Adamantine is black, right? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adamantine is black, right? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
robertliguori
03-02-05, 09:02 PM What is the metal adamantine supposed to look like? Going entirely on the picture of the adamantine horror in MMII, I've described it as black, but with a sheen that makes it distinct from iron. Are there any written descriptions, 3.X or not, that I can draw from, beyond said horror, or any other pictures of adamantine thingies?
Rulebook
03-02-05, 09:09 PM i'd say it has the same properties as iron: can be black if not worked and polished properly, but otherwise has the mirrory sheen of polished iron.

i like to think it has a touch of yellow in it, like a trace amount of titanium, but thats just personal style prefrence.
Ziatyn Phoenixwolf
03-02-05, 09:15 PM I think that there is a physical description in the DMG, and it states that the metal is black.
Melpomene
03-02-05, 09:22 PM The adamant golem is in the epic handbook.

Other than that, it can pretty much be whatever colour you want it to be.
Rulebook
03-02-05, 09:23 PM it says nothing of how the metal looks in the DMG.
Kiirnodel
03-02-05, 09:30 PM In Dragon magazine the adamantine dragon was black with a hint of very dark blue.

Drizzt's old adamantine scimitars were black.
Rock_Slice
03-02-05, 09:32 PM Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine")
Melpomene
03-02-05, 09:38 PM Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine")

So the Black Luster Soldier is wearing adamant, then? ^_^
Thorak
03-02-05, 11:50 PM Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine")
That's got nothing to do with luster, and everything to do with the root of the words. Diamond, and Adamant, both are derived from the greek adjective adamas. An adjuective meaning, roughly, "hardest" or "invincible". The diamond was derived from this because it fit this bill of being the hardest mineral, and the exact same is true of anything adamant, whether we're talking D&D adamantine, or Marvel adamantium. Again, a metal that is harder than any other, and using the greek root.

It has absolutely nothing to do with color or luster, and everything to do with hardness.
DM Zoc
03-03-05, 12:45 AM They never mention what it looks like in the DMG, although you might find something around the Forgotten Realms about it.

Personally, I've always thought it looked a bit green. That probably comes from too much Planescape, though, where the hardest metal available was green steel.
masterofmayhem
03-03-05, 12:51 AM In first and second edition, adamantine was openly stated as being jet black, I believe. 3.X, however, has no official mention (in my rather limited knowledge) of the metal's color. They leave it more up to the interpretation of the DM. There was a thread on this very topic a while ago. You might want to check it out.

EDIT: I found it. Adamantine.... whats up with that? (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=339456)

Here's a quote from one of the posters:
According to Volo's Guide to All Things Magical for 2E Forgotten Realms, Adamantine is a black, almost oily-looking metal. When natural light reflects from it, it reflects a distinct greenish hue. When magical light reflects from it, it's a vibrant purple-white reflection.
Fenris Frost
03-03-05, 12:52 AM We consider it green in our games as well. It just seems rather cooler than a black. Also as for Dritzz's scimitars, he's a dark elf. Everything's black, for stealth purposes, and just looking cool. But yeah, we say it's green with a very faintly oily-looking surface. It's all a matter of style. You want it to stand out, and what else is green (besides corroded copper?).
Ze_Mighty_Vegetable
03-03-05, 12:56 AM Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine")

Maybe. I still view it as a black, dull metal. No light reflect on it. That's how I see it. I saw adamantine described as "star's heart" somewhere, and liked the idea of a totaly dark metal.
Sproik
03-03-05, 08:18 AM Nenya, the Ring of Adamant (http://http://www.theargonath.cc/pictures/rings/rings9.jpg) from the Lord of the Rings movies. It is supposed to be mithril, set with a single white stone (the adamant part).
Kiirnodel
03-03-05, 09:54 AM http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82102.jpg

This dude has Adamantine Body, it should be that color. However, as a DM, you could change it to any color you wanted to in your campaign.
Gloriam Etriae
03-03-05, 11:20 AM Going with the picture, then, it would seem that adamantine is a dull gunmetal-colored material that doesn't polish up like steel. When polished, it probably has more of a brushed steel appearance (a dull sheen), and, when unpolished, it retains is dull gray-black appearance. That makes sense to me.
Elendur
03-03-05, 11:54 AM In the old days drow weapons and armor was sometimes referred to as adamantine, but that stuff also disintegrated in sunlight. Maybe it was a strange alloy? Maybe all adamantine is an alloy, which accounts for the variations in color. For example the warforged is only laced with adamantine, so it retains the natural steel color.
John Q. Mayhem
03-03-05, 01:26 PM Drow weapons and armor, IIRC, were adamantite, a special alloy of adamantine and other stuff.

