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mp
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 Pugilist
Arrows rain down around her as she runs towards the
hobgoblins. Desperate to close the distance, the half-orc
fights through the sting of a dozen cuts to reach her foes.
The pain only makes her stronger. As she descends on
the snarling pack she swings wildly, knocking several
hobgoblins off their feet and sending the rest scattering
before her.
The human braces himself for the impact as the
orc rushes him. Then the monster makes a mistake,
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telegraphing its next move, and that’s all the opening the
human needs. He ducks beneath the orc’s wide swing then
raises both hands high above his head and brings them
down on the orc’s back, forcing the brute to the ground.
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The dwarf smiles broadly and chuckles as the petty

noble raises his hand to strike him for the impudent
mp

remark. Quick as a flash, the dwarf shatters the bottle

in his hand against the bar and brandishes it before the
noble. The young dandy flinches, stumbles backward,
Sa

and runs away as the dwarf turns back to the bar to

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

Swagger for Days

Pugilists unconsciously tap into their own inner strength
in the form of moxie. This is not an esoteric or mystical
energy that flows through the multiverse, but the result
of determination forged over a lifetime of hardship with
a never-say-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.

Life on the Street

Every city in the worlds of D&D has its back alleys, its
underground fighting rackets, its ghettos. The pugilists
who live in these places don’t have time to consider the
lofty ideals of philosophy 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.

Classes | Pugilist
2
 The Pugilist
Proficiency Moxie
Level Bonus Fisticuffs Points Features
1st +2 1d6 — Fisticuffs, Iron Chin
2nd +2 1d6 2 Moxie, Street Smart
3rd +2 1d6 2 Bloodied but
Unbowed, Fight Club
4th +2 1d6 3 Ability Score
Improvement, Dig
Deep
5th +3 1d8 3 Extra Attack,
Haymaker
6th +3 1d8 4 Fight Club feature,
Moxie-Fueled Fists
7th +3 1d8 4 Fancy Footwork,
Shake It Off
8th +3 1d8 5 Ability Score
Improvement
9th +4 1d8 5 Down but Not Out
10th +4 1d8 6 School of Hard
Knocks meet? Were you forgotten and ignored by your family?
11th +4 1d10 6 Fight Club feature Were you an outsider in your community who had to
12th +4 1d10 7 Ability Score constantly struggle against the ignorant stereotypes the
Improvement people there had of you? The most important element
13th +5 1d10 7 Rabble Rouser of the pugilist is that they are driven. Once you have
decided what events made you into the pugilist you are
14th +5 1d10 8 Unbreakable
today, decide how that may shape the actions you take in
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15th +5 1d10 8 Herculean the future.
16th +5 1d10 9 Ability Score
Improvement Quick Build
17th +6 1d12 9 Fight Club feature You can make a pugilist quickly by following these
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18th +6 1d12 10 Fighting Spirit suggestions. First, make Strength your highest ability
19th +6 1d12 10 Ability Score score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the
mp

Improvement criminal or urchin background.

20th +6 1d12 12 Peak Physical
Condition
Sa

Class Features
As a pugilist, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per pugilist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
For pugilists, becoming an adventurer might be the Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your
only way out of whatever miserable situation they’ve Constitution modifier per pugilist level after 1st
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. Other pugilists fight because
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
it’s the only thing they know how to do. Whatever the
Weapons: Simple weapons, improvised weapons, whip,
reason for their adventuring, pugilists are as excited by
hand crossbow
the prospect of throwing punches as they are spending
Tools: Your choice of one artisan’s tools, gaming set, or
every last gold coin they earn.
thieves’ tools

Creating a Pugilist Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics,
As you build your pugilist, consider how you came to Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Sleight of Hand,
be a bare knuckle brawler. Did you learn to fight to and Stealth.
defend yourself? Was scraping the natural result of your
nose for trouble? Or did you learn to fight as a way of
Equipment
intimidating and controlling others? Were you fighting
You start with the following equipment in addition to the
for the entertainment, or did you fight because you had
equipment gained by your background:
to? Did you try to become a more traditional martial
artist but just couldn’t hack it? Pugilists are a rowdy
• (a) leather armor or (b) any simple weapon
bunch that like to brag about how they learned to fight,
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
so you better have a good story to tell.
• (a) a set of artisan’s tools (b) a gaming set or (c)
What events in your life gave you the sheer
thieves’ tools
determination and will that pugilists call on? Did you
spend every day hustling on the street to make ends

