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Blind Fighter
- Description: The blind fighters specialize in a unique form of gladiatorial
combat -- doing battle in complete darkness. Many blind fighter
gladiators have been blind since birth or handicapped in accidents.
Of course, in some cases the accident may have been arranged…
Sighted gladiators who choose to fight as blind fighter use special
closed helms.
- These warriors have spent years in training to develop their fighting
abilities and their skills of perception. This special training
allows them to fight as well as many sighted fighters. Blind fighters
may face other blind fighters or any other equal opponents in
the arena. "Night and Day Matches," where blind and sighted gladiators
square off against each other, draw large crowds to the games.
- Special Requirements: Blind Fighters must have an Observation score of at least 13
in addition to the normal requirements for a Gladiator.
- Role: Originally, blind fighters were used as comic relief to amuse
the crowds in the arena. Blind or blindfolded fighters would face
off and strive to attack each other. Unable to tell friend from
foe, they would mill around the arena lashing out at anyone or
anything that came near them. Some killed their own stablemates,
while most killed themselves by wandering into other blind fighters
who were flailing about randomly. Over the years, a group of survivors
emerged with the special ability to center and to find their foes
even over the roar of the crowd. These were the first, true blind
fighters. Gladiators who teach this skill are highly sought after
by arena trainers.
- Weapon Proficiencies: There are no weapon restrictions for blind fighters, except for
missile weapons. They may specialize in melee weapons, but in
order to use missile weapons they must have the inner sight that
allows them to sense at a distance.
- Nonweapon Skills: Bonus skills: Sound Analysis, Blindfighting. Recommended skills: Blindfighting, Direction Sense, Singing, Musical Intrument and
Alertness.
- Special Benefits: The benefit of being able to fight without restrictions yet deprived
of vision is obvious. Heightened senses are the key to this ability.
Blind fighters start with the ability to detect noise (as a Rogue)
at 50% and gain an additional 1% for each level they advance.
Racial bonuses are also applied to this ability.
- Blind fighters have learned to use other sense to compensate for
their lack of eyesight. They center (or concentrate) to direct
their inner sight to the target. This sighting allows a blind
fighter to fight without attack penalties in nomral combat within
the learned range of perception.
- Blind fighters learn to center their sensory perceptions on three
different ranges: Close Range (0-6 feet), Medium Range (7-20 feet),
or Long Range (21 feet and beyond). Gladiators who develop their
sight in the close range band of perception should specialize
in short melee weapons, such as knives, swords, and bludgeoning
weapons. Medium range sight applies to polearms. Gladiators with
long range skill may use missile weapons.
- More than one range may be learned, but each must be purchased
with skill points. For every 40 percentile points over 90%, the
Blind Fighter may learn a new sight range. However, he must have
weapon proficiency in weapons apporpriate to a sight range he
wishes to learn or use. A blind fighter may convert weapon proficiency
slots to nonweapon skill slots on a one for one basis to increase
his blindfighting skill.
- Because a blind fighter has developed his senses other than sight
to such a high degree, he reduces his chance to be surprise by
one to a minimum chance of one to be surprised.
- The blind fighter is often underestimated by his opponents. The
blind fighter receives a +3 bonus to hit and damage on his first
strike against creatures who have never witnessed him perform
in combat. If he hits the bonus is negated on any further attack
on that creature, but if he misses he will continue to receive
the bonus until a successful hit is scored.
- This ability doesn't work on some creatures:
- An NPC who is wary enough not to underestimate the blind fighter
might, with a successful Intelligence check, see the attack coming
and deny him the bonus.
- A seasoned veteran (any Warrior of 5th level or higher, or any
other character of 8th level or higher). In spite of his predjudice,
will realize that the blind fighter is moving like a trained warrior
and keep his guard up, denying him the bonus.
- If the blind fighter hits an NPC with this attack, he'll never
again be prey to it: if an NPC even sees the blind fighter hit
someone else, he'll never fall for it himself.
- Special Hinderances: The unique style of a blind fighter is not without its disadvantages.
When a sighted combatant is outside of a learned sight range,
a blind fighter suffers a -4 penalty to hit.
- Wealth Options: A blind fighter rolls his initial Social Class and Social Rank
as normal for gladiators.
- Races: The blind fighter kit is open to all races.
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