Panther Style and Total Defense

[Chalto]

So I'm planning a level 1 Unarmed Fighter with the following feats:

Human Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes
Level 1 Feat: Panther Claw
Unarmed Fighter Bonus: Improved Unarmed Strike
Unarmed Fighter Style: Panther Style

And if my GM allows I'd like to substitute Hero Points for the Bonus feat at first level so:

Hero Point Substitute Feat: Dodge (planning on taking Mobility next level)

My problem is that if I'm goign to be using retaiatory strikes and provoking attacks of opportunity, I need some kickass AC. Try as I may, I just couldn't squeeze in Panther Claw AND Mobility so it was sort of a toss up and I'm still not sure which to pick for sure, but the answer to my question may help me pick.

So my question is more of a clarification, because by my understanding, this should work.

If Panther Claw allows you to make retaliatory unarmed strikes as a free action to any opponent who makes an attack of opportunity at you for moving through their threatened area , then does that mean that I could take a standard action to use Total Defense to gain a +4 bonus to AC, and then take a move action through an opponent's threatened area provoking an atack of opportunity (which should hopefully miss) and then I am allowed to make my retaliatory unarmed strike as a free action agaisnt them, even though I'm using Total Defense?

The reason I ask is because in the definition of Total Defense it says I'm not allowed to make attacks of opportunity, and a retaliatory unarmed strike is A LOT like an attack of opportunity, but technically, its not. So aesthetically it seems like it shouldn't work, but according to the strict wording of the abilities, it should work, right?

Since an unarmed fighter is only proficient in Light armor, my AC would be 17 (10+4(chainshirt)+2(DEX mod)+1(Dodge)) but it would be 21 if I could use Total Defense and 25 by next level when I get Mobility for the extra +4 when moving.

So is this feasible? Or should I just take Mobility instead of Panther Claw and only make one retaliatory unarmed strike a round as a swift action? And if it does work like I think, should I just take Mobiltiy anyway for the 25 AC just to make sure that the 1 AoO doesn't hit?

I appreciate any and all feedback I can get :P Thanks!

[Chalto]

Yknow, I read a thread before taking about how inferior Unarmed Fighter is to a normal monk, and I didn't believe it until I just went and looekd at a variant I could do of my character as a Master of Many Styles Monk, and I found that at level 1 I can get EVERYTHING I got from being an Unarmed fighter (besides light armor proficiency) and about a thousand other thigns too XD FML, monks FTW!

[Malfus]

RAW, you can make retaliatory attacks. RAI you can't (I would think). Up to GM.

[Archaeik]

Well, everything is a trade. Full BAB -> 3/4 BAB, chain shirt -> wisdom.
They certainly have enough perks(improved unarmed damage being one), but I'd think either is totally workable.
Keep in mind, a MMS can fight with 2 styles from level 1(although it seems you still have to spend 2 swift actions until level 8), so it's beneficial to pick another one up quickly.

However, on topic/related...
Does this mean total defense can be used with greater grapple/rapid grappler?
Given that they don't specify an attack penalty it seems it was never intended for use with attacks; but given that it also doesn't restrict the usage of the move action, I can't see why not?

Fun times.

[Cornielius]

It's important to note that Unarmed Fighter only allows you to ingore the preq.'s to the initial style feat, not any of the others feats in the style feats feat path.
So your plan requires a Wis of 15 along with your chosen feats.
However, the Monk archetype Master of Many Styles can ignore the preq.'s of any feat in the feat path of a style feat he already has.

Which is why my planned out Unarmed Fighter 7 is now a fighter 4/monk3 r4esulting in a 1 lower BAB, better saves, and style feats for Dragon and Snapping Turtle, which he can use together.

[Mergy]

It's legal. The panther attacks do not count as attacks of opportunity, so there's no conflict with the total defence action. It does mean no standard though, so I don't really thing that's a big deal.

If you're hurting for more AC, a masterwork buckler has no AC penalty so it doesn't matter that the unarmed fighter is not proficient. Cheaper than a ring of protection for sure, and you can make it a +1 buckler for a cool 1,165gp.

[Grick]

Mergy wrote:

you can make it a +1 buckler for a cool 1,165gp.

1,155 gp!

(5 gp bucker, 150 gp masterwork, 1,000 gp enhancement)

[Mergy]

Damn, I always think it costs 15gp for some reason.

[Poit]

A buckler was 15gp in 3.5. In Pathfinder, the cost was changed.