Gauntlets and a monk's unarmed strikes

[IcyCool]

So, I was reading the description for gauntlets:

Gauntlet: This metal glove protects your hands and lets you deal lethal damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack.

And I got to thinking. Just how does a gauntlet interact with a monk's unarmed strike?

My understanding of how it would work (and feel free to correct me here) is as follows:

Assume a 1st level human fighter, who doesn't have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, is wearing +1 cold iron gauntlets. If he strikes with the gauntlets, he provokes an attack of opportunity, does 1d3+1 + Str mod damage, can do lethal damage, and overcomes DR/magic and DR/cold iron.

Assume a 1st level human fighter, who does have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, is wearing +1 cold iron gauntlets. If he strikes with the gauntlets, he doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity (because he is considered armed), does 1d3+1 + Str mod damage, can do lethal damage, and overcomes DR/magic and DR/cold iron.

Assume a 1st level human monk is wearing +1 cold iron gauntlets. If he strikes with the gauntlets, he doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity (because he is considered armed), does 1d6+1 + Str mod damage, can do lethal damage, and overcomes DR/magic and Dr/cold iron.

I'm not seeing anything in the Gauntlet description that denies that the above assumptions are true. Thoughts?

 

[Neverwill]

I read it that way as well. Although, the -4 for no proficiency with guantlets will most likely lead to a flurry of misses.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Assume a 1st level human monk is wearing +1 cold iron gauntlets. If he strikes with the gauntlets, he doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity (because he is considered armed), does 1d6+1 + Str mod damage, can do lethal damage, and overcomes DR/magic and Dr/cold iron.

I'm not seeing anything in the Gauntlet description that denies that the above assumptions are true. Thoughts?

If the monk is attacking with the gauntlets, why would he deal 1d6 base damage? The gauntlets deal 1d3+1. Also, explain how the monk could headbutt his opponent (e.g.) and yet still deal the +1 from the gauntlets or overcome DR/cold iron.

 

[IcyCool]

If the monk is attacking with the gauntlets, why would he deal 1d6 base damage? The gauntlets deal 1d3+1. Also, explain how the monk could headbutt his opponent (e.g.) and yet still deal the +1 from the gauntlets or overcome DR/cold iron.

Well,

A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack.

 

[Patlin]

The gauntlets are (a portion of) armor. A monk wearing them would lose many class benefits, and in order to enchant them as a weapon I think you would need to add armor spikes or something -- and armor spikes are not a special monk weapon, and do not benefit from the monks unarmed damage.

Basically, guantlets are not for monks.

 

[IcyCool]

The gauntlets are (a portion of) armor. A monk wearing them would lose many class benefits, and in order to enchant them as a weapon I think you would need to add armor spikes or something -- and armor spikes are not a special monk weapon, and do not benefit from the monks unarmed damage.

Basically, guantlets are not for monks.

Understandable. I am really just interested in getting this sorted out in my head before I propose a new feat chain in Living EnWorld. The last rules question I asked was directed here. So I figured I'd get a headstart and start here this time.

 

[IcyCool]

So the general consensus on this is that if you use gauntlets for your unarmed strike, you don't get to use your monk unarmed strike damage?

 

[Kristivas]

I once thought this as well, but my DM said gaunts were considered armor too...

So, I got to thinking.. how in the heck does a monk get his unarmed attacks enchanted? For instance....

Flaming
Holy
Thundering
...not to mention +1 through +5

Amulet of Mighty Fists? That's a crock. It's way way more expensive than a the equivalent weapon.

So, say I made a monk who was interested in.. say slaying demons. How could I get his unarmed strikes to bypass their DR? Holy would be good, if there were a way to do it.

Anyone else got any ideas?

 

[dcollins]

3rd Edition Main FAQ, p. 27:

Are gauntlets and spiked gauntlets considered weapons?
Could a monk wearing a pair of gauntlets attack and still
apply her unarmed attack bonus and unarmed damage?
Could the monk use her class abilities that require
successful unarmed strikes, such as her stun ability, while
wearing gauntlets? How much damage would a monk
wearing a pair of gauntlets deal? If the gauntlets had an
enhancement bonus (such as a +2 enhancement bonus) or a
special ability (such as flaming burst), would a monk
wearing these gauntlets gain any benefit? Can gauntlets
even have weapon enhancement bonuses or weapon special
abilities?

Both gauntlets and spiked gauntlets are weapons (that ’s why
they are both listed on Table 7–4 in the Player’s Handbook). A
pair of gauntlets or spiked gauntlets can be magically
enhanced, just as any other weapon can.

Although a nonmonk wearing a pair of gauntlets is still
considered unarmed (see the next two questions), a monk
wearing gauntlets is using a weapon. A monk cannot use any of
her special unarmed attack abilities (unarmed damage, stunning
attack, and so on) when using a weapon. A monk can use her
unarmed attack rate with a special monk weapon, but gauntlets
are not a special monk weapon. A monk wearing gauntlets does
not provoke attacks of opportunity when striking an armed foe
with gauntlets. The monk deals the same damage as any other
character of her size (1d3 points of damage for a Medium-size
character). The monk would get the benefits of any magical
properties the gauntlets might have.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So, I got to thinking.. how in the heck does a monk get his unarmed attacks enchanted?

AFAIK, there isn't a way to do it in any WOTC product...

But Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed (from Malhavoc) has a magical ritual feat called "Hands as Weapons" that allows bare flesh to recieve weapon enchantments. Some AU fans (myself included) also HR a feat like "Body as Armor" that does the same thing, but with armor enchantments, of course.