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Credits Contents
Product Lead: Benjamin Huffman
Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co.
Pugilist 3
Class Features......................................................................... 5
Join us on: Fight Clubs.............................................................................. 7
Patreon Discord Arena Royale........................................................................ 7
DM’s Guild Facebook Bloodhound Bruisers........................................................... 8
Twitter Reddit
Dog & Hound....................................................................... 9
Hand of Dread.................................................................... 10
Writing & Game Design: Benjamin Huffman Piss & Vinegar.................................................................... 11
Editing: Alan Tucker The Squared Circle............................................................ 11
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The Sweet Science............................................................. 12
Layout & Graphic Design: Nathanaël Roux Equipment............................................................................... 13
Cover Illustrator: Fil Cieplak Weapons............................................................................. 13
Interior Illustrators: Samantha Darcy, Nathanaël Roux, Fil Magic Items........................................................................ 13
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Cieplak, Jonathan Reincke, Jonathan Simard, Enmanuel Nonplayer Characters......................................................... 17
Lema Martinez, Prinsky, Vagelio Kaliva, Rick Hershey, and
spelljamer.
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ON THE COVER
Here the good detective Hearth
Stoneturner, illustrated by Fil Cieplak,
prowls the back alleys of Styrnia tracking
a killer on the loose, ready for a brawl
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when he catches up to his quarry.
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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other
Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the
Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2016-2022 by Benjamin Huffman and published under the Community Content
Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
CLASSES | PUGILIST
2
Pugilist
Arrows rain down around her as she runs towards the
hobgoblins. Desperate to close the distance, the half-orc
fights through the sting of a dozen cuts to reach her foes.
The pain only makes her stronger. As she descends on the
snarling pack she swings wildly, knocking several hobgoblins
off their feet and sending the rest scattering before her.
The human braces himself for the impact as the orc rushes
him. Then the monster makes a mistake, telegraphing its
next move, and that’s all the opening the human needs. He
ducks beneath the orc’s wide swing then raises both hands
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high above his head and brings them down on the orc’s back,
forcing the brute to the ground.
The dwarf smiles broadly and chuckles as the petty noble
raises his hand to strike him for the impudent remark. Quick
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as a flash, the dwarf shatters the bottle in his hand against
the bar and brandishes it before the noble. The young dandy
flinches, stumbles backward, and runs away as the dwarf
turns back to the bar to order another round.
Wherever they come from, pugilists live a rough and
tumble life that leaves them full of determination and
recklessness, either from overconfidence or desperation. In a
fight, they can channel this strength of character to dig deep
and fight off foes with greater strength of numbers, arms, or
armor than anyone else would think possible.
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Swagger for Days
Pugilists unconsciously tap into their own inner strength
in the form of moxie. This is not an esoteric or mystical
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energy that flows through the multiverse, but the result
of determination forged over a lifetime of hardship with a
never-say-die attitude. You can teach someone how to fight
but you could never teach someone how to be a pugilist. The
secret of mastering moxie doesn’t come from disciplined
study or rigorous training, it comes from years of wanting
and needing.
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Life on the Street
Every city in the worlds of D&D has its back alleys, its
underground fighting rackets, its ghettos. The pugilists who
live in these places don’t have time to consider the lofty ideals
of philosophy or ponder the mysteries of the universe. The
pugilists, growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, spend
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all their time chasing down their next meal or, if they’re
fortunate enough to have that, their next drink, bedfellow,
or flophouse.
For pugilists, becoming an adventurer might be the only
way out of whatever miserable situation they’ve been stuck
in since infancy. For others, getting lost out in the world is
an escape from the tangled web of debt or enemies they’ve
piled up. Other pugilists fight because it’s the only thing they
SAMANTHA DARCY
know how to do. Whatever the reason for their adventuring,
pugilists are as excited by the prospect of throwing punches
as they are spending every last gold coin they earn.
CLASSES | PUGILIST
3
Hardship Rumor
No one becomes as tough as a pugilist without enduring Pugilists are frequent subjects of rumors and speculation.
hardship and persevering. For a pugilist, suffering is a The combination of their resilience, might, and panache
catalyst that reveals their unbreakable spirit and strength. make them popular topics over a pint at the local tavern.
These hardships also influence a pugilist in other ways. Add to this most pugilists come from humble beginnings and
If you were raised on the street, you might have a special it’s easy to see why the public comes up with such colorful
interest in looking after the poor and destitute. If you were stories about them.
jailed for a crime you didn’t commit, your relationship Whether or not it’s true, you have a particular rumor that
with the town guard might be more antagonistic than the follows you wherever you go. How do you feel about your
average adventurer. reputation? Do you indulge rumormongers, or does the
Like so many other pugilists, your will was forged in the speculation about your background annoy you?
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fires of adversity. What did you learn about yourself when
you came out the other side? How does that experience Rumors
continue to influence you today? d6 Rumor
You got your prodigious strength from suckling milk at the
Hardships 1
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teet of a giantess.
d6 Hardship You won a drinking competition against a dwarf...and then
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A plague took your family when you were a child, leaving you three more before the night was through.
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to spend the rest of your youth in an orphanage. 3 The town guards hate you as much as their spouses love you.
You were harassed by the town guard then framed for a You are an enforcer for one of the most powerful figures in
2 4
crime you did not commit. the criminal underworld.
