## What Is a Pugilist? The Pugilist is a tough, hard-hitting brawler who relies on grit, determination, and experience rather than formal martial training or magical power. While Monks perfect their bodies through discipline and spiritual focus, Pugilists develop their abilities through hardship, persistence, and the experience of surviving dangerous fights. At first glance, a Pugilist might appear to be little more than a street fighter who has learned to throw a powerful punch. In reality, their fighting style requires a combination of physical strength, endurance, instinct, and an understanding of how to exploit an opponent's weaknesses. Pugilists come from many different backgrounds. Some are professional boxers, pit fighters, and prizefighters who earn their living through organised combat. Others are dockworkers, tavern brawlers, street enforcers, soldiers, or ordinary people who have learned to defend themselves when no one else would. Unlike warriors who rely upon expensive equipment or extensive weapons training, Pugilists are most comfortable fighting with whatever they have available. Their fists, elbows, knees, and improvised weapons are often more than enough to deal with an enemy. What unites them is their refusal to surrender when the odds turn against them. A Pugilist may be outnumbered, outmatched, or badly injured, but their determination allows them to continue fighting when others would have already fallen. Few classes embody resilience and the spirit of the underdog quite like the Pugilist. --- ## Fighters From Hard Lives Pugilists are often shaped by difficult circumstances. Many come from crowded cities, dangerous streets, or communities where survival depends upon strength, resourcefulness, and the willingness to defend oneself. Others learn to fight through demanding physical labour, military service, or years spent confronting dangers without the protection of armour and weapons. Some grow up in poverty, where violence is an unfortunate part of everyday life. Others discover their abilities in fighting pits, boxing rings, or taverns where disputes are settled through physical confrontation. Not every Pugilist comes from a violent or impoverished background, however. A travelling prizefighter, a former soldier, a bodyguard, or a determined individual who refuses to be intimidated might develop the same skills through experience and persistence. Their fighting techniques are usually practical rather than elegant. They learn which blows are effective, how to withstand punishment, and how to take advantage of an opponent's mistakes. For many Pugilists, combat is not about honour, tradition, or the pursuit of perfection. It is about survival, protecting what matters, and proving that they cannot be easily defeated. The path of the Pugilist is defined less by where someone comes from and more by how they respond when life pushes them beyond their limits. --- ## Grit and Determination The defining resource of the Pugilist is **Moxie**. Moxie represents confidence, resilience, fighting spirit, and the determination to overcome seemingly impossible odds. Unlike the mystical abilities of a Monk or the magical power of a spellcaster, Moxie reflects the Pugilist's physical and mental toughness. Beginning at second level, Pugilists gain a reserve of Moxie Points that they can spend to perform specialised fighting techniques. These points are recovered through Short or Long Rests, although certain class abilities allow them to regain Moxie during combat. Three techniques form the foundation of this ability. **Brace Up** allows a Pugilist to prepare for incoming punishment, gaining Temporary Hit Points that help them withstand attacks. Rather than avoiding danger, they strengthen their ability to endure it. **One-Two Punch** allows a Pugilist to unleash two additional Unarmed Strikes using a Bonus Action, creating opportunities to overwhelm opponents through rapid combinations of attacks. **Stick and Move** combines an Unarmed Strike with additional movement, allowing a Pugilist to Dash or Disengage as part of the same Bonus Action. This enables them to pursue enemies, escape dangerous positions, or move around the battlefield without abandoning their offensive pressure. These techniques give the Pugilist considerable flexibility. They can attack aggressively when an enemy is vulnerable, strengthen their defences when facing powerful opponents, or use their mobility to reposition themselves during combat. As they become more experienced, Pugilists develop additional abilities that use Moxie, allowing them to perform increasingly effective combat techniques. The defining characteristic of Moxie is that it does not represent supernatural power. It is the determination of someone who refuses to accept defeat. --- ## Masters of Unarmed Combat Pugilists specialise in fighting without conventional weapons. Their defining combat ability is **Fisticuffs**, which allows them to inflict increasing damage through Unarmed Strikes and weapons associated with their fighting style. Unlike ordinary combatants, whose punches are considerably less effective than attacks made with weapons, Pugilists can deliver devastating blows through their fists alone. Their unarmed damage increases as they gain experience, eventually allowing their attacks to compete with those of heavily armed warriors. Fisticuffs also allows a Pugilist to make an additional Unarmed Strike using a Bonus Action, giving them more opportunities to pressure opponents during combat. Their fighting style is not limited to punching. A Pugilist might use elbows, knees, headbutts, or other close-quarters techniques, while also incorporating grapples and shoves to control their enemies. They are equally comfortable using improvised weapons. A broken bottle, chair leg, or heavy object can become an effective weapon in the hands