Path of the Brawler is a supplement by Crit Academy.

It introduces a new subclass for the Barbarian, called the Brawler. The focus of the Brawler is unarmed combat, which also includes grappling. In fact, only two of the features improve the unarmed strikes themselves, though they are key improvements that boost their damage and make them magical.

The rest focus on making grappling viable and intriguing by providing upgrades such as the ability to grapple your target again the moment they leave your grasp and knocking prone grappled opponents.

The supplement provides a tattoo and a superstition table, like the ones found in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. It also features creator’s notes on how the Brawler works and how to get the most out of the subclass. This is interesting for players because it helps them get into how the Brawler works but also provides interesting insight on the design of the subclass.

Overall, I believe Path of the Brawler is a nice take on unarmed combat and grappling. And making it a Barbarian subclass provides the opportunity for some interesting situations.

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