Classes | Pugilist
3
 Fisticuffs Bloodied But Unbowed
At 1st level, your years of fighting in back alleys and Starting at 3rd level, when you take damage that
taverns have given you mastery over combat styles that use reduces you to half your maximum hit points or less, you
unarmed strikes and pugilist weapons, which are simple can use your reaction to gain temporary hit points equal
melee weapons without the two-handed property, whips, to your pugilist level + your Constitution modifier and
and improvised weapons. You may not use the finesse you regain all expended moxie points. You cannot use
property of a weapon while using it as a pugilist weapon. this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed
or using only pugilist weapons and you are wearing light
or no armor and not using a shield: Fight Club
Starting at 3rd level, you choose a fight club that best
• You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of exemplifies your style: the Squared Circle, or the Sweet
your unarmed strike or pugilist weapon. This die Science, all detailed at the end of the class description.
changes as you gain pugilist levels, as shown in the Additional fight clubs are available in the Your fight club
Fisticuffs column on the Pugilist table. grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th,
• When you use the Attack action with an unarmed and 17th level.
strike or a pugilist weapon on your turn, you can make
one unarmed strike or grapple as a bonus action.
Ability Score Improvement
Iron Chin When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th,
and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your
Beginning at 1st level, you can use Constitution instead choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of
of Dexterity to determine your armor class when you are your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability
wearing light or no armor and are not using a shield. score above 20 using this feature.

Moxie Dig Deep

Starting at 2nd level, your experience laying the Starting at 4th level, you discover a strength inside
beatdown on others has given you a moxie you
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you that can’t be broken. As a bonus action, you gain
can channel in the midst of battle. This swagger is resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
represented by a number of moxie points. Your pugilist damage for one minute. At the end of that minute you
level determines the maximum number of points you gain a level of exhaustion.
le

have, as shown in the Moxie Points column of the

Pugilist table.
Extra Attack
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You can spend these points to fuel various moxie

features. You start knowing three such features: Brace
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of
Up, The Old One-Two, and Stick and Move. You learn
more moxie features as you gain levels in this class. You once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Sa

regain all expended moxie points when you complete a

short or long rest. Haymaker
Brace Up Starting at 5th level, before you make an attack roll with
You can use a bonus action and spend 1 moxie point to an unarmed strike or pugilist melee weapon attack that
brace for attacks. Roll your fisticuffs die + your pugilist does not already have disadvantage, you can declare you
level + your Constitution modifier and gain that many are swinging wild haymakers. You make all attack rolls
temporary hit points. until the end of this turn with disadvantage and when
you deal damage you do not roll, but use the maximum
die result instead.
The Old One-Two
Immediately after you take the Attack action on your
turn, you can spend 1 moxie point to make two unarmed Moxie-Fueled Fists
strikes as a bonus action.
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as
Stick and Move magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and
You can use a bonus action and expend 1 moxie point to immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
make a shove attack or take the Dash action.
Fancy Footwork
Street Smart At 7th level, you gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws.
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
Shake It Off
a settlement for 8 hours or more, you know all public Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to
locations in the city as if you were born and raised there end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be
and you cannot be lost by non-magical means while charmed or frightened.
within the city.

Classes | Pugilist
4
Down But Not Out Peak Physical Condition
At 9th level, when you use your Bloodied But Unbowed At 20th level, your Strength and Constitution ability
feature you can choose to also use this feature. If you scores increase by 2 to a maximum of 22. Additionally,
do, you add your proficiency bonus to your damage when you take a long rest you recover 2 levels of
with unarmed attacks and pugilist weapons for the exhaustion instead of 1 and you regain all your
next minute. You can use this feature again after you expended hit dice instead of half your expended hit dice.
complete a long rest.

School of Hard Knocks Fight Clubs

Despite the name, fight clubs are not formal fraternities
By 10th level, you’ve graduated top of the class at the or sororities, but collections of pugilists who, by
school of hard knocks and you took most of them on the training or happenstance, share a similar style. In
head. You have resistance to psychic damage and gain some D&D worlds, fight clubs can tell you a lot about
advantage on saving throws against effects that would where a person comes from, while in others there
make you stunned or unconscious. are representatives of many fighting styles in all
metropolitan areas.

Rabble Rouser
The Squared Circle
Starting at 13th level, word of your exploits travels quickly
in cities and other settlements. Once you have taken a Pugilists who fight in the Squared Circle know you
long rest by carousing in a settlement, you gain advantage don’t have to knock an opponent senseless to get them
on all Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Intimidation) to submit. Of course, members of the Squared Circle
rolls made against the people who live there. do beat their opponents senseless, they just know they
don’t have to.

