If you make a suit of armor or weapon out of more than one special material, you get the benefit of only the most prevalent material.
If I make a weapon out of two materials, cold iron and some other more prevalent material, i would not be able to bypass cold iron DR, but would instead get the benefit of the more prevalent material. However, would I still get a trait bonus to attack rolls if I have the trait below?
Benefit(s) Select either cold iron or silver. You begin play with a masterwork melee weapon made of the material of your choice. You must be proficient with this weapon, and its combined cost cannot exceed 500 gp.
You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls with weapons made of the selected material.
I would rule that the weapon has to be dominantly made of the material you selected for the PC to gain the trait bonus - but it is clearly in the GM's call arena.
Thing is, the horacalcum weapon material does the same thing as the trait (+1 on attack rolls) so since the trait locks you into cold iron/silver, it isnt that useful aside from saving you gold in the early game. So is there any RAW reason to believe that a 49.9% cold iron weapon isn't "made of" cold iron? Or as worded does this work?
Why did the special material rules mention making items out of more than one material? This is the first time I have seen it be relevant.
EDIT: Now I see why you would rule that way. The trait counts as "the benefit."
Why did the special material rules mention making items out of more than one material? This is the first time I have seen it be relevant.
'My adamantine cold iron mithril greatsword ... '