A cloaked figure travels down an alley, he hopes to shake his pursuer but it leads to a dead end. He turns and sees the assasin sent by his enemy to kill him. The assasin sees he does not have any weapons and assuming a sure kill goes into a monolgue, the cloaked man does not remember what is was about, they always monologue. As the assasin is about to pull out his dagger the cloaked man closes the distance before the assassin can react and hits the man in the temple with the force of a charging bull, knocking him out. Unimpeded, the cloaked man exits the alley and continues on his way.

The halfling bar owner gets the more rowdy of adventurers as customers in her tavern, on this night a patron has one too many and brandishes his sword. Raving about the prices he charges the owner, in response she tosses the tray holding the drinks, kicks the ground to dodge the slash then jumps, delivering a devestaing uppercut and launching the man back into a wall, knocing him out cold before she lands, catches the tray of drinks, and delivers it to the cusomers. With a wink she announces "Drinks are half off for the night." A cheer rises as she goes back behind the bar with a grin, another night, another stress relieving knock out.

The masked man climbs into the ring, his belt is on the line as he stares down his opponent who is almost double his size, he is not fazed. The bell rings and the large man charges the champ who in response jumps on the rope and jumps onto him before putting him in a headlock. The large man has wrestled off ogres and even trolls in the past but the champs grip is the stuff of legends and no matter what he tries he cannot get the champ off him. Soon darkness takes him and he collapses, the champ retrieves his belt and squeezes on the Adamanitum buckle, another indentation on the buckel appears, this makes nine. He smiles wide excited to make it ten.

Not every fighter needs to use a shield but every figher does need a weapon, the advantage that you have is that yours are always with you and ready for a fight, your fists. You may have been laughed at for using your fists but you rose above the insults and right up to the challenge. You can use those fancy martial weapons, maybe even some exotic ones, but you never needed any of them. Through hard work, experience, and trial and error you have turned a mundane tool into an explosive power that you are ready to show the world and prove wrong the nay sayers. An Ambition Pugilist is never to be underestimated unless you want to find yourself face first into the ground.

 

Unbreaking Grit

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn techniques that are fueled by special dice called grit dice.

Techniques. You learn three techniques of your choice, which are detailed under “Techniques” below. Many techniques enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one technique per attack.

You learn two additional techniques of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new techniques, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one.

Grit Dice. You have four grit dice, which are d8s. A grit die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended grit dice when you finish a short or long rest.

You gain another grit die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.

Saving Throws. Some of your techniques require your target to make a saving throw to resist the techniques effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Technique save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier

Callused Knuckles

You have trained diligently with your fists, punching trees and beasts your rigorous training that has fractured your bones and healed over and over again has made your attacks hit harder and with more fury. You're Unarmed Strikes are now called Blows and grow stronger as you do. Your Blows deal 1d6 Bludgeoning damage at 3rd level. At 7th Level your Blow is considered a +1 weapon and deals 1 d8 bludgeoning damage and are now considered magical for the sake of overcoming resistance. At 11th level your Blow is considered a +2 weapon and deals 1 d10 bludgeoning damage. At 17th level your Blow is considered a +3 weapon and deals 1 d12 bludgeoning damage. If your race gives you piercing damage for your unarmed attacks you can choose to have the bludgeoning damage be piercing instead.

You can use the Two-Weapon Fighting, Interception and the Dueling fighting styles with this feature and they act normally.

However, Unarmed Fighting's unarmed damage die does not stack with Blow.

Techniques

Techniques are the collection of blood, sweat, and hard work. Experience has taught you, alot of the time painfully, what unique attacks you can pull off and which ones to toss. Either way they have become a powerful tool in your arsenal. The techniques are presented in alphabetical order.

Adrenaline

A rush of adrenaline hits you numbing the pain. When you are hit by an attack you can use your reaction to spend one grit die and gain temporary hit points equal to twice your constitution modifier plus the number you roll for your grit die.

After Image

As an action you can expand a grit die and move exceedingly fast in place, creatung blurry images of yourself likened to the Mirror Image spell. The AC of the Mirror Images is the number rolled on the grit die plus half your proficiency.

Cheap Shot

When you hit a creature with a blow attack, you can spend a grit die adding the number rolled to the attack, distracting the creature long enough for you to move half your movement speed away without triggering an opportunity attack.

Dead Arm

When you hit a creature with a blow attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it’s holding or numb that limb causing it to be unable to use two handed weapons. You add the grit die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose or numb their arm until the start of their turn. The object lands at its feet.

Devour

When you attack you can spend a grit die to forgo the bludgeoning damage of your blow and turn it into piercing as you savagely bite into the creature tearing off a chunk of flesh and terrifying the creature. The grit die roll is added to the total damage roll and the target must make a WIS saving throw. On failure, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. If the creature is grappled by you then they have disadvantage on the saving throw as they desperately struggle to escape.

