Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co.
Caption
Core Pugilist Traits
| Primary Ability | Strength |
|---|---|
| Hit Point Die | D10 per Pugilist level |
| Saving Throw Proficiencies | Strength and Constitution |
| Skill Proficiencies | Choose 2: Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth |
| Weapon Proficiencies | Simple and Improvised Weapons |
| Tool Proficiencies | Choose one type of Gaming Set |
| Armor Training | Light armor |
| Starting Equipment | Choose A or B: (A) Club, Handaxe, Gaming Set (chosen for the tool proficiency above), Dungeoneer’s Pack, and 31 GP; or (B) 50 GP |
Pugilists live a rough and tumble life that leaves them full of determination and recklessness, either from overconfidence or desperation. In a fight, they channel this strength of character to dig deep and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, even when outarmed and outnumbered. Even when they ultimately fail, Pugilists go down swinging.
Pugilists tap into their inner strength in the form of moxie. This is not an esoteric or mystical energy that flows through the multiverse, but the result of self-confidence and determination forged over a lifetime of hardship with a never-say-die attitude. Anyone can be taught how to fist fight but accessing the strength and resilience of the Pugilist can’t. The secret of mastering moxie doesn’t come from disciplined study or rigorous training, it comes from years of wanting and needing.
In back alleys, underground fight clubs, and poorer quarters, Pugilists don’t have time to consider the lofty ideals of philosophy or ponder the mysteries of the universe. They spend their days 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 might be the only way out of whatever miserable situation they’ve been stuck in since infancy. For others, getting lost out in the world is an escape from the tangled web of debt or enemies they’ve piled up. But some Pugilists are happy just with the promise of ample opportunities to bloody their knuckles.
Becoming a Pugilist…
As a Level 1 Character
- Gain all the traits in the Core Pugilist Traits table.
- Gain the Pugilist’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Pugilist Features table.
As a Multiclass Character
- Gain the Hit Point Die from the Core Pugilist Traits table.
- Gain the Pugilist’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Pugilist Features table.
Pugilist Class Features
As a Pugilist, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Pugilist levels. These features are listed in the Pugilist Features table.
Pugilist Features
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Class Features | Fisticuffs | Moxie Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Fisticuffs, Iron Chin | 1d8 | — |
| 2 | +2 | Moxie, Bloodied But Unbowed, Swagger Streak | 1d8 | 2 |
| 3 | +2 | Heavy Hitter, Pugilist Subclass | 1d8 | 2 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Dig Deep | 1d8 | 3 |
| 5 | +3 | Extra Attack, Haymaker | 1d10 | 3 |
| 6 | +3 | Moxie-Fueled Fists, Subclass feature | 1d10 | 4 |
| 7 | +3 | Down But Not Out | 1d10 | 4 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 5 |
| 9 | +4 | School of Hard Knocks | 1d10 | 5 |
| 10 | +4 | Herculean, Shake It Off | 1d10 | 6 |
| 11 | +4 | Subclass feature | 1d12 | 6 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d12 | 7 |
| 13 | +5 | Dig Deeper | 1d12 | 7 |
| 14 | +5 | Unbreakable | 1d12 | 8 |
| 15 | +5 | Pugnacious | 1d12 | 8 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d12 | 9 |
| 17 | +6 | Subclass feature | 2d6 | 9 |
| 18 | +6 | Fighting Spirit | 2d6 | 10 |
| 19 | +6 | Epic Boon | 2d6 | 11 |
| 20 | +6 | Peak Physical Condition | 2d6 | 12 |
Level 1: Fisticuffs
Your years of fighting in back alleys and taverns have given you mastery over combat styles that use Unarmed Strikes and Pugilist weapons, which are the following:
- Simple Melee weapons
- Improvised Weapons
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only Pugilist weapons and you are wearing Light or no armor and are not wielding a Shield.
Bonus Unarmed Strike. You can make an Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action.
Fisticuffs Die. You can roll 1d8 in place of the normal damage of your Unarmed Strike or Pugilist weapons. This die changes as you gain Pugilist levels, as shown in the Fisticuffs column of the Pugilist Features table.
Improved Improvisation. Your talent for turning everything into a weapon allows you to use the mastery properties of improvised weapons. All improvised weapons count as having the Sap mastery property for you.
Level 1: Iron Chin
While you are wearing Light or no armor and not wielding a Shield, your base Armor Class equals 12 plus your Constitution modifier.
Level 2: Moxie
Your experiences of beating the odds have 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 maximum number of points you have, as shown in the Moxie Points column of the Pugilist Features table.
You can spend these points to enhance or fuel certain Pugilist features. You start knowing three such features: Brace Up, One-Two Punch, and Stick and Move, each of which is detailed below.
When you expend a Moxie Point, it is unavailable until you finish a Short or Long Rest, at the end of which you regain all your expended points.
