Wrestler
Flying through the air, a tabaxi drops an elbow onto a goblin. She immediately pulls the goblin into a headlock, and its eyes roll back as it passes out.
A muscled half-orc pulls a masked human up by his neck. He pulls the human's mask off, screams to the sky, and slams his target's head to the floor.
A nimble halfling darts between the legs of a goliath, making calculated strikes as he moves. The goliath begins to slow, and soon collapses to the floor. The halfling jumps atop his fallen foe and loudly counts to three.
Wrestlers fight by putting on a show, and using various complex techniques to bring a foe to the ground. They often end fights through knocking their opponents out or pinning them to the floor.
The power of Hype
Wrestlers use a special resource called Hype. Wrestlers quickly gain hype, but also quickly expend it as it powers many of the moves they use. The best wrestlers know that fans aren't necessary for hype, that the spirit of wrestling itself drives their moves. As wrestlers train and become stronger, their ability to gain and use hype allows them to gain true mastery over wrestling.
A life in the spotlight
A wrestler lives on the mat. Whether this mat is in the center of an arena or at the center of a goblin encampment matters little. Most wrestlers make a lifestyle in the spotlight, spreading their fame and earning prize money. When their bodies grow old, most then turn to training and opening wrestling schools, or managing a group of up-and-coming wrestlers. In that sense, many wrestlers have a trainer or master who trained them, or a team of friends who trained together.
As adventurers, many wrestlers make a living through open-invite tournaments and arena bouts until they get invited to a large wrestling group such as Undercooked, SmashUp, or Masked Men Below Sea Level. Some however strive to adventure and spread their name across the globe.
Image credits "El Zombo - Top Rope Elbow Drop by Anjin Anhut; http://anjinanhutdesign.tumblr.com/"
The Wrestler
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Wrestler's Strike Die | Maximum Hype | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | 1d4 | 2 | Wrestler's Strike, Hype, Unarmored Defense |
| 2nd | +2 | 1d4 | 4 | Fan Perspective |
| 3rd | +2 | 1d4 | 6 | Wrestling Style, Holds |
| 4th | +2 | 1d4 | 8 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | 1d6 | 10 | Extra Attack, Signature Move |
| 6th | +3 | 1d6 | 12 | Submission, Taunt |
| 7th | +3 | 1d6 | 14 | Wrestling Style Feature, Hyper Strikes |
| 8th | +3 | 1d6 | 16 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | 1d6 | 18 | Comeback, Counter |
| 10th | +4 | 1d6 | 20 | Finisher |
| 11th | +4 | 1d8 | 22 | Entrance |
| 12th | +4 | 1d8 | 24 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | 1d8 | 26 | Fan Perspective Feature |
| 14th | +5 | 1d8 | 28 | Promo Speech |
| 15th | +5 | 1d8 | 30 | Fan Perspective Finisher |
| 16th | +5 | 1d8 | 32 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | 1d10 | 34 | Wrestling Style Feature |
| 18th | +6 | 1d10 | 36 | Main Event |
| 19th | +6 | 1d10 | 38 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | 1d10 | 40 | Pin |
Class Features
As a wrestler, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per wrestler level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per wrestler level after the first
Proficiencies
- Armor: None
- Weapons: Daggers, quarterstaffs, shortbows, light crossbows, improvised weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
- Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) 2 daggers or (b) a quarterstaff
- (a) a short bow and 20 arrows or (b) a light crossbow and 20 bolts
- (a) an entertainer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Wrestler's Strike
At 1st level, your skills with wrestling enhances your unarmed strikes and improvised weapon attacks. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only improvised weapons, and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield.
- You can use dexterity instead of strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and improvised weapons.
- You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or improvised weapon. This die changes as you gain wrestler levels, as shown in the Wrestler's Strike Die column of the Wrestler table.
- When you use the attack action with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a bar stool, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.
