Oxidium (3.5e Equipment)

Oxidium
Summary::Rust is the worst enemy of any metal blade, and the fear of the humble rust monster shows that even the most epic of blades can crumble to the ravages of oxidation. With that in mind, most see weapons forged from the unusual material known as oxidium and dismiss them as already ruined, ancient and decayed.  However, in spite of its corroded appearance, oxidium proves not only to be a potent resister of rust but capable of inflicting damage upon other metal tools as well.

Oxidium is a rusty, rough material much resembling iron oxide which is difficult to work with as it naturally wants to form rough sandpaper textures. The Craft DC to make any item out of oxidium rises by +5. Its found in deep caves and the underdark in close proximity to nests of rust monsters, leading many to believe oxidium is actually some petrified waste product of the beasts.

Any weapon primarily composed of metal can be made as a oxidium weapon. Oxidium weapons are immune to rust and acid damage, and deal an extra +1d6 points of damage to any object or creature made of metal, or affected by the rusting grasp spell. This extra damage ignores the hardness of the material. Oxidium also is toxic if pieces get inside the body. On a critical hit against a living creature minute pieces break off the weapon and they must make a Fortitude save DC 10 + 1/2 BAB + your attack modifier, or become afflicted by rockjoint, which takes effect immediately. Weapons with a x3 critical get a +2 to the DC, and x4 gets a +4 to the DC.

If an attacker attempts to sunder an oxidium weapon, their weapon receives damage equal to the weapon's base damage + 1d6. If this damage is enough to destroy the attacking weapon, the sunder attempt fails and their weapon is destroyed. Oxidium shields are treated as weapons for the purpose of how oxidium affects them.

Armor can also be made with oxidium. Such armor is also immune to rust and acid and often grinds its rough edges together, increasing the armor check penalty by 2 points and arcane spell failure by 10%. In return, natural weapons and unarmed strikes risk scratching themselves on its rough surface and take 1d6 damage whenever they hit you. If they score a critical hit against you, they are subject to rockjoint with the same DC as if you were attacking with an oxidium weapon. Metal melee weapons that strike oxidium armor take 1 point of damage from corrosion, which bypasses hardness. This makes oxidium armor very dangerous.

Oxidium needs special preparation so all weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below. Thus, oxidium weapons and ammunition have a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, though the armor check penalty actually increases by 2 instead of decreasing.

Oxidium has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8.