[5E] Let's Brainstorm a Sumo Class!

[Hexmage-EN]

I thought this might be a fun diversion. What would a Sumo class be like?

Off the top of my head, here are some features I could see:
- A way to make grappling more effective, such as by making it take less time and deal damage. Maybe a target can be pinned just by standing on them, freeing the sumo to attack without letting the target go.
- The supernatural ability to create a warded ring. Perhaps creatures that leave the ring are damaged or impaired in some way so long as the sumo themself remains in the ring.
- Unarmed strikes that can push enemies away or knock them prone.
- The ability to barrel through an enemy's space, knocking it prone and trampling it.
- A supernatural ability to temporarily change from medium to large, or maybe even huge (I'm imagining a human effectively growing to the height and girth of an ogre or hill giant). This way a sumo could even wrestle dragons!
- An ability to resist forced movement and some damage types (like maybe bludgeoning and cold).

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sumo, is, and always has been, a sport. From a philosophical point of view, it would be like having a pro-footballer class.

You could do a monk subclass which emphasises grappling, but I think I would call it something else.

 

[Jonathan Alvear]

Sumo, is, and always has been, a sport. From a philosophical point of view, it would be like having a pro-footballer class.

You could do a monk subclass which emphasises grappling, but I think I would call it something else.

Let’s play with that. Call it the Way of the Rikishi or Way of the Grasping Palm.

Level 3
Iron Grip
Proficiency in Athletics if you don’t already have it.
Add twice your proficiency bonus to grapple checks.
Can initiate a grapple as a bonus action.

Massive Body
You can choose to use STR instead of DEX when calculating your armor class. (AC = 10 + STR/DEX + WIS)

Level 6
Thousand Hands
When you focus on a single opponent, you gain an additional unarmed strike as part of your Flurry of Blows. All strikes must be unarmed to use this feature. In other words, you choose a target and attack that target with up to 5 unarmed strikes. In addition, if any of the FoB strikes hit, the target must make a STR save or be pushed back 5 ft.

Level 11
Irresistible Charge
When moving in a straight line, you may spend 2 Ki points to initiate a charge. While charging, your movement speed increases by 5 ft and you ignore difficult terrain. You also have advantage for any attempt to shove an opponent. If you activate Thousand Hands, the target has disadvantage when attempting to resist being pushed backwards. The target can only be pushed straight backwards (along the line of your charge).

Level 17
Supreme Body
You may spend 6 Ki points to enter a state of superior strength and power. You may now grapple, move, and/or shove any creature up to two sizes larger than you (e.g., if you are Medium-sized, you may grapple a creature up to Huge-sized.) You also gain resistance to all Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage. This state lasts for one minute. You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.

 

[Ranthalan]

Let’s play with that. Call it the Way of the Rikishi

Nice. I may use this in the campaign I'm designing.

 

[Imaculata]

Maybe some stability related bonuses as well, and the ability to push enemies away a few squares? But I think Jonathan has already covered the latter in great detail.

I could see some honorable vow's, such as a vow of non violence fit into this class quite well too. A class who's goal is to disable his opponents, and control their position, rather than perhaps kill them?

 

[akr71]

Nice! You threw that together rather quickly, or is it something you had worked on previously?

I am likely going to steal this...

 

[TiwazTyrsfist]

Sumo, is, and always has been, a sport. From a philosophical point of view, it would be like having a pro-footballer class.

You could do a monk subclass which emphasises grappling, but I think I would call it something else.

Sumo is considered a specific martial art form, like Karate or Judo. Sumo has styles, schools and traditions.
A Sumo wrestler is specifically called an Ozumo (sumo with the honorific O prefix). (general term, as opposed to the specific rank names)

So, Ozumo should be an appropriate name for either a class or, more likely, a Monk subclass (as Monk has become the default Martial Artist).


As for Mechanics, I'd go with the following:
- Counting as Large for the purpose of Grappling and Shoving (both as actor and target)
- Ki powers for Advantage on Grappling and Shoving
- Some specific bonus to Grappling or Shoving as part of a Flurry
- Ki power to increase range on a Shove (Successful shove is normally 5ft)
- Ability to lift and throw grappled target (ki power?)
- Bonus of some sort to moving with or re-positioning a grappled target.
- Sumo is often decided by a sudden fast open, maybe some form (ki power?) of first round only initiative bonus with advantage on first attack?

 

[jgsugden]

I'm not an expert, but I think there is more to the history of Sumo than just a sport. I believe there is something about them wrestling divine spirits.

 

[Jonathan Alvear]

Nice! You threw that together rather quickly, or is it something you had worked on previously?

I am likely going to steal this...

Wrote it on the train in to work.

 

[Ganymede81]

The Battlemaster is already a pretty good fit for a sumo. It combines the study of a combat science/art with a more worldly knowledge of a courtly custom.

Failing that, the Open Hand tradition also works. In fact, a sumo very much seems like a fighter monk multiclass.