Pugilist

Arrows rain down on her as she runs towards the hobgoblins, desperate to close the distance, the haf-elf fights through the pain to reach her foes. Surprised at her speed, the hobgoblins don't expect her to be on them so fast and they certainly didn't expect her to have so much strength left. What they don't know, is the pain only makes her stronger.

He braces himself for impact as the orc rushes him. Then it makes a mistake. The Orc telegraphs it's next move and that was all the opening he needed. Ducking underneath the brute's swing he raises both hands high above his head and brings them down on the Orc's back, throwing him to the ground.

The Halfling is used to being underestimated on account of his size. The petty noble raising his hand to strike the halfling had no idea that all it took was a broken bottle to make their relative differences moot. the noble looks surprised as the broken galss opens up his cheek. The halfling likes that.

Wherever they come from, pugilists live a rough and tumble life that leaves them full of determination and reckless from overconfidence or desperation. In a fight they can channel this strenght of character to dig deep and fight off foes in greater strength of numbers, arms, and armor than anyone else would think possible.

Swagger for Days

Pugilists unconsciously tap into their own inner strength in the form of a magical energy called moxie. this is not an esoteric or mystical energy that flows through the multiverse, but a result of a lifetime of hardship and a never-let-die attitude. You can teach someone how to fight, but you could never teach someone how to be a pugilist. The secret of mastering moxie doesn't come from disciplined study or rigorous training, it comes from years of wanting and needing. Using this energy, pugilists can fight through attacks that would down lesser heroes, and hit harder and faster than their rugged appearance would ever let on.

Life on the Street

Every city in the worlds of D&D have their back alleys, their underground fighting rackets, their ghettos. The pugilists who live in these places, don't have time to consider the lofty ideals of philosophies or ponder the mysteries of the universe. The pugilists growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, spend all their time chasing down their next meal, or, if they're fortunate enough to have that, their next drink, bedfellow, or flophouse.

For pugilists, becoming an adventurer is a risk worth taking or a way to leave the past behind. For some, becoming an adventurer is the only way out of whatever miserable situation they've been stuck in since infancy. For others, getting lost out in the world is the only way to escape the tangled web of debt and enemies they've piled up. whatever the reason for their adventuring, all pugilists want is to make their life better for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Creating a Pugilist

As you make your pugilist character, consider your connection to your home town and the people there. Were you an orphan, the runt of the litter in a huge family, or was your childhood relatively comfortable? How do you feel about your family? Have you started a family of your own? Who's the most important person in your life? Who have you made enemies with to get where you've got? What drove you to fight for the first time? What drove you to keep fighting after that?

Consider why you've left. Are you running away from something? From someone? Is the past something you dwell on often or is it best forgotten? Do you see a better future for youself somewhere else? Is there anyone you wish you could take with you? What mark do you want to leave on the world? How do you want to be remembered when the fighting's all done?

Quick Build

You can make a pugilist quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength your highest ability score, followed by Constituion. Second, choose the urchin or criminal background.

Class Features

As a pugilist, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d12 per pugilist level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per pugilist level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light Armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, improvised weapons, whip, hand crossbow
• Tools: One artisan's tools, gaming set, or thieves' tools.

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• Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
• Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment in addition to the equipment gained by your background:

• (a) leather armor or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• (a) a set of artisan's tools or (b) a gaming set or (c) thieves' tools.

Fisticuffs

At 1st level, your years of fighting in back alleys, ship decks, and taverns have given you mastery over combat styles the use unarmed strikes and pugilist weapons, which are simple melee weapons without the two-handed property, whips, and improvised weapons. You may not use the finesse property of a weapon while using it as a pugilist weapon.

You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or using only pugilist weapons and you are wearing light or no armor:

• You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or pugilist weapon. This die changes as you gain pugilist levels, as shown in the Fisticuffs column on the Pugilist table.
• When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a pugilist weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike or grapple as a bonus action.

