Adamantine weight & questions

[0-hr]

Our group recently came across a large chunk of adamantine. We know that it is 471 cubic feet. Any idea what that would weigh, or what its market value would be?

As a side note: any good ways for a party of about 9th level, lacking a wizard, to move the dang thing? We're thinking we might hire someone to "Fabricate" it (several times) into ingots for transport...

 

[CRGreathouse]

First, there's some disagreement on the density of adamantine; there's a mention, as I recall, in the PH (perhaps removed in 3.5?) in which is weighs 3/4 what iron does; everywhere else it's assumed to have the same density as iron.

I'll assume it's as iron here; take 3/4 of the final number if you think it should have that density instead.

471 cubic feet of iron (if it's a a cube, about 7'9" to a side) would weigh quite a lot -- 205 824 pounds. Adamantine armor costs more than mithral armor, but it's hard to calculate an exact value. There's reason to think they're similar, so I'll just use the same price for both. Remember, though, that if anything adamantine is more expensive.

1 pound of mithral costs 500 gp, so 471 cubic feet of adamantine costs (at least) 102 900 000 gp.

That's more wealth than 100 20th-level characters should have.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Congrats on 1000 posts, by the way!

As a follow-up, the adamantine is just slightly too heavy for a Str 65 character to lift overhead; assuming a party of 10, characters would need 39 strength *each* to drag the loade.

471 cubic feet is a lot. Even if it was water instead of adamantine, it would weigh over 14 tons... and metals are quite a lot heavier.

 

[Darklone]

A related question: What's the benefit of adamantine shields? Was it in the errata?

 

[0-hr]

471 cubic feet of iron (if it's a a cube, about 7'9" to a side) would weigh quite a lot -- 205 824 pounds.

1 pound of mithral costs 500 gp, so 471 cubic feet of adamantine costs (at least) 102 900 000 gp.

Hmm, so a cubic foot weighs about 434 lbs and is worth 217,000? youch

For those interested, our DM guestimated the weight at 4 tons and the value at 250,000 (and all 7 players thought that was reasonable). This metal is from the bit of a massive drilling machine (meant for tunneling through stone, steel, etc.). I'm thinking it must actualy be some sort of alloy - like 0.25% adamantine .

 

[Bauglir]

First, there's some disagreement on the density of adamantine; there's a mention, as I recall, in the PH (perhaps removed in 3.5?) in which is weighs 3/4 what iron does; everywhere else it's assumed to have the same density as iron.

I'll assume it's as iron here; take 3/4 of the final number if you think it should have that density instead.

471 cubic feet of iron (if it's a a cube, about 7'9" to a side) would weigh quite a lot -- 205 824 pounds. Adamantine armor costs more than mithral armor, but it's hard to calculate an exact value. There's reason to think they're similar, so I'll just use the same price for both. Remember, though, that if anything adamantine is more expensive.

1 pound of mithral costs 500 gp, so 471 cubic feet of adamantine costs (at least) 102 900 000 gp.

That's more wealth than 100 20th-level characters should have.

Alternatively you could drop it on your victims.. err I mean enemies for a nice 1030d6 of damage.

 

[shilsen]

A related question: What's the benefit of adamantine shields? Was it in the errata?

No, it came out in the FAQ (the last update, I think). Adamantine shields have no real benefit other than the increased hardness (no DR) and the fact that it is already masterwork. Since they cost an extra 5,000 gp to make, that's not much bang for your buck.

 

[dead]

I don't know much about metalurgy, but I'm assuming adamantite is created by man from the ore. I'm not exactly sure of the process to create steel, but if adamantine is so damn hard, is it created through some sort of alchemical or magical process?

Same goes for Mithral.

Thanks.