A group of slaves purchased by a local Arena Master of the Nightingale Blades seeks to rise in glory to be the best Ludus in Katapesh upon the sands of the arena.
The dust and heat blow across the arena floor, the caked dirt already spattered with bright crimson. The clash of steel echoes into the packed amphitheater and sunlight gleams off bronze helmets and the sheen of muscle as the combatants gauge each other, their strikes testing one another. A splash of blood, a cry of pain, the roar of the crowd. A thumb turns, and both live to fight another day — or die, to be forgotten in a mass grave. This is the world of the gladiators, the kings of the arena.
A few hundred miles away from the city of Katapesh in the middle of the desert lies a bustling town named Olumsuz. Trade routes and caravans from as far as Osirion herald the gates of this town which is named "Deathless" by the locals. Their most lucrative commodity "slaves" is a robust economy in this area. A bloodsport caught on by the nobles of the Katapesh was was introduced to the Pirate Lords of the Obari Ocean.
A game of death where groups of slave are sent to fight each other and various monstrosities that the land can offer. Anything that these bloodthirsty nobles would delight them, it can be arranged for the right amount of gold. Merchants soon became Arena Lords who purchase and replenish "stock" by purchasing these slaves that are shipped to the ports of Katapesh by the pirates and slavers. Over time, the town of "Olumsuz" grew into the place for such human depravities.
Restriction on magic
It's illegal to use higher than level one spells in the arena by decree of the Gladiator's Guild. If the rule is broken, an anti-magic field will spring up covering the entire arena as an immediate interrupt option.
Class Skills:
The gladiator's class skills (and the key ability for each) are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Perform (act) (Cha), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Starting Debt:
A gladiator starts out (2d4+2 x 100) gp in debt to his stable for food, training, gear, or any prior debts, and he cannot adventure or acquire additional gear until the debt to the gladiator stable is paid off. It can be paid off by another person, who may very well have their own terms of repayment or via their winnings in the arena. The most unscrupulous of stable owners may also charge for healing.
Persona:
A gladiator develops a distinct persona in the arena, with signature moves, personality, and appearance.
His persona must have a name, a developed appearance and style, even it’s own alignment, all of which can be different than the gladiator’s, and must be maintained to stay in character. If a gladiator violates his persona, he must make an immediate Charisma check (DC 25) or lose the audience’s favor. The gladiator’s reputation also goes down by one point if the Charisma check fails.
Choose Face OR Heel
Face: A face is a hero in the arena. A face never backstabs or cheats, and plays the role of the “good guy” for the crowd. The crowd loves a face and cheer for him to win time and time again. The face trait gives a gladiator a +2 bonus to Charisma. The face also receives a +2 bonus to his reputation score.
Heel: A heel is the villain, the “bad guy”. He is the one the crowd loves to hate, and they boo the heel loudly every time. The heel is often is a backstabber and/or a berserker. The heel trait gives a gladiator a +2 bonus to his Charisma, but suffers a -2 penalty to his reputation score.
Backstabber: A backstabber is a gladiator who takes advantage of his opponents lack of readiness or his disadvantages, striking from behind or the side when his opponent least expects it. The backstabber trait gives the gladiator to add his DEX bonus to attack OR damage versus any opponent that is flat-footed, blinded, or has a back to the gladiator.
Berserker: The berserker is a gladiator that is wild in combat, howls like a beast or grunts and growls, cuts his arms or forehead and displays the blood to the crowd, and generally acts in a barbaric fashion. The berserker trait gives a gladiator a +5 bonus to Intimidate and Perform (act) checks.
Braggart: The braggart is a gladiator that makes loud boasts before, during and after a match. He claims no one can beat him, that he is the best there is. The braggart may even antagonize and challenge members of the viewing crowd. The braggart trait gives a gladiator a +5 bonus to Perform (oratory) and Bluff checks.
Daredevil: The daredevil is a gladiator that makes dangerous moves, performs reckless stunts and takes unnecessary risks in combat, though always with extreme confidence. The daredevil trait gives a gladiator a +5 bonus to Acrobatics checks. Once per combat, the daredevil can make a charge attack without needing a straight line to the target, and can take a full attack at the end of the charge, though the gladiator suffers a -5 penalty to AC for one full round beginning when he starts his charge.
