Natural / Unarmed Barbarian / Monk Help


Advice


Hello everyone,
this weekend a friend will join our pathfinder Group , it's his first time playing PF because usually he Plays another P&P.

I tried to help him with his character , but I've never played such a concept. He wants to play an unarmed character with natural weapons like claws.

So my first idea was taking 2 Levels in Master of Many Styles for the Dragon Style and Dragon Ferocity and the rest as a barbarian (invulnerable rage/urban).

So that he can use his claws from the beast totem line in addition to his unarmed strikes.

I also took half-orc for the race with the bite alternative, so that he has 3 natural weapons while raging. Tiefling can get a bite too , are they a better choice ?

His rolls are 16,16,16,12,11,10:
Str:16(racial and Levels go here)
Dex:16
Con:16
Int:11
Wis:12
Cha:10

Traits: Reactionary and Mindlessly Cruel

Skills: Perception,Acrobatics,Intimidate

Feats:
MoMS:
Dragon Style, Dragon Ferocity

Rage Powers:
Beast Totem (lesser/greater)
Superstition, Witch Hunter , Spell Sunder
Reckless Abandon
Come and get me

General:
Improved Initiative
Power Attack
Combat Expertise
Improved Natural Attacks

As I said I never played such a concept or a Barbarian / Monk , so I would appreciate any advise you could give to my friend

Silver Crusade

Quickly, if you have levels of MoMS, then think of building in 2 of the style chains, since both can be active at the same time. Boar, Panther, Tiger, Crane...whatever floats his boat.


You can make a pretty broken build with beastmorph/vivisectionist alchemist, I suggest that you keep it simple though and avoid it.

Barbarian is good case, I will suggest though a ranger with the natural weapons style. One dip at MoMS Monk at 3rd lvl for Dragon Style and Dragon Ferocity and after this Feral Combat Training with every natural attack you have. A wolf will help with locking-down with trip attempts your target.

The best race to start is a Wereboar-Kin Skinwalker

This will allow you to have a gore and two hoof attacks by first lvl, in addition to 2 claw attacks at 2nd lvl. The Spell-like ability will also let you take arcane strike. Of course you have to consult your GM first. Otherwise, a tiefling with a bite attack is probably the best choice, followed by toothy half-orc (I would put them first if you could have sacred tattoo, alas you cannot have both toothy and sacred tatto).

Actually, if skinwakers are allowed, I would probably go barbarian and not ranger without the monk dip. You will end up with too many natural attacks to make all of them feral combat trained (bite/gore/2xhooves/2xclaws). Pounce instead will become a better deal.

Before I can help you more I need to know if skinwalkers are fair game or they will not be allowed (10p but the bonuses for natural attack users are probably too good).

EDIT: If your GM allow you to have a Tiefling with both claws and bite, I would go with a barbarian, but still dip MoMS monk at 3rd lvl.


I never saw Skinwalkers before , I think our GM won't allow them.

But definitely a good idea to use MoMS at 3rd Level instead of the first two


Zerbe wrote:

I never saw Skinwalkers before , I think our GM won't allow them.

But definitely a good idea to use MoMS at 3rd Level instead of the first two

Next best thing then, Tiefling with both claws and bite. Is it allowed? (you must be able to choose from the variant list in order to achieve it)

EDIT: Actually, next best thing is half-orc for the barbarian for the human favored class bonus. I had totally forgot that. I will come up with a Half-Orc barbarian utilizing natural attacks. My concearn is, can you take weapon focus (claws) without having permanent claws, but only the ones from lesser beast totem?


I guess by RAW it doesn't work , but our GM will allow it if it suits the concept which it does. Especially because that player is an old friend and more like a "guest character" who can't play with us every week.


You could also use the new Advanced Class Guide playtest document HERE, and have him play a Brawler.

-- david

edit: Lorekeeper also posted some interesting builds HERE


Just remembered that you cannot actually combine Barbarian and MoMS monk because of the aligment restricton. This and the animal companion seal the deal for going Ranger as far as I am concearned.


I think an alignment Change would be possible especially MoMS first then continue as a barbarian , don't know how the GM would think about barbarian --> MoMS --> barbarian though.

Could you maybe post both versions Mors ? One for the barbarian and one for the ranger ? Then I will Show them to the player later or tomorrow


I will. If not tomorrow (exams on their way), the day after tomorrow.


Oni-Spawn Tiefling Infiltrator Ranger 19 / Master of Many Styles Monk 1

Str: 18 (+1 at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th lvls)
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 11 (+1 at 20th lvl)
Wis: 14
Cha: 8

Alternate Racial Traits: Fiendish Sprinter, Maw, Prehensile Tail, Scaled Skin (fire)

Traits: Touched By Divinity (Uskyeria: Strength domain, Enlarge person spell-like), Magical Knack

1 Ranger Arcane Strike
2 Ranger Aspect of the Beast (b)
3 Ranger Endurance (b), Weapon Focus (Claws)
4 Ranger
5 Monk Dragon Style (b), Feral Combat Training (Claws)
6 Ranger
7 Ranger Weapon Focus (Bite) (b), Feral Combat Training (Bite)
8 Ranger
9 Ranger Dragon Ferocity
10 Ranger
11 Ranger Multiattack (b), Power Attack
12 Ranger
13 Ranger Boar Style
14 Ranger
15 Ranger Improved Vital Strike (b), Boon Companion
16 Ranger
17 Ranger Outflank
18 Ranger
19 Ranger Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) (b), Stunning Assault
20 Ranger

Wolf (Bodyguard) (raise Int at 4th lvl, Str every lvl after 4th)

1 Weapon Focus (Bite)
2 Power Attack
5 Combat Reflexes
8 Improved Natural Attack (Bite)
10 Bodyguard
13 In Harm's Way
16 Ouflank
18 Improved Vital Strike

With feral combat training you can mix unarmed strikes and natural attacks without the latter becoming secondary attacks (it is treated as unamred attack and monks have no penalties in unarmed attacks). You could combine these attacks with no penalty with a manufactured weapon like armor spikes too.


