Hi guys, Ive a question. I am a GM and a Monk in my campaign has bought gloves with metal plate on the back fingers side. It gives 1d6 damage for 1 hand attack and 1d10 for two hands attack. So the question is: do this gloves count as a weapon and is Monk able to use unarmored attack wearing them?
You are the DM and there are several things YOU need to decide since the gloves are outside the scope of the rules.
"You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:"
1) The gloves are neither amor nor shields.
2) However, since the gloves provide a damage roll - they are considered a weapon so the monk is not unarmed.
3) "monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property." Do these gloves have the heavy or two handed property? Have you decided that they are considered simple weapons or are they martial weapons? Do they qualify as monk weapons? I am guessing they have the versatile property allowing a two handed attack with them?
If you rule that the gloves count as a monk weapon then the monk can take the Attack action with the gloves and will be able to make an unarmed strike as a bonus action. Keep in mind that an unarmed strike could be with the hands but could also be a kick, knee, elbow, head butt or any other type of unarmed strike that the monk wants to narrate. Having something in one or both hands does not prevent the monk from making an unarmed strike.
Important to note that, if you do rule the gloves as a monk weapon, there will quickly come a point where their Martial Arts die is bigger than the damage die of the gloves.
Important to note that, if you do rule the gloves as a monk weapon, there will quickly come a point where their Martial Arts die is bigger than the damage die of the gloves.
I wouldn’t say “quickly” level 17 doesn’t exactly come quickly for 1d10 dies
Mechanically the gloves are the same as a quarterstaff, there are exceptions but generally martial weapons are superior to simple weapons in someway (the martial versatile weapons do more damage) so making them simple (and therefore monk weapons) is not overpowering them but it is your choice as you created the item.
If I understand your description of this item (weapon) correctly, it is most likely a set of Cestus. I DM a campaign with a Open Hand Monk, and he uses the Cestus (which I also rule is a Monk Weapon). For the bonus action unarmed strike I require him to not use the Cestus, rather some other part of his body. I do this because, if I choose to enhance the Cestus, turning it into a magical weapons with some sort of magical properties (the simplest of which would be +1 to attack and damage rolls), only the attack/damage rolls that utilize the Cestus benefit from the magical properties of the Cestus. Thus making it much easier to restrict how OP he (already) is.
Food for thought, and - obviously - this is completely Homebrew.
Hi guys, Ive a question. I am a GM and a Monk in my campaign has bought gloves with metal plate on the back fingers side. It gives 1d6 damage for 1 hand attack and 1d10 for two hands attack. So the question is: do this gloves count as a weapon and is Monk able to use unarmored attack wearing them?
First question is: what source did he get that weapon from? If it's something you homebrewed, you decide. Otherwise, it's whatever the source specified, and if the source is homebrew, I'd probably just tell him that he can't have the gloves (if you decide they are valid monk weapons, reduce the two-handed damage to 1d8; that will cause them to be equal to a staff).
To avoid strange rules decisions (like the ever-popular two-weapon fighting with a shield), I make a clear distinction between weapons and armor.
A weapon is something you wield (pick up and use). It can be dropped. It can be easily given to someone else. It requires the use or one or more hands (you have to make a choice, use your hand for a weapon or a shield or a spell or something else). You can be disarmed of it.
Armour is something you wear. It takes time to put on and take off. It can't be easily dropped. You can't be disarmed of it. It leaves your hands free to hold things.
A weapon can be enchanted for attack and damage (for example, magic weapon).Generally, armour cannot be enchanted for attack and damage.
I wouldn't allow reinforced gloves to add attack or damage to unarmed attacks, after all how does pieces of metal on your gloves help a monk when they side kick or elbow strike a foe?
Essentially modern boxing gloves have descended from the Cestus, and anyone who has had the experience of hitting someone with their bare knuckles versus a boxing gloves (or even simple leather wraps around your hands) knows, you can do much more damage to your opponent with the gloves.
But as with everything that has been presented in the thread, its all homebrew, so you do you, and I will do me. :)
has had the experience of hitting someone with their bare knuckles versus a boxing gloves (or even simple leather wraps around your hands) knows, you can do much more damage to your opponent with the gloves.
........ would you like me to disagree, personally? Medically? Or professionally?
