| Prime Requisite: | STR |
| Requirements: | None |
| Hit Dice: | 1d8 |
| Maximum Level: | 14 |
This is a variant of the Barbarian campaign class from the ACKS Player's Companion.
Gladiatorial combat, fought in arenas—ranging from fighting-pits to grand colosseums—by slaves and captives, often against bred or captured beasts and monsters, is a popular sport throughout the city-states. Entire schools of gladiator-slaves exist, sponsored or owned by wealthy merchants and nobles, who hire their fighters out to games organized by the templars and sorcerer-kings. Fortunes have been made and lost betting on these games.
The gladiators who fight to slake the bloodlust of others are elite warriors, trained in the ways of the bloody sands. They are less well-rounded than common fighters, but excel in their own styles.
Gladiators are masters of combat. At first level, gladiators hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws and saving throws as fighters, by two points every three levels of experience. They increase their base damage roll from successful melee attacks by +1 at 1st level, and by an additional +1 at 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th level. Gladiators can wield any one- or two-handed melee weapons, but may not use missile weapons (except for thrown melee weapons). Gladiators are masters of combat. At first level, gladiators hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws and saving throws as fighters, by two points every three levels of experience. They increase their base damage roll from successful melee attacks by +1 at 1st level, and by an additional +1 at 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th level. Gladiators can wield any weapon.
Gladiators are only trained to fight in chain mail or lighter armor, and most fight in light armor; they gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class if wearing leather armor or less and able to move freely. At 7th level, the AC bonus increases to +2, and at 13th level the AC bonus increases to +3.
Gladiators are specialized combatants, and each is trained in two combat styles: choose two from weapon and shield, two-handed weapon, and two weapons.
Gladiators possess honed reflexes that give them a +1 bonus to initiative and +1 bonus to surprise rolls.
Gladiators often receive poor treatment for their injuries, and must rely on their savage resilience to survive. When a gladiator is require to consult the Mortal Wounds table, the player may roll twice and choose the preferred result to apply. Gladiators also substract their class level from the number of days of bed rest required to recover.
Each gladiator has a combat specialty that they are trained in for the arena. Choose one of the following proficiencies: Acrobatics, Armor Training, Blind Fighting, Combat Trickery (any one), Fighting Style (any one), Skirmishing, or Weapon Focus (any one).
When a gladiator reaches 5th level (Gladiator Exemplar), his battlefield prowess inspires others to follow him. Any henchmen and mercenaries hired by the gladiator gain a +1 bonus to their morale score whenever he personally leads them. This bonus stacks with any modifiers from the gladiator's Charisma or proficiencies.
At 9th level (Pit Lord), a gladiator can, assuming enough gold is at hand, build a fortified village in the borderlands or wilderness. When he does so, up to 1d4+1×10 0th level mercenaries and 1d6 gladiators of 1st–3rd level will come to apply for jobs and training. If hired, they must be paid standard rates for mercenaries. The character becomes the Pit Lord of any nearby settlers, and will attract more settlers (escped slaves) over time. Through force of arms, the gladiator may ultimately control several villages or even conquer city-states, but must be a capable, strong leader and provide protection. Additional rules for strongholds are detailed in the Campaign chapter.
Gladiator Proficiency List: Acrobatics, Alertness, Ambushing, Armor Training, Berserkergang, Blind Fighting, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (Disarm, Force Back, Knock Down, Overrun, Sunder, Wrestle), Command, Dungeon Bashing, Endurance, Fighting Style, Gambling, Intimidation, Kin-Slaying, Leadership, Manual of Arms, Running, Skirmishing, Unarmed Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus
| Experience | Title | Level | Hit Dice | Damage Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Pitfighter | 1 | 1d8 | +1 |
| 2,600 | Gladiator | 2 | 2d8 | +1 |
| 5,200 | Weaponmaster | 3 | 3d8 | +2 |
| 10,400 | Gladiator Hero | 4 | 4d8 | +2 |
| 20,800 | Gladiator Exemplar | 5 | 5d8 | +2 |
| 41,600 | Gladiator Myrmidon | 6 | 6d8 | +3 |
| 85,000 | Arena Champion | 7 | 7d8 | +3 |
| 170,000 | Epic Gladiator Hero | 8 | 8d8 | +3 |
| 290,000 | Pit Lord | 9 | 9d8 | +4 |
| 410,000 | Pit Lord, 10th level | 10 | 9d8+2* | +4 |
| 530,000 | Pit Lord, 11th level | 11 | 9d8+4* | +4 |
| 650,000 | Pit Lord, 12th level | 12 | 9d8+6* | +5 |
| 770,000 | Pit Lord, 13th level | 13 | 9d8+8* | +5 |
| 890,000 | Gladiator Warlord | 14 | 9d8+10* | +5 |
| * Hit point modifiers from Constitution are ignored | ||||
| Level | Petrification & Paralysis | Poison & Death | Blast & Breath | Staff & Wands | Spells | Attack Throw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15+ | 14+ | 16+ | 16+ | 17+ | 10+ |
| 2–3 | 14+ | 13+ | 15+ | 15+ | 16+ | 9+ |
| 4 | 13+ | 12+ | 14+ | 14+ | 15+ | 8+ |
| 5–6 | 12+ | 11+ | 13+ | 13+ | 14+ | 7+ |
| 7 | 11+ | 10+ | 12+ | 12+ | 13+ | 6+ |
| 8–9 | 10+ | 9+ | 11+ | 11+ | 12+ | 5+ |
| 10 | 9+ | 8+ | 10+ | 10+ | 11+ | 4+ |
| 11–12 | 8+ | 7+ | 9+ | 9+ | 10+ | 3+ |
| 13 | 7+ | 6+ | 8+ | 8+ | 9+ | 2+ |
| 14 | 6+ | 5+ | 7+ | 7+ | 8+ | 1+ |