Req comments: felazar crystals (new material)

[CCamfield]

Part of the power of the elven Astarial Empire lies in the mines of felazar crystals in the northern mountains of the Empire.

Felazar crystals only grow in areas of natural positive magic. [This is a Penumbra Occult Lore reference.] The elves have discovered that certain individuals who are attuned to these prismatic crystals can shape them with a combination of magic and sound, allowing a singer to create just about any form imaginable.

Felazar becomes stronger and harder in the process of being shaped, so that it can be used to make weapons and armour. It weighs the same as iron, but is harder. Skilled elven singers of old banded together to erect whole towers of shimmering felazar, which still dominate the skyline of the city of Astra.

Felazar items have a hardness of 12, and 30 hit points per inch of thickness. Because they are not made of metal, they are immune to rust, spells such as Heat Metal, etc. Due to their rarity, felazar items are much more expensive then normal. [How should I set their price?]

Craft Felazar Items [Item Creation]
You can create items out of felazar crystals.
Prerequisite: Spellcaster level 1+.
Benefit: You are attuned to felazar crystals, and can create items out of them, including weapons, armor, and shields. Shaping an item from felazar is governed by the crafting rules, but the skill that determines progress is Perform(singing).

 

[Anabstercorian]

Weapons and armor made out of Felazar cost twice as much as the original equipment, plus 30 gp.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Felazar should be limited to "once shaped and left in that shape for a day or more, it loses its malability" or else those towers you mention would be incredibly valuable. Perhaps a good enough reason to attack a city, with that much wealth visible on a horizon. Unshaped Felazar would be very valuable, and shaped felazar would still be mighty nice & expensive (I would suggest 300% of the normal price, crafting it into equipment allows a +2 synergy (with 5+ ranks in perform). Increase the chance of masterwork by +2. Unshaped Felazar = mithral in value? Hmmm. Treat as cold iron or silver for piercing damage reduct perhaps.

 

[CCamfield]

Oops. Felazar should definitely "set". Maybe it shouldn't be possible to repair it if it's broken.

I was thinking of this as not being as valuable or as effective as mithral. I imagine elite regiments being equipped with the stuff.

(Anab... why x 2 and +30? It seems a bit awkward.)

 

[Beholder Bob]

Well, if something for elite troops, why would they use it. It does not make the weapon or armor lighter, nor better? Perhaps as sign of wealth (same reason you would put silver filigree on armor), it could last a long time and need little/no maintenance, some minor useful benefit (+1 ac against incorporeal attacks, and magic weapons have +5% chance of hitting incorporeal creatures) or act as cold iron (not iron, but weapon made without heat touching it, as is cold iron - cold iron is not an expensive material -though time consuming to work, bit more to buy). The fact you need a specialist (takes a feat and crafting) would make it more expensive. What about 200% once shaped, otherwise 300% the price of unworked steel?

 

[CCamfield]

Well, yes, it doesn't rust - and it should as you suggest last a long time, and not require maintenance. And part of the attraction is the appearance.

However maybe it should be a bit lighter... not enough to make armour function as a size category lighter, but enough to be appreciable. 3/4 the weight of metal items?

 

[DaveStebbins]

If it is invulnerable to rust attacks, would its crystal nature make it vulnerable to the Shatter spell?

 

[CCamfield]

If it is invulnerable to rust attacks, would its crystal nature make it vulnerable to the Shatter spell?

Hmm. Part of me want to say "okay, felazar equipment is considered magical" so that level 3 spellcasters can't destroy all the felazar equipment within the area of effect of a Shatter spell.

On the other hand, being considered magical has some definite benefits in terms of saves and the like. Should it have more inherent advantages to account for the fact that it's considered magical, or should its being considered magical be sufficient by itself?

(I hope that made sense...)

 

[CCamfield]

So... this is what it's looking like now:


Part of the power of the Astarial Empire lies in the mines of felazar crystals in the northern mountains of the Empire.

Felazar crystals only grow in areas in natural positive magic zones. The elves have discovered that certain individuals who are attuned to these prismatic crystals can shape them with a combination of magic and sound, allowing a singer to create just about any form imaginable. Great elven singers of old banded together to erect whole towers of shimmering felazar, which still dominate the skyline of the city of Astra.

The process of shaping infuses the crystals with magical energy, strengthening them and binding them into their new shape; shaped felazar items cannot be reshaped into different forms.

The strength of shaped felazar allows it to be used to make weapons and armour. Such items items weigh 70% that of ordinary iron equipment (so a felazar breastplate weighs 21 pounds). For the purposes of destruction, felazar items are considered +1 magical items with a base hardness of 12, and 30 hit points per inch of thickness. Items which are not primarily made out of metal are not meaningfully affected.

Shaped felazar items have a surface which is slick to the touch and they require little cleaning and maintenance. Because they are not made of metal, felazar items are immune to rust and effects which specifically target metal objects, such as Heat Metal. Felazar items are not considered fragile for the purposes of the Shatter spell, although unshaped felazar will shatter as easily as ordinary crystal and glass. Felazar items have a faint aura of transmutation magic.

Although the empire has large resources of felazar, the number of attuned individuals is never great, and many create weapons and armour for the Imperial armies. To determine the price of felazar equipment, use the original weight but add +20gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item

Felazar equipment can be enchanted as normal. Treat enchanted felazar equipment as having an additional plus when calculating its hardness and hit points..


Craft Felazar Items [Item Creation]
You can create items out of felazar crystals.
Prerequisite: Spellcaster level 1+.
Benefit: You are attuned to felazar crystals, and can create items out of them, including weapons, armor, and shields. Shaping an item from felazar is governed by the crafting rules, but the skill that determines progress is Perform(singing). Multiple shapers can cooperate to create a single item; they each roll against the same DC, and the individual progress they achieve is added together.