Fistfighter (5e Class)

Fistfighter

Fistfighters are rugged and experienced unarmed combatants, who earn their gold and reputation through their clenched fists, brawling in taverns and competing in fighting pits, conquering their opponents with nothing more than their own bodies. These warriors look down upon weapons, dismissing them as tools for cowards who can't handle themselves on an bare-knuckled fight.

Street Brawlers

Instead of learning their techniques through the military training of a soldier, or through the disciplines taught inside monasteries under the watchful eye of a ancient master, Fistfighters usually learn their martial techniques by experiencing combat in the real world, surviving dangerous assaults and bettering opponents in fights were their lives are at stake. Most of them usually are not professional fighters in the beginning of their path as unarmed fighters, but regular workers, typically from jobs that require a imposing build or great physical strength, such as sailors or dock loaders, miners, guild enforcers and tavern bouncers.

Less commonly, however, are the ones who train under a professor. Sometimes, a fistfighter veteran will found a fighting club, were he will teach the techniques he developed over the years. Others will take a specially gifted fighter under their wing, and teach him dirty secrets so he can make money out of it on fighting pits. These fistfighters will be gladiators in anything but name, fighting for the enjoyment of others, while amassing profits for their club or their agent/teacher.

Creating a Fistfighter

Why is it you choose to use your fists instead of an axe? Why beat and punch instead of hack and slash or sling fire? Why is it that you made your hands a weapon instead of relying on pieces of metal?

Quick Build

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

Class Features

As a Fistfighter you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: light armor
Weapons: Unarmed, Improvised Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Constitution
Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) dagger or (b) small simple weapon
• 1 set of clothes, common
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 2d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Table: The Fistfighter

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Stamina
1st	+2	Fistfight, Unarmored Defense	-
2nd	+2	Stamina, Precise Striking	2
3rd	+2	Fistfighter Style	3
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	4
5th	+3	Extra Attack	5
6th	+3	Fistfighter Style Feature	6
7th	+3	Brace	7
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	8
9th	+4	Signature Punch	9
10th	+4	Resilient Body	10
11th	+4	Fistfighter Style Feature	11
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	12
13th	+5	Imposing Physique	13
14th	+5	Get up	14
15th	+5	Accurate Punches	15
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	16
17th	+6	Fistfighter Style Feature	17
18th	+6	Knockout Punch	18
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	19
20th	+6	Champion	20

Unarmored Defense

Starting at 1st level, while not wearing armor, your AC equals 10 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Fist Fight

Through your experience with hand to hand combat, you developed hard punches and quick reflexes, developing an unique fighting style. You gain the following benefits while you are with both of your hands free:

• You roll a d8 for your unarmed strikes damage die.
• You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your attacks made using a unarmed strike.
• When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can make another attack using a reaction. Once you use this reaction, you can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

Stamina

By 2nd level, your conditioning levels are high enough to keep you fighting trough pain and soreness. You gain two Stamina points. You earn more Stamina points by leveling up in this class, as indicated in the “Stamina” column of the Fistfighter table.

You can spend these points to fuel various stamina features. You start knowing three such features: Combo, Recover, and Guard. You learn more stamina features as you gain levels in this class.

Any expended Stamina points are recovered at the end of a short or long rest. Additionally, you regain 1 expended Stamina point when you score a critical hit with a unarmed strike or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one.

Combo

You can spend a stamina point to make one additional unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Recover

When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can spend 1 stamina point and roll a hit die, recovering a number of hit points equal to the number rolled at the end of your next turn.

Guard

You can spend 1 stamina point to impose disadvantage to any melee weapon attacks against you until the start of your next turn.

Precise Striking

At 2nd level, you score critical hits with unarmed strikes when you roll a 19 or 20 on the d20.

Fistfighter Style

Starting at 3rd level, you choose a style of fistfighting. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 11th and 17th levels.

Ability Score Improvement

Reaching the 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.

Brace

Beginning at 7th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Strength or Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Signature Punch

Starting at 9th level, your unarmed strikes ignore resistance to non-magical damage. In addition, you master a special punch. Choose one of the following:

Jab

You can throw your hands with incredible speed and accuracy. You can use your bonus action to throw a weaker set up punch. The jab causes 1 + your ability modifier used on the attack on a hit, and grants you Advantage on the next attack made until the end of your turn.

Haymaker

You swing your arms wildly, with devastating power. You deal 1d12 damage with your unarmed strikes.

Resilient Body

Starting at 10th level, you ignore the pain from regular punches and strikes. You become resistant to bludgeoning damage from non-magical attacks.

In addition, you have advantage on all Constitution saving throws to avoid exhaustion, the poisoned condition and the stunned condition.

Imposing Physique

When you reach 13th level, a mere look at your body can strike fear on your opponents. You add your Strength or Dexterity modifier (whichever is higher) to your Intimidation checks.

In addition, whenever you are fighting, you can add your Strength and Dexterity modifier to your Performance checks related to fight.

Get up

Starting at 14th level, nothing can keep you on the ground. When you are reduced to 0 hit points you are no longer unconscious or incapacitated. You still need to make Death Saving Throws to avoid dead, and still die after three failures.

In addition, whenever you fail a death saving throw, you can spend 1 stamina point to reroll the saving throw.

