Gladiator
The gladiator is a showman-warrior from Appollonia where public combat competitions are a legal and popular sport. The gladiator is a professional warrior in this high-profile arena; for the delight (and bloodlust) of the crowds, for his own personal wealth and aggrandizement (or, if he is a slave, for the profits of his owner), he fights organized matches against human, demi-human, and even monstrous opponents.
Role
Gladiator sports are highly prized entertainment in Appollonia. Appollonian gladiators have mixed backgrounds - from the wealthy to the enslaved (most often the latter, and most of the slaves are captured in the Wild Lands as ‘prisoners of war’).
The Gladiator is a showy, high-profile warrior. He performs dangerous stunts in combat. He attracts the attention of crowds of admirers. He receives a lot of credit for brave deeds whether he deserves the credit or not. A Gladiator can be a callous brute, a dirty arena fighter with no interests other than killing his enemy as quickly as possible and making off with his prize; or he can be a clean-limbed, heroic figure, a hero who always fights honorably in the arena and never kills when he does not have to.
If a gladiator’s background is that of a slave, the player may want to choose a kit that was part of the gladiator’s former life and choose arena weapons and persona that would be influenced by that prior life.
As noted above, Gladiator combat is a common, legal practice in Appollonia. Gladiator arenas exist in the Wild Lands as well, but few local governments allow such activities.
Distinctive Appearance
None
Special Benefits
Gladiators, because of their intensive training, get a free Weapon Specialization. This doesn't cost any of their beginning weapon proficiencies: They still get all four of those, and get this Specialization free. It must be chosen from one of the following weapons: bow (choice), cestus, dagger, drusus, lasso, net, scimitar, short sword, spear, trident, and whip.
Special Hindrances
Gladiators tend to be recognized - as Gladiators, at least, if not by their own names—wherever they go. This makes it more difficult for them to do things in secret; some troublesome NPC is always remembering "the tall, fair-haired gladiator" who was at the scene of the action, which makes it very easy for the authorities to follow the heroes' trail. (This is something the DM will have to enforce scrupulously if the Gladiator is to have hindrances offsetting his benefits.) Also, and this is strictly a role-playing consideration, promoters and managers are always interfering in the Gladiator's life: Trying to hire him to participate in certain-death events, to fight people the Gladiator doesn't want to fight, to force him to participate in events taking place at the exact time the Gladiator needs to be somewhere else, etc. These promoters will go to any length to get their way; they may blackmail the character, kidnap his followers, use the time-honored bait of a gorgeous romantic interest (whom the Gladiator doesn't immediately realize is an employee of the promoter), and so forth. To make sure this is regarded as a hindrance, the DM should make it clear that these promoters are mostly of the sleazy variety who will cheat, rob and betray him at the drop of a hat.
Class
Attribute Requirements
None
Barred Beliefs
None
Race Requirement
None
Bonus Weapon Proficiencies
Short sword (gladius), trident, net
Required Weapon Proficiencies
None
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies
Gladiators should learn an even mix of normal and unusual weapons.
Barred Weapon Proficiencies
None
Bonus Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Charioteering, Tumbling (for the combat showmanship that characterizes arena fighting)
Recommended Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Animal Handling, Animal Training, Etiquette, Riding (Land-Based), Armorer, Blind-Fighting, Endurance, Gaming, Weaponsmithing, Healing
Equipment
The Gladiator may buy any sort of non-magical weapon or combination of weapons before beginning play. However, he must choose his armor from Gladiator style armor.
Wealth Options
The Gladiator gets the standard 5d4 x 10 gp to spend, and may spend it any way he chooses or have it all unspent at the beginning of play.
Homeland Terrain
None
Economic System
None