Pugilist

The archetypical Pugilist is a fighter that uses very little to defeat their opponents. Known for using nothing but their fists or a shield, pugilists train to hone their martial capability to a deadly edge- striking with fast, deadly strikes. Masters of getting up-close and personal with their opponents, the fighting style of pugilists are unique, potent, and hard to predict.

Brawler

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn Brawler Skills, which are special effects that are often applied to your Unarmed Strikes.

You learn four Brawler Skills of your choice. You can use a Brawler Skill a number of times equal to your Strength modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus, with uses resetting after a short rest. You can use up to two Brawler Skills per attack. You can change one of the Brawler Skill options you can use at the end of a long rest.

Beatdown

If you use all of your attacks per action to make Unarmed Strikes against one creature, you can make an additional Unarmed Strike against that creature as part of that same action. 

Block Break

You can make a special unarmed strike against a creature with a shield while you are wielding a shield. On a successful hit, the creature takes your Unarmed Strike damage and loses any AC bonus granted to them by their shield until the start of their next turn.

Check Hook

As a reaction to a creature moving into the reach of your Unarmed Strikes, you can make Unarmed Strike against that creature. On hit, the creature has disadvantage on the next melee attack it makes against you that turn.

Clinch

When you successfully grapple a creature, you can cause all of that creature's melee attack rolls to have disadvantage while in the grapple.

Concussive Strike

When you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, the creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the start of their next turn.

Cross-Counter

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to move up to half your movement speed and make an Unarmed Strike against that creature. 

Drop-Kick

When you move at least 10 feet in a straight line towards a creature no more than one size larger than you and hit them with an Unarmed Strike, you are knocked prone and the target is launched up to 20 feet in a straight line and also knocked prone. If a launched target strikes a solid surface, they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet they are thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone.

Duck and Out

After you take the Attack action on your turn, you can gain the benefits of half-cover by crouching, which also halves your movement speed, until the start of your next turn.

Guard

As an action, you can enter a defensive stance. You cannot make any unarmed or weapon attacks while in this stance and you can exit the stance as a free action. While in this stance, your AC increases by 2 if you're not wearing a shield. If you are wearing a shield, your AC increases by 3 but you are blinded during the guard.

Haymaker

You can use 1 action to make an Unarmed Strike. The strike does an amount of additional damage equal to your fighter level on a successful hit, and you can make a free shove action on the targeted creature as part of the attack. If you moved at least 10 feet before making the attack, the target is pushed an additional 5 feet by the shove.

Knockdown

When you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, you can attempt to knock the target down. If the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.

Perfect Counter

When a creature hits you with a ranged weapon or spell attack while you are wielding a shield, you can use your reaction to increase your armor class against that attack by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus. If that armor class increase then causes the attack to miss, the attack is reflected back at the attacker as though it originated from you, using the same roll to hit number, turning the attacker into the target.

Set-Up Jab

When you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your attacks to make a set-up jab. Make an Unarmed Strike, and on a hit, you deal 1d4 - 1 bludgeoning damage. The next Unarmed Strike you make on that turn is made at advantage and does an additional 1d4 bludgeoning damage.

Shuffle n' Slide

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to move up to your movement speed, and opportunity attacks made against you during this have disadvantage.

Suplex

While you are grappling a creature, you can use one of your attacks to end the grapple to knock both yourself and the creature prone and the creature takes your Unarmed Strike damage. The creature is left on the opposite side of you.

Speed Boxer

At 3rd level, your Unarmed Strikes deal 1d8 + your Strength modifier of bludgeoning damage. At 10th level, the d8 becomes a d10. At 17th level, the d10 becomes a d12. While you are wearing no armor, your AC equals 10 + twice your Dexterity modifier. A shield's benefits apply as normal.

Extra Oomph

Starting at 7th level, when you take the Attack action and attack with an Unarmed Strike, you can use a bonus action to make an additional unarmed strike. Your unarmed strikes are now considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances to nonmagical damage. Additionally, your walking speed increases by 10 feet and standing up from being prone only takes 5 feet of movement.

Float Like a Butterfly

At 10th level, you can roll with punches and are hard to knock out. Having 0 hit points no longer knocks you prone or unconscious. You still must make death saving throws, and you suffer the normal effects of taking damage while at 0 hit points.

Bludgeoning damage can no longer reduce you to any fewer than 1 hit point and taking bludgeoning damage while at 0 hit points doesn't grant you death saving throw failures. You gain advantage on saving throws against being knocked unconscious. 

Combat Trance

At 15th level, you are able to hone your focus during extended periods of battle. When you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points during combat, your unarmed strikes score a critical hit of a d20 roll of a 19-20 for the rest of that combat. If you reduce a second creature to 0 hit points, your unarmed strikes score a critical hit on an 18-20. This effect continues on until combat ends.

Knock 'Em Out

At 18th level, you can seize the perfect opportunity to deliver a devastating blow. Once per short rest, when you score a critical hit with an Unarmed Strike, you can add an amount of damage equal to your fighter level to the attack. Additionally, you gain the following benefits:

Bob n' Weave. Whenever you take the Dodge Action, your Armor class increases by 5.

Thunderous Blows. You can make your Unarmed Strikes do thunder damage instead of bludgeoning damage and their reach increases by 5 feet, but you cannot apply your Brawler skills to them if you do so.