Making a pugilist warrior to tax my players! (HELP!)

[Sir_Chivalry]

Okay, I want to make a foe for my party who uses unarmed strikes, but monk is a bust as we all know. What is the best way (besides swordsage, I know about swordsage, I'm looking at my other options) to get monk abilities or monk-like abilities (namely unarmed strike damage, flurry of blows, maybe AC bonus)?

I'm open to anything, but I want a guy who can fight effectively against a group (maybe with minion help)

[Kylarra]

Tashalatora combined with psionic class of choice is usually a pretty good one. You won't necessarily flurry very well, but you'll have your choice of psionic buffs and so on.

[Sacrieur]

Unarmed Swordsage 5/Drunken Master X/Barbarian X/Frenzied Berserker X

[arguskos]

Are you amiable to homebrew? If so, I've got solutions. If not, someone else probably has it covered.

[Sir_Chivalry]

Are you amiable to homebrew? If so, I've got solutions. If not, someone else probably has it covered.

Of course, but also looking for interesting builds.

[Draken]

Warblade. Superior Unarmed Strike. Snap Kick. Tiger Claw for multiple attacks. Diamond Mind for single, powerful attacks.

There ya go. Better HD, full BAB.

[Salanmander]

Monks can actually make /really/ good solo encounters. Remember the standard line on why monks are bad as a PC? It's because they've got very good defenses, but are a secondary threat, and can't draw fire effectively. You know the biggest problem with solo encounters? It's that they go down almost instantly, and many that are powerful enough to challenge a party can one-hit-kill a PC.

Being a defensively oriented class is actually /beneficial/ for helping you make a good solo encounter for a party of PCs. Of course you need to give them extra levels, good stat arrays, etc. to make them a threat, but once you /have/ made them a threat, they tend to be an interesting one. Which is, of course, the hard part.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Check this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149668) out.

[arguskos]

Of course, but also looking for interesting builds.
The Shadow (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10357045#post10357045) is quite capable of shutting down a party and can deal out the pain with unarmed strikes reasonably effectively. It's a very passive class, which normally a bad thing, but in this case, it works reasonably effectively. The 5-8 range seems to be pretty solid for it. If you're looking for something far more offensively minded, the Monk (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192781) is a good choice. They're crazy levels of offensively minded though. If you use either of these, please, let me know, I'd love to hear how they work out.

Good builds belong to other people, sadly enough. Not my speed honestly, but many have/will certainly be presented.

[Sacrieur]

Monks can actually make /really/ good solo encounters. Remember the standard line on why monks are bad as a PC? It's because they've got very good defenses, but are a secondary threat, and can't draw fire effectively. You know the biggest problem with solo encounters? It's that they go down almost instantly, and many that are powerful enough to challenge a party can one-hit-kill a PC.

Being a defensively oriented class is actually /beneficial/ for helping you make a good solo encounter for a party of PCs. Of course you need to give them extra levels, good stat arrays, etc. to make them a threat, but once you /have/ made them a threat, they tend to be an interesting one. Which is, of course, the hard part.

So long as they have a bonus to hit and some serious AC improvements >_>

[Salanmander]

So long as they have a bonus to hit and some serious AC improvements >_>

That's what the extra levels and fairly good stat arrays are for. A monk with 16 starting dex and wis putting wealth into AC can get pretty good AC in the around-level-ten range.

And remember, you're the DM, and you know what your players' to-hit bonuses are. You can pull strings and make the AC appropriate.

[MeeposFire]

A warforged monk using battlefists would be nasty or a kalashtar using a fist syberys shard with the mighty arms graft and a battlefist. It would have good AC and decent attacks for most parties. This also works for any combo using imp unarmed strike such as the swordsage and warblade.

[Telonius]

What level are you starting at? A bit of a modification of my old "Mock Monk" build could do it, depending on what level you need him.

Human Fighter8/Kensai10, Strength-focused.
Feats:
1: Improved Unarmed Strike
1(Human): Stunning Fist
1(Fighter): Power Attack
2(Fighter): Improved Grapple
3: Deflect Arrows
4(Fighter): Improved Disarm
6: Combat Expertise
6(Fighter): Improved Trip
8(Fighter): Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
9: Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike)
12: Greater Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
15: Greater Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike)
18: Improved Natural Attack

Switch around the feats as necessary, depending on what level you need. (And do note that these are deliberately non-optimal feats - the original point of the build was to have a Fighter able to out-do the Monk at what's supposed to be his own schtick). Take Unarmed Strike as your signature Kensai weapon. By level 18, you'll have a +10 magic bonus to your Unarmed Strikes. It's usually best to pile on the elemental damage rather than flat bonuses. You have most of the Feats that typical Monks would, as well as higher HP. No Flurry, but you won't miss it. Plus, you can actually wear armor when you're attacking. You get a Rage-like ability without the drawbacks at Kensai2, and can use Concentration on Reflex saves at Kensai5.

[Erik von Nein]

How would you get stunning fist at first level when it requires a BAB of 8?

[Telonius]

Magic, obviously. (Odd that nobody has caught that error before now - good catch!). Feat order really doesn't matter so much, though - the point is to get most of the Monk feats. (The original build also had all Fighter levels, so it no longer qualifies for Greater Spec. either). So, an amended progression...

1: Improved Unarmed Strike
1(Human): Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
1(Fighter): Power Attack
2(Fighter): Improved Grapple
3: Deflect Arrows
4(Fighter): Improved Disarm
6: Combat Expertise
6(Fighter): Improved Trip
8(Fighter): Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike)
9: Stunning Fist
12: Greater Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
15: Improved Natural Attack
18: Skill Focus (Use Magic Device) [for all those partially charged wands :smallbiggrin:]

[Runestar]

Give him a potion of greater whallop (caster lv20)? This improves his unarmed damage to 12d8. :smallcool:

Personally, I like the idea of a monk/fighter/shou disciple (unapproachable east), but am not sure how to optimise that.

[gorfnab]

Human Swashbuckler 3/ Fighter 2/ Shou Disciple 5/ Kensai 10

1. B: Weapon Finesse, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus Unarmed Strike
3. Dodge
4. B: Mobility
5. B: Combat Expertise
6. Snap Kick
7. B: Spring Attack
9. B: Deflect Arrows or Improved Trip, Combat Reflexes
12. Bounding Assault
15. Improved Natural Attack
18. Rapid Blitz