Yakuza, Variant (5e Class)

The Yakuza

A group of thugs are harassing a merchant's stand, asking for much more money than was previously negotiated. As soon as a punch is thrown, a stocky half orc steps in to catch the fist with one hand and swiftly brings the assailant to the ground with the other. The towering man turns his piercing gaze to the other thugs and unbuttoning his dress shirt a bit, flashes them a tattoo of a raging red dragon. As soon as they see this they apologize and run off. The lone Yakuza produces a pouch of gold from his slick white suit and hands it to the merchant. "For your troubles." He lights a cigarette and walks off into the darkness of the city.

The Extreme Path

Yakuza are thought of by the public as many things. Thugs, extortionists, thieves, but they are by large, protectors of the weak, acting as an unofficial police force. Members of the yakuza belong to large crime syndicates, divided into clans, that base themselves on strict discipline and a system of hierarchy. While protecting and supporting the communities they represent, yakuza take many opportunities to get to the top of the economic food chain and increase their power and control of illegal activities. Yakuza are built upon respect and responsibility- known to be the toughest of the tough.

Creating a Yakuza

Informational Preface

This class is designed as a versatile rogue/fighter-esque unarmed class. It is highly based on strength and constitution with a few features relying on charisma. I gained inspiration for many of the features from an Oriental Adventures Yakuza subclass for the Rogue which can be found here: https://www.tribality.com/2015/02/12/oriental-adventures-yakuza/ This is very much inspired after the Ryu Ga Gotoku (or, Yakuza) video game series and it's characters and I hope to have successfully emulated the playstyle of said game.

Character Questions

As a Yakuza, you are a member of a renown criminal organization and work under a clan, a smaller piece of the national crime syndicate. Is your clan territory based in a small town or large city? Maybe they has control of a little bit of a countryside. Yakuza remain largely neutral, but will try to stay on the side of lawful or good due to their code of honor and discretion. There can be evil or particularly chaotic Yakuza however. What goal(s) does your character want to accomplish? Perhaps they went out of line in the past, was punished for it and want to rise back up the ranks to gain favor from their boss, maybe they want to overthrow the current boss, or perhaps they just want to gain enough money to pay off their debts and be able to get out of the crime game for good. Think of what kind of work they primarily do for their clan, are they a bodyguard, club owner, spy, debt collector, or hired assassin? Yakuza will usually have intricate and menacing back tattoos and body modifications that reflect their own personality and ideals. What design do they have tattooed on their back? Or is their tattoo just a fresh outline?

Quick Build

You can make a Yakuza quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Criminal background or whatever you feel fits your character.

Class Features

As a Yakuza you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Yakuza level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Yakuza level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: light armor
Weapons: simple weapons, unarmed attacks, improvised weapons
Tools: thieves' tools, one gaming set
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: choose four from: Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• leather armor
• (a) any simple weapon, or (b) dagger or (c) a tanto (1d6 slashing damage)
• (a) thieves' tools, or (b) one gaming set
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 3d8 x 10 PP in funds.

Table: The Yakuza

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Fighter’s Fists, Criminal Reputation, Yakuza Heat, Stylish Defence
2nd	+2	Cho-Han
3rd	+2	Grappling Expertise, Yakuza Style, More than Marking
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack
6th	+3	I know you’re there
7th	+3	Challenge
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Uncanny Dodge
10th	+4	Increased Critical
11th	+4	Heated Fist
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Extra Attack x2
14th	+5	Kyofu
15th	+5	Cross Counter
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Climax Move
18th	+6	Mr. Shakedown
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Kumicho

Fighter's Fists

At starting level, your unarmed attacks deal 1d4 damage + Strength modifier, this damage increases to 1d6 at level 5, 2d4 at level 11 and 1d10 at level 17.(your dexterity mod can be used in strength place)

Stylish Defense

Your fighting style provide you protection. Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Strength modifier + your Constitution modifier.

Criminal Reputation

At starting level, you are more effective when dealing in the art of criminal trade. You gain advantage to any checks made to buy or sell illicit goods. Additionally, you will not get in trouble with the law when caught for minor crimes such as not paying for food, or breaking small property. Consult your DM about what situations would apply to this Feature.

