Adamantite and Sunlight [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adamantite and Sunlight [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lilt
02-02-06, 03:18 PM A character of mine just got ahold of a shard of adamantite (overlooked by dwarven workers in an adamantite mine) and I was considering using it to tip a spear. A friend of mine, however, tells me that he heard adamantite must be treated otherwise it will disintegrate in daylight.

I'm just wondering if there's anything to back this up uhnder the general rules or wether it was a game-specific thing from elsewhere?
Sir Knight
02-02-06, 03:22 PM In the Dark Elf novels (Drizzt, etc) their adamantite stuff was destroyed in sunlight because loosing the radiation of the Underdark caused them to destabilize.

Adamantine as per D&D 3.5e does NOT do that. Read about Adamantine in the DMG. There are no such rules UNLES your DM added it to his gaming world.

IIRC there was even a difference in spelling (adamantite vs adamantine).
tarkin
02-02-06, 03:27 PM He is confusing Adamantite with Drow metal that was similar to Adamantite.

Normal Adamantite is not affected by sunlight.
A_monk_00
02-02-06, 03:32 PM In the Forgotten Realms setting (and maybe elsewhere) Drow weapons are normally made out of Adamantine, and if they are exposed for too long to sunlight, their power fades. This may be what he is thinking about.

Otherwise, I don't think it does, though I may be mistaken. I haven't really read in depth about the material.
Wolf72
02-02-06, 05:36 PM adamantine does not fade in sunlight ... in 1e/2e the drow alloy of adamantine did fade.

if you want to keep that flavor, take a look at cursed items in the DMG ... one cool option had limitations on enchantments. One of them only worked in darkness/underground.

ooh here's your bracers of armor +5 ... it'll be a shocker when the PC finally realizes they only really work at night or underground
mvincent
02-02-06, 05:56 PM He is confusing Adamantite with Drow metal that was similar to Adamantite.I don't believe that is the case. The Drow metal was certainly referred to as "Adamantite" (or Adamantine) back in first edition.

You are correct that currently, normal Adamantine is not affected by sunlight... but the current properties of Drow Adamantine (or Adamantite... not sure if there is a difference) seems to be anyone's guess. I imagine that the Drow have gotten rid of the problem by now (and/or don't use adamantine weapons much).

Related to this, in the recent Drow article in Dragon magazine, they mention the radiation that emanated from the Drow homeland (Erelhei Cinlu). The article said that some scholars are still studying it, but many of the drow seem to think it's a myth.
Jaeron Dalur
02-02-06, 06:22 PM I was always under the impression that the magic that enchants Drow items is what fades in the sun and the failing magic takes the enchanted object with it (e.g. Drizzt's enchanted cloak falls apart after a while living on the surface. Cloaks aren't made of adamantite and still break down so I don't see it as being the metal's fault).
primemover003
02-02-06, 06:33 PM There is a Weapon/Armor special property in the FR Underdark book called Drowcraft that emulates the 1e/2e phenomenon.
Sir Knight
02-03-06, 07:20 AM It isn't the Drow magic per se... it is the radiation of the Underdark and what the Sun does to items infused with it.

Read Daughter of the Drow and Tangled Webs. They go into it in length, especially in DotD. Liriel Banrae finds a way to keep her items and natural talents intact on the surface. It's a good read and very interesting. But yeah, it is the natural radiation that fades/is affected on the surface.
Jaeron Dalur
02-03-06, 07:49 AM It isn't the Drow magic per se... it is the radiation of the Underdark and what the Sun does to items infused with it.

Read Daughter of the Drow and Tangled Webs. They go into it in length, especially in DotD. Liriel Banrae finds a way to keep her items and natural talents intact on the surface. It's a good read and very interesting. But yeah, it is the natural radiation that fades/is affected on the surface.
Almost. Drow magic was described as "place magic". It isn't that the sun reacts badly with the radiation of the underdark. It's that the very thing that drove the magic is gone. If a car runs out of gas it isn't the air in the tank that made it stall but the lack of gas.

