per applica-
  tion for light armor; +1,000 gp per application for 
  medium armor; +2,000 gp per application for heavy 
  armor.
  Resisting, Enhanced Spell: These items bolster 
  the innate spell resistance of the wearer (or wielder) 
  by +5. If the wearer (or wielder) does not already 
  have spell resistance, she gains a spell resistance of 
  10 + her Charisma modiﬁer (if positive). This effect 
  does not stack with other qualities, innate abilities, 
  or items that grant spell resistance.
  This quality can be activated three times per day 
  as a free action that lasts 1d4+1 minutes. The armor 
  itself always possesses an SR equal to its caster level 
  +10 (for spells and effects directly targeting it).
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  113
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance; Market 
  Price: +3 bonus.
  Retributive: The quality can only be cast upon 
  armor. When the wearer is struck by a critical hit, the 
  attacker must make a Reﬂex save (base DC 20; this 
  increases by +2 per point of enhancement) or suffer 
  1d8 damage per point of enhancement bonus of the 
  armor from a burst of ﬁre, frost, electricity, or acid 
  (as speciﬁed during the armor’s creation). Normal 
  resistances versus the retribution effect apply (so a 
  creature with an energy resistance spell gains the ben-
  eﬁt of that magic).
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy, 
  plus either heat metal, chill metal, shocking grasp, or 
  acid arrow; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Ritual Combat: Ritual combat armor or shields 
  provide characters with partial protection against 
  physical damage. Items with this ability always feel 
  soft and yielding to the touch. A character wearing 
  armor with this quality takes the ﬁrst point of dam-
  age from any melee attack as nonlethal damage in-
  stead.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, stoneskin; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Runic: This suit of armor has several runes across 
  its surface. It has one rune built into it that may be 
  attuned to when worn by a rune mage. Runic armor 
  also reduces the chance of arcane spell failure for 
  rune magic by 10% (see Spells & Magic from Bas-
  tion Press). This reduction does not stack with other 
  qualities that reduce the chance of spell failure.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 14th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Eihwaz rune; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Rust Proof: Armor and shields protected by this 
  enchantment are immune to all normal and magical 
  forms of rust, including rust monster attacks and the 
  effects of rusting grasp.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, protection from ele-
  ments or rusting grasp; Market Price: +1 bonus
  Rusting: Nonmetallic armor only can be en-
  chanted with this ability. Anyone that strikes some-
  one wearing rusting armor with a metal weapon 
  must succeed at a Reﬂex save (DC 16) or the weapon 
  rusts away, effectively destroyed. If the wearer suc-
  cessfully grapples another creature, that creature’s 
  armor, if metallic, must succeed at a similar save or 
  be destroyed.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, rusting grasp; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Sacriﬁcial: Sacriﬁcial armor grants its wearer an-
  other chance to live at the armor’s expense. It melts 
  and penetrates harmlessly into the character’s body 
  immediately after her death, and 1d4 rounds later 
  casts a raise dead spell upon the wearer. The suit of 
  armor is completely lost once it has revived its wear-
  er, and the creature suffers full normal effects for a 
  raise dead spell.
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, raise dead; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Seeming: Armor of seeming is a favorite of assas-
  sins and burglars alike. Once per day with a com-
  mand word, the wearer can instantly disguise him-
  self as with the spell alter self cast by a 6th level caster 
  (1 hour duration).
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, alter self; Mar-
  ket Price: +2 bonus.
  Shadow: This armor is jet black and blurs the 
  wearer whenever she tries to hide, granting a +5 
  competence bonus on Hide checks. (The armor’s ar-
  mor check penalty still applies normally.)
  Faint illusion; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, invisibility; Market Price: 
  +3,750 gp.
  Shadow, Improved: As shadow, except it grants 
  a +10 competence bonus on Hide checks.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, invisibility; Market 
  Price: +15,000 gp.
  Shadow, Greater: As shadow, except it grants a 
  +15 competence bonus on Hide checks.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, invisibility; Market 
  Price: +33,750 gp.
  Shifting: Many seek out armors and shields that 
  possess this enchantment, but rogues and spell cast-
  ers particularly covet them. Items with the shifting 
  enchantment are almost always pitch black with 
  intricate and arcane etchings all over their surfaces, 
  making them appear more like a mystical map than 
  an article of war or defense. Characters wearing or 
  wielding them can cast the following spells as a stan-
  dard action, once per day: blur, blink, and teleport.
  Strong (no school); Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blur, blink, tele-
  port; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Shifting, Greater: Greater shifting items are sim-
  ilar to those with the standard shifting enchantment, 
  except that they allow the wielder to cast planeshift 
  and dimension door once per day in addition to blur, 
  blink, and teleport.
  Strong (no school); Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blur, blink, dimension 
  door, planeshift, teleport; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Silent Moves: This armor is well oiled and magi-
  cally constructed so that it not only makes little 
  sound, but it dampens sound around it. It provides a 
  +5 competence bonus on its wearer’s Move Silently 
  checks. (The armor’s armor check penalty still ap-
  plies normally.)
  Faint illusion; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, silence; Market Price: +3,750 
  gp.
  Silent Moves, Improved: As silent moves, except 
  it grants a +10 competence bonus on Move Silently 
  checks.
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  114
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, silence; Market Price: 
  +15,000 gp.
  Silent Moves, Greater: As silent moves, except 
  it grants a +15 competence bonus on Move Silently 
  checks.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, silence; Market Price: 
  +33,750 gp.
  Slashing Resistance: Armor with this type of en-
  chantment is endowed with a damage resistance of 
  5/magic, although only against slashing attacks.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, stoneskin; Market 
  Price: +1 bonus.
  Slick: Slick armor seems coated with oil. It pro-
  vides a +5 competence bonus on its wearer’s Escape 
  Artist checks. (The armor’s armor check penalty still 
  applies normally.)
  Faint conjuration; Caster Level: 4th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, grease; Market Price: 
  +3,750 gp.
  Slick, Improved: As slick, except it grants a +10 
  competence bonus on Escape Artist checks.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, grease; Market 
  Price: +15,000 gp.
  Slick, Greater: As slick, except it grants a +15 
  competence bonus on Escape Artist checks.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 15th; Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, grease; Market Price: +33,750 
  gp.
  Smoking: A suit of armor with this property 
  normally has a smoky silver appearance. The ar-
  mor creates a ﬁeld of smoke around the wearer that 
  ﬁlls his square and grants him a concealment bonus 
  (20% miss chance). He is not hindered in any way 
  by this smoke. Wind can disperse and suppress this 
  ability. When the wind effect ends, the armor begins 
  to smoke again in 1 round. A moderate wind (11+ 
  mph) disperses the smoke in 4 rounds; a strong wind 
  (21+ mph) disperses the smoke in 1 round. 
  Faint conjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fog cloud; Market Price: 
  +2 Bonus.
  Solace: Only paladins can utilize the full ability 
  of items with this enchantment. Such items usually 
  appear to be suits of armor or shields that have been 
  completely bleached to a dull white ﬁnish. As a part 
  of the enchantment, the intended user’s holy symbol 
  is added to the item in bas-relief. When the powers 
  of these items are used, these symbols glow with a 
  holy, silvered light.
  Paladins wearing (or using) these items gain di-
  vine assistance when healing others with their lay on 
  hands power (an additional 1d8 points is added per 
  use). Also, the paladin gains a +1 sacred bonus to all 
  saving throws as long as he is wearing (or wielding) 
  the item. Lastly, armors and shields with the solace 
  enchantment also prevent a paladin, if he should 
  perish while wearing them, from becoming undead.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, consecrate, heal; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Solace, Greater: Armors or shields with the great-
  er solace enchantment are similar to those with the 
  standard solace enchantment. In addition to all solace 
  powers, greater solace items further boost the pala-
  dins healing abilities (adding 2d8 points to laying on 
  hands effects), grant a +2 sacred bonus to saves, and 
  upon the paladin’s death, immediately transport his 
  soul to his deity’s realm, where he joins the ranks of 
  the honored dead.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, consecrate, heal, 
  plane shift; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Solace, Dark: Only blackguards can truly utilize 
  the full abilities of dark solace items. These devices 
  usually appear to be suits of armor or shields that 
  have been completely scorched to a ﬂat, dull black 
  ﬁnish. The wearer’s unholy symbol is added to the 
  item in bas-relief. When the powers of these items 
  are used, these symbols glow with an unholy, sear-
  ing, crimson light.
  A blackguard wearing (or using) these items 
  gains the corrupted assistance of their dark gods 
  when harming others via their sneak attack (add-
  ing +1d6 points on a successful attack). Also, the 
  blackguard gains a +1 profane bonus to all Reﬂex, 
  Will, and Fortitude saves as long as he is wearing (or 
  wielding) the item. Lastly, armors and shields that 
  receive the dark solace enchantment also preclude 
  that the blackguard, if he should perish while wear-
  ing (or using) them, immediately becomes a sentient 
  undead in the servitude of the dark power that fu-
  eled the item.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, desecrate, harm; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Solace, Greater Dark: Armors or shields with the 
  greater dark solace enchantment are similar to those 
  with the standard dark solace enchantment. In ad-
  dition to all dark solace powers, greater dark solace 
  items further boost a blackguard’s sneak attack abil-
  ity (adding +2d6 on a successful attack), grant a +2 
  profane bonus to saves, and upon the blackguard’s 
  death, immediately transport his soul to the sinister 
  realm of his deity, where he becomes a lesser devil 
  or demon.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, desecrate, harm, 
  plane shift; Market Price: +4 bonus.
  Sonic Resistance: A suit of armor or a shield with 
  this property has a glistening appearance. The armor 
  absorbs the ﬁrst 10 points of sonic damage per attack 
  (similar to the resist energy spell).
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; Market 
  Price: +18,000 gp.
  Sonic Resistance, Improved: As sonic resistance, 
  except it absorbs the ﬁrst 20 points of sonic damage 
  per attack.
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  115
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +42,000 gp.
  Sonic Resistance, Greater: As sonic resistance, 
  except it absorbs the ﬁrst 30 points of sonic damage 
  per attack.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 11th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: +66,000 gp.
  Sonic Warding: The armor absorbs the ﬁrst 50 
  points of sonic damage (similar to the resist energy 
  spell). 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 21st; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft 
  Epic 
  Magic Arms and Armor, protection 
  from energy; Market Price: +6 bonus.
  Spell Resistance: This property 
  grants the armor’s wearer spell 
  resistance while the armor is 
  worn. The spell resistance 
  can be 13, 15, 17, or 19, 
  depending on the ar-
  mor.
  Strong 
  abjura-
  tion; 
  Caster 
  Level: 
  15th; 
  Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms 
  and 
  Armor, 
  spell 
  resistance; 
  Market 
  Price: +2 bonus (SR 
  13), +3 bonus (SR 
  15), +4 bonus (SR 
  17), or +5 bonus (SR 
  19).
  Spellcasting: At-
  tuned to magical ener-
  gies, armor with the spellcasting quality reduces the 
  arcane spell failure percentage by 10%. This ability 
  stacks with the weightless property (offering up to a 
  20% reduction for armor with both qualities). 
  Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  & Armor, imbue with spell ability; Market Price: +1 bo-
  nus for light armor and +2 bonus for medium armor. 
  This quality cannot be applied to heavy armor.
  Spell Storing: These items can store a single spell 
  up to 3rd level. The stored spell must require only 
  one action to cast. The wearer of the armor can cast a 
  stored spell as a standard action. Once the spell has 
  been cast, a spellcaster may replenish it with another 
  spell. Spell storing items can hold either arcane or 
  divine spells. Arcane spell failure percentages do not 
  apply when casting spells from spell storing items.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must be a 
  caster of at least 12th level; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Spell Storing, Greater: These items are similar to 
  spell storing armors except that they can hold multi-
  ple spells totaling up to six spell levels (0 level spells 
  count as ½ a level). For example, a greater spell storing 
  tower shield could store one 6th-level spell or three 
  2nd-level spells. Only one spell can be cast from the 
  item at a time. Greater spell storing items can hold ei-
  ther arcane or divinely cast spells, but not both kinds 
  concurrently. 
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must be a 
  caster of at least 17th level; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Steelspray: This armor enhancement allows the 
  wearer to cause armor spikes on his armor to erupt 
  in a burst or a cone, as desired. This is a standard ac-
  tion and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. 
  Lost spikes take one round to reform. The burst at-
  tack inﬂicts 3d6 hp of damage to all creatures within 
  20 feet of the wearer. The cone effect is 30 feet long, 
  twenty feet wide at the end and inﬂicts the same 
  damage. Targets may make a Reﬂex save (DC 15 
  + the enhancement 
  bonus of the armor). 
  Either mode may be 
  activated at will up 
  to 3/day.
  Strong transmuta-
  tion and conjuration; 
  Caster 
  Level: 
  12th; 
  Prerequisites: 
  Craft 
  Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, make whole, tele-
  kinesis; Market Price: 
  +3 bonus.
  Storing: The breast 
  piece (or the front in 
  case of a shield) of this 
  armor has an innocuous 
  catch (Search DC 25) that 
  allows the wearer to open the 
  armor. Inside is an extra dimen-
  sional space that can be used in the exact 
  same way as a bag of holding (type I).
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, secret chest; Mar-
  ket Price: +1 bonus.
  Stowing: Rogues and others who wish to take 
  it all with them ﬁnd this type of armor irresistible. 
  Stowing armors and shields are able to instantly 
  place small inanimate items into an extradimen-
  sional stasis. Items stored must weigh less than 20 
  pounds, and must be able to be held in one hand. 
  Since stowed items are stored in stasis, even objects 
  such as a lit torch can be stowed effectively. The user 
  of a stowing device must touch the item to be stowed 
  with his bare hand in order to stow it.
  When the wearer or wielder touches his stowing 
  armor or shield with the desire to retrieve a stowed 
  item, the item appears instantly in his hand. The to-
  tal number of items that can be stored is equal to one 
  half the level of the caster that created the item
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shrink item; 
  Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Tentacled: Crafted using obscure techniques 
  from more than mere metal, wood, or leather, ten-
  tacled items are easily recognized due to their unique 
  conﬁguration. These special and costly elements are 
  indicative of the end result of the armor or shield, 
  Steelspray armor
  Illustrated by Christopher Keefe
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  116
  which is adorned with several tentacles that aid the 
  wearer (or wielder) in combat.
  In combat, the tentacles can be controlled by the 
  wearer as a move-equivalent action either to attack 
  or act (lift something, move something, and so on) 
  once per round. Each tentacle attacks at the wielder’s 
  melee attack bonus, does 1d4+1 points of damage 
  per hit, and can lift up to ﬁve pounds.
  The total number of tentacles that a crafter can 
  add to a suit of armor or shield is equal to the size 
  of the item. The maximum number and length of the 
  tentacles that can be added to a suit of armor or a 
  shield is detailed below.
  Size of Item
  Max #
  Length/Reach
  Fine
  1
  1 ft.
  Diminutive
  2
  2 ft.
  Tiny
  3
  5 ft.
  Small
  4
  5 ft.
  Medium
  6
  5 ft.
  Large
  8
  10 ft.
  Huge
  12
  10 ft.
  Gargantuan
  16
  15 ft.
  Colossal
  20
  20 ft.
  Moderate conjuration (creation); Caster Level: 
  10th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, an-
  imate dead, black tentacles, gentle repose; Market Price: 
  +4 bonus.
  Terran: Terran armor appears to be formed from 
  thin veneers of tightly packed and compressed earth, 
  dirt, sand, and pebbles. Races that have close ties to 
  the earth commonly wear them. Any individual that 
  possesses the ability to burrow gains an additional 10 
  feet per round to their burrowing rate while wearing 
  this armor. Those that do not possess the ability gain 
  it and are able to burrow up to ten feet per round. 
  Furthermore, those wearing this type of armor gain 
  darkvision up to 60 feet.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, soften earth 
  and stone or stone shape; Market Price: +2 bonus. 
  Thorny: Armors and shields that possess this en-
  chantment appear as they are crafted from strips of 
  bark, weeds, vines, leaves, and other vegetable mat-
  ter that is woven or sewn together in some fashion. 
  As a free action (and in response to a grapple attack), 
  the wearer can activate this ability, causing hundreds 
  of razor-sharp barbs to sprout from his armor. Crea-
  tures grappling the wearer suffer 25 points of dam-
  age per round (minus their Armor Class, excluding 
  Dodge and Dexterity adjustments). 
  Three times per day, the wearer can activate the 
  armor to serve as a bramble coating that inﬂicts 1d6 
  points of damage against all creatures that success-
  fully strike him. Activating the armor in this fashion 
  is a free action, and each use lasts for 1d4 minutes.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, wall of thorns; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Totem: Items that possess this enchantment only 
  exhibit their powers when wielded by barbarians, 
  rangers, druids, or those priests with access to the 
  animal domain. These items appear to be crafted of 
  hide, but the quality of workmanship and level of 
  detail used in their crafting is stunning. These details 
  always focus on a central animal theme, such as a 
  shield crafted entirely of elk horns and hide, or a suit 
  of bear hide armor adorned with the head, teeth, and 
  claws of the animal.
  Each of these items confers three powers upon 
  the wearer (or wielder). First, they allow the user to 
  speak with animals three times per day, as a standard 
  action. Secondly, they confer upon the user a +2 
  circumstance bonus on all reaction rolls when deal-
  ing with the item’s totem animal. This bonus stacks 
  with similar bonuses even if the wielder possesses 
  a matched set of items. For example, if a barbarian 
  wears a suit of polar bear totem armor and carries a 
  polar bear totem shield, he then enjoys a +4 circum-
  stance bonus on all reaction rolls upon encountering 
  a polar bear. 
  Lastly, the wearer of these items can use them 
  once a day as a free action to bolster his physical 
  abilities. This adds a +2 enhancement bonus to the 
  appropriate ability for a number of minutes equal to 
  the character’s level. These bonuses do not stack with 
  other enhancement bonuses. To determine which 
  abilities are bolstered, refer to the chart below.
  Animal Totem
  Bolstered Ability
  Bear/Eagle
  Str
  Owl/Badger
  Wis
  Hawk/Rabbit
  Int
  Otter/Fox
  Dex
  Wolf/Elk
  Con
  Coyote/Deer
  Cha
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animal friend-
  ship, summon nature’s ally IV; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Totem, Dire: Items with the Dire totem enchant-
  ment are similar those with the Totem enchantment, 
  excepting that the circumstance bonus to reaction 
  rolls and the ability bonus granted is increased to 
  +4. The wearer can also speak with animals at will, 
  instead of only three times per day.
  Strong enchantment; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animal friendship, 
  summon nature’s ally V; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Undead Controlling: The wearer of a suit of ar-
  mor or a shield with this property may control up to 
  26 HD of undead per day, as the control undead spell. 
  At dawn each day, the wearer loses control of any 
  undead still under his sway. 
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  117
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, control undead; 
  Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Undetectable: Upon command, armor with this 
  quality changes shape and form to assume the ap-
  pearance of a normal set of clothing. It also hides the 
  aura of its wearer and shields from magical means 
  of detection, including scrying and divinations such 
  as clairaudience/clairvoyance, locate object, and detect 
  spells. A true seeing spell or similar magic can see 
  through this illusion after 1d4+1 rounds of observa-
  tion.
  Moderate illusion and abjuration; Caster Level:
  11th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, dis-
  guise self, misdirection, magic aura, nondetection, 
  obscure object; Market Price: +3 bonus.
  Virtue: Armor with this quality pos-
  sesses a glowing blue corona that’s 
  barely visible in daylight. As a free 
  action, the wearer may transfer the 
  armor’s armor bonus (but not its en-
  hancement bonuses) to another 
  creature within 30 ft., reducing 
  his own armor bonus in the 
  process. When the bonus is 
  transferred, the corona leaps 
  to surround the person who’s 
  receiving protection.
  The wearer chooses how 
  much of his armor bonus to 
  transfer. For instance, a pala-
  din wearing +3 double plate can 
  transfer up to 12 points of ar-
  mor bonus to the party’s wiz-
  ard, but the +3 enhancement to 
  the armor remains with him. 
  Armor bonuses do not stack 
  (if the wizard had bracers of 
  armor +3 he’d only receive a 
  bonus of 9 more points to his 
  Armor Class). 
  The wearer can reclaim his ar-
  mor’s protection at any time as a free action, and if he 
  and the protection’s recipient ever move more than 
  30 ft. apart, the protection automatically returns to 
  the virtue armor.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites:
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shield other; Market 
  Price: +2 bonus.
  Water Breathing: Armor or shields enchanted 
  with this property allow the wearer to breathe un-
  derwater as if they are under the effects of a water 
  breathing spell.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, water breathing; 
  Market Price +1 bonus.
  Weightless: Armor given this enchantment has 
  no weight at all. Weightless armor removes any ad-
  justment for speed from a given armor type and re-
  duces the arcane spell failure percentage chance by 
  10%. It also decreases the Armor Check penalty by 2 
  and increases the Max Dex adjustment by 2.
  Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  & Armor, levitate; Market Price: +1 bonus for light or 
  medium armor and +2 bonus for heavy armor. 
  Wild: The wearer of a suit of armor or a shield 
  with this ability preserves his armor bonus (and any 
  enhancement bonus) while in a wild shape. Armor 
  and shields with this ability usually appear to be 
  made covered in leaf patterns. While the wearer is in 
  a wild shape, the armor cannot be seen.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, baleful poly-
  morph; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Wolverine: This enchantment grants an en-
  hancement bonus to the owner’s Charisma score. 
  The bonus depends upon the strength of 
  the enchantment. A shield with this 
  enchantment must be wielded 
  in order to receive the bonus, 
  not simply strapped to one’s 
  back. This armor also grants 
  a +2 circumstance bonus to 
  the wearer’s Intimidation 
  checks.
  Moderate transmutation; 
  Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, charm 
  person; Market Price: +2 bonus (+2 to 
  Cha), +3 bonus (+4 to Cha).
  Wyrdweave: Armor and shields 
  with this enchantment are com-
  posed not of metal, leather, and 
  wood, but rather from the very es-
  sence of magic itself. As such, these 
  items can only be worn (or used) by 
  arcane spellcasters, such as sorcer-
  ers and wizards. Other creatures 
  attempting to don these items are 
  unable to do so, the items behav-
  ing as if they had no substance to 
  them at all.
  Items with this enchantment 
  take on appearances that are representative of the 
  owner’s personality, so the armor of a wizard who 
  favors ﬂ ashy evocation spells might take on the form 
  of surging, ever coursing energy, while the shield of 
  a sorcerer who focuses on her divination abilities 
  might appear as the clear, rippling surface of a scry-
  ing pool. However, whatever the appearance of the 
  armor or shield, its properties remain the same. 
  Wielders of wyrdweave items receive the ability 
  to cast all spells of one of their selected schools at a 
  +1 caster level (the school must be chosen upon ﬁ rst 
  touching the device). This bonus stacks with other, 
  similar bonuses. Level bonuses due to wyrdweave
  items do not stack, although each may be applied to 
  a different school.
  Moderate (aura of whatever school the wielder is 
  attuned to at the time); Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites:
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, mage armor, greater 
  magic weapon; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Totem armor
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 5: Armor Qualities
  
  118
  CHAPTER 6: ARMOR OF GALLANTRY
  (+6), 980,000 gp (+7), 1,280,000 gp (+8), 1,620,000 gp 
  (+9), 2,000,000 gp (+10); Weight: —.
  Amulet of Mighty Fists: This amulet grants an 
  enhancement bonus of +1 to +5 on attack and dam-
  age rolls with unarmed attacks and natural weap-
  ons.
  Faint evocation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Wondrous Item, greater magic fang, creator’s 
  caster level must be at least three times the amulet’s 
  bonus; Market Price: 6,000 gp (+1), 24,000 gp (+2), 
  54,000 gp (+3), 96,000 gp (+4), 150,000 gp (+5).
  Amulet of Natural Armor: This amulet, usu-
  ally crafted from bone or beast scales, toughens the 
  wearer’s body and ﬂesh, giving him an enhancement 
  bonus to his natural armor of from +1 to +5, depend-
  ing on the kind of amulet.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, barkskin, creator’s caster 
  level must be at least three times the amulet’s bonus; 
  Market Price: 2,000 gp (+1), 8,000 gp (+2), 18,000 gp 
  (+3), 32,000 gp (+4), or 50,000 gp (+5).
  Arcane Weave: This item is a +1 mithral chain 
  shirt with pockets that hold four arcane scrolls.  The 
  wearer may activate the armor to invoke one of these 
  scrolls as a move-equivalent action (this does not 
  provoke an attack of opportunity). When activated, 
  a deep, resonant voice reads the scroll (a silence spell 
  negates the scroll’s activation). The entire contents 
  of the scroll are consumed upon casting, even if a 
  single scroll holds multiple spells.
  The armor can invoke spells ﬂawlessly that are 
  equal or less than its caster level, and all scrolls are 
  cast at the armor’s caster level regardless of the level 
  T
  here are times when a simple suit 
  of chain mail +3 just isn’t enough. A 
  villain might want a defense versus 
  a particular attack form favored by 
  the heroes, a rogue might need a few 
  extra pockets to store things, or a wizard might want 
  more than just a magical ring to shield him from 
  harm. 
  Some of the most effective, useful, and strange of 
  all magical armors defy categorization. This section 
  describes the wealth of miscellaneous magical ar-
  mors, along with magic items that grant armor class, 
  movement, mobility, and other defenses.
  Aegis of the Stalwart Defender: This heavy +2 
  adamantine mountain kite shield provides excellent 
  protection to any warrior, in the form of its (total) 
  +5 shield bonus to AC. When carried in conjunc-
  tion with the mantle of the stalwart defender, it also 
  grants damage reduction 2/-, increasing the total 
  granted by the two to 5/- in normal situations, and 
  10/- when in a defensive stance.
  Faint Abjuration; CL: 7th; Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, stoneskin; Price 16,250 gp.
  Amulet of Epic Natural Armor: This amulet 
  toughens the wearer’s body and ﬂesh, giving him or 
  her an enhancement bonus to his or her natural ar-
  mor of +6 or higher, depending on the type of amu-
  let. 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 20th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous 
  Item, barkskin, creator’s caster level must be three 
  times the amulet’s bonus; Market Price: 720,000 gp 
  Table 6.1: Minor Wondrous Armor
  %
  Item
  Market Price
  1-4
  Aspected Aketon
  300
  5-7
  Backplate of Blurring
  500
  9-11
  Breastplate of Blinding
  600
  12-16
  Penelope’s Oil of Rust Protection
  750
  17-20
  Quiver, Plentiful
  800
  21-25
  Bracers of Armor (+1)
  1,000
  26-30
  Helm of Buoyancy
  1,100
  31-35
  Bracers of Bashing
  1,200
  36-40
  Quiver of Khonshu
  1,200
  41
  Beaded Armor of Odor
  1,500
  42-44
  Amulet of Natural Armor (+1)
  2,000
  45-48
  Ring of Protection (+1)
  2,000
  49-52
  Bracers of Armor (+2)
  4,000
  53-57
  Gloves of Arrow Snaring
  4,000
  58-60
  Mask of the Hunter
  4,000
  61-62
  Scabbard of Return
  4,000
  64-65
  Thief’s Bandolier
  4,000
  66
  Doublet of Distinction
  4,170
  67-71
  Bracers of Archery, Lesser
  5,000
  72-73
  Magnetic Aketon
  5,000
  74-76
  Sycophant (+1)
  5,000
  77-80
  Helm of Comprehending Languages and Reading Magic
  5,200
  81-85
  Amulet of Mighty Fists (+1)
  6,000
  86-90
  Boots of Striding and Springing (+10)
  6,000
  91-95
  Horseshoes of Speed (+10)
  6,000
  96-00
  Leggings of Speed (+10)
  6,000
  
  119
  of the scroll’s creator. To determine the success or 
  failure of sorcerer’s weave on more powerful magic, 
  treat the armor as a 6th-level caster and roll for failure 
  as detailed in the Scrolls section of Chapter 7 of the 
  DMG.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 6th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  read magic, magic mouth, creator must 
  have the Combat Casting feat; 
  Market Price: 23,850 gp: Cost to 
  Create: 11,925 gp + 954 xp.
  Armor of the Undead: 
  Created by evil wizards 
  and clerics as protection for 
  their undead servants, this 
  enchanted suit if chain mail 
  armor is specially crafted 
  to offer superior protection 
  for creatures that draw their 
  strength from the Negative 
  Material Plane. As reward 
  for loyal service this armor is 
  often given to such free-willed 
  undead by malicious deities 
  and their powerful followers.
  The protection afforded the 
  wearer is dependant on the Hit 
  Dice of the sacriﬁce—the stronger 
  the creature, the more protection 
  granted by the armor (see below). 
  As a result this armor is highly cov-
  eted by powerful undead such as 
  vampires, skeletal warriors, bo-
  dak, and liches. This enchant-
  ment grants a profane bonus 
  to both armor class and sav-
  ing throws, plus grants an 
  SR equal to the 5 times the 
  enchantment against Good 
  spells. If a creature already 
  has SR better than this, it 
  gets a bonus on its SR of the 
  base enchantment.
  Hit Die 
  Profane  
   
