der_kluge
Adventurer
When I worked on Artificer's Handbook a couple of years ago, I wanted to include sections for all the various components that people could use to create magic items. So, we included the obligatory section on gems/minerals, plants & herbs, and a few other oddities. I also wanted a section on metals, and as I started writing it, I kept thinking of more and more metals, and then it occurred to me - I was trying to recreate the periodic table of the elements, since my list had things like gold, silver, lead, tin, etc.
So, through a couple of really boring meetings at work, I scoured through some great websites devoted to the PTotE, and created a rudimentary D&D version of the table.
It was a fascinating excursion into the complex world of chemistry, one that I admit was largely unfamiliar with.
Ultimately, I made the decision to exclude it from the book, since I felt like it needed a lot more work.
I gave it to our editor after the book was published, hoping to see it as a web enhancement, and she wanted me to expand it, including things like "hardness" and hit points to make it more useful. Unfortunately, I can't even begin to speculate on what the hardness of "iridium" might be, so I never bothered to complete that.
But maybe someone here does. A lot of the elements are gases, or powders, or chalky substances, so only a few of the things would actually have any kind of hardness or hit points.
But I thought I would share the file with the good people here as a little thanks for all the fun times I have here. And if people want to come up with hit points/hardness values for all the metals in here, that's fine by me, too. While this has some limited use for D&D games, it could make a great addition to a d20 modern game.
So, through a couple of really boring meetings at work, I scoured through some great websites devoted to the PTotE, and created a rudimentary D&D version of the table.
It was a fascinating excursion into the complex world of chemistry, one that I admit was largely unfamiliar with.
Ultimately, I made the decision to exclude it from the book, since I felt like it needed a lot more work.
I gave it to our editor after the book was published, hoping to see it as a web enhancement, and she wanted me to expand it, including things like "hardness" and hit points to make it more useful. Unfortunately, I can't even begin to speculate on what the hardness of "iridium" might be, so I never bothered to complete that.
But maybe someone here does. A lot of the elements are gases, or powders, or chalky substances, so only a few of the things would actually have any kind of hardness or hit points.
But I thought I would share the file with the good people here as a little thanks for all the fun times I have here. And if people want to come up with hit points/hardness values for all the metals in here, that's fine by me, too. While this has some limited use for D&D games, it could make a great addition to a d20 modern game.
Code:
# element description when discovered
1 hydrogen Hydrogen is present in the air, and in water (as H20). It is the most common element in the universe. It is lighter than air so it can be used to make hot-air balloons or zeppelins. discovered in 1766
2 helium The second most common element in the universe. It is present in stars and in air. It is a noble gas. discovered in 1895
3 lithium Does not occur freely in nature, but is found in some minerals and brine from lakes. Lithium is the lightest of all metals. discovered in 1817
4 beryllium Most commonly comes from the mineral Beryl. Aquamarine and Emeralds are a form of Beryl. discovered in 1797
5 boron Not found freely in nature. It is found in minerals and in volcanic spring water. It is a dark powder. discovered in 1808
6 carbon Carbon takes many forms, and is found freely in nature. Coal, limestone, diamonds, and graphite are all examples. Carbon is part of DNA strands. known since ancient times
7 nitrogen Makes up 78% of the atmosphere (3% on Mars); also found in saltpetre. discovered in 1772
8 oxygen Makes up 21% of the atmosphere. It is the most abundant element in the Earth's crust. Makes up 89% of the weight of the oceans. discovered in 1774
9 fluorine Never found freely, but is found in fluorspar , cryolite, and other minerals. It is the most reactive of all the elements, and will cause steel wool to burst into flames when in contact with fluorine. discovered in 1886
10 neon Present in the atmosphere at about 1 part in 65,000. Neon is a noble gas. discovered in 1898
11 sodium Salt is the most common source which is sodium chloride discovered in 1807
12 magnesium Found in sea water. Also found in minerals including magnesite and dolomite. Used for bicycle frames, among other things. discovered in 1755
13 aluminum Aluminum comes from bauxite ore. Also spelled "aluminium". It is the most abundant of all metals, but requires great amounts of energy to extract. It has numerous commercial uses. discovered in 1825
14 silicon The most common form is sand. Second most common element in the earth's crust. Sand, quartz, amethyst, agate, flint, jasper, opal, granite, feldspar, clay, mica are all examples. discovered in 1824
15 phosphorus The original source was from urine, but also is found in phosphate ore. Red phosphorous, in fhe form of strips, are found on matchboxes to light matches. discovered in 1669
16 sulfur Comes from volcanoes, hot springs, and meteorites. Known in ancient times. Referred to as "Brimstone" in the book of Genesis.
