Boxers?

[Arkhandus]

Umm, no, Derulbaskul. Improved Natural Attack requires a natural weapon and a +4 Base Attack Bonus, while Superior Unarmed Strike requires Improved Unarmed Strike and a +3 Base Attack Bonus. Only monks (and swordsages who use the unarmed variant that gives them monkish unarmed strikes) have the ability to treat their unarmed strikes as natural weapons. So at minimum, you'd be looking at monk 1 (or swordsage 1)/fighter 5 or just straight-up monk 6, for example (Improved Natural Attack isn't a fighter or monk bonus feat option).

Monk or unarmed swordsage are probably best for a fistfighter, short of finding a suitable prestige class somewhere. A warblade with the right feats and 1 level of monk or unarmed-variant swordsage would also work.

 

[Binho]

Umm, no, Derulbaskul. Improved Natural Attack requires a natural weapon and a +4 Base Attack Bonus, while Superior Unarmed Strike requires Improved Unarmed Strike and a +3 Base Attack Bonus. Only monks (and swordsages who use the unarmed variant that gives them monkish unarmed strikes) have the ability to treat their unarmed strikes as natural weapons. So at minimum, you'd be looking at monk 1 (or swordsage 1)/fighter 5 or just straight-up monk 6, for example (Improved Natural Attack isn't a fighter or monk bonus feat option).

The strengh devotion slam attack is a natural weapon and who has natural attacks is considered to have the improved unarmed strike for purpouse of taking feats. Fighter would be better offensive option, but add wis to the CA is not a bad thing

 

[Arkhandus]

No, having a natural weapon DOES NOT treat you as having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for ANY purpose.

Natural weapons are their own thing, they're not a type of unarmed strike. Natural weapons themselves treat the character as armed, natural weapons can be used for AoOs, and they do not provoke AoOs themselves. But they are not unarmed strikes. A dragon still provokes AoOs if he tries to punch someone rather than clawing at them.

So you still need to take the Improved Unarmed Strike feat before you can qualiy for Superior Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Improved Grapple, Deflect Arrows, etc. Monks gets Improved Unarmed Strike for free, as do swordsages who use the unarmed variant that grants them monkish unarmed strike capability.

 

[Binho]

No, having a natural weapon DOES NOT treat you as having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for ANY purpose.

Natural weapons are their own thing, they're not a type of unarmed strike. Natural weapons themselves treat the character as armed, natural weapons can be used for AoOs, and they do not provoke AoOs themselves. But they are not unarmed strikes. A dragon still provokes AoOs if he tries to punch someone rather than clawing at them.

So you still need to take the Improved Unarmed Strike feat before you can qualiy for Superior Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Improved Grapple, Deflect Arrows, etc. Monks gets Improved Unarmed Strike for free, as do swordsages who use the unarmed variant that grants them monkish unarmed strike capability.

Ok, my mistake then. I could sweer i saw that on some place

 

[gorfnab]

Human Swashbuckler 3/ Fighter 2/ Shou Disciple 5/ Kensai 10

1. B: Weapon Finesse, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus Unarmed Strike
3. Dodge
4. B: Mobility
5. B: Combat Expertise
6. Snap Kick
7. B: Spring Attack
9. B: Deflect Arrows or Improved Trip, Combat Reflexes
12. Bounding Assault
15. Improved Natural Attack
18. Rapid Blitz

 

[Binho]

Human Swashbuckler 3/ Fighter 2/ Shou Disciple 5/ Kensai 10

1. B: Weapon Finesse, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus Unarmed Strike
3. Dodge
4. B: Mobility
5. B: Combat Expertise
6. Snap Kick
7. B: Spring Attack
9. B: Deflect Arrows or Improved Trip, Combat Reflexes
12. Bounding Assault
15. Improved Natural Attack
18. Rapid Blitz

Snap KICK^^???? This seems to be like Bruce Lee. To be a pugilist i supose you would apreciate the feat knockdown and high STR and CON, weapon finesse would be a bad choice... well, that's what i think

 

[Dandu]

All Snap Kick does is give you an extra unarmed attack. It's not actually kicking people per se.

 

[airwalkrr]

Hey gang!

I'm about to DM a game where the party is tasked with taking down a local gang. I wanted to create some villains based off the Kray twins, who had a background in boxing, but I know that unarmed combat in 3.x is underwhelming. I'm just curious if I should cross class a monk with something else or if anyone knows of a good home brewed boxer?

Intended EL of the challenge would be helpful here.

 

[Bonadrag]

Intended EL of the challenge would be helpful here.

Not completely sure, depends on how much experience they gain in the current quest. I'm predicting the party will be between level 10-13.

 

[airwalkrr]

Not completely sure, depends on how much experience they gain in the current quest. I'm predicting the party will be between level 10-13.

With that in mind, some combination of fighter, rogue and/or monk seems the best option.

And as far as the monk goes, you don't have to assume it has a far-eastern feel to it. There were plenty of medieval european practitioners of hand-to-hand martial arts and they were quite accomplished at it. They just haven't attained the popularity in modern history as the knights, who were simply pillars of defense and offense combined into a nice, neat, little steel-guarded package. You could also just feel free to translate some of the monk's more mystical abilities into practical and mundane pugilism. Abundant step could be a race across the battlefield at rapid speed. Sky's the limit as far as that's concerned. Of course monks need a lot in the way of ability scores and/or magic to be comparable challenges for PCs of their level or below. So if you run a low fantasy campaign that might be an issue. Without access to things like bracers or armor or at the very least potions of mage armor/shield of faith/etc. they will be pushovers.

But you could build some effective NPCs based on sneak attack and Weapon Finesse alone, or perhaps using the scout to skirmish them. And that's if you want to keep things "simple." It depends a lot on how much magic your PCs (and by derivation your NPCs) have access to.