  Bonus
  1-4 
  +1
  5-7 
  +2
  8-10 
  +3
  11-13 
  +4
  14+ 
  +5
  This armor can only 
  be worn by undead 
  creatures. 
  Living 
  creatures that wear 
  the armor suffer 
  2 negative levels. 
  These levels can-
  not be restored by 
  any means, though 
  they return once the armor is removed.
  Sacriﬁce: In addition to the monetary require-
  ments, undead creatures must sacriﬁce the living 
  to their dark gods. The level of the creature serves 
  as the baseline profane bonus granted to the armor. 
  The levels of the sacriﬁce do not stack; 
  each must be directed toward a different 
  enchantment. Liches and other power-
  ful undead and have sometimes tried to 
  lure powerful adventurers to their lairs 
  for just such a purpose.
  Strong transmutation; CL 15th; pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Ar-
  mor, unholy aura; Price: 20,000 gp
  Aspected 
  Aketon: 
  This 
  magical aketon gives the abil-
  ity to modify the look of any 
  armor worn but is limited 
  to surface appearance only. 
  It cannot alter the appear-
  ance of the type or amount 
  of armor. The aketon can 
  be used to cover scratches 
  and dents when trying to 
  make a good impression 
  or it can make the armor 
  to appear more used than 
  it actually is when at-
  tempting to intimidate 
  someone.
  Faint transmuta-
  tion; CL 3rd; Prereq-
  uisites; Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, 
  alter self; Market 
  Price: 300 gp
  Assassin’s Pol-
  ished Plate: This suit 
  of +1 daggered plate is highly 
  ornate and often bears the crest 
  of a royal house or noble fam-
  ily. Upon the users command, 
  the armor turns jet black and 
  gains the improved shadow and 
  improved silent moves properties, 
  granting a +10 competence bo-
  nus to Hide and Move Silently 
  checks. The daggers locked to 
  either shoulder function as as-
  sassin’s daggers, though they only 
  retain their wicked, curved edge 
  when the plate is in its clandestine 
  form.
  Moderate Illusion; CL 10th; 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, in-
  visibility, silence, slay living; Price 
  68,504gp; Cost 34,252gp + 2,740 
  XP.
  Backplate of Blurring: This 
  multi-colored, multi-faceted mor-
  bius backplate offers no protection 
  from frontal assaults. However 
  when the wearer is ﬂanked this 
  Armor of Valor
  Illustrated by James Byrd
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  120
  backplate acts as a blur spell for any opponents in a 
  120 degree arc behind the wearer. This negates the +2 
  to-hit ﬂanking bonus for these opponents and acts as 
  the standard blur spell (20% chance to miss). This can 
  be worn with other forms of armor and shield that 
  do not cover the back or over chain mail or padded 
  armor. This item can be used in conjunction with a 
  breastplate or as a piece in a suit of plate armor.
  Minor Illusion; CL 2nd; Prerequisites; Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, blur; Market Price: 500 gp
  Bandolier of Venom: Typically favored by 
  monks, rogues and assassins, these items appear to 
  be normal military-style bandoliers. A single strip 
  of leather, or sometimes two crossed strips, buck-
  les cross the user’s chest. The front of each strip has 
  ten thick leather loops meant to hold tiny ranged 
  weapons. A single strip bandolier can thus hold ten 
  weapons, while a double strip can hold twenty. Any 
  item so placed is magically secured to the loop and 
  cannot be removed save by the intent of the wearer. 
  Each time a weapon is removed from the bandolier 
  it is envenomed with a poison unique to that speciﬁc 
  bandolier.
  The poison is type injury, with a DC= 5 + one 
  half the creator’s level + ability modiﬁer (of the abil-
  ity score selected), and does 1d6 initial and second-
  ary damage. The ability score affected is determined 
  during the item’s creation and cannot be altered. 
  Envenomed weapons drawn from the bandolier re-
  main poisoned for only a single round. The wearer 
  is immune to the poison produced by the bandolier 
  as long as the item is worn.
  Table 6.2: Medium Wondrous Armor
  %
  Item
  Market Price
  1-3
  Amulet of Natural Armor (+2)
  8,000
  4-6
  Mask of the Trickster
  8,000
  7-9
  Ring of Protection (+2)
  8,000
  10-12
  Ring of Force Shield
  8,500
  13-15
  Bracers of Armor (+3)
  9,000
  16-18
  Thornshield
  9,153
  19
  Hedgehog Armor
  9,175
  20-21
  Byrne of the Brave
  9,250
  22-24
  Blur Armor
  11,960
  25-27
  Boots of Speed
  12,000
  28-30
  Boots of Striding and Springing (+20)
  12,000
  31-33
  Horseshoes of Speed (+20)
  12,000
  34-36
  Leggings of Speed (+20)
  12,000
  37-39
  Resistant Padding (1 element)
  12,000
  40-42
  Falcon Spaulders
  12,175
  43-45
  Bull’s Helm
  13,155
  46-48
  Sycophant (+3)
  15,000
  49-51
  Mask of the Nightlings
  15,200
  52-54
  Chainmail of Harmony
  15,800
  55-57
  Bracers of Armor (+4)
  16,000
  58-59
  Scabbard of Keen Edges
  16,000
  60-61
  Emperor’s Scale
  16,200
  62-63
  Aegis of the Stalwart Defender
  16,250
  64-65
  Leggings of Balance
  17,250
  66-67
  Financier’s Mail
  17,650
  68-69
  Amulet of Natural Armor (+3)
  18,000
  70-71
  Ring of Protection (+3)
  18,000
  72
  Guild Leathers
  18,910
  73
  Armor of the Undead
  20,000
  74-75
  Resistant Padding (2 elements)
  21,000
  76
  Woven Assistant
  21,386
  77-78
  Arcane Weave
  23,850
  79
  Divine Weave
  23,850
  80-81
  Amulet of Mighty Fists (+2)
  24,000
  82
  Boots of Striding & Springing (+30)
  24,000
  83
  Horseshoes of Speed (+30)
  24,000
  84-85
  Leggings of Speed (+30)
  24,000
  86-87
  Bracers of Archery, Greater
  25,000
  88-89
  Bracers of Armor (+5)
  25,000
  90
  Mantle of the Stalwart Defender
  25,650
  91-92
  Nightwarden’s Leaf
  26,750
  93-94
  Helm of Telepathy
  27,000
  95-96
  Resistant Padding (3 elements)
  27,000
  97-98
  Fiendish Barding
  27,400
  99-00
  Mask of the Orcs
  27,600
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  121
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, arcane lock, poison; Mar-
  ket Value: 50,000 gp (single strip), 70,000 gp (double 
  strap); Cost to Create: 25,000 gp + 2,000 XP (single), 
  35,000 gp + 2,800 XP (double); Weight: 2 lb. (single) 
  or 4 lb. (double).
  Battle Plate: Originally fashioned for mounted 
  knights, battle plate appears as a +1 breastplate. At 
  the command of the user, the armor transforms into 
  a suit of +3 full plate mail and grants damage reduc-
  tion of 10/magic. The changed armor gleams as if 
  polished by the gods, easily drawing the eye of all 
  within view. The layers of the armor are perfectly 
  symmetrical, with the carved symbol of the sun 
  adorning the center of the helmet. Battle plate is made 
  from a combination of adamantine and mithral. 
  Moderate evocation; CL 13th; Prerequisite: Craft 
  Magic Arms & Armor, shrink item, undetectable aura, 
  stoneskin; Price: 92,650 gp.
  Billowing Cloak: This item provides protection 
  to the wizard not by absorbing damage but by mak-
  ing it more difﬁcult to be hit in the ﬁrst place. Billow-
  ing cloak armor consists of a set of jet-black clothing, 
  including a pair of cloth gloves, a pullover mask, 
  and an enormous (some might say ridiculously so) 
  cloak. The cloak has an overlarge collar that blocks 
  the 120° arc directly behind the wizard’s head. 
  When activated by command word, the cloak bil-
  lows out behind and to the sides of the wizard, ﬂap-
  ping wildly in an ever-shifting pattern. The billow-
  ing cloak can ﬂap around in an area covering up to a 
  square with 5 feet on each side, providing the wearer 
  a 50% miss chance as if under total concealment. Of 
  course, the billowing cloak armor is less effective un-
  der cramped conditions, and the miss chance drops 
  to 20% in situations where the cloak can’t billow out 
  to its full size.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Wondrous Item, displacement; Market Price: 
  36,000 gp.
  Beaded Armor of Odor: This armor is +1 beaded 
  armor, but interspersed among the standard beads 
  are hollow orbs containing a viscous and foul-smell-
  ing substance. Each time the wearer is struck, the 
  armor must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or one of 
  the hollow beads is ruptured. While not deadly, the 
  stench from these broken beads is powerful enough 
  to induce retching in anyone who fails a Fortitude 
  check (DC 15) for 1d4 rounds, making them unable 
  to take any combat action. When found the armor 
  contains 5d20 breakable beads. The broken beads 
  do not lessen the protection supplied by the armor 
  and when all stench beads are broken the armor acts 
  as standard +1 magic beaded armor. Opponents get 
  a +2 circumstance bonus to Spot and Track checks 
  against the wearer due to the lingering smell until 
  the suit is properly cleaned or until 1d6 weeks pass. 
  While not a popular adventurer choice for armor, 
  beaded armor of odor is a frequent choice for undead 
  minions.
  Faint Conjuration; CL 3rd; Prerequisites; Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, stinking cloud; Market Price: 
  1,500 gp
  Blur Armor: Ornate in appearance, this suit of 
  +1 leather armor grants the wearer the blur spell-like 
  ability three times per day.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blur; Market Price: 
  11,960 gp; Cost to Create: 6,060 + 472 XP.
  Boots of the Raptor: These high boots are ﬁnely 
  crafted out of dinosaur hide. When they are worn 
  they merge with the wearer’s feet and transform into 
  clawed velociraptor feet. While worn, the user of 
  these magical boots has a base speed of 60 ft. When 
  wearing medium or heavy armor, this speed is re-
  duced to 40 ft. If the wearer’s natural speed is faster 
  than 60 ft. his speed is unchanged by the magic of 
  the boots.
  The primary function of the boots, however, is 
  their offensive capacity. As a free action, the wearer 
  can extend a long curved claw from the foot of each 
  boot. These boots allow the character to make a single 
  rake attack each round by leaping upon a target and 
  slashing away with each boot. This attack requires a 
  full-round action, and uses the wearer’s full attack 
  bonus. A successful hit does 2d6 points of damage 
  plus the wearer’s Strength bonus. If the wearer has 
  at least 10 ranks in Jump, he can make this rake at-
  tack as a standard action. As a full round action, a 
  character with 10 ranks in Jump may make the rake 
  attack in addition to his normal attacks, although in 
  this case all of his non-rake attacks are treated as sec-
  ondary attacks. Secondary attacks suffer a –5 penalty 
  to hit and add only one-half the attacker’s Strength 
  bonus.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Craft 
  Wondrous Item, expeditious retreat, greater magic fang; 
  Market Price: 8,500 gp; Cost to Create: 50,000 gp + 
  1,000 XP; Weight: 1 lb.
  Boots of Striding and Springing: The wear-
  er of these boots increases her base land speed by 
  the amount listed. The base speed is then modiﬁed 
  based on the armor worn and any other modiﬁers. In 
  addition to this striding ability, these boots allow the 
  wearer to make great leaps. She can jump with a +5 
  competence bonus to Jump checks, and the wearer’s 
  jumping distance is not limited by her height.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, expeditious retreat, jump; 
  Market Price: 6,000 gp (+10), 12,000 gp (+20), 24,000 
  gp (+30), 72,000 gp (+40); Weight: 1 lb.
  Boots of Speed: As a free action, the wearer can 
  click her boot heels together, enabling her to act as 
  though affected by a haste spell for up to 10 rounds 
  each day. The duration of the haste effect need not be 
  consecutive rounds.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 10th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Wondrous Item, haste; Market Price: 
  12,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.
  Boots of Swiftness: These shoes grant their 
  wearer a +6 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. The 
  wearer’s speed doubles (this does not stack with any 
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  122
  magical or supernatural enhancement to speed), he 
  or she gains the evasion ability (as the rogue class 
  feature), and the wearer’s jumping distance is not 
  limited by his or her height. The wearer gains a +20 
  competence bonus on Balance, Climb, Jump, and 
  Tumble checks. Three times per day, the wearer can 
  utter a command word to activate the boots’ haste 
  power (as the haste spell, lasts 20 rounds). 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 20th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous 
  Item, cat’s grace, expeditious retreat, haste, jump; Market 
  Price: 256,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.
  Bracers of Archery, Greater: These wristbands 
  look like normal protective wear. The bracers em-
  power the wearer to use any bow (not including 
  crossbows) as if she were proﬁcient in its use. If she 
  already has proﬁciency with any type of bow, she 
  gains a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls and a +1 
  competence bonus on damage rolls whenever using 
  that type of bow. Both bracers must be worn for the 
  magic to be effective.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 8th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor; Market Price: 25,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.
  Bracers of Archery, Lesser: These wristbands 
  function as greater bracers of archery, except that they 
  grant a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls and no 
  bonus on damage rolls.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 4th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor; Market Price: 5,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.
  Bracers of Armor: These items appear to be wrist 
  or arm guards. They surround the wearer with an 
  invisible but tangible ﬁeld of force, granting him 
  an armor bonus of +1 to +8, just as though he were 
  wearing armor. Both bracers must be worn for the 
  magic to be effective.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, mage armor, creator’s 
  caster level must be at least two times that of the bo-
  nus placed in the bracers; Market Price: 1,000 gp (+1), 
  4,000 gp (+2), 9,000 gp (+3), 16,000 gp (+4), 25,000 gp 
  (+5), 36,000 gp (+6), 49,000 gp (+7), 64,000 gp (+8); 
  Weight: 1 lb.
  Bracers of Bashing: This armor gives the ability 
  to utilize a shield bash twice per day with a shield 
  made of magical energy that is afﬁxed to the arm. 
  The wearer can neither wield a weapon in that hand 
  nor have a standard shield equipped when they call 
  upon the power. While the shield is manifested the 
  wearer receives a +2 to Armor Class and suffers any 
  other effects just as if they were wielding a large 
  shield.
  Moderate Transmutation; CL 8th; Prerequisites; 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength, shield; 
  Market Price: 1,200gp
  Bracers of Epic Armor: These items surround the 
  wearer with an invisible but tangible ﬁeld of force, 
  granting him or her an armor bonus of +11 or higher, 
  just as though he or she were wearing armor. Both 
  bracers must be worn for the magic to be effective. 
  Strong conjuration; Caster Level: 20th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous 
  Assorted helms
  Illustrated by Tom Galambos
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  123
  Item, mage armor, creator’s caster lev-
  el must be twice the bracers’ bonus; 
  Market Price: 1,210,000 (+11), 1,440,000 
  (+12), 1,690,000 gp (+13), 1,960,000 
  (+14), 2,250,000 gp (+15); Weight: 1 lb.
  Breastplate of Blinding: This black 
  multi-faceted 
  morbius 
  breastplate 
  gives the wearer a +1 armor bonus. In 
  addition, twice per day as a free action, 
  the wearer can call forth a brilliant ﬂash 
  of light. Anyone in the 120 degrees di-
  rectly in front of the wearer and within 
  30 feet must make a Reﬂex save (DC 14) 
  or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. This can 
  be worn with other forms of armor and 
  shield that do not cover the torso or 
  over chain mail or padded armor. This 
  item can be used in conjunction with 
  a breastplate or as a piece in a suit of 
  plate armor.
  Minor Evocation; CL 3rd; Prereq-
  uisites; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  daylight; Market Price: 600 gp
  Bull’s Helm: This outlandish +1 
  helm is decorated with the gilt horns 
  of a bull (or other horns, depending 
  on the area of its origins; known vari-
  ations include stag’s helm, ram’s helm, 
  and gazelle’s helm). Along with provid-
  ing normal protection to the head, the 
  helm can be used as a weapon. 
  If the wearer charges an opponent 
  (see Chapter 8: Combat in the PHB for 
  more details), he can choose to lower his 
  head and ram his victim with the helm’s 
  horns instead of making a melee attack 
  at the end of the charge. The attack re-
  ceives a +5 bonus (+2 from charging, 
  +1 from the helm’s enhancement bo-
  nus, and +2 from a bull’s strength spell 
  that is activated by the charge), and on 
  a hit it scores 2d6+1 damage plus the 
  attacker’s Strength modiﬁer, and the 
  wearer has the option of continuing 
  his charge as a bull rush, in which case 
  the helm’s enhancement bonus and the 
  bull’s strength beneﬁts are added to the 
  attacker’s opposed Strength check.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 
  3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  bull’s strength; Market Price: 13,155 gp; Cost to Create: 
  6,578 gp + 526 XP.
  Byrne of the Brave: This +2 chain shirt instills its 
  wearer with a sense of fearlessness, providing a +4 
  bonus to Will saves against fear or fear-like effects.
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magi-
  cal Arms and Armor, remove fear; Market Price: 9250 
  gp; Weight: 25 lb.
  Chainmail of Harmony: This +2 mithral chainmail 
  is designed to allow sound to resonate and amplify 
  through it. As long as the armor is being worn it 
  grants a number of bonuses to the wearer. First, the 
  wearer gains a +5 circumstance bonus to verbal Per-
  form checks (singing or musical instruments, for in-
  stance). Also, any ability or spell used by the wearer 
  that deals sonic damage deals an additional +1 sonic 
  damage per sonic damage die. Finally, when the 
  wearer uses any sound-based supernatural or spell-
  like ability that does not cause direct damage and 
  is measured in a speciﬁed range (such as a bard’s 
  inspire competence ability), the range of the ability is 
  increased by 10 feet.
   The armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 
  20%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +4, and an ar-
  mor check penalty of –2. It is considered light armor 
  and weighs 20 pounds.
  Table 6.3: Major Wondrous Armor
  %
  Item
  Market Price
  1-2
  Elven Warcaster’s Chain
  29,150
  3-4
  Magnetic chain mail of the dwarves
  30,000
  5-6
  Sycophant (+6)
  30,000
  7-9
  Scabbard of Protection
  31,000
  10-12
  Amulet of Natural Armor (+4)
  32,000
  13-15
  Mask of Humanity
  32,000
  16-18
  Ring of Protection (+4)
  32,000
  19-21
  Resistant Padding (4 elements)
  33,000
  22-24
  Billowing Cloak
  36,000
  25-27
  Bracers of Armor (+6)
  36,000
  28-30
  Mask of Beauty
  36,000
  31-32
  Werearmor
  36,300
  33-34
  Winged armor
  38,150
  35-36
  Resistant Padding (5 elements)
  39,000
  37-38
  Mask of the Dover
  39,600
  39-40
  Sycophant (+8)
  40,000
  41-42
  Mask of the Elves
  43,600
  43-44
  Mail of the Muse
  44,150
  45-46
  Mask of the Dwarves
  48,000
  47-48
  Bracers of Armor (+7)
  49,000
  49-50
  Amulet of Natural Armor (+5)
  50,000
  51-52
  Bandolier of Venom (single)
  50,000
  53-54
  Ring of Protection (+5)
  50,000
  55-56
  Amulet of Mighty Fists (+3)
  54,000
  57-58
  Mask of the Asherake
  54,000
  59-60
  Orle of Dominion
  54,000
  61-62
  Valkyrie Armor
  54,370
  63-64
  Owl Gorget
  56,400
  65-66
  Helm of Underwater Action
  57,000
  67-68
  Sycophant (+12)
  60,000
  69-70
  Fiendish Barding, Greater
  63,800
  71-72
  Bracers of Armor (+8)
  64,000
  73
  Mask of the Gnomes
  66,000
  74
  Assassin’s Polished Plate
  68,504
  75-76
  Bandolier of Venom (double)
  70,000
  77-78
  Boots of Striding and Springing (+40)
  72,000
  79-80
  Horseshoes of Speed (+40)
  72,000
  81-82
  Leggings of Speed (+40)
  72,000
  83-84
  Helm of Teleportation
  73,500
  85
  Mail of Faith
  81,650
  86
  Battle Plate
  92,650
  87-88
  Amulet of Mighty Fists (+4)
  96,000
  89-90
  Silk Robe of Sunbeams
  99,150
  91-92
  Boots of the Raptor
  100,000
  93-94
  Leggings of Mobility
  112,250
  95-96
  Helm of Brilliance
  125,000
  97-98
  Amulet of Mighty Fists (+5)
  150,000
  99-00
  Helm of Eyes
  161,000
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  124
   Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, sound burst, cre-
  ator must be a bard; Market Price: 15,800 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 7,900 gp + 632 XP.
  Divine Weave: This armor is exactly like arcane 
  weave armor except it casts divine spells.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, read magic, magic 
  mouth, creator must have the Combat Casting feat; 
  Market Price: 23,850 gp: Cost to Create: 11,925 gp + 954 
  xp.
  Doublet of Distinction: A favorable garment of 
  those members of the nobility hoping not only to get 
  noticed but hold some inﬂuence at court, the doublet 
  of distinction draws the eyes of those around it like a 
  moth to ﬂame, providing a Charisma bonus to the 
  wearer and acting just like a reversible bardic doublet 
  +1 with the conﬁdence ability.
  Moderate Enchantment; CL 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, eagle’s splendor, resis-
  tance; Market Price: 4,170 gp. Weight: 10 lb.
  Elven Warcaster’s Chain: This ﬁnely crafted suit 
  of +3 elven chainmail is imbued with the weightless 
  and spellcasting properties, negating any chance for 
  spell failure. It’s a favored armor for elf spellcasting 
  units, some of whom further add energy resistance 
  or hardening to the armor for even more protection.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 12th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Craft (armor-
  smithing-12), imbue with spell ability, levitate; Market 
  Price: 29,150 gp.
  Emperor’s Scale: Crafted for the emperor’s sea-
  soned troops, this +2 scale mail armor has had the 
  weightless property applied (to allow his troops quick 
  movement on the battleﬁeld), and hardened (to allow 
  them to survive the vicious melees they’ll endure in 
  his service). Some senior members of the Empire’s 
  army further enchant the armor to include moderate 
  fortiﬁcation and energy resistance.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 12th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Craft (armor-
  smithing-12), levitate; Market Price: 16,200 gp.
  Falcon Spaulders: These ornate armored shoul-
  der pieces have an enchantment bonus of +1. Falcon 
  spaulders grant their wearer the ability to sprout a 
  pair of beautiful, angelic wings once per day, which 
  allow him to ﬂy for a number of hours equal to his 
  Wisdom modiﬁer, with a minimum of one hour. Fly-
  ing in this manner gives the wearer a speed of 70, 
  and an average maneuverability rating.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, alter self; Market 
  Price: 12,175 gp; Cost to Create: 6,086 gp + 487 XP.
  Fiendish Barding: This suit of +2 heavy barding 
  resizes to ﬁt on any Medium- to Huge-sized ani-
  mal. It transforms and infuses the animal with the 
  essence of evil, giving it the ﬁendish template (see 
  MM) while worn. Good-aligned animals are imme-
  diately sickened when this armor is placed on them, 
  taking 1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage 
  (DC 16 Fortitude save to resist each hour).
  Strong transmutation [evil]; Caster Level: 15th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enlarge, 
  reduce, unholy aura; Market Price: 27,400 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 13,700 gp + 1,096 XP.
  Fiendish Barding, Greater: This suit of +3 mithral 
  heavy barding resizes to ﬁt on any Medium-to Huge-
  sized animal or magical beast. It transforms and 
  infuses the creature with the essence of evil, giving 
  them the ﬁendish template (see MM) while worn. 
  Good-aligned creatures are immediately sickened 
  when this armor is placed on them, suffering 1d4 
  points of temporary Constitution damage, DC 16 
  Fortitude save to resist each hour.
  A creature that already has the ﬁendish template 
  that wears this armor, ﬁnds its ﬁendish powers in-
  creased, adding a +2 profane bonus to attack rolls, 
  damage rolls, saving throws and skill checks.
  Strong transmutation [evil]; Caster Level: 15th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, enlarge, 
  reduce, unholy aura; Market Price: 63,800 gp; Cost to 
  Create: 31,900 gp + 2,552 XP.
  Financier’s Mail: These suits of +1 heraldic coin 
  armor were crafted by priests of a long forgotten god 
  of wealth and trickery, and were among the ﬁrst ﬁrm 
  faith armors ever made. They retain their basic form, 
  although the coins that make up the armor all bear 
  the face of some deity, which winces with attacks 
  and smiles upon victory (or a good joke).
  Moderate Transmutation; CL 9th; Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, spiritual weapon, prayer; Price 
  17,650 gp.
  Gloves of Arrow Snaring: Once snugly worn, 
  these gloves seem to meld with the hands, becoming 
  almost invisible. Twice per day, the wearer can act 
  as if he had the Snatch Arrows feat, even if he does 
  not meet the prerequisites for it. Both gloves must be 
  worn for the magic to be effective. At least one hand 
  must be free to take advantage of the magic.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Wondrous Item, shield; Market Price: 4,000 gp.
  Guild Leathers: A sign of favor among the 
  thieves’ guild, this suit of +3 leather is imbued with 
  silent moves and improved shadow (granting a +5 com-
  petence bonus on move silently checks and +10 com-
  petency bonus on hide checks). While some mem-
  bers of the guild harden their armors, most tend to 
  invest in glamer, spell resistance, or energy resistance.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 12th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms & Armor, invisibility, 
  silence; Market Price: 18,910 gp.
  Hedgehog Armor: This appears to be nothing 
  more than a suit of +1 studded leather armor, with 
  each of the studs made of wood (making this armor 
  especially useful to druids). The studs and wooden 
  helmet are altered with the ironwood spell, making 
  them as strong as steel. Upon activation by com-
  mand word, the wooden parts of the armor grow 2-
  inch long spikes, making the hedgehog armor a prickly 
  mass of sharp points. The sudden growth forces the 
  wearer into a spread-eagle position with arms wide 
  and spikes jutting out in all directions, reducing base 
  movement to 5 feet and not allowing a Run action. 
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  125
  Anyone attacking the wearer in this state with 
  natural or hand-held weapons must make a Reﬂex 
  save (DC 20) to avoid taking 2d4 points of damage 
  from the numerous spines. This sort of bristly de-
  fense is usually enough to convince most predators 
  to search elsewhere for easier prey. The spines retract 
  upon a second utterance of the command word.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 11th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ironwood, 
  spike growth; Market Price: 9,175 gp; Cost to Create: 
  4,588 gp + 367 XP.
  Helm of Brilliance: This normal-looking helm 
  takes its true form and manifests its powers when 
  the user dons it and speaks the command word. 
  Made of brilliant silver and polished steel, a newly 
  created helm is set with large magic gems: ten dia-
  monds, twenty rubies, thirty ﬁre opals, and forty 
  opals. When struck by bright light, the helm scintil-
  lates and sends forth reﬂective rays in all directions 
  from its crownlike, gem-tipped spikes. The jewels’ 
  functions are as follows:
  • Diamond: Prismatic spray (save DC 20)
  • Ruby: Wall of ﬁre
  • Fire opal: Fireball (10d6, Reﬂex DC 20 half)
  • Opal: Daylight
  The helm may be used once per round, but each 
  gem can perform its spell-like power just once. Until 
  all its jewels are depleted, a helm of brilliance also has 
  the following magical properties when activated.
  • It emanates a bluish light when undead are 
  within 30 feet. This light causes 1d6 points of damage 
  per round to all such creatures within that range.
  • The wearer may command any weapon he 
  wields to become a ﬂaming weapon. This is in ad-
  dition to whatever abilities the weapon may already 
  have (unless the weapon already is a ﬂaming weap-
  on). The command takes 1 round to take effect.
  • The helm provides resistance to ﬁre 30. This 
  protection does not stack with similar protection 
  from other sources.
  Once all its jewels have lost their magic, the helm 
  loses its powers and the gems turn to worthless pow-
  der. Removing a jewel destroys it.
  If a creature wearing the helm is damaged by 
  magical ﬁre (after the ﬁre protection is taken into ac-
  count) and fails an additional DC 15 Will save, the 
  remaining gems on the helm overload and detonate. 
  Remaining diamonds become prismatic sprays that 
  each randomly target a creature within range (pos-
  sibly the wearer), rubies become straight-line walls of 
  ﬁre extending outward in a random direction from 
  the helm wearer, and ﬁre opals become ﬁreballs cen-
  tered on the helm wearer. The opals and the helm 
  itself are destroyed.
  Strong varied; Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Wondrous Item, detect undead, ﬁreball, ﬂame 
  blade, light, prismatic spray, protection from energy, wall 
  of ﬁre; Market Price: 125,000 gp; Weight: 3 lb.
  Helm of Buoyancy: When given a mental com-
  mand the wearer of this bulbous helm with metallic 
  ﬁns on the sides and top is able to swim as if carrying 
  50 less pounds of gear. If they have no other encum-
  brance besides the helm they receive a +10 circum-
  stance bonus to Swim checks and the helm remains 
  above water while activated.
  Faint Transmutation; CL 3rd; Prerequisites; Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, levitate; Market Price: 1,100 
  gp
  Helm of Comprehend Languages and Read 
  Magic: Appearing as a normal helmet, a helm of com-
  prehend languages and read magic grants its wearer the 
  ability to understand the spoken words of any crea-
  ture and to read text in any language and any magi-
  cal writing. The wearer gains a +5 competence bonus 
  on Decipher Script checks to understand messages 
  written in incomplete, archaic, or exotic forms. Note 
  that understanding a magical text does not necessar-
  ily imply spell use.
  Faint divination; Caster Level: 4th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Wondrous Item, comprehend languages, read 
  magic; Market Price: 5,200 gp; Weight: 3 lb.
  Helm of Eyes: A helm of eyes is a full-faced iron 
  helm that covers the eyes and upper bridge of the 
  nose of the wearer, making him entirely dependent 
  of the magic of the helm to see. The helm adds a +2 
  deﬂection bonus to the armor class of the wearer. 
  The wearer also gains blindsight (range 60 feet), and 
  an additional +10 insight bonus to all Search and 
  Spot checks. The helm protects the wearer from be-
  ing blinded or hampered by bright light or by spells 
  such as light, daylight, or continual ﬂame. Once per day 
  the helm grants it wearer the power of true seeing.
  Moderate divination; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, darkvision, true 
  sight; Market Price: 161,000 gp; Cost to Create: 80,500 
  gp + 6,440 XP; Weight: 2 lb.
  Helm of Telepathy: The wearer can use detect 
  thoughts at will. Furthermore, he can send a telepath-
  ic message to anyone whose surface thoughts he is 
  reading (allowing two-way communication). Once 
  per day, the wearer of the helm can implant a sugges-
  tion (as the spell, Will DC 14 negates) along with his 
  telepathic message.
  Faint divination and enchantment; Caster Lev-
  el: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, detect 
  thoughts, suggestion; Market Price: 27,000 gp; Weight: 
  3 lb.
  Helm of Teleportation: A character wearing this 
  device may teleport three times per day, exactly as if 
  he had cast the spell of the same name.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, teleport; Market Price: 
  73,500 gp; Weight: 3 lb.
  Helm of Underwater Action: The wearer of this 
  helmet can see underwater. Drawing the small lenses 
  in compartments on either side into position before 
  the wearer’s eyes activates the visual properties of 
  the helm, allowing her to see ﬁve times farther than 
  water and light conditions would allow for normal 
  human vision. (Weeds, obstructions, and the like 
  block vision in the usual manner.) If the command 
  word is spoken, the helm of underwater action creates 
  a globe of air around the wearer’s head and main-
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  126
  tains it until the command word is spoken again, en-
  abling her to breathe freely.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, water breathing; Market 
  Price: 57,000 gp; Weight: 3 lb.
  Horseshoes of the Peerless Steed: These horse-
  shoes magically adhere to the feet of any hoofed 
  creature. Anyone riding the creature gains a +10 
  competence bonus on Ride checks and is treated as 
  having ranks in the appropriate Ride skill (and thus 
  does not take the –5 penalty for riding an unfamiliar 
  mount). The horseshoes grant the creature (or its rid-
  er, as appropriate) the effects of the Trample, Ride-
  By Attack, and Spirited Charge feats. The wearer of 
  the horseshoes gains spell resistance 32 against en-
  chantment effects. In addition, the ground speed of 
  the creature wearing the horseshoes doubles. 
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 20th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous 
  Item, Ride skill, haste, spell resistance; Market Price: 
  217,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb. each.
  Horseshoes of Speed: These iron shoes 
  come in sets of four like ordinary horse-
  shoes. When afﬁ xed to a horse’s 
  hooves, they increase animal’s 
  speed by the amount listed. 
  Modiﬁ ers for barding are 
  calculated after adjusting 
  the animal’s base speed. 
  The same animal must 
  wear all four shoes for 
  the magic to be effec-
  tive.
  Faint 
  trans-
  mutation; Caster 
  Level: 3rd; Pre-
  requisites: Craft 
  W o n d r o u s 
  Item, 
  expedi-
  tious 
  retreat, 
  jump; Market 
  Price: 6,000 gp 
  (+10), 
  12,000 
  gp (+20), 24,000 
  gp (+30), 72,000 
  gp (+40); Weight: 1 lb.
  Horseshoes of a Zephyr: These four iron shoes are 
  afﬁ xed like normal horseshoes. They allow a horse 
  to travel without actually touching the ground. The 
  horse must still run above (always around 4 inches 
  above) a roughly horizontal surface. This means that 
  nonsolid or unstable surfaces can be crossed, and 
  that movement is possible without leaving tracks on 
  any sort of ground. The horse moves at its normal 
  base land speed. The same animal must wear all four 
  shoes for the magic to be effective.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, levitate; Market Price:
  6,000 gp; Weight: 4 lb. (for four).
  Leggings of Speed: These simple leather strips 
  allow their wearer to move with unusual quickness. 
  These leggings increase the wearer’s base speed by 
  the speed indicated, and increase his Dexterity by 
  an enhancement bonus of +2. These leggings do 
  not stack with boots of striding and springing or other 
  magical enhancements to a creature’s speed.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, haste, expeditious retreat, 
  jump; Market Price: 6,000 gp (+10), 12,000 gp (+20), 
  24,000 gp (+30), 72,000 gp (+40); Weight: 1 lb.
  Leggings of Balance: These leggings allow their 
  wearer to remain standing no matter what the cir-
  cumstances. The wearer cannot be tripped, or 
  knocked prone. The wearer may still fall off of things, 
  but always lands on his feet. Characters with these 
  leggings remain standing even if killed or knocked 
  unconscious. In addition, the wearer’s Dexterity is 
  increased by an enhancement bonus of +4.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, dimensional anchor; 
  Market Price: 17,250 gp; Cost to Create: 8,625 gp + 690 
  XP.
  Leggings of Mobility: These leggings give their 
  wearer the ability to air walk, allowing them to 
  move virtually anywhere.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level:
  7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, air walk; Market Price: 112,250 gp; 
  Cost to Create: 56,125 gp + 4,490 XP.
  Magnetic Aketon: This magical aketon 
  has iron ﬁ lings sewn into the padding. The 
  magnetic ﬁ eld can be activated as a free action, 
  and all metal items the wearer is holding are im-
  mune. When worn without armor and activated, 
  all attacks with metal weapons gain a +4 cir-
  cumstance bonus to hit. When 
  worn under a cloak and 
  activated this item can 
  be used to hold and 
  store metallic items 
  or utilized in sleight of 
  hand tricks with metal objects (+2 
  circumstance bonus). To remove a 
  medium-sized weapon or equivalent 
  item requires a Strength check (DC 20). 
  When donning metallic armor this item 
  halves the donning time. Wearer still suffers from 
  encumbrance penalties for items magnetized to the 
  aketon.
  Moderate Transmutation; CL 10th; Prerequisites; 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, telekinesis; Market 
  Price: 5,000 gp
  Magnetic Chain Mail of the Dwarves: A dwarven 
  version of magnetic armor, this armor is used deep in 
  the race’s underground mines. In addition to offering 
  protection from underground aberrations and other 
  hazards, this dwarven garment helps its wearer ﬁ nd 
  various types of ferrous-based ores in small amounts 
  that may otherwise go unnoticed. Once the magnetic 
  feature of the armor is activated with a command 
  word, the wearer simply walks through tunnels and 
  mines and the ore is later collected for processing. 
  The magnetic ﬁ eld has a range of 15 feet, and can 
  attract ferrous ore in chunks up to 5 lbs. In addition 
  Helm of eyes
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  127
  to the magnetic attracting feature of 
  the armor, the dwarves have devel-
  oped a way to reverse the magnetic 
  properties to produce a repelling 
  effect. For protection in combat this 
  works only against metal-based 
  weapons, imposing a –2 circum-
  stance penalty such attacks.
  Because of the additional quali-
  ties of this armor, it does not work 
  in conjunction with a magnetic 
  shield the way regular magnetic ar-
  mor does. Most dwarves that wear 
  this armor do so deep within the 
  earth for protection while mining. 
  This chain mail is typically of +1 
  enchantment, and more often than 
  not can be worn only by dwarves, 
  gnomes, and sometimes halﬂings. 
  On rare occasions they may be 
  crafted for humans, but only as gifts 
  for acquaintances in good standing 
  with the dwarven race.
  Moderate 
  transmutation; 
  CL 
  12th; prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  telekinesis; Market Price: 30,000 gp
  Mail of Faith: This suit of full plate grows in pow-
  er as its wearer gains greater conviction and stand-
  ing with her deity or guiding principles. The armor’s 
  power depends on the spell level of the highest-level 
  divine spell the wearer is able to cast, as shown on 
  the table below.
  Divine Spell 
  Level
  Armor’s Qualities
  1st
  +1 full plate
  2nd
  +2 full plate
  3rd
  +3 full plate
  4th
  +4 full plate
  5th
  +5 full plate
  6th
  +5 full plate of light fortiﬁcation
  7th
  +5 full plate of spell resistance (13)
  8th
  +5 full plate of invulnerability
  9th
  +5 full plate of spell resistance (17)
  Thus, an 11th-level cleric, able to cast 6th-level 
  divine spells, treats the armor as +5 full plate of light 
  fortiﬁcation. For a 15th-level paladin, able to cast 4th-
  level divine spells, the armor functions as +4 full plate. 
  For wearers who cannot cast divine spells, the armor 
  functions as nonmagical masterwork full plate.
  Strong abjuration and evocation (if miracle was 
  used); Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, spell resistance, wish or miracle; 
  Market Price: 81,650 gp; Cost to Create: 40,825 gp + 
  3,266 XP.
  Mail of the Muse: This suit of +2 elven chain is 
  engraved with golden symbols of musical notation. 
  When worn by a singing bard the symbols emanate 
  a golden light (as a light spell), which provides a +1 
  deﬂection bonus to AC and a further +1 deﬂection 
  bonus to AC for every 4 levels the bard. When the 
  wearer stops using his bardic music, the golden light 
  lingers for a number of rounds equal to the wearer’s 
  charisma modiﬁer. The armor has a spell failure 
  chance of 20%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +4 
  and an armor check penalty of –2. It is considered 
  light armor and weighs 20 pounds. 
    Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, light, mage armor, 
  creator must be a bard; Market Price: 44,150 gp; Cost 
  to Create: 22,075 gp + 1,766 XP.
  Mantle of the Stalwart Defender: This massive 
  suit of armor is often found on the belabored backs 
  of dwarven defenders, and is well suited to their 
  cause. The armor itself is +2 dwarven plate and is ex-
  pertly crafted from adamantine, granting a total +12 
  bonus to AC, and granting damage reduction 3/-. 
  When the wearer enters a defensive stance, the dam-
  age reduction granted by the armor increased to 8/- 
  for the entire duration of the stance.
  Faint Abjuration; CL  7th; Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, stoneskin; Market Price 25,650 gp.
  Mask of the Asherake: The masks used by the 
  asherake (detailed in Complete Minions) are designed 
  to intimidate and frighten their opponents in battle. 
  Anyone wearing one of these masks gains a +6 mo-
  rale bonus to his intimidation checks, and is able to 
  cast the spell fear twice per day.
  Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear; Market Price: 
  54,000 gp; Cost to Create: 27,000 gp + 2,160 XP.
  Mask of Beauty: While worn, this mask trans-
  forms the wearer into an idealized version of beauty. 
  The wearer of the mask of beauty gains a +6 enhance-
  ment bonus to Charisma.
  Moderate illusion; Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Wondrous Item, eagle’s splendor; Market Price: 
  36,000 gp; Cost to Create: 18,000 gp + 1,440 XP.
  Mask of the Dover: Dover masks are fairly 
  straightforward creations intended for warriors and 
  sentries. The mask of the dover provides a +3 deﬂec-
  Table 6.4: Epic Wondrous Armors
  %
  Item
  Market Price
  1-6
  Horseshoes of the Peerless Steed
  217,000
  7-12
  Boots of Swiftness
  256,000
  13-18
  Ring of Ironskin
  400,000
  19-25
  Ring of Weaponbreaking
  600,000
  26-30
  Amulet of Epic Natural Armor (+6)
  720,000
  31-35
  Ring of Epic Protection (+6)
  720,000
  36-40
  Amulet of Epic Natural Armor (+7)
  980,000
  41-45
  Ring of Epic Protection (+7)
  980,000
  46-50
  Bracers of Epic Armor (+11)
  1,210,000
  51-55
  Amulet of Epic Natural Armor (+8)
  1,280,000
  56-60
  Ring of Epic Protection (+8)
  1,280,000
  61-65
  Bracers of Epic Armor (+12)
  1,440,000
  66-70
  Amulet of Epic Natural Armor (+9)
  1,620,000
  71-75
  Ring of Epic Protection (+9)
  1,620,000
  76-80
  Bracers of Epic Armor (+13)
  1,690,000
  81-85
  Bracers of Epic Armor (+14)
  1,960,000
  86-90
  Amulet of Epic Natural Armor (+10)
  2,000,000
  91-95
  Ring of Epic Protection (+10)
  2,000,000
  96-00
  Bracers of Epic Armor (+15)
  2,250,000
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  128
  tion bonus to the wearer’s AC, as well as a +6 in-
  sight bonus to Listen checks. Any non-good creature 
  donning this mask ﬁ nds its powers reversed, the 
  mask inﬂ icting a –3 and –6 penalty to AC and Listen 
  checks, respectively.
  Faint conjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, mage armor; Market 
  Price: 39,600 gp; Cost to Create: 19,800 gp + 1,584 XP.
  Mask of the Dwarves: Dwarves use their masks 
  to augment their physical toughness with magical 
  resistance. This mask provides its wearer with spell 
  resistance of 15 and a luck bonus of +3 on all Will 
  saving throws.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance; 
  Market Price: 48,000 gp; Cost to Create: 24,000 gp + 
  1,920 XP.
  Mask of the Elves: Elven mages typically craft 
  their masks in order to assist them in dealing with 
  their natural environments. Wearers of elven masks 
  gain a +6 insight bonus to all Listen and Spot checks. 
  In addition, they gain darkvision of 60 feet, and can 
  pass without trace at all times.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, darkvision, pass 
  without trace; Market Price: 43,600 gp; Cost to Create:
  21,800 gp + 1,744 XP.
  Mask of the Gnomes: Gnomes design their 
  masks more for protection during tinkering and 
  crafting than during combat. These sturdy masks are 
  airtight, and the air supply for the wearer is magi-
  cally created, protecting him from poison gasses and 
  other airborne hazards, as well as allowing him to 
  breathe underwater. The wearers eyes are protected 
  with sturdy lenses that automatically shut and dark-
  en when appropriate, preventing the wearer from 
  being hampered or blinded by light effects, and of-
  fering a +4 circumstance bonus to saving throws vs. 
  gaze attacks.
  Faint evocation and transmutation; Caster Level:
  5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  darkness, water breathing; Market Price: 66,000 gp; Cost 
  to Create: 33,000 gp + 2,400 XP.
  Mask of Humanity: Human craftsmen create 
  their masks to impress both friend and foe alike. 
  The Charisma score of anyone wearing one of these 
  masks receives an enhancement bonus of +4. Addi-
  tionally, the wearer receives a +4 morale bonus to all 
  fear based saving throws. 
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Market Price:
  32,000 gp; Cost to Create: 16,000 gp + 1,280 XP.
  Mask of the Hunter: This wooden mask is 
  carved to resemble a face made up of curling leaves, 
  with a pair of deer antlers sprouting from its fore-
  head. While worn, the mask of the hunter grants a +5 
  enhancement bonus on all Hide, Move Silently and 
  Survival checks while outdoors in a natural setting.
  Racial Masks
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  129
  Faint illusion; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Wondrous Item, spellcaster level 5th+; Market Price:
  4,000 gp; Cost to Create: 2,000 gp + 160 XP.
  Mask of the Nightlings: Nightlings rarely craft 
  magical items, but when they do, the items are al-
  ways intended to assist them in their lazy thieving 
  lifestyle. These masks provide their wearers with 
  magical sustenance, preventing them from ever hav-
  ing to eat or drink. These masks are highly prized 
  by the nightlings, as possession of one means that a 
  person need never do anything at all. Additionally, 
  the masks bestow a +4 luck bonus to Hide and Move 
  Silently skill checks.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, create food and 
  water; Market Price: 15,200 gp; Cost to Create: 7,600 gp 
  + 608 XP.
  Mask of the Orcs: Like the asherake, the orcs use 
  their masks to make themselves appear more fero-
  cious in battle. The wearer of an orcish mask is given 
  an illusionary appearance of being one size class 
  larger than he really is. This effect gives the wearer’s 
  attackers a 20% miss chance. Additionally, the mask 
  adds a +6 morale bonus to its wearer’s intimidation 
  checks.
  Faint illusion; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, major image; Market Price:
  27,600 gp; Cost to Create: 13,800 gp + 1,104 XP.
  Mask of the Trickster: No sane mage admits to 
  creating one of these garish masks, and some sages 
  hold that a deity of chaos or trickery is actually be-
  hind them. Whatever their source, they fuse with the 
  wearer’s features, granting him a +5 circumstance 
  bonus to Bluff and Tumble checks, but imposing a 
  -5 luck penalty on sense motive and Move Silently 
  checks.
  Any lawful creature that wears a trickster’s mask
  suffers a negative level. This negative level never re-
  sults in actual level loss, but it cannot be removed by 
  any means, including restoration spells, as long as the 
  mask is worn.
  Moderate enchantment [mind-affecting]; Caster 
  Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Items, confu-
  sion; Market Price: 8,000 gp.
  Nightwarden’s Leaf: This +3 elven leafweave is 
  crafted from dark autumn leaves and has a some-
  what ominous appearance. Nightwarden’s leaf is 
  always aspected in some way, often bearing a druidic 
  circle’s symbol. It also bears the dopple ability, allow-
  ing it to be worn even as the wears shifts forms.
  Strong Transmutation; CL 7th; Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, polymorph any item; Price 26,750 gp.
  Orle of Dominion: An orle is a metal wreath or 
  circlet placed on the crown of an armored helm as a 
  badge of royalty or command. Usually, it is forged 
  to resemble a ring of ivy leaves or entwined branch-
  es. Elves are particularly fond of orle’s, especially 
  magical ones made from three entwined gold vines 
  and wafer-thin platinum ivy leaves. Dwarf orles are 
  crafted to look like crowns and orc orles are made 
  from the ﬁ nger bones of their enemies. 
  The orle of dominion is enchanted to give its wear-
  er a palpable aura of authority, allowing her to cast 
  her voice over the wide swath of troops under com-
  mand, to lift their spirits and to bind their purpose by 
  her words. Whenever she addresses her army while 
  equipped with the orle, her voice carries loudly to 
  the farthest perimeter of the battleﬁ eld, regardless 
  of distance. The orle gives its wearer a +1 deﬂ ection 
  bonus to her AC, and once per day allows her to cast 
  the following spell-like abilities: bless, aid, and prayer. 
  All three have an enhanced range of 100 feet per lev-
  el of the wearer, affecting all allies within it.
  Faint enchantment; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, aid, bless, prayer, shout, 
  Maximize and Enlarge spell feat; Market Price: 54,000 
  gp; Cost to Create: 27,000 gp + 2,160 XP; Weight: 1 lb.
  Owl Gorget: Owl gorgets come from the north-
  lands and are characterized by the primitive runes 
  and pictograms embossed on their outer surfaces. 
  Once per day the runes bestow upon the gorget’s
  wearer the ability to shape change into an owl. When 
  equipped, the wearer receives a +1 enhancement 
  Armor Class bonus, a +2 enhancement bonus to her 
  Wisdom, and the disturbing ability to turn her head 
  completely around.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 7th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph; 
  Market Price: 56,400 gp; Cost to Create: 28,200 gp + 
  2,256 XP; Weight: 1 lb.
  Penelope’s Oil of Rust Protection: Applying 
  this oil to metal objects protects them from rusting, 
  eliminating one of the major avenues in which such 
  equipment, or even animated metal constructs, can 
  utterly be destroyed over the passage of time. This 
  oil lasts forever unless removed, a process done 
  by one either of two methods. First, subjecting the 
  anointed item or construct to a medium strength or 
  Faint illusion; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft 
  suffers a negative level. This negative level never re-
  sults in actual level loss, but it cannot be removed by 
  any means, including 
  mask is worn.
  Level:
  sion; Market Price:
  crafted from dark autumn leaves and has a some-
  what ominous appearance. Nightwarden’s leaf is 
  always 
  circle’s symbol. It also bears the 
  ing it to be worn even as the wears shifts forms.
  and Armor, 
  circlet placed on the crown of an armored helm as a 
  badge of royalty or command. Usually, it is forged 
  to resemble a ring of ivy leaves or entwined branch-
  es. Elves are particularly fond of orle’s, especially 
  magical ones made from three entwined gold vines 
  and wafer-thin platinum ivy leaves. Dwarf orles are 
  crafted to look like crowns and orc orles are made 
  from the ﬁ nger bones of their enemies. 
   Masks
  I
  n ages lost, it was customary for gladiato-
  rial combatants to enter the arena masked 
  so as to hide their identities. As this custom 
  evolved, the masks were given powerful en-
  chantments to aid these warriors in battle. Over 
  the centuries, the custom was forgotten, but the 
  tradition of enchanting masks remained. Each 
  race that still crafts masks has developed its 
  own style and purpose for the items, many races 
  moving away from combat uses altogether. The 
  most common types of these racial masks are 
  detailed below.
  Racial masks do not bestow armor bonuses 
  or penalties if used with conventional armor, 
  they simply replace the helmets provided with 
  the armor. If used without other armor, racial 
  masks have the following properties in addition 
  to those detailed:
  Armor Bonus: +1; Maximum Dex Bonus: n/a; 
  Armor check penalty: 0; Arcane Spell Failure: 10%; 
  Speed: (30 ft.): 30 ft. (20 ft.): 20 ft.; Weight: 5lb.
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  130
  stronger acidic solution—for example that of a tar-
  beast, a gelatinous cube, or the breath weapon of a 
  black dragon. Secondly, subjecting the anointed item 
  to three magical rust attacks, such as those from a 
  rust monster or a rusting grasp spell, negates the ef-
  fects of this wondrous oil. Either one suit of large 
  sized armor (or smaller) or up to ﬁve weapons of 
  Huge size (or smaller) may be protected by a single 
  dose of this oil.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Brew Potion, protection from the energy; Market Price: 
  750 gp; Cost to Create: 375 gp + 30 XP.
  Poet’s Protector: This buckler +1 is often outra-
  geously adorned with bright colors and shining 
  crystals. In the hands of a bard, the shield’s true abil-
  ities are evident. It becomes a buckler +3, and a bard 
  suffers no arcane spell failure as a result of using the 
  shield. It counters all forms of deafness and silence ef-
  fects and enables the bard to use mirror image (once 
  per day as a standard action; 1d4+3 images). 
  Moderate illusion and abjuration; Caster Level: 
  9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, dis-
  pel magic, mirror image; Market Price: 30,055 gp Cost 
  to Create: 15,110 gp+1,195 XP.
  Quiver, Plentiful: This is a standard quiver usu-
  ally made of leather or bark, stylized with artwork 
  depicting the rising sun. If this container is exposed 
  to the ﬁrst rays of the sun at daybreak, it ﬁlls with 
  one score (20) of masterwork arrows. This ammuni-
  tion is just as any such weapons purchased from the 
  local weaponsmith, however these arrows, once ex-
  tracted from the quiver, disintegrate after 24 hours. 
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, minor creation; Market 
  Price: 800 gp; Weight: 2 lbs.
  Quiver of Khonshu: This item is often decorated 
  with images of the moon in its various phases. If this 
  container is exposed to the light of the moon when it 
  is at its zenith, it ﬁlls with one score (20) of alchemi-
  cal silver arrows. The arrows are of masterwork 
  quality. Each of these arrows disintegrates 24 hours 
  after being removed from the quiver.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, minor creation, 1 lb. of 
  silver (this is in addition to the gp cost); Market Price: 
  1,200 gp; Weight: 2 lbs.
  Resistant Padding: This padded cloth outﬁt is 
  worn beneath medium and heavy armor; its effects 
  work with that of any armor worn and it does not 
  count as wearing two sets of armor. Resistant pad-
  ding can be worn with any suit of armor and is en-
  chanted to protect its wearer from one or more types 
  of energy damage. Choose from ﬁre, acid, electrical, 
  sonic, or cold resistance. The suit absorbs 10 points 
  of damage per round from its protected energies.
  1 Element: Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist ener-
  gy; Market Price: 12,000 gp; Cost to Create: 6,000 gp + 
  480 XP.
  2 Elements: Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist en-
  ergy; Market Price: 21,000 gp; Cost to Create: 10,500 gp 
  + 840 XP.
  3 Elements: Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist en-
  ergy; Market Price: 27,000 gp; Cost to Create: 13,500 gp 
  + 1,080 XP.
  4 Elements: Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist en-
  ergy; Market Price: 33,000 gp; Cost to Create: 16,500 gp 
  + 1,320 XP.
  5 Elements: Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 3rd; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, x resist en-
  ergy; Market Price: 39,000 gp; Cost to Create: 19,500 gp 
  + 1,660 XP.
  Ring of Epic Protection: This ring offers con-
  tinual magical protection in the form of a deﬂection 
  bonus to Armor Class of +6 or higher. 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 20th: Prerequisites: 
  Forge Ring, Forge Epic Ring, shield of faith, creator’s 
  caster level must be three times the ring’s bonus; Mar-
  ket Price: 720,000 gp (+6), 980,000 gp (+7), 1,280,000 
  gp (+8), 1,620,000 gp (+9), 2,000,000 gp (+10).
  Ring of Force Shield: An iron band, this simple 
  ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) 
  wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wield-
  ed by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC). 
  This special creation has no armor check penalty or 
  arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and 
  encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivat-
  ed at will as a free action.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequi-
  sites: Forge Ring, wall of force; Market Price: 8,500 gp.
  Ring of Ironskin: This ring grants its wearer 
  damage reduction 15/adamantine. 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 20th; Prerequisites: 
  Forge Ring, Forge Epic Ring, iron body; Market Price: 
  400,000 gp.
  Ring of Protection: This ring offers continual 
  magical protection in the form of a deﬂection bonus 
  of +1 to +5 to AC.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: 
  Forge Ring, shield of faith, caster must be of a level at 
  least three times greater than the bonus of the ring; 
  Price 2,000 gp (ring +1); 8,000 gp (ring +2); 18,000 gp 
  (ring +3); 32,000 gp (ring +4); 50,000 gp (ring +5).
  Ring of Weaponbreaking: A ring of weaponbreak-
  ing is identical to a ring of ironskin, and has one addi-
  tional power. Any weapon that successfully strikes 
  the wearer must also make a Fortitude saving throw 
  (DC 20) or be shattered into pieces. 
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 20th; Prerequi-
  sites: Forge Ring, Forge Epic Ring, iron body, shatter; 
  Market Price: 600,000 gp; Cost to Create: 300,000 gp + 
  16,000 XP.
  Scabbard of Keen Edges: This scabbard is fash-
  ioned from cured leather and ﬁne silver. It can shrink 
  or enlarge to accommodate any knife, dagger, sword, 
  or similar weapon up to and including a greatsword. 
  Up to three times per day on command, the scabbard 
  casts keen edge on any blade placed within it.
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  131
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, keen edge; Market Price: 
  16,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.
  Scabbard of Protection: This scabbard resizes to 
  ﬁt any bladed weapon. When worn on the body the 
  scabbard conveys the following abilities:
  • 
  +1 natural armor bonus
  • 
  +1 resistance bonus to all saving throws
  • 
  Energy resistance 5 against a speciﬁed ener-
  gy form (this does not stack with any other 
  energy protections currently in place)
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 7th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Wondrous Item, mage armor, resist energy; 
  Market Price: 31,000 gp; Cost to Create: 15,500 gp + 
  1,240 XP.
  Scabbard of Return: This fabulous item is ex-
  tremely popular with those who wield hurled 
  weapons. A scabbard of return allows the last item 
  sheathed within it to be returned to the hands of 
  its owner upon utterance of a command word. The 
  scabbard functions only with weapons and cannot 
  retrieve an item that is on another plane.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 9th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Wondrous Item, teleport; Market Price: 
  4,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.
  Silk Robe of Sunbeams: A very rare and unique 
  item, this silk robe looks to be made of thin but 
  broad rays of light. The silk robe of sunbeams grants 
  the wearer a +3 armor bonus. Additionally, while 
  the armor is active the wearer may cast light at will, 
  negative energy protection and searing light once 
  per day, and sunlight once per week.
  If the wearer is neutral good, he can also cast cure 
  light wounds three times per day, cure serious wounds 
  twice a day, heal once a day, and receives fast heal-
  ing 1 as long as he stays in broad, cloudless daylight 
  while wearing the robe.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, 
  sunburst, heal, negative energy protection, daylight, must 
  be created in broad daylight. Market Price: 99,150 
  gp; Cost to Create: 50,150 gp + 3,916 XP.
  Sycophant: Sycophantic armor is not actually 
  crafted, but is instead a living, symbiotic creature. 
  Often, these creatures, known generally as syco-
  phants, attempt to bond with a living host by mim-
  icking regular suits of armor or shields. It is only af-
  ter an individual dons such a suit of living armor or 
  shield that she learns its true nature.
  Once donned, the sycophant becomes translu-
  cent, ooze-like, and mobile, covering the character 
  from head to toe in a mere instant. This causes no 
  damage to the wearer (but may well cause a measure 
  of confusion and alarm) and is essentially the syco-
  phant bonding with its new host. From such a point 
  onward, the sycophant acts as a sentient part of the 
  wearer and strives to protect her at all costs.
  The type of armor that a sycophant is ﬁrst dis-
  covered as determines the armor bonus it grants 
  to its host. Thus, a sycophant that poses as a suit 
  of chain mail grants a +5 armor bonus, while one 
  that appears as a suit of double plate grants a +12 
  armor bonus. Encumbrance, movement, and other 
  factors are dependent on the armor type of the sy-
  cophant. Sycophants grant a resistance bonus on 
  saving throws equal to one-half their armor bonus 
  (rounded down).
  Only one sycophant can inhabit the body of a 
  host at a single time. While sycophants are techni-
  cally non-intelligent, their actions do seem to denote 
  complex thought. However, this is merely the reac-
  tive and pre-programmed nature of these strange 
  and alien creatures.
  While the normal state of the sycophant is actu-
  ally to reside within the physical form of its host, it 
  emerges as a translucent suit of armor (or shield, 
  in the case of shield sycophants) when expelled or 
  upon the death of its host. During the time of their 
  symbiosis, the host experiences an increased desire 
  to eat and must consume twice her daily amount of 
  food and water to sate both her hunger and the hun-
  ger of the sycophant.
  Sycophants can be willingly forced out of a host 
  through strength of will. If a successful Will save 
  (DC 15 plus the armor bonus of the sycophant) is 
  made, the sycophant is expelled. Sycophants imme-
  diately morph back into their shield or armor form if 
  not residing in a host. Sycophants cannot bond with 
  undead or non-corporeal creatures.
  Sycophants cannot be targeted by spell or physi-
  cal attacks and exist solely within their hosts. They 
  grant their beneﬁts to their host at all times, even 
  when within the conﬁnes of antimagic ﬁelds or when 
  their hosts are stunned or ﬂat-footed. Sycophants 
  can morph into any armor with lesser armor bonus 
  at will, which they generally do to bond with wiz-
  ards, sorcerers, and others that can’t wear heavier ar-
  mors. It’s not possible to wear armor over sycophant 
  armor (doing so negates all bonuses of the symbiotic 
  relationship).
  It is possible to add additional enchantments to 
  sycophantic armor. When calculating costs, consider 
  the sycophant as a masterwork armor with a base +1 
  enhancement bonus.
  Caster Level: n/a; Prerequisites: n/a; Market Value: 
  5,000 gp per point of armor bonus granted.
  Thornshield: Popular among halﬂing, gnome, 
  and elven warriors, thornshields are +2 light wooden 
  shields. Thornshields sprout long, curved spines and 
  thorns from the face of the shield when the com-
  mand word is uttered; these function as +2 shield 
  spikes. The wielder gains a +4 on opposed rolls to 
  disarm an opponent, and cannot be disarmed of the 
  shield himself.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 6th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, warp wood; 
  Market Price: 9,153gp; Cost to Create: 4,577gp + 366 
  XP.
  Thief’s Bandolier: This magical bandolier has 
  coiled wire sewn into it. When activated, the ban-
  dolier is capable of carrying 25 pounds of metallic 
  items for quick hands-free availability. While ac-
  tivated attacks with metallic weapons receive a +2 
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  132
  circumstance bonus to hit. Removing items of small 
  size requires a Strength check (DC 5).
  Moderate Transmutation; CL 10th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, telekinesis; Market 
  Price: 4,000gp
  Valkyrie Armor: This unusual suit of +3 weight-
  less full plate armor appears to be crafted for a hu-
  man female. Valkyrie armor normally functions 
  only for females, but males who don it are in for a 
  surprise when their armor transforms them into fe-
  males. Once the armor is removed, this effect can 
  be reversed by remove curse. Female characters that 
  equip this ﬁnely sculpted suit are able to ﬂy into a 
  rage twice a day, receiving a +4 enhancement bonus 
  to Strength and Dexterity and a +2 morale bonus to 
  all saving throws. This effect lasts 2–20 rounds. Also, 
  once per day, anyone wearing this armor can cast 
  lightning bolt and phantom steed.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 12th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph oth-
  er, lightning bolt, phantom steed, bull’s strength; Market 
  Price: 54,370 gp; Cost to Create: 28,010 gp + 2,109 XP.
  Werearmor: This +3 suit of weightless chainmail 
  magically camouﬂages itself when worn to look 
  like simple clothing. If the wearer of this armor ever 
  changes shape, either through means of polymor-
  phing type magic or through lycanthropy, the ar-
  mor reshapes and resizes itself to ﬁt his new form. 
  In addition, the armor can camouﬂage itself when 
  it changes shape, appearing as fur, hide, scales, or 
  whatever is appropriate for the form taken.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, levitate, alter 
  self; Market Price: 36,300 gp; Cost to Create: 18,300 gp 
  + 1,440 XP.
  Winged Armor: Crafted with winged human-
  oids in mind, this suit of +3 elven chain armor is spe-
  cially designed to accommodate ﬂying creatures. At 
  ﬁrst glance the armor appears as if a section has been 
  removed from the back. When pressed against the 
  chest of a winged humanoid, the armor magically 
  melds around the wearer and links together in the 
  back around the wings. The magically formed armor 
  allows for full free movement of the wearer’s wings, 
  and can be removed by a command word. 
  The armor grants a bonus of +10 feet on their 
  ﬂight speed, and improves their maneuverability 
  by one class. It has no effect on creatures that don’t 
  have the ability to ﬂy, or that ﬂy without the use of 
  wings. 
  Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fabricate, ﬂy; Price: 
  38,150 gp
  Woven Assistant: This simple +1 woven cord ar-
  mor can be commanded to unwind from it wearer 
  and act as a rope of climbing, or a rope of entanglement. 
  Winding or unwinding the rope is a move-equivalent 
  action. The armor amounts to 60 feet of rope when 
  unwound, thus when acting as a rope of entanglement, 
  its reach is doubled to 40 ft. forward or 20ft. up to 
  entangle its victim. Just as the rope of entanglement, 
  the armor (in any form) recovers 1 point of damage 
  every 5 minutes.
  Moderate Transmutation; CL 12th; Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, animate rope, animate objects; Price 
  21,386 gp.
  Artifacts
  A
  lthough all magical items require 
  complex rituals to create, some 
  involve enchantments so arcane 
  and bizarre that they may never 
  again be duplicated, even by the 
  most powerful of wizards. Such artifacts are one of 
  a kind, and possession of one is always as much of a 
  curse as a blessing.
  Armor of Epic Totems  
  Major Artifact
  W
  hen the barbarians of the frozen waste-
  lands ﬁrst came into contact with the 
  animal spirits they considered them-
  selves blessed. The animal spirits helped them in 
  their time of need and asked in return only to be 
  treated with honor and respect. It was a golden time 
  for the barbarians who experienced growth and 
  prosperity like no people have seen since. But not 
  all barbarians were happy with sharing the powers 
  of the animal spirits. One shaman managed to har-
  ness those powers and bend them to his own will. 
  The animal spirits were angered and the 12 Great 
  Tribes knew they were in danger. Joining forces they 
  fought valiantly against the shaman and his follow-
  ers who wielded the power of the trapped spirits. 
  There were great losses on both sides and the civi-
  lization that they had built was entirely destroyed. 
  The Great Barbarian Tribal Wars are said to have 
  pitted animal spirits against each other for the ﬁrst 
  time, upsetting the balance of nature in the process. 
  Many of the spirits were freed when the items that 
  imprisoned them were destroyed but several items 
  of power were lost along with the shaman when he 
  fell from the point of the Great Glacier into the Ever 
  Freezing Sea. The most magniﬁcent of these items is 
  said to be the Armor of Epic Totems. Many of the an-
  imal spirits remained lost and the Armor was never 
  found. Generation after generation of barbarian sha-
  man have searched for the lost armor in the hopes of 
  freeing the trapped spirits and making amends for 
  the transgressions of their ancestors but none have 
  ever succeeded.
  This unique sap hide suit of armor was created 
  with magical runes and symbols imprinted into the 
  sap. Once per day the wearer can call upon one of 
  the animal totems on the armor and be granted the 
  speciﬁc bonus for one hour. When used the totem 
  disappears and is not replaced with a new totem 
  symbol. When found this item contains 1d10 totems 
  from the list below. When all totem symbols are gone 
  it becomes normal +2 sap hide armor.
  CL 20th; Weight: 10 pounds.
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  133
  Bandoleer of Swords  
  (Minor Artifact)
  I
  t is unknown who developed the Bandoleer of 
  Swords or for what end it was created. Mages 
  and craftsman have tried to duplicate the ban-
  doleer time and time again, with little success. Most 
  sages believe it to have been crafted by a demon on 
  some distant plane.
  The Bandoleer of Swords is a black leather vest-
  ment that covers the wearer’s chest, back, shoul-
  ders, and a small portion of his arms. Mithral clasps 
  fasten in the front, and can only be opened by the 
  wearer—unless he or she is dead. On each chest ﬂap 
  is six narrow slits, the openings of which are lined 
  with a golden weave in a crescent pattern. The vest-
  ment also has two pockets, one on each side, directly 
  below the slits. The bandoleer serves as +3 leather 
  armor, and magically conforms to the wearer’s form 
  if he is of Small or Medium size.
  The most obvious feature of the bandoleer is its 
  ability to carry swords. The bandoleer can carry up 
  to a dozen swords by shrinking them to ﬁt into its 
  chest slits. Even magical blades can be stowed when 
  their tips are pressed into the golden weave of the 
  vest. Once secure in the bandoleer, the swords are in-
  distinguishable from ordinary daggers. In addition, 
  whenever desired, any desired blade from the Ban-
  doleer of Swords can be teleported into the wearer’s 
  hand. This ability occurs at the speed of thought and 
  is a free action.
  Both of the two pockets have magical properties 
  as well. The left pocket functions as nondimensional 
  space, the same as a bag of holding. It can carry up to 
  50 pounds in weight and 15 cubic feet in volume. The 
  properties of the pocket and how it functions follow 
  the same rules as a bag of holding. Only the wearer 
  of the bandoleer can pull items from the pocket; to 
  all others it appears empty.
  The right pocket activates magical items placed in 
  it. The pocket can hold items such as rings, brooches, 
  necklaces, etc. Anything larger than a man’s ﬁst is 
  too big for the pocket to hold. Any item placed in the 
  pocket is considered “worn” by the user. No more 
  than three items can be placed in the pocket and 
  function at the same time.
  For warriors who know of its existence, the Ban-
  doleer of Swords is a highly prized item. Rumors 
  speak of a prince who once opened the coffers of his 
  country, to the tune of 500,000 gold pieces, to buy 
  the item from a mercenary who stumbled across it. 
  The full history of the bandoleer, however, is con-
  siderably bloodier. Those who possess the item soon 
  become the targets of thieves, assassins, and power-
  ful sorcerers who wish to know its secrets and use 
  its power.
  CL 18th; Weight: 10lb.
  Mail of the Knuk
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Abilities of the Armor of Epic Totems
  d20
  Symbol
  Effect
  1
  Ant
  Wearer shrinks to 1/4 size and 1/10 weight (as per reduction quality) but retains full strength.
  2
  Bear
  +2 inherent Strength bonus
  3
  Bull
  +2 inherent Strength, +2 circumstance bonus to morale checks vs. fear
  4
  Camel
  Resistance to temperature (40-90 Fahrenheit), +2 circumstance bonus against djinni’s whirlwind 
  attack, and other wind and sand attacks (as the desert quality
  5
  Cat
  +2 inherent Dexterity bonus, +2 circumstance bonus to Move Silently and Balance
  6
  Deer
  +2 inherent Charisma bonus
  7
  Eel
  Electricity resistance of 10 points (as electricity resistance)
  8
  Fish
  +5 competence bonus to Swim check, armor does not factor into encumbrance while swimming.
  9
  Fox
  +2 inherent Dexterity bonus
  10
  Ghost
  On command wearer can become ethereal (as etherealness)
  11
  Hawk
  +2 inherent Intelligence bonus
  12
  Octopus
  Armor manifests additional arms (as per the tentacled quality)
  13
  Owl
  +2 inherent Wisdom bonus
  14
  Phoenix
  If killed the wearer can be resurrected (as the phoenix quality). This is an automatic quality that 
  does not need to be activated. Its use destroys the remaining totem symbols on the armor, leaving 
  +2 sap hide armor.
  15
  Porcupine
  Armor spikes manifest and can be propelled (as per steelspray quality)
  16
  Raven
  +2 inherent Intelligence bonus, +2 circumstance bonus to Handle Animal skill (raven’s armor).
  17
  Rust Monster
  Any metal weapons that come in contact with armor begin to rust (as the  rusting quality)
  18
  Wolf
  +2 inherent Constitution bonus
  19
  Wolverine
  +2 inherent Charisma bonus, +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidation checks.
  20
  Yeti
  Magical cold resistance of 10 points (as cold resistance)
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  134
   Mail of the Knük 
  (Major artifact)
  C
  enturies ago, the Mail of the Knük was 
  pulled out of the depths of an ancient ruin 
  by a group of human adventurers. Although 
  obviously a powerful device, this weightless suit of 
  morbius mail was considered more of a curiosity 
  than a useful device, mostly because of the extra pair 
  of arms that dangled just below the ﬁ rst set. The ar-
  mor made its way around various collector circles, 
  and eventually was purchased by an ambitious war-
  rior-king. This king had had a vision, that the armor 
  would make him invincible and his empire mighty. 
  He called forth the greatest enchanters and mages of 
  the land, and compelled them to all work together to 
  study the armor and to augment its ancient magics.
  The armor had originally been created for a knük 
  emperor, and was fabled to have been a gift from 
  Shiv himself, the knük god of war and valor. The 
  armor had allowed the conqueror to form his enor-
  mous empire, and was considered a sacred relic by 
  the knük, who long thought it lost.
  The enchantments placed upon the mail by the 
  king’s magicians brought the extra arms of the suit 
  to life, allowing the king to wield 
  four weapons at once in battle. 
  The ancient knük enchantments 
  on the armor remained, mak-
  ing him nearly invulnerable. 
  After expanding his empire 
  to 
  enormous 
  proportions, 
  the king was ﬁ nally slain by 
  his consort, a secret assas-
  sin for the rebel forces than 
  soon overran the capital. 
  The empty knük armor was 
  declared unholy by the rebel 
  leaders, and was cast out of 
  the world entirely through a 
  mystical gate. The current 
  location of the armor is 
  unknown.
  The Mail of the 
  Knük offers a human-
  oid wearer an extra pair 
  of magical arms. These arms can 
  be controlled by the wearer without 
  causing him confusion of any kind, 
  and without interfering with his oth-
  er limbs. If these arms are equipped 
  with weapons, the wearer gains two 
  extra attacks each round at his base at-
  tack bonus. The wearer receives no penalties for us-
  ing these arms, and is not considered to be ﬁ ghting 
  with two weapons or using an off-hand. The arms 
  can even be used to attack while the wearer’s own 
  arms cast spells, allowing the wearer to cast in melee 
  combat without drawing an attack of opportunity. If 
  the arms are not supplied with weapons, each one 
  can perform a single standard action each round. 
  These magical arms have a Strength of 20.
  In addition to the arms, the original knük enchant-
  ments still hold. The knük mail has an enhancement 
  bonus of +5, giving it an overall armor bonus of +12. 
  The armor is also entirely weightless, giving it no ar-
  mor check penalty, allowing a maximum Dexterity 
  bonus of +7 and an arcane spell failure percentage of 
  15. The wearer’s movement rating is not hampered 
  by the armor in any way. The blessing of Shiv still 
  hangs over the mail, allowing its wearer to beneﬁ t 
  from the effects of foresight at all times. Addition-
  ally, the wearer’s soul cannot leave his body while 
  the armor is equipped, preventing death by any 
  means. To assist in such matters, the armor provides 
  powerful regeneration magics, healing the wearer at 
  a rate of 5 hit points per round, even past the point 
  of what normally would mean death. The armor also 
  regenerates ability score losses at a rate of 2 points 
  per round and negative levels at a rate of one per 
  round.
  Caster Level: 20th; Weight: 0 lb.
   Robe of the Transcendent
  (Major Artifact)
  The greatest alchemists are said to possess not only 
  the secrets of transmuting lead into gold, but also 
  the key to breaking the bonds of the mortal coil 
  and transcending the human condition into a state 
  of godhood. However, the original creator of the  
  Robe of the Transcendent was no great alchemist, 
  but rather a powerful wizard and archmage 
  that dabbled in the alchemical sciences and 
  wished to sample a similar state to godhood 
  without enduring the long road that leads 
  to transcendence.
  The armored robe, which 
  appears as a very reﬁ ned, 
  ﬁ gure-hugging 
  black 
  robe 
  with 
  armored 
  shoulder 
  padding 
  with intricate golden-
  threads, 
  empowers 
  the wearer with a 
  variety of enchant-
  ments designed to 
  mimic some of the 
  powers of alchemical 
  transcends.
  While wearing the robe, which func-
  tions as a +5 armored robe, the wearer 
  ceases to age, and the elderly begin to 
  recover their youthful visages so that they 
  appear to be in their primes once more. 
  Spells aimed at the wearer can be absorbed as per 
  the absorption amour ability. Additionally, the wear-
  er regenerates 1 hit point each round so long as they 
  are still above –10, and is able to see permanently as 
  if under the inﬂ uence of a true seeing spell.
  CL 20th; Weight: 8 lb.
  Chapter 6: Armor of Gallantry
  
