Best template(s) from gladiators?

[JiCi]

Hi,

For an upcoming story arc (I love using that term to define quests within a campaign), I plan on having the players set up for an unfair gladiator match. What I mean is basically a situation where the players are outnumbered, and will probably be unarmed, and that the players will have to survive, flee or try their luck in fighting the gladiators. Think of it of a situation where there used to be public slaughtering of slaves, that used to happen back in Rome.

Here's my conundrum: the gladiators are gonna be the equivalent of a strike force, or the ruler's personal gladiator team. I'm looking for original ways to make them unique. I have decided the race for them, but... I'm looking for something more, like a template to give them that beefer look. I don't want my gladiator team to just be a bunch of NPCs with class levels, I want them to have that thing which makes them stronger... and worthy of being a gladiator team to begin with.

While I did decided my race for the team, take it as if the template or templates I'm looking for could be applied to any race, whether be dwarves, orcs or hobgoblins.

I know that I could apply the Advanced template for a stat boost... but is there something else that I can use instead of that ? I have nothing against that template, safe that it's not very exotic-looking.

Thanks in advance.

[Ganryu]

Give them unusual weapons.

Tridents, scythes, longspears.

[JiCi]

Ganryu wrote:

Give them unusual weapons.

Tridents, scythes, longspears.

I thought of that... but I'm looking more for a template that would define them in terms of power, as in that they're not your usual gladiators.

[hellharlequin]

half fiendish or half dragon gladiators (depending on the society)

[JiCi]

hellharlequin wrote:

half fiendish or half dragon gladiators (depending on the society)

Those are good ideas, but it's a bit clichéd... I'm looking for something that won't sell the creature's used templates.

[hellharlequin]

blackblooded (AP 18)
Fey Bestiary 3
a worm that walks magus might be VERY intresting mhhh
ogrekin might also be suggestions

[wolfman1911]

Teamwork feats. You said that this is a team, right? Make them fight as one with teamwork feats. That also gives a decent idea of how to beat them, keep them apart. If you want to go a different route with the same idea, you could instead give them either telepathy or some kind of hive mind, so that they can work as one without having to give any tells.

[boring7]

A gang of escaped gladiator slaves I rolled with all had "upgrades" forced on them by their Red Wizard of Thay owner. One had a hardness value because the wizard had been attempting to make a permanent stoneskin effect, one was given flesh-golem style stitched-on parts to make him half-dragon...ish. And the last one had the Soul gem (as per "trap the soul" spell) merged into his body and soul via blasphemous magicks, making his soul a battleground between his will and that of a trapped and weakened demon lord.

Other options I can think of...

Runeslave+: take the runeslave template, strip out all the negatives, and make the subject either confused and stunned (when the rune is off) or Enraged and all the positives when "on".

Fleshwarped: boss man is a sick puppy

I'm going to stop linking, you can find them.

Runescarred: the result of Runeslave+ if the subject accepts his master and his position as a slave and stops fighting his fate.

A Lich: No one is sure how this non-caster became a lich, but the suspicion is he murdered his old master to take his place in the pre-arranged magical ritual.

Anyways, I should add that anyone geared for gladiator should have a rogue level or two mixed in, because there are a lot of skills (perform, bluff, intimidate) that are taught to a man who is meant to sate the bloodlust of the crowd.