Pug (5e Subclass)
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Pugilist (Rogue)[edit]
Rogue Subclass
When you want to send a message, you send a rogue. When you want the message to have that personal touch, you send a Pugilist rogue. Whether you want the recipient beaten, broken, maimed, or strangled, this is the rogue for you. While not as swift-fisted as the Monk or robust as an unarmed fighter, Pugilists – sometimes shortened to "Pugs" or called "Stranglers" or "Pummelers" for their vicious techniques – can deliver a world of hurt in very few blows without ever drawing a weapon.
- Wooden Knuckles
At 3rd level, when a rogue dedicates themselves to their bare-handed style, your hands become as dangerous as a club and as swift as a dagger. Your unarmed strikes count as finesse weapons and deal damage equal to 1 + your strength or dexterity modifier. Additionally, as long as your hands are empty and you aren't wearing medium or heavy armor, you gain +1 to your armor class. This accounts for your swifter-than-usual, unencumbered movements.
- Brawler Techniques
Also at 3rd level, you learn techniques for weaponless fighting that will give you the upper hand against your opponents. You gain a collection of Brawler Dice, which are d6s. You have a number of Brawler Dice equal to your proficiency bonus plus half your Rogue level, rounded up. These dice fuel your Brawler techniques as listed below. You can only expend Brawler Dice while you have nothing in your hands (with the exception of a grappled creature). Only one Brawler Technique can be expended per turn unless the technique states otherwise. You regain expended Brawler Dice when you finish a long rest.
- Choke Hold: If you are grappling an opponent, you can use your action to expend a Brawler Die and put them in a choke hold. If you do, roll the die and deal damage equal to the roll. The choked target must also make a Constitution save against a DC of 8 + the die's roll or suffer a level of exhaustion. At the 5th level of exhaustion, the subject blacks out and becomes unconscious for a number of rounds equal to twice your proficiency bonus. If the subject breaks the grapple or is released before blacking out, it loses one level of exhaustion at the start of each of its turns. This action is not an attack.
- Float Like a Butterfly: If you don't make any attacks this round and you aren't grappling anyone, you can use your bonus action to expend a Brawler Die and add its roll to your AC for each attack until the start of your next turn. (Reroll for each attack.)
- Human Shield: If you are grappling an opponent, you can attempt to use their body as cover from other attackers. Use your bonus action to expend your Brawler Die. Until the start of your next turn, each time a creature attacks you, roll the Brawler Die. If you roll 4 or 5, you gain half cover for that attack. On a 6, you get three-quarters cover. This technique gives the grappled creature +1 to its next escape attempt for each time you attempted to use them for cover that round. If you lose your grapple for any reason, this technique ends.
- Pulled Punch: When you deliver sneak attack damage and you have fewer than half your hit points remaining, you can expend a Brawler Die and subtract the roll from the damage delivered. You then heal yourself twice that number of hit points.
- Sting Like a Bee: When you deal damage with an unarmed attack on your turn, you can expend up to your proficiency bonus number of Brawler dice and add their roll to the damage.
- Sucker Punch: When you deal damage with an unarmed opportunity attack, you can expend one Brawler die to add that amount of damage to the attack. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC of 10 + the Brawler Die roll or reduce its movement by 15 feet.
- Wrestler's Hands: When you use your action to attempt to grapple an opponent and fail, you can immediately use your reaction to expend a Brawler Die and add its roll to your Athletics (Strength) check. If the grapple still fails, you retain the Brawler Die.
- Extra Unarmed Attack
Beginning at 9th level, if you have no weapon or shield in hand, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
- At Your Mercy
Also at 9th level, if you attack a creature while you are grappling it but the attack doesn't qualify for sneak attack, you can add half of your sneak attack dice (rounded down) to the damage.
- Iron Knuckles
At 13th level, your Wooden Knuckles feature hardens even more to become Iron Knuckles. Your unarmed strikes now deal damage of 1d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier. Also, you add +2 to your AC whenever your hands are empty and you aren't wearing medium or heavy armor. You can also use 2 Brawler Techniques on your turn instead of 1.
- Bell Ringer
At 17th level, you can channel energy that would have gone into a sneak attack and instead use it to disable an opponent, or "ring his bell". When you deal sneak attack damage, you can sacrifice half of your Sneak Attack dice (rounded up) to instead expend two of your Brawler Dice. The target then makes a Constitution save against a DC of 8 + the Brawler Dice roll. If the save fails, the target is stunned for a number of rounds equal to the dice roll or until taking damage again. The subject can retry the save at the end of each turn they are stunned (reroll the Brawler Dice each time to reset the DC).
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