Wrestler character class conundrum

[MacGurcules]

I've got my eye on a halfling wrestler character with a focus on grappling. Naturally, I was drawn to the Tetori. But the more I look it, the more it seems like the Tetori's abilities sacrifice a lot to prop up its only trick.

So I'm starting to lean towards a Maneuver Master along with Underfoot Adept (maybe with a splash of Unarmed Fighter at first level). The bonus feat selection is more open, offensive capacity seems higher, and it would allow for a greater variety of repertoire.

Seems like the biggest things I give up going that route are the Grab and Constrict abilities. While good, I'm not sure that alone is worth it.

Any compelling reason to stick to Tetori instead?

[Azaelas Fayth]

I haven't Played one or looked at it in a while but I hear Tetori Monk is necessary for Grappling at higher levels...

[Blueluck]

Are you really committed to being a halfling? There's a reason competitive wresting divides opponents by weight class.

.

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Four good archetypes for grapplers:
Monk Tetori
Barbarian Brutal Pugilist
Fighter Brawler
Fighter Unarmed Fighter

And a style, especially Clutch:
Snapping Turtle Style
Snapping Turtle Clutch
Snapping Turtle Shell

[MacGurcules]

Halfling is kind of core to theme. Grapple isn't restricted by size, so that shouldn't be a huge barrier. Though, small size was one of the reasons I was considering mixing in Underfoot Adept.

Brawler or Unarmed Fighter aren't out of the question but I was leaning towards some flavor of monk. Care to expand on why I should go with Tetori or one of those instead of Maneuver Master?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Be a synthesist summoner if you want to be great at grappling.

[Azaelas Fayth]

Tetori is excellent for Grappling. Maneuver Master is better on Bull Rush or Tripping.

[blackbloodtroll]

Can you combine Brutal Pugilist with Urban Barbarian?

[Azaelas Fayth]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Can you combine Brutal Pugilist with Urban Barbarian?

Yes. Yes, you can.

[blackbloodtroll]

Azaelas Fayth wrote:

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Can you combine Brutal Pugilist with Urban Barbarian?

Yes. Yes, you can.

Well, that seems a decent combo for this.

Agile Maneuvers, and go.

[Azaelas Fayth]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Azaelas Fayth wrote:

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Can you combine Brutal Pugilist with Urban Barbarian?

Yes. Yes, you can.

Well, that seems a decent combo for this.

Agile Maneuvers, and go.

"By the Goddess! This little kid is like a Spider Monkey!"-Last Words of Guard Captain Aronthis.

[lemeres]

Hey, what is the consensus on the feat Hamatula Strike? If you use a piercing weapon, it lets you make a grapple attempt. There is an associated feat that give a style which turns unarmed strikes into piercing attacks, as well as snake style, but neither are necessary, so lets just assume you use a knife/rapier/spear/etc as your weapon. So how would this affect a grappling build?

I can definitely see a great conflict over whether to pick Tetori or a monk with a regular flurry of blows. The first trades in the ability in return for several advantages over a normal grappler, but with hamatula strike, a regular monk could deal damage and still do grappling in the same round. Any thoughts?

[Azaelas Fayth]

Hamatula Strike is nice but can't a Tetori use it as well?

[lemeres]

True, but part of would love to have it as part of a flurry of blows. The damage potential seems much better with the flurry, since you can simply treat the first two or three attacks as normal strikes, and use Hamatula strike on the lowest hit you think you can get away with. Excluding the use of TWF, a tetori would be restricted to his second iterative for this strategy. The feat would make a grappling build fairly appealing even if you are not a tetori, since you do not seem to lose anything in the process.

It would restrict your choices a bit though. You would end up either using certain monk weapons (cestus?), using snake style, or taking 6 levels of Sohei. Polearms with the trip special ability do seem particularly tempting for this. Also, on an semirelated note: if you take the thrown weapon group for weapon training for Sohei, would it still apply to daggers even if they are not thrown? Not seeing any other way to use them in a melee flurry.