Hand-to-hand combatants who train their bodies as weapons, mastering strikes, grapples, and brutal control techniques.

Iron Fist

 

• Unarmed Damage: Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage (scales to 1d8 at 11th, 1d10 at 17th).

• Toughened Body: While unarmored you can add your Constitution modifier to AC.

• Fight Styles (choose one): You gain a Combat Discipline, representing your approach.

  • Striker: You can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action after using the Attack action.

  • Grappler: When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt a grapple as a bonus action.

  • Counterpuncher: When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike.

 

Counterpuncher

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike.

Grappler

When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt a grapple as a bonus action.

Striker

•  You can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action after using the Attack action.

Level 7: Cage Control

Your mastery of hand-to-hand combat lets you dominate close-range exchanges. Choose one of the following benefits at the end of a long rest:

• Striker’s Flow: When you hit a creature with two or more unarmed strikes in a turn, you can roll an additional damage die on one of those strikes.

• Grappler’s Grip: When you grapple a creature, it takes bludgeoning damage equal to your proficiency bonus at the start of its turn.

• Counterpuncher’s Reflex: When you use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against a creature that missed you, you can add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll and damage.

Counterpuncher’s Reflex

When you use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against a creature that missed you, you can add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll and damage.

Grappler’s Grip

When you grapple a creature, it takes bludgeoning damage equal to your proficiency bonus at the start of its turn.

Striker’s Flow

When you hit a creature with two or more unarmed strikes in a turn, you can roll an additional damage die on one of those strikes.

Combat Conditioning

Your training sharpens your body’s endurance. Gain one of the following features (your choice, can change on a long rest):

• Iron Chin: When you fail a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw, you can reroll it once per short rest.

• Adrenaline Surge: Once per short rest, when reduced to half HP or lower, you gain temporary HP equal to twice your Fighter level.

• Explosive Power: Once per turn, you can add your proficiency bonus to the damage of an unarmed strike.

Octagon Mastery

You’ve reached the peak of hand-to-hand combat. You gain the following universal benefit:

Universal: When you hit with an unarmed strike, you may impose one of the following conditions (your choice) until the start of your next turn: disadvantage on their next attack, they can’t take reactions, or their movement speed is halved. (No save, once per turn only.)

Then, your chosen style evolves into its final form:

• Striker – Flurry of Blows: When you take the Attack action and make at least two unarmed strikes, you may make an additional unarmed strike as part of that action. 

• Grappler – Submission Specialist: When you have a creature grappled, it is also restrained. At the start of its turn, it must make a Constitution save (DC = 8 + proficiency + Strength) or be stunned until the end of its turn.

• Counterpuncher – Punish the Mistake: When you use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against a creature that misses you, that strike deals two damage dice and can also knock the target prone if it fails a Strength save.

Level 18: Knockout Artist

 

• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency + Strength). On a fail, it is stunned until the end of your next turn.

• On a critical hit with an unarmed strike, the target must succeed on the save or be knocked unconscious for 1 minute (they wake up if they take damage or are shaken).