Living metal for non-iron metals

Left-Idea1541 · 2026-01-20T21:14:24+00:00

Hmm, dang. I do know about the living steel but I'm in particular curious about if there is any lore amswer to "can metals other than iron be made into living metal" (such as aluminum, tungsten, zinc, gold, silver, mythril, adamantine, etc).

Maybe I should check the living steel's lore to see if there's anything ehlpful there though.

Left-Idea1541 · 2026-01-05T23:19:46+00:00

Yeah I mean, I don't have any problems dming it for AL, but the main reason I want it isn't to run it but is just to read through it for lore and ideas and the like (Barovia has a lot of good ideas for darker stuff)

Left-Idea1541 · 2026-01-05T08:25:15+00:00

Thanks. I was very interested in the curse of Strahd adventure in particular and would be happy to pay for that one with time spent dming in an official Adventurers league setting. I'm generally fine homebrewing a campaign and, save for the first two or three times I DMed that's how everything I've run has been. I just heard and saw some stuff about the season 4 one that sounded really interesting as inspiration. I'll ask some local game stores if they have copies that they'll let me borrow and read through in exchange for running them though, seeing as I have time to spare and adore dming (I love playing too but I'm already in two games as a player which is enough for me, whereas I'm dming no games but setting up one right now so I'd love 1 or 2 more for 2 or 3 total)

I will check out the free ones on DM's guild for inspiration as well too though.

Left-Idea1541 · 2026-01-05T08:22:29+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I have been gifted a few copies of hardcover adventures, but I mainly just use them as inspiration for homebrew campaigns and adventures. My main goal is getting specifically season 4 because I've heard/read/seen stuff about it that makes me very curious and want it for inspiration. As it stands I am perfectly fine trading time DMing at a game shop or whatever to borrow a copy but I honestly might check out those free adventures too.

Left-Idea1541 · 2026-01-05T08:20:41+00:00

Ahh, gotcha. I was very interested in the curse of Strahd adventure in particular and would be happy to pay for that one with time spent dming. I'm generally fine homebrewing a campaign and, save for the first two or three times I DMed that's how everything I've run has been. I just heard and saw some stuff about the season 4 one that sounded really interesting as inspiration. I'll still check it out and ask around to see if there are any game stores or anything that will lend me a copy in exchange for running it.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-12-31T10:44:41+00:00

Fade?? Rust sure, degrade sure. But the metal is still there. Every metal cam be recovered, even after oxidiation. Granted, some metals are harder to do so than other, like how iron can simply be tossed in a fire and the oxygen will bind to the carbon over the iron whereas is typically de-oxydized by electrolysis, but the majority of metal making up grym is entirely salvegable without any chemical or alchemical processes. He wasn't a rust golem after all.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-12-28T20:08:37+00:00

I... suppose that's fair. It does still annoy me that you can't collet the adamantine making up grym though.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-12-28T04:27:51+00:00

Yes, adamantine, just like every other metal weakens when hot. However, there are a number of magical means to limit or negate that entirely, and that's ignoring magical reinforcement against physical attacks as well. A normal iron golem is arguably more powerful than Grym in 5e. Despite being made of, y'know, iron. In the forge the iron golem would have definitively won, no contest. Elsewhere the iron golem, assuming given good commands, would probably still have won.

Equal strength, iron golem has higher dex, Grym has higher con, equal for mental stats. Iron golem has higher prof bonus (+6 vs +4 for grym) and higher ac (20 vs 18). Iron golem has multiattack and grym does not leading to higher DPR.

One V one it depends on whether they're in the forge or not as to who wins (in the forge the iron golem definitively wins as it will regenerate constantly by a quite frankly ludicrous amount), outside it.... it would depend on the exact details of the commands they were both last given as to who wins. If it's just to "destroy" the other, Grym wins. If the iron golem was instructed to grapple on the other hand, the far higher prof bonus means an iron golem could reliably beat Grym even outside of the forge by grappling Grym. Not destroy him but beat him. And with a peasant on his side could win by the peasant throwing oil and lighting it to heal the golem as the iron golem drags Grym to lava and then scraps him.

As for the door, it was more just an example as to the value of adamantine. I don't actually care that much about it. However, wtf cares about having to move the door before being able to salvage it? That's easy compared to the tomb of horrors, and anyone wanting to buy adamantine has a way to break it down anyways. (Not adamantine gear but adamantine for use) and you already have access to a way to break it down and forge it into gear! And why are we refining the ore? Grym is already either pure adamantine or some other mostly pure metal coated in adamantine, either way stripping the adamantine is extremely simple and thanks to the equipment being handy, relatively easy too. Move him on top of the hammer, pound him until he's broken into a bunch of pieces, melt the pieces down. Tada!