Unbreakable Groundwork
Starting at 14th level, you gain advantage on Strength, Starting when you choose this fight club at 3rd level, you
Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. Additionally, gain the following additional moxie features.
Compression Lock. When a creature attempts to
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whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can
spend 1 moxie point to reroll it and take the second result. break a grapple with you and succeeds, you can use your
reaction and spend 1 moxie point to force the creature
to roll again. The creature must use the second result.
Herculean
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Quick Pin. When a hostile creature’s movement

provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can
At 15th level, your carrying capacity is doubled, and
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use your reaction and spend 1 moxie point to make a

when you deal damage with a melee weapon or
grapple attack instead of an opportunity attack.
unarmed strike to an inanimate object that damage is
To the Mat. You can use a bonus action and spend
doubled. Your standing jump distance is the same as
1 moxie point to make a grapple attack against a
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your running start jump distance.

creature within range. If successful, the creature is
also knocked prone.
Fighting Spirit
Meat Shield
Starting at 18th level, when you have 4 levels of exhaustion
At 6th level, when you have an enemy creature grappled,
or fewer and are reduced to 0 hit points, you regain half
you gain half cover against all attacks made against you
of your maximum hit points, half of your maximum moxie
by a creature you are not grappling. When a weapon
points, and gain a level of exhaustion. You cannot use this
attack made by a creature you are not grappling misses
feature again until you finish a long rest.
you, you may use your reaction and spend 1 moxie point
to have that creature make the same attack with a new
roll against an enemy creature you are grappling.

Heavyweight
At 11th level, you count as one size larger than you are
for the purposes of grappling. In addition, you can move
your full movement speed when you are dragging or
carrying a grappled creature your size or smaller.

Clean Finish
At 17th level, your mastery of grappling reaches its peak.
While you have a creature grappled, you gain advantage
on all attacks against it. Additionally, when you make
an unarmed strike or pugilist weapon attack against a
creature you have grappled, you score a critical hit on a
roll of 19 or 20.

Classes | Pugilist
5
 The Sweet Science Pugilist & Multiclassing
Pugilists who practice the Sweet Science hit hard, fast, Pugilists follow all the normal rules for multiclassing.
and often. This style is sometimes used by fighters who The following tables function as additions to those listed
battle for the entertainment of the upper classes, but is on page 163 and 164 of the Player’s Handbook.
just as often practiced in the back alleys and the bars by
those whose next breath depends on a knockout. Multiclassing Prerequisites
Class Ability Score Minimum
Cross Counter Pugilist Strength 13 and Constitution 13
Starting when you choose this fight club at 3rd level, you
can block the brunt of an attack and launch one of your Multiclassing Proficiencies
own in the same fluid motion. You can use your reaction Class Proficiencies Gained
and spend 2 moxie points to reduce the damage of a Pugilist Light armor, improvised weapons
melee weapon attack made against you by 1d10 + your
Strength modifier + your pugilist level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can make an Credits
unarmed strike, or pugilist weapon attack, against a Product Lead: Benjamin Huffman
creature within range as part of the same reaction. Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co.

One, Two, Three, Floor Writing & Game Design: Benjamin Huffman
At 6th level, when you use your bonus action to use the Editing: Alan Tucker
Old One-Two and hit the same creature with both attacks,
you can spend 1 moxie to make an additional unarmed Layout & Graphic Design: Nathanaël Roux
strike against that creature as part of the same bonus Cover Illustrator: Spelljamer
action. If you hit, the creature is knocked prone in addition Interior Illustrators: Samantha Darcy, Nathanaël Roux, Fil
to taking damage as normal for your unarmed strike. Cieplak, Jonathan Simard, and spelljamer.

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

At 11th level, when you reduce damage from an attack
to 0 and successfully hit an enemy creature using your
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Cross Counter feature you regain 1 moxie point (up to
your maximum).
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Knock Out
At 17th level, when you hit with an unarmed strike or
mp

pugilist weapon, you can spend 1 or more moxie points

to try to knock out the opponent instead of dealing
damage. Roll 3d12 + 2d12 for every moxie point spent
Sa

after the first and add your pugilist level to the result;
if the total is equal to or greater than the creature’s
remaining hit points, it is unconscious for 10 minutes.

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Classes | Pugilist
6