Brawler Style "Empty Hand" Definition

[Gort]

So, what's the best way to build a "standard" brawler fighter? Bastard sword in the right, spiked gauntlet in the left?

 

[Deverash]

How do the brawler abilities mesh with the gnoll claw fighter feat? Is that a viable build?

I was flipping through something, and gnoll claw fighter basically says you always have a claw in your "free" hand, so you'd never qualify if you took the feat. I wish I could remember where I saw that, though, so feel free to take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Derulbaskul]

I'd assume if you were a brawler fighter and had someone grabbed you could use them as cover - replacing one defensive bonus with another (in the end making no difference).

That's the way I would rule.

 

[Garthanos]

I'd assume if you were a brawler fighter and had someone grabbed you could use them as cover - replacing one defensive bonus with another (in the end making no difference).

This.