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I present, the humble spiked gauntlet. Now, from what I can tell, it doesn't take up a hand (that is, you can wield a battle axe in a hand with a spiked gauntlet, though obviously you couldn't attack with the gauntlet). It counts as an armed attack, and it can't be disarmed or dropped. So if you have your hands slot free, why not pay the 5 gold and equip one? It's a simple weapon. That way you can't drop it (stun, unconscious, command), you always threaten, and if you have it on as part of your armor, you don't need a move action to equip it. It seems like the perfect backup 'just in case' weapon. Am I missing something? I mean, I guess you are forced to take the damage if someone casts heat metal, but other than that. . .
Nothing in the game is "mandatory". There's nothing wrong with the spiked gauntlet, though I've never used one on any of my characters.
There are plenty of ways to never be unarmed. Sometimes characters focus in on a single weapon, to the exclusion of everything else. Some people don't care for the golf-bag-walking-armory style of character that carries umpteen weapons for every possible situation.
The long and short is: Use one if you like. Everyone else' methods may vary.
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Wizards look funny with one on. Its personal preference. You could also go with gauntlets. In fact, a lot of heavier armored characters have gauntlets which came with their armor and they don't even know it.
Wizards look funny with one on. Its personal preference. You could also go with gauntlets. In fact, a lot of heavier armored characters have gauntlets which came with their armor and they don't even know it.
True. I almost never play a character that gets them for free and when I do I forget about them.
I just haven't had a character that I could see wearing them. They just didn't seem to fit my vision of what the character looked like. IRL however, these were my motorcycling gauntlets for a number of years.
Hah! I had those same ones. My friends loved them.
There's also the Cestus.
Conductive is another great weapon ability for throwing touch-based powers into the mix without having to use a standard action. The "Fey Warrior" build I had up recently packed a conductive Cestus to apply Laughing Touch through punch'n'slice scythe-cestus Hurtful-combo charges or mostly-scythe full attacks.
I've always assumed that a spiked gauntlet wouldn't be a hand free for somatic components, if I'm right on that any shield wielding cleric etc. wouldn't want one.
I've always assumed that a spiked gauntlet wouldn't be a hand free for somatic components, if I'm right on that any shield wielding cleric etc. wouldn't want one.
Locked gauntlets aren't free, spiked and regular both are able to be used for somatic.
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I got a Mithral one for my Swashbuckler recently (half a pound of weight can make the difference sometimes!), but as mentioned earlier sometimes a spiked gauntlet just doesn't fit the theme of your character.
And, a Spiked Gauntlet really doesn't help a reach build, since you can't switch grip outside of your turn.
Spiked gauntlets are...spiky. Whilst it's not reflected in the rules, they'll catch on things like your sack of treasure, your wineskin or your horse. They're a pain when you want to scratch your nose or get a potion out of your backpack. So a GM would be well within his rights to cause difficulties of that nature.
And the cestus has better crit numbers.
I've played a sorcerer with a spiked gauntlet. It was done as having long finger blades instead of spiked knuckles or whatever.
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A few reasons:
- Because I am the GM and feel that the spiked gauntlets count as a piece of armor and they should give a spell failure chance for Arcane users, probably in line with the failure chance given by light shields.
- because my magus need a free hand, and a hand wearing a weapon isn't free.
- because my druid don't wear metal gauntlets.
- because I have a hard time seeing weapon that were used as last resort used as a main weapon.
now this beg the question.
If I punch the enemy (no unarmed strike feat) I draw an AoO
however... just by putting on a glove and performing the exact same motion somehow, that opening to be attacked just vanishes? where does it go? What could have possibly been done to change the whole dynamic of throwing a punch?
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now this beg the question.
If I punch the enemy (no unarmed strike feat) I draw an AoO
however... just by putting on a glove and performing the exact same motion somehow, that opening to be attacked just vanishes? where does it go? What could have possibly been done to change the whole dynamic of throwing a punch?