Drop Kick

When you make a blow attack on your turn, you can expend one grit die to increase your reach for that attack by 5 feet by lunging at the opponent legs extended to hit. If you hit, you add the grit die to the attack’s damage roll.

Earthen Wrath

As an action you can spend one grit die and stomp on the ground with unnatural strength and copy the effects of the Earth Tremor spell centered on you and adding five feet to the area as well as adding your grit die to the damage.

Feather Foot

As a reaction you quicken your foot work making you harder to hit for an attack against you, you can spend one grit die, you add the number rolled to your AC for that attack.

Feint

You can expend one grit die and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature this turn. If that attack hits, add the grit die to the attack’s damage roll.

Flying Knee

When you hit a creature with a blow attack you raise your knee and hit them in the head or stomach or your choice, you can expend one grit die, adding the number rolled to the attack as well as making that creature roll a constitution saving throw, if they succeed they only take damage but if they fail they have disadvantage on all Constitution saving throws until the end of your next turn.

Jab

When you make a blow attack roll against a creature, you can expend one grit die to add it to the roll. You can use this technique before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

Knock Out

Immediately after you hit a creature with a blow attack on your turn, you can expend one grit die and try to knock them prone as a bonus action making competing Strength (Athletics) checks. Add the grit die to your Strength (Athletics) check. If you succeed you lift the creature up and slam them on the ground for 2 d6 bludgeoning damage and knock them prone

Lights Out

When you make a blow attack you make your attack aim at the eyes of the creature, you can spend one grit die and add the number rolled to the damage, the creature hit with this attack must make a Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the start of their turn.

Overwhelming Presence

When you make a Charisma (Intimidation), a Charisma (Persuasion), or a Wisdom (Insight) check, you can expend one grit die and add the grit die to the ability check.

Playing Dirty

As an action you can spend one grit die, to make a grapple check against a creature next to you pinning its arms away so it can't defend itself and leaving it open for attack, add the grit die to the Strength (Athletics) check. If you succeed the creature is grappled and you hold them open for attacks so all allies have advantage on attacks against that creature until it gets free or you let go.

Punch Through

As an action, you can expend a grit die, when you do you tighten your fist and make a blow attack on a person or object and replicate the effects of the shatter spell where you hit in a fifteen foot cone, adding the number rolled on the grit die to the damage. If Punch Through is used on a structure it will blow a five foot by five foot hole through the structure (such as a wall) that is no more than three feet thick and not made of a highly durable material such as metal, material such as wood and stone, however, are affected.

Punching Bag

As part of a blow attack, you can expend one grit die, if you hit add the number rolled on the grit die to the damage, the creature hit by the attack gets their foot stomped on and must make a Strength saving throw or be pinned and their speed and your speed drop to zero. On each of the creatures turn it can use its action to make a Strength (athletics) check to escape or if the user takes damage needs to make a Constitution saving throw equal to half the damage taken or creature is no longer pinned. The user can also choose to end the effect early.

Round House

When you hit a creature with a blow attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your reach you sweep out your leg attempting to hit the other target. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the number you roll on your grit die. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.

Takedown

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one grit die to grapple the creature, make a grapple check against the creature adding the grit die to the Strength (Athletics) check.

Taunt

When you hit a creature with a blow attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to goad the target into attacking you by taunting them. You add the grit die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.

Temple Blow

As an action you can make a blow attack and expend one grit die, you add the number rolled to the damage, you hit the creature on the side of the temple making the creature see stars, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if by the Confusion spell. At the end of each of its turns, an affected target can make a Wisdom saving throw. If it succeeds, this effect ends for that target.

Uppercut

When you hit a creature with a blow attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to drive the target back with a full power uppercut. You add the grit die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you push the target up to 15 feet away from you.

Titanium Grip

Your grip is so strong you refuse to let go of anything you get your hands on, you now have advantage on all Grapple Checks, including for your techniques.

Unwavering Grit

At 10th level, your grit dice turn into d10s. At 18th level, they turn into d12s.

Ambition Calls

Starting at 15th level, when you roll initiative and have no grit dice remaining, you regain one grit die.

Superior Position

Your mastery of Grapples has reached a peak and you can now move a creature your grappling the way you want, on to the ground. There you can mount them and pummel them to your hearts content. When you succeed in a Grapple Check you can choose to knock the creature prone and mount them, dropping your speed to zero but giving you free access to your attacks, all attacks have advantage on the prone creature. The creature has to use its action to make aa competing grapple check using their Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to get out.

You can use this feature once per short rest.

Avatar of Ambition

At 18th level, your grit dice turn into d12s.

Titanium Grip lvl 18: At level 18 you gain proficiency in Athletics or Expertise if you already have it. (unable to do both, if already proficient customize the athletics skill and gain expertise.)