Rather than shying away from it, a class that makes use of the grapple mechanic. The name is tentative. Other names I am considering are Mauler, Dreadnought, and Juggernaut. I can see where delay damage may be overpowered, I have not play tested it, and have thought of adding abilities that a brawler gets access to only while delaying damage. For example, spitting blood into someone's face while delaying damage in order to blind an opponent.
Hit Dice: 1d10
Alignment: Any
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Base Attack Bonus: Equal to HD (as fighter)
Good Save: Fortitude
Poor Saves: Will and Reflex
1. Grappling, improvised weapons, wild fighting +1d6
2. Bonus feat, uncanny dodge
3. Improved demoralize
4. Delay damage (10 damage), grit
5. Improved uncanny dodge, wild fighting +2d6
6. Bonus feat, greater grappling
7. Mass demoralize, natural armor +1
8. Delay damage (15 damage), grabbing attack
9. Wild fighting +3d6
10. Bonus feat
11. Natural armor +2
12. Delay damage (20 damage), greater demoralize
13. Wild fighting +4d6
14. Bonus feat
15. Natural armor +3
16. Delay damage (25 damage)
17. Wild fighting +5d6
18. Bonus feat
19. Natural armor +4
20. Delay damage (30 damage), master grappling
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Brawlers are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the handaxe, kukri, sap, spiked armor, short sword, and throwing axe. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Grappling: At 1st level, a brawler gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. A brawler can make a grapple check without penalty as long as she has at least one hand free. When pinning an opponent, a brawler does not lose her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. This benefit applies only when she is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor, and not carrying a heavy load.
Improvised Weapons (Ex): Mugs, bottles, broken chair legs, bar stools—all are more than suitable weapons to a brawler. Starting at 1st level, a brawler can use improvised weapons without penalty. Regardless of the object’s shape and size, a brawler deals 1d6 damage with an improvised weapon. This damage is bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing according to the object. An improvised weapon scores a threat on a natural roll of 20 and deals triple damage on a critical hit. An improvised weapon is destroyed and becomes useless on a natural roll of 1.
Wild Fighting (Ex): Brawlers are especially fierce when locked with an opponent, pummeling with unrelenting blows. Any time a brawler deals damage against a grappled creature, she deals an additional 1d6 damage. Usually a brawler’s wild fighting deals lethal damage, but she can also choose to deal nonlethal damage.
This extra damage increases to 2d6 at 5th level, 3d6 at 9th level, 4d6 at 13th level, and 5d6 at 17th level.
Bonus Feat: At 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a brawler may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Catch Off-Guard, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Throw Anything, and Toughness. At 6th level, the following feats are added to the list: Cleave, Diehard, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Trip, Mobility, and Vital Strike. At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Improved Critical, Shatter Defenses, Spring Attack, and Strike Back. A brawler need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, a brawler gains the ability to react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, even if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class if immobilized. A brawler with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her.
If a brawler already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.
Improved Demoralize (Ex): At 3rd level, a brawler can make an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent as a move action.
Delay Damage (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a brawler gains incredible toughness and is able to forestall the effects of taking damage. When a brawler is dealt damage, she can attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 damage dealt). If successful, she can ignore up to 10 points of damage until the end of her next turn. This ability does not delay any other effects of an attack other than damage, such as poison or energy drain.
At 8th level, a brawler can delay up to 15 points of damage, 20 damage at 12th level, 25 damage at 16th level, and 30 damage at 20th level.
Grit (Ex): At 4th level, if a brawler is delaying at least 1 point of damage, she gains a +2 morale bonus on her Will saves.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 5th level and higher, a brawler can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the barbarian by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has barbarian levels.
If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.
Greater Grappling: At 6th level, a brawler gains Greater Grapple as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. A brawler gains a size bonus to her Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense as if she were one size category larger for the purposes of a grapple. This benefit applies only when she is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor, and not carrying a heavy load.
Mass Demoralize (Ex): At 7th level, a brawler can make an Intimidate check to demoralize all opponents within 30 feet.
Natural Armor (Ex): At 7th level, a brawler gains +1 natural armor bonus to her Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level, +3 at 15th level, and +4 at 19th level.
Grabbing Attack (Ex): Starting at 8th level, if a brawler hits with a melee attack and has at least one hand free, she can start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Greater Demoralize (Ex): At 12th level, an opponent remains shaken for 1d4 rounds, plus 1 round for every 5 by which a brawler's Intimidate check exceeds her opponent’s DC. If a brawler exceed the check by 15 or more, the opponent is frightened.
Master Grappling (Ex): Upon reaching 20th level, a brawler's grapple becomes exceedingly dangerous. If brawler maintains a pin for more than 3 rounds, she can choose one of the following three effects: the target can be put to sleep for 1d4 hours, paralyzed for 2d6 rounds, or slain. Regardless of the effect chosen, the target receives a Fortitude save to negate the additional effect. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the brawler's level + the brawler's Strength modifier. Once a creature has been the targeted by this ability, regardless of whether or not the save is made, that creature is immune for 24 hours. Creatures that are immune to sneak attack damage are also immune to this ability.
I realize this is not the most helpful feedback, but preliminary readthrough, I like it. At first I thought maybe it was more suited for a prestige class than a base class but it looks like you generally made a good class, clear role, fun to play, seems balanced on the surface.
Maybe DR instead of natural armor? Not sure which is better, honestly, just a thought. Also, the Reaping Mauler from Complete Warrior could be a good place to mine ideas. Few good grappling feats in that book too. Overall though, seems well done.
Thanks for taking a look. I thought about DR but it seemed like the class needed some AC. For a front-and-center type, her numbers are pretty low compared to barbarians wearing medium armor and have the HP to take the hits while fighters and paladins are wearing heavy. Many of the class's abilities relies on her having at least one hand free, which means she probably is not using a shield (although a build using a light spiked shield would be rather interesting). Rangers are typically at ranged, and monks and rogues are a little less direct.
I did take a look at the Reaping Mauler and also took a look at the Drunken Master. It seems balanced right now but will probably add only a couple more abilities related to drinking and things non-grapple related to round out the class. I took a look at the Advanced Player's Guide and the options it has for barbarians, but I hope to keep this class relevant.
Needs Garrotes, also i would drop the skill points to 4, but otherwise i have a dirty little crush on it.
I did not even know that garrotes were a weapon until today, but it certainly fits. I will probably drop skill points to 4/level. I liked the idea of the class being something of a skills-monkey and 6/level just made it seem more distinctive, as I felt that the class is fairly similar to the barbarian.
New abilities...
Quick Drink (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a brawler can drink a potion, or consume a similar liquid item, as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. A brawler can still drink another potion as a standard action in the same round but it provokes attacks of opportunity, as normal.
Desperate Attack (Ex): At 8th level, if a brawler is delaying at least 12 points of damage, an opponent that moves to flank her provokes an attack of opportunity.
Body Shield (Ex): At 9th level, if a brawler that is grappling an opponent the same size as herself receives a +2 shield bonus to her Armor Class. A brawler who is grappling an opponent no smaller than one size category smaller than herself receives a +1 shield bonus. While grappling an opponent one size category larger or greater than herself, a brawler gains a +3 shield bonus.
Sudden Mauling (Ex): At 13th level, if a brawler succeeds a grapple attempt against a flat-footed opponent can deal damage as an immediate action.