Unarmed Strike (from Brawler or Monk) and spiked gauntlet....?

[nighttree]

How would I determine the damage of an unarmed strike while wearing spiked gauntlets ?

[Lincoln Hills]

See CRB p. 58: 'A monk also deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than a normal person would.' (emphasis mine).

See also CRB p. 146: 'An attack with a spiked gauntlet is considered an armed attack.' You can't wield a spiked gauntlet and still roll the higher damage dice the monk would receive bare-handed.

And while my ACG is the errata-riddled first printing, I'll quote it on p. 23: 'A brawler also deals more damage with her unarmed strike than others.' (Again, emphasis mine.)

If you have, say, a +2 spiked gauntlet, you have to choose whether you want to 'wield' the gauntlet (gaining the benefits of a +2 weapon, but using the spiked gauntlet's poor base damage) or your unarmed strike (no magical benefits, but gaining your better unarmed strike damage.)

Note that due to differences between the class abilities Brawler's Flurry and Flurry of Blows, a brawler can use the spiked gauntlet while making a brawler's flurry, while a monk cannot.

[logan grayble]

Attacks with Gauntlets, spiked or not, are seperate from Unarmed Strike. Just because you have something on your fists doesn't mean it's an unarmed strike. Unarmed Strike is a blanket term for attacking without a manufactured or other natural weapon.

[nighttree]

So they spiked gauntlets provide no bonus to unarmed strike damage ?

[logan grayble]

nighttree wrote:

So they spiked gauntlets provide no bonus to unarmed strike damage ?

Sorry, but no. They would only increase the damage you do with the gauntlets from 1d3 to 1d4

Edit: BUT, if you're a Brawler, and you're not using an archetype that gets rid of it, the Spiked Gaunlets would get increased damage from Close Weapon Mastery

[Kazaan]

It all boils down to this; unarmed attack =/= unarmed strike. So, if you make an unarmed strike and are wearing spiked gauntlets, the spiked gauntlets will allow your unarmed strike to deal lethal piercing damage, but offers no other change; enhancement bonus on the gauntlet doesn't carry over and it doesn't change the fact that unarmed strikes provoke AoO. If you attack with the gauntlet itself as its own weapon, it will deal lethal piercing damage and enhancement bonus on the gauntlet will work, but effects that apply to Unarmed Strikes will not apply.

To illustrate:
Unarmed Strike alone provokes AoO and deals non-lethal bludgeoning damage and benefits from AoMF, Monk damage, Weapon Focus(Unarmed Strike), etc.
Unarmed Strike while wearing Gauntlet may deal lethal bludgeoning damage, but is still an Unarmed Strike, still provokes AoO, still benefits from AoMF, Monk damage, Weapon Focus(Unarmed Strike), etc.
Unarmed Strike while wearing Spiked Gauntlet may deal lethal piercing damage, but is still an Unarmed Strike, still provokes AoO, the rest as above.
Attacking with a Gauntlet deals lethal bludgeoning damage, is not an Unarmed Strike, does not provoke AoO, does not benefit from AoMF, Monk damage, etc; but it does benefit from enhancement bonus on the gauntlet, Weapon Focus(Gauntlet), etc.
Likewise attacking with a Spiked Gauntlet, but lethal piercing damage plus all the rest.

[Blackvial]

I always found the fact that monks can't use gauntlets/spiked gauntlets to augment their unarmed damaged a rather dumb carry over from 3.5

[Gisher]

Blackvial wrote:

I always found the fact that monks can't use gauntlets/spiked gauntlets to augment their unarmed damaged a rather dumb carry over from 3.5

The Ascetic Style feats (from Weapon Master's Handbook) may offer an alternative. They wouldn't work with gauntlets or spiked gauntlets, but brass knuckles are in the Monk weapon group.

[James Risner]

nighttree wrote:

So they spiked gauntlets provide no bonus to unarmed strike damage ?

Correct.

Attack with the Spiked Gauntlet for Spiked Gauntlet damage (medium 1d3)

Or

Attack with your unarmed strike.

Kazaan wrote:

It all boils down to this; unarmed attack =/= unarmed strike. So, if you make an unarmed strike and are wearing spiked gauntlets, the spiked gauntlets will allow your unarmed strike to deal lethal piercing damage, but offers no other change; enhancement bonus on the gauntlet doesn't carry over and it doesn't change the fact that unarmed strikes provoke AoO. If you attack with the gauntlet itself as its own weapon, it will deal lethal piercing damage and enhancement bonus on the gauntlet will work, but effects that apply to Unarmed Strikes will not apply.

+1

[Kevin Coffey 278]

Sorry to jump into a conversation two years later, but unarmed strikes from a brawler absolutely DO NOT provoke attacks of opportunity.

Says it right in the rules: "You are considered to be armed even when unarmed—you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes while unarmed."

[Kevin Coffey 278]

Also, "An attack with a spiked gauntlet is considered an armed attack."

Armed attacks do not provoke attacks of opportunity.

[Chess Pwn]

Wow, bringing up a 2 year conversation to say stuff that no one was disagreeing with. Impressive.