- When you attack with an improvised weapon, you chance breaking the weapon when it contacts your target. When you successfully hit a target with an improvised weapon, roll a d20. On a roll of 5 or lower, the weapon breaks and deals an additional 1d4 damage to the target of the same type as the improvised weapon. Magical improvised weapons, such as a chair enchanted to not be wobbly or a Decanter of Endless Water, cannot be broken with this ability.
Hype
At 1st level, you build hype as you execute attacks. Whenever you successfully strike a target with an unarmed attack or improvised weapon during your action or reaction, you gain one hype. You can store a maximum amount of hype equal to twice your wrestler level, represented in the Maximum Hype column of the Wrestler table. The amount of hype you have returns to zero at the end of a long rest, but does not dissipate during a short rest.
You can spend hype to perform various special moves. You start knowing two such moves: Run the Ropes and Hold. You will gain more features that use hype as you gain levels in this class.
If a special move would require your target to make a saving throw, the saving throw DC will be provided with the skill.
Run the Ropes
You can spend 1 hype to take the dash action as a bonus action on your turn.
Hold
You can spend 2 hype and attempt to initiate a grapple, trip, or shove a target as a bonus action.
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.
Fan Perspective
Starting at 2nd level, how the crowd views you begins to have a significant impact on how you wrestle. You may select Face or Heel for your fan perspective. Your choice will carry over and provide additional abilities at 13th and 15th level.
Face
A wrestler who chooses to be a face will generally stand for what is good and right. Often times, fans will cheer as you make your way around, and you are generally seen as a positive force. If you select face as your fan perspective, you gain the following benefits at 2nd level.
- You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. If you are already proficient in persuasion, you gain expertise in the Persuasion skill.
- You generate one additional hype at the start of every second turn in combat.
Heel
A wrestler who chooses to be a heel will generally wrestle for themselves, or for a reason not supported by fans. Often times, you will get booed or ignored as you make your way around, and are generally seen as a negative force. If you select heel as your fan perspective, you gain the following benefits at 2nd level.
- You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. If you are already proficient in intimidation, you gain expertise in the Intimidation skill.
- You generate one additional hype for the first successful attack you make with an improvised weapon during your attack action. You may only gain this benefit once per turn.
Wrestling Style
When you reach 3rd level, you have become experienced enough to evolve your own style of wrestling: Striker, High Flyer, Heavyweight, or Technician. These wrestling styles are detailed at the end of the class description. Your wrestling style grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, and 17th levels.
Working Hold
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to more optimally strike your target from a grappling position. While you have a creature grappled, you can expend 6 hype to gain advantage on the next unarmed strike or improvised weapon attack against the creature. If that attack hits, you deal an additional Wrestler's Strike die of damage to the target.
You may use this feature in conjunction with any wrestler feature that includes an attack roll, but you cannot use this feature more than once during your turn.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
Signature Move
Starting at 5th level, you gain the ability to perform a signature move. During the attack action, you can choose to turn one of your attacks into a signature move by spending 10 hype. You must do this before you roll to attack. If you hit the target with your signature move, the attack deals an additional two Wrestler's Strike damage dice, and the target must succeed on a strength based saving throw or fall prone. Additionally, for the next 30 seconds you may perform a single finishing move for half of the hype cost, if you are capable of doing so.
Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier
Submission
Starting at 6th level, while you have an enemy grappled you can, as an action, spend 12 hype and attempt to put an enemy into a submission hold. Perform another grapple check, and on a success both you and the grappled target are restrained. At the beginning of the creature's turn the target makes a constitution save, with the initial DC listed below. If they fail the save, they lose the ability to perform actions on their turn. Every time they fail the submission hold check, the submission hold DC increases by 1. You gain one hype every time the target fails a submission hold check.
If the target fails the submission hold check as many times as the creature has hit dice, the creature falls unconscious until the end of combat plus an additional 1d10 minutes.
