Bruiser (5e Class)

Bruiser

A half-orc clenches his fists as he walks backwards towards an alley, as a group of armed assailants block her exist, slowly surrounding her. A bugbear rushes forward, morningstar at hand, delivering a powerful swing that hits a wall, as the half-orc dodges and delivers a liver punch, sending the bugbear to the ground. The rest of the band attack furiously, as she keep dodging, pushing and punching her way out of that though situation, leaving behind a pile of unconscious bodies.

An elf slaps with his open palm the hands of a burly human, deflecting the blow, while quickly answering with a palm strike of his own. With a swift movement, the elf circle behind the human attacker, leap behind his back and putting him on a choke-hold, as the rest of the tavern shouts and laughs in excitement.

A human enters the fighting pits, with his hands wrapped in leather stripes. At his front, another warrior, equally skilled, powerful and bruised, touches the ground and makes a prayer to the gods, as he prepares his heart for the fight. While the crowd watches, anxious for the main fight, the loud voice of the bookie announces the odds of the bets, expecting for clients.

Bruisers are unarmed combatants, warriors who use their fists to defeat their opponents. Pit fighters, martial artists, guild enforcers, tavern brawlers and bouncers, bruisers differ in paths, but share the same skill and love for the combat arts, and a body covered in scars and marks of this brutal path. Bruisers face their challengers with a fearless look and unshakable confidence, brute forcing their way out of danger.

Street Warriors

Bruisers master the art of fighting with their bare hands. Instead of relying on fancy martial techniques, learn through study of manuals or training regimes in monasteries or schools, everything they know was learned through lived experience. Their techniques, despite their cully looks, are honed with experience, and hide great technique and a singular style. Each bruiser master an individual style, tailored by their combat experiences. Some bruisers are heavy and bulky, using their brute force to their advantage, enduring strikes and delivering imprecise, but devastating blows, while others are skinny and fast, relying on quick movement and fast strikes.

Gutter Champions

Although most bruisers are made on the dirty streets and worn out taverns, fighting with clandestine pits or working as low-life criminals, not all of those fist fighters are Bruisers. The Bruisers are the champions between the common street fighter, the ones who have endured the test of time, who soar above the common knee breaker, whose names are mentioned with fear or admiration in the underground bellies of cities.

For this reason, sometimes when a pair of strong arms is needed for an adventure, their name is mentioned as viable recruit. They are often hired as bodyguards for travelling caravans, and even dungeon delvers can often learn the benefits brought by the brute force of these warriors.

Creating a Bruiser

Bruiser by Brad Boedeker

When creating a Bruiser, answer why did you start your life as a combatant. Have you grew in a dangerous place, were fighting was just a daily routine for you? Have you been born in poverty, using the fighting pits as a means to sustain yourself? Are you a bon-vivant, always get yourself into fights after a dose or two from that dwarven beer?

Also, usually bruisers cultivate a reputation, and even a moniker granted after their behavior while fighting. What's your reputation? Are you famed by ending fights in a single round on the pits? Everyone know about your preference for low blows? Do you bring blades and concealed weapons to your fights? Choose a fame and a moniker for your character, resulting from such fame.

Quick Build

You can make a Bruiser quickly by following these suggestions. Depending on your style of bruiser, you should prioritize a different ability score: Strength should be your highest ability score if you intend to become a Heavy Weight, or Dexterity, if you are going for the Light Weight followed by Constitution. Second, choose the gladiator or the criminal background. Third, choose a scale mail, a greataxe, a dungeoneer's pack and a shortbow and quiver with 20 arrows.

Class Features

As a Bruiser you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Choose one gaming set.
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
• (a) one greataxe or (b) two shortswords or (c) one simple weapon and one martial weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows and a
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Table: The Bruiser

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Bruiser melee
1st	+2	Unarmed Attack, Strong Arm, Unarmed Technique	1d6
2nd	+2	Adrenaline Surge, Brace	1d6
3rd	+2	Weight Division	1d6
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	1d6
5th	+3	Extra Attack	1d6
6th	+3	Experienced Fighter	1d8
7th	+3	Weight Division	1d8
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	1d8
9th	+4	Haymaker	1d8
10th	+4	Weight Division	1d8
11th	+4	Internal Bleeding	1d10
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	1d10
13th	+5	Legendary Might	1d10
14th	+5	Adrenaline Surge	1d10
15th	+5	Weight Division	1d10
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	1d12
17th	+6	Iron Resilience	1d12
18th	+6	Weight Division	1d12
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	1d12
20th	+6	Hammering Fists	1d12

Unarmed Attack

Starting at 1st level, you can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike. This die changes as you gain Bruiser levels, as shown in the Bruiser melee column of the bruiser table.

In addition, you can use either Dexterity or Strength for your attacks and damage rolls using unarmed strikes.

Strong Arm

Starting at 1st level, you are considered one size larger when determining how much weight you can push, lift or carry.

Unarmed Technique

You are specialized in a specific way of fighting when unarmed. Choose one of the following options. Whenever you gain a new Ability Score Improvement, you can replace your unarmed technique for a new one.

Groundfight

You are specialized in grappling. You don't suffer disadvantage when fighting while prone. In addition, you cause your unarmed damage at the start of each of your turns to your enemy while he remains grappled.

Brutish

When you make one unarmed strike, you can use your bonus action to make that enemy be pushed back 10 feet.

Combo-Fighter

When you make one attack using your action, you can use your bonus action to make one additional attack. You roll a d6 for the damage of this attack, regardless of your unarmed strike damage die.

