Dan Bong - the ultimate brawler weapon?

[Shinken]

Brawler's are proficient with all weapons in the close weapon group and this includes the dan bong. Sitting at 1d3 damage, it's not particularly appealing to anyone but Brawlers and Warpriests, who can change a weapon's base damage.
See what it offers - 19-20 threat range, it can be thrown and it adds +2 to grapple checks. If you're going with a weapon for your brawler, I think dan bong is the best choice.

[Slipperychicken]

Cestus gives 1d4, 19-20/x2. If you aren't concerned with grappling or ranged attacks with 10ft increments (might as well just charge at those distances. At least you don't eat the range penalties then, and get your +2 attack bonus).

I could see a Dan Bong working as a backup weapon against low-flying foes, or for when you need to grapple someone.

[BlackDragonKing]

Cestus gives 1d4, 19-20/x2. If you aren't concerned with grappling or ranged attacks with 10ft increments (might as well just charge at those distances. At least you don't eat the range penalties then, and get your +2 attack bonus).

I could see a Dan Bong working as a backup weapon against low-flying foes, or for when you need to grapple someone.

Honestly, with damage dice that tiny I don't think the Cestus is really worth it. The Dan Bong at least will progress quite quickly to be at least as good as a short sword and in most games basically function as a Longsword that bludgeons and improves grappling in a way that stacks with the enhancement bonus from Brawling Light Armor. The only question then is if you want to diversify damage types, in which case I'd still take the Spiked Gauntlet over the Cestus.

It's a shame, the Cestus would be pretty nice if it was just a Close Weapon...

[VexingFool]

It's a shame, the Cestus would be pretty nice if it was just a Close Weapon...

Cestus is in the Close weapons group. It was added in Ultimate Combat with the expanded weapon groups.

Overall the dan bong looks to be the best brawler weapon. The cestus is nice because it offers B or P.

The cestus, dan bong and emei piercer offer (19-20) crit range. Only the fighting fan and rope gauntlets have Slashing damage. The punching dagger has x3 crit and the katar has x4 crit.

bayonet, 1d6 x2, P
brass knuckles, 1d3 x2
cestus, 1d4 (19-20)x2, B or P
dan bong, 1d3 (19-20)x2, 10’ range, blocking, +2 grapple
emei piercer, 1d3 (19-20)x2, P
fighting fan, 1d4 x3, S or P, distracting
gauntlet, 1d3 x2
heavy shield, 1d4 x2
iron brush, 1d3 x2, P
katar, 1d4 x4, P
light shield, 1d3 x2
madu, 1d4 x2, performance
mere club, 1d4 x2, B or P, fragile
punching dagger, 1d4 x3, P
rope gauntlet, 1d4 x2, B or S
sap, 1d6 x2, nonlethal
scizore, 1d10 x2, P
spiked armor, 1d6 x2, P
spiked gauntlet, 1d4 x2, P
spiked shield, 1d6 x2, P
tekko-kagi, 1d3 x2, P, disarm
tonfa, 1d6 x2, blocking
wooden stake, 1d4 x2, P, 10’ range
wushu dart, 1d3 x2, P, 10’ range

[Shinken]

Cestus is in the Close weapons group. It was added in Ultimate Combat with the expanded weapon groups.

Overall the dan bong looks to be the best brawler weapon. The cestus is nice because it offers B or P.

The cestus, dan bong and emei piercer offer (19-20) crit range. Only the fighting fan and rope gauntlets have Slashing damage. The punching dagger has x3 crit and the katar has x4 crit.

bayonet, 1d6 x2, P
brass knuckles, 1d3 x2
cestus, 1d4 (19-20)x2, B or P
dan bong, 1d3 (19-20)x2, 10’ range, blocking, +2 grapple
emei piercer, 1d3 (19-20)x2, P
fighting fan, 1d4 x3, S or P, distracting
gauntlet, 1d3 x2
heavy shield, 1d4 x2
iron brush, 1d3 x2, P
katar, 1d4 x4, P
light shield, 1d3 x2
madu, 1d4 x2, performance
mere club, 1d4 x2, B or P, fragile
punching dagger, 1d4 x3, P
rope gauntlet, 1d4 x2, B or S
sap, 1d6 x2, nonlethal
scizore, 1d10 x2, P
spiked armor, 1d6 x2, P
spiked gauntlet, 1d4 x2, P
spiked shield, 1d6 x2, P
tekko-kagi, 1d3 x2, P, disarm
tonfa, 1d6 x2, blocking
wooden stake, 1d4 x2, P, 10’ range
wushu dart, 1d3 x2, P, 10’ range


Didn't know katar was a separate weapon from punching dagger in Pathfinder. x4? That's pretty cool.