Submission Hold DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus
Taunt
At 6th level, as an action you may spend 6 hype and taunt an enemy. The target makes a Charisma save, and on a fail the target has disadvantage when attacking any creature other than you until the end of your next turn. This ability ends early if another creature deals damage to the target.
Taunt DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Hyper Strikes
Starting at 7th level, your unarmed strikes and improvised weapon attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks or damage.
Comeback
Starting at 9th level, you gain a resurgence of energy when you need it most. When you are below 1/3 of your maximum health, you may activate your comeback on your turn. Doing so grants you an additional action on that turn, as though you had used an action surge, and you gain ten hype.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Counter
At 9th level, you gain the ability to counter an opponents moves, lessening their impact on you. When a creature declares an attack against you, you may use your reaction to spend 8 hype and roll a single wrestler's strike die. Your armor class is increased by the amount rolled for that attack, and if the attack fails to hit you deal damage to the creature equal to the amount rolled.
Finisher
At 10th level, you have developed a finishing move that is unique to you as a wrestler. During your attack action, you can choose to turn one of your attacks into a finishing move by spending 20 hype. You must do this before you roll the attack. If you hit the target with your finishing move, you add 5 wrestler's strike die to the damage of your attack and the target falls prone after the attack. On your next turn, you may perform a pin on the same target for half of the hype cost, if you are capable of doing so.
Additionally, the target must succeed on a constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of your next turn.
Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier
Entrance
At 11th level, when you roll for initiative and have no hype, you gain 4 hype.
Fan Perspective Feature
Based on the previous choice between Face and Heel at level 2, you gain an additional feature at level 13.
Face Comeback Recovery
As a face, when you perform your comeback, you are also healed for 1/4 of your maximum health, rounded down.
Heel Improvised Weapon Improvement
As a heel, you deal additional damage with improvised weapons. Starting at 13th level, you deal 1d10 damage when you hit a target with improvised weapons. This increases to 1d12 at 17th level. Additionally, when you break an improvised weapon on a target, you add an additional 1d6 damage, instead of 1d4, to the damage of the attack.
Promo Speech
Starting at 14th level, you can spend 5 minutes giving a promo speech. For the next 10 minutes following the completion of your promo speech, whenever you would gain a point of hype you instead gain twice as many points of hype.
Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you have finished a long rest.
Fan Perspective Finisher
Based on the previous choice between Face and Heel at level 2, you gain the ability to perform a special finishing move at level 15.
Face Finisher
When you perform a finishing move, you feel a resurgence of strengh. After you complete your finishing move, you may regain hit points equal to half of the damage dealt by your finishing move.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Heel Finisher
Your brutality extends to your finishing move. When you succesfully land a finishing move, you may choose to perform it with an improvised weapon, if you have one available. Doing so adds an additional 2 improvised weapon die to the damage of your finishing move, and, if possible, the improvised weapon also breaks on the target dealing 1d6 damage of the improvised weapon's type to the target. The improvised weapon die you add is found in your level 13 fan perspective feature.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Main Event
Starting at 18th level, you gain the ability to declare yourself the main event. As an action, you can spend 15 hype and cause all targets within a 30 foot radius centered on yourself to make a Charisma saving throw, with the DC outlined below. Anyone who fails the save can only attack you for one minute, and you gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage they deal. They get a save at the end of each of their turns and each time a creature other than you inflicts damage to them to end this effect early.
Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Pin
At 20th level, you have learned to pin your target to the floor with mastery. For 40 hype, you may replace one of your attacks during the attack action with an attempt to pin a single target. When you do so, you initiate a grapple check against a single target. You have advantage on this grapple attempt if the target is prone. If you successfully grapple the target, the target falls prone and is restrained.
If you maintain the grapple for two additional turns, the target falls unconscious until combat ends plus an additional 1d10 minutes. If you or the target are damaged during the pin attempt, the grapple ends.
Wrestling Style
Every wrestler develops a style of fighting that best suits them. Whether that is energetically leaping off of tall objects or masterfully wearing out the limbs of an opponent, a wrestler trains and develops their method to perfection.
