Cestus

The cestus is a glovelike weapon, studded with sharp spikes and edges on the back of the glove and across the knuckles. Gladiators fighting with the cestus usually wear two, one on each hand (the plural is cesti here, it pays for a gladiator to have Cestus Weapon Specialization, Two-Weapon Style, and/or Punching Specialization.

Cestus combat is very popular with arena crowds because it is extremely bloody and up close. Also, because the weapons do comparatively little damage, the fighters tend to last a long time in combat.

When wearing a cestus or two cesti, a character may still make a Grab maneuver with the hand the cestus is on. This attack will be at a –2 to attack rolls for clumsiness, and a –2 to the attacker's Strength (for purposes of holding on) likewise.

Cestus, because it is simply a bonus to punching-type attacks, does not require weapon proficiency; anyone can use cesti with no proficiency penalty. Therefore, Specialization with Cestus costs only weapon proficiency slot.

In a culture where there is gladiatorial combat, cesti are readily available from weaponsmiths, but they are not exported, as they're such a basic weapon the market is not very good. Any foreign weaponsmith who has cesti described to him can make perfectly functional cesti; the first two cesti he makes will be at twice the listed cost, and subsequent ones will be at the listed cost.

[Complete Fighter's Handbook]