Do Bracers of Striking require an enhancement bonus?

[SteelDraco]

While writing up a monk character, a question regarding the Bracers of Striking, from Magic of Faerun, occurs to me.

Magic of Faerun, p 155-156
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).

Now, what I was wondering is, do you have to have an enhancement bonus, or can you just give your unarmed attacks weapon abilities, without needing an enhancement bonus? Normally, magic weapons have to have at least a +1 enhancement bonus before you can start adding weapon abilities. Is that the case here?

I was intending to just do Sure Striking (+1 weapon ability, that lets you treat the weapon as +5 for bypassing DR), but I'm not sure if I would need to make them +1 Sure Striking.

Thoughts? I'm leaning toward thinking I should just treat it as a normal weapon, meaning it would have to be +1 Sure Striking, but I'd like opinions.

 

[kreynolds]

Now, what I was wondering is, do you have to have an enhancement bonus, or can you just give your unarmed attacks weapon abilities, without needing an enhancement bonus?

Doesn't look like you need the enhancement bonus.

 

[Taren Seeker]

Re: Re: Do Bracers of Striking require an enhancement bonus?

I disagree. The items require craft arms and armor, and the text says you treat it as a blunt weapon for weapon enhancements, not to treat it as a magical blunt weapon.

 

[kreynolds]

I say that because they are already magical, and that seems like the intent. Besides, if you need an enhancement bonus, the Amulet of Mighty Fists handles that rather well.

 

[drnuncheon]

"As if they were a blunt weapon".

A blunt weapon requires an enhancement bonus before one can put any special abilities on it.

Therefore, so do the bracers of striking.

J

 

[Victim]

Since it only says special weapon properties, I don't think you can add enchancement bonuses at all.

 

[CRGreathouse]

"As if they were a blunt weapon".

A blunt weapon requires an enhancement bonus before one can put any special abilities on it.

Therefore, so do the bracers of striking.

J

I concur. (Sorry, kreynolds!)

 

[RigaMortus]

The fact that it requires Craft Magic Arms and Armor is irrelevant.

It doesn't mention anything about needing enhancement bonuses. It doesn't even mention that you are able to give it an enhancement bonus.

The text does NOT "treat it as a blunt weapon for weapon enhancements".

It does say, "The bracers may be modified with special weapon abilities as if they were a blunt weapon". The "as if it were a blunt weapon" part is ONLY referring to the types of enhancements you can put on it. You can't but Bashing on it, because that is a Shield enhancement. You can't put Keen on them, because that is a Slashing/Piercing enhancement. You could put most other enhancements on it. Anything that you can put on a blunt weapon would qualify for this.

And since you have to enhance each Bracer (bracers *generaly* work in pairs, not alone), it cost double the price to do so.

 

[kreynolds]

(Sorry, kreynolds!)

It's cool. I know I'm right anyway.

 

[Taren Seeker]

The fact that it requires Craft Magic Arms and Armor is irrelevant.

It doesn't mention anything about needing enhancement bonuses. It doesn't even mention that you are able to give it an enhancement bonus.

The text does NOT "treat it as a blunt weapon for weapon enhancements".

It does say, "The bracers may be modified with special weapon abilities as if they were a blunt weapon". The "as if it were a blunt weapon" part is ONLY referring to the types of enhancements you can put on it. You can't but Bashing on it, because that is a Shield enhancement. You can't put Keen on them, because that is a Slashing/Piercing enhancement. You could put most other enhancements on it. Anything that you can put on a blunt weapon would qualify for this.

And since you have to enhance each Bracer (bracers *generaly* work in pairs, not alone), it cost double the price to do so.

It's not irrelevant that you use Craft Arms and Armor; you use all of the rules inherent in using the feat, namely that any weapon must be of +1 enhancement before adding special abilities.

Check out the creation details. Judging by what it says, I'd say that you can add enhancement bonuses to the bracers:

"Caster level: Three times the magical bonus...Market Price: 1310gp plus an additional amount determined by the total bonus of the bracers (it then refers to table 8-10 in the DMG)"

The total bonus part could refer to only that of the special powers, but it's definitely not exclusionary. I think you're stretching to say that you can't put enhancement bonuses on them. Again, when using the craft arms and armor feat, use all the rules involved in that.