IMC, adamantine is black and lusterless, but can be polished somewhat. I want adamantine swords to look like Anglachal/Gurthang.
lukelightning
03-03-05, 01:55 PM I see adamantite/ine/ium as a black metal, because that was the way it was described to me waaaaay back in 1ed when my "magic-user" found a deck of magical returning +5 adamantite "throwing cards" (Like shuriken, but they did 1d20+5 damage. Don't blame me, I didn't invent the things).
Wharin
03-03-05, 02:07 PM Drow weapons and armor, IIRC, were adamantite, a special alloy of adamantine and other stuff.

IMC, adamantine is black and lusterless, but can be polished somewhat. I want adamantine swords to look like Anglachal/Gurthang.

I think in the Underdark Sourcebook, there is an enchantment thats gives a bonus to attack/ac/whatever, and whenever exposed to sunlight (not even direct sunlight) it must roll a fortitude save else be destroyed. This enchantment (or alloy, or whatever they said it was in 2e) might explain the colour of the metal in all of the drow books.

I usually go for either a silvery steel colour or green (from RuneScape). Black isnt a bad choice either, though.
Tony Vargas
03-03-05, 03:00 PM In the 1E DMG there were three metals that magical armor and weapons were made out of (mentioned very off-handedly): meteorite iron (yeah, honest), mithril-steel, and adamantine-alloy steel. Since meteorite iron would be closer to black, and mithril, from tolkien, was silvery, you had to wonder what adamantine would look like. Marvel 'Adamantium' is also silvery. I initially pictured adamantine as dull grey, or stainless-steel-like (like GW durralloy). Then, I got the idea of a greenish caste to the metal, which, aparently, is not that unusual. I got it from a completely unrelated source, though, the old 'Thieve's World' anthologies - in one story a character acquired special components that he got forged into a nearly unbreakable sword that was greenish and drew sparks off lesser blades as it cut through them. I thought that sounded cool, so that's how I started describing adamantine in my games. If you want a visual, just picture the Green Destiny in CT/HD.
Fenris Frost
03-03-05, 07:26 PM Yeah, the reason the drow blades and things broke down in sunlight was because of an enchantment called Drowcraft. It makes them better to an extent while they're in the Underdark, but in the sun (that hated eye of fire) they break down.
SD
03-03-05, 08:22 PM Adamantine is hot pink.

Do you want to fight the guy with the hot pink greatsword and armor? I think not! Black isn't nearly that intimidating.
Fenris Frost
03-03-05, 10:32 PM :eek: ................. Hot pink?..... But.. but..... Ok then, his armor will also have a fire elemental bound to it, grant fire immunity, he'll have a flaming sword, cast fireballs, etc etc and he'll just be "That Flamer in the Pink Armor." Though it certainly does bring some.... interesting images to mind.
Thorak
03-04-05, 12:13 AM "I am Thir Tharthinon the Thithy! Throw down your thwordth, you naughty little beathtieth, or I thall thmite thee with my mathive Throbbing Thword of Awethome Thruthting!"

Or something like that, I guess.
Giver_of_Rings
03-04-05, 10:34 AM No one's mentioned the Chronotryryn is flat dull black.

So I will.

Chronos are made of Adamantine.
Sith_Lord_V
03-08-05, 05:28 PM In the 1E DMG there were three metals that magical armor and weapons were made out of (mentioned very off-handedly): meteorite iron (yeah, honest), mithril-steel, and adamantine-alloy steel. Since meteorite iron would be closer to black, and mithril, from tolkien, was silvery, you had to wonder what adamantine would look like. Marvel 'Adamantium' is also silvery. I initially pictured adamantine as dull grey, or stainless-steel-like (like GW durralloy). Then, I got the idea of a greenish caste to the metal, which, aparently, is not that unusual. I got it from a completely unrelated source, though, the old 'Thieve's World' anthologies - in one story a character acquired special components that he got forged into a nearly unbreakable sword that was greenish and drew sparks off lesser blades as it cut through them. I thought that sounded cool, so that's how I started describing adamantine in my games. If you want a visual, just picture the Green Destiny in CT/HD.

