Common Rocks (3.5e Equipment)
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Contents
Variety of Common Rocks[edit]
When we talk about stones in Dungeons & Dragons, very often we are talking about precious stones or magic stones with extraordinary properties. But when talking about ordinary stones, the game turns out to be poor, giving the player a limited choice. Stone is often described as an aggregate of rocky material with general hardness, HPs, and price, and encompassing anything that can exist in a single ordinary rock. However, the game is not stingy with details when talking about the different metals, woods, or fabrics available in this world, even when these materials are ordinary.
A rock is described as being the fusion of several minerals, which, by the action of the activity of the planet, have agglomerated and formed a more complex matter. And a stone is described as being a fragment of a rock forming the earth's crust. Starting from these two definitions, it is easy to understand that a stone is then a term used more in the field of construction that will then be defined as a synonym of brick, while the word "rock" refers to a larger set of mineral agglomerates.
Rocks are divided into three types, depending on how they were formed. Thus, it can be of magmatic, sedimentary, or metamorphic origin.
Origin of Rocks[edit]
Magmatic: An igneous rock was formed by the planet's volcanic activity. These rocks are found in the mountains, near areas that have undergone intense volcanism, and on the cliffs of the plateaus. It is the volcanic eruptions and its extreme conditions that formed these rocks, and it is therefore these rocks that form most of the mountains.
Sedimentary: A sedimentary rock is formed by the accumulation of billions of mineral particles, which, over time and accumulation have compressed to form a rock. We find this type of rock more at the bottom of the water, on the coasts, or in the plain, because it is the slow action of gravity that forms these rocks.
Metamorphic: A metamorphic rock is a rock (sedimentary or magmatic) which has undergone a very significant transformation during its existence. There are a wide variety of changes that can give a metamorphic rock, this can be a modification of the texture, the mineralogical assembly, or the chemical composition of the rock. These are generally very significant changes in pressure and/or temperature over long periods that change one rock into another by metamorphism.
Basic minerals[edit]
No matter where they are formed, and no matter how they are formed, all rocks are made up of an assemblage of various minerals, and sometimes metals either raw or oxidized. It is this mineral assembly, and the conditions of this assembly that will give the mechanical, physical and chemical properties of a rock. And it is also this assembly that makes it possible to differentiate one rock from another and to be able to identify them with precision. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the different minerals and base metals that make up the main rocks: aluminum, clay, biotite, chalcedony, calcite, dolomite, feldspar, graphite, gyspe, illite, magnetite, mica, muscovite, olivine, onyx, plagioclase, potassium, pyroxene, quartz, silica, sodium...
List of Magmatic Rocks[edit]
Andesite[edit]
Andesite is the most common volcanic rock after basalt. Andesite is composed mainly of pyroxene, plagioclase and amphibole. It is dark to light gray or brown in color.
Hardness: 14
HP (per inch): 11
incombustibility: Andesite is incombustible, creatures and objects made of this rock cannot catch fire (immune to this effect).
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of andesite gain a Fire Resistance of 40.
Basalt[edit]
Volcanic magmatic rock resulting from a magma cooled very quickly. It is composed of plagioclases, pyroxenes, olivine, and magnetite. Usually basalt is black in color, but can have dark green tints due to the presence of olivine which then gives it a dark green color. This compact rock is very resistant to the effects of traction, compression, bending, and shearing.
Hardness: 10
HP (per inch): 15
incombustibility: Basalt is incombustible, creatures and objects made of this rock cannot catch fire (immune to this effect).
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of basalt gain a Fire Resistance of 20.
Acid Resistant: Creatures and objects made of basalt gain an Acid Resistance of 5.
Slight Electrical Conductivity: This rock is a good electrical conductor, creatures or objects made of basalt have their resistance to electricity halved.
Gabbro[edit]
Plutonic igneous rock composed of pyroxene and feldspar. It is the constituent of the oceanic crust. This is a slow and deep cooling of the lava. Its color is black to dark green with a structure dotted with microcrystals. Gabbro is hard and very resistant to shocks.