Essentially modern boxing gloves have descended from the Cestus, and anyone who has had the experience of hitting someone with their bare knuckles versus a boxing gloves (or even simple leather wraps around your hands) knows, you can do much more damage to your opponent with the gloves.
Boxing gloves reduce the damage at any given level of force, though they also allow you to use more force without hurting yourself, so depending on the details they might allow doing more damage overall. Cesti (and more modern fist loads, such as brass knuckles) do outright increase damage, though they're still pretty bad weapons (probably d3), which means a monk would get no measurable benefit from them, other than the fact that they can probably be magical.
has had the experience of hitting someone with their bare knuckles versus a boxing gloves (or even simple leather wraps around your hands) knows, you can do much more damage to your opponent with the gloves.
........ would you like me to disagree, personally? Medically? Or professionally?
None of those. This is a game, not a reality simulator.
has had the experience of hitting someone with their bare knuckles versus a boxing gloves (or even simple leather wraps around your hands) knows, you can do much more damage to your opponent with the gloves.
........ would you like me to disagree, personally? Medically? Or professionally?
They might be referring to the fact that the use of gloves allows someone to continue delivering blows, and deliver harder blows, longer than if they were ungloved, due to the protection afforded to the fists. Incidents of brain injury in boxing increased after the introduction of boxing gloves due the fact that your opponent could strike at your head harder, and for more blows, than bare knuckled
has had the experience of hitting someone with their bare knuckles versus a boxing gloves (or even simple leather wraps around your hands) knows, you can do much more damage to your opponent with the gloves.
........ would you like me to disagree, personally? Medically? Or professionally?
They might be referring to the fact that the use of gloves allows someone to continue delivering blows, and deliver harder blows, longer than if they were ungloved, due to the protection afforded to the fists. Incidents of brain injury in boxing increased after the introduction of boxing gloves due the fact that your opponent could strike at your head harder, and for more blows, than bare knuckled
The increased injuries received from a gloved opponent is what I am referring to.
Something not noted is if the gloves are magical or not. At level 6, Monk unarmed strikes are magical for the sake of overcoming resistance, which is not uncommon in enemies by that stage. If the gloves are not magical, their effectiveness will wear thin soon and be situational in many cases. My Monk used his staff, 2 handed, until we required magical blows, then used bare hands (d6 by then) Now he has a good staff but it still tops out at the d8, which my hands now do, so I only use the staff when trying for the killing blow, as it gains charges when I kill an enemy with it (homebrewed by our DM)
My Monk has needed and looked for very little in the way of gear to improve his offense, really. Boosting his AC was my focus, as I end up in the midst of foes many times and every point is that tiny bit better chance of a MISS lol.
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Hi guys, Ive a question. I am a GM and a Monk in my campaign has bought gloves with metal plate on the back fingers side. It gives 1d6 damage for 1 hand attack and 1d10 for two hands attack. So the question is: do this gloves count as a weapon and is Monk able to use unarmored attack wearing them?
You are the DM and there are several things YOU need to decide since the gloves are outside the scope of the rules.
"You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:"
1) The gloves are neither amor nor shields.
2) However, since the gloves provide a damage roll - they are considered a weapon so the monk is not unarmed.
3) "monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property." Do these gloves have the heavy or two handed property? Have you decided that they are considered simple weapons or are they martial weapons? Do they qualify as monk weapons? I am guessing they have the versatile property allowing a two handed attack with them?
If you rule that the gloves count as a monk weapon then the monk can take the Attack action with the gloves and will be able to make an unarmed strike as a bonus action. Keep in mind that an unarmed strike could be with the hands but could also be a kick, knee, elbow, head butt or any other type of unarmed strike that the monk wants to narrate. Having something in one or both hands does not prevent the monk from making an unarmed strike.
Important to note that, if you do rule the gloves as a monk weapon, there will quickly come a point where their Martial Arts die is bigger than the damage die of the gloves.
I wouldn’t say “quickly” level 17 doesn’t exactly come quickly for 1d10 dies
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Mechanically the gloves are the same as a quarterstaff, there are exceptions but generally martial weapons are superior to simple weapons in someway (the martial versatile weapons do more damage) so making them simple (and therefore monk weapons) is not overpowering them but it is your choice as you created the item.