Originally, according to Dragon Magazine Sage Advice ( A VERY old one, at that ) Adamantine came in three distinct sheens : silver with blue sheen, silver with green sheen and gold with a brownish sheen. Black adamantine did exist, but was difficult to obtain, due to how deep down it was found ( this is why the Drow used it exclusivley ). Drow items disintegrate because they are crafted with the underdark radiation as a component, not because they are adamantine, as thier cloaks and such disintegrated too.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
robertliguori 03-02-05, 09:02 PM	What is the metal adamantine supposed to look like? Going entirely on the picture of the adamantine horror in MMII, I've described it as black, but with a sheen that makes it distinct from iron. Are there any written descriptions, 3.X or not, that I can draw from, beyond said horror, or any other pictures of adamantine thingies?
Rulebook 03-02-05, 09:09 PM	i'd say it has the same properties as iron: can be black if not worked and polished properly, but otherwise has the mirrory sheen of polished iron. i like to think it has a touch of yellow in it, like a trace amount of titanium, but thats just personal style prefrence.
Ziatyn Phoenixwolf 03-02-05, 09:15 PM	I think that there is a physical description in the DMG, and it states that the metal is black.
Melpomene 03-02-05, 09:22 PM	The adamant golem is in the epic handbook. Other than that, it can pretty much be whatever colour you want it to be.
Rulebook 03-02-05, 09:23 PM	it says nothing of how the metal looks in the DMG.
Kiirnodel 03-02-05, 09:30 PM	In Dragon magazine the adamantine dragon was black with a hint of very dark blue. Drizzt's old adamantine scimitars were black.
Rock_Slice 03-02-05, 09:32 PM	Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine")
Melpomene 03-02-05, 09:38 PM	Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine") So the Black Luster Soldier is wearing adamant, then? ^_^
Thorak 03-02-05, 11:50 PM	Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine") That's got nothing to do with luster, and everything to do with the root of the words. Diamond, and Adamant, both are derived from the greek adjective adamas. An adjuective meaning, roughly, "hardest" or "invincible". The diamond was derived from this because it fit this bill of being the hardest mineral, and the exact same is true of anything adamant, whether we're talking D&D adamantine, or Marvel adamantium. Again, a metal that is harder than any other, and using the greek root. It has absolutely nothing to do with color or luster, and everything to do with hardness.
DM Zoc 03-03-05, 12:45 AM	They never mention what it looks like in the DMG, although you might find something around the Forgotten Realms about it. Personally, I've always thought it looked a bit green. That probably comes from too much Planescape, though, where the hardest metal available was green steel.
masterofmayhem 03-03-05, 12:51 AM	In first and second edition, adamantine was openly stated as being jet black, I believe. 3.X, however, has no official mention (in my rather limited knowledge) of the metal's color. They leave it more up to the interpretation of the DM. There was a thread on this very topic a while ago. You might want to check it out. EDIT: I found it. Adamantine.... whats up with that? (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=339456) Here's a quote from one of the posters: According to Volo's Guide to All Things Magical for 2E Forgotten Realms, Adamantine is a black, almost oily-looking metal. When natural light reflects from it, it reflects a distinct greenish hue. When magical light reflects from it, it's a vibrant purple-white reflection.
Fenris Frost 03-03-05, 12:52 AM	We consider it green in our games as well. It just seems rather cooler than a black. Also as for Dritzz's scimitars, he's a dark elf. Everything's black, for stealth purposes, and just looking cool. But yeah, we say it's green with a very faintly oily-looking surface. It's all a matter of style. You want it to stand out, and what else is green (besides corroded copper?).
Ze_Mighty_Vegetable 03-03-05, 12:56 AM	Adamantine is a black material, with a very shiny luster. (A diamond's luster is referred to as "adamantine") Maybe. I still view it as a black, dull metal. No light reflect on it. That's how I see it. I saw adamantine described as "star's heart" somewhere, and liked the idea of a totaly dark metal.
Sproik 03-03-05, 08:18 AM	Nenya, the Ring of Adamant (http://http://www.theargonath.cc/pictures/rings/rings9.jpg) from the Lord of the Rings movies. It is supposed to be mithril, set with a single white stone (the adamant part).
Kiirnodel 03-03-05, 09:54 AM	http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82102.jpg This dude has Adamantine Body, it should be that color. However, as a DM, you could change it to any color you wanted to in your campaign.
Gloriam Etriae 03-03-05, 11:20 AM	Going with the picture, then, it would seem that adamantine is a dull gunmetal-colored material that doesn't polish up like steel. When polished, it probably has more of a brushed steel appearance (a dull sheen), and, when unpolished, it retains is dull gray-black appearance. That makes sense to me.