17 chlorine Doesn't exist freely in nature. Commonly found in rock salt (sodium chloride) discovered in 1774
18 argon The atmosphere contains nearly 1% argon gas (2% on Mars). Argon is a noble gas. It is used in argon welding. discovered in 1894
19 potassium Found in soil, and is essential to human and plant diets. It is a soft, easily cut metal, and reacts with water. discovered in 1807
20 calcium Found in limestone, gypsum, and fluorite. Also found in stalagmites and stalactites. Needed for leaves, teeth, bones, and shells. discovered in 1808
21 scandium Rare on earth, has to be extracted; found in the sun. Comes from thortveitite or as a byproduct from uranium production. discovered in 1879
22 titanium Titanium is a lightweight durable metal, but not easily obtainable. Found in some minerals. discovered in 1791
23 vanadium Found in some minerals, and also present in crude oil. discovered in 1801
24 chromium Most commonly found in the mineral chromite. Used to harden steel - chrome. discovered in 1797
25 manganese Found in minerals, also found in nodules on the ocean floor. A hard, brittle silvery metal. It is an essential element for all living things. discovered in 1774
26 Iron Common ore; not often found in pure form. Most commonly found in the mineral haematite. The Earth's core is made of iron. known since ancient times. Iron artifacts are as old as 3,000 B.C.E.
27 cobalt similar to iron; found in meteorites and in some minerals. Derives it's name from "Kobald", or "Evil Spirit". Minerals containing cobalt were used by early Egyptians for coloring glass blue. discovered in 1735
28 nickel Found in the mineral niccolite, from which it is named. Also found in meteorites. discovered in 1751
29 copper Found in many minerals. Copper is often a byproduct of iron ore. Copper itself is too soft to be used by itself. It is combined with other metals. Brass is a mixture of copper and zinc and bronze is a mixture of copper and tin known since ancient times. Copper beads exist from as early as 9,000 B.C.E.
30 zinc Extracted from numerous minerals. Zinc is used in making brass, and was used in this way even before it zinc was identified as a separate element. A grey metal with a blue tinge. discovered in 1500
31 gallium Gallium ore is rare, but is found in other ores. Extracted from bauxite ore which is a source for aluminum. Gallium, like mercury and cesium is liquid at room termperature. discovered in 1875
32 germanium A brittle, crystalline substance, it can be extracted from flue dust. It is also found in germanite, argyrodite, and some zinc ores. discovered in 1886
33 arsenic A brittle, crystalline substance. Arsenic is poisonous. It is present in a number of minerals. Known since ancient times. Early Chinese, Greek, and Egyptians mined it.
34 selenium It exists in two forms - as a silvery metal or a red powder. It is often extracted as a byproduct of copper refinement. Also found in the locoweed plant. Minerals containing it are rare. discovered in 1817
35 bromine A toxic chemical that is extracted from seawater through a reaction with chlorine. Natural sources include some natural brines and a few minerals consisting largely of bromide. It is a deep-red, oily liquid with a strong smell. discovered in 1826
36 krypton Found in the air at about 1 ppm. Krypton is a colorless, odorless noble gas. It is very rare. discovered in 1898
37 rubidium A silvery white metal that ignites spontaneously in air and reacts with water discovered in 1861
38 strontium soft metal. Has been used as gemstones, but is very soft. Does not occur freely in nature. discovered in 1790
39 yttrium Found in moon rocks and some rare earth minerals. Is used to give the red color in TV screens. discovered in 1794
40 zirconium A silvery metal. All minerals that contain zirconium also contain a little hafnium, so the extraction of zirconium is complex. Found in the minerals jargon, hyacinth, and jacinth. discovered in 1789
41 niobium Sometimes referred to as Columbian. A silvery white, shiny, soft, ductile metal. Extraction from ores is complicated. discovered in 1801
42 molybdenum A silvery white, hard metal, often confused with graphite and lead ore. Sometimes produced as a result of copper and tungsten production. discovered in 1781
43 technetium This metal is radioactive and does not occur naturally on earth. It is a byproduct of uranium decay from the nuclear industry. Some stars are believed to contain technetium. It is a silvery-grey metal that tarnishes slowly in moist air. discovered in 1937
44 ruthenium This metal is a byproduct of extractions of some precious metals including gold and platinum. It is added to platinum to improve corrosion resistance. Occurs freely in some ores. discovered in 1844
45 rhodium Silvery white metal, similar to platinum. Used as a catalyst agent, I.e., catalytic convertors. Also added to platinum and can be used in jewelry. Found freely in some ores. discovered in 1803
46 palladium A hard, steel-white metal that is extracted along with platinum. Is used in making watch springs and dental crowns. discovered in 1803
47 silver Silver has the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of all the metals. It has a number of uses including seeding clouds for rain (as an iodide), jewelry and photography. known since ancient times. It was isolated from lead as early as 3,000 B.C.E.
