Talk:Way of the Elemental Pugilist (5e Subclass)

One of my players wants to use this class template. To address the balance issue, I would suggest: Improving Unarmed Strike should mirror monk progression - 1d6 at level 5, 1d8 at level 11, and 1d10 at level 17. Enchanted Strike damage should increase by the same increment as the Elemental Pugilist's current Unarmed Strike damage, consistent with spell scaling. It doesn't make sense that expending a first level spell slot should add more damage than any first level spell is capable of. Enchanted Strike should be gained at 11 and Planar Fists at 18 to smooth progression. Elemental Fighter is currently undefined in the template. I would propose that this increases the multiplier on Elemental Strikes to 3x, building thematically on the Enchanted Strike concept of elemental burst damage.

Elemental Pugilist's Elemental Strike/Unarmed Strike damage should track pretty closely with a sneak attacking Rogue, since both require a character with access only to Light Armor (or Mage Armor) to move into close range. The Rogue has to get advantage or flanking to do his damage, but the Elemental Pugilist cannot max a single stat both for offense and defense the way a finesse-based Rogue would and lacks other damage mitigation like the Rogue's Uncanny Dodge and Evasion.

Current Edits on the Elemental Pugilist

So, i started to edit this abandoned class, trying to balance some abilities and creating some new ones. Some notes about this:

• What is this class, after all? I assume that this class was originally intended as an avatar-eske themed class. But i think this is too specific, and would basically made this a subclass, instead of a class. So, my idea is: make the class a element controller, but the player must choose in what element to focus, or if he wants to focus at all. The vanilla subclass, not created yet, will be the "Primordial Fist", and this is what i think the creator had in mind for the class. And the other subclasses will be focused on specific elements. That's the "Stormlord Rage", Elemental Pugilist focused and lighting and thunder.
• What is this class after all - part 2? I am trying to figure out. It is not a skirmisher, due to the lack of mobility; nor a tank, because it only has access to light armor and no type of damage reduction. Although at first glance this seems close to a monk, this class has more in common with the paladin. So, probably i will have to boost the defensive capability of this class by: A) giving it medium or even heavy armor; B) giving some kind of natural armor; C) making this class reliant on dexterity; D) assuming that most players will start they campaign at level 3 and letting the subclass solve this problem.
• Elemental Stream I want the elemental pugilist to be able to shape the elements with his movements. The "elemental stream" feature is my way of represent this. Being "kinda" like a creature, the pugilist can move and attack with it as if were bending elements. Anastacio (talk) 01:39, 12 May 2020 (MDT)