of an experienced Pugilist. Through Fisticuffs, these improvised weapons benefit from the Sap mastery property, allowing the Pugilist to interfere with an opponent's ability to attack effectively. At third level, Pugilists gain **Heavy Hitter**, an ability that makes their unarmed combat even more dangerous. When they successfully strike an enemy, they can combine the damage of their attack with an attempt to grapple or shove their opponent. This allows a Pugilist to deal damage while simultaneously restricting an enemy's movement, knocking them away, or forcing them to the ground. At sixth level, **Moxie-Fueled Fists** allows their Unarmed Strikes and improvised weapon attacks to inflict Force damage, helping them overcome enemies that resist ordinary physical attacks. Unlike Monks, who often emphasise refined martial techniques and supernatural discipline, Pugilists rely upon strength, pressure, and practical fighting experience. Their goal is not necessarily to fight beautifully. It is to win. --- ## Taking Hits and Giving Them Back One of the Pugilist's greatest strengths is their ability to endure punishment. Their physical resilience is represented through several class features that allow them to remain dangerous even after suffering considerable injuries. From first level, **Iron Chin** allows a Pugilist to rely upon Constitution when determining their Armour Class while wearing light armour or no armour and not using a shield. This reflects their ability to absorb and withstand blows rather than depending entirely upon agility or protective equipment. At second level, they gain **Bloodied but Unbowed**, one of the class's most important abilities. When a Pugilist takes damage, they can use their Reaction to recover expended Moxie Points. If they are Bloodied, meaning their remaining Hit Points are half their maximum or lower, they also gain Temporary Hit Points that help them remain standing. This creates an unusual relationship between danger and effectiveness. While many adventurers become increasingly vulnerable as their health diminishes, a Pugilist can recover valuable combat resources and regain momentum after suffering injuries. At fourth level, **Dig Deep** allows them to push their bodies beyond ordinary limits, temporarily gaining resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage. Although this ability is powerful, repeatedly using it comes at a cost. A Pugilist can restore its use by accepting a level of Exhaustion, representing the physical toll of forcing their body to continue beyond its normal limits. Their offensive capabilities also reflect this willingness to take risks. At fifth level, **Haymaker** allows a Pugilist to gamble a Moxie Point on a powerful attack. If the attack succeeds, it inflicts maximum damage and the expended Moxie Point is recovered. If the attack misses, the Moxie Point is lost. This encourages bold decisions and rewards players willing to commit their resources when an opportunity presents itself. At seventh level, **Down but Not Out** strengthens the Pugilist's offensive abilities after using Bloodied but Unbowed while Bloodied, allowing them to inflict additional damage for a limited period. As Pugilists reach higher levels, their resilience becomes even more extraordinary. They develop abilities to overcome debilitating conditions, resist dangerous effects, and continue fighting when defeat appears inevitable. At eighteenth level, **Fighting Spirit** allows a Pugilist who would otherwise fall unconscious to remain standing with 1 Hit Point, gain substantial Temporary Hit Points, recover Moxie, and temporarily resist most forms of damage. These abilities define the Pugilist's approach to survival. They do not need to emerge from every battle without injury. They simply need to remain standing longer than their enemies. --- ## The Pugilist's Role in an Adventuring Party In an adventuring party, the Pugilist is primarily a frontline combatant who excels at close-range fighting, controlling enemies, and surviving dangerous encounters. Their ability to combine damaging attacks with grapples and shoves makes them particularly effective at disrupting opponents. A Pugilist can knock an enemy to the ground, prevent them from escaping, or interfere with their ability to threaten other members of the party. Their durability also allows them to remain engaged with dangerous creatures for extended periods. Although they may lack the heavy armour of a Fighter or Paladin, their combination of Temporary Hit Points, damage resistance, and recovery abilities makes them difficult to defeat. Some Pugilists specialise in dealing consistent damage through rapid combinations of attacks. Others focus on wrestling and controlling enemies, using their physical strength to create advantages for their companions. Their mobility allows them to chase fleeing opponents, move between enemies, or withdraw from dangerous positions when necessary. Certain Fight Clubs also provide specialised roles. A Dog and Hound Pugilist fights alongside an animal companion, while a Street Saint can provide healing and supernatural protection to allies. Outside combat, Pugilists may possess valuable practical skills developed through their backgrounds and experiences. Their physical abilities can prove useful when climbing, lifting, breaking obstacles, or overcoming challenges that require strength and determination. Many are also accustomed to dealing with difficult people and dangerous situations, making intimidation, negotiation, and streetwise instincts valuable parts of their character. The Pugilist is particularly effective in an adventuring group that benefits from a physically resilient character capable of controlling enemies while remaining a dangerous combatant. --- ## Fight Clubs As a Pugilist develops their abilities, they adopt a specialised fighting tradition