Zephyrium Ore (3.5e Equipment)

This ore is infused with Zephyr, the essence of the Elemental Plane of Air. Any metallic item can be made from Zephyrium, and such items are nearly weightless, only weighing 1/15 the original weight.

Impure Zephyrium

Impure Zephyrium is the prefered type of Zephyrium on the Material Plane as Zephyrium doesn't last long in any plane other than the Elemental Plane of Air. Thusly, this tends to be an alloy of iron and Zephyrium, which binds it to this realm. It is only 25% lighter than normal due to this method. This method can be used on the original ore brought from it's home plane, making it all the more popular.

Weapons

Weapons made from Impure Zephyrium have a +1 enhancement bonus to attack (which, as an enhancement bonus, does not stack with masterwork or magical bonuses) because the weapon can be more easily manipulated due to its lighter weight. However, the weapon has less mass, so does -1 damage. Further, the weapon bypasses the Damage Reduction of any creature with the Earth subtype.

Ammunition

Impure Zephyrium ammunition has a range increment of x1.5, but does -1 damage. Further, the ammunition bypasses the Damage Reduction of any creature with the Earth subtype.

Armor

Any Impure Zephyrium armor has an armor check penalty of one less and a lessened arcane spell failure chance by 5%, but also provides one less armor bonus to armor class. Further, any such armor grants the user a Protection from Earth effect, usable once per day for one minute (works against creatures with the Earth subtype, and otherwise acts as a Protection from Evil spell).

Zephyrium has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 6.

Type of Zephyrium Item	Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition	+4 gp
Light weapon	+200 gp
One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon	+250 gp
Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon	+300 gp
Light Armor	+100 gp
Medium Armor	+150 gp
Heavy Armor	+200 gp

Near-Pure Zephyrium

On the material plane, this is as close to original Zephyrium as you can get. A highly skilled craftsman adds only the slightest bit of iron to bind the essence to the material plane. As such, any metallic item can be made from Near-pure Zephyrium, and such items weigh 75% their normal weight. All of the following are ALWAYS masterwork (and the cost has been included in the prices below).

Weapons

Weapons made from Near-Pure Zephyrium have a +2 enhancement bonus to attack (which, as an enhancement bonus, does not stack with masterwork or magical bonuses) because the weapon can be more easily manipulated due to its lighter weight. More over, your dexterity bonus from weapon finesse is 1.5x normal.

The weapon is also considered one step lighter than normal (ie. 2-handed to 1-handed, one handed to light, no change to light). Further, the weapon bypasses the Damage Reduction of any creature with the Earth subtype.

However, the weapon has significantly less mass, so does not grant a strength bonus to damage (and strength penalties, up to -2 don't apply to damage, but full penalties for lower strength) as well as -1 to base damage.

Ammunition

Near-Pure Zephyrium ammunition has a range increment of x3, but does -1 damage. It is not affected by wind/air-based projectile defense, passing through hurricanes as easily as a morning breeze. Further, the ammunition bypasses the Damage Reduction of any creature with the Earth subtype. It however, provides a -2 to attack, as it is so odd to fire something so light. This penalty could be removed after sufficient training with these projectiles. (DM's discretion)

Armor

Any Near-Pure Zephyrium armor has an armor check penalty of 4 less and a lessened arcane spell failure chance by 10%, but also provides 2 less armor bonus to armor class. It is, however, considered one step lighter (ie. heavy to medium, medium to light). Further, any such armor grants the user a Protection from Earth effect, usable once per day for 2 minutes (works against creatures with the Earth subtype, and otherwise acts as a Protection from Evil spell), and the effect need not be used all at once.

Crafting Near-Pure Zephyrium

First of all, one must have a magic forge specifically made for working Zephyrium without dispersing it. These can cost upwards of 500 gold or more, but provide a +5 to craft checks to work and bind the Zephyrium. Otherwise they give a -5 penalty to crafting anything else, due to how specialized they are. To create this forge, one must have at least 8 ranks in Knowledge (Planes) and Knowledge (Arcana), as well as in one Craft skill involved with forging metal.

Second, the ore must be brought from the elemental plane of Air into the material plane so it can be bound. Trying to bind it to iron inside it's home plane just makes it disperse and rust the iron on it's way out, ruining both of the materials used.

Third, the item must be crafted directly into the desired item, as soon as it leaves the plane, or else it will disperse. Creating Near-Pure ore is impossible.

Fourth, if the item can not be finished in 5 days, it is dispersed, and ruins all materials used.

To craft this, the crafter must make a craft check with DC +20. Failing this check also ruins all materials used.

Zephyrium has 8 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 4.

Note: prices might not be balanced, but the value of the penalties should be taken into account. The difficulty with crafting it would also make it extremely rare in most campaigns.

Type of Zephyrium Item	Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition	+14 gp
Light weapon	+500 gp
One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon	+700 gp
Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon	+800 gp
Light Armor	+300 gp
Medium Armor	+500 gp
Heavy Armor	+700 gp

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Equipment → Mundane Materials