Iron Chin

Beginning at 1st level, you can use your Constitution modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier to determine your armor class when wearing light or no armor and not using shields.

Moxie

Starting at 2nd level, your experience laying the beatdown on others has given you a moxie you can channel in the midst of battle. This swagger is represented by a number of moxie points. Your pugilist level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Moxie Points column of the Pugilist table.

You can spend these points to fuel various moxie features. You start knowing three such features" brace yourself, the old one-two, and stick and move. You learn more moxie features as you gain levels in this class.

When you spend a moxie point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you restore all of your expended moxie.

Some of your moxie features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

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Brace Yourself

You can use a bonus action and expend 1 moxie point to gain resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage until the start of your next turn.

The Old One-Two

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 moxie point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.

Stick and Move

You can use a bonus action and expend 1 moxie point to make a shove attack with advantage or the Dash action.

Street Smart

Beginning at 2nd level, carousing, shadowboxing, and sparring all count as light activity for the purposes of resting for you. Additionally, once you have caroused in a settlement for 8 hours or more, you know all public locations in the city as if you were born and raised there and you cannot be lost by non-magical means while within the city.

Bloodied but Unbowed

Starting at 3rd level, when reduced to less than half of your maximum hit points, gain temporary hit points equal to your pugilist level + your Constitution modifier, and regain all expended moxie. You cannot use this feature again until after you complete a short or long rest.

Fight Club

By 3rd level, you have mastered the techniques of certain regional fighting styles. Choose 2 fight clubs when you gain this feature. You can use a bonus action on your turn to adopt a fight club's stance. While in a stance, you can expend a moxie point to use its signature move. When you adopt a stance, you drop any stance you were previously in. You gain one additional fight club at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one abilty score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Dig Deep

Starting at 4th level, you discover a strength inside you that can’t be broken. As a bonus action you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for one minute. At the end of that minute you gain a level of exhaustion.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Haymaker

Starting at 5th level, before you make an attack roll with an unarmed strike or pugilist melee weapon attack that does not already have disadvantage you can declare you are swinging wild haymakers. You make all attack rolls until the end of this turn with disadvantage and when you deal damage you do not roll for damage but use the maximum die result instead.

Moxie-Fueled Fists

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

Street Fighter

Starting at 7th level, choose one fight club you know. You always gain the benefit of its stance and can use its signature move without adopting its stance.

At 13th level, choose another fight club you know. You always gain the benefit of its stance and can use its signature move without adopting its stance.

Shake It Off

Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.

Down but Not Out

At 9th level, when you use your Bloodied but Unbowed feature you can choose to also use this feature. If you do, you add your proficiency bonus to your damage with unarmed attacks and pugilist weapons for the next minute. You can use this feature again after you complete a long rest.

School of Hard Knocks

By 10th level, you’ve graduated top of the class at the school of hard knocks and you took most of them on the head. You have resistance to psychic damage and gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would make you stunned or unconscious.

Rabble Rouser

Starting at 13th level, word of your exploits travels quickly in cities and other settlements. Once you have taken a long rest by carousing in a settlement you gain advantage on all Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Intimidation) rolls made against the people who live there.

Unbreakable

Starting at 14th level, you gain advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 moxie point to reroll it and take the second result.

Herculean

At 15th level, your carrying capacity is doubled, your jump height and distance are doubled, and when you deal damage to an inanimate object that damage is doubled.

Fighting Spirit

Starting at 18th level, when you have 4 levels of exhaustion or fewer and are reduced to 0 hit points you regain half of your maximum hit points, half of your maximum moxie points, and gain a level of exhaustion. You cannot use this feature again until you complete a long rest.

Peak Physical Condition

At 20th level, your Strength and Constitution ability scores increase by 2 to a maximum of 22. Additionally, when you take a long rest you recover 2 levels of exhaustion instead of 1 and you regain all your expended hit dice instead of half your expended hit dice.

