Gladiators Are Us (Inactive)

Game Master Galahad0430

So, after perusing (and sometimes being sucked into) the several threads on who is better at combat, which classes are weak and useless (Rogues seem to get this a lot). I have decided to try something.

Welcome to the Games! Each of you are pitted against each other for the amusement of the crowd. Though you are neophytes to start, your skill, showmanship and just plain luck can lead to renown and eventual freedom.

We will be using the performance combat rules from Ultimate Combat, read them well. The only exception will be that victory is solely determined by who is left standing at the end. A match ends when one opponent is dropped below zero HP. Unless you are killed outright, you are stabilized immediately. If a character dies, he is out of the game. He is replaced by the next submitted character in the queue.

I will be taking the first 5 (yes, I am playing too, however I am held to the same dying rules) COMPLETED and CORRECT character submissions. Other people can submit and their submissions will be put in queue to fill casualty spots. Anyone in queue is eligible to referee matches also. When submitting DO NOT make an avatar until after being selected to fill a game slot (characters in queue do not create avatars). Please submit using your main avatar so that we can track by identity (no entering multiple characters). If you die, you are more than welcome to resubmit a new (and different) character.

Finally, ask questions.

You do realize that distinctions between classes are pretty minimal at first level right? Ability scores are more dominant then classes at that point. You might want to consider a higher level if you want to really learn something.

It's about having to deal with the progression also, so many claim that spellcasters are it and fighters are worthless, they leave out the fact that in order to get to that level, they had to make it through the early ones first. However, I'm thinking that we will start at 3rd level instead.

drbuzzard brings up a valid point. 1st level is pretty random (I don't completely agree with this, but it is much more of a factor). So everyone submit a 3rd level character w/3000GP to start. Oh, almost forgot, NO MULTICLASSING and only one archetype allowed. Also, only one PrC allowed.

Just a comment. A lot of the drawbacks don't give any problems to single combat at all (like Paranoid, Cruelty etc.), so you're pretty much saying that everybody can have three traits.

Question - what will the RP be like in this game?

Or, is this game more about combat numbers crunching?

Azih you are correct. I am just so used to putting that. So, everyone, scratch the Drawback.

@LibraryRPGamer... This going to be mostly a test bed for arguments over class effectiveness at different levels, all combat (and of course loads of smack talk).

Ahh... Not really my thing then. Good luck.

I'm game for this. I think I'll bring a Druid in first :)

So, are the battles to the death?

The match ends when one person goes below zero HP. Conceivably you can die. However, I urge you to read the peformance combat rules in Ultimate Combat as it explains how just killing your opponent can affect your popularity, which in turn affects any bonuses or penalties you might get.

How would trap classes work in this?

The random arena generator occasionally has traps.

I meant builds that make traps.

I suppose? I'm not familiar with them, can they do it in combat or a round or 2?

It is a full round action that provokes.

Then it can be done.

Might be interested, can finally stat up that half-orc battle oracle or catfolk daisho fighter I've been wanting to make.

Hey Galahad, I'll send you a message or talk to you in person about it. I have some ideas in mind ;)

Is there still room in this?

yes, still in interest check stage.

What about crafting items and crafting feats?

absolutely NO crafting, all players are on equal footing in regards to equipment.

Al'shaa
Male kasatha warpriest (sacred fist) of Tamiir-Quah 3 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 60, 130; Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 174)

ok just to make a small point..

I have been in a couple of these and lost every time.

at level 1 even with only 150 gold and with the rules in place it is possible to make a chaarcter that will have a near guarntee win as long as he wins initiative.

it usually is done with a mount with a base speed of 50'

win initiative charge with lance damage output is usually enough to outright kill a level 1 before he can even act. commonly called the charge and splat technique.

I would recommend no mounts or you cannot begin mounted or something to gurantee that both players get at least 1 round to act before dying.

second thing but it is handled with no wands.

a familiar that can use wands with a wand of vanish wizard blasts while the familiar zaps him with vanish every round.

my fighter died in that combat without even a single attack roll. (could not target the other player)

The thing is, there's ALWAYS something to kill your opponent in 1 rd. The spells to do so at level 1 is sleep & color spray, at level 3 they're called sleep & hold person (cleric spell)

Also, there's an archetype for alchemists that entangle you on a bomb hit.

If your combat isn't going (roll initiative) -> SPLAT

Then someone was A) lucky (it happens) or B) not doing their job.

That vanish trick was pretty cheesy however. I'd be annoyed to have someone win like that.

Edit: could we roll 1d6-1 or 1d5-1 instead of 1d4? that way there's a real possibility of starting off without any buffs up, which will be more fair to the martials.

I mean, since it seems we're only having 1 fight in a day, what we're measuring here is peak capability, not exactly fair to how real adventuring goes.

