Pugilist

Pugilists live by their fists, bare-knuckle warriors who do not hesitate to throw hands if the situation demands it. They know the intense, close, violent intimacy of melee, and they operate unapologetically in that space. Whether in fighting pits by the docks to make some extra coin, in the king’s grand arena as champions of quarreling nobles, or in the employ of local merchants in need of seemingly weaponless guards, pugilists can be found in all rungs of society.

Pugilists take pleasure in a battle hard won and thrill in the energy of the fight rather than in a kill. They can often be found celebrating or having drinks with a former opponent hours after the fight, regardless of the bout’s winner.

Unarmed Warrior

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to use your fists, knees, elbows, head, and feet to attack your opponents. You gain the following benefits while you are not wearing heavy armor and while you are not wielding weapons or a shield:

  • Your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. Your unarmed strike damage increases as you reach higher levels. The d6 becomes a d8 at 10th level and a d10 at 18th level.
  • When you use the Attack action to make one or more unarmed strikes, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Resilient Fighter

Starting at 3rd level, you learn to endure great amounts of physical punishment. You add your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) to any death saving throw you make. In addition, you can use Second Wind a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Uncanny Fortitude

Beginning at 7th level, if damage reduces you to 0 hit points, you can make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is from a critical hit. On a success, you drop to 1 hit point instead. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Debilitating Blow

At 10th level, when you hit one target with two unarmed strikes in the same turn, you can use a bonus action to force the target to make a Constitution saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failure, the target has disadvantage on the next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.

Withstand Death

At 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use Second Wind as a reaction, provided you have uses of Second Wind remaining. You can decide to use this reaction before or after your Uncanny Fortitude feature triggers. In addition, when you make a death saving throw and roll a 1 on the d20, it counts as one failure instead of two.

Opportunistic Brawler

Starting at 18th level, you might not look for a fight around every corner, but you’re ready in case one happens. You have advantage on initiative rolls. In addition, when a creature you can see enters a space within 5 feet of you, you can make one opportunity attack against the creature. This opportunity attack must be made with an unarmed strike. You have a number of reactions each turn equal to your proficiency bonus, but these reactions can be used only to perform opportunity attacks.

Pugilists and Magical Unarmed Strikes

Unlike monks and their ki, pugilist fighters don’t naturally have a means of making unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Some magic items, such as the cestus or the swolbold wraps, specifically make unarmed strikes magical, but not every campaign includes magic weapons or magic items.

As a GM, if you are running a game in a high-magic setting and would like to give a pugilist player character the opportunity for their unarmed strikes to count as magical, we recommend allowing the pugilist to utilize the magic in their magic items. The pugilist must be attuned to the item, and the item must be worn on the hands, arms, or feet, such as gloves, a ring, bracers, or boots. The amount of magical bonus the pugilist receives depends on the rarity of the item. An uncommon magic item allows the pugilist’s unarmed strikes to count as magical, a rare magic item gives the pugilist a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, and very rare and legendary magic items give +2 and +3 bonuses, respectively.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Heroes ©2022 Open Design LLC; Authors: Celeste Conowitch, Jeff Lee, Sarah Madsen, Ben McFarland, Kelly Pawlik, Brian Suskind

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