  135
  CHAPTER 7: NEW MATERIALS
  +1,500 gp, whereas light beryllium armor costs 
  +2,000 gp, medium armor costs +3,500 gp and heavy 
  armor runs +5,000 gp. Naturally, items crafted from 
  this magniﬁcent material are masterwork creations 
  for the purposes of enchantment. Beryllium incred-
  ibly weighs one-tenth as much as steel, while it pos-
  sesses a hardness of 15 and 30 hit points per inch of 
  thickness.
  Black Adamantine: Black adamantine is a rare 
  form of adamantine that is only found on the Plane 
  of Shadow. It is a jet-black material imbued with 
  the properties of shadowstuff. Armor created from 
  black adamantine grants the wearer a +10 competen-
  cy bonus on Hide checks in a shadowed area. Black 
  adamantine otherwise acts the same as adamantine 
  but costs twice as much.
  Bonebreaker: Derived from the elusive skullcap 
  mushroom, adventurers anticipating encounters 
  with the undead keep at least a few applications 
  of this expensive substance nearby. Bonebreaker 
  applied to any weapon provides a +1 bonus to the 
  weapon’s attack and damage rolls for the next 2d4 
  rounds whenever the wielder attacks corporeal un-
  dead. Coating the weapon with an application of 
  Bonebreaker requires a full round action that pro-
  vokes an attack of opportunity.
  Brown Tortoise: The brown tortoise’s aban-
  doned carapace makes a ﬁne shield, but proves too 
  unwieldy and bulky for the construction of armor. 
  Roughly three feet in diameter, the reptile’s shell 
  always functions as a large shield, bestowing a +2 
  shield bonus to its owner. The rounded shield offers 
  no additional protection against physical attacks; 
  however, its odd shape and ﬁre resistant material 
  grant its wielder a +2 circumstance bonus to saving 
  throws against all ﬁre-based spells and effects. The 
  shield’s owner only gains this beneﬁt if the attack al-
  lows a saving throw. Brown tortoise shields are mas-
  terwork items costing 1,500 gp. They weigh as much 
  as their steel counterparts while possessing a hard-
  ness of 10 and 20 hit points per inch of thickness.
  Chromium: Adding a small quantity of chromi-
  um to steel improves its ability to resist rust. Steel 
  items, weapons, and armor containing chromium 
  receive a +1 circumstance bonus to resist all types 
  of rust attacks including the physical attacks of a 
  rust monster or the spell rusting grasp. Infusing steel 
  with chromium increases the item’s cost by 10 gp per 
  pound.
  Darkesite: Extraterrestrial in nature, this bizarre, 
  black cosmic mineral displays the uncanny ability to 
  absorb light. Darkesite shields and armor retain their 
  armor bonus against all light-based spells and effects 
  directed speciﬁcally at the wearer, such as the spell 
  searing light. Darkesite does not negate light-based 
  area of effect spells or powers, although darkesite ar-
  mor grants a +1 bonus to saving throws against such 
  forms of attack. A small darkesite shield costs 600 
  gp, and a large shield forged from the metal costs 
  1,000 gp. Similarly light, medium, and heavy armors 
  crafted from darkesite cost +1,500 gp, +2,750 gp and 
  +4,000 gp respectively. Darkesite weighs one quarter 
  W
  eapons and armor can be 
  crafted from nearly any 
  substance. Some, like steel, 
  are invaluable for such con-
  struction. Others, like gold, 
  may look impressive, but prove ineffective in actual 
  combat. Detailed below are a few materials that serve 
  both purposes.
  Aeroglass: Aeroglass is a light, strong glass con-
  taining small amounts of adamantine and numerous 
  minute air bubbles. It is sometimes found as slag 
  ﬂoating on top of lava in active volcanoes. Not as 
  strong as steel per unit volume, it has hardness 7 and 
  12 hit points per inch of thickness. An equivalent vol-
  ume of aeroglass weighs only 1/5 as much as steel. 
  Weapons made of aeroglass are always masterwork. 
  Due to their light weight, they gain an additional +1 
  enhancement bonus to hit, though this bonus does 
  not stack with any magical enchantment. Aeroglass 
  armor needs to be thicker in order to provide the 
  same protection as normal armor, so gives no special 
  beneﬁts. However, since it ﬂoats, adventurers some-
  times wear armor of this substance. Market Price 
  Modiﬁer: Weapon +1,000 gp; armor +1,500 gp. 
  Alutromun: This material’s transparency makes 
  it an ideal substance for helmets and visors. Al-
  though the metal offers no additional protection to 
  the wearer’s head over other materials, headgear 
  made from this substance removes any penalties for 
  Spot checks from wearing standard helms and vi-
  sors, allowing full 360-degree vision as if the wearer 
  wasn’t wearing a helm at all. Alutromun helmets are 
  masterwork items costing 2,500 gp. The metal pos-
  sesses a hardness of 5 and 10 hit points per inch of 
  thickness.
  Bergasalt: No known substance proves more le-
  thal against undead than bergasalt. As a result, the 
  most accomplished warriors sworn to the destruc-
  tion of these abominations covet this valuable mate-
  rial. Because the mineral naturally appears in small 
  quantities and must remain largely intact to retain 
  its mystical properties, bergasalt tipped arrows are 
  the most common form of weaponry forged from the 
  elusive crystal. Rumors persist that a band of seven 
  undead hunters wields bergasalt daggers; however, 
  no deﬁnitive proof veriﬁes this claim. 
  One bergasalt arrow or bolt costs 140 gp, while a 
  bergasalt dagger costs 6,500 gp. Bergasalt weapons 
  ignore the natural armor bonus of corporeal undead 
  up to a maximum of +5 and are masterwork weap-
  ons for the purposes of enchantment. One ounce of 
  bergasalt contains enough material to craft one ber-
  gasalt arrow or bolt. Bergasalt weighs half as much 
  as steel, but it only possesses a hardness of 5 and 15 
  hit points per inch of thickness. 
  Beryllium: Incredibly lightweight but also amaz-
  ingly strong and resistant to heat and corrosion, ar-
  mor and shields crafted from this metal command a 
  hefty premium on the open market. Beryllium armor 
  confers ﬁre and acid resistance/2 to its wearer and 
  bestows a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws 
  against either energy form. Beryllium shields cost 
  
