Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Deset Gled" data-source="post: 4781842" data-attributes="member: 7808">Well, I guess it depends on which "why" you're asking.Why do gauntlets require proficiency from a rules perspective?  Because gauntlets are listed in the <a href="http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/weapons.html" target="_blank">SRD - Equipment Weapons</a> section of the rules.  ALL weapons in this section fall under the category of simple, martial, or exotic, and gauntlets are specifically called out in a table as being simple weapons.  Further noted in this section, all characters must have the relevant proficiency, or take a proficiency penalty.  So basically, gauntlets require proficiency because the rules say they do.Why do the rules call out gauntlets as weapons?  That's an interesting design question that I don't have a great answer for.  Note that not all things that cause damage have to be called weapons.  Items like caltrops, alchemists fire, and thunderstones all fall into a category that would be called "weapons" in normal english usage, but are not classified as weapons in D+D terminology.  All of these items can be used by anyone without any proficiency issues.  It would certainly be possible to classify a gauntlet as an item instead of a weapon.  My best guess is that because an attack with a gauntlet is resolved in a normal attack sequence, it was included with the normal weapons - note that all other examples of weapon-like items use non-standard methods to determine hit and damage rolls.  Another possibility is that it was an accident, or that it was simply overlooked and not considered.Why - logically - should a gauntlet require more proficiency that a simple slap?  Well, I suggest that it's because a strike with a gauntlet is performed differently than a normal unarmed strike.  I would guess that you use your knuckles less (because of limited motion and potentially painful joints), and can rely more on back hand and palm strikes (since the metal makes them harder).  I honestly can't say I have enough experience fighting with gauntlets to know.</blockquote>

Verification