Cho-Han

At 2nd level, on any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you have the chance to roll an additional D20 and declare even(Cho) or odd(Han). If it lands on what you predicted, you add the score of the dice to your roll. Otherwise it is discarded. You can do this action twice until completing a short or long rest.

More than markings

At 3rd level, You get to choose a tattoo to have etched onto your body. This tattoo is more then just a marking on your body, it has a connection to you and gives you strength when needed.

Dragon: Your eyes emanate a presence that commands respect, and you gain an enviable resistance. You can now do a grapple right after a unarmed strike. At 5th level, you can make another unarmed strike on the grappled creature. Can cast the jump spell at will. Resist falling damage.

Demon: You can use your action to unleash the demonic energy within your tattoo, causing your eyes to darken and two hellish demon horns to sprout from your head while your body's color shifts to black (or red). Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. Once on each of your turns, you can deal extra necrotic damage to one target, when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra necrotic damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Tiger: When you’re attacked and the attack lands, you can use your reaction to make the roll count as a critical fail. You take 1d12 of force damage. You can use this feature once per long rest. Can take a -4 penalty on attack roll to do 2d10 of piercing damage(can be done once per long rest)

Koi: You have a swimming speed of 45ft and can breath underwater. Can cast Tidal Wave once per day.

Butterfly: You grow a set of butterfly wings from your back. You can fly 20 feet. You activate this as an action and last 1 minutes, this can be done once per day. You can cast sleep once per day.

Grappling Expertise

At 3rd level, you gain Advantage on all Grapple checks. This Feature applies only to being grappled through physical means, no outright Advantage against being held by spells or other magic.

Yakuza Style

Anyone can fight, but you can do it better. At 3rd level you can choose one of four fighting archetypes, those types being Brawler, Rush, Beast, and Dragon style.

Yakuza Heat

At 4th level, a Yakuza gains power referred to as "heat" through extensive fighting, glowing with a colored aura of their choosing. When releasing your heat on a bonus action, you gain these features for 1 minute:

- Advantage on Strength Checks & Saves

- +1 to melee attacks & damage using Strength

- +1 AC

- unable to use spells if possible

- unable to use the Uncanny Dodge or Cross Counter actions

You can release heat once a day before taking a long rest. This is increased to twice per long rest at level 3, and three times per long rest at level 8 and four times at 15 level.

Ability Score Increase

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

At 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 13th level in this class.

I know you're there...

At 6th level, you are so used to getting ambushed that you always expect it, you get +1 to passive perception.

Challenge

At 7th level, you may use an action to challenge any enemy your size or smaller to a 1-on-1 bout. The enemy must pass a wisdom saving throw, with a DC equal to 8 + your intimidation modifier + your proficiency bonus. If he fails, the targeted enemy will only attack you and the bout ends when one combatant is Incapacitated, Surrenders, or if you Attack another enemy.

Uncanny Dodge

At 9th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an Attack, you can use your Reaction to halve the attack's damage against you. Due to the restriction of using your Reaction, only one attack per round can qualify for Uncanny Dodge.

Increased Critical

At 10th level, you gain critical hits on Attack rolls of 19 and 20.

Heated Fist

At 11th level, Your fist became magical weapons for the purpose of overcoming non-magical resistances. This magic feature doesn't carry over to weapons if you decide to use them.

Extra Attack x2

The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 13th level in this class.

Kyofu

At 14th level, you have become a truly intimidating character and are more able to instill fear into any intelligent creature your size or smaller. Whenever you perform an Attack action that results in a critical hit, those creatures in a 30 foot radius must save a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength or Dexterity Mod), or drop whatever it is holding and suffer the frightened condition until the end of your next turn. You can also choose to perform Kyōfu against one creature with a successful Intimidate skill check against the creature’s Wisdom score. You furthermore gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill if not already.If you already have, you gain a proficiency of charisma of your choice

Cross Counter

At 15th level, your Uncanny Dodge feature is improved to Cross Counter. When an attacker that you can see hits you with a melee Attack, you can use your reaction to instantly land a melee attack of your own back to your attacker. Like Uncanny Dodge, you only take half damage. Only one (melee) attack against you per round can qualify for a Counter Attack. You may still use Uncanny dodge against attacks other than melee.

