A question about mele bear traps


Rules Questions


So, I'm a monk who saw the price and decided I'mma become Arlong from One Piece, I read the so I put them on my hands and used them to punch someone and the DM informed me I couldn't add the bear trap damage to my punch damage, destroying the only reason to have bought and used them, so is he correct? Is the "atk +10 melee" (or the stated 2D6+3 I'd prefer) not an addition to melee as it seems? Or is he incorrect?
Source; http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/traps-hazards-and-special-terrains/tr aps/bear-traps-cr-1/


He's right. The trap is set in a location, the trigger is the square it is set in. The "atk+10 melee" is the attack for the trap (vs the creature in the squares AC), the 2d6+3 is the trap damage on a successful attack roll.
Also, functionally, you'd have to have an incredibly high strength to be able to utilize it as a weapon. A bear trap (in real life) is roughly 50lbs, by contrast, most 2 handed weapons are in the 10-15lb range.


if your GM says it is okay - then it's okay even if it is a little crazy.

Rule wise bear traps are not a weapon so you cannot use them directly as such {and NO flurry}. They can be used as "improvised weapons" but would probably only do 1d4 (1d6 at best) bludgeoning or bludgeoning/slashing. It would take a feat to be proficient with improvised weapons and there are a couple of feats in this area.
By RAW you cannot attack with a set trap. Traps attack at a set value which means they snap shut or trigger.
With GM approval, if you attacked with the bear traps 'set'(open and ready to snap) you would only do the improvised weapon damage and the trap wouldn't go off automatically. The target would get a save to avoid setting off the trap and on a fail would take the bear trap damage in addition to your improvised weapon damage. After the bear trap damage the trap is stuck on the target and you cannot use it as an improvised weapon.


Thank you Azothath, you have explained this in a way that makes sense, I'mma probably get rid of them now, but it's a better explanation than "this is it's damage and you can't add it to your punch" even though I had already asked him if I could use the bear traps with my punches

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