Huge Thanks for your reply. Yes it is a two handed thing so I guess that it is a weapon but due to it simpleness they will be a simple weapon.
If I understand your description of this item (weapon) correctly, it is most likely a set of Cestus. I DM a campaign with a Open Hand Monk, and he uses the Cestus (which I also rule is a Monk Weapon). For the bonus action unarmed strike I require him to not use the Cestus, rather some other part of his body. I do this because, if I choose to enhance the Cestus, turning it into a magical weapons with some sort of magical properties (the simplest of which would be +1 to attack and damage rolls), only the attack/damage rolls that utilize the Cestus benefit from the magical properties of the Cestus. Thus making it much easier to restrict how OP he (already) is.
Food for thought, and - obviously - this is completely Homebrew.
First question is: what source did he get that weapon from? If it's something you homebrewed, you decide. Otherwise, it's whatever the source specified, and if the source is homebrew, I'd probably just tell him that he can't have the gloves (if you decide they are valid monk weapons, reduce the two-handed damage to 1d8; that will cause them to be equal to a staff).
To avoid strange rules decisions (like the ever-popular two-weapon fighting with a shield), I make a clear distinction between weapons and armor.
A weapon is something you wield (pick up and use). It can be dropped. It can be easily given to someone else. It requires the use or one or more hands (you have to make a choice, use your hand for a weapon or a shield or a spell or something else). You can be disarmed of it.
Armour is something you wear. It takes time to put on and take off. It can't be easily dropped. You can't be disarmed of it. It leaves your hands free to hold things.
A weapon can be enchanted for attack and damage (for example, magic weapon).Generally, armour cannot be enchanted for attack and damage.
I wouldn't allow reinforced gloves to add attack or damage to unarmed attacks, after all how does pieces of metal on your gloves help a monk when they side kick or elbow strike a foe?
Gloves with pieces of metal = cestus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestus
For a perhaps less reputable source: https://deadliestwarrior.fandom.com/wiki/Cestus
Essentially modern boxing gloves have descended from the Cestus, and anyone who has had the experience of hitting someone with their bare knuckles versus a boxing gloves (or even simple leather wraps around your hands) knows, you can do much more damage to your opponent with the gloves.
But as with everything that has been presented in the thread, its all homebrew, so you do you, and I will do me. :)
........ would you like me to disagree, personally? Medically? Or professionally?
Watch me on twitch
Boxing gloves reduce the damage at any given level of force, though they also allow you to use more force without hurting yourself, so depending on the details they might allow doing more damage overall. Cesti (and more modern fist loads, such as brass knuckles) do outright increase damage, though they're still pretty bad weapons (probably d3), which means a monk would get no measurable benefit from them, other than the fact that they can probably be magical.
None of those. This is a game, not a reality simulator.
They might be referring to the fact that the use of gloves allows someone to continue delivering blows, and deliver harder blows, longer than if they were ungloved, due to the protection afforded to the fists. Incidents of brain injury in boxing increased after the introduction of boxing gloves due the fact that your opponent could strike at your head harder, and for more blows, than bare knuckled
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The increased injuries received from a gloved opponent is what I am referring to.
each glove is it's own weapon, you are dual wielding, dual wielding weapons aren't versatile, they're light
not two handed, it's dual wielded, which means they should have the "light" property and not the "two handed" or "versatile" properties.
I think they are referring to the good old Captain Kirk two handed punch. The Spock version
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Something not noted is if the gloves are magical or not. At level 6, Monk unarmed strikes are magical for the sake of overcoming resistance, which is not uncommon in enemies by that stage. If the gloves are not magical, their effectiveness will wear thin soon and be situational in many cases. My Monk used his staff, 2 handed, until we required magical blows, then used bare hands (d6 by then) Now he has a good staff but it still tops out at the d8, which my hands now do, so I only use the staff when trying for the killing blow, as it gains charges when I kill an enemy with it (homebrewed by our DM)
My Monk has needed and looked for very little in the way of gear to improve his offense, really. Boosting his AC was my focus, as I end up in the midst of foes many times and every point is that tiny bit better chance of a MISS lol.
Talk to your Players. Talk to your DM. If more people used this advice, there would be 24.74% fewer threads on Tactics, Rules and DM discussions.