That's some dangerous free-thinkin' about the rules system, knock it off. Next you'll be asking why trying to stab some greatsword wielding brute with a tiny little knife doesn't provoke...
That's some dangerous free-thinkin' about the rules system, knock it off. Next you'll be asking why trying to stab some greatsword wielding brute with a tiny little knife doesn't provoke...now this beg the question.
If I punch the enemy (no unarmed strike feat) I draw an AoO
however... just by putting on a glove and performing the exact same motion somehow, that opening to be attacked just vanishes? where does it go? What could have possibly been done to change the whole dynamic of throwing a punch?
not to change the subject but maybe we best review this attacks of oppurtunity
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A few reasons:
- Because I am the GM and feel that the spiked gauntlets count as a piece of armor and they should give a spell failure chance for Arcane users, probably in line with the failure chance given by light shields.
- because my magus need a free hand, and a hand wearing a weapon isn't free.
- because my druid don't wear metal gauntlets.
- because I have a hard time seeing weapon that were used as last resort used as a main weapon.
Yikes. That is one distasteful houserule at the top.
Because you cant use any Hand slot magic item that have "Gloves" or "Gauntlets" in its name?
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Yikes. That is one distasteful houserule at the top.A few reasons:
- Because I am the GM and feel that the spiked gauntlets count as a piece of armor and they should give a spell failure chance for Arcane users, probably in line with the failure chance given by light shields.
- because my magus need a free hand, and a hand wearing a weapon isn't free.
- because my druid don't wear metal gauntlets.
- because I have a hard time seeing weapon that were used as last resort used as a main weapon.
Well, ASF occurs because you have trouble making the correct hand gestures for a spell, so it's perfectly reasonable and logical for a thing that affects your hand movement to cause ASF.
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Because how could heroes kiss women's arms? By taking off their gauntlet first to avoid prickling her arm? Oh please, don't be absurd sires! The sheer tackiness of the thing!
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Something to keep in mind that some posts neglect is that if you are 2 handing a reach weapon then your spiked gauntlet does not threaten as both hands are on the weapon. Yes, you could use a free action to take a hand off the weapon on your turn to threaten with it but you then won't threaten with your reach weapon.
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- Because I am the GM and feel that the spiked gauntlets count as a piece of armor and they should give a spell failure chance for Arcane users, probably in line with the failure chance given by light shields.Do you grant it an AC bonus like a light shield, too?
No, he has it give them a -1 to AC, and Reflex saves.
Many of my characters have worn them.
Some do one alchemical silver gauntlet (blunt damage) and the other cold iron spiked gauntlet.
Works great for an archer, can fire the bow and remove the hand from the bow as a free action in order to threaten an area. Unless they ready an action for when you are firing, you threaten an area.
By the standard rules, it works for spell casters. They can still do their gestures and once the spell is done casting they threaten an area. Doesn't work so well for spells with a full round casting time such as Enlarge Person.
I've seen it mentioned in a few different threads talking about what sort of equipment every character should have. The list also tends to include a sap, some means of dealing with swarms, and a few other handy items.
Many of my characters also carry an alchemical silver light mace. For 25 gp, you've got a simple weapon that most anyone can use. My casters tend to offer it to the melee person that failed to purchase a silver weapon. :)
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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None of my characters have ever used a spiked gauntlet.
For some, it's because they're not weapon-users. For instance, my 7STR, purple-dress-wearing sorceress never carries any weapons at all, so it breaks concept; on top of that, if she's ever in a position where a spiked gauntlet would be relevant, she's already a lost cause. :/
For all my characters that would wear a spiked gauntlet, I go for a cestus instead: choice of bludgeoning damage (yay silver!), better threat range, similarly cheap.
So in my mind, there's not much reason to use the spiked gauntlet. (Unless of course you don't have a book with a cestus, I suppose.)