Hardness: 14
HP (per inch): 11
Impact Resistant: The hardness of gabbro becomes 20 against a blunt weapon, and fall damage inflicted on a creature or object made of gabbro is halved.
Granit[edit]
Plutonic igneous rock composed of quartz and feldspar. Granite comes in a very wide range of gray, brown, pink, black, or white colors. It is impossible to define this rock by its color. Granite makes up much of the earth's crust and mountains. Granite is very widely used in construction and sculpture, as a foundation or as a decoration.
Hardness: 14
HP (per inch): 9
Acid Resistant: Creatures and objects made of granit gain an Acid Resistance of 10.
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of granit gain a Fire Resistance of 10.
Obsidian[edit]
Volcanic magmatic rock with a glassy green-black appearance and composed of silica, magnesium, and iron, with traces of aluminum, sodium, and potassium. Obsidian has very sharp edges, it is almost impossible to form blunt edges by cutting or breaking obsidian. For this particularity, this rock is used for the manufacture of edged weapons. Each weapon made from obsidian deals 3 slashing damage in addition to the weapon's base damage.
Hardness: 10
HP (per inch): 12
Impact Resistant: The hardness of obsidian becomes 20 against a blunt weapon, and fall damage inflicted on a creature or object made of obsidian is halved.
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of obsidian gain a Fire Resistance of 5.
Rhyolite[edit]
Volcanic magmatic rock of gray or light pink color, and with many lighter spots inside. Rhyolite is composed of silica, quartz, feldspar, and biotite. It is a robust rock widely used in house construction, because it is resistant and easy to work with.
Hardness: 12
HP (per inch): 9
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of rhyolite gain a Fire Resistance of 5.
Acid Resistant: Creatures and objects made of rhyolite gain an Acid Resistance of 10.
List of Sedimentary Rocks[edit]
Chalk[edit]
White sedimentary rock made of pure limestone with almost no impurities. It is often confused with limestone, Very friable, it has a solidity of 5 and 1 hp per inch of rock.
Hardness: 5
HP (per inch): 1
Acid Sensitivity: Chalk is sensitive to acid, and takes double damage from an attack made with acid.
Dolomite[edit]
Sedimentary rock of white, gray, black, or brown color, depending on the components of the rock. A Dolomite contains at least 50% dolomite (mineral).
Hardness: 8
HP (per inch): 8
Fluorescent: Dolomite is fluorescent and triboluminescent, it emits light when it receives a strong light source or when a piece is broken. This light is very weak, but sufficient for the stone to be visible up to 60 ft in the dark.
Flint[edit]
Siliceous sedimentary rock composed of silica and chalcedony. Flint is a very hard rock appearing in black, gray, yellow, or brown colors, and pearly or glassy surface. Quite often the flint has several shades of color in the same piece of rock. It is often used to make primitive edged weapons. It is possible to make spearheads, or arrows. You can also make small knives or dagger blades. But it is rare to find pieces large enough to make swords or large blades.
Hardness: 14
HP (per inch): 22
Impact Resistant: The hardness of flint becomes 20 against a blunt weapon, and fall damage inflicted on a creature or object made of flint is halved.
Jasper[edit]
Sedimentary rock composed of 80% silica and quartz and traces of clay. Jasper can have a wide range of very varied colors ranging from bright red, green, or black. It has a vitreous and shiny luster. Used in jewelry, jasper is a rock first used for pageantry. Jasper has a hardness of 13 for 9 HP per inch of rock.
Hardness: 13
HP (per inch): 9
Limestone[edit]
Sedimentary rock composed of calcite, silica and some traces of minerals such as dolomite or mica. White to light gray in color, this rock is widely used in alchemy, construction, or sculpture. Very easy to work with, it offers many advantages.
Hardness: 6
HP (per inch): 5
Acid Sensitivity: Limestone is sensitive to acid, and takes double damage from an attack made with acid.
Marl[edit]
Sedimentary rock composed of clay, calcite, dolomite, gyspe, and mica. It is often beige, brown, green, gray, or white, and it is very common for it to take on a shade of all these colors, giving a marbled appearance.
