Boxer (5e Class)

Boxer

Boxers are combatants who specialize in the use of fists to win fights. These fighters are usually prizefighters and athletes, and fight in order to win competitions, being rewarded with fame, glory and sometimes gold for their victories. Using a combination of agile footwork, great endurance and powerful punches, they can defeat enemies even without relying on weapons, and can ignore protections by aiming at vulnerable and non-protected areas of their opponents bodies.

Restless Athletes

Boxers are known for their relentless training, submitting themselves to a hard and exhausting workout regime in order to achieve peak conditioning. Endurance is one of the most important aspects of a boxing match, reason why they will go for distant runs, long hours of muscular training and countless drilling sessions, training their bodies to react instinctively to attacks.

Creating a Boxer

Hajime no Ippo Fanart by Ben Lo

When creating a boxer, ask yourself why did you choose to engage in this dangerous path. Do you seek the glory of becoming a champion? Do you compete in order to gain money and get out of a life of poverty and hardship? Are you a slave, fighting for your survival amidst dust and blood of an arena? Or did you learned how to fight in order to protect yourself and those for whom you care about?

Quick Build

You can make a Boxer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength or Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the soldier background.

Class Features

As a Boxer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Boxer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Boxer level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial gloves
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival.

Equipment

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

• a leather armor
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack

Table: The Boxer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Rhythm
1st	+2	Remarkable Athlete, Boxing, Rhythm	1
2nd	+2	Tricks	1
3rd	+2	Power Punch, Boxing Style	2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	2
5th	+3	Punch Sequences, Brace	3
6th	+3	Knockout Strike,	3
7th	+3	Bob and Weave	4
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4
9th	+4	Boxing Style Feature	5
10th	+4	Ten-Count Recover	5
11th	+4	Physical Prowess	6
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	6
13th	+5	Light Armored Movement, Indomitable, Boxing Style Feature	7
14th	+5	Counter	7
15th	+5	Endurance	8
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	8
17th	+6	Boxing Style Feature	9
18th	+6	Survivor	9
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	10
20th	+6	Champion	10

Remarkable Athlete

Starting at 1st level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (rounded up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn't already use your proficiency bonus.

In addition, when you make a running long jump, the distance you can cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Strength modifier.

Boxing

At 1st level, you start to master the art of boxing, and you gain the following benefits:

Punches

Your punches are powerful as weapons. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield, you can roll a d6, instead of the normal damage for unarmed strikes. In addition, you can choose to use either Dexterity or Strength, for attacks and damage rolls.

Finally, you can throw a punch using your bonus action.

Guard

You can use your bonus action to lift up your guard. While in guard, whenever you take damage from a melee attack made with a natural weapon or unarmed strike that deals bludgeoning damage, you can spend your rhythm to reduce the damage by 1d6 per rhythm point spent.

Rhythm

Starting at 1st level, whenever you connect your punches you can build a consistent rhythm of strikes. When you roll initiative, you gain a number of rhythm points equal to your proficiency bonus. You can spend your rhythm points to fuel Rhythm abilities. Activating a Rhythm ability of a subclass costs 1 rhythm point.

Once you spend a rhythm point, you can only regain 1 point when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, a glove weapon, or by using your bonus action to recover 2 rhythm. You recover 2 points if your attack scores a critical.

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or glove weapon, you can spend any amount of rhythm points. If you do you deal additional damage equal to 1d6 x the amount of points spent.

Tricks

At 2nd level, you learn three boxer tricks: quick footwork, feint, and lunge. You can use these tricks as a bonus action, and recover 1 rhythm point when you do so.

Quick Footwork

You can dance quickly through the battlefield. You can take the Disengage action as a bonus action.

Feint

You can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, contested by your target's Wisdom (Insight) check. On a success, you gain advantage on the next unarmed strike or glove weapon attack you make.

Lunge

Your unarmed strikes gain the benefits of reach until the end of your turn.

Power Punch

When you reach the 3rd level, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike on your turn, you can use your bonus action to make a Power Punch. On a hit, your power punch causes its normal damage, plus additional damage equal to 1d6 per rhythm point you currently have. Doing so doesn't spend your rhythm.

You can use this feature an amount of times equal to your proficiency per long rest

Brace

At 5th level, whenever you are hit by a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction, and 1 rhythm to halve the damage. If the attack deals bludgeoning damage, you can spend 2 rhythm and use your reaction to reduce the damage to 0.

Punch Sequences

At 5th level, you can throw punches in a quick succession by spending your rhythm points. When you take the Attack action, you can throw one additional punch for each 3 rhythm points you spend.

Knockout Strike

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes and glove weapon attacks ignore resistance and immunity to non-magical damage.

In addition, when you use a Power Punch, you can choose to spend 1 rhythm point to force the target to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier). On a failed save, the target is stunned until the end of your next turn.

Bob and Weave

Starting at 7th level, when a creature within 5 feet makes a melee weapon attack against you, you can spend 1 rhythm as a reaction to make a Dexterity saving throw against the result of the attack.

On a success, you manage to avoid the attack, causing the attack to miss.

Ten-Count Recover

At 10th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points you are not incapacitated. You still must make Death Saving Throws, and still die if you fail three times.

In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against the stunned condition.

