S-Class Brawler

What Are S-Class Characters?

S-class characters are a request from Kenneth Zike. They are built using the summoner class, as originally presented, as the basis against which all other classes are balanced. The “S” in this case stands for both summoner and, as a more appropriate in-world reference, superior. If you have played—or GM’d for—a summoner and felt it was fine as is, you should have no problem running with an s-class character.

Brawler, S-Class

S-class brawlers are masters of informal, chaotic, tavern throwdowns who have taken their skills to the fighting rings and adventuring guilds of the world. Some would call them scrappy, or primitive, since their collective style varies so greatly from one to the next, but there’s no denying their results when it comes to the end of a battle.

Role: S-class brawlers are most often potent, up front combatants who aren’t afraid to jump into the fray despite their lighter armor and few, if any weapons.

Note: The s-class brawler is an alternate, superior version of the brawler class. The standard abilities they learn as they gain experience are unchanged and not prevented from selecting brawler archetypes.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Starting Wealth: 3d6 × 10 gp (average 105 gp.) In addition, an s-class brawler begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The s-class brawler’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: S-Class Brawler

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Unarmed Damage
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Brawler’s cunning, close weapon mastery, martial flexibility, martial training, unarmed strike	1d6
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Bonus combat feat, brawler’s flurry (two-weapon fighting)	1d6
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Close weapon Mastery, maneuver training 1	1d6
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	AC bonus +1, knockout 1/day	1d8
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Armor Training I, bonus combat feat, brawler’s strike (magic)	1d8
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	Martial flexibility (swift action)	1d8
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Maneuver training 2, weapon training I	1d8
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	Bonus combat feat, brawler’s flurry (improved two-weapon fighting)	1d10
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	AC bonus +2, armor training II, brawler’s strike (cold iron and silver)	1d10
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Martial flexibility (free action), knockout 2/day	1d10
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3	Bonus combat feat, maneuver training 3	1d10
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4	Brawler’s strike (alignment), martial flexibility (immediate action)	2d6
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	AC bonus +3, armor training III	2d6
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+4	Bonus combat feat	2d6
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+5	Brawler’s flurry (greater two-weapon fighting), maneuver training 4, weapon training II	2d6
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+5	Awesome blow, knockout 3/day	2d8
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Armor Training IV, bonus combat feat, brawler’s strike (adamantine)	2d8
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6	AC bonus +4	2d8
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6	Maneuver training 5	2d8
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	Bonus combat feat, improved awesome blow, martial flexibility (any number)	2d10

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the s-class brawler.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

An s-class brawler is proficient with all simple weapons plus the handaxe, short sword, and weapons from the close fighter weapon group. He is proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Brawler’s Cunning (Ex)

If an s-class brawler’s Intelligence score is less than 13, it counts as 13 for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites of combat feats.

Martial Flexibility (Ex)

As a move action, an s-class brawler can gain the benefit of a combat feat he doesn’t possess for 1 minute. He must meet all the feat’s prerequisites. He may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + 1/2 his brawler level (minimum 1). Each individual feat selected with martial flexibility counts toward his daily uses of this ability.

The brawler can use this ability again before the duration expires in order to replace the previous combat feat with another choice. If a combat feat has a daily use limitation (such as Stunning Fist), any uses of that combat feat while using this ability count toward that feat’s daily limit.

At 6th level, an s-class brawler can use this ability to gain the benefit of two combat feats at the same time. He may select one feat as a swift action or two feats as a move action.

The brawler may use feats gained with martial flexibility to meet the prerequisites of other feats gained with the ability; doing so means that he cannot replace a feat currently fulfilling another’s prerequisite without also replacing those feats that require it.

At 10th level, an s-class brawler can use this ability to gain the benefit of three combat feats at the same time. He may select one feat as a free action, two feats as a swift action, or three feats as a move action.

At 12th level, an s-class brawler can use this ability to gain the benefit of one combat feat as an immediate action or three combat feats as a swift action.

At 20th level, an s-class brawler can use this ability to gain the benefit of any number of combat feats as a swift action.

Close Weapon Mastery (Ex)

S-class brawlers can be just as efficient with an up-close weapon as with their fists. When wielding a close weapon, an s-class brawler can spend one use of his martial flexibility to apply his unarmed strike damage instead of the base damage for that weapon (for example, a Medium s-class brawler wielding a punching dagger can use martial flexibility to deal 1d6 points of damage instead of the weapon’s normal 1d4). If the weapon normally deals more damage than this, its damage is unchanged. This ability does not affect any other aspect of the weapon.

