Path of Pugilism by Lucifer | Art by Gavin Reece
Monk:
Way of Pugilism
Pugilists unconsciously tap into their own inner strength in the form of moxie. This is not an esoteric or mystical energy that flows through the multiverse, but the result of determination forged over a lifetime of hardship with a never-say-die attitude. You can teach someone how to fight but you could never teach someone how to be a pugilist.
Variant Features: Pugilism
Iron Chin
1st-level, variant class feature, Modifies Saving throw Proficiency, Unarmored defence, Deflect missiles, Evasion.
Unlike classical monks, you rely on strength instead of agility.
Your monk features that use Dexterity use Constitution instead.
Moxie
2nd-level, variant class feature, Modifies Ki
Your Ki is called 'Moxie'. When you take the attack action, you can make a grapple attempt as a bonus action.
Reflavored features
| Monk feature | Reflavored Name |
|---|---|
| Ki-fueled attack | Moxie-fueled attack |
| Quickened Healing | Bloodied but unbowed |
| Ki-Empowered Strikes | Moxie-Empowered Strikes |
| Stillness of Mind | Shake It Off |
| Purity of Body | Rough n tough |
| Tongue of the Sun and Moon | Street slangs |
| Diamond Soul | Unbreakable |
| Timeless body | Ol' Boss |
| Empty Body | Faster than the eye |
Bonus Proficiencies
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in light armor and a fighting style of your choice.
Pugilist Technique
At 3rd level, you learn to apply your unique style of fighting to your martial arts. Your ki techniques gain the following improvements.
Brace Up
When you use patient defence, you gain temporary hit points equal to your martial arts die + your constitution modifier.
The Old One-Two
When you hit a creature with both strikes from your flurry of blows, it is knocked prone.
Stick and Move
When you use step of the wind, you can make a shove attempt as part of the same bonus action.
Cross counter
At 6th level, you can block the brunt of an attack and launch one of your own in the same fluid motion. As a reaction to when you are hit by a melee attack, you can spend 2 moxie points to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Strength modifier + your monk level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can make an unarmed strike as part of the same reaction.
School of Hard-knocks
By 11th 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.
Knock out
At 17th level, when you hit with an unarmed strike or pugilist weapon, you can spend 1 or more moxie points to try to knock out the opponent instead of dealing damage.
Roll 2d12 per moxie point spent and add your pugilist level to the result; if the total is equal to or greater than the creature’s remaining hit points, it is unconscious for 10 minutes or until it takes damage.