Accurate Punches

Starting at 15th level, you know how to hit where it hurts. You score critical hits on a 18 or 20 with your unarmed strikes.

Knockout Punch

At 18th level, whenever you score a critical hit on an attack with a unarmed strike against a target with a sizer large than you or lower, the target is knocked prone and is stunned until the end of your next turn.

Champion

At 20th level, whenever you roll initiative, your stamina is set on its maximum.

Technical Style

Combining quick footwork, fast punches and tactical fighting, these fistfighters keep their distance while unleashing a barrage of strikes on their foes.

Footwork

At 3rd level, while you are wearing light or no armor, your movement speed increases in 10 feet. This additional movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.

In addition, on your first turn of combat, you can use your reaction to rush towards your opponent within your movement speed range, make a quick strike and retreat 10 feet. You cannot use this reaction if you are surprised.

Punching Technique

Also at 3rd level, you learn to use your punches to cause specific effects on your opponents, aiming for different and specific body parts.

Punches. You learn two Punches of your choice, which are detailed as "Punches" below. Each use of a Punch must be declared before the attack roll is made. You can use only use one Punch per attack and you spend a stamina point every time you use one.

You learn one additional punch of your choice, and you can choose one of the punches you know and replace it with another punch, at 6th, 11th, 15th, and 17th level.

Saving Throws. Some of your punching techniques require your targets to make a saving throw to resist the punching technique effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Punching Technique save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (whichever is higher)

Agile Fighter

At 6th level, you have advantage on your initiative rolls. In addition, you can spend 1 stamina point to take the Disengage action as a bonus action.

Sequential Strikes

Reaching 11th level, once in each of your turns when you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can make one additional unarmed strike against the same creature.

Slip and Counter

Starting at 17th level, you can quickly evade and dodge attacks. Whenever you take damage from an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage taken by an amount equal to 1d8 + your level in this class + your proficiency bonus. If you reduce the damage of the attack to 0, you can make an unarmed strike against the attacker, as part of the same reaction.

Punches

These punches are presented in alphabetical order.

Chin Punch. You deliver a powerful punch towards your opponent chin, causing him to blackout for a moment and fall. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be knocked prone.

Face Slap. You can slap your opponent, instead of punching him, demoralizing and angering it. Until the end of your next turn, all attacks made by this creature against a creature other than you are made at disadvantage.

Feinting Punch. You fake an attack towards an opponents face, causing it to blink and protect himself. The target must succeed on a Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save it can't take reactions and you gain advantage on your next attack roll until the end of your turn.

Liver Punch. You hit the target on his liver, causing an acute pain and making him unable to react while contort in pain. The target must make a Constitution saving throw or become unable to attack on its next turn.

Rib Punch. You hit the target in the ribs, fracturing and breaking them, causing internal damage. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d4 piercing damage in each turn for 1 minute. The target can make another saving throw in each turn to end the effect.

Stomach Punch. You punch your opponent in the guts, weakening him for more powerful strikes. On a hit, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.

Temple Punch. You hit the creature on the side of the head, dizzying it. On a hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it suffers disadvantage on its attacks until the end of your next turn.

Counter Style

Counter punchers are those fistfighters that wait for the failure on their opponents part to deliver powerful blows.

Counter Strike

Also at 3rd level, you can take advantage of your opponents failure to deliver powerful counters. Whenever an opponent makes an attack against you at disadvantage, you can use your reaction to make an attack against this creature.

Starting at 7th level you deal 1d6 additional damage with your counter. This damage increase to 2d6 at 11th level, 3d6 at 15th level and 4d6 at 19th level.

In addition, you regain stamina whenever a creature roll a 1 on an attack roll against you.

Dodgy Target

Starting at 6th level, you can evade attacks like no other. Whenever you take the Ready action to ready the Attack action to trigger after a melee attack against you from a chosen target, you gain the benefits of the Dodge action against that creature.

Evader

At 11th level, you don't spend stamina to use your Guard feature.

Bob and Weave

At 17th level, you can take one special reaction at each turn of combat, except your own turn. You can use this reaction to make a counter strike against a creature.

You can't use this reaction more than once per turn.

Power Puncher

Instead of relying on series of strikes, some prefer to put all their strength behind a single but powerful blow. Power punches emphasize power over everything else.

Haymaker

Starting at 3rd level, if you haven't moved on your turn, you can use your bonus action to make a power punch. Your movement speed is reduced to 0 until the end of your turn.

If you do so, you have advantage on your first unarmed attack roll on the turn. This unarmed strike score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20 on the d20. On a critical hit, the damage die of your unarmed strike is multiplied by 3.

At 15th level, while in this stance, you score critical hits with unarmed strikes on a 18-20 on the d20.

Mighty Strike

Starting at 6th level, whenever you hit a creature with the first strike made on your turn, you can forgo your second strike to deal additional damage equal to your unarmed strike die + your Strength modifier.

Devastating Punches

At 11th level, when you hit a creature with a Haymaker, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be stunned until the start of your next turn and knocked prone.

Bone Breaker

At 17th level, whenever you score a critical hit with a Haymaker, the bones inside the body of the target shatter. For the next hour, whenever you hit the creature with an unarmed strike you deal additional 1d6 piercing damage to it.

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