Brawler

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Description

Heh, yeah, right, an unarmed class. Isn't that what monks are for?

Well, no. Brawlers are not shave-headed weirdos wearing pajamas and house slippers. Brawlers are big meaty dudes and dudettes with hair and bad smells and seriously bad attitudes. They are the rowdy thugs in the local bar, the hard-eyed tough guys on the docks, heck, even the no-nonsense barmaids who will slap your rude hands right off the ends of your arms if you get fresh one more time, buster! Brawlers are genuine martial artists, able to take a punch and more than able to give a punch back. Brawlers may not be throwing as many punches as one of those dragon-tattooed fancy-boys, but they have solid footwork, will not hesitate to punch you right in the family jewels, and if they want to, they can knock a mouthy camel out in one hit.

So if you have ever wanted to play a solid, no-nonsense, punching and roaring bare-knuckled beast, this is the class for you. Give it a try!

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

Starting Wealth: Each character begins play with basic (non-armor) clothing worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills: The brawler's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Brawler

Level	BAB	Fort	Refl	Will	Jab	Cross	Haymaker	Counterstrike	Special
1st	+1	2	2	0	1d8	2d8	-	-	Jab, Cross, Brutish Strength, Imp. Unarmed Strike
2nd	+2	3	3	0	1d8	2d8	-	-	Thick-Skinned, Power Attack
3rd	+3	3	3	1	1d8	2d8	-	-	Evasion, Roll With It 1/-
4th	+4	4	4	1	1d8	2d8	-	-	Double-Over, Pugilist +1
5th	+5	4	4	1	1d8	2d8	-	-	Gut Punch, Impulsive Smash
6th	+6/+1	5	5	2	1d8	2d8	-	-	Roll With It 2/-
7th	+7/+2	5	5	2	1d8	2d8	2d12	-	Haymaker 2d12
8th	+8/+3	6	6	2	1d8	2d8	2d12	-	Brutal Precision, Pugilist +2
9th	+9/+4	6	6	3	1d8	2d8	3d12	-	Improved Grapple, Roll With It 3/-, Haymaker 3d12
10th	+10/+5	7	7	3	1d8	2d8	3d12	-	Smack Down, Fear Factor
11th	+11/+6/+1	7	7	3	1d8	2d8	4d12	2d12	Counterstrike, Haymaker 4d12
12th	+12/+7/+2	8	8	4	1d8	2d8	4d12	2d12	Roll With it 4/-, Pugilist +3
13th	+13/+8/+3	8	8	4	1d8	2d8	5d12	2d12	Tempered (fort saves), Haymaker 5d12
14th	+14/+9/+4	9	9	4	1d8	3d8	5d12	3d12	Uppercut, Cross 3d8
15th	+15/+10/+5	9	9	5	1d8	3d8	6d12	3d12	Roll With It 5/-, Haymaker 6d12
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	10	10	5	1d8	3d8	6d12	3d12	Pugilist +4
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	10	10	5	2d8	3d8	7d12	3d12	Aggressive Combat Positioning, Jab 2d8, Haymaker 7d12
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	11	11	6	2d8	3d8	7d12	3d12	Ground and Pound
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	11	11	6	2d8	3d8	8d12	3d12	Haymaker 8d12
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	12	12	6	2d8	3d8	8d12	3d12	Punishing Counterstrikes, Pugilist +5

Class Abilities

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Brawlers are not proficient with any weapons except unarmed strikes. Brawlers are proficient with all light and medium armor, but cannot use shields. When wearing heavy armor, a shield or carrying a heavy load, the brawler loses his Brutish Strength, Roll With It, Evasion, Tempered and Aggressive Combat Positioning abilities.

Two-Weapon Fighting Restriction

Brawlers gain no benefits from 2-weapon fighting feats.

Improved Unarmed Strike

Brawlers gain the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for free at 1st level. No Brawler attack ever provokes an attack of opportunity simply because she is unarmed.

Brutish Strength

A Brawler's unarmed attacks gain strength bonuses to damage per die of the attack. Thus, a 2d8 Jab receives Str bonus damage twice, a 3d8 Cross receives Str bonus damage three times, a 3d12 Counterstrike receives Str bonus damage three times, and an 8d12 Haymaker receives Str bonus damage eight times.

