So, I've joined a Living World game with Gestalt and Mythic. I'm not too focused on the Mythic just yet since I'd need to actually reach level 20 for that.
What I am focused on is my build, which is preferably gonna be optimized to hell and back. The concept is an unarmed fighter (not natural weapons, unless it's Slam or something) who buffs herself to the nines with magic, then jumps into the thick of it and starts punching stuff.
Right now the obvious choice seems to be a Bloodrager to achieve the whole thing of buffing myself with magic. Arcane would probably be best since that means I get to dump a bunch of buffs on me whenever I Bloodrage. What I'm trying to figure out is the other class. Brawler seems like it'd be the obvious choice, but I'm not a fan of a lot of the mechanics like Knockout and Awesome Blow, and the Bloody-Knuckle Rowdy archetype exists for Bloodrager so I don't necessarily need Monk or Brawler. Having a Flurry would be nice though.
For a few houserules, all Archetypes work with the Unchained classes, even if they wouldn't normally. So MoMS Unchained Monk is a possibility, for example. Regular Summoner is banned, but UnSum works, and Synthesist is allowed for it.
One of things with Gestalt is that while you have more abilities, you don't have more actions, so finding ways to get more actions in a turn is a pretty big deal. For spell casting, two obvious ways to do this are the Magus spellstrike and the War Priest fervor. For this concept, I think the second will serve you better.
While the Sacred Fist seems perfect for an unarmed build, I think you might be better off with just staying with the base warpriest and a diety with unarmed attack (Irori) and having sacred weapon.
The other half would want to be full BAB. Brawler as you mention would work well, and it would be nice to have the option to use martial flexibility for maneuvers and it would give 3 good saves, which is nice with Gestalt. The unarmed damage progression would be a waste though (although if you did this you could go with a different diety to have options.) You also don't like all the mechanics.
Fighter (brawler archetype) would be pretty strong. You would have excellent damage and plenty of feats to increase that. You don't have a good REF save, but that is the least important save, in my opinion. You also have low skills, which you don't mention as being a goal but is something to think about.
Lastly, I think the strongest option. Ranger with the Unarmed Divine combat style. 3 Good saves. Bonus feats for combat. Synergy with WIS as a casting stat. Good skills.
With any of these you would be looking at wearing light armor and planning on the brawling enchantment.
For the fastest buffing consider an eldritch scion magus with the arcane bloodrager bloodline rather than an actual bloodrager. Bloodrage + spell combat. It's swift action intensive before level 8 but if you're in the living world I think you are, don't they start about that level?
That would leave you with less than full BAB of course, but in gestalt you could combine it with unchained monk to get there, probably scaled fist for the charisma synergy.
Dave: I'm guessing the buffing comes from Blessings and casting actual spells? It would be good, but I was thinking of them as more Arcane than Divine, and I don't really like having to follow a God. Unfortunately Ranger would require it as well, since that combat style is specifically Divine. Going TWF style would be better I think, if I was going with that build, since I'm already getting the effect of most feats from Warpriest, while TWF style lets me rebuild Flurry.
Avr: It's not the one you think, since we start at level 1. That would work fairly well, but like you said, it would be swift-action intensive, and I'd need to reapply it ever other turn, so I'd burn through my Arcane Pool very fast. Assuming I'm level 20 with 30 Charisma, that's 20 rounds a day.
Meirril: Like I said to Dave, I'm leaning more towards Arcane than Divine, and I don't like having to follow a deity.
Actually L20 w/30 Cha gives you 20 points of eldritch pool - which is 40 rounds/day if you use it only for that. It's more of a problem earlier, certainly.
Starting at level 1, hmm. Back to a bloodrager I think. The bloody-knuckled rowdy handles basic unarmed combat as you say. It doesn't particularly need swift actions. A bard might use move or swift actions to start bardic performance, covers the reflex/will saves & skill side of the gestalt, and can pre-buff with heroism etc. If you're only concerned with buffing yourself one of the dervish archetypes would be good.
Oracle’s use the same spell list as clerics, but do not have to follow a god. The mystery of battle has a lot of revelations that give multiple combat feats as you level up. Several of the curses would also work well with your concept. The Warsighted archetype gives you martial flexibility by giving up most of your revelations.
The only problem is going to be your stats. There is a feat or archetype that allows a monk to use CHA instead of Wisdom, but I can’t recall it of hand. Take this and you should be good.
Well, the God you would follow in this case would be Irori most likely which isn't too onerous. Basically the God of being all monk-like.
With Arcane the only class I know of that gives you good action economy with melee is the Magus. Their spell list isn't as good for buffing (and no healing, swift action healing is nice) and you aren't going to have great stat synergy. Delivering a punch with shocking grasp makes up for quite a bit of buffing though and would probably be workable. Spell combat won't work with Two Weapon Fighting or Flurry so it would be one or the other. There is less stat synergy with different martial punchers as well. Honestly, I have a hard time seeing a 'punch magus' be nearly as effective as a magus who used a weapon.
Bard is an arcane option, no action economy on spell casting but eventually quicker buffing via inspire courage. Arcane strike would be a good feat for this. Not great stat synergy unless you go with something like a scaled fist monk (personally, I don't think monk will be your best choice with a gestalt.)
Wizard, Witch and similar of course strong on their own, and work well enough. Any given turn you would either be acting as a powerful arcane caster or a puncher. Using one of these classes can make a strong character (spell caster on a martial chassis) but I don't see it being a great unarmed fighter.
IDK how you will merge Unchained monk(dont need too), but sohei is a good option. Win initiative is win the game, sohei can help this and trigger Medusa Wrath in the first round of battle. Sohei is good in mythic with Enduring Armor or Armor Master, Fleet Charger or Fleet Warrior(or pummeling style in non mythic levels) and Precision.
A little dip in fighter(or something like, brawler maybe?) that to get Shiel Prof. and qualify for Unhindering Shield if you feels your ac a little low.
For advanced Weapon Training options choose: Focused Weapon(unarmed strike), Trained Initiative, Fighter’s Reflexes(if you dont use DEX over STR).
For Quinggong: barskin and get Shadow Step or somethong like that.
I played a sohei archer and this is a good character, but unarmed works too.
And REMEMBER: Always Mythic Power attack and Legendary Itemx3.
Another good:
Paladin 2/Synthesist(slam/pounce) 18.
IDK if unchained is good, but you can create a creature with slam attacks. In the mythic levels, you can reform your eidolon to only use one attack: Mythic Vital Strike.
For feats: Noble Sion(War), Vital Strike-chain(late game), Eldritch Heritage(orc)+QSLA+Optimistic Gambler, Racial Heritage(kobold)+Kobold Confidence(IF you think you need more fortitude...), and maybe Unhindering Shield.
For mythic stuff: Enduring Armor or Armor Master, Mythic Smite, Display of Charisma+Noble Sion(War), Arcane Surge and Mythic Vital Strike.
And REMEMBER: Always Mythic Power Attack and Legendary Itemx3.
Would this new Magus archetype work?