PS
They were great books. Though the third one didn't end in a very satisfactory way for me.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lilt 02-02-06, 03:18 PM	A character of mine just got ahold of a shard of adamantite (overlooked by dwarven workers in an adamantite mine) and I was considering using it to tip a spear. A friend of mine, however, tells me that he heard adamantite must be treated otherwise it will disintegrate in daylight. I'm just wondering if there's anything to back this up uhnder the general rules or wether it was a game-specific thing from elsewhere?
Sir Knight 02-02-06, 03:22 PM	In the Dark Elf novels (Drizzt, etc) their adamantite stuff was destroyed in sunlight because loosing the radiation of the Underdark caused them to destabilize. Adamantine as per D&D 3.5e does NOT do that. Read about Adamantine in the DMG. There are no such rules UNLES your DM added it to his gaming world. IIRC there was even a difference in spelling (adamantite vs adamantine).
tarkin 02-02-06, 03:27 PM	He is confusing Adamantite with Drow metal that was similar to Adamantite. Normal Adamantite is not affected by sunlight.
A_monk_00 02-02-06, 03:32 PM	In the Forgotten Realms setting (and maybe elsewhere) Drow weapons are normally made out of Adamantine, and if they are exposed for too long to sunlight, their power fades. This may be what he is thinking about. Otherwise, I don't think it does, though I may be mistaken. I haven't really read in depth about the material.
Wolf72 02-02-06, 05:36 PM	adamantine does not fade in sunlight ... in 1e/2e the drow alloy of adamantine did fade. if you want to keep that flavor, take a look at cursed items in the DMG ... one cool option had limitations on enchantments. One of them only worked in darkness/underground. ooh here's your bracers of armor +5 ... it'll be a shocker when the PC finally realizes they only really work at night or underground
mvincent 02-02-06, 05:56 PM	He is confusing Adamantite with Drow metal that was similar to Adamantite.I don't believe that is the case. The Drow metal was certainly referred to as "Adamantite" (or Adamantine) back in first edition. You are correct that currently, normal Adamantine is not affected by sunlight... but the current properties of Drow Adamantine (or Adamantite... not sure if there is a difference) seems to be anyone's guess. I imagine that the Drow have gotten rid of the problem by now (and/or don't use adamantine weapons much). Related to this, in the recent Drow article in Dragon magazine, they mention the radiation that emanated from the Drow homeland (Erelhei Cinlu). The article said that some scholars are still studying it, but many of the drow seem to think it's a myth.
Jaeron Dalur 02-02-06, 06:22 PM	I was always under the impression that the magic that enchants Drow items is what fades in the sun and the failing magic takes the enchanted object with it (e.g. Drizzt's enchanted cloak falls apart after a while living on the surface. Cloaks aren't made of adamantite and still break down so I don't see it as being the metal's fault).
primemover003 02-02-06, 06:33 PM	There is a Weapon/Armor special property in the FR Underdark book called Drowcraft that emulates the 1e/2e phenomenon.
Sir Knight 02-03-06, 07:20 AM	It isn't the Drow magic per se... it is the radiation of the Underdark and what the Sun does to items infused with it. Read Daughter of the Drow and Tangled Webs. They go into it in length, especially in DotD. Liriel Banrae finds a way to keep her items and natural talents intact on the surface. It's a good read and very interesting. But yeah, it is the natural radiation that fades/is affected on the surface.
Jaeron Dalur 02-03-06, 07:49 AM	It isn't the Drow magic per se... it is the radiation of the Underdark and what the Sun does to items infused with it. Read Daughter of the Drow and Tangled Webs. They go into it in length, especially in DotD. Liriel Banrae finds a way to keep her items and natural talents intact on the surface. It's a good read and very interesting. But yeah, it is the natural radiation that fades/is affected on the surface. Almost. Drow magic was described as "place magic". It isn't that the sun reacts badly with the radiation of the underdark. It's that the very thing that drove the magic is gone. If a car runs out of gas it isn't the air in the tank that made it stall but the lack of gas. PS They were great books. Though the third one didn't end in a very satisfactory way for me.