Fisticuffs in Shadowdark RPG

These are some basic rules for fighting without weapons in the Shadowdark RPG, followed by my homebrewed Brawler class, a warrior dedicated to unarmed combat.

Unarmed combat basics: a normal combatant does 1d3 damage with any punch, elbow, kick, or headbutt strike.

Grappling basics: Forego damage on an unarmed attack to grab an opponent. A grabbed opponent cannot move away from you. On two successful grabs, the opponent is grappled, they make all attacks at disadvantage and cannot cast spells. Grappling does no initial damage, but each succeeding round you can choose to autohit the opponent for 1d2 crushing damage. Breaking loose from a grapple requires winning an opposed Strength or Dexterity check.

Tripping: You can make an opposed strength or dexterity check to knock an opponent prone as a trip attack. A prone enemy makes attacks at disadvantage and loses an attack to stand up. You can do this unarmed or with a weapon.

Disarm: You can make to hit roll against an opposed strength or dexterity check to knock a weapon out of an opponent’s hand as a disarm instead of attacking for damage. The weapon lands in close range. On a critical success you can choose to grab the weapon if you have a free hand. You can do this with a weapon or unarmed.

The Brawler Class

Whether a discipline monk studying martial arts to gain enlightenment or a brutal street thug fighting in bars, the Brawler is a specialist in unarmed combat techniques like boxing and wrestling, and is often called upon to use improvised weapons such as beer mugs, torches, and barstools. They wear lighter armour to take advantage of their manoeuvrability and are not trained in shields. Inured to pain and fast on their feat, some become resistant to blows or learn to better dodge attacks. All can increase their skill in one chosen fighting style, either striking or grappling. When armed, Brawlers prefer simple weapons that do not require a lot of training, but like a variety of types of different kinds of conflicts.

Weapons: Club, Dagger, Mace, Shortsword, Spear, Staff, Warhammer

Armour: Leather or Chainmail armour.

Hit Points: 1d8 per level

Hauler. Add your Constitution modifier, if positive, to your gear slots.

Unarmed Combat Mastery. Pick either boxing or grappling. You gain +1 to attack and damage with that style of combat. In addition, add half your level to these rolls (round down).

• Boxing: You can punch, kick, and headbutt for 1d4 damage per hit instead of the normal 1d3 damage. On each successful hit for maximum damage (4 hp), you gain a bonus boxing attack.
• Grappling: You can turn any successful hit into a grab. The initial grab does no damage, but a grabbed opponent can be autohit each seceding round for 1d3 damage.
• Criticals: on any critical hit with boxing or grappling, you can choose to knockout an opponent, putting them to sleep for 1d4 minutes.

Grit. Choose Strength or Dexterity. You have advantage on checks of that type to overcome an opposing force, such as kicking open a stuck door (Strength) or slipping free of rusty chains (Dexterity).

2d6 Effect

2 +1 on trip attempts to knock an opponent prone.

3-4 +1 to unarmed strikes and grapples

5-6 +2 to Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution stat

7-8 absorb 1 hp of damage from unarmed attacks

9-10 +1 AC while wearing leather or no armour

11 +1 on disarm attempts

12 Choose a talent or +2 points to distribute to stats

Level Lawful Chaotic Neutral

• 1-2 Boxer Bully Puncher
• 3-4 Wrestler Ruffian Grappler
• 5-6 Pugilist Mugger Streetfighter
• 7-8 Prizefighter Brawler Crusher
• 9-10 Martial Artist Palooka Slayer