represented by a **Fight Club**. A Fight Club reflects the particular techniques, experiences, and philosophy that shape a Pugilist's approach to combat. At third level, a Pugilist chooses one of six Fight Clubs, each offering distinctive abilities that develop as they become more experienced. ### Dog and Hound The Dog and Hound Fight Club represents the extraordinary bond between a Pugilist and a loyal canine companion. These fighters understand that strength does not always come from standing alone. For some, the most dependable ally is a faithful hound that will remain beside them regardless of the danger. Members of this Fight Club gain a canine companion that fights alongside them, following their commands and developing greater capabilities as the Pugilist becomes more powerful. Their abilities allow them to share the benefits of Moxie with their companion, strengthening the hound and creating opportunities for coordinated attacks. As their partnership develops, the Pugilist and hound become increasingly effective at supporting one another. The hound can help create openings during combat, while its master can respond when the animal is threatened. At higher levels, the hound becomes more formidable, gaining improved combat abilities and the capacity to continue fighting aggressively even after suffering substantial injuries. For members of Dog and Hound, the partnership between fighter and companion is the foundation of their strength. ### Hand of Dread The Hand of Dread follows a darker path than most Pugilists. These fighters have received supernatural power through an agreement with a mysterious and potentially malevolent entity. Such bargains are often made during moments of desperation, when an individual seeks the strength to overcome circumstances that ordinary determination cannot defeat. The source of this power might be a fiend, a powerful Fey creature, an ancient undead being, or another supernatural intelligence capable of granting eldritch abilities. In exchange, the Pugilist gains access to limited spellcasting and disturbing physical transformations. Their defining ability, **Dread Hand**, allows them to channel supernatural power into their attacks, making their blows more dangerous and their fighting techniques more effective. As they grow stronger, these Pugilists gain additional magical abilities, including spells that aid deception, concealment, and movement. Eventually, their supernatural power can cause grotesque transformations that increase their physical size and reach, making them even more dangerous in close combat. At the height of their abilities, members of the Hand of Dread can unleash devastating supernatural attacks capable of inflicting extraordinary damage. Unlike most Pugilists, whose abilities are grounded entirely in physical determination, these fighters supplement their natural toughness with powers granted by an otherworldly force. ### Piss and Vinegar The Piss and Vinegar Fight Club is built around provocation, intimidation, and fighting without regard for conventional rules of conduct. These Pugilists are deliberately confrontational, using insults, threats, and humiliating behaviour to anger their enemies and disrupt their concentration. They understand that an opponent who loses control of their emotions is more likely to make mistakes. Their abilities allow them to provoke enemies into focusing their attacks upon the Pugilist rather than other targets. This makes them particularly effective at drawing attention away from vulnerable companions. They also specialise in **Dirty Tricks**, employing underhanded techniques that can interfere with an opponent's movement, vision, or ability to defend themselves. As they become more experienced, their ability to intimidate and frustrate enemies grows increasingly powerful. Their provocations can affect multiple opponents, creating opportunities for allies while forcing enemies to deal with the Pugilist directly. These fighters rarely concern themselves with whether an opponent considers their methods fair. For members of Piss and Vinegar, a fight is not a contest of honour. It is a confrontation to be won through whatever practical methods are available. ### Squared Circle The Squared Circle is dedicated to wrestling, grappling, and the mastery of close-quarters physical control. Its members understand that defeating an opponent does not always require knocking them unconscious. Sometimes the most effective approach is to take away their ability to move or fight effectively. These Pugilists specialise in using strength, leverage, and carefully applied holds to control opponents. Their abilities allow them to grapple enemies more effectively, inflict damage while maintaining a hold, and make it increasingly difficult for opponents to escape. Through **Groundwork**, members of the Squared Circle become particularly dangerous once they have secured a grapple. As they develop their abilities, they learn to use grappled enemies as protection against incoming attacks. Their **Meat Shield** technique allows them to benefit from cover and potentially redirect attacks toward a creature they are holding. More experienced members can grapple increasingly large opponents, demonstrating extraordinary strength and control even against creatures that would ordinarily be difficult to restrain. At the height of their abilities, these Pugilists can perform devastating finishing holds capable of incapacitating or defeating enemies they have successfully grappled. For players who enjoy wrestling, controlling enemy movement, and dominating opponents through physical technique, the Squared Circle offers a distinctive approach to combat. ### Street Saint The Street Saint represents a Pugilist whose determination is strengthened by divine faith. These fighters have found purpose through devotion to the gods, using