Brawler
A hulking half-orc stands in the lamplight of a damp basement, throwing multiple punches at her sparing opponent. She sees an opening and decides to press her advantage, throwing blow after blow until she stands over her bloodied partner.
The small crowd lets out a cheer as two humans roll around a hide covered stage, both attempting to find a limb they can hold on to. A few errant fists and knees find their target until one body is pinned to the mat and they tap out. The crowd lets out a mix of cheers and boos as money trades hands.
While monks were spend time in temples working on both their mind and channeling their Ki, a brawler might have been in tavern basement in an underground fighting ring. A fighter had to spend time training with different styles of weapons and armor. Brawler spent that same effort in the gym, in front of the speed bag.
Quick Build
You can make a brawler quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Sailor or Gladiator background.
Class Features
As a brawler, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per brawler level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per brawler level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor
- Weapons: Simple Weapons, shortswords
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Skills: Choose two from skills from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a burglar's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are not wearing any armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constituion modifier.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Unarmed Strike | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | 1d4 | Unarmored Defense, Improved Unarmed Strike |
| 2nd | +2 | 1d4 | Ambidextrous |
| 3rd | +2 | 1d4 | Brawler Style |
| 4th | +2 | 1d4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | 1d4 | Extra Attack |
| 6th | +3 | 1d6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 7th | +3 | 1d6 | Brawler Style Feature |
| 8th | +3 | 1d6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | 1d6 | Knockout Punch |
| 10th | +4 | 1d6 | Brawler Style Feature |
| 11th | +4 | 1d8 | Extra Attack (2) |
| 12th | +4 | 1d8 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | 1d8 | Granite Chin |
| 14th | +5 | 1d8 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 15th | +5 | 1d8 | Brawler Style Feature |
| 16th | +5 | 1d10 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | 1d10 | Knockout Punch (two uses) |
| 18th | +6 | 1d10 | Brawler Style Feature |
| 19th | +6 | 1d10 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | 1d10 | Extra Attack (3) |
Improved Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, you gain the following benefits:
- You can make an unarmed strike with fists, elbows, knees, head, etc. This means you can make an unarmed strike even when your hands are full.
- You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike. This die changes as you gain brawler levels, as shown in the Unarmed Strike column of the Brawler table.
- When you use the Attack action to make an unarmed strike on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Ambidextrous
Starting at 2nd level, when you use your bonus action to make an unarmed strike you can add your full Strength modifier to the damage roll.
Brawler Style
At 3rd level, you choose a style that you strive to emulate your combat and techniques. Choose Slugger or Wrestler, both detailed at the end of the class description. The style you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.
Ability Score Improvement
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
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.
Knockout Punch
Beginning at 9th level, you can unleash a devastating attack that can instantly knock a target unconscious. You must decide to use this ability before making an unarmed strike. If your attack hits, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. The saving throw is calculated as follows: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. If the target fails its saving throw, it is knocked unconscious for 1d4 rounds. It may reattempt its saving throw at the end of its turn on subsequent rounds.
This feature can only be used once per short or long rest, regardless of if the attack was successful. You gain an additional use when you reach 17th level.
Granite Chin
When you the 13th level in this class, you can choose to turn a creature's critical hit against you into a normal hit. Any effect of a critical hit is also negated.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Brawler Styles
Slugger
Improved Critical
Beginning when you choose this discipline at 3rd level, your unarmed strikes score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Jab, Jab, Cross
When you reach 7th level, you have learned how to create combination attacks that can leave your opponent momentarily unable to act. If you hit and deal damage to the same target with three unarmed strikes on your turn, your target must make a Constitution saving throw. If the target fails, it is Incapacitated until the end of their next turn.
The target is immune to this feature's effect for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the status ends.
Quick Feet
At 10th level, you gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws.
Brutal Uppercut
When you reach the 15th level in this class, when you score a critical hit with an unarmed strike against a creature, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your level in this class.
Swing for the Fences
At 18th level in this class, your unarmed strikes score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.
Wrestler
Trained Wrestler
Beginning when you choose this discipline at 3rd level, you can double your proficiency bonus when making Strength (Athletic) checks related to grappling, shoving, or escaping a grapple.
Quick Takedown
When you reach 7rd level, you can make a Grapple or Shove attack as a bonus action.
Pin
At 7th level, you can attempt to pin a prone target.
Make a grapple check against the prone target. If successful, the target is now restrained.
Compression Lock
At 10th level, when a creature attempts to brake out of your grapple, you can spend your Reaction to make them automatically fail their Athletics (Strength) or Acrobatics (Dexterity) check.
Super Heavyweight
When you reach 15th level in this class, you count as two sizes larger for the purposes of grappling and shoving.
Ground and Pound
At 18th level in this class, when you attack a creature that is grappled, you have advantage on all unarmed strikes against it. Additionally, your unarmed strikes score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 when attacking a grappled or prone creature.