Elendur 03-03-05, 11:54 AM	In the old days drow weapons and armor was sometimes referred to as adamantine, but that stuff also disintegrated in sunlight. Maybe it was a strange alloy? Maybe all adamantine is an alloy, which accounts for the variations in color. For example the warforged is only laced with adamantine, so it retains the natural steel color.
John Q. Mayhem 03-03-05, 01:26 PM	Drow weapons and armor, IIRC, were adamantite, a special alloy of adamantine and other stuff. IMC, adamantine is black and lusterless, but can be polished somewhat. I want adamantine swords to look like Anglachal/Gurthang.
lukelightning 03-03-05, 01:55 PM	I see adamantite/ine/ium as a black metal, because that was the way it was described to me waaaaay back in 1ed when my "magic-user" found a deck of magical returning +5 adamantite "throwing cards" (Like shuriken, but they did 1d20+5 damage. Don't blame me, I didn't invent the things).
Wharin 03-03-05, 02:07 PM	Drow weapons and armor, IIRC, were adamantite, a special alloy of adamantine and other stuff. IMC, adamantine is black and lusterless, but can be polished somewhat. I want adamantine swords to look like Anglachal/Gurthang. I think in the Underdark Sourcebook, there is an enchantment thats gives a bonus to attack/ac/whatever, and whenever exposed to sunlight (not even direct sunlight) it must roll a fortitude save else be destroyed. This enchantment (or alloy, or whatever they said it was in 2e) might explain the colour of the metal in all of the drow books. I usually go for either a silvery steel colour or green (from RuneScape). Black isnt a bad choice either, though.
Tony Vargas 03-03-05, 03:00 PM	In the 1E DMG there were three metals that magical armor and weapons were made out of (mentioned very off-handedly): meteorite iron (yeah, honest), mithril-steel, and adamantine-alloy steel. Since meteorite iron would be closer to black, and mithril, from tolkien, was silvery, you had to wonder what adamantine would look like. Marvel 'Adamantium' is also silvery. I initially pictured adamantine as dull grey, or stainless-steel-like (like GW durralloy). Then, I got the idea of a greenish caste to the metal, which, aparently, is not that unusual. I got it from a completely unrelated source, though, the old 'Thieve's World' anthologies - in one story a character acquired special components that he got forged into a nearly unbreakable sword that was greenish and drew sparks off lesser blades as it cut through them. I thought that sounded cool, so that's how I started describing adamantine in my games. If you want a visual, just picture the Green Destiny in CT/HD.
Fenris Frost 03-03-05, 07:26 PM	Yeah, the reason the drow blades and things broke down in sunlight was because of an enchantment called Drowcraft. It makes them better to an extent while they're in the Underdark, but in the sun (that hated eye of fire) they break down.
SD 03-03-05, 08:22 PM	Adamantine is hot pink. Do you want to fight the guy with the hot pink greatsword and armor? I think not! Black isn't nearly that intimidating.
Fenris Frost 03-03-05, 10:32 PM	:eek: ................. Hot pink?..... But.. but..... Ok then, his armor will also have a fire elemental bound to it, grant fire immunity, he'll have a flaming sword, cast fireballs, etc etc and he'll just be "That Flamer in the Pink Armor." Though it certainly does bring some.... interesting images to mind.
Thorak 03-04-05, 12:13 AM	"I am Thir Tharthinon the Thithy! Throw down your thwordth, you naughty little beathtieth, or I thall thmite thee with my mathive Throbbing Thword of Awethome Thruthting!" Or something like that, I guess.
Giver_of_Rings 03-04-05, 10:34 AM	No one's mentioned the Chronotryryn is flat dull black. So I will. Chronos are made of Adamantine.
Sith_Lord_V 03-08-05, 05:28 PM	In the 1E DMG there were three metals that magical armor and weapons were made out of (mentioned very off-handedly): meteorite iron (yeah, honest), mithril-steel, and adamantine-alloy steel. Since meteorite iron would be closer to black, and mithril, from tolkien, was silvery, you had to wonder what adamantine would look like. Marvel 'Adamantium' is also silvery. I initially pictured adamantine as dull grey, or stainless-steel-like (like GW durralloy). Then, I got the idea of a greenish caste to the metal, which, aparently, is not that unusual. I got it from a completely unrelated source, though, the old 'Thieve's World' anthologies - in one story a character acquired special components that he got forged into a nearly unbreakable sword that was greenish and drew sparks off lesser blades as it cut through them. I thought that sounded cool, so that's how I started describing adamantine in my games. If you want a visual, just picture the Green Destiny in CT/HD. Originally, according to Dragon Magazine Sage Advice ( A VERY old one, at that ) Adamantine came in three distinct sheens : silver with blue sheen, silver with green sheen and gold with a brownish sheen. Black adamantine did exist, but was difficult to obtain, due to how deep down it was found ( this is why the Drow used it exclusivley ). Drow items disintegrate because they are crafted with the underdark radiation as a component, not because they are adamantine, as thier cloaks and such disintegrated too.