High Dmg / or Versatile Unarmed build Advice

[CECShocktrooper]

As the title states, I'm looking for a build to make an unarmed specialist not only competent, but a straight up beast at unarmed melee. I've searched through countless forums listing the barbarian, brawler, fighter, bloodrager and lastly monk for these roles, but none actually stating which onewould break faces the hardest or can guide me on using CMs effectively.

If anyone could help that would be great! I'm not partial to monk as I've been reading through and he seems kinda meh along with his required alignment, mostly it's between choosing between Brawler or Barbarian. The character rp wise wants to prove he can be as good if not better in the fight as any other non caster.

Lastly if you could list feats separately from items (if you choose to use them) that would be great thanks!

[LoneKnave]

Depends on the level, and how soon you want to get the build online. The baseline is getting Pummeling charge, Dragon Style, and Horn of the Criosphinx and high STR.

[Just a Guess]

Brawler and barbarian are both good.
One is more about getting high bonuses to damage, the other about getting a high damage die.

Barbarian: Can get IUS and unarmed two-weapon fighting via rage powers (needs a backup when not raging. But by having IUS as feat and as rage power you increase the damage die). Can add natural attacks to taste. With extra rage power and/or the right race choice you can have a lot of attacks at low levels.
Later you can add rage powers to become good at CMs like savage dirty trick. Small damage die but big bonuses. Later very versatile because there are rage powers for crazy stuff. Even for flying. Can get pounce or pummeling charge.

Brawler: free IUS, free brawler's flurry, scaling damage die. Bonuses to CMs. Probably easier to build as an unarmed combatant but more restricted in what he can do. This is the more mundane approach. Natural weapons don't work with brawler's flurry. Can get pummeling charge.

I will add one:
Primal Blood Conduit Bloodrager:
Can do some of the things the barbarian can do because he can exchange bloodrager powers for rage powers. Depending on bloodline gets claws and/or gets large when raging. Or other neat things. Can cast spells later on. Some as part of a combat maneuver or unarmed strike. can get pummeling charge or pounce.

[CECShocktrooper]

Just a Guess wrote:

Brawler and barbarian are both good.

One is more about getting high bonuses to damage, the other about getting a high damage die.

Barbarian: Can get IUS and unarmed two-weapon fighting via rage powers (needs a backup when not raging. But by having IUS as feat and as rage power you increase the damage die). Can add natural attacks to taste. With extra rage power and/or the right race choice you can have a lot of attacks at low levels.
Later you can add rage powers to become good at CMs like savage dirty trick. Small damage die but big bonuses. Later very versatile because there are rage powers for crazy stuff. Even for flying. Can get pounce or pummeling charge.

Brawler: free IUS, free brawler's flurry, scaling damage die. Bonuses to CMs. Probably easier to build as an unarmed combatant but more restricted in what he can do. This is the more mundane approach. Natural weapons don't work with brawler's flurry. Can get pummeling charge.

I will add one:
Primal Blood Conduit Bloodrager:
Can do some of the things the barbarian can do because he can exchange bloodrager powers for rage powers. Depending on bloodline gets claws and/or gets large when raging. Or other neat things. Can cast spells later on. Some as part of a combat maneuver or unarmed strike. can get pummeling charge or pounce.

Awesome thanks! What about multicasting? I was hoping for a weapon-free Hand to hand kinda guy, or is a weapon besides natural/gauntlets always going to win out?

[LoneKnave]

Pummeling charge makes unarmed strikes as good as weapons (and sometimes better).

Multiclass works, and depending on your base class, is required. If you want pummeling charge, you'll almost always grab 1 or 2 levels of Master of Many Styles monk.

[CECShocktrooper]

would going straight brawler to 20th level be any good? because that 20th ability looks pretty awesome.

[Just a Guess]

Multiclassing can be worth it if done with a coal in mind.
As LoneKnave suggested master of many styles monk or fighter (brawler)3 for +1 to hit +3 to damage with close weapons (which an unarmed strike is) that is weapon training and works with gloves of dueling, or fighter (unarmed fighter) for a free style feat.

