Powerful sources of life energy, such as druid circles or sites holy to Chauntea, sometimes leach energy into the soil, which changes the properties of the natural deposits of iron buried nearby. This living metal usually has a light grey-green colour and has properties of natural repair and reshaping. It is favoured in the construction of rings of regeneration.
Over time, armour made of living metal naturally shapes itself to fit its wearer. After one tenday of regular wearing, increase the maximum Dexterity bonus by 1, reduce the armour check penalty by 1, and reduce the arcane spell failure chance by 5% for living metal armour. Armour not primarily of metal is not meaningfully affected. (A suit of chainmail is affected, while a suit of studded leather is not.)
In addition, an item made of living metal naturally repairs damage to itself, healing 1 hit point per minute. It cannot repair itself if brought to 0 hit points or destroyed (such as through disintegration).
Living metal weighs the same as steel, has hardness 12, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
| Type of Living Metal Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light Armour | +700 gp |
| Medium Armour | +2,000 gp |
| Heavy Armour | +4,500 gp |
| Other Items | +100 gp/lb. |
Source: Magic of Faerûn (Page 179)