Iron Fist

A half-orc is surrounded by goblins, their shortswords and ugly smiles on full display, eager to rob this seemingly unarmed traveler. Rushing at the goblins, the half-orc snaps a goblin over his knee, leaving the nearby goblins covered in blood.

 

A human sits at his table in a tavern, drinking ale and throwing insults at the big man and the bandit at the bar, who were threatening the barkeep. The big man finally had enough and throws a dagger at the human. The human grabs the other bandit and uses him to block the blade. The human drops the bandit and slams his fist straight through the big man’s rib cage with a sickening crack.

 

A hill dwarf rushes into battle at the head of his group. He beats his way through the orc horde with glowing fists of fire, then goes down under a barrage of orc arrows. Thinking him dead, the orcs walk right over him. A few seconds later, the orcs lie on the ground, bones broken by the foe they thought was fallen.

 

All of these warriors are Ironfists, one of the more uncommon styles of fighting in the realms, using their fists to break bones and incinerate enemies in melee combat. Some bodyguards are Ironfists, and so are some common tavern bouncers- As Ironfists, they all share a common disuse of conventional weapons, using fists and pure energy to slam, punch, and destroy.

 

Don’t Bring a Bow to a Fistfight

All Ironfists know how to use their fists to devastating effect, even shattering armor or conjuring lightning or fire to augment their attacks. Ironfists never bothered to learn how to use ranged weapons, as many Ironfists see them as cheating. If you dare use a bow against an Ironfist, you may find yourself shooting an ally, or having your bow shoved down your throat.

Roll with the Punches

All Ironfists have a certain way of seeing combat as a contest of wills, using their own determination to get an edge over their competition. They can also channel that determination to make devastating punches and attacks.

 

Creating an Ironfist

As you build your Ironfist, think about 2 things. Why did you forsake normal weaponry for fistfighting, and where did you attain your skill? Were you trained by a master of fisticuffs, or were you self-taught, learning your skill through tavern fights and/or beating off thieves or bandits? And why was it fists that you chose to use, instead of a sword or bow? Was it the challenge, or stupidity that brought your character to this moment?

Ironfist Stat/Progression Table

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Unarmed Attack	Determination Points	Breaker Punch
1st	+2	Powerful Punch, Unarmed Defense	1d6	__	__
2nd	+2	Breaker Punch, Determination	1d6	2	+1
3rd	+2	Offense is the Best Defense, Specialization	1d6	4	+1
4th	+2	Ability Score Increase	1d6	6	+1
5th	+3	Extra Attack	1d6	8	+1
6th	+3	Down, Not Out	1d6	10	+1
7th	+3	Specialization Feature	1d8	12	+2
8th	+3	Ability Score Increase	1d8	14	+2
9th	+4	Who Needs Magic	1d8	16	+2
10th	+4	Specialization Feature	1d8	18	+2
11th	+4	Extra Attack	1d8	20	+2
12th	+4	Ability Score Increase	1d8	22	+2
13th	+5	Solid Brick Wall	1d10	24	+3
14th	+5	Ability Score Increase	1d10	26	+3
15th	+5	Specialization Feature	1d10	28	+3
16th	+5	Ability Score Increase	1d10	30	+3
17th	+6	Unpredictable	1d10	32	+3
18th	+6	Specialization Feature	1d10	34	+3
19th	+6	Ability Score Increase	1d12	36	+4
20th	+6	Extra Attack	1d12	38	+4

Quick Build

You can make an Ironfist quickly by following these suggestions. First, make strength your highest score, followed by constitution. This will boost your fighting power, and make you an effective melee fighter. Second, choose the Folk Hero background. This will show that you came from humble beginnings, and had the determination to become a hero.

 

Class Features

As an Ironfist, you gain the following class features:

HIT POINTS

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Ironfist level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Later Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per ironfist level after 1st.

 

 

PROFICENCES

Armor: Light Armor

Weapons: Improvised Weapons, Simple Weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, Intimidation, Performance, Perception, and Persuasion.

 

EQUIPMENT

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background.

• Studded Leather
• 2 Hand Axes or 2 Simple Weapons
• An Explorer’s Pack

Powerful Punch

1st-level ironfist feature

Your fists do more damage than some weapons. Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. When you gain levels in this class, the damage die for your unarmed strikes increases, as shown in the Unarmed Attack column of the Ironfist table.

Unarmored Defense

1st-level ironfist feature

At 1st level, you have learned to use your brawn to absorb attacks. While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Strength modifier + your Constitution modifier. 

 

Determination 

2nd-level ironfist feature

You can use your sheer willpower to fuel your martial prowess, which is represented by your determination. Your access to your determination is represented by a number of determination points. Your ironfist level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Determination Points column of the Ironfist table.

You start with 2 determination points, and you never have more determination points than shown on the table for your level.  You regain up to half your determination points when you finish a long rest, and a quarter of them on a short rest. You can use a determination point to add your strength to an Intimidation or Persuasion roll. 

 

Breaker Punch

2nd-level ironfist feature

At 2nd level, you can focus your sheer force of will into a single punch. You can spend up to a quarter of your level + half your strength in determination points on a single punch, giving it a +1 to attack and damage, and multiplying the damage by the number of determination points. This bonus increases at higher levels.

