Does the Amulet of Mighty Fists stack with Enhanced Gauntlets?

Question

The description of gauntlets state.

This metal glove lets you deal lethal damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack. Your opponent cannot use a disarm action to disarm you of gauntlets.

The description of the Amulet states

This amulet grants an enhancement bonus of +1 to +5 on attack and damage rolls with unarmed attacks and natural weapons.

Alternatively, this amulet can grant melee weapon special abilities, so long as they can be applied to unarmed attacks. See Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities for a list of abilities. Special abilities count as additional bonuses for determining the market value of the item, but do not modify attack or damage bonuses. An amulet of mighty fists cannot have a modified bonus (enhancement bonus plus special ability bonus equivalents) higher than +5. An amulet of mighty fists does not need to have a +1 enhancement bonus to grant a melee weapon special ability.

Emphasis mine.

So my question is, can they stack with each other. For example can I enchant two gauntlets with +5, speed, corrosive, flaming and then also have Spell Stealing, Wounding specials from the amulet?

So each hit would be +5, deal 1d6 acid and 1d6 fire, have a chance to siphon magical protection, and add bleed damage.

Answer 1

Probably Not

The status of gauntlets, cesti, rope gauntlets, and other weapons of that sort has never been officially FAQed, but Sean Reynolds and James Jacobs have made forum statements that no, these all count as weapons and therefore are not vectors for enchanting unarmed strikes (nor do they count as unarmed strikes for monk or brawler improved unarmed damage, stunning fist, etc.). That is also the general Pathfinder Society practice. Here's a Paizo forum post (one of hundreds) that is nicely concise.

However, since there has never been a ruling of impeccable authority on the question, it is ultimately up to your table. To save the usual monk haters the time, I will note that many believe that monk/unarmed stuff is weak enough that allowing gauntlet etc. enchants or even "double dipping" enchants as you propose is still balanced.

Answer 2

Regardless of how it's ruled, you could only get a magical bonus from one or the other, not both. If the gauntlets are considered a weapon, then the amulet won't apply to attacks made with them. If the fists are the weapon, then enchanting the gauntlets won't apply to unarmed attacks.

Answer 3

RAW yes, but balance depends on the player playing the Monk.

As mentioned by @mxyzplk, there exist two camps when it comes to the monk, and both are right to some extent that I will NOT get into in this answer.

1. Monk is weak.
2. Monk is strong.

If your player is of the first camp and still wants to play a monk, this probably isn't the world's worst buff to give the class. I'd allow it, but make sure to limit it to a maximum of +10 with no more than +5 to attack and damage, just like a weapon. I'd also open it up to "leather gauntlets" (gloves or wrappings) just to maintain the monk's classic aesthetic.

If your player is of the second camp, they probably know ways to play the monk's abilities well and don't need the buff. They're just looking for an even stronger character, so I'd accept that guantlets are weapons and they are proficient in the art of punching with something heavy on their hands, but they do not have the Monk tag and therefore are not acceptible options for Flurry of Blows. In addition, I'd rule they don't stack with the Amulet of Mighty Strikes. At this point, only the Master of Many Styles Monk would take it, and it becomes an acceptable buff to their damage that allows them to get rid of their Amulet of Mighty Strikes in favor of an Amulet of Natural Armor.