Classical Wrestler (Barbarian)
Supposedly, the origin of the word "barbarian" comes from the ancient Greeks, who characterized all other languages as sounding like gibberish, as though they were merely saying "bar bar bar" over and over again. The Greek word, barbaros, from which barbarian is derived, essentially just means anyone who wasn't Greek. It may come as a bit of a shock, then, that for Greco-Roman week, I've chosen barbarian as the class to get a new archetype. But when I think of Greco-Roman player characters, I envision big, burly wrestlers, and I was surprised to find that barbarians have gotten little support for archetypes that promote Greco-Roman wrestling, so without further ado, here is the classical wrestler.
New Barbarian Archetype
Classical Wrestler
Skillful Grappler (Ex): At 1st level, a classical wrestler gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat, even if she doesn’t meet the prerequisites. Additionally, her extensive training at resisting a variety of combat maneuvers grants her a +2 bonus to CMD against combat maneuvers of all kinds.
This ability replaces the fast movement class feature.
Wrestling Oils (Ex): At 3rd level, a classical wrestler learns how to create special body oils for use in wrestling. These oils require 1 hour of work and 25 gp worth of materials in order to create, and 1 minute to apply (this can be reduced to 5 rounds with the aid of someone else, or as low as 3 rounds with the aid of two others), and once applied, the oils last for one hour, or until the classical wrestler is submerged in water or a similar substance. Only the classical wrestler gains any benefit from using her own oils: applying the oils to other characters has no effect.
While coated in wrestling oils, the classical wrestler gains a +1 bonus on Escape Artist checks, as well as on combat maneuver checks to break free of a grapple (but not to start or maintain one), and on CMD against attempts to initiate a grapple (but not attempts from other characters to break free of a grapple she is conducting). Finally, she gains a +1 bonus on performance combat checks, and can use her Constitution score in place of her Charisma score for such checks.
At 6th level, and every three levels thereafter, the bonuses granted by this ability increase by +1.
This ability replaces the trap sense class feature.
Masterful Wrestler (Ex): At 6th level, a classical wrestler becomes even more adept at wrestling. She gains Greater Grapple as a bonus feat, even if she doesn’t meet the prerequisites. Additionally, she never provokes attacks of opportunity for performing bull rush, overrun, reposition, or trip combat maneuvers.
This ability replaces the rage power gained at 6th level.
Chokehold (Ex): At 12th level, whenever the classical wrestler successfully pins a creature, she can put that creature in a chokehold. If she does so, then as long as the creature remains pinned, he is unable to breathe, and must hold his breath or begin suffocating. This also prevents the pinned creature from speaking, issuing command words, or casting spells with a verbal component. Additionally, whenever the classical wrestler maintains the pin, the number of rounds that the pinned creature can go without having to make Constitution checks to continue holding his breath decreases by 1.
This ability replaces the rage power gained at 12th level.
Back Slam (Ex): At 18th level, a classical wrestler can attempt to subdue foes with a single powerful move, slamming them down onto their backs. In order to use this ability, the classical wrestler must be grappling a creature no more than one size category larger than she is, and must not have that creature pinned. As a full-round action, she can make a grapple combat maneuver check at a –5 penalty. If she succeeds, she maintains the grapple, successfully pins the target, renders the target prone, and also inflicts 10d6 points of nonlethal damage to the target.
This ability replaces the rage power gained at 18th level.