Build Concept: Fu Manchu, the Melee Battlefield Controller [PF]

[Tokuhara]

In a casual talk with my GM, I was flipping through classes for an upcoming campaign. I was browsing and saw Tetori Monk and White-Haired Witch, and my mind started on a roll. A martial artist who learned a secret martial arts technique that allows him to use his facial hair as a weapon.

Reading over both Archetypes, I find myself having a hard time trying to find a balance. I really am more inclined to Monk being the dominant side (CMB for Grapple based on Monk Levels, not Total levels sadly), but I need 8 levels of WhW to be "viable" to use my hair to reach grapple (Constrict, Strangle, Trip, Pull, and +10' to weapon radius). This (WhW 8/Tetori 12) gives me 12 to CMB for Grapple Checks, a 15' reach weapon that deals 1d4, grapples, trips, constricts, pulls, and strangles. Not bad for a natural attack (not really caring about my BAB here, since I get like 1 attack anyways)

Edit: Looking to take all monk vows minus Vow of Peace (cleanliness is being redone to allow me my braided moustache and trimmed eyebrows, but bald otherwise)

My questions:

1. How many levels of WhW and Tetori should I take to strike an "Optimal" balance. Not really planning on focusing on spellcasting here, just on the grappling moustache.

2. I have a couple feats I'm looking at (Improved Natural Atack: Moustache, Improved Critical: Moustache), but I could use more good feats. Any suggestions? Kinda wish there was a Fighting Style Feat chain that focused on grappling.

3. I already know that at Level 1, I'm Taking Improved Initiative with a Compsognathus Familiar and Reactionary Trait, netting me a +10 to Initiative plus my Dexterity. How much more Initiative do I really need?

4. I need a back-up plan. Sure, if I am stripped down to my tighty whities, I can still fight as if I were fully equipped, but the second someone shaves me bare, I be screwed. What qualifies as a good plan B?

Thanks Y'all for helping me give birth to Fu Manchu, The Moustache of Ultimate Power.

[Mathias1313]

I love the White Haired Witch.. Love it.

As far as the sweet spot for how much of each class you need... not sure, but you only really need lvl 4 in White Witch, lvl 6 would be better tho.

As for feats, i would ignore Improved critical outright, and forget about improved natural attack and instead look at Feral combat Training from Complete Combat. It allows any effects or feats that apply to Unarmed strikes to apply to your 1 natural attack... Like say Unarmed damage, Flurry, and say viscious stomp as examples. I think that Feat was made for your idea.

Hope that gets you started. :)

[Tokuhara]

I love the White Haired Witch.. Love it.

As far as the sweet spot for how much of each class you need... not sure, but you only really need lvl 4 in White Witch, lvl 6 would be better tho.

As for feats, i would ignore Improved critical outright, and forget about improved natural attack and instead look at Feral combat Training from Complete Combat. It allows any effects or feats that apply to Unarmed strikes to apply to your 1 natural attack... Like say Unarmed damage, Flurry, and say viscious stomp as examples. I think that Feat was made for your idea.

Hope that gets you started. :)

Improved Natural Attack turns my 1d4+INT into 1d6+INT. That, and I'm using Tetori, which loses FoB for more grapple-focused abilities, as well as feats and a large chunck of monk's class features (Still get UAS) for grappling.

Feral Combat Training you say. Also heard rumors of a feat that stacks UAS onto a weapon.

[Larkas]

Improved Natural Attack turns my 1d4+INT into 1d6+INT.

That is a net gain of only 1 point of average damage. IMHO, it's simply not worth a feat.

Feral Combat Training, on the other hand, seems like a nice one. Specially the part that says "as well as effects that augment an unarmed strike." If that can be brought to mean the increase in damage, not the final damage itself, remember that your mustache does 1d4 damage, while a medium humanoid's Unarmed Strike does only 1d3. I.e.: your mustache damage will scale as if you were a Large creature :smallsmile: That is, of course, just one interpretation of the rules, not necessarily what they really mean.

Regardless, if they shave your beard, remember that you still have your fists... Not too good, but at least you're not completely unarmed.

[Tokuhara]

That is a net gain of only 1 point of average damage. IMHO, it's simply not worth a feat.

Feral Combat Training, on the other hand, seems like a nice one. Specially the part that says "as well as effects that augment an unarmed strike." If that can be brought to mean the increase in damage, not the final damage itself, remember that your mustache does 1d4 damage, while a medium humanoid's Unarmed Strike does only 1d3. I.e.: your mustache damage will scale as if you were a Large creature :smallsmile: That is, of course, just one interpretation of the rules, not necessarily what they really mean.

Regardless, if they shave your beard, remember that you still have your fists... Not too good, but at least you're not completely unarmed.

However, if I take them BOTH, my damage scales pretty well, at actual Monk Rate. I also plan on grabbing Monastic Legacy to take 1/2 my Witch Levels and make them Monk levels for UAS progression. And I plan on using Weapon Finesse (strength means less if my primary damage source is Damage + INT, though I need a "decent" Strength score for my fists).

What other suggestions are out there?

[Larkas]

Hmmm, good thinking. Do you have access to 3.5 material? IIRC, there was a feat that increases your US damage to that of a Monk 4 levels higher, so that might be of some use. I have no idea if there's something equal for PF.

[Tokuhara]

Sadly, no on both accounts. There is, but I am disallowed from 3.5 Material

[Tokuhara]

Crap...

I just found myself eyeing two builds:

1. Human White-Haired Witch 4/Monk 16 - Grapple Master

2. Human (Heart of the Fields [Craft: Alchemy] with Alchemist Favored Class) Grenadier Alchemist 20 - Battlefield Control Bombadier

Edit: I'm more going with the Alchemist now. Going to make a new thread.