 

Offense is the Best Defense

3rd-level ironfist feature

At 3rd level, you can accept punches to retaliate with your own punch or fuel your own determination. When an attack misses you, you can use your reaction, or a determination point to make it hit you for half damage. When you take this damage, you can either gain 2 determination points, or make a single unarmed attack. You can use this to get a free unarmed strike a number of times equal to half your strength modifier. You can use it to get determination an unlimited amount of times

 

Specialization

3rd-level ironfist feature

At 3rd level, you choose a specialization to further hone your abilities. Choose between Elementalist, a Ironfist who uses modified magic and energy to obliterate enemies and Face Breaker, a Ironfist that delves into the not-so-magical arts of breaking bones, wills, and of course faces. The Specialization you choose grants you features at 3rd, 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

 

 

Ability Score Increase

4th-level ironfist feature

When you reach 4th Level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two Ability Scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

 

 

Extra Attack

5th-level ironfist feature

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the attack action. The number of attacks increases to 3 at 11th level and to four at 20th level.

 

Down, Not Out

6th-level ironfist feature

Beginning at 6th level, your sheer willpower prevents you from stopping fighting. Instead of going unconscious, you can spend 3 determination points to halve your movement speed and remove every action but attack and grapple, but you stay at one hit point and gain temporary hit points equal to your level. If you manage to kill a formidable creature (up to your DM) then you return to a number of hit points equal to your constitution modifier. At the end of your second turn you go unconscious if you haven’t killed a formidable creature. You can use this ability once at 6th level, 2 times at 12th level, and 3 times at 18th level.

 

Who Needs Magic

9th-level ironfist feature

At 9th level, your attacks ignore resistance and immunity to non-magical bludgeoning damage. Also, you can spend a determination point to make a strength saving throw to deflect a cantrip back at the caster, if it is aimed at you. If it is a aimed attack, then you use strength as your spellcasting ability.

 

Solid Brick Wall

13th-level ironfist feature

At 13th level, you can spend your reaction to jump in front of a teammate within 10 feet. Any enemies that try to make an attack against your teammate will have to attack you instead until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your strength modifier (minimum of 1). 

Unpredictable

17th-level ironfist feature

At 17th level, when hit with anything that causes the charmed, frightened, or paralyzed effect, or would make you do things against your will, you can spend a number of determination points equal to the spell/creature’s level to cancel that effect against yourself, though the creature that made the effect happen doesn’t know you used this ability, and treats you as such. 

 

Neverending Onslaught

20th-level ironfist feature

At 20th level, If you make an attack and do not move on your turn, you regain a determination point.

 

FACE BREAKER

The Face Breaker and Friends

3rd-level face breaker feature

At 3rd level, you learn your signature punch, the Face Breaker, and several other skills and punches you can use to break and terrify your enemies. You can use each of these abilities a number of times equal to half your strength modifier.

• Blood in the Eyes: You can spend 2 extra determination points to blind an enemy when you hit them with a breaker punch. This lasts until your next turn.
• Refusal to Lose: You can spend up to half your level (Max of 5) to add to any attack or savings throw.
• Intimidating Might: You can spend 2 determination points to attempt to frighten a creature. The creature must make a wisdom save against your intimidation or be frightened. They can repeat the save at the end of their turns.
• Knockdown: You can spend 6 determination points to knock an enemy prone after hitting them with a Breaker Punch. The target must make a constitution save against your strength or be knocked back 15 feet.
• Armor Break: You can spend a number of determination points (maximum of 3) to lower the target’s armor class after you hit them (by the amount of points spent).  
• Determined Leap: You can spend up to 5 determination points to boost a single jump up by 5 feet per point.

 

Grand Slam

7th-level face breaker feature

At 7th level, if you hit an enemy with a critical hit, you can turn it into a breaker punch, with the damage from the critical affecting the damage, though the punch costs double the determination. The target must make an athletics or acrobatics against your athletics or be pushed back 10 feet.

 

Meat Shield

10th-level face breaker feature

At 10th level, if you are within 5 feet of a creature that is medium or small size and a ranged attack is made against you, you can use a determination point to try to grapple the creature within 5 feet of you and make them get hit instead of you. The grappled creature can make a dexterity savings throw with disadvantage to dodge the attack, contested by your strength. If they fail this save, they are hit instead of you. If they succeed, you are still hit.

 

No Pain, No Gain

15th-level face breaker feature

At 15th level, you can make a Face Breaker punch instead of a single unarmed attack when using the Offense is the Best Defense skill. You also gain 3 determination points instead of 2, and can use the unarmed punch option twice as much (Maximum of 4 times).

 

Muscled Mastery

18th-level face breaker feature

At 18th level, you have advantage on strength and constitution saving throws, and you cannot be moved by non-magical means.

 

ELEMENTALIST

Energy Manipulation

3rd-level elementalist feature

At 3rd level, you can spend an extra determination point to change a single unarmed strike’s damage to magical Fire, Cold, Lightning, Poison, or Acid damage, and add an extra 1d6 of damage. You can do this after the attack hits or misses.

Elemental Breaker Punch

7th-level elementalist feature

At 7th level, you can spend an extra determination to make a Breaker Punch magical and deal damage of a type of your choice.

 

Elemental Form

10th-level elementalist feature

At 10th level, when you use the Offense is the Best Defense ability you can reflect their damage back at them, instead of making a strike of your own. You still take half of the damage, but the other half is dealt as elemental damage back at the attacker. 

Death Shield

15th-level elementalist feature

At 15th level, for the Down, Not Out ability you gain resistance to all elemental damage (Fire, Cold, Lightning).

Energy Blast

18th-level elementalist feature

At 18th level your unarmed attacks have a range of 10 feet, and explode in a 15/15 area around the hit.

 

 

 

 

This is amazing and everything I've ever wanted in a brawler/fist fighter! Cant wait for homebrew classes in dnd beyond!

I love the concept of this class and im trying out the facebreaker for an up coming campaign. This paired with 2 levels into fighter for action surge and blind fighting style will be a fun power tank build