Neutralium (3.5e Equipment)

= Neutralium =

Summary::By the great spire in the outlands which robs the powers of even the gods, smaller crystaline spires grow naturally at its base. The powers of the universe meet and cancel each other out, leaving a crystal composed of raw neutrality.  Difficult to work with and resistant to magic, those with the skill to forge neutralium crystals into items can gain a powerful tool against other alignments. These items are especially popular in Sigil as nearly anything you find traveling there will be affected.

Any weapon primarily composed of metal can be made as a neutralium weapon. Neutralium is a dull flat matte gray which has poor contrast, and weapon designs tend to be unremarkable even when personal flairs are added. For all its lack of excitement, it reacts when in the presence of strong alignments (such as being on an aligned plane, or striking or being struck by an aligned outsider or cleric), becoming rapidly covered in a thin oxidized rust coat; dark red and jagged against good aligned presences, light blue and smooth against evil aligned presences, copper yellow and shiny against chaotic presences, and deep green and wet looking against lawful presences. Those with multiple alignments, such as fighting a Lawful Evil devil, have a combined mix of effects.

Neutralium weapons always bypass any aligned damage reduction. Creatures at the alignment extremes (LG, CG, LE, and CE) which pick up a neutralium weapon automatically gain two negative levels, while creatures with one non-neutral alignment (NG, NE, LN, and CN) only gain one negative level. True Neutral creatures suffer no ill effect. A neutralium weapon deals +1 point of damage for each degree away the opponent is from true neutral. Creatures with alignment subtypes take +2 points of damage for each degree away. For example a LG human would receive 2 points extra damage, a CN slaad would receive 2 points extra damage, and a LE devil would receive 4 points extra damage. A neutralium weapon is difficult to enhance with magic, much like cold iron, and has a 2,000 gp surcharge for enhancing it. However, it is also difficult to harm with magic and receives a +4 bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects made to affect your neutralium weapon. Weapons made from neutralium gain a 10% discount on the Magebane and Shattermantle enhancements. It radiates an aura of neutrality equal to a 1st level cleric, or the weapon's caster level if magical. Neutralium has 20 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 15, but an aligned weapon only faces hardness of 8.

Armor can also be made with neutralium. Such armor has the dull appearance, and the spontaneous temporary oxidation, as weapons do. Its resistance to magic helps ward off spells and spell-like effects. Light armor, bucklers, and light shields gain a +1 bonus on saves vs magic. Medium armor and heavy shields gain a +2 bonus. Heavy armor and tower shields gain a +3 bonus. However there is a 1,000 gp surcharge for making neutralium armor magical, and the armor interferes with magic, raising the arcane spell failure by +10%. Like weapons, armor made of neutralium deals negative levels to non-true neutral users.

Neutralium is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below. Thus, neutralium weapons and ammunition have a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and the armor check penalty of neutralium armor is lessened by 1 compared to ordinary armor of its type.