Fleet

Brawlers may take the "Fleet" feat, and may make use of its benefits as though they were wearing light or no armor, even when wearing medium armor. The brawler does not gain the benefits of the Fleet feat if they are wearing heavy armor, a shield or carrying a heavy load.

Pugilist

Brawlers gain an enhancement bonus to their unarmed attacks equal to +1 beginning at level 4, and increasing by +1 every 4 levels thereafter, up to a +5 at level 20. This bonus allows them to affect targets as if their hands are magic weapons.

Thick Skinned

Beginning at 2nd level, Brawlers gain half their CON mod (round down) to natural AC. This AC bonus is untyped and stacks with any other sources of natural armor the brawler may acquire.

Evasion

Beginning at 3rd level, the Brawler can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the brawler is wearing medium armor, light armor or no armor and not carrying a heavy load or using a shield. A helpless brawler does not gain the benefits of evasion.

Roll With It

Beginning at 3rd level, Brawlers gain DR 1/-. This DR increases by 1 at 6th, 9th, 12th and 15th levels, to a total of DR 5/- at level 15.

Impulsive Smash

Beginning at 5th level, Brawlers may ignore an amount of hardness on sunder maneuvers made with their hands equal to their brawler level.

Brutal Precision

Beginning at 8th level, Brawlers auto-confirm critical threats.

Fear Factor

Beginning at 10th level, if the Brawler succeeds on a Will save against a fear effect, he may make an immediate opportunity attack against the enemy that caused the effect if they are within melee reach of the brawler.

Counterstrike

Beginning at 11th level, Brawlers grow more skilled at punishing opponents who give them an opening. They may use the Counterstrike attack for Attacks of Opportunity, doing 2d12+2xStr. This damage increases to 3d12+3xStr at level 14.

Tempered

At 13th level, the Brawler can muscle-through even magical and unusual attacks with great stamina. If he makes a successful Fortitude saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Tempered can be used only if the brawler is wearing medium armor, light armor or no armor and not carrying a heavy load or using a shield. A helpless brawler does not gain the benefits of Tempered.

Aggressive Combat Positioning

At 17th level, any time the brawler incurs an attack of opportunity as a result of the brawler's movement, the brawler may make an immediate Counterstrike against the enemy who swung on him. This Counterstrike does not count against the Brawler's available opportunity attacks for the round. The brawler loses use of this ability if he is wearing heavy armor, using a shield or carrying a heavy load.

Ground and Pound

At 18th level, when a brawler begins his turn in control of a grapple, he can make a damage action using any of his unarmed attacks as a swift action once per round. This swift action is a free attack and does not count against his attacks per round limits.

Punishing Counterstrikes

At 20th level, the Brawler may use a Haymaker for one Attack of Opportunity per round. This use of a Haymaker does not count against his attacks per round limits.

Brawler Unarmed Attacks

The brawler gets a selection of attacks beginning at level 1, and gains new attacks at higher levels. Attacks marked with an asterisk (*) may only be used once per round, and this use must be declared before the attack roll is made (these attacks are: Double-Over, Gut Punch, Smack Down, Uppercut and Haymaker). Other than that limitation, the brawler may use any of these attacks as often as he likes, provided he has sufficient actions to do so. All attacks are standard attacks and may be used as part of a full attack action, except where noted (see Haymaker).

Jab

Beginning at level 1, the brawler may make a jab attack that incorporates quick footwork. As part of this attack, the brawler may move up to 10 feet before and/or after the attack whether or not the attack hits. Jabs which successfully hit deal 1d8 + STR mod damage. This damage increases to 2d8 + 2xSTR mod damage at level 17. Note that this movement is part of the attack, not a move action. This movement does provoke opportunity attacks as per normal movement. Jab may only be used to make an attack against an opponent, and the target must be within the brawler's melee reach at some point during the 10 feet of jab's movement, or else the brawler may not use jab. (That is, you can't use jab just to get extra movement if there are no targets available to actually jab at.) This attack may be used multiple times per round if the brawler has enough actions/attacks to do so, and gains the ten feet of movement each time.

Cross

At 1st level, the brawler may use Cross as a melee attack against a target within reach. If the attack hits, it deals 2d8 + 2xSTR mod damage. This damage increases to 3d8 + 3xSTR mod at level 14. This attack may be used multiple times per round if the brawler has enough actions/attacks to do so. This attack may also be used when the brawler makes attacks of opportunity.

