While most use gold as a currency, spellcasters know of gold’s magical properties. When magically refined and treated, gold can be made as hard as steel. The following information refers to magically treated gold.
Armour made from treated gold grants acid and fire resistance 2. Gold armours are one category heavier than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations (for example, whether a barbarian can use his fast movement ability while wearing the armour or not). Light armours are treated as medium, and medium and heavy armours are treated as heavy. Spell failure chances for armour and shields made from gold are increased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is decreased by 2 (which may bring it below 0), and armour check penalties are increased by 3.
Gold weapons are considered heavy weapons. Heavy weapons are unwieldy but inflict additional damage. Without the proper Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat (for instance, heavy longsword), you suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls with a heavy weapon. Only weapons made entirely or largely of metal (such as swords or axes) are affected; other weapons (such as spears) are not.
A character can wield a heavy weapon one size category smaller than his own in two hands to avoid the attack penalty. For instance, a human swinging a light mace made of gold with both hands, or an ogre wielding a platinum longsword with two hands, does not suffer the attack penalty.
You can never use the Weapon Finesse feat with a weapon made of a heavy metal.
Weapons made of a heavy metal inflict increased damage, as shown in the following table:
| Old Damage (Each Die) | New Damage |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1d2 |
| 1d2 | 1d3 |
| 1d3 | 1d4 |
| 1d4 | 1d6 |
| 1d6 | 1d8 |
| 1d8 or 1d10 | 2d6 |
| 1d12 | 2d8 |
Magically treated gold weighs twice as much as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
| Type of Gold Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Armour | +5,000 gp |
| Weapon damage up to 1d3 | +1,500 gp |
| Weapon damage 1d4 or 1d6 | +2,500 gp |
| Weapon damage 1d8 or higher | +7,000 gp |
Source: Magic of Faerûn (Page 179)