Joker: The joker is a gladiator who pulls practical jokes on his opponents and makes derisive or derogatory jokes about his opponent to the crowd. ou get a +5 to Perform (Act) or Perform (Oratory) and the following ability:
Joke (Standard Action) (Ex):You can use this ability to cause an opponent to become enraged for a number of rounds, taking a -2 to their AC, Saving Throws and Skill Checks. To make a joke about them roll a Perform (Oratory) check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier.
Success: If you are successful, the target is enraged for one round. This duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which you beat the DC. You can only joke about an opponent this way if it is within 30 feet and can clearly hear you and understand you. Using Joker again on the same creature only extends the duration; it does not create a stronger condition.
Fail: The opponent is not enraged.
Joker Action
Joking about an opponent is a standard action.
Showy: A showy gladiator is one who customizes his armor in such a way that it takes on an exotic and visually stunning appearance. It might include overly large shoulder guards, a helmet with long animal manes or tails, spikes on the leg or arm protection, a long, flowing cape, or any other sort of dramatic addition. No addition to the armor actually adds to the armor bonus of the armor. The showy extras do give the gladiator a +5 bonus to Intimidate and Perform (oratory).
Reputation:
A gladiator develops a reputation during his career, and the reputation can go up and down throughout that career. Reputation is used to determine the DC of the gladiator’s Perform skill checks during combat. The higher the gladiator’s reputation, the lower the DC, representing a well-loved gladiator’s ability to easily get a crowd on his side.
Reputation increases by 0.5 point each time the gladiator advances a level, each time he wins a fight, and sometimes at the GM’s discretion (for acting in persona outside of the arena, for instance). Reputation decreases by 0.5 point for each fight the gladiator loses, for each time the gladiator acts out of persona (beginning at 3rd level), and sometimes at the GM’s discretion (for refusing to meet adoring fans, for example).
Reputation can also affect how others treat the gladiator outside of the arena. Shop owners may give a highly reputable gladiator a discount, while tavern owners might jack up the price of ale for a much despised gladiator.
REFER TO REPUTATION TABLE
Signature Move:
A signature move is a particular combination of moves that is used time and again by a gladiator, which the crowd comes to expect from the gladiator. The signature move is a combination of a move action (usually acrobatic in nature) greater than 5 ft. and but no more than double the gladiator’s normal movement rate, a combat maneuver, and a full round melee attack. The gladiator could also choose to make his signature move a move action followed by two combat maneuvers, or two combat maneuvers and a full round melee attack also.
The signature move trait allows the gladiator to take all three actions as a full round action (even though normally all three could not be taken in a round) once per combat.
Starting Equipment:
Armor- Standard gladiator armor includes a broad-brimmed helmet, often with a grill or visor, a padded or mail munica, and knee covers or shin guards. Gladiator armor counts as light armor and partial armor. (+2 AC, +6 Dex Bonus)
Weapon- All simple and Martial Weapons according to fighting style only. Exotic weapons allowed if have the relevant exotic weapon proficiency feat.
Combat Modifications
Bloodsport Showman
Gladiators do not just fight, they fight to entertain, and as such, during combat they may add either their Strength or Dexterity bonus (not both) to any Charisma-based skill check.
Charisma Based Skills:
You apply your character's Charisma modifier to:
Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Perform, and Use Magic Device checks.
In addition, combat maneuvers such as trip, disarm, feint, and sunder (Exclude Sever) — maneuvers that provide a distinct edge in battle but do not directly hurt one’s opponent - all get a +1 bonus to skill check, as they add more variety than just hammering one another with blows. Such techniques draw out the spectacle and showcases the gladiator’s skill and prowess more fully than a quick kill would, and give the audience a better show for their entrance fee. Likewise, a gladiator will often extend a fight by resorting to grappling if possible.
A gladiator may add his Charisma bonus to his CMB IF he makes a successful Perform (act) skill check (DC based on the gladiator’s reputation). The Perform check is made each round of combat as a free action on the gladiator’s turn. The character then fights dramatically, including feigning injuries or fatigue, making flashy moves, brandishing weapons, taunting their opponent, and other impractical but entertaining techniques.
In addition, the gladiator may make a Bluff roll against their opponent as a standard action. The Bluff is opposed by the opponents Sense Motive. If successful, the Bluff provokes an immediate attack of opportunity from the opponent, which must be taken and which counts towards the number of attacks of opportunity the opponent gets in a round.
Fatal Combat
To make combat more realistic a gladiator learns the Sever combat maneuver which may be included in your signature move.