Double-Over*

At 4th level, the brawler may use Double-Over to a melee attack against a target within reach. If the attack hits, it deals 2d8 + 2xSTR mod damage, and the target must make a FORT save vs. (DC 10 + half Brawler level + DEX mod) or become flat-footed. The target recovers as a free action at the start of its next turn. This attack may not be used more than once per round, and may not be used if the brawler has already performed a Gut Punch, Haymaker, Smack Down or Uppercut attack this round.

Gut Punch*

At 5th level, the brawler may use Gut Punch as a melee attack against a target within reach. If the attack hits, it deals 2d8 + 2xSTR mod damage, and the target must make a FORT save vs. (DC of 10 + half Brawler level + DEX mod) or become Sickened. The target recovers from this condition at the start of the brawler's next turn. This attack may not be used more than once per round, and may not be used if the brawler has already performed a Double-Over, Haymaker, Smack Down or Uppercut attack this round.

Haymaker*

At 7th level, the brawler may use Haymaker as a melee attack against a target within reach. If the attack hits, it deals damage equal to the amount listed in the table above, adding the appropriate multiple of the Brawler's STR mod, as with all his melee attacks. This attack may not be used more than once per round (see 'Ground and Pound' and 'Punishing Counterstrikes' for exceptions), and may not be used if the brawler has already performed a Double-Over, Gut Punch, Smack Down or Uppercut attack this round.

Smack Down*

At 10th level, the brawler may use Smack Down as a melee attack against a target within reach. If the attack hits, it deals 2d8 + 2xSTR mod damage, and the target must make a REFL save vs. (DC of 10 + half Brawler level + DEX mod) or be knocked prone. This attack may not be used more than once per round, and may not be used if the brawler has already performed a Double-Over, Gut Punch, Haymaker or Uppercut this round.

Counterstrike

At 11th level, the brawler may use Counterstrike instead of Cross for his attacks of opportunity. If Counterstrike hits, it deals damage equal to the amount listed in the table above, adding the appropriate multiple of the Brawler's STR mod, as with all his melee attacks. This attack may only be used for attacks of opportunity, and may not be used as part of a normal attack action. It may be used as many times per round as the brawler's available opportunity attacks (typically 1, unless he has combat reflexes).

Uppercut*

At 14th level, the brawler may use Uppercut as a melee attack against a target within reach. If the attack hits, it deals 2d8 + 2xSTR mod damage, and the target must make a REFL save vs. DC of (10 + half Brawler level + DEX mod) or be Staggered. The target recovers from this condition at the start of the brawler's next turn. This attack may not be used more than once per round, and may not be used if the brawler has already performed a Double-Over, Gut Punch, Haymaker or Smack Down attack.

Punishing Counterstrikes

At 20th level, the brawler may use a Haymaker for one of his attacks of opportunity each round. This ability may be used even if the brawler has already used Double-Over, Gut Punch, Haymaker, Smackdown or Uppercut this round.

Brawler Example Build

For those who are non-expert in this class, or who are busy, or who simply don't want to spend hours digging around feats, here's an example build. Note: This is not a suggested build. Heck, it's probably even not very good. But what it WILL do is let you play without hours of investment, and it will perform more than adequately. If you want to tweak, feel free!

Punchin' and Duckin' Build

Human, base stats: Str 20, Dex 13, Con 16, int 10, Wis 10, Chr 8.

Example Feats

Level 1: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus: Unarmed. Just because you're not a monk doesn't mean you're uneducated in breaking faces.

Level 3: Step Up. Combined with jab, this makes you startlingly good at footwork on the battlefield.

Level 5: Following Step. Man! Watch those feet move!

Level 7: Step up and Strike. Your Attacks of Opportunity hurt a lot, and you get plenty of them. So here's a way to dish even more.

Level 9: Desperate battler. You have great mobility, so be sure to stay away from your friends for this tasty bonus.

Level 11: Dodge. Armor class is always useful.

Level 13: Mobility. More Armor Class versus Attacks of Opportunity. You NEED this.

Level 15: Sidestep. Even MORE awesome footwork. It's like you're dancin'!

Level 17: Endurance. Seriously? Endurance? At THIS level? Blech!

Level 19: Drunken Brawler. Oh, so THAT's what the Endurance is for. Yikes, that's rather awesome....