Assuming the character is NOT force sensitive...

Ok, my top pick is shi-Cho knight FaD core, 4 more ranks of parry, improved parry, defensive training, multiple opponents, 2 durable, 2 second wind, a toughened, a grit, (natural blade master is ok if you want to be able to reroll two melee attacks per session, the other coming from natural brawler), and you only have to waste xp on one force talent to get to the dedication.

I think my second pick would be doctor (3 grit, 1 toughened, 2 resolve, pressure point, and an easy to reach dedication) for a traditional monk flavor.

And my third would be gadgeteer, in career cost, ranged light (as a backup) a pretty straight shot to dedication with an easiy to reach deadly accuracy along the way. Armor master and improved are nice.

Edit:

And if you want to go the "maximum parry" route, martial artist + shi cho knight + makashi duelist would be pretty close to un damageable (11 ranks of parry, or immunity to 13 points of melee damage for 2 strain)

Marauder, by far. (Also, Infiltrator, but it's more of a poor spacer's version of Marauder.)

Enforcer.

Gadgeteer is a solid in-career choice. Despite it's name and one or two talents, Martial Artists works pretty well with melee weapons. The only problem is you can't get Melee as a career skill.

Assassin is good as well, as Lethal Blows and Precise Aim are skill-agnostic.

If you don't actually care about the name, Gunslinger offers that blend of Rapid Reactions + Quick Strike + Sorry About the Mess + Lethal Blows that makes it so dangerous in combat. But I would usually not go for this build.

I like the concept of Performer/Martial Artist, though they don't have that much overlap in talents.

I need some sneak some nature monk and some unarmed brawl

I'm tempted to do pathfinder martial artist doctor

Or Hermit, martial artist, assassin

Or Marauder Doctor Martial Artist but I'd lack sneakyness

I also have a character who is an gunslinger gand boozer, and supposedly he gets into bar fights, but it's early in the pbp so we hadn't gotten their yet but I'm tempted to go gunslinger drunken master eventually.

Is it true there is a talent in the MA tree which improves or can be used to show improvisational weapon use like bottles and chairs in a barfight?

No, there isn't. You're probably thinking of the BH signature ability, Unmatched Devastation, which would, theoretically, pull that off.

The best way to build a "sneaky nature monk" is Assassin/Martial Artist/Survivalist.

Hmmmmm

2 hours ago, TheShard said:

I also have a character who is an gunslinger gand boozer, and supposedly he gets into bar fights, but it's early in the pbp so we hadn't gotten their yet but I'm tempted to go gunslinger drunken master eventually.

Is it true there is a talent in the MA tree which improves or can be used to show improvisational weapon use like bottles and chairs in a barfight?

There is such a talent in the "recruit" universal spec in AoR

It's called creative killer

For a completely different approach than pure face punching how about Performer. You get some nice social skills to use other times, some unique talents that help in that way too. But also Dodge, Second Wind and Intense Presence. It's a nice way to broaden your character whilst still keeping some synergy

One of my players, in a fantasy/Pathfinder game that uses EotE rules, is trying to roll a Pathfinder-style monk. Warden was a perfect place for him to start, now plus Martial Artist.