Striker
A striker specializes in repeatedly dealing heavy blows to an opponent. Their training ensures that their punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and any other attacks deal the most damage they can.
One Thousand Normal Punches
At 3rd level, you learn to punch with incredible speed. You may spend two hype as a bonus action to take two additional attacks, which must be unarmed strike or improvised weapon attacks.
Extendo Punch
At 7th level, you learn to extend the range of your attacks at the risk of your own safety. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can choose to extend the range of your unarmed strikes and improvised weapon attacks by five feet until the end of your turn.
Doing so leaves you open to attack. Any attack against you has advantage until the beginning of your next turn.
Counting Strikes
At 17th level, your mastery of striking attacks is realized. As an action, you can spend 14 hype to make a series of strikes against a single creature. When you do so, you make unarmed attacks against a single target until you miss an attack. Each time you hit your target the sound of cheering fans emanates from around you which count the number of successful strikes. The sound is audible to anyone within 60 feet of you.
Once you miss an attack, your barrage ends.
This feature generates one hype for every two hits you land on a creature instead of generating one hype for every hit.
High Flyer
A high flyer specializes in making fanciful, risky moves, often from ledges higher than their opponents. High flyers risk great damage to themselves but if they land their moves their opponents are in for a world of hurt.
Springboard Strike
Starting at 3rd level, you learn to leap from an object into an opponent. Once per turn during your attack action, you may spend 4 hype and replace one of your attacks with a springboard strike, which must be declared before you roll to attack. When you do so, you use a wall or similar standing object within 5 feet of you to leap up to 10 feet towards a target, which does not count against your movement for the turn. If there is no standing object nearby, an ally can act as one by using their reaction.
If you successfully hit with this attack, you deal an additional wrestler's strike die in damage for every 5 feet you flew at your target. If you miss this attack, you roll a wrestler's strike die for every 5 feet you flew at your target, and take half of the total (rounded up) as bludgeoning damage.
At 7th level, you may leap up to 15 feet. At 17th level, you may leap up to 20 feet.
Falling With Style
At 7th level, you learn to fall without injuring yourself. You can fall up to 20 feet without taking damage. For any fall larger than 20 feet, calculate damage as though the distance was reduced by 20 feet.
Highest Risk
At 17th level, you learn that sometimes the only way to take down an opponent is to risk your own safety. When you hit a creature with a single attack you may choose to maximize the damage. In return, you take 1/4 of the damage dealt as bludgeoning damage (rounded up).
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Heavyweight
A heavyweight is exactly that: heavy. Their wrestling style has less of a focus on the mastery of flashy techniques, and emphasizes that they are larger than their opponents.
Extra Mass
At 3rd level your oversized build allows you to withstand a beating. You gain two additional health for every wrestler level, which applies retroactively. Additionally, as a reaction, you may spend two hype to gain advantage on any grapple, shove, or trip attempt against you and cause forced movement the is not due to being charmed to be halved. This effect lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
Power Submission
At 7th level, you add your Strength modifier to the initial submission hold DC. The new initial submission DC is seen below.
Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier
Larger Than Life
At 17th level, you learn to lift opponents into the air and slam then to the ground.
Lifted Grapple
While you are grappling a creature of your size category or smaller, you can use a bonus action and spend 8 hype to lift the creature into the air. While you have a grappled creature lifted you suffer no reduction to movement, and you deal an additional wrestler's strike die in damage each time you successfully hit the creature.
Drop
When you have a grappled creature lifted, you can powerfully drop them to the floor. You may replace an attack during your attack action with the drop attack, which must be declared before you roll to hit. If you successfully hit the creature with this attack, you deal an additional two wrestler's strike die in damage, and you generate three additional hype.
Whether you hit or miss with this attack your grapple with the creature ends following the attack.
Technician
A technician wrestler fights by wearing down their opponents. Their goal is to work an opponents arms or legs to the point where they cannot use them, until the creature either submits or breaks.