their abilities to protect others and confront those who threaten their communities. Unlike Clerics or Paladins, Street Saints retain the practical fighting style of a Pugilist, relying primarily upon their fists and physical endurance. However, their faith grants them divine abilities that distinguish them from ordinary brawlers. Through **Channel Divinity**, they can empower their attacks with radiant energy or strengthen their supernatural defences. They also gain **Lay on Hands**, allowing them to heal injuries and support companions who have suffered damage. As they become more experienced, Street Saints develop stronger connections between their physical resilience and divine power. Their abilities allow them to restore healing resources when using Bloodied but Unbowed and provide additional protection to allies. At higher levels, they can create an **Aura of Resilience** that helps nearby companions withstand physical damage. Their divine abilities eventually allow them to channel greater radiant power through their unarmed attacks, making them formidable opponents against dangerous enemies. A Street Saint combines the stubborn determination of a street fighter with the conviction of someone who believes their strength should serve a greater purpose. ### Sweet Science The Sweet Science represents the art of technical boxing and precise unarmed combat. Unlike Pugilists who rely primarily upon brute strength or reckless aggression, members of this Fight Club emphasise timing, accuracy, defensive technique, and carefully executed combinations. Their fighting style is built around understanding an opponent's movements and recognising the perfect moment to strike. These Pugilists develop the ability to deliver critical hits more frequently through **Bare Knuckle Boxer**, rewarding their precision and technical skill. They also learn **Cross Counter**, a defensive technique that allows them to reduce the damage of an incoming melee attack and potentially respond with an immediate strike. As their abilities develop, they become increasingly skilled at creating openings through combinations of attacks. Their **Combo Maker** technique allows them to improve their chances of landing further blows against an opponent, while **Combo Breaker** rewards successful defensive counters. At higher levels, these Pugilists master powerful finishing techniques capable of delivering devastating critical hits and potentially knocking enemies unconscious. For players who want to portray a professional boxer, disciplined prizefighter, or experienced street fighter who relies upon technique rather than supernatural abilities, the Sweet Science is an excellent choice. --- ## What It Feels Like to Play a Pugilist Playing a Pugilist is about determination, aggression, and refusing to surrender when the odds are against you. You are often among the first members of your party to engage an enemy, using your fists and physical abilities to dominate close-range combat. Unlike heavily armoured warriors, you do not rely upon steel plates or large shields for protection. Your survival comes from resilience, well-timed defensive abilities, and knowing when to commit your limited resources. Moxie creates an important balance between offence, defence, and mobility. You must decide whether to spend points on additional attacks, strengthen yourself against incoming damage, or move around the battlefield to gain a better position. The class also rewards taking calculated risks. Features such as Haymaker and Dig Deep provide powerful advantages, but their use requires decisions about resource expenditure and the consequences of pushing yourself too far. A Pugilist can support many different character concepts. You might play a former prizefighter seeking one final championship, a street tough trying to escape a violent past, a loyal protector who fights alongside a beloved hound, or a battered adventurer determined to prove that ordinary people can stand against extraordinary dangers. The Fight Clubs expand these possibilities, allowing you to specialise in wrestling, boxing, dirty fighting, divine protection, supernatural abilities, or coordinated combat with an animal companion. Although the class is focused heavily upon physical combat, there are considerable opportunities for character development. A Pugilist does not need to be unintelligent, reckless, or unnecessarily violent. They might be thoughtful, compassionate, disciplined, or deeply protective of others. What matters is their determination to keep fighting when they have something worth defending. --- ## Should You Play a Pugilist? The Pugilist is an excellent choice for players who enjoy close-range combat, physical toughness, and characters who overcome challenges through persistence rather than magical power. You may enjoy the class if you like: - Powerful unarmed attacks and improvised weapons - Boxing, wrestling, and street-fighting themes - Grappling, shoving, and controlling enemy movement - Durable characters who can survive considerable punishment - Resource-based martial combat through Moxie - Tactical decisions involving offence, defence, and mobility - Underdog heroes who become more dangerous when threatened - Characters who rely upon grit, strength, and determination You may prefer another class if you are looking for extensive spellcasting, heavy armour, specialised ranged combat, or a fighting style built primarily around weapons. The Pugilist also requires careful management of Moxie Points and an understanding of how its defensive abilities interact with damage and the Bloodied condition. For players who want to stand face-to-face with dangerous enemies, survive attacks that would defeat ordinary warriors, and win through determination, toughness, and a powerful right hook, the Pugilist offers a distinctive approach to martial combat.