NOTE: You take -4 penalty to your CMB if you attempt to sever with a blunt weapon or unarmed attack. The limb is considered broken instead of server. Each creatures can only be attempted upon Sever Limb Maneveur once per round only
You can attempt to sever an arm, foot, hand, or leg at the joint as part as a standard action. Normally you cannot sever other limbs than those four extremities, but your GM may deem some special limbs fragile enough to qualify (a wing, for example). If you do not have the Improved Sever feat, or a similar ability, attempting to sever an item provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver. Declare which limb you are targeting before your combat maneuver roll.
If your attack is successful, you have a chance at severing the targeted limb. Depending on the target's HP, it will determine if the Sever Limb happened. Calculate the percentage (Round off to nearest 2 decimal place) of the remaining HP against the Original HP of the target.
For example: Guard left 29/40. It is 29 divided by 40 which is 0.725 round up to 0.73 there for 73%.
Once you know the percentage the inverse is the Chance for it to happen when you roll 1d100.
For example: Guard is 29/40 which you calculated he is still at 73% health. So your chance of the Sever Limb successful after rolling successfully against his CMD is now 27%(100-75=25).
Roll 1d100 and if the dice result shows 1-27, then the move is successful. If not the move failed and the target do not receive any damage.
If the sever limb is successful, your opponent can make a Fortitude save (DC equal to your combat maneuver roll) to ignore the effect. Although horrific, the mind blocks out the pain of losing a limb. This attack deals no damage. However, due to the lose of limb the target will receive iD6 of Bleed Damage unless treated with a Heal DC20 or a burst of magical healing. (Use Treat Deadly Wounds)
Treat Deadly Wounds*
Note: You must expend two uses from a healer's kit to perform this task. You take a –2 penalty on your check for each use from a healer's kit that you lack.
When treating deadly wounds, you can restore hit points to a damaged creature. Treating deadly wounds restores 1 hit point per level of the creature. If you exceed the DC by 5 or more, add your Wisdom modifier (if positive) to this amount. A creature can only benefit from its deadly wounds being treated within 24 hours of being injured and never more than once per day.
If the Fortitude save failed, they go in a state of shock and is helpless for 1 round. During the helpless stage As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to automatically hit and score a critical hit. If the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die.
Either that you may perform a Sever Limb Combat Maneuver to decapitate the opponent. This attack has no damage.NOTE: For blunt or unarmed attack, take a -4 penalty to your CMB and the target is deemed to have broken his neck rather than decapitated. Decapitation is a terrific crowd pleaser. Each creatures can only be attempted upon Sever Limb Maneuver once per round only
Example of a Limb Sever Maneuver in combat:
1. It is a standard action.
2. You may roll a Perform(Act) check against the DC of your reputation table to check if you may add your CHARISMA bonus to your CMB score.
NOTE: Due to the Bloodsport Showman your you can add your STR or DEX score to your Perform(Act)- Gladiators do not just fight, they fight to entertain, and as such, during combat they may add either their Strength or Dexterity bonus (not both) to any Charisma-based skill check.
3. If unsuccessful, you use your normal CMB for the Sever Limb. If successful you add the CHA bonus to your CMB and perform the Sever Limb.
NOTE: For blunt weapons and unarmed attack, the CMB for server limb is at a -4 penalty.
4. If you do not have Improved Serve Limb, then the target will resolve Attacks of Opportunity on you.
5. You will roll against the target's CMD with your final CMB. If successful the target is at risk for Sever Limb, if not successful the Sever Limb move missed and you end your turn.
6. Depending on the target's HP, it will determine if the Sever Limb happened. Calculate the percentage (Round off to nearest 2 decimal place) of the remaining HP against the Original HP of the target.
For example: Guard left 29/40. It is 29 divided by 40 which is 0.725 round up to 0.73 there for 73%.
7. Once you know the percentage the inverse is the Chance for it to happen when you roll 1d100.
For example: Guard is 29/40 which you calculated he is still at 73% health. So your chance of the Sever Limb successful after rolling successfully against his CMD is now 27%(100-75=25).
Roll 1d100 and if the dice result shows 1-27, then the move is successful. If not the move failed and the target do not receive any damage.
If the dice rolls within the chance of it happening, the limb is successfully severed. The crowd will go crazy (Depending on how you describe it, I will serve as the crowd bloodlust) which in turn will help your reputation score. The target receives 1d6 bleed damage unless treated with Heal DC20 (Use Treat Deadly Wounds)
NOTE: For blunt weapons and unarmed attack, the limb is considered broken rather than severed. It still carries the same penalties for losing a limb and same excitement level for the crowd.
