**Adamantine** is a rare metal appearing in Dungeons & Dragons. It is famed for its hardness and often used to produce weapons and armor. Adamantine in various pure, alloyed or raw forms have historically been referred to by different names, including **adamantite**, **adamant** and **adamantium** (see [Nomenclature](https://dungeonsdragons.fandom.com/wiki/Adamantine#Nomenclature "Adamantine"), below). ## Characteristics --- Adamantine is an extremely hard, black metal. In its finished form, adamantine metal reflects a clear green sheen under candlelight, and purple-white under magical light. Adamantine weighs as much as steel. It is ferromagnetic like steel, and vulnerable to a rust monster's grasp. Unprocessed adamantine, termed **adamant** by some sages, is hard but brittle, and unsuitable for use as a weapon. It has a glossy black appearance, and has the unique property that reflections seen in it glow with rainbow edges. Once it has been cooled, adamantine cannot be deformed or bent by mundane means. Weapons made from adamantine do not dull or chip with use. ## Mining and refinement --- The only known sources of adamantine are meteorites which have impacted the earth, and rare mineral veins in areas saturated with magic. The mineral ore of the metal is sometimes termed **adamantite**, although this name was also historically used to refer to the refined metal. The term "adamantine ore" is now more commonly used to avoid confusion. Pure raw adamant can occasionally be found in spheres trapped within solidified lava flows, where it must be processed to produce adamantine metal. A [[Human]] legend states that in its pure form, raw adamantine is so hard that no being other than the Greek god Hephaestus can work the metal. Despite this, it is often worked by the talented smiths of subterranean races, most notably the expert [[Dwarf|dwarves]] and the skillful [[Drow]]. Very high temperatures are required to work the metal. A once popular myth claims that adamantine is produced by alloying steel and [[Mithral]], or even [[Silver]] and electrum with adamantine ore. This is dismissed as a folk tale by experts, including the dwarves who closely guard the secrets of working the difficult metal. ## Uses --- A major use of adamantine is in the construction of weapons and armor. Due to its high price and the difficulty of working the metal, adamantine equipment is almost always worked by a master craftsman. Weapons made from adamantine are exceptionally hard and durable, and are able to smash solid objects with ease. The best adamantine arms and armor are as potent as magic weapons. Adamantine weapons are able to overcome certain creatures' resistance or immunity to normal steel weapons. Adamantine armor is supremely resistant against damage, and virtually unbreakable. The dwarves of many worlds craft exceptional suits of full plate armour from adamantine. The drow possess advanced metallurgy and are able to draw an adamantine alloy into thin, flexible strands, which are woven into a mesh to produce armor. Many notable magic items are made from adamantine, including Daern's instant fortress, the saw of mighty cutting, the talisman of the sphere the mace of smiting, the mattock of the titans, and the Hammer of the Dwarffather. Several constructs have been built completely or partially from adamantine. These include the huge adamantine golem; the singular adamantine horror, leader of the clockwork horrors; and the drow-built adamantine spider. Adamantine is sometimes used in the construction of building doors when extreme security is desired. In the world of Eberron, a House Cannith foundry beneath the city of Sharn was constructed from adamantine-plated thick steel. The infamous Tomb of Horrors was also built to contain an impassable door of solid adamantine, until adventurers simply tore the valuable metal from its hinges. Other forms of adamantine, such as the brittle raw adamant metal or its ore, have few practical uses except in dwarven materials research, experimental magic items, expensive engravers' tools, and pieces of jewelry. ## Nomenclature --- Various names have been given to adamantine metal, its ores, its alloys, and its pure form. These have been used somewhat inconsistently, and the term "adamantine" is now preferred for all uses. - **Adamantine**: A durable black metal used to craft weapons and armor. While it is sometimes stated to be an alloy of steel or other metals, the exact metallurgy involved in producing this material from its ore is a closely-guarded secret. The ore itself is often called "adamantine ore". - **Adamantite**: Often used synonymously with adamantine, "adamantite" is more precisely defined by sages as the naturally-occurring ore from which adamantine is refined. - **Adamant**: An extremely hard but brittle metal refined from adamantite ore. Often stated to be the pure form of the metal, which must be worked to produce adamantine. It is surprisingly light. - **Adamantium**: A rarely-used synonym for adamant.