The brawler can decide to use the weapon’s base damage instead of his adjusted unarmed strike damage—this must be declared before the attack roll is made.

Beginning at 3rd level, an s-class brawler no longer needs to spend uses of martial flexibility to gain the above benefit.

Martial Training (Ex)

At 1st level, an s-class brawler counts his total brawler levels as both fighter levels and monk levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats. He also counts as both a fighter and a monk for feats and magic items that have different effects based on whether the character has levels in those classes (such as Stunning Fist and a monk’s robe). This ability does not automatically grant feats normally granted to fighters and monks based on class level, namely Stunning Fist.

Unarmed Strike

At 1st level, an s-class brawler gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. He is considered to be armed even when unarmed—he does not provoke attacks of opportunity when he attacks foes while unarmed. He can choose to deal lethal or nonlethal damage with his unarmed strikes, and he may attack with fists, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that an s-class brawler may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. An s-class brawler applies his full Strength modifier (not half ) on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.

Usually, an s-class brawler’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

An s-class brawler’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that modify either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

An s-class brawler also deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than others, as shown on Table: Brawler. The unarmed damage values listed on that table are for Medium S-class brawlers. A Small brawler deals less damage than the amount given there with his unarmed attacks, while a Large brawler deals more damage; see the following table.

Bonus Combat Feats

At 2nd level and every 3 levels thereafter, an s-class brawler gains a bonus combat feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be ones that affect or improve his defenses or melee attacks. The brawler must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus combat feat.

Upon reaching 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter, an s-class brawler can choose to learn a new bonus combat feat in place of a bonus combat feat he has already learned. In effect, the brawler loses the bonus combat feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot be one that was used as a prerequisite for another feat, prestige class, or other ability. An s-class brawler can only change one feat at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the feat at the time he gains a new bonus combat feat for the level.

Brawler’s Flurry (Ex)

Starting at 2nd level, an s-class brawler can make an s-class brawler’s flurry as a full-attack action. When doing so, an s-class brawler has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat when attacking with any combination of unarmed strikes, weapons from the close fighter weapon group, or weapons with the “monk” special feature. He does not need to use two different weapons to use this ability.

An s-class brawler applies his full Strength modifier to his damage rolls for all attacks made with brawler’s flurry, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand weapon or a weapon wielded in both hands. An s-class brawler can substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for unarmed attacks as part of brawler’s flurry. An s-class brawler with natural weapons can’t use such weapons as part of brawler’s flurry, nor can he make natural weapon attacks in addition to his brawler’s flurry attacks.

At 8th level, the brawler gains use of the Improved TwoWeapon Fighting feat when using brawler’s flurry. At 15th level, he gains use of the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat when using brawler’s flurry.

Maneuver Training (Ex)

At 3rd level, an s-class brawler can select one combat maneuver to receive additional training. He gains a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks when performing that combat maneuver and a +1 bonus to his CMD when defending against that maneuver.

At 7th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the brawler becomes further trained in another combat maneuver, gaining the above +1 bonus combat maneuver checks and to CMD. In addition, the bonuses granted by all previous maneuver training increase by 1 each. (For example, if an s-class brawler chooses grapple at 3rd level and sunder at 7th level, his bonuses to grapple are +2 and bonuses to sunder are +1. If he then chooses bull rush upon reaching 11th level, his bonuses to grapple are +3, to sunder are +2, and to bull rush are +1.)

AC Bonus (Ex)

At 4th level, when an s-class brawler wears light or no armor, he gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC and CMD. This bonus increases by 1 at 9th, 13th, and 18th levels.

These bonuses to AC apply against touch attacks. He loses these bonuses while immobilized or helpless, wearing medium or heavy armor, or carrying a medium or heavy load.

Knockout (Ex)

At 4th level, once per day an s-class brawler can unleash a devastating attack that can instantly knock a target unconscious. He must announce this intent before making his attack roll. If the brawler hits and the target takes damage from the blow, the target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 the brawler’s level + the higher of the brawler’s Strength or Dexterity modifier) or fall unconscious for 1d6 rounds. Each round on its turn, the unconscious target may attempt a new saving throw to end the effect as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Creatures immune to critical hits or nonlethal damage are immune to this ability. At 10th level, the brawler may use this ability twice per day; at 16th level, he may use it three times per day.

Armor Training (Ex)

Starting at 5th level, an s-class brawler learns to be more maneuverable while wearing light armor. Whenever he is wearing light armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum –4 reduction of the armor check penalty and a +4 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed.

Advanced Armor Training: Beginning at 9th level, instead of increasing the benefits provided by armor training, an s-class brawler can choose an advanced armor training option (see Advanced Armor Training below).

