Thoughts on a character concept

[MacGurcules]

I've got a character idea I'm kind of rolling around that I thought I might toss in here for some thoughts.

I've got my eye on the idea of a halfling wrestler with strong pulls from the 80's WWF era. Signature names for moves, Randy Savage voice (OOOOH YEEAAH!), always tearing his shirt off ala Hulkamania, that kind of thing. The idea of this hairy little halfling calling people out and then diving onto their back and wresting them to the ground seems really fun to me.

Is this unworkable?

Being Small kind of limits the combat maneuver options a bit but Grapple is uncapped on size, so I figured focusing on that wouldn't be a bad option. Probably go Tetori with a level of Unarmed Fighter at first so I can pick up the first two Snapping Turtle Style feats at level 1. I'm pretty sure my GM will let me adapt the Equality for All trait to our setting, so that should help a bit. And I know the strength penalty will hurt, but I figured I can get around that by mostly tanking strength and going dex-based. It'll boost my AC and offset the low strength. Any reason not to do that?

Also thinking about swapping Wholeness of Body out at level 7 to pick up True Strike through Qinggong Monk for the really heavy targets ("I'm calling you out, brother!" *slaps elbow*).

Other thematic options are Catch Off-Guard for hitting people with chairs. Maybe Dazzling Display for intimidation purposes. I know I'm going to be kind of feat-starved, but I wouldn't mind working in something fun and thematic even if it's not completely optimal.

We're starting at level 5 if that affects anything.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

[wraithstrike]

The Lore Warden(Fighter) is most likely the best CMB based combatant you can get.

[MacGurcules]

I considered that but it doesn't feel as thematic. I guess the flavor can be refluffed in pretty much any way, but it just didn't seem as appropriate. Plus I kinda like the extra speed, saves, and AC from the monk levels.

[wraithstrike]

If your GM is using monsters(non humanoids) and you plan to play past 10th level those grapples are going to become really hard to pull off. If he sticks with humanoids then you won't have to optimize as much.

[MacGurcules]

I trust my GM to make appropriate encounters so we all have an opportunity to have fun. Besides, I don't expect this campaign to go much past level 13 or 14.

I must confess, I haven't been completely comprehensive in my homework, but in looking at a handful of common critters, I don't think I'll have a terrifically hard time maintaining a grapple on most of them. The only part I'd be a bit concerned with is getting one started, but that's where True Strike comes in. Admittedly, part of it rests on whether or not I can get my unarmed attack bonus on my grapple rolls, but I'm pretty sure that'll fly.

EDIT: Though for situations where we've got an enemy that's effectively grapple-proof, are there any strategies or abilities I should look into to help out my group when I can't expect to get the monster into the cobra clutch?

[wraithstrike]

Level 10 is where large and bigger monsters become more common, but if the GM is going to give you monsters that you can grapple that makes things a lot easier.

[Asterclement Swarthington]

This isn't a spot on match, but this makes me think of the Cad fighter archetype. All the showy wrestling moves would work well with the many blinds, sickens, dazzles, deafens, shaken, and entangles that dirty trick has to offer. Throw in an initial disarm and it's like he's insisting on unarmed wrestling matches.

[Guy Kilmore]

Asterclement Swarthington wrote:

This isn't a spot on match, but this makes me think of the Cad fighter archetype. All the showy wrestling moves would work well with the many blinds, sickens, dazzles, deafens, shaken, and entangles that dirty trick has to offer. Throw in an initial disarm and it's like he's insisting on unarmed wrestling matches.

CAD with a Master of Many Styles or Tetori Monk Dip

[Oterisk]

An Oracle of Battle can get all the improved versions of tons of different maneuvers by level 7, It's too bad you aren't starting there. A dip in Maneuver Master is really good, and an unarmed fighter might be good too.