Perspectives on Unarmed Strike WSA application

[Jowgen]

There are several means by which an unarmed fighter can apply weapon special abilities to their Unarmed Strike, but they are not created equal.

In the case of the Kensai PrC's Signature weapon ability and the Amulet of Natural Attacks from Savage Species, the rules are quite well spelled out.

Then there are the Bracers of Striking from MoF and the Ward Cestus from A&E.


The wearer of bracers of striking is considered armed even when unarmed (as if he had the Improved Unarmed Strike feat). The bracers may be modified with special weapon abilities as if they were a blunt weapon (though they count as a double weapon, so double the cost of any ability).
This is a stout leather gauntlet with a well-forged metal weight sewn into it over the knuckles. A strike with a ward cestus is considered an unarmed attack. If you take a Total Defense action, you gain an additional +1 bonus to your Armor Class, representing blows you block with the back of your protected hand. Your opponent cannot disarm you of a ward cestus. The cost and weight are for a single ward cestus.

The Bracers of Striking are rather badly worded, in that they don't actually say that the WSAs you place on them apply to your unarmed strikes. Unless there is an update to these somewhere, as written it does not appear work.

The Ward Cestus isn't much better. It is an exotic weapon, a type of gauntlet, and attacks with it are considered to be unarmed attacks; but it doesn't call it an unarmed strike or specify WSAs applied to the ward cestus apply to your unarmed strike.

There might be other means of applying WSAs to unarmed strikes, but those are the ones I can think of.

So my question is, how does everyone think these should be read?

[daremetoidareyo]

I think most tables would allow enchantment of either the unarmed strike itself while wearing the weapon or the weapon itself to apply to unarmed strikes, particularly with the wording of the ward cestus.

The bracers don't have the interchangeability clause that the cestus does.

[Gruftzwerg]

There are several means by which an unarmed fighter can apply weapon special abilities to their Unarmed Strike, but they are not created equal.

In the case of the Kensai PrC's Signature weapon ability and the Amulet of Natural Attacks from Savage Species, the rules are quite well spelled out.

Then there are the Bracers of Striking from MoF and the Ward Cestus from A&E.



The Bracers of Striking are rather badly worded, in that they don't actually say that the WSAs you place on them apply to your unarmed strikes. Unless there is an update to these somewhere, as written it does not appear work.

The Ward Cestus isn't much better. It is an exotic weapon, a type of gauntlet, and attacks with it are considered to be unarmed attacks; but it doesn't call it an unarmed strike or specify WSAs applied to the ward cestus apply to your unarmed strike.

There might be other means of applying WSAs to unarmed strikes, but those are the ones I can think of.

So my question is, how does everyone think these should be read?

They work all out, as do (spiked-)gauntlets. The more important question is: Is it a good idea?

1. Everything that "is a weapon" denies flurry (if you should have it)

2. The different prices are an annoying factor for most of them. Why pay for each limb separate? When you have the "monks unarmed strike" your unarmed strikes may count as natural weapons for the purpose of spells & effects. Natural Weapons are enchanted per category and not per limb (e.g. claws or tentacles). Thus "Necklace/Amulet of Natural Attacks (unarmed strike)" is the most cost efficient way to have all body parts for unarmed strike enchanted.

3. On the other hand, if you want Rocket Punches, maybe you wanna have the Gauntlets^^

[ShurikVch]

How about the Dragonfang Gauntlets (Draconomicon)?
When worn by a character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, dragonfang gauntlets allow the wearer to overcome damage reduction with unarmed strikes as if she were wielding a magic weapon. In this case, the wielder deals her normal unarmed strike damage, rather than the damage for spiked gauntlets.