A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes.
On a successful attack with a silvered weapon, the wielder takes a -1 penalty on the damage roll (with the usual minimum of 1 point of damage). The alchemical silvering process can’t be applied to non-metal items, and it doesn’t work on rare metals such as adamantine, cold iron and mithral.
Alchemical silver has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8.
| Type of Alchemical Silver Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Ammunition | +2 gp |
| Light weapon | +20 gp |
| One-handed weapon or one head of a double weapon | +90 gp |
| Two-handed weapon or both heads of a double weapon | +180 gp |
Source: Dungeon Master’s Guide (Page 284)