Way of the Pugilist

In the Western Martial Arts tradition, the Pugilist is a master of unarmed combat using devastating punches and fearsome grapples to control and vanquish opponents.  A Pugilist may use their skills to earn money in the ring, as a bodyguard, or simply to protect themselves in a dangerous world. What the East calls ki, the Wester Martial Artist calls guts or moxie. It is the inner strength to dig deep when they need to get off the mat when you are knocked down or to deliver a critical blow that defeats an enemy and protect their allies.

Boxer's Endurance

3rd-level Way of the Pugilist Feature

Your strength and toughness make you resilient. When you gain this feature, you add your strength modifier when calculating your unarmored defense and you gain resistance to bludgeoning damage. In addition,  once per long rest when you are reduced to 0 hit points, but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. 

Body Blows

3rd-level Way of the Pugilist Feature

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can wear down your opponent with shots to the body that weakens their will to fight. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, once per turn you can impose one of the following effects on that target that last until the end of your next turn. 

• It can’t take reactions.
• Its speed is halved and the next attack by you or one of your allies against this creature has advantage.
• It must make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn

Spinning Haymaker

6th level Way of the Pugilist Feature

Once on your turn when you make an unarmed attack, you can spin around attacking enemies in all directions with unarmed strikes. When you do so, each creature of your choice within your reach must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + Proficiency bonus + WIS bonus) or take bludgeoning damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.

Bear Hug

6th-level Way of the Pugilist Feature

You can now attempt to grapple a creature as a bonus action. While you are grappling a creature, as an action, you can perform one of the following maneuvers. If you get more than one attack as part of the attack action these maneuvers replace one of your attacks. 

• Pin. Both you and the creature are prone and restrained.
• Pummel. You make an unarmed attack against the grappled creature with advantage.
• Crush: The creature takes damage equal to two rolls of your martial arts die. 

Focused Training

11th-level Way of the Pugilist Feature

You have learned to hone your abilities through focused training to prepare for a fight. Beginning at 11th level, you can spend 10 minutes training to improve your skills gaining the effect of a enhance-ability spell that lasts for 1 hour. The target of this effect must be self.

Thunder Punch

17th-level Way of the Pugilist Feature

At 17th level, you gain the ability to generate a powerful thunder clap when you hit a creature. When you hit with an unarmed strike, you can spend 5 ki points to generate a thunderous shockwave that radiates in all directions. All creatures within 15' sphere centered on you must make a Constitution saving throw or take 5d10 thunder damage and be pushed back 15'. Creatures who succeed take half damage and are not pushed.