Given a gauntlet; how do attacks work?

[Grenage]

Hi there,

I've been given a +1 adamantine gauntlet by our GM - it can't be removed, and it gives a +2 STR bonus. It works as an unarmed attack, this much I know. I normally just use a longsword with two hands.

I'm unsure on how two-weapon fighting works when you don't have a feat; do I get to make a one-handed longsword attack and an unarmed gauntlet attack, but both with penalties?

Can I forego the gauntlet attack and use my longsword with two hands?

Any help clearing this up would be great.

[Guru-Meditation]

You dont have to use it. You can simply enjoy the +2 STR and use your Longsword normally.

TWFing without the feats is utter trash!

Unarmed Attack without Improved Unarmed Strike provokes an AOO. Dont do it, out of very special circumstances, like when in the gut of a T-Rex that swallowed you.

[Claxon]

You can forgo the extra attack, and in fact if you don't possess the TWF fighting feat you should.

The gauntlet is a light weapon, but you don't have the feat so you would take a -4 penalty on both attacks. It also means you would deal only strength damage instead of 1.5 strength while two-handing. Overall, this means you are likely to deal much less damage to the enemy if you try t TWF.

You should just ignore the gauntlet (except for the strength bonus).

[Grenage]

I thought that might be the case; it's still a pretty huge bonus, and great for RP!

Thanks for clearing it up. :)

[Fernn]

Grenage wrote:

I thought that might be the case; it's still a pretty huge bonus, and great for RP!

Thanks for clearing it up. :)

It should be noted that most heavy and medium armors come with gauntlets already.

So you can use your gauntlet with your longsword no problem.

There is the matter of which hand you are holding the longsword and which hand you have the gauntlet.

I believe having a weapon such as a longsword on your off hand would give you some sort of greater penalty than having it on your main hand.

i am not sure though.

[Kazaan]

Additionally, keep in mind that it's only TWF if you're getting extra attacks. If your BAB is +6, and you do Longsword +6/Gauntlet +6/Longsword +1, that's TWF, but Longsword +6/Gauntlet +1 is not because you're only doing your attacks normally allowed, even though it's split between two weapons. So the gauntlet might come in handy against an enemy with DR/Blud. Lastly, remember that Gauntlets are their own weapon with an added benefit towards Unarmed Strikes (totally different weapon). In effect, you can use a gauntlet in two ways; 1) make an Unarmed Strike with any benefits and penalties normally affecting it (eg. Weapon Focus(Unarmed Strike), Magic Fang, provoking, etc.), with the sole exception that it does lethal rather than nonlethal damage, and 2) make an attack with the Gauntlet weapon with any benefits/penalties that normally apply to attacking with this manufactured weapon (eg. Weapon Focus (Gauntlet), Magic Weapon, etc.).

[Grenage]

Hi there,

I'm only a level 4 bard (Arcane Duelist), so I don't qualify for a second attack or anything (or is that only fighters?). So I've only really got the option of one attack with the longsword or the gauntlet, if I'm not TWF - is that correct?

[BlackJack Weasel]

Grenage wrote:

Hi there,

I'm only a level 4 bard (Arcane Duelist), so I don't qualify for a second attack or anything (or is that only fighters?). So I've only really got the option of one attack with the longsword or the gauntlet, if I'm not TWF - is that correct?

thats right. until your BAB gets to 6/1 you only get one attack if you're not two weapon fighting. but like others have said, two weapon fighting without the twf feat really isn't worth doing.

[Grenage]

Perfect, thank you!

[Renata Maclean]

It's adamantine, so you could use it to punch a hole in a wall, for instance, but using it in combat without the proper feats is probably a bad idea

[Grenage]

yes, I think the STR bonus and the RP flair will do nicely enough. :)

[Squirrel_Dude]

The gauntlet won't be useful for two-weapon fighting, as others have said. It's a hell of a golf-bag weapon, though. A +1 adamantium gauntlet will bypass both DR/magic and DR/adamanitum, will bypass the hardness of almost any object in the game, and you can always have it equipped because it's just part of your armor.

That's a really good item that your GM gave you before you take into account the slotless strength bonus.

[Wheldrake]

This gauntlet gives you good synergy, since the adamantine bypasses hardness. Admitedly, only a few creatures use hardness (constructs, robots & the like), but when you meet one, you'll be ready!

It's going to be a curse on some battlefields, though, like the bedroom. <g>

[Grenage]

Aye, it's probably hard to paint a bedroom with a gauntlet. ;)