  136
  as much as steel, but it only possesses a hardness of 5 
  and 15 hit points per inch of thickness.
  Diamond: Diamonds are the hardest natural 
  substance as well as one of the most valuable stones 
  in the world. While jewelers use the clear and yel-
  low varieties of the gem to create masterful works 
  of jewelry, weaponsmiths create diamond tipped ar-
  rows and bolts from the darker hues. Because of the 
  incredible effort required to cut the stone into a ﬁne 
  point, a single diamond tipped arrow or bolt costs 
  225 gp. 
  Diamond tipped projectiles easily pierce armor; 
  ignoring all armor, shield, and natural armor bo-
  nuses of up to +2 in each. A creature protected by 
  armor, shield, and natural armor bonuses would 
  have its AC lowered by 6, for instance, when facing 
  a foe wielding diamond-tipped weapons. Diamond 
  weighs 1 ½ as much as steel, but it possesses a hard-
  ness of 25 and 50 hit points per inch of thickness.
  Dream Silver: A pale greenish-gray metal, 
  dream silver is lightweight, easy to forge, and effec-
  tive against a large number of creatures that resist 
  damage dealt by normal weapons. However, it is 
  very rare and extremely valuable. Weapons made of 
  dream silver penetrate damage reduction as if made 
  of both cold iron and silver.
  Dream silver has 15 hit points per inch of thick-
  ness and hardness 10.
  Type of Dream Silver Item
  Cost Modiﬁer
  Ammunition
  +50 gp
  Light weapon
  +1,500 gp
  One-handed weapon or one 
  head of a double weapon
  +2,500 gp
  Two-handed 
  weapon 
  or 
  both heads of a double 
  weapon
  +3,500 gp
  Ethertite: Formed in places of power where the 
  Prime Material and Ethereal planes overlap, this 
  unique mineral retains an unbreakable link to both 
  universes. Although existing in material form, ether-
  tite weapons are more damaging against ethereal 
  creatures. 
  Weapon Size
  Damage
  Cost
  Tiny
  +1
  +50 gp
  Small
  +2
  +100 gp
  Medium
  +3
  +200 gp
  Large
  +4
  +500 gp
  Huge
  +5
  +1,000 gp
  Ethertite armor and shields retain their natural 
  bonuses against incorporeal touch attacks. Ethertite 
  weapons cost 1,000 gp more than typical weapons. 
  Ethertite weighs as much as steel, but it possesses 
  a hardness of 15 and 30 hit points per inch of thick-
  ness.
  Feyblade: The faerie aversion to cold iron has 
  driven them to explore new materials for their weap-
  ons. Feyblade is an alloy of silver, magic sand, pow-
  dered gems, and other material native the fey lands 
  of Faerie that results in a blade that is lighter than 
  steel but equally strong. Weapons made from this 
  material provide a +1 enhancement bonus to attack 
  rolls and are 25% lighter in weight than normal. This 
  material is generally not available for sale upon the 
  Prime Material Plane, requiring a trip to the Lands of 
  the Faerie to barter for it.
  Icebreaker: Widespread throughout many arc-
  tic regions, herbalists derive this popular ointment 
  from snow moss, a plant indigenous to the region. 
  The plant predominately grows in remote ice caves 
  frequently populated by frost giants or white drag-
  ons. In an effort to capitalize on the product’s im-
  mense demand, some entrepreneurial herbalists 
  negotiate lucrative business deals with the normally 
  hostile inhabitants. Because of the commercial suc-
  cess, a growing number of frost giant tribes and 
  white dragons amass vast fortunes previously in-
  comprehensible before the advent of this proﬁtable 
  ointment. 
  The user rubs the slightly greasy and cool sub-
  stance directly onto the blade or head of any weap-
  on. This causes the weapon to deal double its base 
  damage to any creature with the ﬁre subtype. For 
  instance, ﬁre giants take double damage (2d8 points) 
  from a longsword coated with icebreaker, but it does 
  not take double damage from its enhancement bo-
  nus or the wielder’s Strength modiﬁer. One applica-
  tion of icebreaker coats a medium sized weapon, and 
  each dose retains its potency for 3d6 rounds after ap-
  plication. A single vial of icebreaker costs 1,500 gp.
  Ósanwëtaurë: This mystical bush provides one 
  of the rarest and valuable woods found anywhere. 
  Until recently ósanwëtaurë wood was unknown by 
  all but the knük people. Ósanwëtaurë, known as 
  thoughtwood or mindwood in Common, is a large 
  bush with ﬁne branches and pale white leaves. The 
  roots of the bush grow to a tremendous length, often 
  breaking the surface far away from the core of the 
  plant.
  Ósanwëtaurë bushes are often found in the cen-
  ter of knük meditation gardens or in the middle of 
  druidic groves. Anyone within 100 feet of one feels a 
  wave of calm and peacefulness wash over him. This 
  has no measurable effect, and is easily shrugged off 
  by those unwilling to embrace the calming energy. 
  Rumor holds that in ancient times, the knük folk 
  were able to communicate with the ósanwëtaurë 
  bushes.
  For many years, the knük folk have harvested 
  the extraneous roots of these bushes and used them 
  in the construction of various objects and weapons. 
  Normally, only the roots that break the surface and 
  are beginning to die off are used. The knük always 
  make sure to leave enough roots behind to allow for 
  the further survival of the ósanwëtaurë bush.
  Any weapon or armor constructed with normal 
  wood may also be constructed from the roots of the 
  ósanwëtaurë bush. These weapons provide their 
  wielders with a +1 luck bonus to Will saves. This 
  effect only functions when the weapon or armor 
  is held or worn. Ósanwëtaurë wood weapons and 
  armor cannot be permanently enchanted without 
  Chapter 7: New Materials
  
  137
  causing the calming effect to fade. This also prevents 
  any subcomponent of the weapon or armor from be-
  ing enchanted as well, such as the metal head of a 
  spear.
  Cost: +600 gp per weapon or suit of armor.
  Rhyolite: This unusual beige, igneous rock dem-
  onstrates remarkable soundprooﬁ ng qualities. As a 
  result, armorsmiths construct sturdy and durable 
  helmets from the mineral. Rhyolite helmets grant 
  sonic resistance/2 and a +1 bonus to saving throws 
  against all sound-based attacks including spells, 
  spell like effects, and supernatural abilities contain-
  ing the sonic descriptor. Conversely, rhyolite hel-
  mets impose a –2 penalty on all Listen checks and 
  spellcasters suffer a 10% chance of miscasting spells 
  with a verbal component. Rhyolite helmets cost 2,250 
  gp. Rhyolite weighs 1 ½ times as much as steel and 
  possesses a hardness of 10 and 20 hit points per inch 
  of thickness.
  Rouggeheat: Clusters of these large, bright-red 
  crystals occasionally appear in lava caves, formed by 
  the amalgamation of cooling magma, native rocks, 
  and cosmic materials. These thin crystalline struc-
  tures grow to a length of six feet, making them an 
  excellent composite material for the tips of projectile 
  weapons. They do additional damage to ﬁ re-based 
  creatures exactly as ethertite functions against ethe-
  real creatures. Rouggeheat has a hardness of 5 and 
  10 hit points per inch of thickness.
  Weapon Size
  Damage
  Cost
  Tiny
  +1
  +50 gp
  Small
  +2
  +100 gp
  Medium
  +3
  +200 gp
  Large
  +4
  +500 gp
  Huge
  +5
  +1,000 gp
  Shineblade: Shineblade is an extremely rare fey 
  metal that, when struck, sheds a purplish light that 
  helps negate the concealment of hidden or obstruct-
  ed creatures in a 30-foot radius. A creature wielding 
  a weapon made from this material gains an imme-
  diate Spot check to notice hidden creatures, with a 
  fey wielder gaining a +4 circumstance bonus on the 
  check. If the character makes an attack against a re-
  vealed creature in the same round, the miss chance 
  due to concealment is reduced by half (from a 20% 
  miss chance to only 10% in most cases). Cost: +1,500 
  gp per weapon.
  Slade: Slade is an extremely rare metal, found 
  only in certain meteorites that strike the Forge from 
  space. Slade has the amazing ability to cancel out 
  magical energies with which it comes into contact. Its 
  rarity and importance virtually assures it can never 
  be found on the free market. If one wants slade, one 
  must locate it on his own. 
  Pure slade is soft, like lead, and is unwieldy. 
  However, slade can be molded into iron, producing 
  an alloy that can be worked like steel, which is how 
  most people identify with the metal. Slade alloy can 
  be fashioned into metal armor or weaponry if one 
  can afford it. Slade items are not normally manu-
  factured, but must be specially commissioned from 
  someone who has experience with the metal.
  Slade armor provides a spell resistance for its 
  wearer, applicable even against effects that normally 
  ignore spell resistance. Unfortunately, slade armor 
  also prevents its wearer from being able to use any 
  magical items or cast any spell, even divine magic or 
  channeling. Slade is sometimes used to make shack-
  les that render spellcasters helpless. 
  Slade weapons are powerful. Any time a slade 
  weapon strikes an opponent, it has the same effect as 
  if the target had been hit by dispel magic. The dispel 
  check is equal to 1d20 plus the amount of damage 
  dealt. Slade weapons can be used against objects as 
  well as creatures. Characters who wield slade weap-
  ons cannot cast spells, nor can they gain the use of 
  any magic item (ring, bracers, etc.) afﬁ xed to the arm 
  that holds the weapon.
  Unfortunately, slade weapons and armor can 
  not be enchanted in any way. The slade alloy can be 
  made with adamantine instead of iron alloy, provid-
  ing a natural enchantment of up to +3. Slade alloy 
  has the hardness and hit points of whatever metal is 
  used as the base. Slade objects can be affected by any 
  New materials
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 7: New Materials
  
  138
  sort of magic, whether it is for repair, telekinesis, or 
  whatever. Slade simply cannot be placed into a bag of 
  holding or similar device.
  Item
  Market Price
  Pure slade ore
  15,000 gp per pound
  Armor (SR 15)
  +25,000 gp
  Armor (SR 20)
  +50,000 gp
  Armor (SR 25)
  +75,000 gp
  Armor (SR 30)
  +100,000 gp
  Shackles
  10,000 gp
  Weapon*
  +25,000 gp
  Weapon **
  +40,000 gp
  *Damage 1d4 or 1d6
  **Damage 1d8 or more
   Steelwood: Steelwood is a very rare type of 
  wood that, through a complex curing process, can be 
  hardened to an almost ironlike rigidity. This makes 
  it quite popular amongst barbarian tribes who use it 
  to fashion weapons. The tribes that make use of this 
  wood ﬁ ercely protect the areas where the trees grow. 
  More than one honest traveler has sought to make 
  a ﬁ re from the apparently dying trees and found 
  himself staked out under the sun on the following 
  morning.
  Steelwood trees are short and scrub that grow 
  in very desolate locations, looking to the untrained 
  eye to be dying and barren. Steelwood weapons are 
  very difﬁ cult to discern from iron weapons, since the 
  curing changes its composition. Anyone looking at a 
  steelwood weapon must make a Spot check against 
  DC 12 to notice that it is not made of iron.
  Steelwood can be used in place of any weapon 
  requiring the use of iron. Due to its composition, it is 
  not affected by heat metal or other metal-based spells. 
  The material also does not rust, nor does it conduct 
  electricity. Cost: +400 gp per weapon.
   Stone Lobster Shell: Too small to craft into a 
  complete suit of armor, manufacturers employ the 
  crustacean’s sturdy but ﬂ exible tail shell to protect 
  the wearer’s joints while retain-
  ing virtually full mobility. There 
  is no known method of perma-
  nently bonding the animal’s shell 
  to metal; therefore, it is limited 
  to masterwork armors fashioned 
  from organic materials such as 
  leather or hide. While typical suits 
  of masterwork armor receive a 
  –1 reduction to their armor check 
  penalties, armor crafted with 
  stone lobster shell beneﬁ t from a 
  –2 reduction to its armor check 
  penalty. One adult lobster yields 
  enough material to create one 
  suit of armor for a medium sized 
  creature. The inclusion of stone 
  lobster shell in a masterwork suit 
  of armor adds an additional cost 
  equal to its armor bonus x 100 gp. 
  For example, a masterwork suit 
  of hide armor containing pieces 
  of stone lobster shell costs 465 gp 
  and possesses an armor check penalty of –1 [15 gp 
  (normal cost of hide armor) + 150 gp (normal cost 
  for masterwork armor) + 300 gp (+3 armor bonus x 
  100 gp) = 465 gp].
  Teak: Teak displays remarkable resistance to 
  water and the ability to repel insects. Weapons and 
  shields crafted from teak must be masterwork items, 
  and each bestows a +1 luck bonus to attack rolls and 
  AC against all attacks made on or by insects and has 
  water resistance/2.
  Tensile Mercury: Tensile mercury is a silvery, 
  psycho-active metal. Artiﬁ cers ﬁ nd the material 
  gathered in small pools buried underground. Oc-
  casionally geologic forces push tensile mercury up 
  through seams into underground rivers and small 
  droplets of it get carried to the surface to collect in 
  ponds or streambeds. Despite tensile mercury’s lack 
  of raw magical power, adventurers and the afﬂ uent-
  ly rich value it quite highly. This is because a tensile 
  mercury wielder can command it to reshape itself.
  All tensile mercury equipment can expand or 
  contract. A given quantity of tensile mercury can 
  contract to one-tenth its maximum mass and size. Re-
  shaping tensile mercury weapons or armor requires 
  training; you must take the Tensile Mercury Exper-
  tise feat to use it. It then takes a standard action to 
  modify your equipment. Tensile mercury users typi-
  cally store their equipment as bracers (or matched 
  sets of arm and leg bracers for armor), elaborate jew-
  elry, and so on. While in storage mode the user does 
  not suffer any of the penalties normally associated 
  with the equipment (other than the reduced weight). 
  You still need proﬁ ciency with the weapon or armor 
  type as usual. Shaping an Exotic Weapon requires a 
  Craft (Weaponsmithing) check (DC 20) and takes the 
  normal time for shaping a tensile mercury weapon; 
  you may take 10 on this check, even during a ﬁ ght. 
  Tensile Mercury has a hardness of 15 and 30 hit 
  points per inch of thickness. While ﬂ uid, enchanted 
  sort of magic, whether it is for repair, telekinesis, or 
  the wearer’s joints while retain-
  ing virtually full mobility. There 
  is no known method of perma-
  nently bonding the animal’s shell 
  to metal; therefore, it is limited 
  to masterwork armors fashioned 
  from organic materials such as 
  leather or hide. While typical suits 
  of masterwork armor receive a 
  –1 reduction to their armor check 
  penalties, armor crafted with 
  stone lobster shell beneﬁ t from a 
  –2 reduction to its armor check 
  penalty. One adult lobster yields 
  enough material to create one 
  suit of armor for a medium sized 
  creature. The inclusion of stone 
  lobster shell in a masterwork suit 
  of armor adds an additional cost 
  equal to its armor bonus x 100 gp. 
  For example, a masterwork suit 
  of hide armor containing pieces 
  of stone lobster shell costs 465 gp 
  Tensile Mercury Expertise [General] 
  You have special training with the use of tensile mercury equip-
  ment. 
  Beneﬁ t: This feat allows you to control and modify tensile mer-
  cury equipment you wield. You can alter your equipment as a stan-
  dard action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. For ex-
  otic weapons you must make a Craft (Weaponsmith) check (DC 20) 
  to do this. 
  Normal: You cannot use or modify Tensile Mercury equipment 
  without this feat.
  Tensile Mercury Mastery [General] 
  You are a true master in the use of tensile mercury. 
  Prerequisite: Tensile Mercury Expertise 
  Beneﬁ t: Your mastery of tensile mercury equipment allows you 
  to control or modify tensile mercury weapons or armor as a free ac-
  tion (this does not provoke an attack of opportunity). 
  Chapter 7: New Materials
  
  139
  weapons can damage it (much 
  the way ghosts can be damaged 
  by enchanted weapons). Give it 
  damage reduction of 15/+2 due 
  to its ﬂuid nature; this only ap-
  plies to attacks directed against 
  the item itself. 
  Weapons: One can shape 
  Tensile Mercury weapons into 
  any weapon made in large 
  part of metal, such as the fol-
  lowing: Axe, orc double; Axe, 
  throwing; 
  Battleaxe; 
  Chain, 
  spiked; 
  Dagger; 
  Dagger, 
  punching; Dart; Falchion; Flail, 
  dire; Flail, heavy; Flail, light; 
  Gauntlet; 
  Gauntlet, 
  spiked; 
  Glaive; Greataxe; Greatsword; 
  Guisarme; Halberd; Hammer, 
  gnome hooked; Hammer, light; 
  Handaxe; Kama; Kama, half-
  ling; Kukri; Longsword; Mace, 
  heavy; 
  Mace, 
  light; 
  Morn-
  ingstar; Pick, heavy; Pick, light; Ranseur; Rapier; 
  Scimitar; Scythe; Shuriken; Sickle; Sword, bastard; 
  Sword, short; Sword, two-bladed; Trident; Urgrosh, 
  dwarven; Waraxe, dwarven; or Warhammer. 
  A tensile mercury weapon has a base cost of 
  10,000 gp. Tensile mercury can support up to 7 
  points of bonuses with a maximum +4 enhancement 
  bonus. 
  Armor: Like weapons, one can shape tensile mer-
  cury armor into any mostly metallic armor such as: 
  chain shirt, scale mail, chain mail, breast plate, splint 
  mail, banded mail, half plate, or full plate. Tensile 
  mercury armor has a base cost of 6,000 gp. Tensile 
  mercury can support up to 7 points of bonuses with 
  a maximum +4 enhancement bonus. 
  Vermillion Hound: This creature’s hide is ex-
  tremely ﬁre retardant, making it an excellent mate-
  rial for leather and hide armor. Either armor fash-
  ioned from the skin of this creature conveys ﬁre 
  resistance/2 to its wearer, although it is 10 percent 
  heavier than normal varieties of these armors. Ver-
  million hound armor is considered a masterwork 
  item.
  Durability
  A
  rmor and shields are constructed with 
  thought to their service requirements. 
  They are built to withstand rugged con-
  ditions, enduring extremes of stress and hard wear. 
  Yet, a shield may be sundered, or worn armor may 
  have its condition impaired by attacks of acid, ﬁre, 
  cold, spells or other effects that attack item hardness. 
  In these and other circumstances that severely test 
  the equipment, an adventurer’s very life may depend 
  upon the basic durability of her arms and armor. 
  While all martial gear is considered to be sturdy 
  and tough, it is possible for the adventurer to pro-
  cure equipment of exceptional durability. Durable 
  armor and shields handle stressful forces better than 
  regular equipment. Gear of this sort typically has a 
  longer lifespan than the norm: it is reinforced or con-
  structed in a more rugged manner, generally gains 
  one or more hardness points, and gains a saving 
  throw bonus. Durability does not provide a defen-
  sive armor bonus, but any item crafted speciﬁcally 
  for durability gains a +1 inherent bonus to checks 
  and saves against damage or breakage due to cold, 
  ﬁre, acid, wear and tear, or any other circumstance 
  the GM deems might ruin equipment. 
  All durable items are also masterwork creations. 
  The attention to detail and best materials are a re-
  quirement to make items that are also more durable 
  than items of normal manufacture. Table 7.1: Du-
  rability Costs details the base costs and beneﬁts for 
  most kinds of armor and weapons. 
  Crafting Durable Equipment: An object must 
  be built with durability as part of its design. This 
  process adds a modest amount of material to the 
  ﬁnished item, and thus increases the weight of the 
  durable gear by an average of 10% over the weight 
  of the original. While this is negligible in light equip-
  ment, it may be a consideration with heavier gear 
  where encumbrance is a concern. As a general rule of 
  thumb, items gain +10% to their hardness and +25% 
  hit points (fractions rounded down) if constructed 
  for durability. 
  Table 7.1: Durability
  Item
  Additional 
  Cost1
  Hardness 
  Bonus
   HP  
  Bonus
  Armor
  Light armor
  x2
  +1
  +5
  Medium armor
  x3
  +2
  +20
  Heavy armor
  x4
  +3
  +50
  Shields
  x2
  +2
  +10
  Weapons
  Light blade
  x2
  +1
  +1
  One-handed blade
  x2
  +1
  +1
  Two-handed blade
  x2
  +3
  +5
  Light metal-hafted-weapon
  x2
  +2
  +2
  One-handed metal-hafted weapon
  x2
  +3
  +5
  Light hafted weapon
  x2
  +1
  +2
  One-handed hafted weapon
  x2
  +1
  +1
  Two-handed hafted weapon
  x2
  +1
  +1
  Projectile weapon 
  x3
  +1
  +1
  General Equipment
  x2
  +10%
  +25%
  1 The cost of creating a durable item is equal to the item’s masterwork creation cost 
  times the multiplier in this table.
  Chapter 7: New Materials
  
  140
  CHAPTER 8: ARTIFACTS & LEGENDS
  A god of healing isn’t going to inﬂict a plague on 
  the wielder of his holy cudgel, but a god of trick-
  ery might have a few surprises in store for whoever 
  wields his primal weapon. Primal artifacts are al-
  ways intelligent and have a purpose beyond being 
  a trophy.
  Artifacts and Relics
  T
  okens of a bygone era, artifacts and relics 
  are simply really old magic items whose 
  creation technique is lost. They bend the 
  rules from time to time, but their rarity ensures that 
  their appearance doesn’t destroy or unbalance a 
  world. They grant some cool abilities to their own-
  ers, and occasionally have some really nasty side 
  effects. They’re typically the second-most-powerful 
  form of magic within a campaign.
  Divine Items
  T
  hese are items created by a god to further 
  his portfolio. Each is built to bring the god’s 
  blessing to the world by offering a direct 
  show of power over that portfolio. For instance, a 
  god of plagues and death creates a magical scythe 
  that brings plagues and death to those near it. A god 
  of magic crafts a staff that causes the wielder to cast 
  spells at +1 caster level and with maximized results. 
  A god of healing creates a font whose water heals the 
  sick and cures the lepers. 
  While divine items are powerful, they always fol-
  low the rules. They exist solely to further the gods 
  following on the world and demonstrate the god’s 
  mastery over his assigned (or claimed) portfolios. 
  Many clerics follow the divine items of rival gods 
  in an attempt to discern what an opposing religions 
  next move will be in the world. The arrival of a new 
  divine item can signal a power struggle or fracture 
  over a particular domain and is the ﬁrst clue of fu-
  ture adversity.
  All divine items have certain shared properties, 
  but many also have additional divine abilities. The 
  shared properties of divine items are:
  • 
  Divine items cannot be damaged except by 
  mortal means.
  • 
  Any individual, who does not share the 
  alignment of the divine item and its deity 
  suffers one negative level as long as the item 
  remains in their possession. 
  • 
  Divine weapons are supernaturally potent 
  against non-divine items. Divine weapons 
  inﬂict double damage against the hardness 
  of any non-divine item.
  • 
  Divine weapons are wielded as if they are 
  one size category smaller than their actual 
  size, giving them divine speed and unearth-
  ly lightness for weapons of their size.
  • 
  Certain divine items have additional prop-
  erties as discussed below.
  T
  hese are optional weapon rules 
  meant to add a twist to the game, 
  and can be dropped easily into any 
  campaign. Whether you’re look-
  ing to bring an element of the di-
  vine, introduce intelligent weapons, or bring truly 
  legendary instruments of war and valor into your 
  campaign, this chapter brings some options for both 
  players and GMs.
  Divine Ranks
  A
  rtifacts are generally the ﬁrst imagined 
  example of divine intervention upon the 
  Prime Material Planes. Whether they’re 
  weapons, armor, or something entirely different, ar-
  tifacts are incredibly powerful items infused with the 
  primal energy of the gods themselves. The powers of 
  such items generally break or maim game rules as 
  suits a particular deity.
  Of course, that’s just one interpretation. Accord-
  ing to traditional fantasy lore, artifacts are merely 
  magic items whose formulae for creation are un-
  known to the current day. What do we call a mysti-
  cal item created by a god and what’s the difference 
  between all of these? It’s probably helpful to estab-
  lish some baseline deﬁnitions and a hierarchy for 
  powerful items before we go any further.
  The categories below represent a pecking order 
  of magical item power. Additional categories typi-
  cally exist within each of the sections below (so you 
  might have greater primal artifacts and lesser primal 
  artifacts, as well as any number of different varia-
  tions between the other categories). This subcatego-
  rization is important to determine dominance of two 
  competing powers (the most powerful item wins). 
  Thus, a lesser primal artifact shield that radiates an 
  antimagic ﬁeld can’t negate the powers of a greater 
  primal longbow.
  Primal Artifacts
  T
  hese are the most powerful kinds of items 
  a mortal can ever possess. Crafted by a god 
  who has infused part of his very essence 
  into an item, they represent a signiﬁcant invest-
  ment on the part of a god to his mortal worshippers. 
  They’re unique and known items, quested by the 
  god’s faithful and fought over in crusades. From 
  a game mechanic standpoint, primal artifacts can 
  break the rules. 
  A god of war magic might create a suit of double 
  plate with no arcane spell failure or other negative 
  effects that grants the wizard wearing it the ability 
  to cast ﬁve spells around. A god of vampires might 
  empower a crown that lets a vampire walk around 
  in broad daylight, swim across rivers, and eat garlic. 
  A god of the bards might even craft a lute that lets 
  the world sing in perfect harmony…
  No matter what their powers, primal artifacts are 
  the will of a god. They’re generally not harmful to 
  their wielder beyond whatever one would expect. 
  
  141
  Here are a few example portfolios along with 
  some possible effects for items that emerge from 
  them. As there are hundreds of possible portfolios, 
  only a handful are listed here.
  Archery Portfolio: Certain divine bows and many 
  divine missiles or thrown weapons have no true 
  range. These divine items ignore range, and do not 
  lose accuracy no matter how far they must travel. 
  Theoretically, an arrow can be shot directly to the 
  sun, or to the depths of the ocean, as a divine item 
  without limit does not stop until it has struck some-
  thing solid. Regardless of the distance, such an item 
  travels to its target in one round, and even gravity 
  does not affect such a missile, making arcing unnec-
  essary. However, the target must still be visible to 
  the wielder. Obviously, divine bows without limit 
  confer this ability upon their ammunition, but some-
  times a god will release just a single arrow as a di-
  vine item to observe its effects.
  Death Portfolio: Any creature injured by this di-
  vine item they must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) 
  or die instantly, as per a Death Attack. Only death 
  ward can protect against this kind of attack.
  More powerful gods may have even higher save 
  DCs, if the GM so desires. In epic-level campaigns, 
  the Game Master may also wish for Death items (es-
  pecially armor) to effect animals or plants as well by 
  allowing the item to radiate a5 ft. aura of death that 
  requires a Fortitude save (as the slay living spell).
  Famine Portfolio: These divine items are cruel and 
  devastating, yet strangely passive. Often empow-
  ered by spiteful gods or nature or sun deities as an 
  act of retribution and punishment for indiscretions, 
  famine items target people only indirectly, by kill-
  ing or withering their source of nourishment. Divine 
  famine items project an aura of famine to a radius of 60 
  feet. Within that area, all food rots, and all palatable 
  drink (including magical potions and other magical 
  sustenance) sours, curdles, or goes bitter. Grain in 
  the ﬁeld or fruit on the bough wither and fester, and 
  the ﬂesh of any animal slaughtered in that 60-foot 
  radius automatically turns rancid. Famine may not 
  directly affect a person, but the effects can poten-
  tially destroy entire communities and rout armies. 
  Magical potions and concoctions make a saving 
  throw against the effects of this property (DC 20) or 
  become foul and undrinkable in 1d4 days. 
  Knowledge Portfolio: These items are difﬁcult to 
  deﬁne, because they have the power to reﬂect the in-
  ner nature of the wielder. By their contact with the 
  divine, certain items seem to take a small portion of 
  god’s power and allow those who use them to shape 
  that power based on their own desires. This ability is 
  well hidden and cannot be detected until the wield-
  er has spent time with that item, learning its secrets 
  and capabilities. 
  Spells like legend lore or contact other plane are 
  excellent ways to research the powers. Research in 
  a great library (with a high DC), prayer (in an im-
  portant temple, and often after much repetition), or 
  1d20 + 6 months in constant contact with such an 
  item might also reveal its secret. Once an individual 
  discovers an item has hidden power, it must be acti-
  vated while the object is being held or worn. 
  A creature in possession of this divine item be-
  gins to uncover lost knowledge, discern secrets, ﬁnd 
  lost lairs and ruins, tie historical passages together 
  with a modern reference, and similar activities. 
  Pestilence Portfolio: These items project an aura of 
  pestilence to a radius of 60 feet, and in that aura, no 
  healing magic may take place and all wounds act 
  as if inﬂicted by a weapon of wounding. Addition-
  ally, anyone within the radius of divine pestilence 
  must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or suffer –2 to 
  Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution for as long as 
  they remain within range. This power is always ac-
  tive and cannot be suppressed. Divine weapons with 
  of this portfolio have the wounding quality.
  Legendary Weapons
  Mythology is ﬁlled with tales of weapons capable of 
  fantastic powers and unearthly abilities. However, 
  they only come to light in the hands of certain indi-
  viduals worthy of such a weapon. Swords like Ex-
  calibur, who would only recognize Arthur’s hand, or 
  mythic weapons such as Thor’s hammer, Mjolnier, 
  are but two examples of weapons of legend. In the 
  hands of the right individual, weapons such as these 
  grow in power as that person matures and gains ex-
  perience, helping him to forge a destiny and become 
  the stuff of legends. Presented below are two options 
  for incorporating such weapons into a campaign.
  In the divine hierarchy of powerful items, leg-
  endary items are a conglomeration of sorts. While 
  they’re not infused with the primal energy of a god, 
  they’re unique enough to appear as artifacts and rel-
  ics. They’re not representative of divine items—since 
  they’re not promoting the portfolio of a god—yet the 
  population rallies around them with an almost reli-
  gious fervor. Many are as powerful as epic magic, 
  yet their potential is even greater.
  Legendary weapons are items capable of grow-
  ing with their wielder. While they might start off as 
  rather modest magical items, that can quickly grow 
  into powerful and respected symbols of power and 
  prestige. For the GM, weapons of legend can be used 
  as a plot device that drives a character to unlock the 
  keys to make the weapon better and ultimately, 
  make his character better. As additional encourage-
  ment for players, a weapons of legend doesn’t count 
  against the character’s wealth as her power increases 
  over the course of her career (see Chapter 5: Charac-
  ter Wealth, DMG).
  Weapons of legend begin their existence as a +1 
  weapon with no other special powers. When grasped 
  by a chosen wielder, however, the weapon’s true 
  potential is revealed. This generally manifests itself 
  through recognition on the part of the new wielder 
  of the weapon’s name, history, or potential.  “I heard 
  about this weapon as a recruit in the army!”
  There are times when a legendary weapon needs 
  to be brought into the game at mid to high level. In 
  these cases, a hero is going to either have the pre-
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  142
  requisites to wield the weapon, or he’s going to be 
  lacking somewhere.
  Character Meets all the Prerequisites: In this glorious 
  event, the character draws forth the weapon and re-
  alizes its potential. The legendary weapon becomes 
  half as powerful as it should while in the character’s 
  hands. Each time the character gains a level (or 30 
  days of wielding the weapon pass), it rises in power 
  by 1 tier until it reaches its maximum potential in the 
  hands of that hero.
  For example, Delm the 16th-level warrior grasps 
  the legendary battleaxe Stonebiter and realizes what 
  he’s found. Stonebiter immediately becomes a Tier 
  III legendary weapon. He wields Stonebiter for one 
  month and it becomes a Tier IV legendary weapon. 
  Shortly thereafter, he gains a level to make it a Tier V 
  weapon. At the end of the second month, Stonebiter 
  is now a Tier VI weapon (the best it can be in Delm’s 
  hands until he qualiﬁes for Tier VII.
  Character is Missing Prerequisites: In this case, the 
  hero gains the abilities of the weapon up to the level 
  he’s qualiﬁed for (subject to the limitations detailed 
  above). As he obtains the required feats and abilities 
  to qualify for the higher tier, the legendary weapon 
  grows with him.
  If the individual chooses to sell the weapon or 
  willingly parts with it for a duration greater than one 
  month, the weapon reverts back to its original state 
  waiting for a new person with legendary potential to 
  come along; it no longer recognizes its former wield-
  er because he has been deemed no longer worthy of 
  greatness. 
  At the GM’s discretion, if the character is sepa-
  rated from the weapon for reasons beyond his con-
  trol for longer than 30 days—such as the weapon 
  being stolen or the character being imprisoned—the 
  weapon accepts the wielder with no reduction in its 
  current abilities. 
  Unbreakable: Under ordinary circumstances, leg-
  endary weapons do not break; thus, any attempt to 
  sunder one automatically fails. However, the com-
  batants must still make the necessary opposed attack 
  rolls for the attempt. If the wielder wins, he may im-
  mediately deal damage to the attacker’s weapon as 
  though he had initiated the attack.
  The only exception to this rule occurs when 
  the attacking creature is also wielding a legendary 
  weapon. In such a case, the combatants must make 
  two separate opposed attack rolls: one for the attack-
  er’s legendary weapon, and one for the defender’s. 
  Table 8.1: Legendary Weapons
  Tier
  Prerequisite
  Weapon 
  Bonus
  Weapon 
  Quality
  Special
  I
  Base Attack Bonus +3, Weapon 
  Focus (the speciﬁc weapon)
  +1
  +1
  None
  II
  Base Attack Bonus +5, Im-
  proved Initiative
  +2
  +2
  Bonus feat
  III
  Base Attack Bonus +7
  +3
  +3
  Weapon gains sentience and becomes 
  intelligent; empathic
  IV
  Base Attack Bonus +9, Im-
  proved Critical (the speciﬁc 
  weapon)
  +4
  +4
  Weapon gains a Special Purpose; ca-
  pable of speech
  V
  Base Attack Bonus +12, Com-
  bat Expertise
  +5
  +5
  Weapon gains a Dedicated Power; ca-
  pable of telepathic communication and 
  reading languages. Bonus feat
  VI
  Base Attack Bonus +15, Power 
  Attack or Point Black Shot 
  (weapon appropriate)
  +6
  +6
  Weapon gains two lesser powers for 
  intelligent items and the ability to read 
  magic at will
  VII
  Base Attack Bonus +18, Blind-
  Fight or Improved Disarm
  +7
  +7
  Weapon gains one lesser power and 
  one greater power for intelligent items
  VIII
  Base Attack Bonus +21, Precise 
  Shot, Rapid Shot, or Cleave 
  (weapon appropriate)
  +8
  +8
  Weapon gains two greater powers for 
  intelligent items; Bonus feat
  IX
  Base Attack Bonus +24, Com-
  bat Reﬂexes
  +9
  +9
  Weapon gains one lesser power and 
  one greater power for intelligent items
  X
  Base Attack Bonus +27, Im-
  proved Precise Shot, Manyshot, 
  or Great Cleave (weapon ap-
  propriate)
  +10
  +10
  Weapon gains two greater powers
  Prerequisites: These are the required abilities the wielder must have to gain the beneﬁts of the legendary weapon.
  Weapon bonus: This is the base magical enhancement of the weapon.
  Weapon Quality: This is the total value of the weapon’s special abilities. At each tier, previous abilities can be removed to 
  make room for more powerful abilities. Instead of taking a single high-level weapon quality, the wielder can choose to take 
  additional powers that are at half the bonus or less. If lesser powers are selected, the wielder get to take 1.5 times the Market 
  Value he’s entitled to (round down). For example, a Tier VI legendary weapon could possess a single +6 weapon quality, 
  three +3 qualities, or 9 +1 qualities.
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  143
  The winner of each attack deals damage to the oppo-
  nent’s weapon; thus, it is possible for both weapons 
  to be damaged.
  The hardness and hit points of a legendary 
  weapon include the weapon’s enhancement bonus. 
  Reforging a broken legendary weapon should never 
  be an easy process. At the very least, it should re-
  quire an arduous quest, perhaps involving a journey 
  to where the item was originally created.
  Scions
  I
  f you want to make players make a larger com-
  mitment to using legendary weapons, the path 
  of the scion is a good ﬁ t for your campaign. Un-
  der these rules, legendary weapons work exactly as 
  detailed above, but for the hero to gain access to the 
  weapon’s power requires dedication to one of the 
  scion prestige classes. These prestige classes open 
  access to the higher tiers, though the hero must still 
  meet all the prerequisites listed in Table 8.1: Leg-
  endary Weapons.
  The path of the scion also places a lot more con-
  trol in the hands of the GM. Instead of allowing a 
  player to create her own legendary weapon, you 
  create it yourself and the hero gains the legendary 
  weapon’s abilities as he progresses in the prestige 
  class. We’ve detailed a few of these legendary weap-
  ons (and their powers) after each of the prestige 
  classes: Dragondeath, Hammer of Dwarven Souls, Hell-
  spawn, and Dreamcatcher.
  Scions come in as many varieties are there are 
  legendary swords, staves, and rods, but they all fall 
  into four distinct groupings based on the intended 
  wielder of the item. In every case, the scion prestige 
  class associated with a particular weapon deﬁ nes 
  those abilities for which the wielder is eligible (see 
  the example weapons after every prestige class). 
  The Battle Scion prestige class—including battle-
  blade scions and battlestaff scions—is for the wield-
  ers of battle blades and battlestaves. These are leg-
  endary swords, staves, and rods made for the hands 
  of ﬁ ghters, barbarians, rangers, and monks, as well 
  as the occasional paladin.
  The Spell Scion prestige class—including spell-
  blade and spellstaff scions—is for characters who 
  wield legendary weapons, staves, and rods designed 
  to be used by arcane spellcasters, such as wizards, 
  sorcerers, and sometimes bards.
  The Faith Scion prestige class—for faithblade 
  scions and faithstaff scions—is meant for characters 
  who wield faithblades and faithstaves. These are 
  legendary swords, staves, and rods of divine power 
  for clerics, druids, and paladins.
  The Swift Scion prestige class—for swiftblade 
  and swiftstaff scions—is for those who wield swift-
  blades and swiftstaves. These are legendary items 
  that make use of or improve the wielder’s stealth, 
  speed, or Dexterity. Rogues are excellent candidates 
  for this class, as are bards and frequently monks.
  Rules and Restrictions: None of the scion classes 
  grant the character any new armor or weapon proﬁ -
  ciencies. Thus, it is entirely possible for a sword scion 
  (particularly a spellblade scion) to be nonproﬁ cient 
  with his legendary weapon unless he independently 
  takes the necessary proﬁ ciency feat. In addition to 
  meeting the prerequisites for the appropriate pres-
  tige class, a character wishing to take one of these 
  prestige classes must also abide by certain other 
  rules and restrictions.
  Lost or Destroyed Items: Legendary items should 
  never become permanently lost by accident, for 
  fate has a way of bringing them back to their right-
  ful wielders. On a more practical level, the loss of 
  a legendary weapon means that the character who 
  has invested levels in the associated prestige class 
  is denied most of the class’ special abilities until the 
  item is regained (or repaired), because they are spe-
  ciﬁ cally tied to it.
  If a legendary weapon is actually destroyed or 
  permanently lost, the wielder may have to undertake 
  a quest to repair or recover it. Such a quest could in-
  volve visiting the place where the item was created, 
  persuading the original creator (often a deity) to ﬁ x 
  the item, or making some sort of sacriﬁ ce related to 
  the item’s purpose or powers.
  ciencies. Thus, it is entirely possible for a sword scion 
  Legends in the Campaign
  T
  he GM should place the legendary 
  weapon into the campaign at relatively 
  low level to allow the chosen PC to 
  grow with the weapon and work toward fulﬁ ll-
  ing its potential. A hero wielding a legendary 
  weapon has an instinct that steers him toward 
  choosing the right feats and skills necessary 
  to wield the item to its full potential (and the 
  weapon will make things crystal clear when it 
  gains the power of speech).  Table 8.1: Legend-
  ary Weapons shows the typical progression of a 
  legendary weapon in a campaign.
  Why only typical? Every campaign world has 
  a different magic level, and GMs need to craft an 
  advancement that ﬁ ts their world. If you’re run-
  ning a magic-rich world where platinum bubbles 
  forth from the bodies of slain orcs, then the pro-
  gression for legendary weapons should be more 
  progressive to match the gold-piece spending 
  value of the PCs. By the same coin, if the heroes 
  on your world scrounge for every copper, you’ll 
  need to tool this progression down. A rule to fol-
  low is that the legendary weapon should be bet-
  ter than anything a hero could otherwise go buy 
  on his own. 
  What About Armor? It’s possible to apply the 
  same system to armor as well. Use a character’s 
  base attack bonus or access to levels of spells to 
  regulate when he can reach a new tier with the 
  armor. Instead of granting special abilities to 
  the armor, grant a bonus in the armor bonus, a 
  movement rate increase, or similar beneﬁ ts that 
  work with the armor’s theme.
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  144
  A destroyed item is an item that has lost all its 
  hit points, and the wielder can no longer use it as it 
  was intended. It might be broken in multiple pieces 
  (though the wielder still possesses the pieces), or be 
  so heavily damaged by some energy or effect that it 
  is unrecognizable. A lost item is one that the wielder 
  simply no longer possesses—either because it was 
  taken from him or because it was destroyed and the 
  wielder chose to discard it rather than attempt to re-
  pair it. Items only temporarily misplaced (until the 
  end of the encounter or the adventure, for example) 
  are not truly “lost,” and the character should suffer 
  no lasting ill effects as a result. 
  Destroyed items may still function, at the GM’s 
  discretion, though sporadically. The wielder retains 
  his levels in the scion prestige class, but must suc-
  ceed at a special level check in order to use the abili-
  ties of the class. This level check is 1d20 + scion level 
  against a DC of 11 + the caster level of the ability the 
  character wishes to use. 
  When a scion permanently loses a legendary item, 
  though, levels of another class replace his levels in 
  the scion prestige class. The wielder’s levels in the 
  item’s associated prestige class convert to levels 
  of ﬁghter, barbarian, paladin, or ranger (in the 
  case of battleblade or battlestaff scions); wizard 
  or sorcerer (in the case of spellblade or spell-
  staff scions); cleric, druid, or paladin (in the 
  case of faithblade or faithstaff 
  scions); or rogue, bard, 
  or monk (in the case 
  of swiftblade or 
  swiftstaff sci-
  ons). The choice of which class the levels convert to 
  is up to the player, with the restriction that the cho-
  sen class must be one in which the character already 
  possesses at least one level. If the character should 
  somehow later recover the item, the player (if he so 
  desires) can instantly and immediately re-convert all 
  the converted levels back to the scion prestige class 
  again (no more, and no less—even if the character 
  has gained levels since then).
  Gaining Additional Legendary Items: If the wielder 
  of a legendary item gains another of the same type 
  (a battlestaff scion who acquires a second battle-
  staff, for example), he may not adopt its associated 
  prestige class, nor may he transfer the beneﬁts of his 
  battlestaff scion levels to the new weapon. If he were 
  to acquire a battleblade, however, he could begin 
  advancing as a battleblade scion for that weapon, as-
  suming that he meets the requirements. 
  The level of commitment that a legendary item 
  demands from its wielder does not allow him to 
  split her attention between two or more such 
  items simultaneously. Thus, the owner of 
  two legendary swords must choose the 
  commitment on which he wishes to focus 
  with each new character level, by virtue of 
  his prestige class selection.
  Ex Scions: A wielder who no longer 
  meets the prerequisites of his scion prestige 
  class loses the ability to access the special 
  abilities of her legendary item that corre-
  spond to actual scion levels. She retains 
  the basic features of the prestige class as 
  given in its description below (base at-
  tack bonus, base saves, and even spell-
  caster levels, where appropriate), but the 
  item supplies only the magical abilities 
  it would grant to any wielder. The ex-
  scion may not progress in the prestige 
  class until she once again meets the 
  requirements of the class.
  This restriction does not pre-
  vent a scion from taking levels in 
  another class, or from using the 
  abilities already gained as a scion 
  while she does so. Unless the new class 
  in some way violates the scion prestige 
  class prerequisites (such as by requiring 
  a different alignment), or the item’s de-
  scription speciﬁes penalties for advanc-
  ing in another class, then the only draw-
  back to pursuing a different class is that 
  the scion is not gaining new powers with 
  the item.
  Battle Scions
  B
  attle scions include battleblade sci-
  ons and battlestaff scions. The base 
  prestige classes are identical, even if 
  one wields a blade and one wields a staff. A battle-
  blade scion has earned the right to ﬁght with a par-
  ticular legendary sword, either because the weapon 
  The Battle Scion
  Illustrated by Adam Denton
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  145
  is an ancestral heirloom, or because he upholds the 
  principles for which the sword was originally cre-
  ated. While characters of any class can eventually 
  qualify for the battleblade scion class, those who 
  wield swords professionally—ﬁghters, barbarians, 
  rangers, and paladins—are ideal candidates.
  Sometimes a magic staff is not so much a device 
  for storing spells as it is a magic weapon in the shape 
  of a staff. For such legendary staves, the battlestaff 
  scion is the ideal wielder. Their weapons are items of 
  immense arcane power, and often have a great magi-
  cal destiny. They might be wielders of fey staves, or 
  of demon rods, or the item might actually be an im-
  portant symbol of a military order.
  No two battle scions are identical, by virtue of the 
  weapons that grant them access to this prestige class. 
  One scion might wield an heirloom weapon that 
  provides him with the abilities needed to uphold the 
  family’s honor. Another could be the scourge of an 
  evil temple, using his legendary sword to prove that 
  might does make right. Yet another could be wield-
  ing a blade dedicated to his profession, or to his race, 
  with abilities that draw on the strengths thereof. For 
  all the powers his sword grants him, a battleblade 
  scion isn’t terribly different from any other ﬁghter, 
  barbarian, ranger, or paladin who uses his share of 
  the treasure to upgrade his favored weapon every so 
  often. What really sets him apart is the fact that his 
  weapon is leading him toward a particular destiny, 
  if only by shaping his future advancement choices. 
  Hit Die: d10. 
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a battleblade or battlestaff sci-
  on, a character must fulﬁll the criteria listed for the 
  speciﬁc battleblade or battlestaff. 
  Class Skills
  The class skills for battle scions (and the key ability 
  for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle An-
  imal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), 
  and Swim (Str). Certain special abilities of particu-
  lar legendary items grant additional class skills (and 
  sometimes additional skill points). See Chapter 4: 
  Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. 
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modiﬁer. 
  Class Features
  The following are class features of the battle scion 
  prestige classes. Each legendary item provides a 
  unique set of additional special abilities. These abili-
  ties accrue in addition to those already noted in the 
  Special column of the table above. 
  However, because those abilities are functions 
  of the item rather than the wielder, they are lost if 
  the legendary item that granted them is lost. The fea-
  tures in the table above are retained with or without 
  the item. 
  Bonus Feats: At 1st level, the battle scion gets a 
  bonus feat. Thereafter, he gains an additional bonus 
  feat at 4th, 7th, and 10th level. These bonus feats 
  must be drawn from the following list: Blind-Fight, 
  Combat Reﬂexes, Combat Expertise (Improved Dis-
  arm, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack), Improved 
  Critical*, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weap-
  on Fighting (Greater Two-Weapon Fighting), Power 
  Attack (Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sun-
  der, Great Cleave), Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse*, 
  Weapon Focus. A battle scion can select any feat 
  marked with an asterisk (*) more than once, but it 
  must apply to a different weapon each time. He must 
  still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, includ-
  ing ability score and base attack bonus minimums 
  as well as other feats; see the Player’s Handbook for 
  details. The weapon in question must also meet the 
  requirements of the feat; for example, Weapon Fi-
  nesse applies only to light weapons. 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (staff scions only): If a 
  staff scion does not already have the Two-Weapon 
  Fighting feat, he gains it now. The wielder does not 
  beneﬁt from the Two-Weapon Fighting feat unless 
  he meets the feat’s prerequisites, however. If the 
  weapon does not actually require two hands to use 
  in combat, the wielder gains Weapon Focus with the 
  weapon instead. 
  Weapon Specialization (blade scions only): If a 
  blade scion does not already have the Weapon Spe-
  Table 8.2: Battle Scion
  Class 
  Level
  Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Special
  1
  +1
  +2
  +0
  +0
  Bonus feat, Weapon Specialization 
  or Two-Weapon Fighting
  2
  +2
  +3
  +0
  +0
  3
  +3
  +3
  +1
  +1
  4
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Bonus feat
  5
  +5
  +4
  +1
  +1
  6
  +6
  +5
  +2
  +2
  7
  +7
  +5
  +2
  +2
  Bonus feat
  8
  +8
  +6
  +2
  +2
  9
  +9
  +6
  +3
  +3
  10
  +10
  +7
  +3
  +3
  Bonus feat
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  146
  cialization feat that applies to his legendary sword, 
  he gains it at 1st level as a bonus feat. However, he 
  cannot beneﬁt from the Weapon Specialization feat 
  unless he meets the prerequisites for it. 
  Dragondeath
  R
  eputedly carved from the fang of a great 
  wyrm red dragon, the bastard sword known 
  as Dragondeath has served many masters 
  over the centuries, from bloodthirsty warlords 
  to treasure-seeking adventurers. It is a legendary 
  weapon that provides many beneﬁts to its wielder, 
  but most of the beneﬁts apply only if the wielder has 
  levels in the battle scion prestige class.
  Requirements: Any character can wield Dragon-
  death as a +2 bastard sword and also gain the beneﬁt 
  of the bravery special ability described below. A 
  battle scion that wields Dragondeath gains additional 
  special abilities if the character fulﬁlls the following 
  criteria:
  Base Attack Bonus: +9
  Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks
  Feats: Improved Critical (bastard sword), Iron 
  Will
  Attributes: Dragondeath has the following attri-
  butes.
  Hardness/Hit Points: 20/55
  Caster Level: 15th
  Value: To any character other than a battle scion 
  who meets the above requirements, Dragondeath ap-
  pears to be worth as much as a Medium +2 bastard 
  sword that grants the bravery special ability (Market 
  Price: 14,335 gp).
  Special Abilities: Dragondeath provides a num-
  ber of special abilities to its wielder, depending on 
  the character’s class level in the battle scion prestige 
  class (see the table below).
  Initial Abilities: When ﬁrst acquired, Dragon-
  death functions as a +2 bastard sword. Anyone who 
  wields it, whether a battle scion or not, also beneﬁts 
  from the bravery special ability.
  Table 8.3: Abilities Granted  
  by Dragondeath
  Battle Scion 
  Level
  Ability Gained
  --
  Bravery
  1
  Bane (dragons)
  2
  Resistance to energy 10
  3
  Enhancement bonus +3  
  (+5 against dragons)
  4
  Intimidating presence
  5
  Resistance to energy 20
  6
  Enhancement bonus +4  
  (+6 against dragons)
  7
  Dodge bonus
  8
  Resistance to energy 30
  9
  Frightful presence
  10
  Enhancement bonus +5  
  (+7 against dragons)
  Bravery (Ex): The wielder of Dragondeath has im-
  munity to a dragon’s frightful presence ability. All 
  allies within 30 feet of the wielder gain a +4 morale 
  bonus on saves against the frightful presence of 
  dragons.
  Bane (Dragons) (Su): When wielded by a battle 
  scion, Dragondeath gains the bane (dragons) special 
  ability. Its enhancement bonus is treated as 2 points 
  higher when attacking a dragon, and it deals an extra 
  2d6 points of damage on a successful strike against 
  a dragon.
  Resistance to Energy (Su): Once per day, when 
  a battle scion of 2nd level or higher wielding Drag-
  ondeath is dealt at least 1 point of damage from any 
  type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, ﬁre, or sonic), 
  the scion gains resistance 10 to that form of energy 
  for 1 hour thereafter (including against the damage 
  that activated the ability).
  Once the energy type is determined, it cannot be 
  changed for the current use of the ability. If two or 
  more types of energy strike the scion simultaneous-
  ly, he may select the energy type against which his 
  resistance protects.
  When a battle scion attains 5th level, the resis-
  tance granted by this ability increases to 20 points. 
  At 8th level, it increases to 30 points.
  Intimidating Presence (Ex): A battle scion of 4th 
  level or higher wielding Dragondeath may add his 
  class level as a bonus on Intimidate checks made 
  against dragons (or one-half his class level as a bonus 
  on Intimidate checks made against non-dragons).
  Dodge Bonus (Ex): At 7th level and higher, a 
  battle scion wielding Dragondeath gains a +2 dodge 
  bonus to Armor Class against creatures at least two 
  size categories larger than himself.
  Frightful Presence (Ex): A battle scion of 9th lev-
  el or higher wielding Dragondeath can unsettle foes 
  with his mere presence. This ability takes effect au-
  tomatically whenever the scion attacks or charges. 
  Creatures within a radius of 60 feet are subject to the 
  effect if they have fewer Hit Dice than the scion’s 
  character level.
  A potentially affected creature that succeeds on 
  a Will save (DC 10 + class level + scion’s Charisma 
  modiﬁer) remains immune to that scion’s frightful 
  presence for one day. On a failure, creatures with 
  4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and 
  those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 
  rounds. Even dragon’s can be affected by the scion’s 
  frightful presence.
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  147
  Faith Scions
  F
  aithblade scions and faithstaff scions are 
  collectively known as faith scions. The faith 
  scion prestige classes are identical, regard-
  less of the speciﬁc item wielded by the scions them-
  selves.
  A faith scion wields his legendary item in the name 
  of his deity—or in the case of a druid, in the service 
  of nature. Faith artifacts usually come into the hands 
  of a scion either as a gift from his religious order or 
  as a blessing from his deity. Because of the divine 
  nature of these items, clerics, druids, and paladins 
  are ideally suited for these prestige classes, though 
  other classes can also qualify.
  A divinely inﬂuenced legendary sword, staff 
  , or rod should be rare and unique. Certainly 
  no deity would create multiple copies of one 
  such item as a matter of course. Thus, each 
  artifact should grant dif-
  ferent abilities, except 
  in special cases. For 
  example, duplicate 
  faithblades 
  might 
  be 
  created 
  espe-
  cially to combat the 
  enemies of a church, 
  or perhaps multiple 
  faithstaves to destroy 
  (or create) undead. Di-
  vine legendary items of 
  orders devoted to heal-
  ing might even be less a 
  weapon than an instru-
  ment for easing the suf-
  fering of others.
  A faith scion usually 
  has high status within his 
  religious order. His pos-
  session of a legendary 
  item implies that he has 
  the favor of his deity, or 
  that he is more in tune 
  with nature than others 
  of his order. Depending 
  on the alignment of his deity, though, his ownership 
  of the artifact could be construed as an invitation to 
  try to take it from him.
  Hit Die: d8.
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a faith scion, a character must 
  fulﬁll the criteria listed for the speciﬁc item.
  Class Skills
  The class skills for faith scions (and the key ability for 
  each skill) are Concentration (Con), 
  Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal 
  (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), 
  Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowl-
  edge (religion) (Int), Profession 
  (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), 
  and Survival (Wis). Certain spe-
  cial abilities of particular legendary 
  swords, staves, and rods grant addi-
  tional class skills (and sometimes ad-
  ditional skill points).
  Domains and Class Skills: 
  A cleric who chooses 
  Knowledge as one of 
  his domains also has 
  all Knowledge (Int) 
  skills as class skills 
  for the faith scion 
  prestige class. A 
  cleric who chooses 
  Trickery as one of 
  his domains also 
  has Bluff (Cha), 
  Disguise 
  (Cha), 
  and 
  Hide 
  (Dex) 
  as class skills. See 
  Chapter 4: Skills 
  in 
  the 
  Player’s 
  Handbook for skill 
  descriptions.
  Table 8.4: Faith Scion
  Class 
  Level
  Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will 
  Save
  Special
  Spells per Day/Spells 
  Known
  1
  +0
  +2
  +0
  +2
  Two-Weapon Fighting
  +1 level of existing class
  2
  +1
  +3
  +0
  +3
  +1 level of existing class
  3
  +2
  +3
  +1
  +3
  +1 level of existing class
  4
  +3
  +4
  +1
  +4
  +1 level of existing class
  5
  +3
  +4
  +1
  +4
  +1 level of existing class
  6
  +4
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +1 level of existing class
  7
  +5
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +1 level of existing class
  8
  +6
  +6
  +2
  +6
  +1 level of existing class
  9
  +6
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +1 level of existing class
  10
  +7
  +7
  +3
  +7
  +1 level of existing class
  The Faith Scion
  Illustrated by Adam Denton
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  148
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modiﬁer.
  Class Features
  The following are class features of the faith scion 
  prestige classes. Each legendary item provides a 
  unique set of additional special abilities. These abili-
  ties accrue in addition to those already noted in the 
  Special column of the table above. 
  However, because those abilities are functions of the 
  item rather than the wielder, they are lost if the leg-
  endary item that granted them is lost. The features 
  in the table above are retained with or without the 
  weapon, staff, or rod.
  Two-Weapon Fighting (staff scions only): If a 
  staff scion does not already have the Two-Weapon 
  Fighting feat, he gains it now. The wielder does not 
  beneﬁt from the Two-Weapon Fighting feat unless 
  he meets the feat’s prerequisites, however. If the 
  weapon does not actually require two hands to use 
  in combat, the wielder gains Weapon Focus with the 
  weapon instead. 
  Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each faith-
  blade or faithstaff scion level, the character gains new 
  spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if 
  he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to 
  which he belonged before adding the prestige class 
  level. He does not, however, gain any other beneﬁt a 
  character of that class would have gained (improved 
  chance of controlling or rebuking undead, more fre-
  quent remove disease, and so on). If the character had 
  more than one spellcasting class before becoming a 
  faithblade or faithstaff scion, the player must decide 
  to which class to add each prestige class level for the 
  purpose of determining spells per day. 
  Hammer of Dwarven Souls
  T
  he Hammer of Dwarven Souls is said to have 
  been crafted by the Great Dwarven God 
  himself. It symbolizes the glory of the 
  dwarven race.
  Requirements: Any character can wield the Ham-
  mer of Dwarven Souls as a +2 adamantine Warhammer 
  and also gain the beneﬁt of the Craft bonus and lore 
  of souls special ability (see below). A faith scion who 
  wields the Hammer of Dwarven Souls gains additional 
  special abilities if the character fulﬁlls the following 
  criteria.
  Race: Dwarf
  Alignment: Lawful good
  Base Attack Bonus: +7
  Skills: Craft (armorsmithing) or Craft (weapon-
  smithing) 10 ranks
  Feats: Armor Proﬁciency (heavy), Great Forti-
  tude, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (warhammer)
  Spells: Ability to cast protection from evil as a di-
  vine spell.
  Restrictions: Should the wielder of the Hammer 
  of Dwarven Souls become an alignment other than 
  lawful good, or attack a lawful good, lawful neutral, 
  or neutral good-aligned dwarf, he loses all special 
  abilities granted by the faith scion prestige class. To 
  regain these abilities, the scion must receive an atone-
  ment spell from a cleric of the Great Dwarven God.
  Maintenance: A wielder of the Hammer of 
  Dwarven Souls must strike the hammer against an an-
  vil at least once every seven days. Failure to perform 
  this task reduces the hammer’s enhancement bonus 
  by 1. Multiple failures are not cumulative (that is, if 
  the hammer goes two weeks without striking an an-
  vil, the reduction does not increase to 2).
  Attributes: The Hammer of Dwarven Souls has the 
  following attributes.
  Hardness/Ht Points: 30/76
  Caster Level: 15th
  Value: To any character other than a faith scion 
  who meets the above requirements, the Hammer 
  of Dwarven Souls appears to be worth as much as 
  a Medium +2 adamantine warhammer that grants 
  the Craft bonus and lore of all souls special abil-
  ity (market price 21,812 gp).
  Special Abilities: The Hammer of Dwarven Souls 
  provides a number of special abilities to its wielder, 
  depending on the character’s class level in the faith 
  scion prestige class (see the table below).
  Initial Abilities: When ﬁrst acquired, the Ham-
  mer of Dwarven Souls functions as a +2 adamantine 
  warhammer. Anyone who wields it, whether a faith 
  scion or not, also beneﬁts from the Craft bonus and 
  lore of souls ability (see below).
  Table 8.5: Abilities for the 
  Hammer of Dwarven Souls
  Faith Scion Level
  Ability Gained
  --
  Craft bonus
  --
  Lore of souls
  1
  Smite evil 1/day
  2
  Fortitude of souls +2
  3
  Throw and return
  4
  Enhancement bonus +3
  5
  Smite evil 2/day
  6
  Fortitude of souls +4
  7
  Enhancement bonus +4
  8
  Fortitude of souls +6
  9
  Smite evil 3/day
  10
  Enhancement bonus +5
  Craft Bonus (Ex): The owner of the Hammer of 
  Dwarven Souls gains a +5 insight bonus on all Craft 
  checks related to stone or metal. This bonus increas-
  es by an additional +1 for every faith scion class level 
  gained, including 1st level.
  Lore of Souls (Su): Three times per day, the 
  owner of the Hammer of Dwarven Souls can use a 
  full round action to consult the knowledge of his 
  dwarven ancestors. This gives the character a bo-
  nus on any one Knowledge check (made as part of 
  the action) equal to his faith scion level (if any) + his 
  Wisdom bonus (if any). (At the GM’s discretion, if 
  the Knowledge check is directly related to dwarven-
  kind, the bonus granted by the character’s faith scion 
  level is doubled). The check is treated as a trained 
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  149
  skill check, even if the character has no ranks in that 
  Knowledge skill.
  Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a faith scion 
  wielding the Hammer of Dwarven Souls may smite 
  evil with an attack. The attack may be a melee at-
  tack or a ranged attack, but must be delivered by the 
  Hammer of Dwarven Souls. The wielder adds 4 to his 
  attack roll and deals 2 extra points of damage per 
  faith scion level. If the wielder accidentally smites a 
  creature that is not evil, the smite attack has no ef-
  fect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
  A wielder may use this ability twice per day at 
  5th level and three times per day at 9th level.
  Fortitude of Souls (Su): A faith scion of 2nd level 
  or higher wielding the Hammer of Al Souls derives 
  endurance from the support of his ancestors, gain-
  ing a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution. At 6th 
  level, the bonus increases to +4, and at 8th level to 
  +6.
  Throw and Return (Su): Three times per day, a 
  faith scion of 3rd level or higher wielding the Ham-
  mer of Dwarven Souls can treat the weapon as a throw-
  ing returning weapon (see DMG). Activating the abil-
  ity is a free action, and it lasts for 1 round.
  Spell Scions
  S
  pell scions include spellblade scions and 
  spellstaff scions. As with battle scions, the 
  base prestige classes are identical, even if a 
  spellblade scion wields a blade and a spellstaff scion 
  wields a staff or rod. 
  Sometimes a magic sword is not so much a weap-
  on as a magic device in the shape of a blade. The 
  spellblade scion is the ideal wielder for legendary 
  swords of this sort. Spellblades are weapons of sig-
  niﬁcant arcane power, and their wielders often have 
  great magical destinies. Such characters might wield 
  fey swords, or demon blades, or weapons that are 
  actually important symbols of their arcane orders. 
  Conversely, a spellstaff is the epitome of the mag-
  ic staff: an item of great arcane power, designed pri-
  marily to unleash eldritch energies. They still func-
  tion as weapons, but every arcane spellcaster knows 
  that to use a spellstaff in such a fashion is a tragic 
  waste of its true potential. A spellstaff scion might 
  wield a staff carved from the very heart of darkness, 
  or one made of living lightning, or perhaps one of the 
  legendary staves from the eight schools of magic. 
  Arcane legendary staves are the most common of the 
  legendary staves, but arcane legendary swords are 
  even more rare than divine ones, partly because so 
  few wizards and sorcerers can wield them properly. 
  Still, a spellblade scion might carry such a weapon 
  just for the magical powers it grants, even if she can-
  not make full use of the sword’s combat applications. 
  For such a character, using a spellblade is rather like 
  wielding a magic staff. 
  Wielding an arcane legendary item is a great 
  responsibility because it contains so much magical 
  power. Arcane spellcasters who recognize a particu-
  lar legendary weapon, staff, or rod usually afford 
  the wielder more respect—or perhaps fear—than 
  they might another of their ilk.
  Hit Die: d6.
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a spell scion, a character must 
  fulﬁll the criteria listed for the speciﬁc legendary 
  item (see Hellspawn below for an example).
  Class Skills
  The class skills for spell scions (and the key ability 
  for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), 
  Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Pro-
  fession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). Certain legendary 
  sword or staff special abilities grant additional class 
  skills (and sometimes additional skill points). See 
  Chapter 4: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill 
  descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modiﬁer.
  Class Features
  The following are class features of the spell scion 
  prestige classes. Each legendary item provides a 
  unique set of additional special abilities. These abili-
  ties accrue in addition to those already noted in the 
  Special column of the table above. However, because 
  Table 8.6: Spell Scion
  Class 
  Level
  Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will 
  Save
  Special
  Spells per Day/Spells 
  Known
  1
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  Weapon Focus or Two-
  Weapon Fighting
  +1 level of existing class
  2
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  +1 level of existing class
  3
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +3
  +1 level of existing class
  4
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  +1 level of existing class
  5
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  +1 level of existing class
  6
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  +1 level of existing class
  7
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  +1 level of existing class
  8
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +6
  +1 level of existing class
  9
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +6
  +1 level of existing class
  10
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +7
  +1 level of existing class
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  150
  those abilities are functions of the weapon rather 
  than the wielder, they are lost if the legendary weap-
  on that granted them is lost. The features in the table 
  above are retained with or without the weapon. 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (staff scions only): If a 
  staff scion does not already have the Two-Weapon 
  Fighting feat, he gains it now. The wielder does not 
  beneﬁt from the Two-Weapon Fighting feat unless 
  he meets the feat’s prerequisites, however. If the 
  weapon does not actually require two hands to use 
  in combat, the wielder gains Weapon Focus with the 
  weapon instead. 
  Weapon Focus (blade scions only): If a blade 
  scion does not already have the Weapon Focus feat 
  that applies to her legendary sword, she gains it at 
  1st level as a bonus feat. However, she cannot ben-
  eﬁt from the Weapon Focus feat unless she meets the 
  prerequisites for it. 
  Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each spell sci-
  on level, the character gains new spells per day (and 
  spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained 
  a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged 
  before adding the prestige class 
  level. She does not, how-
  ever, gain any other 
  beneﬁt a character of 
  that class would have 
  gained 
  (metamagic 
  or item creation feats, 
  and so on). If the char-
  acter had more than one 
  spellcasting class before be-
  coming a spell scion, the player 
  must decide to which class to add 
  each spellblade or spellstaff scion 
  level for the purpose of determining 
  spells per day.
  Hellspawn, the 
  Burning Staff
  C
  reated by a wizard from pure 
  elemental ﬁre, Hellspawn is a 
  conduit between the wielder 
  and the Elemental Plane of Fire. The staff 
  is made of polished obsidian and is 
  wreathed at all times in wispy blue-
  white ﬂame. The ﬂame deals no 
  damage to the wielder.
  Requirements: Any char-
  acter can wield Hellspawn as a 
  +1 ﬂaming/+1 ﬂaming quarterstaff 
  and also gain the beneﬁt of the resis-
  tance to ﬁre special ability described below. A spell 
  scion who wields Hellspawn gains additional special 
  abilities if the character fulﬁlls the following crite-
  ria.
  Alignment: Any nonlawful
  Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge 
  (the planes) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks
  Feats: Empower Spell
  Spells: Ability to cast 4th level arcane spells, in-
  cluding at least three spells with the ﬁre descriptor.
  Special: Must have been reduced to –1 or less hit 
  points on at least one occasion from a hit that dealt 
  ﬁre damage.
  Restrictions: If Hellspawn is grasped by a creature 
  with vulnerability to cold, the weapon’s ﬂame goes 
  out temporarily. This renders all the staff’s special 
  abilities (except for its enhancement bonus) inactive. 
  The creature grasping the staff takes 1 point of ﬁre 
  damage in every round while the weapon remains 
  grasped.
  Maintenance: Hellspawn must be kept in a warm 
  environment to remain at full power. If the staff 
  spends at least 1 hour in an area where the tempera-
  ture is below 50° F, its ﬂame goes out temporarily. 
  This renders all the staff’s special abilities (except for 
  its enhancement bonus) inactive. This loss of special 
  abilities can be postponed by dealing at least 5 points 
  of ﬁre damage to Hellspawn every hour. (Damage 
  dealt to the staff “counts” for this purpose even if 
  the staff actually takes no damage, such as because 
  of its hardness.)
  Attributes: Hell-
  spawn has the fol-
  lowing attributes.
  Hardness/Hit 
  Points: 14/45
  Caster 
  Level: 
  15th
  Value: To any charac-
  ter other than a spell scion who meets the 
  above requirements, Hellspawn appears 
  to be worth as much as a Medium +1 
  ﬂaming/+1 ﬂaming quarterstaff that grants 
  the resistance to ﬁre ability (market 
  price 24,600 gp).
  Special Abilities: Hellspawn pro-
  vides the following special abilities to 
  its wielder, depending on the charac-
  ter’s class level in the spell scion prestige 
  class (see the table below).
  Initial Abilities: When ﬁrst acquired, 
  Hellspawn functions as a Medium +1 ﬂam-
  ing/+1 ﬂaming quarterstaff. Anyone who 
  wields it, whether a spell scion or not, also 
  beneﬁts from the resistance to ﬁre abil-
  ity (see below).
  The Spell Scion
  Illustrated by Adam Denton
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  151
  Table 8.7: Abilities Granted 
  by the Hellspawn
  Spell Scion 
  Level
  Ability Gained
  --
  Resistance to ﬁre 5
  1
  Resistance to ﬁre 10,  
  empowered spells
  2
  Recall spell 1/day
  3
  Fire shield
  4
  Resistance to ﬁre 20
  5
  Enhancement bonus +2/+2,  
  recall spell 2/day
  6
  Plane shift
  7
  Resistance to ﬁre 30
  8
  Recall spell 3/day
  9
  Enhancement bonus +3/+3
  10
  Immunity to ﬁre
  Resistance to Fire (Ex): The wielder of the staff 
  gains resistance to ﬁre 5, even if she has no levels in 
  the spell scion class.
  A spell scion who wields the staff gains resis-
  tance to ﬁre 10. At 4th level, the resistance improves 
  to 20, and at 7th level to 30. This resistance does not 
  stack with any other resistance to ﬁre the wielder 
  may have.
  Empowered Spells (Su): Three times per day, a 
  spell scion wielding Hellspawn can empower (as the 
  Empower Spell feat) any arcane spell she casts that 
  has the ﬁre descriptor. She may apply this effect to 
  any spell whose level is equal to or less than her spell 
  scion level, and may even apply it to spell-like abili-
  ties cast by the staff itself. Activating this power is a 
  free action and has no effect on the spell’s level or its 
  casting time.
  Recall Spell (Su): As a free action, a spell scion 
  of 2nd level or higher can recall any arcane spell she 
  has just cast, as long as that spell has the ﬁre descrip-
  tor, up to a maximum spell level equal to her spell 
  scion level. She either restores that spell to her list 
  of prepared spells (if she prepares spells) or regains 
  that spell slot (if she does not prepare spells). She 
  may only recall a spell cast in the same round that 
  she uses this ability.
  This ability can be used once per day at 2nd level, 
  twice per day at 5th level, and three times per day at 
  8th level.
  Fire Shield (Sp): Once per day, when wielded 
  by a spell scion of 3rd level or higher, Hellspawn 
  can wreathe the wielder in a warm ﬁre shield of blue 
  ﬂames.
  Enhancement Bonus (Ex): When a spell scion of 
  5th level or higher wields Hellspawn, the staff’s en-
  hancement bonus improves from +1/+1 to +2/+2. 
  The bonus increases to +3/+3 when the wielder at-
  tains 9th level as a spell scion.
  Plane Shift (Sp): Once per day, Hellspawn can 
  transport a spell scion of 6th level of higher to the 
  Elemental Plane of Fire, just as if it had cast plane 
  shift. Additional willing characters can accompany 
  the scion, as described in the plane shift spell. The ef-
  fect is more accurate than normal for plane shift, de-
  livering the scion 5 to 500 yards (not miles) from her 
  intended destination. The spell scion must have her 
  own method of return, since Hellspawn provides no 
  return trip.
  Immunity to Fire (Ex): At 10th level, a spell scion 
  wielding Hellspawn gains immunity to ﬁre.
  Swift Scions
  S
  ome legendary items are meant for the hands 
  of the quick and the silent. A swift blade 
  scion might inherit her blade, or a swift staff 
  scion might acquire a legendary staff “purely by ac-
  cident,” but this is no less part of her destiny than is 
  the legendary item of any other scion. Characters of 
  any class can become swift blade or swift staff scions, 
  but rogues, bards, and monks beneﬁt most from the 
  special abilities these legendary items provide.
  Swift scions wield their swords, staves, and rods 
  to a wide variety of purposes. A rogue who takes 
  up a swift blade may use it to supplement her in-
  come, while a monk who acquires a swift staff might 
  merely seek to master its use. A bard who acquires a 
  legendary blade, staff , or rod could draw upon the 
  power of its rich history to enhance her music. Of 
  all legendary swords, staves, and rods, swift blades 
  and swift staves are the most focused in their appli-
  cation. Each tends to favor rogues, monks, or bards 
  speciﬁcally, rather than a broad range of classes as 
  the other legendary items do.
  Hit Die: d6.
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a swift scion, a character must 
  fulﬁll the criteria listed for the speciﬁc item.
  Class Skills
  The class skills for swift scions (and the key ability 
  for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb 
  (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device 
  (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), 
  Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), 
  Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), 
  Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic 
  Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex). Certain legend-
  ary item special abilities grant additional class skills 
  (and sometimes additional skill points). See Chapter 
  4: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descrip-
  tions.
  Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modiﬁer.
  Class Features
  The following are class features of the swift scion 
  prestige classes. Each legendary item provides a 
  unique set of additional special abilities. These abili-
  ties accrue in addition to those already noted in the 
  Special column of the table above. However, because 
  those abilities are functions of the item rather than 
  the wielder, they are lost if the legendary item that 
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  152
  granted them is lost. The features in the table above 
  are retained with or without the item.
  Bonus Class Skill: At 1st level, 5th level, and 9th 
  level, a swift scion may choose an additional class 
  skill from the following list: Appraise (Int), Concen-
  tration (Con), Decipher Script (Int, exclusive skill), 
  Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Knowl-
  edge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Sleight of 
  Hand (Dex), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), 
  Survival (Wis).
  Once designated, the skill is considered a class 
  skill every time the character adds a new level 
  of swift scion. 
  Two-Weapon 
  Fighting 
  (staff 
  scions only): If a staff scion does 
  not already have the Two-Weapon 
  Fighting feat, he gains it now. The 
  wielder does not beneﬁt from the 
  Two-Weapon Fighting feat 
  unless he meets 
  the feat’s pre-
  r e q u i s i t e s , 
  however. 
  If 
  the 
  weapon 
  does not ac-
  tually require 
  two hands to 
  use in combat, 
  the wielder gains 
  Weapon 
  Focus 
  with the weapon 
  instead. 
  Weapon Finesse 
  (blade scions only): 
  If the blade scion does 
  not already have the 
  Weapon Finesse feat 
  that applies to her 
  legendary sword, she 
  gains it at 1st level as a 
  bonus feat. However, 
  she cannot beneﬁt from 
  the Weapon Finesse 
  feat unless she meets the 
  prerequisites for it. 
  Bonus Ability: At 2nd level, 6th level, and 10th 
  level, a swift scion may choose additional class abili-
  ties from the following list. She may select the same 
  ability more than once if desired, and the effects 
  stack where appropriate. 
  Arcane Spells per Day/Spells Known: A swift scion 
  may gain a number of new spells per day and spells 
  known (if applicable) as if she had also gained a level 
  in an arcane spellcasting class to which she belonged 
  before adding the prestige class. She does not, how-
  ever, gain any other beneﬁt a character of that class 
  would have gained (metamagic or item creation 
  feats, and so on). If the character had more 
  than one arcane spellcasting class before be-
  coming a swift scion, the player must de-
  cide to which class to add each swift scion 
  level for the purpose of determining spells 
  per day and spells known. 
  Bardic Music: The swift scion may 
  add her bard levels and swift scion 
  class levels to her ranks in the 
  Perform skill to determine 
  which 
  bardic 
  music 
  abilities she may em-
  ploy (see Chapter 3: 
  Classes in the Play-
  er’s Handbook). 
  Bardic Knowl-
  edge: 
  A 
  swift 
  scion can choose 
  to gain a +2 bonus 
  on bardic knowledge 
  checks. 
  Improved Evasion: A swift 
  scion may choose to gain the 
  improved evasion ability (as 
  described in Chapter 3: 
  Classes, in the Player’s 
  Handbook), 
  provided 
  that she already has the 
  evasion ability. 
  Improved Unarmed Dam-
  age: A swift scion may choose 
  to increase her ability at unarmed 
  combat. Whenever she selects this option, her dam-
  Table 8.8: Swift Scion
  Class 
  Level
  Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Special
  1
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +0
  Bonus class skill, Weapon Finesse or 
  Two-Weapon Fighting
  2
  +1
  +0
  +3
  +0
  Bonus ability
  3
  +2
  +1
  +3
  +1
  4
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +1
  5
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Bonus class skill
  6
  +4
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Bonus ability
  7
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +2
  8
  +6
  +2
  +6
  +2
  9
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +3
  Bonus class skill
  10
  +7
  +3
  +7
  +3
  Bonus ability
  The Swift Scion
  Illustrated by Adam Denton
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  153
  age with unarmed attacks increases by one die type: 
  from 1d6 to 1d8, for example, or from 1d10 to 2d6. 
  This ability may be chosen multiple times, but it can-
  not increase the scion’s unarmed damage beyond 
  that of a monk of the same character level (see Play-
  er’s Handbook Chapter 3: Classes). 
  Increased Speed: A swift scion may choose to add 
  10 feet to her base speed. This extra movement ap-
  plies only when the swift scion wears no armor. 
  Sneak Attack: If a swift scion has the sneak attack 
  ability, she may choose to increase her sneak attack 
  damage by +2d6 points. 
  Uncanny Dodge: A swift scion may choose to gain 
  the uncanny dodge ability (see Chapter 3: Classes, in 
  the Player’s Handbook, for details). If the scion already 
  has that ability, she gains improved uncanny dodge 
  instead.
  Dreamcatcher
  A cabal of halﬂing clerics created the bow caller 
  Dreamcatcher long ago. Since then, it has been passed 
  down along a line of elite rangers and rogues, but 
  was recently lost when its wielder was slain while 
  away from her village.
  Requirements: Any character can wield Dream-
  catcher as a +2 composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus) and 
  also gain the beneﬁt of the stealth special ability de-
  scribed below. A swift scion that wields Dreamcatch-
  er gains additional special abilities if the character 
  fulﬁlls the following criteria.
  Base Attack Bonus: +6
  Skills: Hide 10 ranks, Move Silently 10 ranks
  Feats: Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Stealthy
  Special: The wielder must be of Small size
  Restrictions: Dreamcatcher does not grant its 
  stealth ability to a wielder who is not of Small size, 
  though its enhancement bonus is still effective.
  Attributes: Dreamcatcher has the following attri-
  butes.
  Hardness/Hit Points: 15/55
  Caster Level: 15th
  Value: To any character other than a swift 
  scion who meets the above requirements, 
  Dreamcatcher appears to be worth as much as 
  a Small +2 composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus) 
  that grants the stealth ability (market price 
  10,525 gp).
  Special Abilities: Dreamcatcher provides a num-
  ber of special abilities to its wielder, depending on 
  the character’s class level in the swift scion prestige 
  class (see the table below).
  Initial Abilities: When it is ﬁrst acquired, Dream-
  catcher functions as a +2 composite shortbow (+2 Str 
  bonus). Any Small character who wields it, whether 
  a swift scion or not, also beneﬁts from the stealth 
  ability (see below).
  Stealth (Su): The wielder of Dreamcatcher may 
  use her Wisdom bonus (if any) as a bonus on her 
  Hide and Move Silently checks.
  Table 8.9: Abilities Granted 
  by the Dreamcatcher
  Swift Scion 
  Level
  Ability Gained
  --
  Stealth
  1
  Invisibility
  2
  Ghost touch
  3
  Ephermeral presence (trackless)
  4
  Enhancement bonus +3
  5
  Dreamkill arrows
  6
  Greater invisibility
  7
  Enhancement bonus +4
  8
  Ephemeral presence (scentless)
  9
  Etherealness
  10
  Enhancement bonus +5
  Invisibility (Sp): A swift scion wielding Dream-
  catcher can become invisible once per day as a free 
  action. The effect lasts for 1 round per class level.
  For a swift scion of 6th level or higher, the in-
  visibility granted by the power is the equivalent of 
  greater invisibility. The duration remains 1 round per 
  class level.
  Ghost Touch (Su): When a swift scion of 2nd 
  level or higher wields Dreamcatcher, any arrow ﬁred 
  from the bow can damage incorporeal creatures as if 
  it had the ghost touch special ability.
  Ephemeral Presence (Su): A swift scion of 3rd 
  level or higher bearing Dreamcatcher leaves no trail 
  and cannot be tracked.
  At 8th level, a swift scion bearing the weapon 
  no longer gives off a scent. Creatures with the scent 
  ability cannot detect her presence by means of that 
  ability, nor can she be tracked by scent.
  Enhancement Bonus (Ex): When a swift scion of 
  4th level or higher wields Dreamcatcher, the bow’s 
  enhancement bonus improves from +2 to +3. The bo-
  nus increases to +4 at 7th level and +5 at 10th level.
  Dreamkill Arrows (Su): Three times per day (but 
  no more than once per round), a swift scion of 5th 
  level or higher can ﬁre a special arrow from Dream-
  catcher. The arrow strikes as a touch attack (ignoring 
  armor, shield, and natural armor bonuses to AC). 
  The arrow deals only half the normal damage, but 
  the damage dealt is Wisdom damage, not hit point 
  damage. Bonus damage dice, if any, do not apply to 
  the damage dealt by a dreamkill arrow.
  Etherealness (Su): At 9th level or higher, a swift 
  scion bearing Dreamcatcher can become ethereal for 
  up to 10 rounds per day (which need not be spent all 
  at one time). Activating this power, or deactivating it 
  to become material, is a standard action.
  Magical Ability Chains
  M
  agical weapons and armor can easily be-
  come a character’s most prized posses-
  sion. Unfortunately, that cherished +2 
  elven longsword that saved your rear-end against 
  the orcs isn’t doing the job as well now that you’re 
  ﬁghting magic-wielding dark elves. So you have two 
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  154
  choices: You can either dump your treasured friend 
  for a more powerful weapon, or spend some of that 
  hard earned loot you’ve been hoarding and add a 
  few additional enchantments to power-up that old 
  blade.
  Doing so is easy enough using the rules present-
  ed in the Adding New Abilities section in Chapter 7 
  of the DMG. Through this method you can add any 
  odd combination of magical abilities to your weap-
  on or armor. But what if you decide to add a more 
  powerful ability that is closely related or similar to 
  an ability that the item already possesses? Taking 
  advantage of this synergy makes it easier to upgrade 
  an item’s power. This is referred to as a magical abil-
  ity chain.
  A magical ability chain allows you to elevate or 
  upgrade an existing item’s magical ability to an im-
  proved and more powerful ability that is directly re-
  lated to the item’s pre-existing powers (Ex; changing 
  a ﬂaming longsword to a ﬂaming burst longsword) at 
  a lower cost than by the standard method. 
  If you follow an ability chain when upgrading 
  your item, the cost of the upgrade is reduced by 25% 
  (rounded up). This discount only applies to the cal-
  culated cost difference of the original item and the 
  cost of the upgrade. 
  Example: a +1 ﬂaming longsword to a +1 ﬂaming 
  burst longsword.
  Original cost; +1 (2,000 gp) ﬂaming (+1 bonus) 
  longsword (315 gp) = 8,315 gp. 
  End cost; +1 (2,000 gp) ﬂaming burst (+2 bonus) 
  longsword (315 gp) = 18,315 gp.
  Normal cost; 18,315 gp - 8,315 gp = 10,000 gp.
  Discounted cost; 18,315 gp (end cost) – 8,315 gp 
  (original cost) = 10,000gp - 25% (chain discount) = 
  7,500 gp.
  No other additional enchantments are discounted, 
  even if applied at the same time. This can get a little 
  confusing when adding multiple enchantments. To 
  simplify this, calculate the cost difference between 
  the worth of original item and the cost of the chained 
  ability and apply the discount to this sum. 
   Weapon Ability Chains
  Acidic → Acidic Burst
  Alterable, minor → Alterable, major
  Drinking → Laced, Substance
  Flaming → Flaming Burst
  Frost → Icy Burst
  Impact → Repelling
  Inspiration → Muse
  Intense/Keen/Penetrating → Wounding
  Pestilence → Pestilence, greater
  Reﬂection, spell → Reﬂection, spell, greater
  Serrations → Jagged
  Shock → Shocking Burst
  Spawning → Undead Creator, major
  Speed → Quickened (or Quickened → Speed)
  Spell Storing → Spell Storing, greater
  Spell Storing, greater → Contingency
  Solace → Solace, greater
  Solace, dark → Solace, dark, greater
  Stunning → Thundering (or Thundering → Stunning)
  Sundering → Mighty Sundering
  Totem → Totem, dire
  Undead Creator, minor → Undead Creation, major
  Wounding → Crushing/Vorpal/Skewering
  Armor/Shield Ability Chains
  Acid Resistance → Acid Resistance, improved → 
  Acid Resistance, greater
  Aspected → Seeming → Reshaping
  Bludgeoning Resistance → Impact Resistance
  Cold Resistance → Cold Resistance, improved → 
  Cold Resistance, greater
  Dark → Dark, greater
  Dopple → Dopple, greater
  Electricity Resistance → Electricity Resistance, im-
  proved → Electricity Resistance, greater
  Fire Resistance → Fire Resistance, improved → Fire 
  Resistance, greater
  Grace → Weightless
  Healing → Healing greater
  Inspiration → Muse
  Quick Don → Fluid or Summoned
  Quick Release → Wildshape
  Shifting → Shifting, greater
  Shadow → Shadow, improved → Shadow, greater
  Silent Moves → Silent Moves, improved → Silent 
  Moves, greater
  Slick → Slick, improved → Slick, greater
  Solace → Solace, greater
  Solace, dark → Solace, dark, greater
  Sonic Resistance → Sonic Resistance, improved → 
  Sonic Resistance, greater
  Spellcasting → Arcane
  Spell Storing → Spell Storing, greater
  Spell Storing, greater → Contingency
  Totem → Totem, dire
  Variant → Morphic
  Other chains may exist as your game uses other 
  outside materials. As always, these are dependant 
  on the approval of your GM. 
  Intelligent Weapons
  W
  hen generating a special purpose for 
  an intelligent weapon, there is a 20% 
  chance of it having an extraordinary 
  special purpose, which should be rolled on Table 
  8.10: Extraordinary Special Purpose Powers. Each 
  extraordinary purpose is described following below, 
  including associated powers and typical actions the 
  weapon may attempt to force upon the wielder. Use 
  the points listed in the table to add to the weapon’s 
  ego. This number replaces the standard ego points 
  for a special purpose.
  Battle Seeker: This type of weapon seeks to en-
  gage other creatures in combat for its own gloriﬁca-
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  155
  tion. The wielder gains the beneﬁts of an iron body 
  spell whenever the weapon is drawn. Any other 
  holder of a battle seeker weapon within line of sight 
  is automatically recognized and attacked. A battle 
  seeker always engages ﬁrst what appears to be the 
  most powerful ﬁghter in an opposing group during 
  combat. Once engaged with an opponent, a battle 
  seeker does not allow its wielder to turn away until 
  the opponent either falls or ﬂees. Caster Level: 16th.
  Defender: These weapons are crafted to protect 
  followers of a deity, a family, a race, or an organi-
  zation. Whenever holding a defending weapon the 
  wielder is protected by resist elements. As a free ac-
  tion, each round the wielder may change which el-
  ement he is protected from. Anyone struck by the 
  weapon is affected as if by a slow spell (Will save DC 
  16). Additionally, once per day, the weapon can be 
  used to cast repulsion (Will save DC 19). 
  Additional spell-like abilities are granted, but 
  only to protect members of the championed group. 
  Shield other may be used at will (range 35 feet). Dis-
  cern location, and sympathy may be each cast once per 
  day (Will save DC 18). The sympathy effect is always 
  centered on the weapon.
  The wielder of a defending weapon is compelled 
  by the weapon to protect the speciﬁed group. This 
  may include anything from donating money to seek-
  ing out and destroying their enemies. Even if the 
  protected group no longer exists, the weapon con-
  tinues it purpose. It may compel its wielder to ﬁnd 
  or resurrect a member of an annihilated family, or to 
  reform a cult. Caster Level: 18th.
  Extraplanar Hunter: These weapons are designed 
  to track down and destroy outsiders and outside in-
  ﬂuences to a speciﬁc plane. Any creature struck by 
  an extraplanar hunting weapon is cursed unless it 
  succeeds at a Will save (DC 17). This curse gives a 
  75% chance of failure when casting any divine spell 
  or using any divine spell-like ability. Any outsider 
  struck by the weapon is subject to the effect of a ban-
  ishment spell unless it succeeds at a Will save (DC20). 
  If the wielder of one of these weapons is the target of 
  a spell cast by an outsider or divine spellcaster, even 
  a healing spell, the weapon attempts to force him to 
  attack the caster.
  The weapon compels its wielder to hunt down 
  and destroy or banish any outsiders of which it has 
  certain knowledge, even if the outsider is of the same 
  alignment as the weapon. If this weapon is ever tak-
  en off the plane on which it was forged, it becomes 
  totally inert, acting as a nonmagical weapon. Out-
  siders and divine spellcasters always react to wield-
  ers of this type of weapon at one reaction category 
  worse than normal. Caster Level: 20th.
  Fiery Destruction: Fiery destruction weapons 
  are created to burn their enemies to cinders. These 
  weapons’ alignments are always chaotic. A chaotic 
  good weapon attempts to seek out and destroy evil 
  enemies, especially lawful ones, while chaotic evil 
  weapons seek out good enemies. Chaotic neutral 
  weapons of this type are perhaps the most danger-
  ous, glorying in the destruction of anything, whether 
  it is a creature, forest, or structure.
  This type of weapon always has the ﬂaming burst 
  enchantment. While drawn, a constant ﬂame aura 
  plays about the wielder, conferring total invulnera-
  bility to ﬁre damage, even from magical ﬁre. Anyone 
  within ﬁve feet of the wielder that strikes him suffers 
  1d6+12 points of ﬁre damage. Any highly combus-
  tible items on the wielder’s person must save every 
  round or be consumed (Fort save vs. DC 13 — GM’s 
  option which items are affected).
  As a standard action, the wielder may cast a ﬁ-
  ery bolt, similar to the spell ﬂame arrow, doing 4d6 
  points of ﬁre damage (Reﬂex save vs. DC16 for half 
  damage). A ﬁery destruction weapon is impatient. 
  It does not wish to plan or follow long-range goals, 
  preferring to confront its enemies immediately. It be-
  lieves negotiation and diplomacy waste time and are 
  best short-circuited by direct action. This impatience 
  applies to the weapon’s wielder unless he succeeds 
  at a personality conﬂict.
  In addition to all other powers, there is a 10% 
  chance every hour that a ﬁre spontaneously bursts 
  into being somewhere within 30 feet of the weapon, 
  evincing its chaotic nature. Caster Level: 16th.
  Law Upholder: Law upholding weapons are dedi-
  cated to enforcing and supporting local laws. These 
  weapons’ alignments are always lawful. A lawful 
  good weapon enforces just laws and attempts to 
  change other laws using the proper existing govern-
  mental structures. A lawful evil weapon attempts to 
  twist laws to beneﬁt itself and its wielder. A lawful 
  neutral weapon ensures that all individuals are uni-
  versally subjected to the same set of laws.
  While drawn, a continuous zone of truth emanates 
  from the weapon (Will save DC 15). The wielder also 
  beneﬁts from the effect of true seeing.
  Law upholding weapons compel their wielders 
  to always speak the truth. At any point in time, the 
  sword may force its owner to stop and explain to it 
  why he is following a course of action not directly 
  and obviously ﬂowing from an appropriate law. Ar-
  guing with the sword is a standard action, requiring 
  an intelligence check (DC 11). If this check fails, the 
  Table 8.10: Extraordinary 
  Special Purpose Powers
  d100
  Extraordinary Purpose
  Ego 
  Points
  01–15
  Extraplanar Hunter
  4
  16–30
  Law Upholder
  4
  31–45
  Defender
  5
  46–60
  Battle Seeker
  6
  61–75
  Fiery Destruction
  6
  76–90
  Nature’s Protector
  7
  91–100
  Magic Killer
  8
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  156
  sword refuses to use any of its powers, even refusing 
  to strike at enemies. The check may be repeated once 
  per round until successful. However, a legitimate 
  explanation must be given to even attempt a check. 
  Caster Level: 16th.
  Magic Killer: Magic killing weapons desire to de-
  stroy magic. On a successful hit with one of these 
  weapons, the target’s armor, if magical, must save 
  (DC23) or suffer the effects of disjunction. In addi-
  tion, any spell effects centered on the target are af-
  fected as if subject to a targeted greater dispelling. If 
  a magic killing weapon is used to damage another 
  magic weapon, it is also subject to disjunction. Spe-
  ciﬁc items on an opponent’s body may be targeted in 
  an attempt to destroy their magical properties. Treat 
  this as a normal melee attack against the opponent, 
  with an additional modiﬁer based on the target’s 
  size. A helmet, for instance, is tiny in size, and would 
  gain a +2 bonus to AC. A ring is ﬁne in size and gains 
  +8 to AC.
  These weapons also grant their wielders the pow-
  er to detect magic at will. Also, once per round, as a 
  free action, the wielder may attempt to counterspell 
  a spell being cast at him as if using greater dispelling. 
  The wielder may do this even without preparing a 
  ready action. 
  Magic killing weapons compel their users to de-
  stroy all other magic items they own. In melee, they 
  prefer to strike at magical items on an opponent, 
  rather than at the opponent itself. If the wielder tries 
  to cast a spell, the weapon attempts to counterspell 
  it, using up its counterspell action for that round. 
  Additionally, every round the weapon automatical-
  ly attempts to dispel any magic affecting its wielder, 
  regardless of whether it is helpful or harmful (this 
  ability does not use up its counterspell for a given 
  round). If ever successful in destroying an artifact, a 
  magic killing weapon must succeed at a saving throw 
  (DC 25) or permanently lose all powers. Caster Level: 
  20th.
  Nature’s Protector: These weapons are designed 
  to protect untamed nature from any who would de-
  ﬁle it. These weapons’ alignments are always at least 
  partly neutral. Anyone without at least one level in 
  druid, ranger, or a nature-based cleric class gains 
  two negative levels whenever wielding this weap-
  on. Although these negative levels fade when the 
  weapon is set down and never result in actual level 
  loss, they cannot be overcome in any way while the 
  weapon is held.
  The wielder of a nature’s protector weapon gains 
  the ability to detect the natural balance of the area 
  within 100 miles. The locations of old wounds, such 
  as cities, are intuitively known, as is the presence of 
  new threats, such as forest ﬁres or infestations. In a 
  region lacking any examples of pristine nature this 
  sense causes pain, resulting in a –4 reduction to Dex-
  terity, which cannot be overcome in any way as long 
  as the weapon is in use.
  The weapon’s wielder may also use the following 
  spell-like abilities: sunburst once per day (DC 22) and 
  tree stride at will. In addition, 1d4 huge elementals 
  (of an element chosen by the wielder) may be sum-
  moned once per day. The summoning takes a full 
  minute, and the elementals stay for a single hour. 
  These elementals do not attack the wielder, but oth-
  erwise are uncontrolled and may do whatever they 
  wish, although such creatures typically focus their 
  attentions on “unnatural” opponents such as aberra-
  tions and undead. 
  The weapon compels its wielder to ﬁght dangers 
  identiﬁed through its afﬁnity with nature. More re-
  cent threats are almost always opposed ﬁrst before 
  older scars are dealt with. Caster Level: 18th.
  Outsider Weapons
  T
  he term “outsider weapon” describes a cat-
  egory of magic weapons that derive their 
  power from an extraplanar creature whose 
  essence is bound into the weapon itself. Because the 
  bound outsider provides a “power boost” to the 
  crafting process, they are much less expensive to cre-
  ate (both in terms of gold and experience costs) than 
  comparable weapons. In addition, outsider weapons 
  possess special abilities deriving from the nature of 
  the outsider used to power them. At the very least, 
  outsider weapons come with a price tag: the possible 
  enmity of the outsider so bound. Outsider weapons 
  are generally less permanent than other magical 
  items and lose their special abilities once the out-
  sider is freed (or breaks free) from the weapon into 
  which it is bound.
  Outsider Weapon Creation
  T
  he process of creating an outsider weapon 
  begins with summoning an outsider. This 
  can be accomplished through a variety 
  of means, most notably spells like gate or summon 
  monster. After that, the summoner must bind the 
  summoned creature by means of spells such as lesser 
  planar binding or greater planar binding.
  Equally important to the process is the attitude 
  of the outsider toward its summoner. If the outsider 
  is at least Helpful, then it accepts being bound into a 
  weapon without too many qualms. If it’s Friendly, it 
  not only accepts being bound but has a good reason 
  for doing so, such as to aid the summoner in a great 
  quest. Any other attitude indicates that the outsider 
  is hostile and may attack the summoner after the 
  binding has expired.
  By their nature, outsider weapons are almost al-
  ways intelligent. The Intelligence, Wisdom, and Cha-
  risma scores of the weapon are based on respective 
  scores of the outsider that’s bound into the weapon. 
  Thus a weapon that derives its power from a bound 
  devil would have 11 Intelligence, 9 Wisdom, and 15 
  Charisma. The weapon’s alignment is likewise the 
  same as that of the bound creature (Lawful Evil in 
  this case). 
  An outsider weapon’s ability to communicate 
  with its wielder is similarly determined by its ability 
  scores.
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  157
  Communication
  Ability Scores
  Semiempathy
  Two ability scores at least 
  10+, one 8+
  Empathy
  Two ability scores at least 
  12+, one 10+
  Speech
  Two ability scores at least 
  14+, one 12+
  Speech, Telepathy
  Two ability scores at least 
  16+, one 12+
  Outsider weapons capable of speech speak as 
  many languages as the creature bound into them. In 
  the case of a devil weapon, for example, they would 
  speak Celestial, Draconic, and Infernal, in addition 
  to any bonus languages based on their Intelligence 
  scores. In cases of extremely weak outsiders whose 
  ability scores do not meet any of the requirements 
  listed in the table above, the weapon is not intelli-
  gent and cannot communicate with its wielder.
  An outsider’s magical attack bonus derives from 
  the Hit dice of the creature bound into it.
  Outsider Weapon 
  Hit Dice
  Attack Bonus
  1-3
  +1
  6-9
  +2
  10-12
  +3
  13-15
  +4
  16+
  +5
  Outsider weapons can use the spell-like abilities 
  of the creature bound into them. Abilities that affect 
  only the outsider do not affect the wielder. Hardness 
  and hit points are as per the weapon type. Caster 
  level is equal to the hit dice of the outsider bound 
  into the weapon. Breaking the weapon (by means 
  of the Improved Sunder feat, for example) frees the 
  outsider, as does dispelling the spell binding it into 
  the weapon. Outsider weapons do not have the abil-
  ity to summon other outsiders, even if the creature 
  bound into it does.
  Outsider weapons can manifest special abilities 
  just like other magic weapons. Unlike other magic 
  weapons, however, the abilities are largely deter-
  mined by the nature of the outsider bound in them. 
  Additional abilities may be added, just like other 
  weapons, but these take longer, require the standard 
  prerequisites (spells, etc.) and must be done before 
  the binding process is begun and at normal creation 
  costs. Furthermore, any of these qualities cannot be 
  contrary to the nature of the outsider (not adding 
  frost to a weapon meant for a ﬁre mephit). 
  The attraction of outsider weapons is that the 
  crafter need not meet all the prerequisites to add 
  special abilities deriving from the creature bound 
  into them, since they are a function of its nature. 
  Even outsider weapons have gold and experience 
  point costs. Binding an outsider into a weapon cuts 
  down on those costs, but it does not eliminate them 
  entirely. Thus, a crafter must still pay for every en-
  hancement and ability he adds and activates during 
  the binding process. It should be noted that further 
  abilities may not be added after the initial binding, 
  even if the outsider possesses more abilities than the 
  crafter takes advantage of. Once the binding is done, 
  the weapon is complete and cannot be enchanted 
  further.
  The costs associated with outsider weapons de-
  pend on how long the crafter intends the binding to 
  last.
  Outsider Weapon Binding Costs
  Binding Length
  Base Cost (XP and gp)
  3 months
  25% normal
  6 months
  50% normal
  1 year
  75% normal
  Any binding of an outsider into a weapon for 
  a period of more than one year costs the normal 
  amount of gold and experience. If an attempt is 
  made to make the binding permanent, the cost in-
  creases to 150% for both experience and gold and 
  the outsider is allowed a Will save to sunder the 
  binding and escape.
  In addition to gold and experience points, when 
  forging an outsider weapon, the crafter must pos-
  sess the metamagic feat Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor. He must also have a masterwork weapon 
  into which he (or the summoner, if it is a different 
  person) will bind the outsider. Nothing less than a 
  masterwork weapon will sufﬁce. He does not have 
  to possess the prerequisites for the abilities he adds 
  to the weapon; they derive their power solely from 
  the outsider.
  Outsider Weapon Abilities
  M
  ost of the abilities a weapon can derive 
  from its bound outsider are apparent 
  from reading a creature’s description, 
  such as wounding for a barbazu weapon or energy 
  drain for a succubus. Poisonous outsiders might 
  make the weapon function like a dagger of venom. 
  Alignment-based abilities (such as lawful, chaotic, 
  holy, unholy, etc.). as well as elemental ones (like 
  ﬂaming, frost, shock, etc.) are obvious choices in 
  many cases. The GM must adjudicate correlations 
  between outsider and magic weapon abilities when 
  they are not obvious. Here are some sample asso-
  ciations to show how additional abilities might be 
  created:
  Acidic: Upon command, an acidic weapon is 
  sheathed in a burning, corrosive acid. The acid 
  does not harm the hands that hold the weapon. 
  Acidic weapons deal +1d6 pints of bonus acid 
  energy on a successful hit. Bows, crossbows, 
  and slings so enchanted bestow the acid energy 
  upon their ammunition.
  Moderate conjuration [acid]; Caster Level: 8th; 
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, acid 
  arrow or acid fog; Market Price: +1 bonus.
  Acidic Burst: An acidic burst weapon func-
  tions as an acidic weapon that also explodes 
  with acid upon striking a successful critical hit. 
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  158
  The acid does not harm the hands 
  that hold the weapon. Acidic 
  burst weapons deal +1d10 points 
  of bonus acid damage on a 
  successful critical hit. If the 
  weapon’s critical multiplier is 
  x3, add +2d10 points of bonus 
  acid damage instead, and if 
  the multiplier is x4, add +3d10 
  points of bonus acid damage. 
  Bows, crossbows, and slings so 
  enchanted bestow the acid en-
  ergy upon their ammunition.
  Strong conjuration [acid]; Caster 
  Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, acid arrow or acid 
  fog; Market Price: +2 bonus.
  Optional Rule: Outsider weapons are a 
  dangerous application of magic. Some Game 
  Masters may prefer to highlight this fact with 
  the following rule: each week the bound 
  outsider has a 1% chance to break free of the 
  binding. Such a creature is not likely to look 
  kindly upon the weapon’s wielder, espe-
  cially if the outsider did not willingly agree 
  to be bound.
  Outsider weapon forging
  Illustrated by Tom Galambos
  Chapter 8: Artifacts & Legends
  
