Has anyone come across any careers or specializations that would be good for an Echani Dueller? Bare in mind I run an Old Republic Era game.

I know that Brawl is a very vague skill encompassing various methods of brawling and in order to keep the narrative flowing the devs decided not to come up with any separate rules initially. However I believe that grapple is now a talent under one of the new sourcebooks and it's got me wondering what else might be available.

So if you were to make a character who focused purely on unarmed combat what career path and talents would you chose?

BH Gadgeteer gets you Improved Stunning Blow which is pretty great. There is always Pressure Point in Doctor. Pin is in Archaeologist, maybe another, can't remember.

The hand to hand stuff is pretty spread out. We still have some career books to go of course, so other than the Warden in the one F&D book we might see another hand to hand focused spec at some point.

I do hope so, I loved that sub-story arc in KOTOR where you train as an Echani and it's a pity it was never really developed further because there is some great potential there.

But those are some good suggestions. Maybe what I need to do is create an adversary taking individual talents rather than going for multiple specializations.

If you want to go Force Sensitive, the Warden from Keeping the Peace has some brawl potential, especially when you pair it with some talents from the Aggressor.

If you want to go Force Sensitive, the Warden from Keeping the Peace has some brawl potential, especially when you pair it with some talents from the Aggressor.

No I didn't particularly want to go force sensitive on this one. I don't have the keeping the peace source book either, I need to get hold of a copy and have a look. Thanks.

I have a bit of an obsession with inventing stat blocks for new species, and I did one for the Echani. Echani get three agility, one brawn, and have the option to roll agility with their brawl. If they choose this option, they get plus one melee defense. As a rule with such combative style, however, you may want to give easy bonuses for advantage. These could include:

Knockdown

Dropping a weapon

Having a wrist grabbed, and needing to make an athletics check on their turn to escape the grasp of the PC

Dealing wounds rather than strain

These could also be done as opposed brawl or melee checks for two opponents who both fight this way.

If you want to go Force Sensitive, the Warden from Keeping the Peace has some brawl potential, especially when you pair it with some talents from the Aggressor.

No I didn't particularly want to go force sensitive on this one. I don't have the keeping the peace source book either, I need to get hold of a copy and have a look. Thanks.

If you'd be interested in a bit more defensive style, an Archaeologist with a Marshal and all those ranks of Hard Headed with Improved Hard Headed would make you Rocky Balboa so you wouldn't go down easy in a Strain contest for sure. Plus Pin is a pretty great hand to hand Talent in Archaeologist.

If you want to go Force Sensitive, the Warden from Keeping the Peace has some brawl potential, especially when you pair it with some talents from the Aggressor.

No I didn't particularly want to go force sensitive on this one. I don't have the keeping the peace source book either, I need to get hold of a copy and have a look. Thanks.

If you'd be interested in a bit more defensive style, an Archaeologist with a Marshal and all those ranks of Hard Headed with Improved Hard Headed would make you Rocky Balboa so you wouldn't go down easy in a Strain contest for sure. Plus Pin is a pretty great hand to hand Talent in Archaeologist.

Not sure how I like Archaeologist conceptually.. but you have a point about hard headed and Imp Hard Headed. Obiviously Pin is a must. Thanks

Use triumphs for crits. Frankly I'm surprised unarmed combat is so bad for critting, considering all the things you can do with fingers and locks.

Theres a lot of things available, mechanics, marauders and the like also make for good bases. Good calls on Marital/archaeologist. Doctor is good second class, Assassin is also good for any intelligent/stealth based as it's possible to burst strain by flipping a DP.

Gadgetteer is amazing with stun gauntlets/boots. Vamblades are pretty good for working a little light damage in and smashing weapons.

Most of the Talents in Shii-cho Knight can be used with Brawl, and there are only a couple that require a force rating.

So if you were to make a character who focused purely on unarmed combat what career path and talents would you chose?

Isn't the the Spy/Infiltrator (AoR) basically a Melee Martial Artist? You could start from there and just tweak a talent or two, like skinning Knockdown as Leg Sweep so that it works with Brawl, as all the other combat talents aren't Melee-exclusive.

So if you were to make a character who focused purely on unarmed combat what career path and talents would you chose?

Isn't the the Spy/Infiltrator (AoR) basically a Melee Martial Artist? You could start from there and just tweak a talent or two, like skinning Knockdown as Leg Sweep so that it works with Brawl, as all the other combat talents aren't Melee-exclusive.

Brawl gets Knockdown by default.

Thanks for all the replies guys, this has been a fantastic response. I'll gather up all the feedback and i'll let you know what I come up with

I'd recommend hired gun:marauder cross specing doctor. Marauder is a bad @$$ melee combatant who has brawl as a hired gun, career skill, it also allows you to take the last one standing signature ability which is practically perfect. The one problem with marauder is that it has no grit or any other talent to help with strain, but doctor has 2 copies of resolve (which protects you from involuntary strain) and at least 2 grit, and it's pretty easy to get the pressure point taken (I think it's in the third row) which is the best brawling talent in the game (nothing else comes close)... it let's you do strain damaged that ignores soak and you get bonus damage equal to your ranks in medicine. If you were to couple that with a deadly accuracy(brawl) you would have a pretty min maxed (or maybe just maxed) brawler who could stand up to any melee combatant who isn't a Droid (pressure point doesn't work against droids)

I'd say a Marauder for a base (Lethal Blows and Feral Strength are both great for melee combat), Doctor for Pressure Point (terrific synergy), and maybe Archaeologist for Pin/Marshal for Hard Headed (both are great). If you want to delve into mechanics, I'd say go with Gadgeteer, because IIRC, Mechanic doesn't have many Brawl talents, plus Stunning Blow is great, and if you feel the need to, Armour Master is great too

Mechanic has Hard/Improved Headed, and with enough ranks of Hard Headed you become nearly Strain invulnerable. Well worth pursuing if one wants Mechanic skills as well.

I'd say a Marauder for a base (Lethal Blows and Feral Strength are both great for melee combat), Doctor for Pressure Point (terrific synergy), and maybe Archaeologist for Pin/Marshal for Hard Headed (both are great). If you want to delve into mechanics, I'd say go with Gadgeteer, because IIRC, Mechanic doesn't have many Brawl talents, plus Stunning Blow is great, and if you feel the need to, Armour Master is great too

Hmm I didn't think that stunning blow was useful if you already have pressure point.... I'll have to go look in the EotE core