A sample of advanced armor training options can be found at the end of this section.

Brawler’s Strike (Ex)

At 5th level, an s-class brawler’s unarmed strikes are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 9th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 12th level, he chooses one alignment component: chaotic, evil, good, or lawful; his unarmed strikes also count as this alignment for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. (This alignment component cannot be the opposite of the brawler’s actual alignment, such as a good brawler choosing evil strikes.) At 17th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

Weapon Training (Ex)

Starting at 7th level, whenever an s-class brawler attacks with a close weapon or unarmed strike, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls. At 15th level, he can increase this bonus to +2 or select an advanced weapon training option. A sample of advanced weapon training options can be found at the end of this section.

Awesome Blow (Ex)

At 16th level, the brawler can as a standard action perform an awesome blow combat maneuver against a corporeal creature of his size or smaller. If the combat maneuver check succeeds, the opponent takes damage as if the brawler hit it with the close weapon he is wielding or an unarmed strike, it is knocked flying 10 feet in a direction of the brawler’s choice, and it falls prone. The brawler can only push the opponent in a straight line, and the opponent can’t move closer to the brawler than the square it started in. If an obstacle prevents the completion of the opponent’s move, the opponent and the obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the opponent is knocked prone in the space adjacent to the obstacle. (Unlike the Awesome Blow monster feat, the brawler can be of any size to use this ability.)

Improved Awesome Blow (Ex)

At 20th level, the brawler can use his awesome blow ability as an attack rather than as a standard action. He may use it on creatures of any size. If the maneuver roll is a natural 20, the brawler can immediately attempt to confirm the critical by rolling another combat maneuver check with all the same modifiers as the one just rolled; if the confirmation roll is successful, the attack deals double damage, and the damage from hitting an obstacle (if any) is also doubled.

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Advanced Armor Training

The following advanced armor training options are available to all s-class brawlers.

Bodyguard (Ex)

You gain Bodyguard as a bonus feat. When an adjacent ally is attacked, you may use an attack of opportunity to attempt the aid another action to improve your ally’s AC by 2 + 1 per four brawler levels you possess.

You do not need to meet this feat’s prerequisites.

Critical Block (Ex)

When a creature hits you with an attack while you have a shield bonus to your AC, roll 1d20. On a natural 19 or 20, reduce the damage dealt to you by twice your shield bonus (including any enhancement bonuses).

Defensive Instinct (Ex)

When unarmored, not using a shield, unencumbered, and conscious, You add your Wisdom bonus (if any) to your AC and CMD. If you are wearing light armor or using a shield, you instead add half your Wisdom bonus to your AC (minimum 0). These bonuses never apply when wearing medium or heavy armor, nor when you are encumbered.

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks and when you are flat-footed. You lose these bonuses when you are immobilized or helpless. These bonuses do not stack with the monk AC bonus class feature.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

When wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load, you gain the benefits of uncanny dodge as a barbarian of your brawler level. At 15th level, or If you already have uncanny dodge from another class, this becomes improved uncanny dodge.

Advanced Weapon Training

The following advanced weapon training options are available to all brawlers.

Armor Smash (Ex)

When you confirm a critical hit against a creature with a close weapon or unarmed strike, you can halve the critical damage and reduce the creature’s AC by 1 + your weapon training bonus with that weapon, up to its armor, shield, or natural armor bonus. If your weapon has a x3 multiplier, reduce the creature’s armor by an additional +2, and if your weapon has a x4 multiplier, reduce it by an another +2 (+4 total additional reduction). Multiple hits from armor smash reduce the creature’s AC further.

A penalty to natural armor can be removed with a successful DC 15 Heal check or through the application of any spell that cures hit point damage.

A penalty to manufactured armor or shield can be removed with a successful DC 15 Craft (armor) check or through the application of a mending or similar spell.

Deep Wounds (Ex)

Your unarmed strikes and close weapons you wield gain the wounding weapon property. This does not count against any magical enhancement a weapon may possess.

Eagle’s Strike (Ex)

Prerequisite(s): Launching kick.

When you use launching kick, you can jump the same height as the creature you kick and make a second attack against it at the peak of your jump. If you hit, you deal damage normally and send the target hurtling back to the ground, treating the distance it falls as double (or triple on a critical hit). Creatures normally immune to fall damage still take half damage from this ability. Once the attack is complete, you fall normally. If you have a move action remaining, you can instead make a DC 15 Athletics check to jump back to your original space, taking no damage.

Execute (Ex)

Prerequisite(s): 13th level.