Now that I posted I feel it is not as great as I though; don't get me wrong, it is certainly powerful, but the feral combat training line for combining natural and unarmed styles is possibly too feat-heavy when you can just add more natural attacks from magic items and class dips (helm of the mammoth lord, white-haired which etc.) I will look into it again and see with wat I will come up.


The Barbarian build with massive DR (this particular build had DR 20/— by lvl 20)

Half-Orc Invulnerable Rager / Urban Barbarian Barbarian 18 / Unbreakable Fighter 2

Str: 18 (+1 at 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th lvls)
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 12 (+1 at 4th lvl)
Wis: 11
Cha: 8

Alternate Racial Trait: Toothy, City-Raised, Rock Climber

Traits: Mindlessly Cruel, Threatening Defender

Favored class bonus of Human every lvl

1 Barbarian Power Attack
2 Barbarian RP: Lesser Beast Totem
3 Barbarian Combat Reflexes
4 Barbarian RP: Superstition
5 Fighter Endurance (b), Diehard (b), Stalwart
6 Barbarian
7 Barbarian Combat Expertise, RP: Reckless Abandon
8 Barbarian
9 Barbarian RP: Beast Totem, Extra RP: Witch Hunter
10 Barbarian
11 Barbarian RP: Greater Beast Totem, Improved Stalwart
12 Barbarian
13 Barbarian RP: Come and Get Me, Dazing Assault
14 Barbarian
15 Barbarian Improved Sunder, RP: Spell Sunder
16 Barbarian
17 Barbarian RP: Flesh Wound, Extra RP: Eater of Magic
18 Barbarian
19 Barbarian RP: Strengh Surge, Extra RP: Extra DR
20 Fighter Improved Initiative

With Reckless Abandon, Beast totem, combat expertise and stalwart tou gain massive DR without sacrificing attack bonus or AC. Natural weapons is not the focus of this build, but starting at lvl 2 you can have 2 claws and a bite for full attacks, as well as pounce by lvl 11. Add Helm of the Mammoth Lord, and a cloak of the manta ray or a tentacle cloak (or a custom item combining them) and you can have a ton of natural attacks. There is also a spell called Monstrous Extremities that you could take as a wand in order to add natural attacks to yourself.


XMorsX wrote:

Oni-Spawn Tiefling Infiltrator Ranger 19 / Master of Many Styles Monk 1

Str: 18 (+1 at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th lvls)
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 11 (+1 at 20th lvl)
Wis: 14
Cha: 8

Alternate Racial Traits: Fiendish Sprinter, Maw, Prehensile Tail, Scaled Skin (fire)

Traits: Touched By Divinity (Uskyeria: Strength domain, Enlarge person spell-like), Magical Knack

1 Ranger Arcane Strike
2 Ranger Aspect of the Beast (b)
3 Ranger Endurance (b), Weapon Focus (Claws)
4 Ranger
5 Monk Dragon Style (b), Feral Combat Training (Claws)
6 Ranger
7 Ranger Weapon Focus (Bite) (b), Feral Combat Training (Bite)
8 Ranger
9 Ranger Dragon Ferocity
10 Ranger
11 Ranger Multiattack (b), Power Attack
12 Ranger
13 Ranger Boar Style
14 Ranger
15 Ranger Improved Vital Strike (b), Boon Companion
16 Ranger
17 Ranger Outflank
18 Ranger
19 Ranger Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) (b), Stunning Assault
20 Ranger

Wolf (raise Int at 4th lvl, Str every lvl after 4th)

1 Weapon Focus (Bite)
2 Power Attack
5 Combat Reflexes
8 Improved Natural Attack (Bite)
10 Vital Strike
13 Toughness
16 Ouflank
18 Improved Vital Strike

With feral combat training you can mix unarmed strikes and natural attacks without the latter becoming secondary attacks (it is treated as unamred attack and monks have no penalties in unarmed attacks). You could combine these attacks with no penalty with a manufactured weapon like armor spikes too.

Fixed animal companion progression.


Hey Mors,
thanks a lot for the great help.
The Player decided to go with the barbarian build.

He wanted to play something like a "come and get me" character in another game.

We are going to play tomorrow and our GM already told us "that there will be quite a lot combats" , so I hope that he is going to support my pala in melee quite well.

Our last session was crazy , the rogue didn't to manage any rolls over 10 almost the whole night and the druid rolled so many 1s.


Nice. Just remember that both builds need to reach 2nd lvl to aquire claws. If you start from 1st lvl, consider Combat reflexes as a first lvl feat and a reach weapon for AoOs. He will threaten adjacent targets with the bite attack.

Tell us how it will go!

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