Unarmed weapons/ werewolf impersonator

[XionUnborn01]

I'm working on an NPC Goliath Barb/Monk that fights unarmed. Are there any good gauntlet type weapons that are like claws?

The idea behind him is that he's supposed to appear to be a werewolf/ other lycanthrope. Also, he's going to be grapple based so help there would be nice because i've never built a grappler. The party is overall low op but any suggestions are welcome.

I'm shooting for making him about level 8-9 ECL for the record.

[Urpriest]

If he's fighting unarmed he's not fighting with gauntlets. The two are mutually exclusive. Gauntlets don't inherit the monk's unarmed damage.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

I'm working on an NPC Goliath Barb/Monk that fights unarmed. Are there any good gauntlet type weapons that are like claws?

The idea behind him is that he's supposed to appear to be a werewolf/ other lycanthrope. Also, he's going to be grapple based so help there would be nice because i've never built a grappler. The party is overall low op but any suggestions are welcome.

I'm shooting for making him about level 8-9 ECL for the record.

Does it have to be a barbarian/monk? There's this little voice screaming Psychic warrior in my ear. :smallsmile:

[Rhaegar14]

Have you considered a Shifter Barbarian, or even a Weretouched Master?

[Darrin]

Are there any good gauntlet type weapons that are like claws?


Yes, if you mean "other than the spiked gauntlet in the PHB".

Nekode (FR Underdark): Leather straps wrapped around hands with metal claws on the palm. Counts as a monk weapon (still requires EWP, but can be flurried), and grants +1 circumstance bonus on climbing checks.


If he's fighting unarmed he's not fighting with gauntlets. The two are mutually exclusive. Gauntlets don't inherit the monk's unarmed damage.

Dragonfang Gauntlets (8610 GP, MIC) use your Improved Unarmed Strike damage. They don't count as monk weapons, but you can fix that with Unorthodox Flurry (Dragon Compendium). Refluff as Wolfclaw Guantlets and you should be good to go.

[Bloodgruve]

Have you taken a look at the Feral Template from Savage Species? This gives you actual claws but doesn't make you an actual werewolf...

GL
Blood~

[XionUnborn01]

If he's fighting unarmed he's not fighting with gauntlets. The two are mutually exclusive. Gauntlets don't inherit the monk's unarmed damage.
My apologies, The weapon doesn't need to use the monk's unarmed damage. And by unarmed i meant 'without 8ft long sword' :smalltongue: sorry.


Does it have to be a barbarian/monk? There's this little voice screaming Psychic warrior in my ear.

I have very little experience with psionics, so if it's possible i would prefer to keep the classes non-psionic. though if you can think of a better class combination i'd love to hear it.


Have you considered a Shifter Barbarian, or even a Weretouched Master?

I had thought of this, but i have the character's story being that he's trying to throw the trail off of himself by making it seem like some sort of lycanthrope attack, not because he actually is like one.


Dragonfang Gauntlets (8610 GP, MIC) use your Improved Unarmed Strike damage. They don't count as monk weapons, but you can fix that with Unorthodox Flurry (Dragon Compendium). Refluff as Wolfclaw Guantlets and you should be good to go.

thanks a lot for this, it might be just what i needed.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

I have very little experience with psionics, so if it's possible i would prefer to keep the classes non-psionic. though if you can think of a better class combination i'd love to hear it.


Well, if you are open to it, you might want to have a look at psionics. There are more optimized psionic builds out there, but to start off, the PSW does what you want, I think, and does so straight out of the box with all the info publicly available on the SRD.

It has a melee chassis with bonus feats, focused on wisdom (very were-whatever-ish), and has powers that do just what you want:
-Claws of the beast: creates claws you can eject and retract at will
-Bite of the wolf: gives you a bite

That's your were-theme.

-Grip of iron: Gives you an enhancement bonus on grapple checks as an immediate action
-Expansion: Enlarges you by one, and further on by two size categories. Good for grappling and for your claw and bite damage. Add this to goliath and you have a phenomenal grapple modifier.

On top of this, and the bonus feats, the PSW has access to a big load of combat-relevant powers. You can heal yourself, gain damage reduction, have minor teleportation, energy resistance...the hard part is to pick from the cherries. The only (big) drawback is that your power points (=casting power) are limited. You won't be able to pull off all the stunts all the time, but with some good planning and sensible power-point budgetting, you can create a were-beast that gives 'true' lycanthropes a run for their money.

[Arbitrarious]

You may also want to splash some totemist in there to give some claws and a bite attack. I would also recommend looking at warblade for some of the combat maneuvers. It would be pretty easy to flavor a setting sun throw of you grabbing someone with your bite attack and hurling them away like a supped-up wolf trip. If tob is out then psywar is an excellent option as well, find away to be buffed before hand. Claws has a good duration so shouldn't be an issue.

[gorfnab]

You don't need the Monk levels honestly. There is a Barbarian variant in Dragon #349 (City Brawler on page 92)that gets Unarmed Strike and Two Weapon Fighting in exchange for loosing some weapon/armor proficiencies. Combine this variant with the Whirling Frenzy (UA) and Lion Spirit Totem (CC) variants and you'll have something that can do a much better job at unarmed combat than Monk.

[XionUnborn01]

The reason that I'm including monk is, to be perfectly honest, to keep the power level of the NPC down. The party consist of a Gremlin (homebrew tiny goblin basically) rogue, a human druid planning to take VoP, an elven rogue TWF, and an evil version of paladin. The party as a whole isn't very powerful and I want to make an interesting enemy while making sure to not destroy the party.

Currently this is what I'm thinking;
Goliath Monk2/Barbarian 4/Fighter 2

Taking the Mountain Rage ACF for Barb and picking up some feats needed with Fighter...actually now that I look, two of the feats I need aren't fighter bonus feats. I may look at totemist/psywarrior to fill the couple fighter levels.

Also, I plan on taking Earth's Embrace and Scorpion's Grasp (Sandstorm). Are there any essential feats that don't break a grapple build?

[XionUnborn01]

I have one question on the totemist, or rather incarnum in general; If the soulmeld says it deals 1d6 damage with a claw attack, does that damage scale up if you're larger than medium? I've only seen one soulmeld reference that directly (the Gorgon Mask's trample ability).

[Arbitrarious]

Honestly, I don't know. I would say no as it makes no mention of smaller creatures doing less damage, which is something I assume they would mention with 2 small sized pc races in core. That also includes a halfling totemist sub levels.

***Edit
After looking through the soulmeld options I would defer to psywar backed with a heavily acf'd ranger. Drop weapon styles for wildshape, drop wildshape and animal for shapeshift. Drop spell casting for warblade manuvers. Power wise go for claws of the beast and bite of the wolf, but definately pick up linked power to throw up dr or something at the same time.

I'd go psywar 6/ranger 2

You get natural weapons, tracking, an actual wolf form (via shapeshift) and some combat manuvers though you'll need imp trip or martial study mighty throw for the most iconic.