8. The target who lost the limb now MUST roll a Fort Save against the DC of your final CMB score again. If the Fort Save pass then he will take the penalties of losing a limb but he will not enter into a state of shock and may perform normally on his turn.
If the target fails the Fort Save, then he enters into a state of shock and become helpless until the end of his next round.
9. Coup De Grace may be performed on the target by another gladiator or by you next round. The good thing is that it scores a crit damage and if the damage do not kill the victim then He must roll a Fort Save against (DC 10+the damage dealt to him) or die. The downside is that it do not tickle the crowd's interest that much.
Thus gladiators may make a choice to perform a Decapitation instead. It is the same as a Sever Limb maneuver. Roll a perform(act)check to add CHA to CMB. Roll CMB to target CMD. The difference is that if it is successful, the gladiator need NOT roll the chance dice. (Auto success). The target will be decapitated (of course describe the gory scene for me) and the crowd goes wild adding a substantial favor to your reputation score.
NOTE: For blunt weapons and unarmed attack, the CMB for decapitation is at a -4 penalty.
NOTE: For blunt weapons and unarmed attack, the target is not decapitated but rather the neck is broken. The same effect to reputation will be in place
Loss of Body Parts Penalties:
Hand
Since a person’s manual dexterity comes primarily from the opposable thumbs interacting with the fingers and palms, the loss of a hand limits how complex items are used and how items are carried.
A character who has lost a hand incurs the following penalties:
-5 penalty on Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Sleight of Hand, and Use Magic Device skill checks;
-4 penalty on grapple checks;
Must make a caster level check to cast spells with somatic components;
Unable to wield two-handed weapons or make two-weapon attacks, but may still wear a shield on the affected arm;
Carrying capacity is not reduced. However, the maximum weight a character can lift over head or off the ground is reduced by one third, as shown on Table: Modified Lifting Capacity: Hand (for medium creatures). These penalties do not stack with other penalties for losing limbs.
A character who has lost both hands, or one hand and one arm, cannot use any of the listed skills, make attacks, cast spells with somatic components, or handle objects, without the aid of prosthetics or magic.
Arm
Losing an arm at the elbow (or higher) severely limits what that side of the body can do. With a markedly shorter reach and range, the arm is practically unusable.
A character who has lost an arm incurs the following penalties:
-10 penalty on Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Sleight of Hand, and Use Magic Device skill checks;
-8 penalty on grapple checks;
Must make a caster level check at a -5 penalty to cast spells with somatic components;
Unable to wield weapons two-handed or make two-weapon attacks, and may not wear a shield on the affected arm.
Carrying capacity is not reduced. However, the maximum weight a character can lift over head or off the ground is halved, as shown on Table: Modified Lifting Capacity: Arm (for medium creatures). These penalties do not stack with other penalties for losing limbs.
A character who has lost both arms cannot use any of the listed skills, make attacks, or use objects, without the aid of prosthetics or magic.
Foot
Keeping upright becomes a chore with the loss of the foot. Uneven legs, no pivot point, and a smaller base affect land movement.
A character who has lost a foot incurs the following penalties:
-5 penalty on Acrobatics, Climb, Ride, Stealth, and certain Perform skill checks (GM’s discretion).
Cannot run.
Cannot bull rush or overrun and takes a -4 penalty to resist these combat maneuvers.
Land movement rate is reduced by half, and characters can no longer benefit from the fast movement class feature.
Carrying capacity is reduced by one third and the maximum weight a character can lift over head or off the ground is halved, as shown on Table: Modified Lifting Capacity: Foot (for medium creatures). These penalties do not stack with other penalties for losing limbs.
A character who has lost both feet, or one foot and one leg, is always considered flat-footed, cannot use any of the listed skills, and can only move 5 feet as a full round action, without the aid of prosthetics or magic.
Leg
Losing a leg at the knee (or higher) strips it of its fundamental purposes. Walking is replaced by hopping, standing is replaced by balancing, kicking becomes impossible. Very little can be done in an upright position without aid from a prosthetic, magic, or fellow adventurer.
A character who has lost a leg incurs the following penalties:
-10 penalty on Acrobatics, Climb, Ride, Stealth, and certain Perform skill checks (GM’s discretion).
Cannot run or charge.
Cannot bull rush or overrun and takes a -12 penalty to resist these combat maneuvers.
