Slave Gladiator (D&D class)

Any warrior can fight in the arena. The slave gladiator does so with style and flair, and lives for the thrill of combat, the pleasure of his mistress and the roar of the crowds. Despite the name, freemen do train in this class.

The elite gladiators are picked from the best drow and slave warriors. They must displa speed and agility, as well as a certain flair and talent for unorthodox weapons. They train in a wide variety of weapons and use their skills in the arena, on the battlefield and on slave raids. Some gladiators serve as bodyguards or companions to nobles, and they are sometimes used as hitmen.

Requirements

Requirements: Must be trained in a gladiator school. This is usually a Drow Gladiator Master, but other cultures can have similar fighting schools.

Skills: Balance 4 ranks, Perform 4 ranks, Tumble 4 ranks.

Feats: Mobility, Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon (see list).

Features

Hit Die: d8.

Weapon and armour proficiencies: The gladiator is proficient with light armor and shields. Each school has a list of gladiator weapons. The gladiator has proficiency with the qualifying exotic weapon and all martial or simple weapons. For bookkeeping, change your qualitying Exotic Weapon Proficiency to Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Gladiator).

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Healing (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Level  BAB   Fort  Ref  Will  Dmg   Spd   Arm Special
   1   +1     +0    +2   +0    d6    +0    +0 Special,Gladiator Weapons, Unarmed Strike
   2   +2     +0    +3   +0    d6    +0    +0 Special, Evasion
   3   +3     +1    +3   +1    d6    +0    +0 Flurry, Versatility
   4   +4     +1    +4   +1    d6    +0    +0 Special
   5   +5     +1    +4   +1    d6   +10    +1 Spring Attack
   6   +6     +2    +5   +2    d6   +10    +1 Special
   7   +7     +2    +5   +2    d6   +10    +1 Improved Evasion
   8   +8     +2    +6   +2    d6   +10    +1 Special
   9   +9     +3    +6   +3    d6   +10    +1 Greater Flurry
  10  +10     +3    +7   +3    d6   +10    +2 Special

Unarmed Strike: This is the same ability as the monk's Unarmed Strike and lets the gladiator strike with any part of her body at full Strength bonus. Like the monk, the gladiator has no off hand.The damage is d6 for a Medium sized gladiator. This does not increase with level.

Versatility: The gladiator can inflict lethal or subudal damage with all gladiator weapons without penalty. Note that this ability lets you inflict lethal damage with a whip, even against thick skinned opponents.

Armor: The Gladiator adds her Charisma bonus to her Dexterity bonus, but this is stil limited by armor. This ability works when wearing light or no armor. It works with a buckler and light shields. At level 5, the gladiator adds +1 to the maximum Dexterity bonus of light armor and reduces the armor penalty by the same amount (to a minimum of 0). This bonus increases to +2 at level 10.

Flurry: The Gladiator gains an extra attack at her highest base bonus, but only when unarmed or using gladiator weapons. This replaces any benefit from Two Weapon Fighting or similar feats. You must make a Full Attack in order to use Flurry. This does not stack with monk Flurry of Blows or similar class features. You can attack with a double (gladiator) weapon, but in this case each end counts as a separate weapon (same as for monks).

Greater Flurry: As Flurry, but a second attack.

Speed: Speed increase as monk but slower (same rate as scout?).

Gladiator Weapon: Gladiators are proficient with a variety of exotic and versatile (i.e. cool) weapons. A beginning gladiator is proficient with any simple and martial weapons of his school, as well as his qualifying exotic weapon. These have the gladiator designation, which means that they can be used with flurry. The gladiator adds one exotic every third level (a new one at 3rd level, another at 6th level and so on).

Example: Cassius is a human slave gladiator. At level one, he knows one exotic weapon (net) and all ordinary (non exotic) weapons of his school. He prefers to use the net in combination with trident, and uses his cestus (armor) when he has thrown his other weapons.

Special: Select an ability from the list below:

Armor Defense: As the House Drazhar ability for Drow House Elite (attack with buckler arm with no penalty and keep shield bonus).

Gladiator Weapon Mastery: You gain a +4 (+2?) bonus to any opposed roll to trip or disarm an opponent or avoid this when you are using gladiator weapons. This stacks with feats such as Improved Trip and Improved Disarm.

Gladiator Weapon Finesse: You can use your Dexterity instead of Strength for attacks with gladiator weapons (even two-handed weapons).

Gladiator Weapon Focus: You gain weapon focus for all gladiator weapons.

