A brawler's a lot more sensitive to optimisation, in terms of your knowledge of feats to gain via martial flex., than a barbarian. A fighter's of similar complexity potentially but mostly when you make the character. It's a little lower power than either but still acceptable as non-spellcasters go.
What do you want in the build? Fists and charisma doesn't say much.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk/archetypes/paizo-monk-arc hetypes/scaled-fist-monk-archetype/
Scaled Fist Monk is a monk that runs on Charisma.
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The core mechanic of the class, martial flexibility, gives you temporary access to any combat feat that you qualify for (initially, it just gives you one, but you can get up to three later on). This is powerful... but it is research heavy since you have to remember the feats that are useful at the moment (example- blind fight feats when you are in darkness). If you have trouble with the math, I am going to guess you might have trouble keeping notes on dozens of feat combos, as well as updating them every couple of levels.
You can simplify things and grab good numbers if you go with the mutagenic mauler archetype. This archetype trades out martial flexibility for the mutagens from alchemists (and some other stuff). For the most part, this means you get a bonus to strength and the archetype gives an extra straight bonus to damage when you have your mutagen up. So this could be a simpler experience with the class that is still rather good.
Other advice: Outslug style is a very good set of feats. This style lets you get lunge without penalties and turns your 5' step into a 10' step. This means that you can full attack enemies that are 20' away- that allows you to consistently get off flurries. It also allows you to easily sneak into flanking position, and you can get in close to giant that would normally try to get AoOs on you as you approach.
Outslug style is made for use with close weapons, such as brass knuckles.
Weapon: consider using the cestus. It is basically the same as a brass knuckle, but it has spikes and it has better overall stats (slightly more damage, 19-20 crit range). So it is still punchy, punchy. But you are just better overall.
Which of the brawler archetypes is considered the best?
At what, Dr. Okkam? They have different uses and focuses.
@Mr V.: A mutagenic mauler, no martial flex. A trained martial artist, probably strength based, probably with a fighting style feat then? A smooth talker so likely bluff or diplomacy rather than intimidate. Fox style might fit. Outslug style helps with close in movement and some damage, boar style goes for damage and intimidation.
For stats a human might have Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 13,
Feats & similar might go
1: power attack
Brawler 1: improved unarmed strike
Brawler 2: TWF with flurry, outslug style
3: iron will
5: dragon style
Brawler 5: combat style mastery
7: lunge
Brawler 8: ITWF with flurry, outslug weave
9: outslug sprint
10: spontaneous healing discovery
11: combat expertise
Brawler 11: feinting flurry
13: improved feinting flurry
Brawler 14: deflect arrows
Brawler 15: GTWF with flurry
At what, Dr. Okkam? They have different uses and focuses.
@Mr V.: A mutagenic mauler, no martial flex. A trained martial artist, probably strength based, probably with a fighting style feat then? A smooth talker so likely bluff or diplomacy rather than intimidate. Fox style might fit. Outslug style helps with close in movement and some damage, boar style goes for damage and intimidation.
For stats a human might have Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 13,
Feats & similar might go
1: power attack
Brawler 1: improved unarmed strike
Brawler 2: TWF with flurry, outslug style
3: iron will
5: dragon style
Brawler 5: combat style mastery
7: lunge
Brawler 8: ITWF with flurry, outslug weave
9: outslug sprint
10: spontaneous healing discovery
11: combat expertise
Brawler 11: feinting flurry
13: improved feinting flurry
Brawler 14: deflect arrows
Brawler 15: GTWF with flurry
From the point of view of universality, most likely...
Where’s the Weapon Focus to qualify for Outslug? Close weapon mastery doesn’t kick in until level 5.At what, Dr. Okkam? They have different uses and focuses.
@Mr V.: A mutagenic mauler, no martial flex. A trained martial artist, probably strength based, probably with a fighting style feat then? A smooth talker so likely bluff or diplomacy rather than intimidate. Fox style might fit. Outslug style helps with close in movement and some damage, boar style goes for damage and intimidation.
For stats a human might have Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 13,
Feats & similar might go
1: power attack
Brawler 1: improved unarmed strike
Brawler 2: TWF with flurry, outslug style
3: iron will
it also seems to be missing the human feat.
Honestly, maybe go half elf with dual minded- it gives a +2 to will saves, and a +2 to saves vs. mind affecting- that is a +4 total against most will saves. That way, you can ditch iron will (at least until later levels) and move things around so you have both weapon focus and outslug by level 3.
Also, the ability scores seem wonky. It only seems to come out to 18 pts. Are you aiming for 20 str (18+racial) at level 1 on a 25 pt buy? I think the rest of the character suffers from doing that (barely any skill points for being a social character).
I would usually go for a 18(16+2)/14/14/10/10/14 on that kind of point buy- you have less wasted scores since you do not have as many odd numbers (even if you still aimed for 20, I would go with wis 10/cha 12 so I could get dex up- light armor level AC early on and all). And for a 20 pt buy, I would just have str at 16 (14+2).
I’ve been binge watching Peaky Blinders and I want to make a knuckle bruiser with a bit of charisma. I looked over the Brawler class and it looks pretty good. My problem is, I have never been good at the math of character building.
So, how good is the Brawler? Can he keep up with his peers? And what’s a good build?
I'm currently playing an oread brawler in PFS, who just reached 5th level. He's the first hybrid class character I've played, so I'm still on the learning curve for how to best use some of his abilities, but he's great fun.
Feinting is one of many possible tricks for a brawler with a decent Charisma. Brawler's cunning lets you take Combat Expertise with needing a 13 Int, then you can access Improved Feint through martial flexibility. I'd recommend taking a trait like Fast-Talker that will make Bluff a class skill. I did this with my brawler, and bought a Mask of Stony Demeanor as soon as he could afford it to boost his Bluff for lying and feinting.
So far, the class seems to be pretty well balanced against fighters and monks. Martial flexibility makes up for a lot of what you're missing for not having a monk's ki powers. I occasionally lament not having the AC of a more heavily armored fighter, but I get twice as many skill points as a brawler, and that's key for being able to contribute in scenes when I can't just punch stuff.
The missing human feat and the missing weapon focus are one and the same typo, yes. Raise the Int to 8 and you get another skill point and take the point buy to 20. Total skill points per level 4 brawler - 1 int + 1 human = 4, possibly one more from the favored class bonus.