Edward, as mentioned above, you don't start out flat footed. Also, in the section on equipment, it says NO consumables (such as wands, potions, etc.).

@ The Dragon, good point. Make it 1d4-1 rounds before gates open.

As to the one shot kills, at 3rd level that is somewhat reduced. But that's part of it, I believe that spellcasters are over rated in their supposed superiority over martials and aim to prove it. :)

@ Reckless, I will check over the submission when I get home (as well as post mine), but for now, you have tentative lock on 1 position.

Any Core, Feature, or Uncommon race that does not have a level adjustment is allowed (note, for this rule, Drow Noble is considered a race with a template, so it is not allowed).

Does core include the Bestiaries? I was under the impression you were referring to all the different races listed in the Advanced Race Guide.

Core races are the ones in Core rulebook

I'll be entering a character into the fray. I have a few questions.

Will the arenas have terrain/cover/ etc?

Will all of the combats be 1v1?

Are combat pets allowed? (Hunter, summoner, etc?)

1v1 to start, though the random generator does occasionally have monsters crop up in the arena. Sometimes there is terrain, sometimes not. all class abilities are allowed, so yes to animal companions, summoned creatures, etc. However, we are using the performance combat rules and the crowd usually has great disdain for combatants that use other creatures to fight for them. In addition, all modifiers that apply to your character also apply to the help (even if they are normally immune to morale effects).

question here.. could profession gladiator be used in place of the perform skill for performance combat?

interesting, I would have to look at those rules.

I have a character but depending on what you decide about the profession skill will effect my final stats.

You don't use perform skill for performance combat, you get a performance combat modifier.

as per the performance combat section that I saw:

you gain a bonus on your performance combat check based on the number of ranks you have in perform.

from the SRD:

Performance Combat Check
Whenever a combatant has a chance to affect the crowd's attitude, she makes a performance combat check. The check is a Charisma ability check modified by the base attack bonus of the character plus any ranks the character has in Perform (act), Perform (comedy), or Perform (dance), whichever is highest. Making a performance combat check is usually a swift action, triggered when a combatant performs a trigger action (see the Affecting the Crowd's Attitude section).

so i am asking can the ranks in profession gladiator be used in place of the rank in perform

if not then I will simply change the ranks to perform (acting)

oops, forgot that. Yes, ranks in Prof gladiator are an acceptable substitute (note it is ranks, not total skill modifier, though).

Oooooh yeeeah!"! The Macho man is in da house. The tower of power, too sweet to be sour, ohhhh yeahh!

Sounds fun

Fighter below but I'm willing to que in an arcane caster for sake of testing. I'm assuming consumables will be replenished after each fight.

I'm going to have to withdraw, too much going on atm.

Thanks anyway and good luck.

Fighter below but I'm willing to que in an arcane caster for sake of testing. I'm assuming consumables will be replenished after each fight.

** spoiler omitted **...

I believe no consumables

I believe no consumables

Bummer, I see that in the OP now.

Working on a Warpriest of Achaekek. 2WF with sawtooth sabres, naturally. Looking for some good feats and traits.

Oh, he's a Suli, if that's OK.

Working on a Warpriest of Achaekek. 2WF with sawtooth sabres, naturally. Looking for some good feats and traits.

(skill focus - profession cook) that was always a good feat...

Always glad to help the competition...

Of course I might be able to find a way for that skill to be useful here....

hmmm. can I use animate object on a cupcake?

Wolfwaker wrote:

Working on a Warpriest of Achaekek. 2WF with sawtooth sabres, naturally. Looking for some good feats and traits.

(skill focus - profession cook) that was always a good feat...

Always glad to help the competition...

Hmm, I think I need to Sense Motive!

:)

So, to play Devils advocate, you mention you want to see the different power between classes at various levels. So I presume you take spell casters into this theory crafting of sorts. Yet you list NO consumables (pots, wands, and scrolls??). For if this includes scroll, you are severly handicapping casters..it would be like telling a martial NO weapons or armor.

Don't mean to be a dick, but just my thoughts :)

Actually, no. The casters still have their spells and other abilities. Consumables allow characters to have abilities beyond their class. For instance, a caster gets a set number of spells per day. Allowing consumables gives them more than their class allotment. Or worse, giving fighters potions allows them to emulate class features outside their class. As for the ability to craft items, that is a campaign feature, not a dueling feature.

So, to play Devils advocate, you mention you want to see the different power between classes at various levels. So I presume you take spell casters into this theory crafting of sorts. Yet you list NO consumables (pots, wands, and scrolls??). For if this includes scroll, you are severly handicapping casters..it would be like telling a martial NO weapons or armor.

Don't mean to be a dick, but just my thoughts :)

I think the consumables help martials way more.