Description: Gladiatorial slaves tend to be some of the strongest, toughest
and most dangerous adversaries in the arena. Battling for survival
has been the only constant in their violent lives. Some are bought
and raised from childhood for a life in the arena. Others start
later in life and must learn quickly in order to survive. They
have little to lose or gain except their lives.
The duty of a gladiatorial slave is to enter the arena when his
master orders him and give his best effort -- or his life. As
bad as life can be in the slave pens, quarries and fields, slaves
may still live long lives. This is not always true in the arena.
A slave who is forced to fight in the arena is still a gladiator,
whether by choice or fate.
A PC who plays a gladiatorial slave has decided to fight back
against the injustice of his captivity. He has escaped the slave
pens and roam the land as a fugitive.
Special Requirments: There are no special ability requirments for a gladiator to take
the gladiatorial slave kit.
Role: Unwilling slaves make up the majority of the combatants in the
arena. Usually regarded with contempt, gladiatorial slaves are
property to be bought and sold. A gladiatorial slave must answer
to the beck and call of his master or risk punishment. Freedom
and revenge for unjust imprisonment are but two of the typical
motivations that drive gladiatorial slaves to lives of adventure.
The gladiatorial slave seldom trusts anyone who is not a slave
like himself. Given time he may accept others, but his fear of
recapture force him to pick his confidents carefully.
Weapon Proficiencies: Gladiatorial slaves can use any weapon, but because of their
training they tend to specialize in the more exotic weapons ususally
only found in the arena. The gladiatorial slave may double specialize
at no cost in a single weapon common to the arena. This weapon
should be an exotic, gladiator-type weapon and may not be a missile
weapon.
Equipment: Most gladiatorial slaves choose their favorite or best weapon
for arena combat. However, a gladiatorial slave has only the equipment
granted by his master or trainer. Although most gladiatorial slaves
receive ample weapons and armor for arena combat, it is well within
a master's or trainer's power to force a gladiatorial slave to
enter the arena with weapons or armor they did not choose -- or
even with neither. A gladiatorial slave has little recourse but
to accept his fate and survive.
When a gladiatorial slave begins play he may have a suit of armor
and the weapon of his choice (DM's discrection) for free. It is
assumed he stole these items when escaping captivity.
Special Benefits: A lifetime of rigorous training produces gladiatorial slaves
with more physical prowress than other gladiators. Gladiatorial
slaves may add one point to Strength, Dexterity or Constitution
before beginning play. This bonus cannot be used to exceed racial
ability score maximums.
Slaves build comaraderie among themselves. The gladiatorial slave
will receive a +3 reaction adjustment bonus when dealing with
any slave or former slave (any slave, not just gladiatorial slaves).
Special Hinderances: All kingdoms that allow slaves have laws requiring the the return
of a runaway to its rightful master. The gladiatorial slave's
life is futher complicated by the fact that thousands of spectators
know his face from combat in the arena. While the gladiatorial
slave is adventuring in the country of his enslavement, he continually
risks capture and return to his master.
Wealth Options: Gladiator slaves are always of the Slave Social Class and always
have a Social Rank of Runaway.
Races: Characters of any race may play a gladiatorial slave.
