Special Weapon Material?

[Shin Okada]

Most of the PCs of my current campaign are using weapons made of Starmetal (Complete Arcane) and also have some weapon made of Cold Iron or Abyssal Bloodiron (Planar Handbook) for backup. They use various alchemical/magic items to make their weapons silver. Some also considered to by a weapon made of Thinaun (Complete Warrior).

Anyway, Starmetal seems to become the "standard material" for higher level characters. Weapons made of Abyssal Blood iron are OK. But players tend not to appreciate dropped weapons made of other "inferior" materials.

Are there any other good weapon materials in WotC books? Weapons made of Alchemical Silver or Pandemonic Silver are not welcomed by PCs as they inflict lower damages and it is rather easy to make their weapon temporary Silver.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Depends on what you're looking for- I always liked the alchemical gold and alchemical platinum from Magic of Faerun. Those 2 happen to boost weapon damage, but require a feat to use those heavier weapons. I don't recall their effect on armor.

There are also several other special materials in MoF.

 

[Shin Okada]

Depends on what you're looking for-

I am looking for some alternatives which my players do not think them to be simply "made of inferior material".

Regarding heavy metals in MoF, I do not like them because of 2 reasons. One reason is that this is 3.5e campaign (MoF is 3.0e) and also world-specific rules are not allowed without DM's permission. The second reason is more important. If it needs another feat, no PCs will use the found item.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Pathfinder made it so mithral weapons count as silver for DR purposes. I like this, since mithral is currently useless for weapons and does look kind of silvery. Maybe think about adopting this.

From WotC, the environment books have a few mildly interesting materials. Riverine has reduced penalties for underwater fighting (stormwrack) and sandstorm has something that ignores DR for earth elementals. (ignoring /- DR is worth a backup weapon if you're that rich). Also, frystalline and solarian truesteel (BoED) are worthwhile, though not useful for DR penetration as written.

Also, maybe look at weapon templates (DMGII) and dwarvencraft weapons (RoS). These can be used in addition to special materials but are another way of making weapons interesting/unique.

Not to pry, but aren't starmetal items supposed to be *extremely* rare? This jumps out at me because I'm starting a campaign built around hunting for starmetal.

 

[Shin Okada]

Not to pry, but aren't starmetal items supposed to be *extremely* rare? This jumps out at me because I'm starting a campaign built around hunting for starmetal.

Right. But so as other materials. And so as higher-level magic items. The PCs of my current campaign are at level 18th and can travel easily from planes to planes and thus they can buy virtually anything sold in somewhere in the universe.

 

[Starbuck_II]

Shadowsilk works on Padded, leather, or Hide like Mithral. Same bonuses, etc. In Tome of Magic (in section of Shadowcasters).