Way of the Boxer: Erden

The Way of the Boxer is a subclass intended to give the monk base class some improvements which are in line with the power scaling of the game while also providing a new class fantasy which is fun and versatile because it does not rely so heavily on themes present in media depictions of eastern cultures. This subclass offers modest boosts to offense and defense at levels 11 and 17 where other frontline classes are unlocking new plateaus of power which are not matched by the monk base class or most of its subclasses. One of the level 3 features, encourages unarmed combat from the moment the subclass is chosen so that you feel like a boxer right away. It also opens up new options for monk itemization which help DMs to balance their parties more easily. In addition, this subclass respects your discipline/ki points.The only subclass feature which costs discipline/ki points also has something that the monk is not accustomed to -- limited free uses per long rest based on your Wisdom modifier. Lastly, with a well-rounded action economy with powerful attacks on the action, bonus action, and reaction, this subclass allows you to focus your Ability Score Improvements on increasing stats and taking useful passive or flavorful Feats like Mobile or Fey Touched rather than Feats which fill gaps in the action economy for more damage like Sentinel and Mage Slayer. If all of that sounds appealing, then talk to your DM about a play test with the Way of the Boxer and leave your feedback!

Old Bruises

3rd-level Way of the Boxer feature

You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage from years of training with other pugilists.

Dukes Up

3rd-level Way of the Boxer feature

Your fists become your most reliable tools of combat. You gain a +1 to hit and damage for unarmed strikes, and this does not stack with effects from items or spells. This increases to +2 at 11. (I recommend adding a homebrew item such as Wraps of the Unarmed Fighter, which comes in +1 and +2 variants, to reflect this bonus on your character sheet when not using the next option.)

Alternatively, you may forgo that bonus and instead spend 1 hour as part of a long rest attuning to one magical monk weapon and learning its combat properties. You may imbue a pair of padded gloves, hand wraps, or your own flesh with the magic from the weapon. Doing so will apply all magical properties and effects from the weapon to your unarmed strikes, but the base damage will still be bludgeoning using your martial arts die. The weapon disappears when you use it for this purpose and reappears when taking a long rest. If the magic weapon requires attunement to use, then you must attune to it.

Technical Knockout

6th-level Way of the Boxer feature

By executing combination maneuvers to erode an opponent's defense, your last hits leave them quite shaken. A creature struck by your Flurry of Blows has disadvantage on the next attack they make against you before your next turn.

Stick and Weave

11th-level Way of the Boxer feature

 You punish your opponent's missed strike with a powerful 1-2 combination, further raising your defense. If an enemy misses you with an attack in melee range, you may use your reaction to make 2 unarmed strikes. You gain +1 AC for each of those attacks which land until the start of your next turn. You may do this for free a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per long rest. You may spend 2 discipline points to use this reaction at any time before or after expending the free uses.

Combination Tempo

17th-level Way of the Boxer feature

Your mastery of tempo has allowed you to throw an extra attack in your combination at a suddenly higher speed which is especially good at catching a single opponent off-guard. You gain an extra attack with your Flurry of Blows. The 3rd attack has Advantage if all 3 attacks are made against the same creature.

Float Like a Butterfly

17th-level Way of the Boxer feature

As a monk, you have incredible movement speed. Concentrating all of that movement in a careful dance around a small area makes you more difficult to hit. If, on your turn, you do not move outside of a 5 ft radius of your starting position, then you do not provoke opportunity attacks, and you are automatically performing the dodge action until the start of your next turn or until you move or are moved from that radius. If playing on a square grid, this includes a 3x3 area with the center square being your starting point.