Brace Up. You can use a Bonus Action and expend 1 Moxie Point to brace for attacks. When you do so, roll your Fisticuffs die, and gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to the number rolled plus your Pugilist level and your Constitution modifier. These Temporary Hit Points vanish if any remain after 10 minutes.
One-Two Punch. You can expend 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 an Unarmed Strike and take the Dash or Disengage action.
Level 2: Bloodied But Unbowed
When you take damage, you can take a Reaction to regain all your expended Moxie Points. If you are Bloodied when you take this Reaction, you also gain Temporary Hit Points equal to four times your Pugilist level. These Temporary Hit Points vanish if any remain when you finish a Short Rest.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.
Level 2: Swagger Streak
When you fail a Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma check, you can expend a Moxie Point to attempt to swagger your way to success. Roll your Fisticuffs die and add the number rolled to the ability check, potentially turning it into a success. If the ability check still fails, you regain the expended Moxie Point and can’t use this feature again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.
Level 3: Heavy Hitter
When you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, you can use both the Damage and your choice of the Grapple or Shove option.
Level 3: Pugilist Subclass
You gain a Pugilist subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Pugilist levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Pugilist level or lower.
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement
You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Pugilist levels 8, 12, and 16.
Level 4: Dig Deep
You can use a Bonus Action to dig deep. For 10 minutes, you have Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage and you ignore the effects of Exhaustion levels less than 6.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you gain 1 Exhaustion level (no action required by you) to restore your use of it.
Level 5: Extra Attack
You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Level 5: Haymaker
When you make an attack with an Unarmed Strike or Pugilist weapon, you can expend 1 Moxie Point to swing with wild abandon. On a hit, regain the expended Moxie Point and you deal maximum damage with that attack.
Level 6: Moxie-Fueled Fists
Whenever you deal damage with your Unarmed Strike or an attack with an improvised weapon, it can deal your choice of Force damage or its normal damage type.
Level 7: Down But Not Out
When you use your Bloodied But Unbowed while you are Bloodied, you can add a bonus to the damage of your Unarmed Strikes and attacks with Pugilist weapons for the next minute. This bonus equals your Constitution modifier plus the number of levels of Exhaustion you have.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Level 9: School of Hard Knocks
Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d12 damage when you hit with an Unarmed Strike or attack with a Pugilist weapon. This damage is the same type dealt by the weapon or Unarmed Strike. You can forgo this extra damage to apply one of the following effects.
Endanger. The next time the creature is hit by an attack, the attack deals the maximum result of the attack’s damage dice rather than rolling.
Provoke. The creature has Disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you until the end of your next turn.
Level 10: Herculean
You gain the following benefits.
Heavy Lifter. Your Strength score is doubled when determining your carrying capacity.
Pillar Breaker. When you hit an object with an Unarmed Strike, the hit is a Critical Hit.
Unmatched Athlete. Your jump distance is doubled.
Level 10: Shake It Off
At the start of each of your turns (no action required), you can remove one Exhaustion level on yourself or end one of the following conditions on yourself: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Restrained, or Stunned.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you take a level of Exhaustion (no action required by you) to restore your use of it.
Level 13: Dig Deeper
You can use a Bonus Action to dig deeper. For 1 minute, you have all the benefits of your Dig Deep and can use your School of Hard Knocks twice per turn instead of once.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest. Starting at level 20, you can use it twice before a Long Rest.
Level 14: Unbreakable
You have Advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can expend 1 Moxie Point to reroll it, and you must use the new roll.
Level 15: Pugnacious
When you roll Initiative, you can remove one level of Exhaustion on yourself and regain your uses of Down But Not Out, Dig Deep, and Shake It Off.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Level 18: Fighting Spirit
When you are reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 Hit point instead. When you do, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to half of your maximum Hit Points, regain all your expended Moxie Points, and have Resistance to all damage except Force for the next minute.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Level 19: Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. Boon of Combat Prowess is recommended.
Level 20: Peak Physical Condition
Your strength and resilience are the stuff of legends. You gain the following benefits.
Hale and Hearty. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 2, to a maximum of 23.
Sleep It Off. When you finish a Long Rest and you have the Exhaustion condition, you lose all levels of Exhaustion.
Vim and Vigor. When you finish a Short Rest, you regain Hit Points equal to twice your Pugilist level.
Pugilist Subclasses
A Pugilist subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain levels, as specified in the subclass.
| Name | Source | Publisher | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog and Hound | The Pugilist Class | Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co. | 5.5e |
| Hand of Dread | The Pugilist Class | Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co. | 5.5e |
| Piss and Vinegar | The Pugilist Class | Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co. | 5.5e |
| Squared Circle | The Pugilist Class | Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co. | 5.5e |
| Street Saint | The Pugilist Class | Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co. | 5.5e |
| Sweet Science | The Pugilist Class | Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co. | 5.5e |