3 You lost everything when a trusted friend betrayed you. You wrestled an owlbear to the ground with such ease you
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Your parents sold you to the thieves guild for less than a fell asleep during the tussle.
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gold piece. Your daddy was an earth elemental, which is why your bones
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You drank your life away until you hit rock bottom and
sobered up.
You refused to throw a match at a gang boss’s insistence and
your family ended up paying the price.
are made of iron.
Creating a Pugilist
As you build your pugilist, consider how you came to be
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a bare knuckle brawler. Did you learn to fight to defend
Favorite Dive yourself? Was scraping the natural result of your nose for
Every hard-fighting hero needs a refuge where they can relax trouble? Or did you learn to fight as a way of intimidating
and rejuvenate. For pugilists, these sanctuaries tend to be and controlling others? Were you fighting for the
disreputable. You might head to your favorite dive to indulge entertainment, or did you fight because you had to? Did
in your vice of choice or fraternize with the common folk. you try to become a more traditional martial artist but just
Some pugilists find the only way they can truly unwind is by couldn’t hack it? Pugilists are a rowdy bunch that like to brag
getting bloodied in a fight. Others have a quiet side that few about how they learned to fight, so you better have a good
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outside their closest companions ever see. story to tell.
How long has your favorite dive been your go-to spot? Do What events in your life gave you the sheer determination
you have any friends or rivals that frequent the same place? and will that pugilists call on? Did you spend every day
hustling on the street to make ends meet? Were you
Dives forgotten and ignored by your family? Were you an outsider
d6 Favorite Dive in your community who had to constantly struggle against
1 A seedy tavern where brawls break out on a nightly basis. the ignorant stereotypes the people there had of you? The
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An underground fight venue where people come to bet coin most important element of the pugilist is that they are
2 driven. Once you have decided what events made you into
on the outcome.
A barbershop where they’re always eager to hear tales of the pugilist you are today, decide how that may shape the
3 actions you take in the future.
your latest exploits.
4 A high stakes gambling den with games of skill and chance.
Quick Build
The orphanage you grew up in that was closed and You can make a pugilist quickly by following these
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abandoned some years ago.
suggestions. First, make Strength your highest ability score,
6 A quiet library. followed by Constitution. Second, choose the criminal or
urchin background.
CLASSES | PUGILIST
4
Class Features
As a pugilist, you gain the following class features. The Pugilist
Proficiency Moxie
Hit Points Level Bonus Fisticuffs Points Features
Hit Dice: 1d8 per pugilist level 1st +2 1d6 — Fisticuffs, Iron Chin
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier 2nd +2 1d6 2 Moxie, Street Smart
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution 3rd +2 1d6 2 Bloodied but
modifier per pugilist level after 1st Unbowed, Fight Club
4th +2 1d6 3 Ability Score
Proficiencies Improvement,
Armor: Light armor Dig Deep
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Weapons: Simple weapons, improvised weapons, whip, 5th +3 1d8 3 Extra Attack,
hand crossbow Haymaker
Tools: Your choice of one artisan’s tools, gaming set, or 6th +3 1d8 4 Fight Club feature,
Moxie-Fueled Fists
thieves’ tools
7th +3 1d8 4 Fancy Footwork,
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Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution Shake It Off
Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, 8th +3 1d8 5 Ability Score
Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Improvement
and Stealth 9th +4 1d8 5 Down but Not Out
10th +4 1d8 6 School of Hard Knocks
Starting Equipment 11th +4 1d10 6 Fight Club feature
You start with the following equipment in addition to the 12th +4 1d10 7 Ability Score
equipment gained by your background: Improvement
13th +5 1d10 7 Rabble Rouser
• (a) leather armor or (b) any simple weapon 14th +5 1d10 8 Unbreakable
(c) thieves’ tools
Fisticuffs
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• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• (a) a set of artisan’s tools (b) a gaming set or
15th
16th
17th
18th
+5
+5
+6
+6
1d10
1d10
1d12
1d12
8
9
9
10
Herculean
Ability Score
Improvement
Fight Club feature
Fighting Spirit
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19th +6 1d12 10 Ability Score
At 1st level, your years of fighting in back alleys and taverns Improvement
have given you mastery over combat styles that use unarmed 20th +6 1d12 12 Peak Physical
strikes and pugilist weapons, which are simple melee Condition
weapons without the two-handed property, whips, and
improvised weapons. You can’t use the finesse property of a
weapon while using it as a pugilist weapon.
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You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or
using only pugilist weapons and you are wearing light or no Multiclassing and the Pugilist
armor and not using a shield: If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the
Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose
• You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your pugilist as one of your classes.
unarmed strike or pugilist weapon. This die changes as you Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must
gain pugilist levels, as shown in the Fisticuffs column on have Strength and Constitution scores of at least 13 to take a
level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are
the Pugilist table. already a pugilist.
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• When you use the Attack action on your turn and make Proficiencies Granted. If pugilist isn’t your initial class, here
only unarmed strikes, attacks with pugilist weapons, are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a
shoves, or grapples, you can use a bonus action to make pugilist: light armor, improvised weapons.
one grapple or unarmed strike.
Iron Chin
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing light or no
armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 12 + your
NATHANAËL ROUX
Constitution modifier.
CLASSES | PUGILIST
5
