Sorry guys, I'm being lame and not reading this whole thread. Here's my response to the monk/guantlet question (Bold comments are from the Sage.):
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From: * Spider *
Posted At: Thursday, December 13, 2001 12:25 PM
Conversation: Monks and Gauntlets: Armed or not?
Subject: Monks and Gauntlets: Armed or not?
Hi Sage. Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to answer the
questions people send to you. I'm impressed that WoTC is willing to provide
this service.
I'm not sure if this goes to Skip Williams or not. I'll pretend like it
doesn't, just in case.
Skip said that unarmed characters don't threaten the spaces around them.
He also said that a monk wearing gauntlets is considered armed, and cannot
use his "unarmed base attack bonus".
<Previous Question>
Since the PH generally treats hands as just another type of weapon, can
hands be affected by spells such as 'bless weapon'? If not, could a
character get around this by wearing gauntlets?
Skip: "Hands are a natural weapon, so you'd need magic fang, not bless
weapon. A monk wearing gauntlets would be 'armed' and would have to use his
base attack, not his unarmed strike, but could get the benefits of bless
weapon."
</Previous Question>
Does a monk wearing gauntlets do the damage listed for a gauntlet (1d3 for a
medium sized creature)?
Or does he do the damage listed as his "unarmed damage"?
1d3 (assuming medium size).
Can a monk wearing gauntlets use special attacks that depend on him being
unarmed? For example, could a gauntletted monk make a Flurry of Blows?
No.
Can a monk wearing gauntlets use special abilities that depend on him having
a "free hand"? For example, could a gauntletted monk Deflect Arrows (as
he's "holding nothing")?
Yes (so can anyone else).
Can someone with the appropriate feats enchant gauntlets as though they were
weapons? For example, could a wizard make +1 Flaming Burst Gauntlets? If
so, would each one count as a separate weapon (for purposes of cost, etc.)?
Yes (gauntlets are weapons).
Is a "normal" non-monk character who's wearing gauntlets (but holding no
other weapons) considered to be armed?
No.
If so, do they now threaten the area
around them?
No.
A gauntlet is a weapon with a special ability, it allows characters wearing them to make unarmed attacks and deal normal damage. The character is still unarmed, doesn't threaten an area, and provoke attacks of opportunity when attacking armed opponents.
Monks deal unarmed damage, and attack at their unarmed rates, when attacking without a weapon (gauntlets are a weapon, and monks should avoid them).
It seems to be a question of whether gauntlets are acutal "weapons" or not.
And subsequently, whether a character wearing them is "armed" or not.
Sean Reynolds suggested that gauntlets would be taken out of the weapon
list, and given a special mention in the armor section.
Don't count on it.
Note that monks have to confront a had choice: Use a weapon and possible get an enhancement bonus an special weapon qualities or use their nifty unarmed attack abilities. Something as simple as a pair of gauntlets shouldn't solve that problem for the monk.
Skip Williams
RPG &D