Climax Heat Move

At 17th level, as an action, you may attempt a powerful attack on an enemy that is grappled, or under the effects of a condition, to deal 7d12 magical damage + your Strength or Dexterity modifier. (magical damage to overcome resistances) If the enemy is dropped to 0 hit points, your use is not expended. You may use this Feature once per short or long rest.

Mr. Shakedown

At 18th level, you have learned how to effectively shake down your enemies. Whenever an enemy is reduced to 0 hit points in combat, you gain 1d4 x 5 gp.

Kumicho

At 20th level, you have proven through your own prowess to be worthy of becoming Kumicho- a Yakuza boss. As the boss, while rolling for initiative, you may choose whether to take first or last initiative, or to roll for it regularly as long as you are not already incapacitated. On top of this, you have built resistance to all forms of poison damage.

Brawler Style

Upon choosing this Archetype at 3rd level, your unarmed strikes do double the dice (i.e 1d6=2d6).

Fight me like a man!

At 3rd level, You can use your reaction to disarm a opponent attacking you. You make a contested strength check, if you succeed you take the weapon and get to use the weapon to attack. At 10th level you can break the weapon after attacking, causing the creature to make a wisdom save contested by your intimidation. If they fail they are frightened.

Drunken Warrior

at 4th level if you Drink any alcoholic beverage and succeed its constitution save throw you can attack twice, if you are prone, you can stand up using 5 feet instead of half of you movement speed and can use evasion.

Just you and me

At 6th level, whenever you use the challenge feature, you have +3 on all attacks made against that creature.

This is your grave

At 9th level, whenever your fighting more the one enemy, and you are alone, your damage dice multiplies four times at level 9, and five times at level 13. This ends when an ally joins you, or when only one opponent remains.(i.e 1d6=4d6 at level 9, and 1d6=5d6 at level 13)

Rush Style

Upon choosing this Archetype at 3rd level, you gain +25 speed and you can attack two more times after taking the attack action, Your heat now can use strength or dexterity.

Where did you go!?!

At 3rd level, whenever someone makes a melee attack against you and misses you can use your reaction to faint behind them. if you choose not to attack your enemy that turn, you can dash away without provoking a opportunity attack (you have the sneak attack damage of a rogue is the same level than you, ending in the level 10).

Mirror Attack

At 4th level if any attack comes to you, you can use the attack action at no cost. If anyone is nearby you not including party members, or if no enemy is nearby, you only take the damage.

Fight or Flight

At 6th level, You can use a bonus action to disengage. If you have an ally with in range and are hidden, you can wrap around your opponent and add 2d8 of sneak attack damage to your attack,later it increases to 3d8 at level 8 and 4d8 at level 15

The more the merrier

At 9th level, your supernatural speed allows you to attack all enemies with in your range. At 13th level, you get to attack all enemies twice, this only applies of more then one person is within your range.

Beast Style

Upon choosing this Archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to enter a beast like stance. Your movement speed becomes 0 and you’re unable to attack. However, you gain +5 to your armor class and at the end of your turn you gain an additional point to your AC. while in this stance you’re resistance to non-magical bludgeoning and slashing damage. Getting hit will knock you out of this stance after damage is calculated and your damage dice is tripled (i.e 1d6=3d6).

Bulldoze

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to dash and become a running battering ram. You can dash up to your full dashing speed (minimum 5ft.) in any direction in a straight line. All enemies that get in the way of this must make a strength save. You must roll as well, and add your Strength(Athletics) bonus. This becomes the DC of your opponents strength save. On a failed save, they take 3d6 of bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. If they pass they take half damage and aren't knocked prone. At 6th level, you can change direction once at any point in the dash. This feature can be used twice before needing a short or long rest. this damage increases to 4d6 at level 6 and 6d6 at level 10

Fatal Error

At 4th level you have enough of any enemy attacking you, if you received damage and your hp is below half,you can use you reaction in order to attack 1 time a enemy at least 10 feet of you and make a fatal damage of 4d8.this feature can be used twice before needing a short or long rest.