48 cadmium A bluish-white metal that can be cut with a knife. Cadmium is rarely used as it is toxic, but has some applications for black and white televisions and in the nuclear industry. Most cadmium is produced as a by-product from the extraction of zinc, copper, and lead ores discovered in 1817
49 indium A very soft, silvery-white metal with a brilliant lustre. Indium is a byproduct of the formation of lead and zinc. Often found in zinc minerals, or in copper, lead, and iron ores. discovered in 1863. Until 1924, 1 gram of Indium made up the world's supply.
50 tin A silvery white metal that is malleable. Tin has been around since ancient times and is mentioned in the Old Testament. Tin is mixed with copper to make bronze. known since ancient times.
51 antimony A bluish-white, flaky, crystalline brittle metal. Antimony and its compounds are toxic. The primary source is the mineral stibnite which was used as an eye makeup in ancient times. known since the beginning of the 17th century
52 tellurium A brittle, silvery-white crystalline metal that is easily pulverized. Often found with gold ore. discovered in 1783
53 iodine A bluish-black, lustrous solid. Iodine minerals are very rare. Some iodine is extracted from seaweed. Does not exist freely in nature. discovered in 1811
54 xenon Present in the atmosphere at 1 part per million (ppm). Named from the Greek word Xenos which means "stranger". Xenon is a noble gas. discovered in 1898
55 cesium Cesium (or caesium) is a silvery gold metal. Like mercury and gallium, cesium is a liquid at room temperature. Cesium reacts with ice and cold water. discovered in 1860
56 barium A soft, silvery white element. Barium reacts with water and alcohol. Never found freely in nature. Occurs in a few ores, Barite and witherite are examples. discovered in 1808
57 lanthanum A dull white, soft element that can be cut with a knife. It is very reactive and reacts with numerous other elements. Never found freely in nature. discovered in 1839
58 cerium A malleable, iron-grey element. It is a very reactive metal. Is found in a few ores, and often accompanies lanthanum in ore form. Cerium does not exist freely. discovered in 1803
59 praseodymium A soft, malleable, ductile yellowish element. Like lanthanum and cerium, is rare, never found freely in nature, and occurs in some of the same ores. discovered in 1885
60 neodymium Like lanthanum, cerium and praseodymium (among others). It is a rare earth metal. A reactive metal; dull silver in color. It is used in some aquarium lights to simulate sunlight. discovered in 1885
61 promethium Not much is known about promethium. It is a radioactive element. It only exists in small quantities in uranium mines as a uranium decay product. discovered in 1945
62 samarium Is never found freely. Much like other rare earth metals. A black, chalky metal. Is found in headphones and nuclear reactors. discovered in 1879
63 europium A highly reactive ductile metal, much like lead. Europium is a good neutron absorber and has applications in the nuclear industry. discovered in 1901
64 gadolinium A relatively stable silvery metal that is strongly magnetic. Is used in CD disks and as a traceable compound in MRI resonancing. discovered in 1880
65 terbium A dark grey metal that can be cut with a knife. It is relatively stable. Only isolated in pure form in modern times. discovered in 1843
66 dysprosium A soft, bright silvery metal that can be cut with a knife. Dysprosium is found in CD disks. discovered in 1886
67 holmium A dark, silvery white metal that is malleable and has magnetic properties. discovered in 1878
68 erbium A bright, silvery metal that is malleable and soft. It is fairly stable. discovered in 1842
69 thulium A silvery grey, malleable, ductile, soft metal that can be cut with a knife. It is as rare as gold, and decays in moist air. discovered in 1879
70 ytterbium Like other rare earth metals, is a ductile, soft, silvery white metal which is fairly reactive. It is used in lasers. discovered in 1878
71 lutetium Pure lutetium is hard to isolate from other rare other metals, and is extremely cost to find in pure form. Only in recent years has it been isolated in pure metal form. It is a black metal. discovered in 1907
72 hafnium Pure hafnium is almost impossible to create due to it's rigid bond to zirconium, the ore from which it is found. Hafnium is a brilliant silver-white metal that is highly corrosive resistant. discovered in 1923
73 tantalum A greyish silver, heavy, and very hard metal. When pure, it is ductile and can be drawn into fine wire. It comes from the mineral tantalite, and is often a byproduct of tin extraction. discovered in 1802; isolated in pure form in 1907
74 tungsten Also known as wolfram, tungsten is a steel-grey to tin-white metal. It has the highest melting point of all metals. Tungsten has many uses. discovered in 1783
75 rhenium A highly dense, silvery white metal. It does not occur freely in nature, but exists in some ores including gadolinite, and molybdenite, and is often extracted from molybdenum smelter flue dust. discovered in 1925
76 osmium Osmium usually exists in powdered form as the metal is hard to fabricate. It is bluish-black and has a strong smell. Airborn osmium is toxic and can cause congestion, skin and eye damage. discovered in 1803
77 iridium Iridiium is similar to platinum, but maintains a slight yellow hue. It is the most corrosion resistant metal. The same process that discovered osmium also discovered iridium. discovered in 1803
78 platinum Platinum is a beautiful silvery-white metal. It is malleable and ductile. It is found as the free element, and often accompanies other precious metals. discovered in 1735
79 gold Gold is a well-known, yet rare metal that is found in ores. It can be found in small quantities in mountain streams. Gold is a soft metal, and is often alloyed with others for strength. The Egyptians knew of gold as early as 2,600 B.C.E.
80 mercury Mercury is a liquid metal, and is also known as quicksilver. It is a heavy silvery-white liquid. It occurs rarely in nature, and is most commonly found in cinnabar ore. Was known by Chinese and Hindus before 2,000 B.C.E.
81 thallium Thallium is a metal similar to lead in appearance It is soft and can be cut with a knife. Minerals with thallium are rare, but is also produced as a byproduct from zinc and lead refining. discovered in 1861
82 Lead Lead is a flexible, dense metal, grey in color. Galena, a mineral, is the most common source for lead in nature. Lead was used as goblets and other items during Roman times. Over-exposure to lead is toxic. known since ancient times
83 bismuth Bismuth is a white, crystalline, brittle metal with a pinkish tinge. Found in ores of other metals as well as a byproduct of lead and copper smelting plants. in ancient times bismuth was confused with tin and lead. Identified separately in 1753.
84 polonium Polonium is produced through decay of the small quantities of bismuth isotopes. It is radioactive and extremely rare in nature. It is a silvery metal. discovered in 1898
85 astatine Astatine is radioactive and essentially unavailable in nature. It is not possible to make other than in a nuclear reactor. It has no uses. discovered in 1940
86 radon Radon is a noble gas, and is the heaviest of all the gases. It is found in some basements from the decay of subsurface rocks and is toxic if breathed. It is present in some spring waters. discovered in 1900
87 francium Francium is vanishingly rare and is found only as very small traces in some uranium minerals. It has never been isolated as the pure element. As it is so radioactive, any amount formed would decompose to other elements. discovered in 1939
88 radium Radium is found naturally in uranium ores such as pitchblende. One tonne of pitchblende might yield about 0.15 g of radium. Radium was used in the mid 1900s to paint the hands and numbers on clocks to create a glow-in-the-dark effect. It is radioactive. discovered in 1898
89 actinium Actinium is dangerously radioactive. It is found naturally in uranium ores and actinium is 150 times more radioactive than radium. discovered in 1899
90 thorium Much of the earth's internal heat has been attributed to thorium and uranium. There may be more energy available for use from thorium in the minerals of the earth's crust than from all combined uranium and fossil fuel sources. Thorium (named after the God, Thor) is a silvery white metal and is a source for nuclear power. discovered in 1829
91 protactinium Protactinium is a highly toxic and radioactive rare earth metal that requires special handling. It is found in pitchblende (a uranium ore) and is one of the rarest and most expensive naturally occurring elements. discovered in 1913
92 uranium Uranium is surprisingly common and is more plentiful than mercury, silver, or cadmium in the earth's crust. Uranium has great application in nuclear power and nuclear weapons. It is highly radioactive. Uranium appears similar to other metals, such as lead, for example. Uranium can be added to glass, and gives it a yellow or green coloring. Glass of this form is not common, but has been around since the mid 19th century. discovered in 1789
93 neptunium Neptunium is typically a byproduct of spent uranium fuel cell rods. Trace amounts exist in uranium ores. It is radioactive. discovered in 1940
94 plutonium A rare element that occurs in trace amounts in uranium ore, although now appears in nature as a result of some radioactive fallout from nuclear explosions and meltdowns. Plutionium is normally created in a laboratory from the transmutation of uranium. It is highly radioactive. discovered in 1940
95 americium A radioactive element that does not occur in nature in any significant quantity. It is used in some smoke detectors. It is a brilliant white, lustrous metal. discovered in 1944
96 curium Curium, like americium, is radioactive and extremely rare. discovered in 1944
97 berkelium A rare radioactive element, berkelium exists more in laboratories than in nature. A compound, berkelium chloride was created in 1962, and 3 billionths of a gram of it was all that was made. discovered in 1949
98 californium Californium is a synthetic element that does not exist on Earth. It is highly radioactive. discovered in 1950
99 einsteinium Einsteinium is a synthetic element that does not exist on Earth. Like all other actinoid metals, it is highly radioactive. It has no commercial uses.
100 fermium The longest living isotope of fermium has a half-life of 80 days. It's synthetic and radioactive. discovered in 1952 in the radioactive debris from a thermonuclear explosion
101 mendelevium A synthetic radioactive element, an isotope of which has a half life of just over an hour. discovered in 1955
102 nobelium Named after Alfred Nobel, Nobelium is another synthetic radioactive element. discovered in 1958
103 lawrencium A synthetic element. Very little of which has ever been created. discovered in 1961
104 rutherfordium Another synthetic element. Very little has ever been created. discovered in 1964
105 dubnium A synthetic element not present in the environment. discovered in 1967
106 seaborgium A synthetic element with a half life of less than a second. discovered in 1974
107 bohrium A synthetic element, only a few atoms of which have ever been made discovered in 1981
108 hassium Only a few atoms of hassium have ever been created, and it decays rapidly. discovered in 1984
109 meitnerium Like hassium, meitnerium decays rapidly and only a few atoms of it have ever been created. discovered in 1982
110 ununnilium A single atom of ununnilium was created by firing billions of nickel atoms at a lead target in a particle accelerator. It decays within thousandths of a second. "unun" named elements are temporary names. discovered in 1994
111 unununium Created in a similar fashion as ununnilium. discovered in 1994
112 ununbium Created by fusing a zinc atom to a lead atom. It is the heaviest element ever created at 277 times heaver than hydrogen. discovered in 1996
113 ununtrium Unknown not discovered yet
114 ununquadium Created through the fusion of a calcium atom with a plutonium atom. Only 3 atoms of it have ever existed, and each decays within about 30 seconds. discovered in 1998
115 ununpentium Unknown not discovered yet
116 ununhexium The existance of element 116 is uncertain. It's existance is based around element 118, which is questionable. It was thought to have been a decay result of element 118, which then decayed quickly into element 114, and then subsequently into seaborgium. unconfirmed
117 ununseptium Unknown not discovered yet
118 ununoctium Scientists reported the discovery of element 118 in a particle accelerator in 1999 but have since retracted their claim based on conflicting interpretations of the data. not discovered yet
