Hungry Iron (3.5e Equipment)

Author: Eiji-kun (talk) Date Created: 2-13-20 Status: 光復香港，時代革命 Editing: Mechanical changes on Talk please.

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Hungry Iron

In spite of the name hungry iron is not actually iron (or at least not completely), but is rather a non-living but self propagating "fungus" that devours its surroundings (primarily carbon, oxygen, and iron) and converts it into more of itself, materials providing. This has the appearance of dark gray or black metallic coral, rough and patterned, and if left alone it will grow on its own into chaotic and organic shapes. Some have cultivated this growth and have molded and shaved them into shapes suitable for weapons and armor. The substance has a minor corrosive effect on the world, with a few materials safely containing it such as noble gases, copper, silver, gold, and lead.

It's dangerous to leave hungry iron sitting around carbon and iron reach materials, as it will eventually consume them and turn it into more of itself (treat it as dealing 1 acid damage that bypasses hardness every minute). Unfortunately for those who wish to make more hungry iron items, weapon and armor ready hungry iron is specially prepared. The resulting wild growth is largely useless for using as weaponized material. Fortunately for the world, the growth of hungry iron is usually limited as it needs a sufficient amount of carbon and iron to begin the process.

Any weapon can be made as a hungry iron weapon. When hungry iron strikes a corporeal opponent, it digests a small portion of them dealing an additional +1 point of acid damage. On a confirmed natural 20, it eats a larger chunk and the damage the weapon deals increases by one size category for 10 minutes (maximum one size larger) with +2 acid damage. This applies regardless if the opponent is immune to critical hits, but does not work on creatures not made of metal, stone, or organic materials (such as most elementals). If the weapon is damaged, it heals 1 hp from this absorption. If the weapon is broken, it can be placed in a medium rich in carbon or iron for 1 hour and have the weapon repair itself back to 1 hp, restoring any magical abilities.

Hungry iron shields gain benefits as weapons. In addition when their effective size category increases you gain +1 AC, and you may treat it as a shield one size larger (buckler to light to heavy to tower) when beneficial, such as being able to take cover behind a tower shield.

Any armor can be made as a hungry iron armor, but is hazardous. The user loses 1 hp every hour as the armor eats their body, but as a result the armor keeps itself in top shape, repairing from damage 1 hp every hour. More importantly the armor fortifies the body treating it as part of its body. After 1 hour of wearing the armor, the armor check penalty drops by 3, the maximum Dex rises by 1, and you have a 50% chance of automatically succeeding on a disease or poison saving throw as the hazard is devoured by the armor. Roll this before making the actual saving throw.

Hungry iron is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below. Thus, hungry iron weapons and ammunition have a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and armor and shields have their armor check penalty decreased by 1.

Hungry iron has 8 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8. It takes quarter damage from acid and electricity, half damage from cold and sonic and physical damage, and full damage from cold. It is counted as both metal and stone, and is still subject to rust. However like being broken, it can recover from being rusted by growing additional material.

Type of Hungry Iron Item	Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition	+40 gp
Light Armor	+1500 gp
Medium Armor	+5000 gp
Heavy Armor	+10,500 gp
Shields	+2500 gp
Weapons	+2000 gp

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