Close Combat Throw: You can use a ranged weapon (such as a whip or thrown dagger) in a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Hogtie: You can tie a pinned opponent. This is the same as the Justicar class feature (Complete Warrior).

Improved Hogtie is not available, mostly because it's a bit boring and people want to see long, hot wrestling matches, not instant bondage.

Feat: Select one of the following feats (you must meet any prerequisite): Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Quickdraw, Whirlwind Attack, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Far Shot, Lightning Reflexes.

Evasion: You gain the Evasion ability (similar to a monk or rogue). This ability works in no or light armor.

Improved Evasion: You gain the Improved Evasion class ability (similar to a monk or rogue). This ability works in no or light armor.

House Drazhar school

House Drazhar fight with blades, chains and whips. The blades symbolize the House of the Sword Spider, the chain their slavery to Lolth, and the whip the punishment of the Goddess.

Glaive: This long bladed weapon with reach.
Bastard sword (x): Used in two hands and are or in combination with a secondary weapon.
Chain whip (x): This chain weapon is commonly used with thebastard sword. It is useful for attacking an opponent at range and tripping him. This is a one-handed spiked chain (light weapon, d6 damage, can be used at 5' and 10'). It can also be used without spikes in which case it does smashing damage.
Dagger: This light and versatile weapon can be thrown or used in grapple.
Hydraknife (x): This Z-shaped bladed weapon is commonly used in pairs. It can be thrown as well as used in close combat. (one-handed, d6 damage, crit 18x, range 30). It is available in a variety of shapes, all of which have the same game effect. Desipte the name it is a fairly large weapon. (Thought; Reduce damage to d4, use a chakram, no melee though. This means no new weapon which is sort of nice).
Armor: Used for showing off and as a weapon of last resort, a gladiator can strike with any part of her armor for d6 damage. Damage type depends on armor design, but can be piercing (spikes), slashing (bladed gauntlets) or bludgeoning (gauntlet or other part of armor). In game terms, use the bonuses from spikes or gauntlet.
Flail: This chain weapon can be used to trip an opponent.
Whip (x): This flexible weapon can be used to trip and disarm. Note that gladiator versatility allows the gladiator to inflict lethalor subdual damage, efectivel ignore the no damage against thick skinned opponents.

Sample schools

Other drow gladiator schools are possible. They should have a separate weapon list which schould include a few exotic weapons. Basic weapons should be useful, i.e. useable as melee and throwing weapons, being able to trip with or used in one or two hands.

The basic premise of the class is a mobile, flamboyant fighter. The required feats ensures this, particularily when Spring Attack is gained. However, there is nothing to prevent a school from focusing more on strength (Power Attack, Cleave) rather than fancy moves (Improved Disarm, Improved Trip). Feel free to make a new feat list for your new school. This feat list should be fairly limited.

Concept: Powerful attacks with axe or blunt weapons, perhaps used by Orogs or Derro.

Weapons: Bola (x), maul (x), hand axe, waraxe (x), throwing axe, halberd (axelike polearm, can be used to trip), armor, mace, greatclub.

Feats: Brutal throw (complete warrior), Throw Anything, Point Blank Shot, Quickdraw, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Sunder, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Grab, Combat Expertise, Toughness.

Design Notes

This class is obviously based on the monk, but less spiritual and able to fight in light armor. The class allows basic combat training, but since focus is on weapon use, there is no unarmed damage increase. Flurry is kept from the monk class but the progression is simplified since the gladiator has +1 BAB. Flurry encourages the use of gladiator weapons. With the Two Weapon Fighting feat path, players would be tempted to add other weapons (such as looted goodies) to the mix.

A small and maneuverable parrying buckler, and perhaps a small shield fits the concept. The buckler can be incorporate into the armor design for a distinctive look. This could be a huge shoulder guard and armor on one arm; a buckler in game terms, but a cool look for the arena.

Gladiators are flamboyant and distract their opponents, hence Charisma for defense rather that Wisdom. Like the monk, the gladiator gets a defense increase, but this requires armor which is still limited by Dex max. For this reason, gladiators favour mihril breastplates or chains shirts (or plate versions of it).

The Drazhar weapon selection is based on the Dark Eldar Wych gladiators in Warhammer 40,000. Indeed, the concept of mobile, elite warriors who fight with bizarre weapons are inspired by the Wych Cults. The bastard sword is the best equivalent of for the large, curved weapon the wyches use in one or two hands. The chain whip is used in lieu of the razorsnare (a thin wire spool with a hook, used to snare opponents and pull them towards you).

External links

Hypertext d20 SRD Weapon table.