Brutal Fighter

At 6th level, your savage fighting style allows you to grab near by enemies or objects and turn them into improvised weapons. When making an attack roll you can take a -5 penalty to hit. If you succeed, you grab a near by item, object, or fallen creature and use them during the attack doing a 4 Extra dices of damage depending on what is used, this is up to your DM.

Beast Within

At 9th level, you gain permanent +2 of AC and resistance to slashing damage and you can now move half of your movement speed when in the beast stance.at level 13 you also gain resistance to non-magic damage

Dragon Style

You have reach the status of legend and become a dragon, you are an expert on martial arts in a brutal and agile way that even the strongest enemy will think twice before attacking you, you gain +10 of speed, also your Unarmed Strikes counts as Magical, also you gain the power of natural armor without the vulnerability, also your fist have extra power by increasing of the die you have for attack by +1, also you gain 1 extra attacks.

Prerequisites

In order to access to this Style you have to be True Neutral, Choatic Good, Choatic Neutral, or Neutral Good and also have 15 strength, 14 wisdom and 14 constitution.

The Legend Itself

At 3rd level you gain Heat Points to use in different actions such as change your style temporarily or make your fists magical, below is a table of how many Heat Points you have per level starting at 3rd level, you can recover any expended points by Short rest, long rest, or by Killing a enemy but by using this method you only recover 2 per enemy.

Level Heat Points 1st - 2nd - 3rd 6 4th 8 5th 10 6th 12 7th 13 8th 14 9th 15 10th 16 11th 17 12th 18 13th 20 14th 22 15th 23 16th 24 17th 25 18th 26 19th 27 20th 28+Strength or Dexterity Modifier Actions Evasion If you expend 2 Heat Points You can use the Evasion Action against any attack as long as you see it and you have a reaction.You can only use this skill 3 times a day and 1 time per turn Heat Fist You expend 1 Heat Points to make your Unarmed Strikes for 1 turn have 1d6 fire damage and be resistant to fire. Change Style You are a legend and with that comes certain abilities between them. Change the style you are using: if you spend 3 Heat Points you can change between the 4 styles of the Dragon : Brawler, Rush, Beast and Dragon itself for 30 seconds using their Styles instead of the dragon. (You are not locked in to that Style and can end it and can still use Heat Actions) Extra Attack You can have an extra attack for 30 Seconds at the cost of 3 Heat Points. Solid Natural Armor You can Expend 5 Heat Points to, for 30 Seconds, gain an extra +3 in your AC. You cannot stack this or with Yakuza Heat. Heat Heal If you use 2 Heat points you can cast the "Healing Word" on you or on a party member. Not Done Yet At 4th level if your HP goes to 0 the power of the dragon come to you and you get up to continue the fight and gain the effects of heat at double(AC & Damage Roll) and can use magic(if you have), however this come at a cost, you life is equal to 0 and if you get damage equal to your life three times you die automatically roll death saving throws also the effects of healing magic or status effects cant be use on you and you are automatically on heat all the time using this feat, if you survive using this feat you get level 3 exhaustion and cant use it again until you remove this side effect. Big Enemy Big Yakuza At 6th level if you are fighting an enemy who is bigger in Size or CR than you, you add +1 to the attack roll and +4 to the damage against him. This increases to +1 on the attack roll and +6 to the damage at level 9. The higher they are, the harder they fall. Like a Dragon At 9th level whenever you're fighting more than one enemy and you are alone, you gain the power of a dragon at is finest. Your punches can pass through enemies and can hit up to 2 enemies if they are within to 10 feet away from you. The heat coming from you makes you immunity to fire and resistant to cold damage and you cannot be prone, paralyzed or frightened. You can use magic if you have access to it while using heat actions. Multiclassing Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Yakuza class, you must meet these prerequisites: 14 strength, 14 constitution Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Yakuza class, you gain the following proficiencies: none Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes