Martial Archetype: Pit Fighter
You've learned to get down and dirty with the best of them. Bashing heads, breaking jaws, and cracking ribs is the name of the game. A blade is nice, but nothing quite matches the tried-and-true shot to the mouth when your opponent isn't ready. Let the teeth fly, the blood spill, and the callouses grow.
Note on Fighting Style: It is highly recommended that the UA Unarmed Fighting Style be allowed for this subclass. Numerous Pit Fighter fighting moves involve unarmed strikes and grappling, so taking the UA Unarmed Fighting Style at 1st level will maximize your experience, both mechanically and thematically, as a Pit Fighter.
Unarmed Fighting: Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. If you strike with two free hands, the d6 becomes a d8. When you successfully start a grapple, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to the grappled creature. Until the grapple ends, you can also deal this damage to the creature whenever you hit it with a melee attack.
Pit Grit
Upon selecting this archetype at 3rd level, you learn additional fighting moves fueled by Grit dice.
Grit Dice: Your Grit dice are d6, increasing to d8 at 7th level, and d10 at 15th level. At the start of each turn, you gain one Grit die, up to a maximum equal to half your Fighter level, rounded up.
All Grit dice are lost after 1 minute of not attacking a hostile creature or taking damage.
Fighting Moves: You may select four fighting moves at 3rd level, and two more at each of 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new moves, you may also replace one you currently know with a different one. The list of fighting moves is at the end of the class description.
All fighting moves cost Grit dice; some have a minimum Grit expenditure while others do not, allowing you to spend as many or as few as you would like to gain bonus damage. The maximum number of Grit dice on one move is three. After finishing a long rest, you may choose to replace one fighting move you know with a different fighting move.
Saving Throws: Several moves require your target to make a saving throw. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).
Brutality
You fight with brutal intensity.
Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill if you do not have it already.
Bring It On
Starting at 7th level, you gain one Grit die if, between the end of your turn and the start of your next turn, you take damage from more than one creature.
Knuckle Down
Starting at 10th level, you may use a bonus action to regain up to half of your maximum Grit dice, rounded down (minimum of 1). Once you use this feature, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again. Additionally, whenever you use your Second Wind, you regain one Grit die.
True Grit
Starting at 18th level, you regain two Grit dice instead of one on each turn and after using Second Wind.
Fighting Moves
You may learn and execute fighting moves from this list. Some fighting moves require your hands to be free.
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Adrenaline Rush: The rush of combat energizes you. After reducing a creature to 0 hit points with an unarmed strike or fighting move, you may expend one or more Grit dice and gain temporary hit points equal to the Grit dice + your Constitution modifier.
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Brace: When subjected to a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw, you may use your reaction to brace yourself. Expend one or more Grit dice and add the rolls to the result of the saving throw.
Image: Aaron Miller, "Bloodsoaked Champion"
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Cheap Shot: If you land an unarmed attack on a surprised opponent, you may roll one or more Grit dice to make your cheap shot sting. Add the Grit dice to your attack's d20 roll. If this would cause the d20 roll to be 20 or higher, the attack is an automatic critical hit. Additionally, add the Grit dice to the damage roll.
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Crippling Blow: After landing any melee attack, you may roll at least two Grit dice to cripple the target. Add the Grit dice to the damage roll, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws. At the end of each of its turns, the target may repeat the saving throw to attempt to end the cripple.
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Elusive: You can weave through a brawl like nobody's business. As a bonus action on your turn, you may roll one or more Grit dice and add that value to your AC until the start of your next turn.
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Facebreaker: Requires two free hands. As an action on your turn, you may expend at least 3 Grit dice to grab two foes and bash their heads together. Select two Large or smaller creatures adjacent to you on opposite sides. These targets take damage equal to the roll of the dice, and must succeed on a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, they are stunned until the start of your next turn.
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Granite Chin: Your resilience in a brawl is unparalleled. If you take damage, you may use your reaction to expend one or more Grit dice and subtract that roll from the damage taken.
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Haymaker: You may spend one or more Grit dice to swing a wild but powerful strike. When making a melee attack roll, take a -5 penalty to the roll. If the attack lands, double its base damage dice and add the rolls of the Grit dice.
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Headbutt: After landing any melee attack, you may roll one or more Grit dice to headbutt the target. Add the Grit dice to the damage roll, and both you and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. If the target fails the save, it is dazed, and all attacks against it have advantage until the start of your next turn. If you fail the save, you take damage equal to the roll of the Grit die, and you suffer the same penalty of advantage on attack rolls against you until the start of your next turn.
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Human Shield: If an attack would hit you, you may use your reaction and expend (without rolling) two Grit dice to use a human shield. Select an adjacent Large or smaller creature that was not the source of the attack. They must succeed on a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you take no damage, and this creature takes the damage instead, on a successful save, the creature takes half damage, and you take the remainder of the damage.
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Jawbreaker: After landing an unarmed attack, you may roll at least two Grit dice to send your opponent's head spinning. Add the Grit dice to your damage roll, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw, or it becomes stunned until the start of your next turn.
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Leg Sweep: After landing a melee attack, you may roll at least two Grit dice to sweep your opponent's legs out from under them. Your target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take fall damage equal to the roll of the dice plus a bonus that scales with its size -- +3 (Small), +5 (Medium), or +10 (Large). Does not work on creatures smaller than Small or larger than Large.
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Piledriver: Requires two free hands. As an action on your turn, you may expend at least three Grit dice to piledrive a grappled target's head into the dirt. Make a second grappling check. If the target fails the check, the target takes fall damage equal to the Grit dice total roll multiplied by your fighter level, rounded down.
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Shoulder Spear: After moving at least 10 feet towards a target on your turn and successfully landing your first unarmed attack, you may roll one or more Grit dice to tackle your target to the ground. Add the Grit dice to the damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it is grappled by you and both you and the target are knocked prone.
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Sucker Punch: If an enemy within 5 feet of you makes a saving throw, you may expend one or more Grit dice to strike in their moment of weakness, using your reaction to make an unarmed opportunity attack against them. If the attack hits, add the Grit dice to the damage roll, and the enemy has disadvantage on the saving throw.
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Suplex: Requires two free hands. In place of one attack on your turn, you may expend at least three Grit dice to suplex a Large or smaller creature over your shoulder. The target must make a Strength saving throw, and Large or smaller creatures in the impact area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, all creatures involved take fall damage equal to the roll of the Grit dice and are knocked prone.
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Triangle Choke: If you successfully Grapple a creature on your turn or begin your turn with one already Grappled, you may expend one or more Grit dice to attempt to submit your target. Deal damage equal to the roll of the dice, and on subsequent turns where the target is Grappled by you, you may use a bonus action to roll the same number of Grit dice (without expending them) and deal damage equal to the roll of the dice plus your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice). Triangle Choke's damage cannot be mitigated by resistance or immunity.
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Uppercut: As a bonus action on your turn, you may expend one or more Grit dice to follow up an unarmed attack with a devastating uppercut. Make a second attack roll with advantage, and if it hits, add the Grit dice to your damage roll.
Author: /u/wavec022
Special Thanks: /u/SamuraiHealer, AuxCasts