Barbarian, Gladiator

In many lands, the leadership develops a system of punishment that is both effective and entertaining.

The Quintessential Barbarian
Author Robert Schwalb
Series Quintessential Series
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2003

As the populace grows frustrated by poor living conditions, lack of food and other resources, the ruling class recognises the need to keep the people happy all the while attempting to restore order to a growing criminal element. One solution is the arena. In these colloseums, warriors battle other warriors, slaves, animals, chariots and even monsters all at the whim of the ruling body. The blood flows freely to the cheers of the audience. Accolades in the forms of flowers, drink and meat and coin fall from the fingers of adoring fans to the professional killers who entertain them. While many of the combatants stem from the criminal elements, many slavers snare potential gladiators in the wild. Their masters train these barbarians to fight against the highly trained professional gladiators. Nevertheless, what the barbarian loses in training, he more than makes up for in anger.

Adventuring: No one chooses to be a gladiator. It is a Profession where death is a guarantee. Many gladiators will earn their freedom by successfully defeating a champion. Guilt-ridden owners may allow these barbarians freedom from the bloody sands of the fighting pits, thereby allowing them to make their way in an alien world through their own devices. Freed gladiators find they do not have the skills to do anything but fight. Thus, adventuring is a logical choice for these characters as it provides them the means to make a living, but also having a substantial enough reward to earn them an early retirement.

Roleplaying: After years of fighting in the pits, the gladiator’s values about life are jaded. He is violent and aggressive, fully confident in his ability in combat. He has little respect for weakness, sensing it as a liability in an adventuring group. Now free, the carnage of the fighting pits haunts him. While he fully embraces the fury of combat, he often rues the outcome of his life and the loss of his heritage.

Benefits: Fighting in the arenas leads to developing a number of non-traditional skills. Gladiators gain access to Bluff (Charisma) and Sense Motive (Wisdom) as class skills. In addition, they often fight with unusual weaponry, so they receive Exotic Weapon Proficiency at first level in a weapon of their choice.

Penalties: Having spent years fighting in the pits, gladiators lose access to the following skills: Craft, Handle Animal, Intuit Direction, Ride, Swim and Survival.