Patron Exclusive: College of Mourning Archetype for Bard

So, my take is to take the ways the monk and pugilist differ and use that to inform how the Lethal Weapon would work. A monk is dexterous and wise, using their mysticism to stay mobile and avoid attacks. Therefore, the kensei uses weapons that aren't heavy, using their agility to maneuver and parry. A pugilist is tough, with staying power. Whereas the kensei uses weapons that lack the heavy or special property, I could see the subclass using weapons that lack the light or special property ("lethal weaponry"). At 3rd, they could use their moxie to strike back after being hit ("counter-affront)", or make an extra attack with a ranged weapon against a different enemy ("collateral damage"). At 6th they could have magical lethal weaponry as that's kind of mandatory, but gain the ability to spend moxie to make an extra attack when swinging haymakers ("wild weapons"), at 11th they could have an ability to take half damage from an attack... but damage one of their weapons in the process ("scrap-blocker"), and at 17th they could have an ability to, upon hitting with a lethal weapon, treat it as a critical hit... by breaking it across the enemy ("breaking blow"). Just some suggestions. I'd love to hear what you think.

S L Hall

I always pictured pugilists being able to use guns in settings that have them...that's why they have proficiency with hand crossbows. That said, one of my hesitancies to make them use any weapon was that I wasn't sure 1.) how to differentiate it from Kensai monk features and 2.) how to keep it feeling distinctly pugilist.

Benjamin Huffman

I'm not on board with ranged weapons, I don't know why, but thrown weapons could be cool.

Maybe including ranged weapons, or at least thrown ones, just for some added flexibility

Joel David Allport-Cohoon

I mean, I personally like the idea of choosing a specific weapon to be good with (and this could include selecting "improvised weapons"), and gaining proficiency with your selected weapon and making it a pugilist weapon, giving a slightly increased selection for how your pugilist fights

Joel David Allport-Cohoon

Improvised weapons, yeah, but also using *anything* as a melee or even thrown weapon. Maybe even including people. Grapple an enemy and use them as a great club, dealing damage to them and whatever you hit with them.

Ben Fowler

Person above me said Jackie Chan and I have to admit that might be a good inspiration for a Pugilist who focuses on improvised weapons!

K. A. Winter

I'd love the idea of a pugilist archetype focused on improvised weapons. Honestly, proficiency with improvised weapons is the feature that originally jumped out at me and drew my attention to the class. So I am all for that! Could add a small, but useful thing like being able to grab an improvised weapon as part of an attack. That way, you could do things like grabbing mug after mug off the table to smash into someone. Or shoving a torch into one monster, kicking a rock at another, etc. Or being able to use improvised weapons to get a bonus to grappling, trip, etc. - thinking along the lines of Jackie Chan with a chair or ladder.

Ken Marable

Small annoying lawyer would have to be a Scholar which, imo, is kind of a dream duo.

Benjamin Huffman

I got ideas for the Pugilist, a "I'm too old for this shit" feature, a loose cannon, a mullet, bikinis and a small annoying lawyer. You're welcome!