Build advice?

[aimlessPolymath]

I'm building a character for a 8th level game, and I want him to be based on Popeye the Sailor.

My current build plan is Mutagenic Brawler 6(for the spinach)/Barbarian 2 (rage power: Knockback), but I'm looking for other cartoony or strength-related character options.

I'm looking for feats and Barbarian archetypes that would be appropriate.

[Geddy2112]

Power attack is a given, not just for the effect but mechanically for the build. Weapon focus(unarmed strike) lets you qualify for Hamatulatsu which gives you a piercing option and some okayish bonuses. You probably want weapon focus to nab weapon specialization, greater weapon focus and all of those other fun fighter feats.

You qualify for style feats, and pummeling is one of the best around. It gives pounce and makes DR a thing of the past. Jabbing is a pretty good style as well if you plan on landing a ton of hits.

You might be fine just going brawler, although I totally understand the barbarian dip. If you want to go more barbarian the hurler tree is okay, but the comedic potential is incredible. Same with body bludgeon(but that requires a fair amount of grappling investment). The smasher power is arguably better than knockback, as outright ignoring the hardness of items combined with your damage potential has a lot of practical and comedic applications. Nonchantlantly punch a hole through a wall of force, crush magical items short of artifacts, etc with a single hit.

As far as raw lifting strength, muscle of the society trait gives a +2 for strength for strength checks made to break doors and for your carrying capacity. Burdenless armor increases your carrying capacity by 50%(and your lifts as well). Muleback cords add 8 to your strength score for carrying and lifting. If you can get a caster to buff you, throw on ant haul and enlarge person. Stack all of this nonsense together and you can casually lift and carry cars.

[aimlessPolymath]

Smasher looks good-one of the reasons I wanted barbarian 2 minimum was so I could get access to Extra Rage Power. (Also, a fallback for when I don't want to use my spinach yet)

I like knockback because of the ability to punch people into walls, mostly. I also like that it lets me disengage from a full attack favorably or move a pitched combat somewhere better, especially with Jabbing Dancer to aim.

The interactions between body bludgeon and hurler are amazing and I wish I could fit them in, but body bludgeon requires barbarian 10, which is out of my range.

I like Jabbing Dancer a lot- it adds a lot of mid-combat dynamicity that fits the Popeye feel. The extra damage doesn't hurt, either.

[Ellrin]

I don't know if this necessarily fits in with a Popeye theme, I haven't watched that in ages, but for cartoony, it's hard to beat the Kool-Aid Man feat (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/stunning-irruption-combat/).

[Andor13]

I don't know if this necessarily fits in with a Popeye theme, I haven't watched that in ages, but for cartoony, it's hard to beat the Kool-Aid Man feat (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/stunning-irruption-combat/).

That is hilarious.

Personally I'd love to play the Steelfist Commando Warlord (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/classes/warlord/warlord-archetypes/steelfist-commando/) for an unarmed build, but the Mutagen/Spinach thing makes perfect sense for a Popeye build.

Along the Popeye theme, I would try to work in some magic tattoos, there are a wide array available.

[aimlessPolymath]

Ellrin: That's the best feat ever.

Andor13:
I get Mutagen from my first brawler level, so there's space for other classes.

Brawler's Fury handles extra attacks via Two-Weapon Fighting- do you know if I can dual-wield my fists for the purpose of Thrashing Dragon stances and boosts?