When you use a full-attack action to make multiple attacks with close weapons and unarmed strikes against the same opponent, total the damage from all hits when determining if the opponent must save versus massive damage (half its total hit points, minimum 50), and the DC is increased by your weapon training bonus with that weapon group.

If a single attack would force the target to save versus massive damage, ignore that attack when calculating the remaining damage dealt by your other attacks made during the full-attack action.

Heroic Throw (Ex)

Close weapons you wield gain the throwing weapon property. This does not count against any magical enhancement a weapon may possess.

The distance you can throw a weapon with heroic throw increases by 5 feet for every +1 weapon training bonus you have with the weapon, and if you throw the weapon at a creature within 1 range increment, it gains the returning property as well.

Internal Shock Wave (Ex)

When you make an unarmed strike, you can choose not to add your weapon training bonus to the attack roll. Instead, increase your unarmed strike’s critical multiplier by half your weapon training bonus, rounded up.

Launching Kick (Ex)

As a standard action, you can make an unarmed strike to kick a creature 5 feet up into the air for every +1 of your weapon training bonus with unarmed strikes. If you critically hit, add 5 feet to the total distance it travels upward. Allies you kick in this way can also make an Acrobatics check to jump at the peak of your kick and land on a stable surface within 5 feet of their result, or else it falls normally. You can choose not to deal damage when using this ability. You can’t use this ability if you are immobilized or otherwise unable to use your legs to kick.

Moon Step (Ex)

Once per round, when you move, you can move up to 5 feet in the air for every +1 of your weapon training bonus with unarmed strikes, but you take a –5 penalty to all attacks made on the same turn. If you’re still in the air at the start of your next turn, you fall unless you use this ability again or have another way to remain elevated.

Overpower (Ex)

As a swift action at the start of your turn, you can declare that you are going to overpower your target. The next attack you make with an unarmed strike or close weapon against the target before the end of your turn targets its touch AC instead. If your attack would hit the target’s normal AC anyway, it is a critical threat. If it would be a critical threat, you automatically confirm it.

Overpower does not stack with effects and feats such as Vital Strike unless you have All-Consuming Swing or Devastating Strike, and it replaces the benefit of those feats when used.

Revenge (Ex)

When an enemy critically hits you, you can use an attack of opportunity to attack that enemy with a close weapon or unarmed strike, increasing your critical threat range by your weapon training bonus.

Revenge can be used with ranged or thrown weapons against an enemy that critically hits you from range. It counts as, and does not stack with, other bonuses to critical threat range, such as Improved Critical or the keen weapon property.

Shattering Throw (Ex)

Prerequisite(s): 9th level, heroic throw.

As a standard action, you can throw a weapon with heroic throw and ignore an amount of the target’s Damage Reduction (even DR /–) equal to 5 x your weapon training bonus with the weapon.

At 15th-level and higher, you can do this once per fullattack action instead.

Shield Slam (Ex)

Prerequisite(s): Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, weapon training +1 with close weapons.

You can treat your shield as your mainhand weapon.

Shuffle-Punch (Ex)

When you take a 5-foot step, you can also make Bluff check to feint or an unarmed strike with a –4 penalty if your movement leaves you adjacent to a creature. You can count this attack as your first attack during a full-attack action.

Sickle-Wind (Ex)

While you are at least 5 feet in the air, you can kick your feet as a standard action to create a 30-foot cone of air that deals your unarmed strike damage to enemies in the area unless they succeed at a Reflex saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your brawler level + your Strength modifier. You gain a bonus to the DC equal to your weapon training bonus.

Two-Strike Combination (Ex)

Prerequisite(s): Base attack bonus +6.

If your first attack during a full-attack action misses, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your second attack.

Three-Strike Combination (Ex)

Prerequisite(s): Two-strike combination, base attack bonus +11.

If your first two attacks during a full-attack action miss, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus to your third attack.

Unrelenting Strikes (Ex)

Prerequisite(s): 17th level.

As a full-attack action, you can make four attacks with a close weapon or unarmed strike. Each attack suffers a –7 penalty to the attack roll.

Victory Rush (Ex)

When you confirm a critical hit against a creature with a close weapon or unarmed strike, you can forego the critical damage and instead regain that many hit points. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points or fewer, and that creature had no fewer Hit Dice than half your brawler level, you can roll your associated weapon’s critical damage and regain that many hit points.

You can use victory rush and armor smash as part of the same critical hit, regaining half the critical damage and reducing the target’s AC accordingly.

Whirlwind (Ex)

When you use the full-attack action with a close weapon or unarmed strike, you can give up your regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at your highest base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. You must make a separate attack roll against each opponent.

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