Instinctive

You have advantage on your first attack every combat and on initiative rolls. In addition, you cannot be surprised.

Kicker

Your unarmed strikes gain the reach property. In addition, whenever you make a long jump before making a unarmed strike, you can use your bonus action to shove the target on a hit.

Mobile

When you use your action to Dash, you can make a single attack as a bonus action. You don't trigger opportunity attacks while dashing.

Swift Striker

When you take the Attack action and attack with an unarmed strike, you can make another unarmed strike using a bonus action. In addition, gain an unarmored AC equal 10 + your Strength modifier + your Constitution modifier.

Weapon Fighter

You can use your unarmed attack die, rather than the weapon's damage die, when attacking with simple melee weapons. In addition, on your first turn of combat, if you are not wielding a weapon and hit an opponent with an unarmed strike, you can use your reaction to draw a simple light weapon and make an attack against the same opponent.

Adrenaline Surge

Starting at 2nd level, you can enter in a state of combat readiness, giving you a short burst of action. Until the end of your next turn, you can make one unarmed strike against a creature that enters your reach as a reaction. During this surge, you can take a number of reactions equal to your Strength bonus.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain your uses after completing a long rest.

Brace

Starting at 2nd level, you become extremely aware of your surroundings, using your instincts to avoid harm. You have advantage on saving throws that require Strength against effects that you can see.

Weight Division

At 3rd level, you choose your weight division, based on your body composition, that will determine your style of fighting. The weight division you choose grant you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th level.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability 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.

Extra Attack

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

Experienced Fighter

At 6th level, when you hit a target with a unarmed strike, you are able to make a Grapple or Shove attempt. Once you do this, you can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

In addition, your unarmed strikes are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Haymaker

At 9th level, you can swing your arms with great power at your enemies. You must declare your intention of performing a haymaker, and make an unarmed strike. On a hit, you deal additional damage equal to 1d6 bludgeoning.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier, regaining your uses after a short or a long rest.

Internal Bleeding

At 11th level, once in each of your turns, when you hit a creature with a unarmed strike as part of an Attack action, you can force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature suffers one level of exhaustion for 1 minute. A creature can't suffer more than three levels of exhaustion with this feature.

In addition, once in each of your turns, you can choose to deal 1d6 additional damage for each level of exhaustion the creature has. The damage is necrotic.

You must choose to either deal the necrotic damage or inflict one level of exhaustion.

Legendary Might

At 13th level, all your attacks against objects are considered critical hits. In addition, you can now shove and grapple creatures, regardless of their size.

Iron Resilience

At 17th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you take no damage instead on a success, or half as much on a failed save.

In addition, when you fail a Strength or Constitution ability check or saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Hammering Fists

At 20th level, you can add your proficiency bonus to the damage of your unarmed strikes.

Styles

Heavy Weight

Heavy weight Bruisers are bruisers that rely on their brute Strength and heavy weight to overpower their enemies. The style of a heavy weight bruiser is totally built around their sheer might, and there's a seemingly lack of technique in this method of fighting, that is compensated by the powerful built of these warriors.

Bone Breaker

At 3rd level, your unarmed strikes score a critical on a roll of 19-20 on the d20. In addition, when you score a critical hit with an unarmed strike, you roll two additional dice of damage as part of the critical hit.

Focused Fighter

Starting at 7th level, as a bonus action, you can choose a creature to focus your attention during combat. You have advantage on your contested Strength (Athletics) checks against him, and on your Wisdom (Perception) checks to find or sense it. You must use another bonus action to focus on another creature.

Skilled Warrior

At 10th level, you can choose another Unarmed Technique.

Dazing Strike

At 15th level, when you hit a target with one of your attacks, you can attempt to stun the target. The creature must succeed a constitution saving throw with a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the creature takes no damage and it is stunned until the end of your next turn. On a success, the creature takes no damage and can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.

Neck Snap

At 18th level, you can try to break the neck of your target with a quick strike. Use your bonus action, and the first successful attack within the next minute automatically kills a creature with less than 50 hit points, or deal additional 5d10 damage on a creature with more than 50 hit points.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Light Weight

The light weight style is made out of bruisers who lack strength, but make up for it using their superior speed and cunning to deceive their opponents, attack from odd angles and attack with great velocity.

Weak Spots

At 3rd level, you can deliver powerful and precise blows, when your target expose itself during the fight. Once in each of your turns, you can use one of your attacks or your bonus action to feint against your enemy. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier. On a failed save, your next attack has advantage and deal additional damage equal to 1d6.

This additional damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level, 3d6 at 15th level and 4d6 at 18th level.

The Spider

At 3rd level, you can use your Dexterity (Acrobatics) instead of Strength (Athletics) to make any grappling or shove check.

Twinkle Toes

Starting at 7th level, you can move and act quickly in combat. You can take the Dash and the Disengage action as bonus actions on your turn. In addition, when you take the Dodge action, you can make a single attack as a bonus action.

Glancing Blow

At 10th level, you can use your reaction against an attack or effect that you can see to halve the damage taken.

Daredevil

At 15th level, you gain advantage on your Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to grapple or shove an enemy. In addition, you add the double of your proficiency bonus to your Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

Furthermore, if you roll a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check under than half your level in this class, you can choose that number instead.

Ghost Fighter

When you reach the 18th level, attack rolls no longer have advantage against you. In addition, whenever you are hit by an attack, you can use a reaction to make an unarmed strike against an attacker in reach.

Multiclassing

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

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Bruiser class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, simple weapons, gaming set.

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