How good the 20th level brawler is I can not tell, because I nerver play that high and for that don't even look at the high level powers. Highest level in PF for me was/is level 11.

[Kaouse]

Be a Ninja.

Sap Adept
Sap Master
Knockout Artist

You can get Improved Unarmed Strike from a ninja trick. At level 20, your sneak attack deals 20d6 + 40 damage. Every attack. Combine that with the TWF feat line and your ki pool attack to get at least 7 attacks.

Things really get real when you tack on the Scout archetype from the rouge class (which ninja qualify for) and combine it with Pummeling Charge to get a massively compounded Sneak attack. Just smother your enemies in mountains of dice.

On top of great offensive presence, you get a bunch of great abilities that make rouge talents weep.

The only downside? It's primarily nonlethal, so your damage gets cut instantly against undead or constructs.

[chbgraphicarts]

There's also the fun BS of the terror that is the TINY HALFLING ANGEL OF DEATH:

Fleet of Foot Halfling | Martial Master Mutation Fighter / Invulnerable Rager Urban Barbarian

Base Stats: Str 8 (10-2) | Dex 18 (16+2) | Con 14 | Int 14 | Wis 10 | Cha 12 (10+2)
Special: Permanent Reduce Person (Dex +2(Size), Str -2 (Size))
Traits: Heavy Hitter
Weapon of choice: +1 Agile Spiked Gauntlets

CL1 MtWr1 Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Fighting, Martial Flexibility (Move), Mutagen (Dex +4(Alchemical))
CL2 MtWr2 Double Slice
CL3 Brb1 Weapon Focus, Rage (Dex +4(Morale))
CL4 Brb2 Reckless Abandon, DR1/- | Dex 19
CL5 MtWr3 Power Attack (PA+RS=+4)
CL6 MtWr4 Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
CL7 MtWr5 Risky Striker (PA+RS=+8)
CL8 MtWr6 Extra Rage (PA+RS=+12) | Dex 20
Cl9 MtWr7 Weapon Specialization, Wings
CL10 MtWr8 Greater Weapon Focus
CL11 MtWr9 Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Martial Flexibility (Swift)
CL12 MtWr10 ??? (PA+RS=+16)

+23 (+12 BAB + 10 Dex + 2 GWF + 1 Enh - 2 TWF)/+23/+18/+18/+13/+13

Unarmed Strike = 1d3+1+16+10+2 = 32 avg dmg

Martial Flexibility - use to gain Pummeling Style & Pummeling Strike

[Renegadeshepherd]

Edit: replace all CMDs in this post with combat maneuvers. Was mistake.

I've recently discovered the war sighted oracle with battle mystery can be a beast in this department. Their ability to switch from CMDs to pummeling and back and forth rivals the monk. The oracle unlike some other classes like monk, alchemist, sorcerer can wear medium or heavy armor (revelation) and such. Your a full caster so self buffs and the versatility of spells is built in. Finally if you went warisghted you can swap out feats on the fly in battle but perhaps ou like the revelations in battle better?

The downside is that your raw strength will not be as big as a brutish alchemist or barbarian. So you will have to decide if spells and CMDs are worth more than +4 or +6 to strength. Personally I'd say it is because your treating your oracle level as BAB for CMDs. WAIT!!! Don't I remember aasimars, half elves, elves, and humans with racial heritage being able to use favored class bonus to raise the effective oracle level for a mystery :)
That's right you just became a CMD beast. you can with this proposal have a revelation that gives you weapon focus, improved crit, and greater weapon focus. What's not to love here?

Finally... If you went racial heritage (kobold) and scaled disciple feats you could dip 4 levels of dragon disciple for the natural armor and +4 strength. Wouldn't do this myself but it's an option.

Bottom line: if versatility is your goal oracle is THE way to go. If you want raw strength you want cross blooded sorcerer/drsgon disciple/barb/alchemist build.