SC5e Brawler Subclasses

by Stormchaser

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Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition
The Stormchaser Overhaul
Legacy Edition
Brawler Subclasses

Fighter Martial Archetype

Moxie

Starting at 3rd level, your experience laying the beatdown on others has given you a moxie you can channel in the midst of battle. This swagger is represented by a number of moxie points. You have moxie points equal to half your fighter level (round down).

You can spend these points to fuel various moxie features. You know three such features: Brace Up, The Old One-Two, and Stick and Move. You regain all expended moxie points when you complete a short or long rest.

Brace Up

You can use a bonus action and spend 1 moxie point to brace for attacks. Roll your unarmed damage die + your fighter level + your Constitution modifier and gain that many temporary hit points.

The Old One-Two

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 moxie point to make an unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Stick and Move

You can use a bonus action and expend 1 moxie point to make a shove attack or take the Dash action.

Bloodied But Unbowed

Starting at 3rd level, when you take damage that reduces you to half your maximum hit points or less, you can use your reaction to gain temporary hit points equal to your fighter level + your Constitution modifier and you regain all expended moxie points. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Haymaker

Starting at 7th level, before you make an attack, you can declare you are swinging wild haymakers. You make all weapon attack rolls until the end of this turn with disadvantage and when you deal damage with a weapon or an unarmed strike you do not roll for the weapon’s damage die, but use the maximum die result instead.

Lesser Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 7th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (1 to d4, d4 to d6, or d6 to d8).

Moxie Fuelled Fists

Starting at 7th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

Down But Not Out

At 10th level, when you use your Bloodied But Unbowed feature you can choose to also use this feature. If you do, you add your proficiency bonus to your damage with unarmed attacks and weapons for the next minute. You can use this feature again after you complete a long rest.

Fancy Footwork

At 10th level, you gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws.

Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 15th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d4 to d6, d6 to d8, or d8 to d10).

Unbreakable

Starting at 15th level, you gain advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 moxie point to reroll it and take the second result.

Greater Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 18th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d6 to d8, d8 to d10, or d10 to d12).

Fighting Spirit

Starting at 18th level, when you have 4 levels of exhaustion or fewer and are reduced to 0 hit points, you regain half of your maximum hit points, half of your maximum moxie points, and gain a level of exhaustion. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.


Building a Brawler

This subclass is written with the expectation that the character also chooses other brawling oriented options, such as the Brawling Fighting Style and the Brawling Mastery Feat (see Stormchaser's Character Rules). These stack with the Improved Unarmed Strike subclass features for an eventual d12 unarmed damage die at level 18.

Barbarian Primal Path

Brawling Fighting Style

Starting at 3rd level, you learn the brawling fighting style.

You are skilled at using your weight to your advantage. As long as you are not wielding a medium or heavy shield, you gain the following benefits:

  • You are proficient with improvised weapons.
  • Your unarmed strikes use a d4 for damage.
  • When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.

Bloodied But Unbowed

Starting at 3rd level, when you take damage that reduces you to half your maximum hit points or less, you can use your reaction to gain temporary hit points equal to your barbarian level + your Constitution modifier. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Haymaker

Starting at 6th level, before you make an attack, you can declare you are swinging wild haymakers. You make all weapon attack rolls until the end of this turn with disadvantage and when you deal damage with a weapon or an unarmed strike you do not roll for the weapon’s damage die, but use the maximum die result instead.

Lesser Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 6th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d4 to d6, or d6 to d8).

Moxie Fuelled Fists

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 10th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d6 to d8, or d8 to d10).

Shake It Off

Starting at 10th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.

Greater Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 14th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d8 to d10, or d10 to d12).

School of Hard Knocks

By 14th level, you've graduated top of the class at the school of hard knocks and you took most of them on the head. You have resistance to psychic damage and gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would make you stunned or unconscious.

Rogueish Archetype

Brawling Fighting Style

Starting at 3rd level, you learn the brawling fighting style.

You are skilled at using your weight to your advantage. As long as you are not wielding a medium or heavy shield, you gain the following benefits:

  • You are proficient with improvised weapons.
  • Your unarmed strikes use a d4 for damage.
  • When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.

Additionally, you can sneak attack with your unarmed strikes and improvised weapons.

Street Smart

Beginning at 3rd level, carousing, shadowboxing, and sparring all count as light activity for the purposes of resting for you. Additionally, once you have caroused in a settlement for 8 hours or more, you know all public locations in the city as if you were born and raised there and you cannot be lost by non-magical means while within the city.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 9th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Lesser Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 9th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d4 to d6, or d6 to d8).

Moxie Fuelled Fists

Starting at 9th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 13th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d6 to d8, or d8 to d10).

Rabble Rouser

Starting at 13th level, word of your exploits travels quickly in cities and other settlements. Once you have taken a long rest by carousing in a settlement, you gain advantage on all Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Intimidation) rolls made against the people who live there.

Greater Improved Unarmed Strike

Starting at 17th level the damage die of your unarmed strike increases by one size (d8 to d10, or d10 to d12).

Fighting Spirit

Starting at 17th level, when you have 4 levels of exhaustion or fewer and are reduced to 0 hit points, you regain half of your maximum hit points, half of your maximum moxie points, and gain a level of exhaustion. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Welcome

to 5e with

Stormchaser

If you're reading this, the chances are that you're playing in one of my games, or you've found my content via Discord or Reddit.

I hope you have fun, and if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask.

Campaign specific house rules can be found in the house rules channel of that campaign's category on my discord.

Enjoy!

Thanks

These brawler subclasses were based on the Pugilist class by Benjamin Huffman.

Extra thanks to my dedicated patrons and the members of my discord for their playtesting, feedback and critique!

Special mention goes to deity tier patron
Kane Taylor, aka "Zombie Cat ASMR".