Idium (3.5e Equipment)
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Contents
Idium[edit]
This curious material is found only in the astral plane and other places where the environment changes according to the observer's will. Faintly translucent and with a texture reminiscent of matte glass, it's sometimes hard to see the difference between an object forged from idium and a particularly solid-looking force effect. Even stranger is the fact that the material's properties change according to the consciousnesses nearby that act on it, becoming incredibly strong or profoundly brittle under certain circumstances.
Idium is seen by many to be a manifestation of residual thought left behind by ancient deities while shaping the universe, and travelers of the astral plane encountering the material will find that it responds to their thoughts and consciousness in kind. As thoughts given form, idium itself bears no sentience unless imbued as such by mortal hands, but it acts as a channel for the thoughts of others, and has been used in many different fashions, from weaponry and armour to the creation powerful psionic items.
In terms more akin to human psychology, idium harmonizes with the internal schism of a person's id, ego, and superego and outwardly manifests them in various different ways, becoming a mass of cathected mental energy without life or consciousness of its own. In practice, idium manifests these mental energies into physical force, allowing the user of an idium object to call forth power or skill he couldn't with purely mundane tools.
Where applicable, idium allows its user to treat their mental ability scores in place of their physical ability scores, wherever they are higher, in the following conversion:
- Strength ⇔ Charisma.
- Dexterity ⇔ Intelligence.
- Constitution ⇔ Wisdom.
Weapons and Armor[edit]
Idium weapons are capable of converting Strength. Finessable weapons also allow converting Dexterity.
Idium armor is capable of converting Dexterity for the purpose of both Armor Class and maximum Dexterity bonus.
Skill Tools[edit]
Skill tools created partially or fully from idium are capable of converting any physical ability score to its mental counterpart, but only for the purpose of checks that involve that specific skill. An idium skill tool is always masterwork, and includes the +2 circumstance bonus to the specific skill.
Constructs[edit]
A construct can be outfitted with an idium core that functions like a psionic interface linking directly with the mind of its master. This way, the master is capable of giving commands the construct is normally programmed to understand without speaking words. Furthermore, by actively concentrating on the golem, the master of a construct outfitted with an idium core can make the construct move in any way he or she desires. This functions like assuming direct control of the construct, though when doing this, the master expends the same number of actions as his construct is made to perform.
Alchemy and Spellcraft[edit]
Idium refined to powder form is a highly potent alchemical agent, though in doing so, one pound of idium is refined into two ounces of idium powder. One ounce of idium is capable of increasing the effects of certain potions by 50%, and double the effective caster level for the purpose of duration. Potions that receive this effect are the following:
Likewise, a pinch (quarter-ounce) of idium powder used as a material component for spellcasting is capable of boosting spells that improve or extend a creature's mental faculties as per Empower Spell and Extend Spell. Including the three spells above, this can also be done on spells such as telekinesis, tongues, mind blank, and any spell with the Mind-Affecting descriptor.
Special Concoctions[edit]
Mindtallow: A potion with an alcoholic base enhanced by bryony, licorice, veridian and one ounce of idium powder will act for five minutes and allow a creature to convert all of his physical ability scores as written above for all purposes. During this duration, a psionic character automatically regains their psionic focus at the start of every turn. However, once the effects of the potion end, the drinker becomes invariably exhausted, as well as sickened for 1 hour during which he cannot benefit from additional usage of mindtallow and incurs a psionic power failure chance of 30%.
One potion of mindtallow is valued at 1,250 gp.
Intelligent Items[edit]
An intelligent item fashioned from idium siphons sentient thought from its ambient environment, granting it a +4 bonus to all its ability scores and reducing its ego score by 5 points.
Statistics[edit]
Idium is as heavy as steel, and the general price for an idium item is 500 gp per pound, plus double the price of the base item. One ounce of refined idium powder (see Alchemy and Spellcraft) is valued at 500 gp.
Idium weapons have the cost of the base weapon + 12,000 gp, unless the general price (see above) woould be higher.
Idium armor and shields have the cost of the base item + 6,000 gp, unless the general price (see above) would be higher.
Idium masterwork skill tools have the cost of the base item + 500 gp.
Idium, when unattended, has 5 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 5, but when attended by a wielder, its hit points per inch of thickness (or hit points in general, in the case of weapons and armor) increase by the wielder's Wisdom score, and its hardness by the wielder's Charisma score.
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