  159
  CHAPTER 9:  CURSED ITEMS
  Dependent: The item only functions in certain 
  situations. To determine what the situation is, either 
  select a situation or roll on the following table.
  d%
  Situation
  01–03
  Temperature below freezing
  04–05
  Temperature above freezing
  06–10
  During the day
  11–15
  During the night
  16–20
  In direct sunlight
  21–25
  Out of direct sunlight
  26–34
  Underwater
  35–37
  Out of water
  38–45
  Underground
  46–55
  Aboveground
  56–60
  Within 10 feet of a random creature type
  61–64
  Within 10 feet of a random race or kind 
  of creature
  65–72
  Within 10 feet of an arcane spellcaster
  73–80
  Within 10 feet of a divine spellcaster
  81–85
  In the hands of a nonspellcaster
  86–90
  In the hands of a spellcaster
  91–95
  In the hands of a creature of a particular 
  alignment
  96
  In the hands of a creature of particular 
  gender
  97–99
  On nonholy days or during particular as-
  trological events
  100
  More than 100 miles from a particular 
  site
  Uncontrolled: An uncontrolled item 
  occasionally activates at random times. 
  Roll d% every day. On a result of 01–05 
  the item activates at some random point 
  during that day. 
  Requirement: In a sense, a com-
  mand word is a requirement. Nev-
  ertheless, some items have much 
  more 
  stringent 
  requirements 
  that must be met for them to be 
  usable. To keep an item with this 
  kind of curse functioning, one or 
  more of the following conditions 
  must be met.
  •  
  Character must eat twice 
  as much as normal.
  •  Character must sleep twice 
  as much as normal.
  •  
  Character must undergo 
  a speciﬁ c quest (one time only, 
  and then item functions normally 
  thereafter).
  •  
  Character must sacriﬁ ce 
  (destroy) 100 gp worth of valu-
  ables per day.
  •  
  Character must sacriﬁ ce 
  (destroy) 2,000 gp worth of 
  magic items each week.
  •  Character must swear fe-
  alty to a particular noble or 
  his family.
  •  
  Character must discard all other magic items.
  •  
  Character must worship a particular deity.
  C
  ursed items are magic items with 
  some sort of potentially negative 
  impact. Sometimes they’re directly 
  bad for the user; sometimes they’re 
  just inconvenient. Occasionally they 
  mix the bad with the good, forcing characters to 
  make difﬁ cult choices.  Table 9.1: Common Curses
  provides a quick method for adding curses to tradi-
  tional magic items.
  Table 9.1: Common Curses
  d%
  Curse
  01–15
  Delusion
  16–35
  Opposite effect or target
  36–45
  Intermittent functioning
  46–60
  Requirement
  61–75
  Drawback
  76–90
  Completely different effect
  91–100
  Substitute speciﬁ c cursed item
  Delusion: The user believes the item is what it 
  appears to be, yet it actually has no magical power 
  other than to deceive. The user is mentally fooled 
  into thinking the item is functioning and cannot be 
  convinced otherwise without the help of a remove 
  curse spell.
  Opposite Effect or Target: These cursed items 
  malfunction so that either they do the op-
  posite of what the creator intended, 
  or they target the user instead of 
  someone else. These items aren’t 
  always bad to have, though they 
  are hard to rely on in the heat 
  of battle. Opposite-effect items 
  include weapons that impose 
  penalties on attack and dam-
  age rolls rather than bonuses. 
  Just as a character shouldn’t 
  necessarily immediately know 
  what the enhancement bonus 
  of a noncursed magic item is, 
  she shouldn’t immediately know 
  that a weapon is cursed. Once 
  she knows, however, the item 
  can be discarded unless some 
  sort of compulsion is placed 
  upon it that compels the 
  wielder to keep and use it. 
  In such cases, a remove curse 
  spell is generally needed to 
  get rid of the item.
  Intermittent Functioning: 
  The three varieties of inter-
  mittent functioning items 
  all function perfectly as 
  described—at least some of 
  the time. The three varieties 
  are unreliable, dependent, 
  and uncontrolled items.
  Unreliable: Each time the item is activated, there 
  is a 5% chance (1 on a d20) that it does not function.
  A blessing or a curse?
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  
  160
  •  
  Character must change her name to a speciﬁc 
  name. (The item only works for characters of 
  that name.)
  •  
  Character must add a speciﬁc class at the next 
  opportunity if not of that class already.
  •  
  Character must have a minimum number of 
  ranks in a particular skill.
  •  
  Character must sacriﬁce some part of her life 
  energy (2 points of Constitution) one time. If 
  the character gets the Constitution points back 
  (such as from a restoration spell), the item ceas-
  es functioning. (The item does not cease func-
  tioning if the character receives a Constitution 
  increase caused by level gain, a wish, or the use 
  of a magic item.)
  •  
  Item must be cleansed with holy water each 
  day.
  •  
  Item must be used to kill a living creature each 
  day.
  •  
  Item must be bathed in volcanic lava once per 
  month.
  •  
  Item must be used at least once a day, or it 
  won’t function again for its current possessor.
  •  
  Item must draw blood when wielded (weap-
  ons only). It can’t be put away or exchanged 
  for another weapon until it has scored a hit.
  •  
  Item must have a particular spell cast upon it 
  each day (such as bless, atonement, or animate 
  objects).
  Requirements are so dependent upon suitability 
  to the item that they should never be determined 
  randomly. An item with a requirement that is also 
  intelligent often imposes its requirement through its 
  personality. If the requirement is not met, the item 
  ceases to function. If it is met, the item functions for 
  one day before the requirement must be met again 
  (although some requirements are one-time only, oth-
  ers monthly, and still others continuous).
  Drawback: Items with drawbacks are usually 
  still beneﬁcial to the possessor but they also carry 
  some negative aspect. Although sometimes draw-
  backs occur only when the item is used (or held, in 
  the case of some items such as weapons), usually the 
  drawback remains with the character for as long as 
  she has the item.
  Roll on Table 9.2: Drawbacks to generate a 
  drawback that (unless otherwise indicated) remains 
  Table 9.2: Drawbacks
  d%
  Drawback
  01–04
  Character’s hair grows 1 inch longer. Only happens once.
  05–09
  Character either shrinks 1/2 inch (01–50 on d%) or grows that much taller (51–100). Only 
  happens once.
  10–13
  Temperature around item is 10°F cooler than normal.
  14–17
  Temperature around item is 10°F warmer than normal.
  18–21
  Character’s hair color changes.
  22–25
  Character’s skin color changes.
  26–29
  Character now bears some identifying mark (tattoo, weird glow, or the like).
  30–32
  Character’s gender changes.
  33–34
  Character’s race or kind changes.
  35
  Character is afﬂicted with a random disease that cannot be cured.
  36–39
  Item continually emits a disturbing sound (moaning, weeping, screaming, cursing, insults).
  40
  Item looks ridiculous (garishly colored, silly shape, glows bright pink, . . .).
  41–45
  Character becomes selﬁshly possessive about the item.
  46–49
  Character becomes paranoid about losing the item and afraid of damage occurring to it.
  50–51
  Character’s alignment changes.
  52–54
  Character must attack nearest creature (5% chance [01–05 on d%] each day).
  55–57
  Character is stunned for 1d4 rounds once item function is ﬁnished (or randomly, 1/day).
  58–60
  Character’s vision is blurry (–2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks requiring vi-
  sion).
  61–64
  Character gains one negative level.
  65
  Character gains two negative levels.
  66–70
  Character must make a Will save each day or take 1 point of Intelligence damage.
  71–75
  Character must make a Will save each day or take 1 point of Wisdom damage.
  76–80
  Character must make a Will save each day or take 1 point of Charisma damage.
  81–85
  Character must make a Fortitude save each day or take 1 point of Constitution damage.
  86–90
  Character must make a Fortitude save each day or take 1 point of Strength damage.
  91–95
  Character must make a Fortitude save each day or take 1 point of Dexterity damage.
  96
  Character is polymorphed into a speciﬁc creature (5% chance [01–05 on d%] each day).
  97
  Character cannot cast arcane spells.
  98
  Character cannot cast divine spells.
  99
  Character cannot cast any spells.
  100
  Either pick one of the above that’s appropriate or create a drawback speciﬁcally for that 
  item.
  Chapter 9: Cursed Items
  
