Drunken Master

[Chirp]

Is there any way to build a drunken master character without the drunken master PrC? I want to put together a 1st level drunken master character that really captures the feel of being a drunken master, but I don't want to aim for the drunken master PrC. Has anyone ever tried this? What class would work best for this? What feats could help?

[Troacctid]

Sure. It's all about being unpredictable and confusing your foes. Off the top of my head, Elusive Target (CW), Neraph Charge (PlH), Staggering Strike (CAd), and Improved Feint would be good thematic feats for such a build.

[Chirp]

Sure. It's all about being unpredictable and confusing your foes. Off the top of my head, Elusive Target (CW), Neraph Charge (PlH), Staggering Strike (CAd), and Improved Feint would be good thematic feats for such a build.

What class would you recommend? I would assume monk is the obvious choice, but I'm not sure if maybe a fighter or some other class might work better.

[tiercel]

I hate to throw in the standard melee bandwagon answer, but, if you have/can use Tome of Battle, Swordsage (in particular, the Setting Sun maneuvers, but likely many of the others as well with only minimal refluffing).

[Troacctid]

Swordsage and Warblade are both well-equipped for a lightly-armored martial-arts type of character. Barbarian would work (rage is a good analogue for drunkenness). Psychic Warrior or Psionic Fist would work. Scout would do well, with its focus on mobility (and the riposte variant is also a good thematic option). Rogue or Ninja would be good, dealing extra damage for catching them off-guard. Jester would work if you want a more comedic touch. If Pathfinder material is allowed, Alchemist and Investigator are like whole classes based around brewing and drinking exotic booze.

[ShurikVch]

Do you have access to Dragon magazines?

#349 have City Bawler - Barbarian ACF - which (at the cost of proficiency with martial weapons, medium armor, and shields) gives you IUS, allow to TWF with your Unarmed Strike, and lower penalty with improvised weapons down to -2; also, for unarmed fighting, you will get effect of Improved TWF at 6th level, and Greater TWF at 11th

#295 have Brawler PrC, which give such things as proficiency with improvised weapons (no more penalty), Crowd Fighting (moral bonus to attack), DR against nonlethal damage, and at capstone - half of any bludgeoning damage you suffered turns into nonlethal

Streetfighter PrC from Complete Adventurer probably worth to mention for the Stand Tough CF - Fort save to lower all lethal damage from attack down to 50%, and turn it to nonlethal (1 or 2/day)

Feats:
Diehard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#diehard)
Superior Unarmed Strike (Tome of Battle) - who said only monks know how to punch people?
Resist Poison (Player's Guide to Faerûn) - according to Arms and Equipment Guide, alcohol is a poison
Poison Healer (Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss) - booze is good for your health!
If you OK to take [vile] feat, then maybe Vow of Decadence?

[Telonius]

The "Zinc Saucier" contest did Drunken Master awhile back, you might want to check out those results (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?327961-Zinc-Saucier-XXI-you-guys-asked-for-it).

(EDIT: Though looking through the link, apparently there wasn't much diversity in that particular competition...)