As far as I am concerned, regardless of the rules loophole, my wizard should not be able to wear spiked gauntlets and be able to retrieve delicate items from a spell component pouch plus perform the necessary hand gestures.
As far as I am concerned, regardless of the rules loophole, my wizard should not be able to wear spiked gauntlets and be able to retrieve delicate items from a spell component pouch plus perform the necessary hand gestures.
I think this is the key point. It is hard to picture somebody doing precision actions of any sort while wearing spiked gauntlets, so people whose characters routinely do such things (such as rogues and spellcasters) typically avoid them even though there is no rules as written penalty to any actions for wearing them.
Why couldn't a Gauntlet, or Spiked Gauntlet, be fingerless?
They could be a lot of things (which is likely why there is no rule stating gauntlets are also armor), but regardless they will still limit delicate hand movements. So, (in my play-style) it doesn't add to the overall appeal for a character that needs to do delicate things (wizard, alchemist, sorcerer, etc.) - basically anyone not normally wearing armor (except monk-ish types).
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Why couldn't a Gauntlet, or Spiked Gauntlet, be fingerless?They could be a lot of things (which is likely why there is no rule stating gauntlets are also armor), but regardless they will still limit delicate hand movements. So, (in my play-style) it doesn't add to the overall appeal for a character that needs to do delicate things (wizard, alchemist, sorcerer, etc.) - basically anyone not normally wearing armor (except monk-ish types).
My problem here is that once I get into that mindset, I start wondering why I can't cast while wearing a breastplate. I eventually had to just resign myself to the fact that somatic components are performed not with the hands, but with the nipples.
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My problem here is that once I get into that mindset, I start wondering why I can't cast while wearing a breastplate. I eventually had to just resign myself to the fact that somatic components are performed not with the hands, but with the nipples.Why couldn't a Gauntlet, or Spiked Gauntlet, be fingerless?They could be a lot of things (which is likely why there is no rule stating gauntlets are also armor), but regardless they will still limit delicate hand movements. So, (in my play-style) it doesn't add to the overall appeal for a character that needs to do delicate things (wizard, alchemist, sorcerer, etc.) - basically anyone not normally wearing armor (except monk-ish types).
So, all of your casters, are Really Really Big Man?
Basically, at least from what I've seen around here... It comes down to 2 reasons:
1- The player doesn't like aesthetics/flavor of wearing gauntlets.
2- The GM doesn't like aesthetics/flavor or thinks it's overpowered for some odd reason and enforces a bunch of harsh house-rules to make sure gauntlets are not viable choice.
Personally, most of my characters have either a gauntlet or a cestus. Especially if they focus on archery or 2-ranged weapons. This way they can strike back if they are grappled. Casters often have the same weapons in order to threaten adjacent squares and/or add the Dueling enhancement to them.
Most of my characters wear a cestus all the time. My wizards generally do not, especially if they have a poor Strength score--that's a pound of carry weight I could use elsewhere. Besides, even if they get the attack, they aren't going to do much. They could provide flanking, but if my wizard is in a position to provide flanking, I've already screwed up big time.
Well, ASF occurs because you have trouble making the correct hand gestures for a spell, so it's perfectly reasonable and logical for a thing that affects your hand movement to cause ASF.Yikes. That is one distasteful houserule at the top.A few reasons:
- Because I am the GM and feel that the spiked gauntlets count as a piece of armor and they should give a spell failure chance for Arcane users, probably in line with the failure chance given by light shields.
- because my magus need a free hand, and a hand wearing a weapon isn't free.
- because my druid don't wear metal gauntlets.
- because I have a hard time seeing weapon that were used as last resort used as a main weapon.
Not really since he's comparing an item that weighs 1 pound vs 6. One strapped to your hand vs one form fitting.
You only need one hand free to perform somatic gestures so by that logic a shield alone shouldnt even cause ASF.
I.E since the shield logically only matters for the hand bearing it.