Yeah, that was one of the major types of "bronze" in the ancient world. Unfortunately it had a tendency to quickly kill (or permanently debillitate) the metalworker. One of the major reasons behind the transition to iron was that the materials to make iron were everywhere. Ironworking predates the "iron age" by centuries if not millennia. Bronzes at the time actually made superior weapons than early ironworking products; but were rarer and harder to obtain. Rome fought a number of wars to secure access to key components of bronze-making.
Unfortunately in a game context, that would make it mechanically similar or identical to mithral, which would defeat the pointIn GURPS, they list orichalcum as being three times structurally stronger, so going by that, weapons and armor made of it can be one-third the weight. Meaning heavy armor could be medium or even light, regular weapons could become light or whatever the tag is, and heavy weapons could become regular weapons.
If you want the material to have any additional properties, that is.
I have orichalcum in my game.So I wanted to introduce a weapon made of an unusual magical metal for an upcoming game. Orichalcum seemed like a suitable legendary type.
Too fiddly for my taste. Also, having armor and weapons be automatically +1 seems a bit much- it makes this metal more combat-effective than adamantine. That said, if neither the fiddliness nor the comparison to adamantine bother you, this could work.I'm kind of thinking something along the lines of: Orichalcum is a magical alloy of bronze and gold that is supernaturally strong and has been infused with radiant energy. Items made from orichalcum gleam with an unearthly luster that always seems brighter than surrounding light sources, though they do not normally illuminate dark areas by themselves. Like florescent pigments. Weapons and Armor made from orichalcum are automatically magical (+1) when fighting most enemies, except for the following: Celestials and Fey are resistant to the energy infusing the metal, and treat strikes from weapons made of Orichalcum as if they were non-magical. (Even those normally associated with darkness). All other creatures who are struck by orchicalcum weapons take normal, magical-weapon damage AND count as having been exposed to bright sunlight (including for purposes of Light Sensitivity) in any round during which they are hit by an orichalcum weapon. Divine, Arcane, or specific spell-focuses made of orichalcum empower light and radiant-based spells, treating them as if they were cast using a spell slot one level higher. Light or Radiant-based cantrips cast using such a focus deal +1 damage. Orichalcum is often used to outfit fey warriors who cannot abide the touch of iron.
What do you all think? Suitable? Too fiddly or complicated? Have other ideas that you think are better?
I use both mithral and adamantine in my games as well. And items made from those (in my worlds) are almost always magic so that's more of a baseline. In this case, I wanted something from an alien culture on an alien world.... so wanted a different material.Also, having armor and weapons be automatically +1 seems a bit much- it makes this metal more combat-effective than adamantine. That said, if neither the fiddliness nor the comparison to adamantine bother you, this could work.
So I wanted to introduce a weapon made of an unusual magical metal for an upcoming game ...
What do you all think? Suitable? Too fiddly or complicated? Have other ideas that you think are better?
I really like it. Orichalcum isn't used in fantasy gaming nearly enough, and your take is consistent with historical beliefs in its legendary properties.So I wanted to introduce a weapon made of an unusual magical metal for an upcoming game. Orichalcum seemed like a suitable legendary type. The only problem is - what exactly makes orichalcum special and unique? In the real world it was likely some sort of bronze or brass alloy. I believe Plato wrote about it in reference to Atlantis. In legend and general fantasy lore it has generally been given magical properties.
I'm kind of thinking something along the lines of: Orichalcum is a magical alloy of bronze and gold that is supernaturally strong and has been infused with radiant energy. Items made from orichalcum gleam with an unearthly luster that always seems brighter than surrounding light sources, though they do not normally illuminate dark areas by themselves. Like florescent pigments. Weapons and Armor made from orichalcum are automatically magical (+1) when fighting most enemies, except for the following: Celestials and Fey are resistant to the energy infusing the metal, and treat strikes from weapons made of Orichalcum as if they were non-magical. (Even those normally associated with darkness). All other creatures who are struck by orchicalcum weapons take normal, magical-weapon damage AND count as having been exposed to bright sunlight (including for purposes of Light Sensitivity) in any round during which they are hit by an orichalcum weapon. Divine, Arcane, or specific spell-focuses made of orichalcum empower light and radiant-based spells, treating them as if they were cast using a spell slot one level higher. Light or Radiant-based cantrips cast using such a focus deal +1 damage. Orichalcum is often used to outfit fey warriors who cannot abide the touch of iron.
What do you all think? Suitable? Too fiddly or complicated? Have other ideas that you think are better?