Speed is reduced to 5 feet, and can no longer make a 5-foot step.
Carrying capacity is reduced by two thirds and the maximum weight a character can lift over head or off the ground is halved when sitting, impossible when standing, as shown on Table: Modified Lifting Capacity: Leg (for medium creatures). These penalties do not stack with other penalties for losing limbs.
A character who has lost both legs is always considered flat-footed and prone, and can only move 5 feet as a full round action, without the aid of prosthetics or magic.
Penis
Extreme shame.
Treatment for Severed Limbs:
The subject's severed body members (fingers, toes, hands, feet, arms, legs, tails, or even heads of multi-headed creatures), broken bones, and ruined organs grow back. After the spell is cast, the physical regeneration is complete in 1 round if the severed members are present and touching the creature. It takes 2d10 rounds otherwise.
Regenerate also cures 4d8 points of damage + 1 point per caster level (maximum +35), rids the subject of exhaustion and fatigue, and eliminates all nonlethal damage the subject has taken. It has no effect on nonliving creatures (including undead). The Cost is 2,500 gold.
Earning Reputation:
From infuriated to frenzy. Your performance on the combat field plays to the audience mood towards you and therefore your reputation.
At the end of every match a favored gladiator will be chosen for his exceptional performance on the arena. He gains +0.5 Reputation.
All gladiator gains +0.5 after each victory.
Patron:
After each match, there will be rich Katapesh nobles whom have interest in some of these gladiators depending on their fame.
Additional Feats Which Can Be Learned:
Improved Sever (Combat)
You are particularly good at cutting off body parts in melee.Prerequisite: Str 13, Power Attack.Benefit: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a sever combat maneuver (see below). In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks made to sever a foe’s limb. You also receive a +2 bonus to your CMD whenever an opponent tries to sever your limb.Normal: You provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a sever combat maneuver
Limb Ripper (Combat)
You sever limbs through sheer force.Prerequisite: Str 22, Improved Sever, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple.Benefit: When you are grappling an opponent, a successful check allows you to continue grapplingthe foe, and also allows you to perform a special sever combat maneuver (see below) as part of the standard action spent to maintain the grapple. Designate a limb (arm, foot, hand, leg) like you normally would when severing a limb, then make a Strength check. This is the save DC for your sever limb attempt. If your target fails this Fortitude save, you rip off the designated limb. This ends the grapple
Agile Defense (Combat)
Prerequisite: Dodge
Benefit: You gain a dodge bonus to AC, based on your Base Attack Bonus.
BAB +0 to +3 AC +1
BAB+4 to +7 AC+2
BAB+8 to +11 AC+3
BAB+12 to +15 AC+4
BAB+16 to +19 AC+5
BAB+20 or higher AC+6
Special: This ability is reduced by worn armor. Subtract 1 point of dodge bonus for light armor, 2 for medium armor, and 3 for heavy armor (to a minimum of +0 bonus).
Unarmored Specialist (Combat)
You are so well-trained at fighting without armor that you find yourself better protected without it.
Benefit: As long as you do not have any armor bonus to AC (such as from wearing armor, or from the spell mage armor) you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC. At 10th level, this bonus increases to +4.
Martial Strike (Combat)
Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike, Wis 13, Dex 13, BAB +4.
Benefit: Your unarmed strike damage equals that of a monk of the level of your character level -3.
Improved Martial Strike (Combat)
Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike, Martial Strike, Wis 15, Dex 15
Benefit: Your unarmed strike damage matches that of a monk of the level of your character level.
Glossary
Helpless Defenders
A helpless opponent is someone who is bound, sleeping, paralyzed, unconscious, or otherwise at your mercy.
Regular Attack
A helpless character takes a –4 penalty to AC against melee attacks. In addition, a helpless character is treated as having a Dexterity of 0, giving him a –5 penalty to AC against both melee and ranged attacks (for a total of –9 against melee and –5 against ranged). A helpless character is also flat-footed.
Coup de Grace
As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace (pronounced "coo day grahs") to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.You automatically hit and score a critical hit. If the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitudesave (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die. A rogue also gets her extra sneak attack damage against a helpless opponent when delivering a coup de grace.Delivering a coup de grace provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening opponents
Additional Information
Sometimes the gladiator is allowed to take a woman in is chambers. The quality of the prostitute determines the number of rounds the Hope effect last.
The fond memories of last night gave you hope to face the challenges tomorrow. It instills powerful hope in the subjects. Each affected creature gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.
