Can gauntlets be enchanted?

[Togath]

One thing i just thought of; is there any reason a character fighting unarmed can't just use enchanted gauntlets instead of an item of natural attacks?
After lookign through the weapon descriptions all it does is allow you to deal unarmed damage as lethal damage, and i can't find anything saying a monk, unarmed swordsage, or somone with superier unarmed strike doesn't deal increased damage while wearing them.
So why is an amulet of natural attacks always recomended instead?

[Hiro Protagonest]

Necklace of Natural Attacks.

Gauntlets aren't a monk weapon.

And it's traditionally not a martial artist weapon. Brawlers and pugilists might use them, but it never really leaps to my mind, and I think it's only common in specialized pit fights where the opponents fight with specific weapons.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A gauntlet is a weapon with separate stats from an unarmed strike. You can enchant gauntlets, but it will only affect your gauntlet weapon attacks, not your unarmed strike attacks.

[Hiro Protagonest]

A gauntlet is a weapon with separate stats from an unarmed strike. You can enchant gauntlets, but it will only affect your gauntlet weapon attacks, not your unarmed strike attacks.

Ehh, a gauntlet is an unarmed weapon, and is listed as such. While Flurry of Blows and such won't work, I would think the damage would increase. Especially since it only makes sense that Improved Unarmed Strike affects gauntlets.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Attacking with a gauntlet is considered an unarmed attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#standardActions) for purposes of combat mechanics. It's still a separate weapon from an unarmed strike.

[Marnath]

That's why you get spiked gauntlets instead.

[Togath]

ah, darn, I had been thinking of making a paladin or warblade unarmed fighter which is what made me look for ways to enchant unarmed attacks, do you think it would be too much of a refluff to use some sort of thick leather gloves, and still preform unarmed attacks?(not nesacerally enchanting them, just something that fluff-wise would fit with plate armour)
edit; do you mean they(spiked gauntlets) gain boosts from unarmed strike based feats?, if so i may still be able to have gauntlets of some form on my character

[Answerer]

A reasonable DM shouldn't have a problem letting you do something along these lines.

Of course, a Crusader or a Warblade could do just fine with a normal Spiked Gauntlet as his weapon.

[Hunter Noventa]

Last time I played an unarmed swordsage, my DM let me enchant a Ward Cestus from the old Arms and Equipment guide as my weapon, but still use my unarmed damage.

I really don't know why there isn't an enchantment or feat that lets a Monk deal their unarmed strike damage with a monk weapon. There's one that lets you use Ki attacks through it, but not your unarmed strike damage. it doesn't make any sense.

[Prime32]

I really don't know why there isn't an enchantment or feat that lets a Monk deal their unarmed strike damage with a monk weapon. There's one that lets you use Ki attacks through it, but not your unarmed strike damage. it doesn't make any sense.There is - the scorpion kama in MIC.

[Wookie-ranger]

If i were your DM i would allow spiked gauntlets to count as a weapon, armed attack and there for would be allowed to be enchanted as such.

For a normal gauntlet i would house rule that it also counts as an armed attack, Its a freaking glove made of solid metal! but It would do sub-dual damage (no real logic here, but i need to give it a disadvantage over spiked). To make it deal real damage i would impose a penalty as if you would try to deal subdual damage with a normal weapon (because you are trying to aim for the right spots to hit, or something)

no this is only my opinion, not bases on RAW.

[Marnath]

If i were your DM i would allow spiked gauntlets to count as a weapon, armed attack and there for would be allowed to be enchanted as such.



How generous of you to allow something the rules explicitly allow. :smalltongue:

[Wookie-ranger]

How generous of you to allow something the rules explicitly allow. :smalltongue:

I know, right! :smallbiggrin:

[Axier]

My thing is this:

Gauntlet
This metal glove lets you deal lethal damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack. The cost and weight given are for a single gauntlet. Medium and heavy armors (except breastplate) come with gauntlets.



Why exactly does this not work? Monk with Gauntlets is "otherwise considered unarmed", why would you not deal your increased unarmed damage?



A monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would

Also, superior unarmed strike gives you an increase to unarmed damage, why would it not apply to something that is "otherwise considered unarmed", especially when you consider that the gauntlet is statted for the standard for size unarmed attack damage. There is no reason I can see for these not working like this.


When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special monk weapons (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham).

So, if you have a gauntlet, and you are "otherwise considered unarmed", I suggest that this works, and you can definately enchant a gauntlet. It is a weapon.

Not that you are technically proficent with the gauntlet, you will NEED to take simple weapon proficency, but the gauntlet clearly counts as an unarmed strike, therefore should work with all Monk class features.

[Hunter Noventa]

There is - the scorpion kama in MIC.

Isn't that a specific magic item though? I guess you could convert the cost to other weapons easily enough. It just seems like a big hole.

I guess they thought it would somehow make the Monk 'too good'. Riiiight.

[HunterOfJello]

Note: This is all my opinion on the matter and based on DM rulings. It is not RAW whatsoever (except in NWN).

If someone insists on being a monk or "unarmed" combatant, I allow gauntlets or gloves to be enchanted the way that weapon are as long as they don't have other magical properties (like arcane spellcasting ****). The two times I've done this the players at first didn't like the idea and said they'd avoid any items like that. Later in the sessions, however, they each ended up finding nice gloves/gauntlets/wristbands/knuckle weapons that improved their damage by both adding some elemental damage and by boosting some other ability slightly. They didn't resist putting the things on right away I think one of them gave +2 to strengths and +1d6 cold damage.

This is all DM fiat, but it's the method that was used in the Neverwinter Nights games, and I think it's a good way to give monks a nice bump up to at least be on par with the other martial classes weapon wise. A class that fights in melee and uses a weapon that isn't really upgradable by items is just a tragedy. The necklace and belt that monk's always end up using are already heavily overpriced, don't even boost them up to par, and take up slots that the character could use for other things.

I know that people play monks to fight like Bruce Lee, but most of them really wish deep down that they were Captain Falcon.

[Togath]

Also, do you think that it would reduce the power of a warblade too much to take full levels in bloodstorm blade, and(if my dm allows me to use pathfinder material) enough levels in white haired witch to get the ability to attack with my mustache, in order to attack with ranged punches and (possibly) ranged mustache attacks?

[Thurbane]

Another option is the Ward Cestus from Arms & Equipment guide. It was never updated to 3.5, meaning it is still rules legal (cue a certain someone popping in with a quote that means you have to run this by your DM).

Due to the wording in it's description, it's generally accepted that anything you enchant it with also applies to your unarmed attacks, including flurries. Costs you an Exotic Weapon Proficiency, though.

Beaten to the punch, if you'll pardon the pun!