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Drow wear a fine mesh armor of exquisite workmanship. It is an alloy of steel containing adamantite [...]

 

The value of this alloy is that when it is exposed to the strange radiation in the Drow homeland (see MODULE D3, VAULT OF THE DROW) for a period of one month, its magical bonuses come to the fore.

Drow wear a fine mesh armor of exquisite workmanship. It is an alloy of steel containing adamantite [...]

The value of this alloy is that when it is exposed to the strange radiation in the Drow homeland (see MODULE D3, VAULT OF THE DROW) for a period of one month, its magical bonuses come to the fore.

• AD&D 1e: Adamantine is a metal which is virtually indestructable. It can be made into armor or items. The drow alloy it with steel.
• AD&D 2e: Technically, adamantine is the ore from which the metal adamant (also called adamantium) is made. This metal is alloyed with silver and electrum to make the alloy adamantine. However, the term "adamantite" is still widely used to refer to the metal itself.
• D&D 3e onward: Adamantine is a rare meteoric metal. It's not made by alloying with silver and electrum; that's just a myth. All previous references referring to the metal as "adamantite" are updated to the new nomenclature.

• AD&D 1e: Adamantine is a metal which is virtually indestructable. It can be made into armor or items. The drow alloy it with steel.
• AD&D 2e: Technically, adamantite is the ore from which the metal adamant (also called adamantium) is made. This metal is alloyed with silver and electrum to make the alloy adamantine. However, the term "adamantite" is still widely used to refer to the metal itself.
• D&D 3e onward: Adamantine is a rare meteoric metal. It's not made by alloying with silver and electrum; that's just a myth. All previous references referring to the metal as "adamantite" are updated to the new nomenclature.

Some AD&D 2e books referred to "adamantine". After Drow of the Underdark (1991), Book of Artifacts (1993) refers to the metal "adamantine" (credit to illustro for this reference).

Some AD&D 2e books referred to "adamantine". After Drow of the Underdark (1991), Book of Artifacts (1993) refers to the metal "adamantine" (credit to illustro for this reference). This is not used entirely consistently throughout AD&D. The AD&D 2e revised Dungeon Master Guide (1996) still used "adamantite" throughout.

Summary

• AD&D 1e: Adamantine is a metal which is virtually indestructable. It can be made into armor or items. The drow alloy it with steel.
• AD&D 2e: Technically, adamantine is the ore from which the metal adamant (also called adamantium) is made. This metal is alloyed with silver and electrum to make the alloy adamantine. However, the term "adamantite" is still widely used to refer to the metal itself.
• D&D 3e onward: Adamantine is a rare meteoric metal. It's not made by alloying with silver and electrum; that's just a myth. All previous references referring to the metal as "adamantite" are updated to the new nomenclature.