Physical Prowess

By 11th level, whenever you make a Strength, Dexterity or Constitution check, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

In addition, when you make a Strength, Dexterity or Constitution saving throw, you can use your reaction to reroll that save, using the new result. Doing so spend all your Rhythm, and you can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

Counter

Starting at 14th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature.

You can spend 1 Rhythm to use Brace and Counter as part of the same reaction.

Endurance

At 15th level, you gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws.

In addition, you add your proficiency bonus to Death Saving Throws. If your roll is a total of 20 or higher (adding the proficiency) you regain 1 hit point.

Survivor

At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don't gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.

Champion

When you reach the 20th level, you can choose two abilities from Strength, Dexterity or Constitution to increase by 4. Your ability score maximums for Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution increases to 24.

Boxing Styles

Out-boxer

Out-boxers are boxers who use mobility to maintain distance, acting as skirmishers by advancing fast and retreating before the opponent has the opportunity to react.

Step Out

Starting at 3rd level, when you are targeted by a melee attack, you can as an reaction move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks, potentially causing that attack to miss.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (a minimum of once) and you regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.

Rhythm Abilities

Fast Retreat. You can force a target within 5 feet to make a Dexterity saving throw and you can move up to 10 feet. On a failed save, your movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.

Elusive Movement. You can force a target within 5 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, your movement speed increases by 15 feet until the end of this turn, and until the end of your next turn, the target has disadvantage on their next attack roll, or saving throw against one of your boxer features.

Quick Retreat

At 9th level, you have advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks to use your Feint feature.

Additionally, as long as you aren't incapacitated and your speed is not 0, you have resistance against non-magical bludgeoning damage from melee attacks.

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

At 13th level, your movement no longer provokes opportunity attacks. In addition, whenever you leave the reach of a creature, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against it with an unarmed strike or glove weapon.

Boxer Reflexes

At 17th level, if you aren't surprised, you can take two turns in the first round of any combat. The first turn at your normal initiative, and the second at your initiative minus 10.

Slugger

Sluggers are brutal and heavy boxers, who exchange the finesse and technique of the art of boxing to, instead, overpower their opponents with slow but devastating punches. Although they can often be predictable with their deliberate movement and strikes, a single punch from a slugger can decide a fight.

Rhythm Abilities

Brutal Punch. The target must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Demoralizing Punch. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or is frightened until the end of its next turn.

Powerful Punches

At 3rd level, you can make Strength (Athletics) checks and shove using your bonus action.

Mean Hook

At 9th level, when you throw a Power Punch against a creature you haven't attacked on this turn, you have advantage on the Power Punch. In addition, on a hit, that punch is a critical. Hit or miss, you can't use this ability against the same creature again during the same combat.

Painful Blow

When you reach the 13th level, whenever you hit a creature with one of your punches, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes until the end of your next turn.

Devastating Strikes

At 17th level, before you make an attack with an unarmed strike or glove weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +3d6 to the attack’s damage.

Boxer-puncher

Boxer-punchers are the jack of all trades of boxers, using movement, power and flurries in a tactical manner. These boxers tend to be more strategic and mindful, seeing the boxing match as a game of chess, were they must apply the correct solution to a certain situation.

Boxing Superiority

When you choose this style at 3rd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called superiority dice.

Maneuvers. You learn three maneuvers of your choice as a fighter. Many maneuvers enhance a melee attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per melee attack. Attacks you enhance with maneuvers can only be melee attacks. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Superiority Dice. You have four superiority dice, which are d8s. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another superiority die at 9th level and one more at 17th level.

The size of the dice also increases, becoming a d10 at 9th level and a d12 at 17th level.

Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Tactical Punches

At 9th level, you have advantage on attack rolls with unarmed strikes and glove weapons against a creature affected by a maneuver.

Fighting Vigor

At 13th level, whenever you deal damage to a creature with a melee attack enhanced with a maneuver, you gain temporary hit points equal to half your boxer level + your Constitution modifier.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once) and regain your uses after a short or a long rest.

Relentless

Starting at 17th level, when you roll initiative and have less than your maximum superiority dice remaining, you regain 1 superiority die.

Swarmer

Swarmers are boxers who apply constant pressure on their opponents by delivering a barrage of punches, relying on quick strikes and fast footwork to rampage towards the enemy and leaving it locked behind the tempest of blows.

Rhythm Abilities

Punch Swarm. You can make one additional unarmed strike or glove weapon attack, plus an additional one each time you hit, up to 5 attacks. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of these attacks.

Pushing Flurry. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, on a failure, the target is pushed up tp 10 feet away from you and you move up to 10 feet toward it (without provoking opportunity attacks). If the target was pushed, it has disadvantage on the next Wisdom saving throw or Wisdom ability check it makes until the end of its next turn.

Slip and Counter

At 9th level, you can throw a punch as a reaction against a creature that misses a melee attack against you, within 5 feet.

Correcting Target

At 13th level, once per round when you take the Attack action and miss a target with a punch, you can use 1 Rhythm and reroll the attack with advantage.

Overwhelm

At 17th level, at the start of your first turn of combat, if you aren't surprised, you can take the attack action to make six unarmed strikes or glove weapon attacks. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or a long rest before you are able to use it again.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Boxer class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Strength or Dexterity, 13 Constitution.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Boxer class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, simple weapons.

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