Hardness: 5
HP (per inch): 3
Sandstone[edit]
Detrital sedimentary rock composed of quartz, feldspar, and mica. Sandstone is a structure made of consolidated sand. Similar in color to sand, this rock is hard, but brittle when damaged.
Hardness: 13
HP (per inch): 5
Incombustibility: Sandstone is incombustible, creatures and objects made of this rock cannot catch fire (immune to this effect).
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of sandstone gain a Fire Resistance of 20.
List of Metamorphic Rocks[edit]
Gneiss[edit]
Metamorphic rock containing quartz, mica, and feldspar. Its gray color can take on lighter (quartz) or darker (mica) contrast variations depending on the composition. The rock may present impurities which are characterized by the presence of brown, pink, red, or white grain in the rock.
Hardness: 13
HP (per inch): 6
Marble[edit]
Metamorphic rock composed of calcite, mica, and graphite. Marble comes in a wide variety of colors and has very different nature designs depending on the components and the way the rock was formed. For this particular reason, this rock is widely used in construction, in landscaping, or for the manufacture of ornament and sculpture. Marble remains relatively easy for a craftsman to work with.
Hardness: 8
HP (per inch): 9
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of marble gain a Fire Resistance of 5.
Mica Schist[edit]
Metamorphic rock organized in sheets of material, in which there are about twenty minerals including mica, talc, and chlorite. Brown or gray depending on the location. This rock is not very hard, it is used more for ornament than for construction.
Hardness: 7
HP (per inch): 3
Quartzite[edit]
Metamorphic rock composed of quartz by recrystallization of sandstone. Its color is pale brown with sometimes marked shades of color. Impact resistant, its hardness is 20 against a blunt weapon, and fall damage inflicted on a creature or object made of quartzite is halved.
Hardness: 13
HP (per inch): 6
Impact Resistant: The hardness of quartzite becomes 20 against a blunt weapon, and fall damage inflicted on a creature or object made of quartzite is halved.
Slate[edit]
Metamorphic rock composed of quartz, muscovite, and illite. Often gray in color, it is possible to find black or brown. Slate is mainly used for paving, roofing, or for landscaping. The rock is organized in sheets of compressed material, so it is not strong enough for more demanding construction work.
Hardness: 8
HP (per inch): 5
Fire Resistant: Creatures and objects made of marble gain a Fire Resistance of 5.
Price and General Properties of Rocks[edit]
Here (below) the prices of the different rocks.
| Name of the Rock | Price par lb |
|---|---|
| Andesite | 11 gp |
| Basalt | 5 sp |
| Chalk | 2 gp |
| Dolomite | 4 sp |
| Flint | 18 gp |
| Gabbro | 22 gp |
| Gneiss | 2 gp |
| Granite | 16 gp |
| Jasper | 5 gp |
| Limestone | 2 sp |
| Marble | 2 gp |
| Marl | 1 sp |
| Mica Schist | 45 gp |
| Obsidian | 10 gp |
| Quartzite | 3 gp |
| Rhyolite | 19 gp |
| Sandstone | 5 sp |
| Slate | 15 sp |
In general, rocks are three time lighter than iron for the same volume. All rocks can be extracted by mining works. You must use tools with hardness at least equal to the hardness of the rock you want to extract. If not, your tool break. The head of a mining pickaxe made of wood and iron has a hardness of 10, and can extract all rocks with a hardness of 10 or lower. for other, you must use harder metal.
The Knowledge of Rocks[edit]
With practice and a bit of rigour, a character can analyze a rock or a fragment of rock in order to determine its components, the type of rock, and the exact name of the rock.
A character with at least one rank in Knowledge (Nature) is able to use that knowledge to analyze a rock.
| DD | Information |
|---|---|
| 10 | You know that it is an igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rock, but without really recognizing what it is. |
| 15 | You know what rock it is with relative certainty. It is always possible that you hesitate between two rocks. |
| 20 | You know exactly what rock it is. |
| 30 | You largely know the mineral composition of the rock you are analyzing, and you can deduce the properties of the rock |
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Equipment → Mundane Materials
| Author | Neostar + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Equipment + |
| Rating | Undiscussed + |
| Title | Common Rocks + |