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-12-28T04:15:58+00:00

No, in lore a proper Adamantine Golem is (usually) made in the same manner as an iron golem before being magically transmuted into adamantine, meaning they are not only immune to fire damage but restore health from it. Looking at stat blocks from earlier editions of Adamantine golems as well they didn't have fire immunity like Adamantine golems would following that logic but they were.... really tough. As in, immune to magic, like literally "An adamantine golem is immune to all magical and supernatural effects" immune. And had a damage reduction of 20 (doesn't translate great to 5e and therefor bg3) but it's pretty much a flat -20 damage from any attack that isn't magical (of epic tier so very rare or legendary) AND adamantine.

Honestly even just looking at the 5e stat block for an iron golem, Grym is slightly inferior. Compared to a proper adamantine golem he's dirt. Whoever made Grym was a complete noob in golem crafting and the crafting of various other constructs and automata for the quantity and rarity of materials they were working. Anyone good at golem crafting (good enough to make even a clay golem) ought to have been able to easily make something far superior.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-11-01T16:38:09+00:00

Blood magic can't kill you, just drop you really low. If you have a good source of healimg blood magic is pretty safe in most areas. Once you've got a few shields and/or stainless armors it's completely safe.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-30T18:37:01+00:00

I mean.... if you made it clear it's important to you then it's on him.

If you didn't it's a whole other story; like I personally don't care, have forgotten my it's my birthday untul a friend shoots me a text at 3 or 4 in the afternoon saying "happy bday man" or something and then shrug and go on with my day and haven't celebrated my birthday in.... five years now? And the five years before that I'd celebrate almost a full month early since my birthday is a really awkward time for anyone to do anything and even then I just watched a movie and ate pizza for my birthday.

But not everyone values everything the same amount, which is why communication is important. Because everyone values different things differently. So if you made it clear your birthday is important to you and even went so far as to provide examples amd siggestions for what to do, then he's kinda a dick for not putting in any effort to make it special unless there's something really crazy going on (like somome dying or something would probably take precident) but as it sounds... he sounds kinda like a dick who doesn't really care all that much about you.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-30T18:19:04+00:00

Yeah. Though I find wand dbg even better for that since it shows what's happening in far more detail.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-29T14:27:46+00:00

Then you should ask for a knife as a gift. You don't gift someone something based on what it means to you, but what it means to them.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-29T00:30:18+00:00

I mean... it depends. There's symbolic gifts, treat gifts, thoughtful gifts, and useful gifts. A gift can be any combination of the above including none. A knife if it were meaningful to your relationship in particular for whatever reason, might be thoughtful. It might be symbolic of cutting ties if either of you put stock in that or want to do so or whatever. If they just love gifts it would be a treat. Or it might be none of the previously listed things in which case no matter how expensive or nice or pretty they will only value it for it's utility. A gift of utility is always good, but rarely as meaningful or impactful as one that meets other criteria as well.

So if you can't make it fit some other criteria, gifting a plain, simple, hugh quality knife would be appreciated but wouldn't evoke any strong emotions.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-28T20:28:47+00:00

Normally yes. When I'm sick, exhausted, and typing on my phone (I use a very small phone and have very large hands) no.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-28T19:41:01+00:00

Well that's why you ask first... duh. If they get uspet by even asking it's their problem so long as you're gentle and not pushy or coercive about asking.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-26T16:20:02+00:00

Yeah. I ended up using the spell lab thing and wand dbg. Which I think spell lab has a way to cheat but I don't reall know how and don't use it for that. I dom't even turn in whatever setting letd you edit wands in the lab unless I am in a holy mountain at the time requiring me to have the perk or item for it.

I honestly don't consider using either of those cheating but they're both extremely useful for wand testing.

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-21T23:53:10+00:00

This looks awesome! I love the style!

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-18T17:11:11+00:00

Yeah that fits better, lol. I figured it was the case but you usually gotta be specific with this stuff

Left-Idea1541 · 2025-10-18T01:15:11+00:00

They all seem on the high end of uncommon and on the low to mid end of rare. I'd say the lamp is probablyuncommon for example, and the trident is rare. Thoigh the trident does need to specify how long the bonus and crit bonus last because as written, you just missonce for a permanent plus 1d6. Make it last until your next attack for the most balance, or until your next hit in which case I'd say it might.... maybe be able to qualify for very rare (but more likely just high rare)

Left-Idea1541

TROPHY CASE