Handwrap

Handwraps enhance a Monks' unarmed attacks.

Advantages
Experienced Monk players know of several reasons why unarmed attacks, as a character levels, are superior than centering ki weapons such as kamas.


 * The Two Weapon Fighting line of feats allow Monks to increase the number of attacks per round, making them one of the most prolific DPS classes in the game
 * Handwraps are generally worthless to other classes, making them readily available in weapon and pawn shops and the Auction House--especially important since there are no "monk vendors" in the game.
 * Handwraps do not suffer rust or acid damage, making the class a perfect fighter of oozes (which will not split apart from a Monk's bludgeoning attacks) and rust monsters, to name a few.
 * As a Monk's attacks begin to bypass damage reductions through unarmed fighting, handwraps with both prefix and suffix allow Monks to add additional damage.

Disadvantages
The limitations of handwraps are few, through significant to some.


 * Handwraps are bludgeoning weapons only, making attacks on enemies such as zombies a bit tougher.
 * You can wear only one type at a time; you can't have one type of handwrap on one hand and a second kind on another.
 * Handwraps that bypass advanced DR, such as Silver, are extremely rare. Grinding for metalline handwraps is grueling; finding metalline of Pure Good handwraps ("Harry Beaters") is exasperating.
 * Green Steel handwraps do not exist. (See "Properties", below.)
 * Since base damage of monks' unarmed attacks vary with their class level, handwraps are not programmed like other weapons are. This has caused handwraps to suffer from some s, particularly in unique items and during crafting.

Tips for Using Handwraps
Since handwraps are very lightweight (in comparison to other weapons), Monks learn to carry a handwrap for just about every occasion. This is a great advantage since it allows Monks to tailor themselves for maximum damage and/or defense.

Many properties on handwraps will easily offset their limitation as bludgeoning weapons, such as elemental damage, bane damage, and crowd-control abilities, such as paralyzing. Take advantage of finishing moves, which add all manner of damage that can stack on handwraps.

A significant challenge for Monks are iron golems. Built from adamantine, they are immune from damage from just about anything that isn't adamantine itself. Until level 16 (or acquisition of metalline handwraps), a quarterstaff or kamas with adamantine damage reduction will need to supplement your handwraps.

Properties
Handwraps gain many unique abilities from other weapons, but also are limited in their upgrading due to their design or game design.

Properties Unique to Handwraps
You can find these special properties or handwraps or add the property using the Stone of Change.


 * Force prefix (Found or crafted)
 * Force Burst prefix (Crafted)
 * Bleeding suffix (Found)
 * Metalline (Found)

Metalline handwraps has a base price modifier of 5, instead of the typical 3, reflecting their rarity or value.

Missing properties
Handwraps with following properties currently don't exist in the game.
 * Greater Parrying suffix
 * Impact prefix
 * Righteousness suffix

As handwraps are considered bludgeoning weapons, properties such as Vorpal, Wounding and Puncturing cannot be found on handwraps. This is not a bug.

Bugged properties
Handwraps have a few broken aspects.
 * Axiomatic and Anarchic handwraps: These add alignment damage properly, but Monks (which are always Lawful) don't receive a negative level penalty as they should [[Alignment (weapon)|when using items with opposite alignment].
 * Pure Good - UMD 20 is not required for Neutral characters

Non-weapon based enhancements

 * Destruction enhancements from Breastplate of Destruction and Dragonrouched Robes don't apply on handwraps, but developer Eladrin stated that it is intentional.
 * Special armors have appeared that do add damage augmentation, such as the Garments of Equilibrium.
 * Using the Stone of Change, the Force Damage Ritual and Force Critical Ritual don't take effect on handwraps automatically once applied, but a work around has been implemented by running the affected handwraps through the Stone of Change by themselves (known issue).

Studded Handwraps
Handwraps with rare materials are not included in regular loot tables. Quests such as Devil Assault (on Normal and Hard; not Elite or Epic) have been reported to drop "studded" handwraps that can possibly bypass DR of various monsters. A supreme advantage to the existence of such studded handwraps is, unlike the prized metalline Devout Handwraps, these do not bind to character or account and seem to be considered a tradeable, randomly-generated item. It is unknown if these type of handwraps are to be included in the loot table in the future.

Green Steel-weave Handwraps
Game developers note that there will NOT be Green Steel handwraps implemented, at least in the near future. Speculation for the decision involves bugs that could develop from these type of handwraps, or that the developers believe monks with Green Steel wraps will be over-powered and break game balance.