  161
  in effect as long as the item is in the character’s pos-
  session.
  Specific Cursed Items
  T
  he magic items below are provided as ex-
  amples of cursed items. They are given cre-
  ation prerequisites, should someone want 
  to intentionally create them. A simple detect magic 
  spell yields a misleading aura and strength, often 
  indicating that the item is a noncursed item of simi-
  lar sort. An identify spell only has a 1% chance per 
  caster level to reveal a cursed item’s true properties, 
  including the cursed aspect. Analyze dweomer reveals 
  the true nature of a cursed item.
  Armor of Arrow Attraction: Magical analysis 
  indicates that this armor is a normal suit of +3 full 
  plate. It works normally with regard to melee attacks 
  but actually serves to attract ranged weapons. The 
  wearer takes a –15 penalty to AC against any attack 
  by a ranged weapon. The true nature of the armor 
  does not reveal itself until the character is ﬁred upon. 
  Even then, a few hits by an archer aren’t likely to re-
  veal the true nature of the armor, though a heavy 
  volley (all of whose arrows strike home) is enough 
  to convince others that something is amiss.
  Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 16th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse; Market 
  Price: 9,000 gp
  Armor of Rage: This armor is similar in appear-
  ance to armor of command and functions as a suit of +1 
  full plate. However, the armor causes the character to 
  take a –4 penalty to Charisma. All unfriendly charac-
  ters within 300 feet have a +1 morale bonus on attack 
  rolls against her. The effect is not noticeable to the 
  wearer or those affected. (In other words, the wearer 
  does not immediately notice that donning the armor 
  is the cause of her problems, or do foes understand 
  the reason for the depth of their enmity.)
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 16th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse; 
  Market Price: 1,600 gp
  Bestial Armor: This +2 half-plate armor has the 
  designs of some sort of tiny-sized, naturally occur-
  ring animal.  This armor is actually a cursed effect. 
  In a circumstance when the armor is within 30 feet 
  of a creature bearing a resemblance to the design on 
  the armor, the wearer is polymorphed into a similar 
  creature, as per the baleful polymorph spell.  Note that 
  the armor does not polymorph with the wearer.
  Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 9th; Pre-
  requisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, baleful poly-
  morph; Market Price: 9,000 gp
  Bracers of Defenselessness: These appear to be 
  bracers of armor +5 and actually serve as such until 
  the wearer is attacked in anger by an enemy with a 
  Challenge Rating equal to or greater than her level. 
  At that moment and thereafter, the bracers cause a 
  –5 penalty to AC. Once their curse is activated, brac-
  ers of defenselessness can be removed only by means 
  of a remove curse spell.
  Moderate conjuration; Caster Level: 16th; Prereq-
  uisites: Create Wondrous Item, mage armor, bestow 
  curse; Market Price: 1,200 gp
  Clay Armor of the Golem: This +1 clay armor ra-
  diates magic (Enchantment: Compulsion) and con-
  sists of a helm, breastplate, backplate, bracers and 
  leggings. The armor is cumbersome and requires as-
  sistance when donning. When the wearer dons the 
  entire set of armor they must pass a Will save (DC 15) 
  or be unable to move but retain the ability to speak 
  and are aware of their surroundings. They then act 
  as if under a command spell cast by caster of 5th level 
  and obey the command of the assisting person. The 
  armor can be removed with a remove curse spell leav-
  ing +1 clay armor or a dispel magic spell which leaves 
  standard clay armor.
  Moderate Enchantment; Caster Level 5th; Pre-
  requisites; Craft magic Arms and Armor, greater 
  command; Market Price: 2,000gp
  Helm of Opposite Alignment: This metal hat 
  looks like a typical helmet. When placed upon the 
  head, however, its curse immediately takes effect 
  (Will DC 15 negates). On a failed save, the alignment 
  of the wearer is radically altered to an alignment as 
  different as possible from the former alignment—
  good to evil, chaotic to lawful, neutral to some ex-
  treme commitment (LE, LG, CE, or CG). Alteration 
  in alignment is mental as well as moral, and the indi-
  vidual changed by the magic thoroughly enjoys his 
  new outlook. A character who succeeds on his save 
  can continue to wear the helmet without suffering 
  the effect of the curse, but if he takes it off and later 
  puts it on again, another save is required. The curse 
  only works once; that is, a character whose align-
  ment has been changed cannot change it again by 
  donning the helmet a second time.
  Only a wish or a miracle can restore former align-
  ment, and the affected individual does not make any 
  attempt to return to the former alignment. (In fact, he 
  views the prospect with horror and avoids it in any 
  way possible.) If a character of a class with an align-
  ment requirement is affected, an atonement spell is 
  needed as well if the curse is to be obliterated. When 
  a helm of opposite alignment has functioned once, it 
  loses its magical properties.
  Strong transmutation; Caster Level: 12th; Prereq-
  uisites: Create Wondrous Item, creator must be 12th 
  level; Market Price: 4,000 gp; Weight: 3 lb.
  Mace of Blood: This +3 heavy mace must be coated 
  in blood every day, or its bonus fades away (until the 
  mace is coated again). The character using this mace 
  must make a DC 13 Will save every day it is within 
  his possession or become chaotic evil.
  Moderate abjuration; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must be 
  at least 9th level and chaotic evil; Market Price: 16,000 
  gp
  Net of Snaring: This net provides a +3 bonus on 
  attack rolls but can only be used underwater, thus 
  making it a somewhat useful item rather than what 
  most would really call a cursed item. Underwater, 
  Chapter 9: Cursed Items
  
  162
  it can be commanded to shoot forth up to 30 feet to 
  trap a creature.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 8th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of move-
  ment; Market Price: 10,000 gp
  Pincushion: This magical aketon has iron ﬁlings 
  sewn into the padding. When donned the armor ac-
  tivates and attracts all metallic objects within a 5-foot 
  range. There is a 10% chance the wearer is injured 
  by the force of impact from ﬂying metal objects, suf-
  fering 1d4 points of damage for every item weigh-
  ing over 2 pounds. If any metallic item in the 5 foot 
  radius weighs more than the wearer and all her cur-
  rent gear then the wearer is magnetically drawn to 
  the item in question. Pointed items (such as caltrops 
  and armor spikes) inﬂict full standard damage to the 
  wearer.
  Moderate Transmutation; CL 10th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, telekinesis; Market 
  Price: 4,500 gp
  Plate of Dancing: This +1 full plate armor func-
  tions normally until the wearer fails a Will save DC 
  16. The Will save must be made when the wearer 
  ﬁnishes combat. If the save is failed, the wearer con-
  tinues to move around as if trying to follow the steps 
  to a stately dance. The dance then becomes quite vig-
  orous and lasts for 1d20+20 rounds. As the wearer 
  is doing strenuous activity in heavy armor, he be-
  comes fatigued for 1d4 hours. Every time the wearer 
  ﬁnishes combat they must spend the next 1d20+20 
  rounds dancing to a tune only they can hear.
  Strong Enchantment; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequi-
  sites: Craft Magic Arms & Armor, irresistible dance; 
  Market Price: 32,000 gp
  Spear, Cursed Backbiter: This is a +2 shortspear, 
  but each time it is used in melee against a foe and 
  the attack roll is a natural 1, it damages its wielder 
  instead of her intended target. When the curse takes 
  effect, the spear curls around to strike its wielder in 
  the back, automatically dealing the damage to the 
  wielder. The curse even functions when the spear is 
  hurled, and in such a case the damage to the hurler 
  is doubled.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse; 
  Market Price: 7,500 gp
  Spiked Chain of Binding: This is a +1 spiked chain, 
  but each time it is used in melee against a foe and the 
  attack roll is a natural 1, the spiked chain wraps itself 
  about the wielder and binds them.  Make a grapple 
  check between the wielder and the Spiked Chain 
  (Grapple Bonus: +10).  If the spiked chain wins, it 
  grapples the wielder and deals its normal damage 
  (2d4+1).  In future rounds, the spiked chain attempts 
  to pin its victim and then continue to deal damage, 
  so long as the victim is pinned.
     Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 10th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse; 
  Market Price: 2,500 gp
  –2 Sword, Cursed: This longsword performs well 
  against targets in practice, but when used against an 
  opponent in combat, it causes its wielder to take a 
  –2 penalty on attack rolls. All damage dealt is also 
  reduced by 2 points, but never below a minimum of 
  1 point of damage on any successful hit. After one 
  week in a character’s possession, the sword forces 
  that character to employ it rather than another 
  weapon. The sword’s owner automatically draws it 
  and ﬁghts with it even when she meant to draw or 
  ready some other weapon. The sword can be gotten 
  rid of only by means of limited wish, wish, or miracle.
  Strong evocation; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: 
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse, and lim-
  ited wish or miracle; Market Price: 1,500 gp
  Sword, Berserking: This item appears to have 
  the characteristics of a +2 greatsword. However, 
  whenever the sword is used in battle, its wielder 
  goes berserk (gaining all the beneﬁts and drawbacks 
  of the barbarian’s rage ability). He attacks the near-
  est creature and continues to ﬁght until unconscious 
  or dead or until no living thing remains within 30 
  feet. Although many see this sword as a cursed ob-
  ject, others see it as a boon.
  Moderate evocation; Caster Level: 8th; Prereq-
  uisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, rage, bestow 
  curse; Market Price: 17,500 gp
  Chapter 9: Cursed Items
  
  163
  CHAPTER 10: MARTIAL CONSTRUCTS
  When in amulet form, a guardian amulet servi-
  tor is a small disk, about six inches in diameter and 
  three inches thick, weighing four pounds. The disk is 
  made of tightly bound silver wire. When activated, 
  the amulet expands to form a skeletal humanoid of 
  silver metal with a baton in place of a 
  head and two long claw-like blades in-
  stead of arms. An expanded guardian 
  servitor is extremely lightweight, but 
  also surprisingly hard and rigid.
  Combat
  The servitor stands as close as 
  possible to its master and de-
  fends him. It uses its claws to 
  attack while its baton sweeps 
  back and forth to deﬂect at-
  tacks directed against its mas-
  ter. The servitor ﬁghts until 
  destroyed, until all threats to 
  its master have been elimi-
  nated, or until a second 
  command word is given, 
  returning it to its collapsed 
  form.
  Cure Minor Wounds 
  (Su): Once per day as a free 
  action, a guardian servitor 
  can cast cure minor wounds on 
  its master. Guardian servitors 
  use this power to stabilize their mas-
  ter if he is dying.
  Guard (Ex): Whenever the guardian servitor is 
  within ﬁve feet of its master, he receives a +2 deﬂec-
  tion bonus to AC.
  Construct: Immune to mind-inﬂuencing effects, 
  poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to 
  critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, en-
  ergy drain, or death from massive damage.
  O
  ne extremely useful enchantment 
  for an item is to give it the ability to 
  wield itself. The following section 
  details some of the more unusual 
  types of arms and armor: golems.
  Amulet Servitors
  A
  mulet servitors are con-
  structs designed to be 
  concealed when not in 
  use, collapsing to form a small am-
  ulet of tightly wound metal. When 
  activated by command word or pre-
  viously designated condition (such 
  as “when the wearer is attacked”), the 
  amulet servitor drops to the ground, 
  expands outward to its full form, and 
  carries out its mission to the best of its 
  ability. Activating an amulet servi-
  tor is a standard action, although the 
  servitor can act immediately upon 
  expanding. The servitors are only 
  created for two purposes: to defend 
  (guardian servitors) and to assassi-
  nate (killer servitors). Two kinds of 
  killer amulet servitors are known to 
  exist, greater killers and lesser killers. 
  Only one type of guardian amulet ser-
  vitor has ever been encountered.
  Guardian Amulet Servitor
  Medium-Size Construct
  Hit Dice: 6d10 (33 hp)
  Initiative: +1 (Dex)
  Speed: 30 ft.
  AC: 17 (+1 Dex, +6 natural)
  Attacks: 2 claw blades +5
  Damage: Claw blade 1d8+1
  Space/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Qualities: Construct, cure minor wounds, 
  damage reduction 10/magic, guard
  Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, 
  Cha 1
  Skills: --
  Feats: --
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary (Servitor)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: None
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 7–9 HD (Medium-size); 10–18 HD 
  (Large)
  Level Adjustment: --
  Amulet servitors
  Illustrated by Rick Hershey
  
