A good unarmed Warforged class?

[The LOBster]

All right, so I've been prepping characters for 3.5. Three of them (Ferrus Pax, Kaya, Locke) are converts from 4e, and one of them (Scops) is all new. Ferrus (A Warforged) was a Monk in 4e, but I heard Monks were a bottom-tier class in 3.5, and even in 4e it wasn't exactly what I imagined when I made the character - a slow-moving, powerful tank that soaks up incredible amounts of damage and hits just as hard. I basically want to play something unarmed and kung-fu-ish that can use heavy armor. Are there any good starting class options for this?

As for the others, I turned Kaya from an Artificer to a Rogue (planning on PrCing her to Techsmith, and Shifters just aren't made to be Artificers), Locke's gone from Fighter to Warblade, and Scops is a Raptoran Ranger. I try and optimize my characters a little bit - not to the point where they can take anything down at low levels, but to the point where a beginner like me can handle most obstacles.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Ferrus might be best suited as a Crusader (Tome of Battle) with Superior Unarmed Strike and an emphasis on Stone Dragon.

[Answerer]

Monks are pretty miserable, yes. Not recommended for anything. 2 levels, maybe, but even that I wouldn't bother with.

If you're interested in the Psionic powers (4e made the Monk psionic, right?), the Psychic Warrior may be a good choice. It's a pretty good combination with Monk and Tashalatora from Secrets of Sarlona, too.

If you want more of a big, beastly warrior type who happens to fight unarmed, I'd recommend Crusader or Warblade (both Tome of Battle). A Barbarian dip is never out of place, either. Just take Improved Unarmed Strike, and maybe Superior Unarmed Strike or Improved Natural Attack, if you want.

A good alternative to those feats, though, is the Battlefist. It's sort of an item, but it connects to the Warforged's body and gives him a pretty good attack that's "unarmed" sort of.

And Warforged Juggernaut (Eberron Campaign Setting) is an excellent Prestige Class for any of the above, except maybe the Psychic Warrior.

[The LOBster]

The Crusader sounds good. I looked it up, and it can also heal himself like a Paladin without the pesky alignment restrictions. Plus, it has a semi-religious bent to it. It actually sounds precisely what I'd want to make Ferrus be like, actually. :D

Also, the Battlefist sounds like a great component for the big lug :D

[Psyren]

Totemist is a fantastic unarmed class for the Warforged; I'm playing one right now in a campaign and he's a beast. The class gives you a large number of natural attacks, which you can then add to the Warforged's own Slam (along with the Second Slam and Jaws of Death feats for even more) then throw the Multiattack line onto the whole mess and get your full BAB with every swing, as well as the ability to pounce and grapple like a champion. And everything that boosts your natural attacks (e.g. an Amulet of Mighty Fists) will apply to every single one of them.

Incarnum isn't the most beginner-friendly system around but once you get the hang of it there's a lot of fun things you can do - fly, teleport, shoot spikes, spit acid, breathe fire/lightning, petrify, fatigue or fear enemies, even be a backup skillmonkey/scout if your party needs one.

[Morithias]

Totemist is a fantastic unarmed class for the Warforged; I'm playing one right now in a campaign and he's a beast. The class gives you a large number of natural attacks, which you can then add to the Warforged's own Slam (along with the Second Slam and Jaws of Death feats for even more) then throw the Multiattack line onto the whole mess and get your full BAB with every swing, as well as the ability to pounce and grapple like a champion. And everything that boosts your natural attacks (e.g. an Amulet of Mighty Fists) will apply to every single one of them.


Don't forgot to add a level of soul eater (which warforged easily qualifies for) to do a nice negative level every hit.