Glorious Gauntlets
Greetings, and welcome to this week's celebration of gauntlets! Or, at least, that’s what this particular article is about. Gauntlets are somewhat overlooked fairly often, and I think that’s downright sad. They are an important facet of any warrior’s attire and should be treated as such. Besides, stylish leather gloves are not nearly as impressive as a heavy steel gauntlet, especially when slapped across the face of a rival as challenge. Below you will find, for your use and entertainment, a selection of gauntlets to outfit your heroic adventurer. It is my hope that you will be able to start such duels with these fancy gauntlets.
Gauntlets of Brawling
These oversized steel gauntlets have rounded, blunt edges that are emblazoned with a fist on the back of each hand. They always come in pairs and both must be worn in order for them to function. As long as they are worn, the wearer is treated as though he had the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. Further, if the wearer already has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, then he deals an additional 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage with each unarmed strike for as long as the gauntlets of brawling are worn, instead.
Gauntlets of the Claw
These gauntlets are set with many barbs, as well as 1-inch-long, vicious-looking claws that protrude from each finger. The ends of the claws are hooked, allowing them to catch and dig into flesh and clothing to better rip and tear.
The wearer of a set of gauntlets of the claw gains a number of benefits. First, the wearer gains a climb speed of 15 feet. Further, he can make combat maneuvers with the gauntlets of the claw as though he possessed the Improved Disarm feat. Finally, the wearer gains two primary claw natural attacks, which deal 1d6 points of slashing damage (if the wearer is Medium-sized.
Gauntlets of the Far Fist
The wearer of a gauntlet of the far fist can swing his fist in an arc to strike an opponent from a distance. Three times per day, as a standard action, the wearer can make a special attack against an opponent within 30 feet with a fist of force. The attack uses the wearer’s highest base attack bonus and his Strength modifier, and deals 1d8 points of force damage plus the wearer’s Strength modifier. This gauntlet is particularly useful for those trained in hand-to-hand combat. If the wearer has the Stunning Fist feat, he may use it in conjunction with this ability (he must still expend daily uses of stunning fist in order to do so).
Gauntlets of the Green
These gauntlets seem to be made of ironwood, and they creak when their joints are moved, sounding like a mighty tree in the wind. The wearer of a gauntlet of the green can use the spell command plants as a spell-like ability once per week. He can only command the plants so long as he continues to wear the gauntlet of the green. The wearer may also use any combination of the following spells as spell-like abilities a total of three times per day: diminish growth, plant growth, and wall of thorns.
Gauntlets of the Stormcatcher
These gauntlets allow the wearer throw bolts of lighting, and even catch lightning out of the air and harness it into powerful electric blasts. The gauntlets have 3 charges, which are renewed each day at dawn. As a standard action, the wearer can expend one charge to fire a ray of electricity. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with a maximum range of 30 feet, which deals 3d6 points of electricity damage on a successful hit. Alternatively, as a standard action, he can expend 3 charges to release a 60-foot-line of electricity that deals 8d6 points of electricity damage to all creatures in the affected area (Reflex DC 14 for half).
As long as there is at least one charge remaining in the gauntlets of the stormcatcher, the wearer has electricity resistance 5. Additionally, the gauntlets can absorb electricity in order to gain extra charges. Whenever the electricity resistance granted by the gauntlet of the stormcatcher prevents 5 points of electricity damage from a single attack, spell, or effect, the gauntlet gains a single charge. The gauntlet can hold a maximum of 10 charges at a time, but any charges in excess of 3 are lost at the next dawn.
Finally, three times per day, when a ranged attack that deals electricity damage is made targeting a creature or object within 30 feet of the wearer, he can redirect the attack from its original target to himself as an immediate action. The wearer is affected normally by the attack, as though he had been the original target (his resistance to electricity applies normally, assuming the gauntlets still have at least one charge).
Shield Gauntlet
The wearer of a shield gauntlet can create a weightless shield of made of pure force as a standard action, which functions as a tower shield, except that it does not have any weight and does not impose an armor check penalties (it still imposes a penalty to attack rolls, and the wielder cannot use the hand wearing the shield gauntlet for other purposes. Because the shield is made of force, its bonus applies normally to incorporeal touch attacks (but not other kinds of touch attacks). If the wearer is not proficient with tower shields, he still suffers the normal penalties for being unproficient. A second command word dismisses the shield.
A shield gauntlet is only a single gauntlet, and takes up only one hand. If the wearer has another magical gauntlet that requires only one hand he can benefit from both gauntlets at the same time.