  164
  Killer Amulet Servitor, Lesser
  Small Construct
  Hit Dice: 6d10 (33 hp)
  Initiative: +2 (Dex)
  Speed: 40 ft.
  AC: 17 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
  Attacks: 2 claws +5 melee, or gore +5 melee
  Damage: Claw 1d6, gore 1d8 plus poison
  Space/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Poison
  Special Qualities: Construct, damage reduction 
  10/magic
  Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, 
  Cha 1
  Skills: --
  Feats: --
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary (Servitor)
  Challenge Rating: 4
  Treasure: None
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 7–8 HD (Small); 9–12 HD (Medi-
  um-size)
  Level Adjustment: --
  In amulet form, a lesser killer amulet servitor is 
  a two-pound disk of intertwined brass and silvery-
  colored metals with sharp, jagged edges. When ac-
  tivated, a lesser killer amulet servitor expands to 
  form a skeletal metal body about the same size as 
  a large dog. Two vicious claws extend forward off 
  its front shoulders and a large poisonous spike takes 
  the place of a head. A lesser killer amulet servitor 
  may be thrown as a grenade-like weapon with a 
  range increment of 10 feet. On a successful hit, the 
  killer amulet servitor expands and attacks immedi-
  ately; otherwise, it expands wherever it scatters and 
  charges its target. Killer amulet servitors must have 
  a speciﬁc target designated when activated or else 
  they stand still awaiting their master’s command.
  Combat
  A killer amulet servitor attacks its designated target 
  to the exclusion of all others, ignoring other threats 
  in an effort to kill its prey. Once rendering its target 
  helpless, it spends a full-round action to deliver a 
  coup-de-grace on the target. After the target is dead, 
  the servitor simply defends it from attacks unless the 
  amulet’s owner designates a second target.
  Poison (Ex): A killer amulet servitor has a potent 
  poison in its horn designed to speed the death of its 
  targets. The poison (DC 16) inﬂicts initial and sec-
  ondary damage of 1d4 temporary Constitution abil-
  ity damage.
  Construct: Immune to mind-inﬂuencing effects, 
  poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to 
  critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, en-
  ergy drain, or death from massive damage.
  Killer Amulet Servitor, Greater
  Large Construct
  Hit Dice: 16d10 (88 hp)
  Initiative: –1 (Dex)
  Speed: 40 ft.
  AC: 26 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +18 natural)
  Attacks: 4 claws +17, gore +12
  Damage: Claw 1d10+6; gore 1d12+3 plus poison
  Space/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./10 ft.
  Special Attacks: Poison, improved grab, constric-
  tion, activation attack
  Special Qualities: Construct, damage reduction 
  50/magic, haste, spell resistance 30, soul bind
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5
  Abilities: Str 22, Dex 8, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, 
  Cha 1
  Skills: --
  Feats: --
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary (Servitor)
  Challenge Rating: 14
  Treasure: None
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 17–24 HD (Large); 25–32 HD 
  (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: --
  Unlike the other amulet servitors, a greater killer 
  amulet servitor’s collapsed form is not an amulet. 
  Rather, a greater killer amulet servitor collapses to 
  a two-foot long cylinder of tightly wrapped metal 
  wires weighing about 10 pounds. When deployed, 
  a greater killer amulet servitor takes the shape of a 
  large horse, with four sharp blades protruding for-
  ward from the shoulders and back of the servitor, 
  and a sharp spike in place of the head. Embedded 
  in the center of the killer amulet servitor’s spine is 
  a massive black sapphire. Although a greater killer 
  amulet servitor can simply be carried, some groups 
  that employ these mechanical assassins pair them 
  with a humanoid handler who sacriﬁces a limb to 
  conceal the servitor. If used to replace an arm or a 
  leg, the servitor can function as a prosthetic limb 
  with Strength 16. When the handler identiﬁes the 
  target, the servitor immediately launches forward at 
  high speed and attacks. 
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  165
  Combat
  A greater killer amulet servitor, like its lesser cousin, 
  concentrates all of its attacks on its designated target 
  until either the servitor is destroyed or the target is 
  slain. After the target’s death, the killer amulet ser-
  vitor uses its ability to soul bind the victim and then 
  breaks off combat to bring the target’s soul to its 
  master.
  Activation Attack (Ex): A greater killer amulet 
  servitor typically activates by hurling itself forward 
  at its target. It immediately makes all of its attacks, 
  beginning with its gore attack. The initial gore attack 
  is made at the better of the servitor’s gore attack bo-
  nus or the handler’s ranged attack bonus +4, with a 
  range increment of 30 feet.
  Improved grab (Ex): If the servitor hits with one 
  of its claws it may attempt a grapple without pro-
  voking an attack of opportunity. The grapple modi-
  ﬁer for the servitor is +22. If it successfully gains a 
  hold on its opponent, it draws him into its ribcage 
  and begins using its constrict ability the following 
  round.
  Constrict (Ex): A successfully grappled foe takes 
  2d10+12 hit points of constriction damage.
  Poison (Ex): The poison in a greater killer amulet 
  servitor’s horn is extremely deadly (DC of 21) and 
  inﬂicts initial and secondary damage of 1d8 points 
  of temporary Constitution ability damage.
  Haste (Sp): Once per combat as a free action, a 
  greater killer amulet servitor may cast haste upon it-
  self as if cast by a sorcerer of level equal to the con-
  struct’s Hit Dice.
  Soul Bind (Sp): As a standard action, a greater 
  killer amulet servitor may cast soul bind upon a slain 
  victim. A Will save (DC 21) negates the effect.
  Construct: Immune to mind-inﬂuencing effects, 
  poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to 
  critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, en-
  ergy drain, or death from massive damage.
  Construction
  All amulet servitors require a minimum spellcaster 
  level and the Craft Wondrous Item and Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor feats. An amulet servitor is con-
  structed in its deployed form. The maker must make 
  a Craft (blacksmith) check (DC 25) and have sufﬁ-
  cient resources to work adamantine and mithral. The 
  adamantine and mithral must be alloyed together, 
  requiring the smelter to make an Alchemy check 
  (DC 23). The enchanter can do these tasks himself or 
  hire someone else to prepare the servitor.
  The hardest part of creating an amulet servitor 
  is the magical ritual which enchants the frame and 
  transforms it into an amulet for the ﬁrst time. The 
  ritual must be performed in a laboratory that has 
  been specially prepared for the task (500 gp). The 
  ritual takes 30 days to complete, and each day of the 
  ritual requires at least eight hours of concentration. 
  When not working on the ritual, the creator can take 
  no other actions except eating, sleeping, or talking. If 
  the creator misses a day or disturbed, the ritual fails 
  and must be begun again. Time spent prior to 
  the interruption is lost, but XP are not. 
  On the ﬁnal day, the ritual drains 
  the XP and requires the casting of 
  all listed spells. 
  Greater amulet servitor
  Illustrated by Rick Hershey
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  166
  Creating a Guardian  
  Amulet Servitor
  This construct costs 25,000 gp to create. Caster Level: 
  10th. Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  Craft Wondrous Item, cure minor wounds, enlarge, fab-
  ricate, lesser geas, permanency, poison, and reduce. The 
  ritual drains the creator of 750 XP.
  A lesser killer amulet servitor costs 50,000 gp to 
  create. Caster Level: 13th. Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, enlarge, 
  fabricate, lesser geas, limited wish, ﬁnger of death, per-
  manency, and reduce. The ritual drains the creator of 
  1,000 XP.
  A greater killer amulet servitor costs 100,000 gp 
  to create. Twenty-thousand gp of the cost must be 
  in the form of a single black sapphire. A lesser stone 
  could be employed in the construction of the killer 
  amulet servitor, but the creator risks the destruction 
  of his construct if it attempts to bind too powerful 
  a soul. Caster Level: 17th. Prerequisites: Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, enlarge, 
  fabricate, geas/quest, haste, jump, limited wish, ﬁnger of 
  death, permanency, reduce, and soul bind. The ritual 
  drains the creator of 1,750 XP.
  Campaign Notes
  There are several ways to introduce amulet servitors 
  to a campaign: as magical treasures for the party to 
  ﬁnd and use; as powerful devices used against the 
  party by their enemies; or as a discovered recipe per-
  mitting the players to create their own portable ser-
  vants. Each of these methods has it merits, but it is 
  typically best to initially use the servitors against the 
  party in combat. Intelligent foes equipped with these 
  devices become signiﬁcantly more dangerous, espe-
  cially if the greater killer servitor is used. It should 
  be the party’s reward upon ﬁnally defeating their 
  enemy to take possession of his servitor, which can 
  then be employed to great use in the party’s behalf.
  Once the party has become familiar with amulet 
  servitors, they may develop an interest in creating 
  their own. A signiﬁcant degree of research should 
  be undertaken in order to ﬁnd the proper recipe. 
  The PCs may have to ﬁnd the spellcaster that cre-
  ated the original servitors and defeat him to gain the 
  knowledge of the ritual. Of course, ancient, power-
  ful, spellcasters often turn out to be liches.
  Golem Armor
  T
  he fabulous golem armor is one of the 
  most powerful and coveted of all magical 
  creations. The armor itself is a construct of 
  pure mithral, and can serve as an ordinary golem if 
  unoccupied. The inside of the golem is hollow, and 
  a Medium-size humanoid can ﬁt comfortably inside. 
  In this fashion, the golem can be worn as protective 
  and animated armor, providing almost unlimited 
  power and mobility to its owner.
  Golem Armor
  Medium-Size Construct
  Hit Dice: 12d10 (66 hp)
  Initiative: +5 (Dex)
  Speed: 30 ft., ﬂy 90 ft. (good), swim 60 ft.
  AC: 31 (+5 Dex, +16 natural)
  Attacks: 2 claws +15 melee and 2 wing blades +10 
  melee, or 2 spikes +14 ranged
  Damage: Claws 1d8+6, wings 1d12+3, spike 
  1d8+3
  Space/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Spike (100 range increment)
  Special Qualities: Closed environment, construct, 
  damage reduction 30/magic, heightened sens-
  es, magic immunity, soul gem, synchronize
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +4
  Abilities: Str 23, Dex 20, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, 
  Cha 1
  Skills: --
  Feats: --
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 12
  Treasure: None
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 13–20 HD (Medium-size); 21–30 
  HD (Large); 31–32 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: --
  Golem armor looks like a living suit of mithral 
  armor, equipped with bladed claws and wings. The 
  golem’s wings are deadly weapons that allow it to 
  both swim and ﬂy easily. The golem moves with an 
  unusually quick grace, having been enchanted to be 
  nearly weightless. Worked into each wrist is a pow-
  erful spike launcher. The face of the golem is carved 
  like a mask with glowing eyes lit by a supernatural 
  light. Each golem has a unique countenance. Origi-
  nally, the golem was created as a substitute body for 
  a fallen warrior, its face styled to resemble its ﬁrst 
  occupant. 
  The ﬁrst known examples of golem armor are 
  creations of the deep fey. These golems rarely had 
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  167
  wings, and many were controlled by soul gems and 
  not by living creatures. Over the ages, the secrets 
  of the golems’ construction leaked out. Now golem 
  armor is quite famous, although their creators have 
  faded from the memory of the world.
  A suit of golem armor responds to the will of its 
  creator, and does not allow anyone inside of it with-
  out the owner’s permission. When willingly given 
  away or sold, the golem responds to its new master. 
  If its owner is ever killed, it considers its current oc-
  cupant its new owner. If unoccupied when its owner 
  dies, it remains lifeless until claimed.
  Combat (Unoccupied)
  Without an occupant to command it, golem armor 
  can be controlled by its creator to act upon fairly 
  limited commands (like a typical iron golem). In this 
  case, golem armor can move, attack, and cast spells 
  based on the better abilities of either the trapped 
  creature or the golem armor. At the end of each com-
  bat, the creator must make a Will Save (DC 15 plus 
  the HD of the trapped creature) to regain control 
  over the golem armor. If failed, the golem armor at-
  tacks its creator.
  If the creator is killed, the soul binding is broken 
  and the creature 
  returns to its na-
  tive plane. If the 
  creator escapes, 
  the golem ar-
  mor 
  becomes 
  an independent 
  spirit until its 
  creator can get 
  within 30 feet 
  of it to regain 
  control (the Will 
  save increases by 
  1 for each day that 
  the golem remains 
  independent).  
  In addition to whatever 
  abilities the base creature pos-
  sesses, golem armor has the fol-
  lowing abilities:
  Heightened Senses (Ex): Golem 
  armor’s magical senses link directly 
  into the mind of its occupant. This pro-
  vides the wearer with a +5 competence 
  bonus to Listen and Spot checks, as well 
  as darkvision to a range of 60 feet.
  Magic Immunity (Ex): Golem armor is 
  immune to all spells, spell-like abilities, and 
  supernatural effects, except for the following: Elec-
  trical effects heal the golem of 1 hit point for every 
  3 points of damage the spell inﬂicts. A break enchant-
  ment spell cast on golem armor forces the creator to 
  immediately make a saving throw to regain control 
  as detailed above. A transmute metal to wood spell 
  forces the golem armor to make a Fortitude save (DC 
  25) or be stunned for 1-2 rounds.
  Spikes (Ex): The golem can launch a deadly 
  spike from magazines on its wrists. The spikes inﬂict 
  1d8+3 points of damage on a successful ranged at-
  tack. The spikes have a range increment of 100. Each 
  launcher holds 10 mithral spikes and reloads auto-
  matically, ﬁring at a rate of 1 spike per round. Reﬁll-
  ing the spike cartridges takes a full-round action for 
  each launcher.
  Construct: Immune to mind-inﬂuencing effects, 
  poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to 
  critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, en-
  ergy drain, or death from massive damage.
  Combat (Occupied)
  A creature encased within golem armor gains the 
  better of either its or the golem’s abilities, subject to 
  the limitations below:
  Closed Environment (Ex): The occupant of the 
  golem is completely encased, and has no exposure 
  to outside conditions. This provides the wearer with 
  all of the beneﬁts of a necklace of adaptation for as long 
  as she remains in the armor. Breaching this environ-
  ment requires reducing the golem to zero hit points. 
  A creature within the golem armor’s closed environ-
  ment cannot be attacked through physical means 
  for as long as she remains 
  in the closed environ-
  ment. 
  Heightened Sens-
  es (Ex): Golem ar-
  mor’s magical senses 
  link directly into the 
  mind of its occu-
  pant. This provides 
  the wearer with a +5 
  competence 
  bonus 
  to Listen and Spot 
  checks, as well as 
  darkvision to a range 
  of 60 feet.
  Magic 
  Immunity 
  (Ex): 
  Golem armor is immune to all 
  spells, spell-like abilities, and su-
  pernatural effects, except for the 
  following: Electrical effects heal 
  the golem of 1 hit point for every 
  3 points of damage the spell in-
  ﬂicts. A break enchantment spell 
  cast on occupied golem ar-
  mor forces the wearer out of 
  the armor unless a Fortitude 
  save (DC 25) is made. A trans-
  mute metal to wood spell forces 
  the golem armor to make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or 
  be stunned for 1-2 rounds.
  Spikes (Ex): The golem can launch a deadly 
  spike from magazines on its wrists. The spikes inﬂict 
  1d8+3 points of damage on a successful ranged at-
  tack. The spikes have a range increment of 100. Each 
  launcher holds 10 mithral spikes and reloads auto-
  matically, ﬁring at a rate of 1 spike per round. Reﬁll-
  Golem armor
  Illustrated by Rick Hershey
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  168
  ing the spike cartridges takes a full-round action for 
  each launcher.
  Synchronize (Ex): The golem is an extension of 
  the body. The combined creature is considered to 
  have the better of the wearer’s or golem’s Strength 
  and Dexterity scores, base attack bonus, number of 
  attacks, and movement rates. All feats and skills, as 
  well as spellcasting abilities of the wearer, are usable 
  normally (though spellcasters not proﬁcient in the 
  use of heavy armors suffer a 20% spell failure). 
  Construction
  The physical form of a suit of golem armor is built 
  from pure mithral, and requires a successful Craft 
  (armorsmithing) check (DC 25). If wings are at-
  tached, the DC for the check is 30. Two diamonds 
  (worth 10,000 gp each) are placed in its eye sockets. 
  Its face is sculpted to the creator’s liking. The total 
  cost of creating a suit of golem armor is 150,000 gp.
  The creator must summon a spirit to power the 
  golem from the Elemental Plane of Air. It is possible 
  to work out prior arrangements with these spirits, 
  although most casters elect to force them, unwilling, 
  into the golem.
  Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, ﬂy (if a winged 
  golem), geas/quest, limited wish, magic mouth, poly-
  morph any object, and water breathing. Completing the 
  ritual to create the golem armor drains the creator of 
  2,500 XP.
  Campaign Notes
  This construct needs little embellishment. Give one 
  to a villain and he becomes an even greater threat. A 
  villain may even use the magic jar spell to pilot the 
  golem against the party, returning safely to his body 
  if defeated.
  Heroes should not be able to get their hands on a 
  suit of golem armor easily, although they should be 
  allowed to create one if they are high enough level 
  and learn the proper ritual. Although the existence 
  of these golems is well known, the knowledge of 
  how to build them is very hard to come by. The party 
  may need to venture deep underground to ﬁnd and 
  befriend the deep fey, or they may have to travel to 
  another continent to seek out an experienced golem 
  maker.
  This golem also is a good way to protect weaker 
  characters from hazards and dangers. A party may 
  obtain one of these to give to a young prince or some-
  one else they need to defend against all dangers.
  Golem, Amber
  Large Construct
  Hit Dice: 20d10+30 (140 hp)
  Initiative: -1 (Dex)
  Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
  AC: 26 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +18 natural), touch 8, ﬂat-
  footed 26
  Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+32
  Attack: Slam +27 melee (2d10+13)
  Full Attack: 2 slams +27 melee (2d10+13)
  Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
  Special Attacks: Breath weapon, ﬁery aura, splat-
  ter
  Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage re-
  duction 15/magic, darkvision 60 ft., death 
  throes, immunity to magic, low-light vision
  Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 37, Dex 8, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, 
  Cha 1
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4)
  Challenge Rating: 14
  Treasure: None
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 21-26 HD (Large); 27-60 HD 
  (Huge)
  The spectacular amber golem is a terrifying sight 
  to behold. These massive, 17-foot tall golems are 
  composed of a heavy amber shell ﬁlled with living 
  ﬁre. Their skin is a yellowish color that is sometimes 
  tinged with red. Their arms and legs are roughly 
  hewn, although their eyes are made of rubies and 
  their heads are crowned with precious gems. Like 
  other golems, they are mindless automatons created 
  by powerful spellcasters and perform their duties 
  without thought about the consequences of any ac-
  tions.
  Combat 
  Amber golems are fearsome foes in combat. They at-
  tack relentlessly with their ﬁsts, as well as with their 
  ﬁery aura and breath. Even the golem’s defenses can 
  be quite deadly; attackers should be careful to avoid 
  the splashes of liquid ﬁre that spill from its wounds.
  An amber golem’s natural weapons are treated 
  as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming 
  damage reduction.
  Breath Weapon (Su): 20-foot cone, every other 
  round, damage 8d6 ﬁre, Reﬂex DC 20 half. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based.
  Fiery Aura (Ex): Each round, anyone within 5 feet 
  of an amber golem must succeed on a DC 20 Forti-
  tude save or take 1d4 points of ﬁre damage from the 
  intense heat. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  169
  Splatter (Ex): A creature who damages an amber 
  golem with a piercing or slashing melee weapon re-
  leases gouts of ﬁ re from the wound, and must suc-
  ceed on a DC 20 Reﬂ ex save or suffer 3d6 points of 
  ﬁ re damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Piercing ranged weapons release gouts of ﬁ re as 
  well, but the ﬁ re only affects a creature adjacent to 
  the golem who was in a position to provide cover 
  against the ranged attack (that is, who is between the 
  attacker and the golem).
  Death Throes (Su): When an amber golem is 
  slain, each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed 
  on a DC 20 Reﬂ ex save or become encased in liquid 
  amber, which then instantly hardens. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. Trapped creatures can only take 
  mental actions and are subject to suffocation, but can 
  be freed by destroying the amber shell. The shell has 
  an AC of 2, a hardness of 2, and 20 hit points.
  Immunity to Magic (Ex): An amber golem is im-
  mune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows 
  spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and ef-
  fects function differently against the creature. A 
  magical attack that deals cold damage slows an am-
  ber golem (as the slow spell) for 1d3 rounds, with no 
  saving throw. A magical attack that deals ﬁ re dam-
  age breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 
  1 point of damage for each point of damage the at-
  tack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing 
  would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit 
  points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points.
  Construction
  The body of an amber golem is chiseled from 
  solid amber (worth 5,000 gp). Its face is care-
  fully constructed to allow two rubies (worth 
  5,000 gp each) to be set in the eye sockets. 
  The head is roughly chiseled and precious 
  stones are set in the crown (30,000 gp). Fi-
  nally, special alchemist’s ﬁ re costing 500 gp 
  is produced and poured into the golem’s 
  cavity. The spellcaster or another worker 
  must construct the body, carve the gems, 
  and create the alchemist’s ﬁ re; doing so 
  requires a successful DC 20 Craft (sculpt-
  ing) check, a DC 25 Craft (gemcutting) 
  check, and a DC 25 Craft (alchemy) check, 
  respectively. After the body is fashioned, 
  the golem must be animated through an 
  extended magical ritual involving the sum-
  moning of a spirit from the Elemental Plane 
  of Fire. While it’s possible to work out an ar-
  rangement with such a spirit, most casters 
  elect to force the unwilling spirit into the 
  golem and bind it to their will. 
  The cost to create listed below includes 
  the cost of the physical body and all the 
  materials and spell components that are 
  consumed or become a permanent part of 
  the amber golem.
  An amber golem with more than 20 Hit 
  Dice can be created, but each additional Hit 
  Die adds 5,000 gp to the market price, and the price 
  increases by 50,000 gp if the creature’s size increases 
  to Huge, modifying the cost to create accordingly.
  CL 17th; Craft Construct, enlarge, geas/quest, 
  greater planar binding, limited wish, meteor swarm, poly-
  morph any object, caster must be at least 17th level; 
  Price 175,000 gp; Cost 110,250 gp + 5,480 XP.
  Campaign 
  Amber golems are powerful bodyguards, especially 
  favored by ﬁ re giants and other creatures of the ﬁ re 
  subtype. In the halls of ﬁ re giants, such golems might 
  very well be mistaken for statues set to adorn their 
  home. They’re also well suited for volcanoes, hot 
  springs, and other ﬁ ery locales. If used as a guard-
  ian, an amber golem should protect something very 
  important. The 175,000 gold piece cost of the golem 
  assures that whatever is being guarded is a valuable 
  treasure indeed. As ﬁ re heals the golem, any spell-
  caster with the ability to create the construct could 
  also place some magical effects to heal the creature. 
  Placing the golem on a pressure plate that activates 
  a wand of ﬁ reballs or similar device at set intervals 
  when the golem steps off it assures that the con-
  struct has the beneﬁ t of healing. Creatures facing the 
  golem would likewise have to deal with the added 
  ﬁ re damage.
  Amber golem
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  170
  Golem, Force Guardian
  Medium Construct
  Hit Dice: 12d10+20 (86 hp)
  Initiative: +2 (Dex)
  Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), ﬂ y 40 ft. (good)
  AC: 27 (+2 Dex, +15 natural), touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 
  25
  Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+14
  Attack: Slam +14 melee (2d8+5/18-20) and force 
  beam +11 ranged touch (4d10+10 plus knock-
  down)
  Full Attack: 2 slams +14 melee (2d8+5/18-20) and 
  force beam +11 ranged touch (4d10+10 plus 
  knockdown)
  Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Force beam, force critical
  Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduc-
  tion 15/magic, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to 
  magic, low-light vision
  Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +7
  Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 
  1
  Skills: Listen +8, Spot +9
  Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Sunder, Iron 
  Will, Lightning Reﬂ exes, Power Attack
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4)
  Challenge Rating: 10
  Treasure: None
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 13-18 HD (Medium); 19-25 HD 
  (Large); 26-36 HD (Huge)
  A force guardian is a golem-like servant created 
  by a powerful spellcaster. Their appearance varies 
  depending on the race and tastes of the caster, but 
  most force guardians appear as bipedal humanoids 
  with opaque silver skin and lambent azure eyes. A 
  typical force guardian stands 6 feet tall and weighs 
  100 pounds (although its size makes it appear to 
  weigh much more). As these constructs are the obe-
  dient servants of high-level spellcasters, it’s not un-
  common for them to be equipped with additional 
  magic items, armor, and weapons (anything that 
  doesn’t require activation).
  Combat
  A force guardian requires speciﬁ c instructions from 
  its creator regarding its duties, but once orders are 
  given it is relentless in its desire to fulﬁ ll them. It’s 
  intelligent enough to make small leaps of faith re-
  garding its duties, and some force guardians have 
  tracked down the slayers of their creators in an effort 
  to fulﬁ ll their role as protectors. A force guardian’s 
  creator can issue telepathic orders to a force guard-
  ian within 60 feet of her as a free action. These tem-
  porary instructions are carried out as the situation 
  warrants before the force guardian reverts back to 
  its original orders. Thus, a force guardian ordered to 
  guard a chest from tampering could go on the attack 
  before returning to its previously deﬁ ned duties. A 
  force guardian is fearsome in combat, striking with 
  two powerful ﬁ sts, as well as its devastating force 
  attacks.
  A force guardian’s natural weapons are treated 
  as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming 
  damage reduction.
  Force Beam (Su): Every other round, a force 
  golem can ﬁ re a force beam as a free action with a 
  range of 60 feet. If it hits its target, the beam deals 
  4d10+10 points of damage and knocks the target 
  prone unless the target succeeds on a DC 21 Forti-
  tude save. The save DC is Strength-based. A brooch of 
  shielding can absorb the force beam as it would magic 
  missiles, and a shield spell negates the force beam but 
  is destroyed in turn. A force beam is a force effect.
  Force Critical (Ex): If a force guardian conﬁ rms a 
  critical hit with its slam attack, it strikes its opponent 
  with such power that the creature is sent hurtling 
  back through the air. The creature travels 1 foot per 
  point of damage inﬂ icted by the force guardian and 
  lands prone. In addition, the creature suffers an extra 
  1d6 points of damage per 10 feet traveled, and must 
  succeed on a DC 21 Fortitude save or be stunned for 
  1 round. The save DC is Strength-based. 
  Immunity to Magic (Ex): A force guardian is im-
  mune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows 
  spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects 
  function differently against the creature. A magical 
  attack with the force descriptor heals 2 points of 
  damage for each 1 point of damage the attack would 
  otherwise deal. If the amount 
  of healing would cause the 
  guardian to exceed its 
  full normal hit points, 
  it gains any excess as 
  temporary hit points. A 
  disintegrate spell para-
  lyzes a force guardian 
  for 1 round and deals 
  5d6 points of damage 
  (no save), mage’s dis-
  junction instantly de-
  stroys the guardian, 
  and a rod of negation 
  slows a guardian 
  (as the slow spell) 
  for 1d6 rounds.
  Force golem
  Illustrated by Todd Morasch
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  171
  Construction
  The construction of the vessel that becomes the force 
  guardian is a complex process that requires its body 
  be blown from glass worth 1,000 gp, its eyes cut from 
  gems worth 2,000 gp total, and the airy ﬂ uid that ﬁ lls 
  its body produced through alchemy for 2,000 gp. 
  The spellcaster or another worker must create these 
  items with a successful DC 20 Craft (glassblow-
  ing) check, a DC 25 Craft (gemcutting) check, and 
  a DC 30 Craft (alchemy) check, respectively. After 
  the body is fashioned, the golem must be animated 
  through an extended magical ritual involving the 
  summoning of a spirit from the Elemental Plane of 
  Air. The precise terms of the caster’s agreement with 
  the spirit are carefully worked out in advance and 
  typically require the sacriﬁ ce of magic items before 
  any pact is consummated.
  The cost to create listed below includes the cost 
  of the physical body and all the materials and spell 
  components that are consumed or become a perma-
  nent part of the force guardian.
  A force guardian with more than 12 Hit Dice can 
  be created, but each additional Hit Die adds 5,000 gp 
  to the market price. The price increases by 20,000 gp 
  if the creature’s size increases to Large, or 50,000 gp 
  if the creature’s size increases to Huge, modifying 
  the cost to create accordingly.
  In addition to the base process, some spellcasters 
  incorporate magic items into force guardians. Doing 
  this adds the magic items’ price to the construction, 
  and the force guardian (which cannot remove the 
  items) permanently gains the items’ beneﬁ ts. Magic 
  items built into the guardian share all the immuni-
  ties and resistances of the force guardian, and are 
  considered a part of the creature’s abilities.
  CL 14th; Craft Construct, greater planar binding, 
  limited wish, magic missile, telekinesis, wall of force, cast-
  er must be at least 14th level; Price 60,000 gp; Cost 
  32,500 gp + 2,500 XP.
  Campaign
  The ﬁ rst time a force guardian is seen doesn’t neces-
  sarily have to be in a combat situation. Due to their 
  benign creation process, powerful churches might 
  employ them as guards for sacred halls. An orphan-
  age (with a powerful benefactor) might have one 
  around as a protector of children. Kings and other 
  nobles might have force guardians as sentinels of 
  treasure rooms. The PCs could also use a force guard-
  ian as a traveling companion (assuming a spellcaster 
  is willing and capable of paying the costs associated 
  with its creation). Since the force guardian never 
  sleeps (and can run tirelessly alongside a mount), 
  it makes the perfect bodyguard for a sleeping spell-
  caster alone in the wilderness. If the force guardian 
  is of the humanoid variety, it might be mistaken as 
  a silent compatriot until revealing its true nature. A 
  dragon might have one or more of these constructs 
  guarding its lair, and the party might easily mistake 
  a dragonlike force guardian for some kind of dragon 
  magic or even as offspring of the dragon. The cre-
  ation of this kind of golem isn’t something that most 
  can accomplish. Only exceptionally powerful indi-
  viduals are going to be able to afford the costs and 
  spellcasting requirements associated with the cre-
  ation of force guardians.
  Silver Steeds Of Inarial
  T
  he fabulous silver steeds of Inarial are 
  beautifully crafted, eight-legged, silver 
  warhorses. These steeds are highly coveted 
  devices that can add to a warrior’s prowess in battle, 
  or ﬁ ght on their own as guardians.
  Silver Steed of Inarial
  Large Construct
  Hit Dice: 10d10 (55hp) 
  Initiative: +1 (Dex) 
  Speed: 60 ft., ﬂ y 70 ft. (good)
  AC: 30 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +20 natural)
  Attacks: 4 hooves +16 melee and bite +11 melee
  Damage: Hoof 1d8+10, bite 1d6+5
  Space/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
  Special 
  Qualities: 
  Construct, 
  ﬂ ight, 
  magic 
  immunity, damage reduction 50/+3, self 
  repair
  Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +3
  Abilities: Str 30, Dex 13, Con –, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 
  2
  Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7
  Climate/Terrain: Any land
  Organization: Solitary or herd (2–5)
  Challenge Rating: 9
  Treasure: None
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 11–16 HD (Large), 17–30 HD 
  (Huge)
  Standing a full 25 hands high (eight feet), these 
  magical eight legged steeds resemble magniﬁ -
  cent warhorses cast from silver. The level of detail 
  worked into the horses is astounding, every minute 
  fold of skin and every stitch of a normal warhorse’s 
  equipment is reproduced.
  The seven original silver steeds were crafted for 
  the king of a now forgotten realm and his 6 clos-
  est bodyguards. Destroyed long ago, these original 
  steeds spawned many copies and imitations. Over 
  the years these copies evolved into the steeds’ pres-
  ent form.
  A silver steed is normally bound upon creation 
  to act as a heavy warhorse. It reacts to its rider’s 
  commands, can be guided by the rider’s knees, and 
  guards a fallen rider just as a ﬂ esh and blood war 
  horse would. A rider must speak a command word 
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  172
  upon mounting the steed in order to activate it and 
  have it obey him.
  Combat
  A silver steed functions in combat just like any well 
  trained heavy warhorse. The horse can attack while 
  it has a rider, although it only gets two hoof attacks, 
  and the rider must succeed at a Ride check (DC 10) 
  in order to also attack.
  A separate command word can be issued to have 
  a steed attack on its own without a rider. When at-
  tacking without a rider, a silver steed rears up on its 
  hind legs, and uses all four of its hoof attacks in a 
  single round.
  A third command word deactivates the steed. 
  Once deactivated, the steed remains inanimate until 
  reawakened with the original command.
  Construct: Immune to mind-inﬂuencing effects, 
  poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to 
  critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, en-
  ergy drain, or death from massive damage.
  Flight (Sp):. Every silver steed is capable of mag-
  ical ﬂight. The creature simply lifts off the ground 
  at the rider’s command, with all 8 legs continuing 
  to move as though the creature were running along 
  solid ground. 
  Magic Immunity (Ex): A silver steed is im-
  mune to all spells, spell-like abilities, and super-
  natural effects, except as indicated. Cold effects 
  slow the steed, as the slow spell, for 3 rounds 
  unless the steed succeeds at a Fortitude save 
  (DC equal to the amount of cold damage done 
  to it). Magical ﬁre effects break any slow ef-
  fects on the steed.
  Self Repair (Sp): The steed can heal itself 
  by burning gems at the rate of 100 gp worth 
  of gems per hit point regained. These gems 
  are dropped into a special slot located at the 
  base of the construct’s neck. A silver steed 
  holds up to 10,000 gp worth of gems in its 
  furnace at any given time, burning the gems 
  as they are needed. A rider can drop gems into 
  the slot to reﬁll the furnace without dismount-
  ing. Reloading the furnace with up to four gems 
  at once is a standard action.
  The steed’s self-repair ability is quite powerful, 
  able to even reattach severed limbs. However, if a 
  silver steed is brought to 0 or fewer hit points, it can-
  not self repair. Such a steed is destroyed, freeing the 
  elemental spirit bound inside it. When encountered, 
  a Silver steed typically has 1d10x1,000 gp worth of 
  gems preloaded in its furnace.
  Carrying Capacity
  A light load for a silver steed is anything up to 1,000 
  pounds; a medium load 1,001 to 2,000 pounds; and 
  a heavy load 2,001 to 3,000 pounds. A silver steed can 
  drag 10,000 pounds.
  Construction
  The body of a silver steed is built from pure silver, 
  and requires a successful Craft (armor or weapon 
  smithing) check to assemble its body (DC 20). A sil-
  ver steed costs 120,000 gp to create, which includes 
  25,000 for the body. Gems used for healing the steed 
  must be purchased separately. The spirit that pow-
  ers the golem is typically summoned from the El-
  emental Plane of Air.
  Caster Level: 16th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, ﬂy, geas/quest, lim-
  ited wish, polymorph any object. Completing the ritual 
  to create the golem armor drains the creator of 2,400 
  XP.
  Campaign Notes
  Once a silver steed is introduced into the campaign, 
  it is likely that several party members will want one. 
  Instead of simply giving an army of metal horses as 
  treasure, it may be best to encourage the party to 
  make their own steeds. Doing so, of course, requires 
  the proper rituals, which are never easily obtained. 
  This can easily be the hook for further adventures.
  Silver steed of Inarial
  Illustrated by Rick Hershey
  Chapter 10: Martial Constructs
  
  173
  Index
  F
  Faith Scions  147
  Feyblade  136
  Fiery Destruction  155
  Flail of Rontra  81
  G
  Golem, Amber  168
  Golem, Force Guardian  170
  Golem Armor  166
  Guardian Amulet Servitor  163
  H
  Hammer of Dwarven Souls  148
  Hellspawn, the Burning Staff  150
  I
  Icebreaker  136
  Improvised Weapons  10
  Inappropriately Sized Weapons  10
  Inarial, Silver Steeds Of  171
  Intelligent Weapons  154
  Items, Cursed  159
  K
  Killer Amulet Servitor  164
  L
  Law Upholder  155
  Legendary Weapons  141
  Light Weapon  5
  M
  Magical Ability Chains  153
  Magic Killer  156
  Mail of the Knük  134
  Martial Constructs  163
  Masks  129
  Masterwork Armor  95
  Masterwork Weapons  34
  Materials, New  135
  Melee and Ranged Weapons  5
  N
  Nature’s Protector  156
  New Materials  135
  O
  One-Handed Weapon  10
  Ósanwëtaurë  136
  Outsider Weapons  156
  Outsider Weapon Abilities  157
  Outsider Weapon Creation  156
  A
  Abilities, Outsider Weapon  157
  Adamantine, Black  135
  Alutromun  135
  Ammunition  5
  Amulet Servitors  163
  Arcane Spell Failure  86
  Armor  86
  Armor, Golem  166
  Armor/Shield Ability Chains  154
  Armor/Shield Bonus  86
  Armor as Damage Reduction  97
  Armor Check Penalty  86
  Armor Costs by Size  95
  Armor Descriptions  86
  Armor of Epic Totems  132
  Armor Qualities  86
  Artifacts  81, 132
  Artifacts, Primal  140
  Artifacts & Legends  140
  Artifacts and Relics  140
  B
  Bandoleer of Swords  133
  Battle Scions  144
  Battle Seeker  154
  Bergasalt  135
  Beryllium  135
  Black Adamantine  135
  Bonebreaker  135
  Brown Tortoise  135
  C
  Categories, Weapon  5
  Chromium  135
  Class-Oriented Weapons  61
  Constructs, Martial  163
  Critical Hits  99
  Cursed Items  159
  D
  Dagger of Memory Snatching  81
  Damage Reduction  97
  Darkesite  135
  Defender  155
  Diamond  136
  Divine Items  140
  Divine Ranks  140
  Double Weapons  5
  Double Weapons, Separating  34
  Dragondeath  146
  Dreamcatcher  153
  Dream Silver  136
  Durability  139
  E
  Ethertite  136
  Extraplanar Hunter  155
  Extras, Armor  96
  
  174
  P
  Primal Artifacts  140
  Projectile Weapons  5
  Q
  Qualities, Armor  86
  Qualities, Weapon  35
  R
  Ranks, Divine  140
  Reach Weapons  5
  Rhyolite  137
  Robe of the Transcendent  134
  Rouggeheat  137
  S
  Scions, Battle  144
  Scions, Faith  147
  Scions, Spell  149
  Scions, Swift  151
  Separating Double Weapons  34
  Servitors, Amulet  163
  Shields  86
  Shield Parries  99
  Shineblade  137
  Silver Steeds Of Inarial  171
  Skill Blade  82
  Slade  137
  Spell Scions  149
  Steelwood  138
  Stone Lobster Shell  138
  Swift Scions  151
  T
  Talon of the Vogel  82
  Teak  138
  Tensile Mercury  138
  Thrown Weapons  5
  Two-Handed Weapon  10
  V
  Vermillion Hound  139
  Vorpal/Bludgeoning/Piercing Qualities  99
  W
  Weapons  5
  Weapons, Masterwork  34
  Weapon Ability Chains  154
  Weapon Descriptions  11
  Weapon Qualities  35
  Weapon Size  10
  
  175
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/D&D 3.5/Other Products/Arms & Armor v3.5.pdf