martial archetype: the pugilist

The archetypal Pugilist is a master of unarmed combat and a tireless fighter. They take advantage of their opponents over-extending, wrestle and restrain enemies with ease, and shake off blows that would knock others out.

Slugger

At 3rd level when you choose this archetype, your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 damage plus your Strength modifier. Additionally, you can add your Strength modifier to Charisma (Intimidation) checks you make.

Dodge and Counter

By seventh level, you’ve learned how to avoid melee attacks easily and how to strike quickly when you’ve done so. A number of times each day equal to two times your proficiency bonus, you can use a bonus action on your turn to impose disadvantage on melee attack rolls against you made by creatures you can see until the beginning of your next turn. When a creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to make one unarmed attack against them.

Fight Dirty

At 10th level you gain advantage on athletics checks to grapple or maintain a grapple on creatures. Whenever you start your turn grappling a creature, you can use your action to grapple that creature with both hands and choose one of the following effects which lasts until the start of your next turn:

• You restrain the creature’s hands and cover their mouth, preventing them from performing the verbal or somatic components of spells.

• You can drag the creature up to your speed.

• You use the grappled creature as protection against attacks, gaining the benefit of three-quarters cover.

• The creature gains disadvantage on checks made to escape the grapple.

• Attacks your allies make against the creature have advantage.

Discombobulate

At 15th level, you learn how to maximize the effect of your strikes. Once on each of your turns when you deal damage to a creature you can force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to the total amount of damage it has taken from your unarmed attacks since the beginning of your turn. On a failed save, the creature is stunned until the beginning of your next turn.

Shake it Off

By 18th level you have become accustomed to being on the brink of losing consciousness. If you would be reduced to 0 hit points but are not killed outright, you can choose to remain conscious. You still make death saving throws at the start of each of your turns and still suffer failed saves due to damage, but otherwise you can act normally. If you become stable by any means, you gain one hit point and one level of exhaustion.