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Fight Clubs

Belligerent Bruiser

While you have adopted the Belligerent Bruiser stance, you know how to keep enemies busy. After you take an Attack action, you can use your bonus action to distract nearby foes. Until the start of your next turn all melee weapon attacks made by friendly creatures within 5 feet of you gain advantage.

Dirty Trick. When you make an attack with an unarmed strike or pugilist weapon, you can expend 1 moxie to attempt to disorient the creature. the creature must pass a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of their next turn.

Catnap Clincher

When you adopt the Catnap Clincher stance, while you have a creature grappled, you have half cover from all attacks against you.

Go to Sleep. When you have a creature grappled, you can spend your action and expend 1 moxie to attempt to render the creature unconscious. Roll 3d10 + your pugilist level, If the result meets or exceeds that creatures remaining hit points, the creature is unconscious.

Foulmouthed Bedeviler

When you adopt the Foulmouthed Bedeviler stance, you can cast the vicous mockery cantrip using Constitution as your spellcasting ability.

Fighting Words. You can use a bonus action and expend 1 moxie to cast the spell compelled duel. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Heavyweight Hitter

When you adopt the Heavyweight Hitter stance, you score critical hits on a result of a 19 or 20 when using unarmed strikes or pugilist weapons.

Jawbreaker. After you roll damage for an attack made with unarmed strikes or pugilist weapons, you can expend 1 moxie to reroll a number of damage dice up to your Constitution modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls.

Inescapable Locker

When you adopt the Inescapable Locker stance, your movement is not reduced when moving a creature you have in a grapple. Additionally, when a creature attempts to escape your grapple, you can use your reaction to give them disadvantage.

Meat Shield. When you have a creature grappled and are the target of an attack by any creature that isn't grappled by you, after the attack roll is made, but before the attack is declared successful or not, you can use your reaction and spend 1 moxie to redirect the attack to the creature you are grappling.

Ironbelly Brawler

When you adopt the Ironbelly Brawler stance, you gain a +1 to your AC if you are unarmored or wearing light armor.

Iron Ab Reverberation. When a creature deals damage to you with a melee weapon attack, you can can use your reaction and expend 1 moxie to make the creature pass a Constitution saving throw or take your Constitution modifier + your pugilist level in bludgeoning damage.

Ruthless Wrestler

While you adopt the Ruthless Wrestler stance, if your are proficient in Atheltics or Acrobatics, you double your proficiency bonus when making ability checks using those skills.

To the Mat. When a creature within your reach provokes an attack of opportunity from you, you can use your reaction and expend 1 moxie to make a shove or grapple attempt on that creature. If successful, you deal your unarmed attack damage as well.

Salty Shipwrecker

When you adopt the Salty Shipwrecker stance, you gain a swim speed of 30 feet and gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would move you or knock you prone.

Mop the Deck. When you deal damage with an unarmed strike or pugilist weapon, you can expend 1 moxie to make the creature pass a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Shuffling Scrapper

While you have adopted the Shuffling Scrapper stance, you can take the Dodge action as a bonus action.

Bob and Weave. You can use your bonus action and expend 1 moxie point to take the Disengage and Dash actions. Until the end of this turn you can move through spaces occupied by enemy creatures.

Southpaw Stalker

While you have adopted the Southpaw Stalker stance, you gain advantage on Stealth rolls while you move at half your speed or slower.

Rabbit Punch. Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack that had advantage or if an enemy of that creature is conscious and within 5 feet of the creature, you can deal additional damage. To do this additional damage, you must be using an unarmed strike or pugilist weapon. When you deal damage, you can spend up to half of your pugilist level in moxie points, dealing an additional 1d6 damage for each moxie point expended in this way.

Tavern Tussler

Whn you adopt the Tavern Tussler stance, enemies have disadvantage on opportunity attacks against you, and you can rise and fall from prone with only 5 feet of movement.

Dumb Luck. When a creature misses you with a ranged weapon attack, you can use your reaction and expend 1 moxie to force that creature to make the same attack against a foe of your choice within melee range of you. It gains advantage on that attack.