Pugilist Pugilists are characters who prefer to fight with their bare hands. They might make a living by fighting in a ring. Or perhaps they specialize in martial arts. They are strong, tough, and fit into any society that allows professional or street fights. Pugilists make excellent adventurers, as they have quick reflexes and are good in a brawl with monsters. Adventuring gives them an additional outlet for their physical side, and it affords them opportunities to travel to new communities and find new fights. Players might want to consult the Combat and Tactics book for information on unarmed combat and martial arts.

Social ranks: Most pugilists come from poorer families in bad parts of town where people learned to fight to get what or simply to defend themselves. Roll 2d6 to determine a pugilist’s social rank at the beginning of the campaign.

2d6 roll	Social rank
2–10	Lower Class
11–12	Lower Middle Class

Requirements: Pugilists must have minimum Strength/Muscle and Dexterity/Balance scores of 14. This kit is barred to the following races: aarakocra, alaghi, bullywug, centaur, lizard man, minotaur, swanway, thri-kreen, and wemic. The kit is open to all classes except wizards.

Weapon proficiencies: These characters can select any weapon proficiencies allowed their adventuring classes. However, they prefer to fight with their hands. Proficiency and specialization in any form of unarmed combat (punching, wrestling, or martial arts) is recommended for the pugilist.

Recommended nonweapon proficiencies: Blind-fighting, endurance, running.

Equipment: Pugilists prefer to fight in loose-fitting street clothes and unencumbered. They seek magical bracers and rings to make themselves more difficult to be struck. They will wear armor while adventuring—if their character class allows it.

Recommended traits: Keen eyesight, keen hearing, keen sense of touch, light sleeper, ambidexterity.

Benefits: Normally, when a character makes an unarmed attack against an armed opponent or a monster with natural attacks, his foe gains an immediate attack of opportunity with a +4 bonus to his attack roll. This makes it very dangerous for unarmed heroes to attack most enemies. However, pugilists are skilled at fighting armed opponents and monsters with their bare hands; they are treated as if they were armed when making unarmed attacks.

Hindrances: Pugilists are admired when they are in a ring and the crowd is cheering them on. However, people from the middle and upper class prefer not to associate with the ruffians. A pugilist’s Charisma is effectively lowered by 1 when dealing with those from the middle class and by 2 when speaking to people from the upper class.

Wealth: Pugilists begin with the normal amount of gold allowed their character class.

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