Limb Target
At 3rd level, you learn how to cause high damage to the limbs of an opponent. Once per turn during your attack action, you can spend 4 hype and replace one of your attacks with a limb targeting attack, which must be declared before you roll to attack. If your attack is successful, you deal an additional wrestler's strike die in damage, and you choose to make the creature drop a single item it is holding or reduce its movement speed by ten feet until the end of its next turn.
Technical Submission
At 7th level, you add your Dexterity modifier to the initial submission hold DC. The new initial submission DC is seen below.
Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier
Break Your Toys
At 17th level, you learn to perform a series of moves that target a specific limb, causing lasting damage. During your attack action, you may spend 10 hype to turn a single attack into a limb injuring attack, which must be declared before you roll to hit. If the attack is successful you deal an additional three wrestler's strike die in damage, and choose to target either the arms or legs.
If you target the arms, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls. At the end of each turn, the creature can make a Constitution saving throw to remove this effect.
If you target the legs, the creature's movement speed is halved and the creature cannot take the dash action. Additionally, the creature has disadvantage on Dexterity based saving throws. At the end of each turn, the creature can make a constitution saving throw to remove this effect.
If a target is suffering from one of these conditions, you have advantage on any grapple check against it to initiate a submission hold.
Save DC = 8 + proficiency + Dexterity modifier
Backgrounds
Every character has a beginning. Your character's background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world.
Luchador
You have crafted a masked identity, which you use to hide your real identity. Your reason for doing so may vary, but it is important to you that your identities remain secret, and you go to great lengths to ensure that nobody learns who is under the mask.
- Skill Proficiencies: Performace, Deception
- Tool Proficiencies: Disguise Kit
- Equipment: A luchador mask, a disguise kit, a set of common clothes, a set of wrestler's clothes, a poster promoting your luchador identity, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
Feature: Luchador Mask
As a Luchador, you have a mask that provides you with a second identity as a wrestler while you wear it. You have advantage on any skill or save to maintain either identity, and anyone who you have not told your alternate identity has disadvantage on any skill check to figure it out.
If you are demasked in public or lose your mask, you do not have access to an alternate identity until you craft a new mask. To do so takes 1 hour and 20 times your character level in gold, which can be done over the course of a long rest.
Suggested Characteristics
A luchador can come from any background, and their strive for glory can suit a multitude of purposes.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I want to wrestle the strongest opponents I can. |
| 2 | I am looking to create a wrestling team. |
| 3 | I wish to earn a title. |
| 4 | I'm a little clueless outside of wrestling. |
| 5 | I'm really looking for a rival. |
| 6 | I hope to open a wrestling school one day. |
| 7 | I want to hold a government position. |
| 8 | The fans are my favorite part of wrestling. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Power. Titles are all that matter. (Evil) |
| 2 | Fame. I aim to be the best in the world at what I do. (Neutral) |
| 3 | Fun. I enjoy a fight where I can go all out! (Any) |
| 4 | Chair. If you're not cheating, you're not trying. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Fairness. The only good fight is a clean fight. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Honor. You must remember you are a role model to someone. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My tag team partner from back home was injured, and I wrestle in their honor. |
| 2 | My younger sister is my number one fan, and I perform for her. |
| 3 | My poor family back home survives on the prize money I send them. |
| 4 | My mother or father taught me to wrestle, and I inherited their mask and name. |
| 5 | My noble family back home has no idea I left to wrestle; they believe I am attending university. |
| 6 | I left my old life behind me in search of new friends and a great story. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have spent so long under the mask that I nearly forgot who I am without it. |
| 2 | I only have respect for those I consider equals. |
| 3 | I consider myself to be a prodigy. |
| 4 | Everyone needs to learn my name. |
| 5 | I end nearly every statement with "Brother!" |
| 6 | I announce the name of every move as I use it. |
Image Credit: Tiger Mask W, Toei Animation
Document created by YokoAhava