Post by Japic on Aug 15, 2007 11:06:09 GMT -5
GLADITORIAL MATCHES
Some cultures have built massive arenas where thousands gather to watch armed gladiators fight in bloody battle, while other societies gather around pits, rings, and other informal structures to watch (and usually wager on) fights. Because organizers of gladiator matches want to provide enterainment, they frequently introduce rules to make the fight last longer than a few rounds. Unless they’re used as a means of public execution, gladiatorial fights don’t usually result in the death of the loser.
The most common gladiatorial match is a one-on-one fight between two lightly armed foes. Armor is rarely issued to the combatants, because the spectators want to be able to see each wound. Magic items are likewise prohibited, because they tend to make matches end quickly. If spellcasting is allowed, it’s typically restricted to flashy evocations and conjurations.
Gladiators and the Crowd
A gladiatorial fight follows the normal rules for combat in the D&D game, with one exception: The presence of the crowd can inspire or demoralize a gladiator.
Treat the crowd as a single NPC, and use its attitude toward each gladiator to track the morale bonus or penalty he receives. If the crowd is friendly toward a gladiator, that gladiator gets a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls. if the crowd is helpful, the gladiator gets a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls. An indifferent or unfriendly crowd confers no bonus or penalty, but a crowd that’s hostile to a gladiator confers a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls.
Unless a particular gladiator is exceptionally well known, the crowd starts indifferent to both combatants. Each gladiator typically makes a Perform (weapon drill) check (see below) before the fight begins, using the check result in an attempt to influence the crowd (as described under Influencing NPC Attitudes on page 72 of the Players Handbook). Once the fight begins, only certain actions change the crowd’s attitude, as described in the table below. Note that the crowd’s attitude toward each gladiator is tracked separately. It’s possible for two inept gladiators to both be loathed by the spectators, and two veteran gladiators can both have the crowd on its feet cheering them on.
In more exotic gladiatorial matches, there may be other ways to influence the crowd. In a match featuring gladiators on horseback, for example, being knocked from the saddle might worsen the crowd’s attitude toward you by one step. If the crowd is composed of mind flayers, a successful coup de grace that reveals your opponent’s brains may improve the crowd’s attitude by two steps.
While one-on-one gladiator contests are the most common, team matches are also popular (and may be more convenient, because all PCs can participate). One common variation pits a single Large or Huge creature against a team of smaller gladiators. Occasionally, a gladiatorial match includes mounted combat or ranged combat.
It’s also commonplace for march organizers to add terrain elements to make a fight more memorable or deadly. Sometimes two gladiators fight atop tall platforms, attempting to bull rush each other to their doom. Some organizers hide weapons all over the arena, leading to a mad scramble as the gladiators arm themselves. Sometimes a maze or stockade is built inside the arena, although spectators will not Likely pay to attend a gladiator match they can’t see.
To award experience for gladiator matches, calculate the Encounter Level for the match normally, but cut the experience point award by 25% to 50% if the match’s equipment or rules make it less lethal than a normal combat. If the march is deliberately unfair (which usually happens only when the match serves as punishment), increase the experience point award for the underdog by up to 25%.
1 All attitude changes are one step (for example, indifferent to unfriendly) unless otherwise noted.
2 Special modifiers apply to this check. See the appropriate skill description in the Players Handbook.
3 If you are tripped or disarmed yourself in a failed attempt, the attitude toward you worsens.
4 If you fall prone during a failed attempt, the attitude toward you worsens.
PERFORM (WEAPON DRILL) (Cha)
You are skilled in quick, flashy movements of a weapon and can put on a display that shows off your prowess in combat.
This category of the Perform skill covers any sort of weapon display, such as twirling a sword or flipping a dagger from hand to hand. Despite the skill’s name, you can use it when unarmed by demonstrating difficult martial arts techniques or shadow boxing against an imaginary opponent.
Check: Unlike other categories of the Perform skill, your prowess with the weapon (indicated by your base attack bonus) is an important factor in how good your Perform (weapon drill) skill is. Apply half your base attack bonus (rounded down) as a circumstance bonus on Perform (weapon drill) checks. Your Charisma modifier also applies, as with any Perform check. If you arent proficient with the weapon you’re using, you take the -4 nonproficiency penalty on Perform (weapon drill) checks.
Action: Varies. If you’re performing to earn money in public, a weapon drill requires at least 4 hours of 20-minute performances, with breaks in between. If you’re demonstrating your skill or trying to impress the crowd at a gladiator match (see Chapter 4 of this book), the performance is a standard action
Try Again: Yes, but as with other uses of the Perform skill, subsequent attempts after a failure increase the DC of the Perform check by 2 for each previous failure.
Special: The following feats each grant a +2 bonus on relevant Perform (weapon drill) checks: Combat Expertise, Greater Weapon Focus, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon focus, and Whirlwind Attack.
A bard cannot use Perform (weapon drill) checks to perform his bardic music abilities (inspire courage, fascinate, and so on).
Some cultures have built massive arenas where thousands gather to watch armed gladiators fight in bloody battle, while other societies gather around pits, rings, and other informal structures to watch (and usually wager on) fights. Because organizers of gladiator matches want to provide enterainment, they frequently introduce rules to make the fight last longer than a few rounds. Unless they’re used as a means of public execution, gladiatorial fights don’t usually result in the death of the loser.
The most common gladiatorial match is a one-on-one fight between two lightly armed foes. Armor is rarely issued to the combatants, because the spectators want to be able to see each wound. Magic items are likewise prohibited, because they tend to make matches end quickly. If spellcasting is allowed, it’s typically restricted to flashy evocations and conjurations.
Gladiators and the Crowd
A gladiatorial fight follows the normal rules for combat in the D&D game, with one exception: The presence of the crowd can inspire or demoralize a gladiator.
Treat the crowd as a single NPC, and use its attitude toward each gladiator to track the morale bonus or penalty he receives. If the crowd is friendly toward a gladiator, that gladiator gets a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls. if the crowd is helpful, the gladiator gets a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls. An indifferent or unfriendly crowd confers no bonus or penalty, but a crowd that’s hostile to a gladiator confers a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls.
Unless a particular gladiator is exceptionally well known, the crowd starts indifferent to both combatants. Each gladiator typically makes a Perform (weapon drill) check (see below) before the fight begins, using the check result in an attempt to influence the crowd (as described under Influencing NPC Attitudes on page 72 of the Players Handbook). Once the fight begins, only certain actions change the crowd’s attitude, as described in the table below. Note that the crowd’s attitude toward each gladiator is tracked separately. It’s possible for two inept gladiators to both be loathed by the spectators, and two veteran gladiators can both have the crowd on its feet cheering them on.
In more exotic gladiatorial matches, there may be other ways to influence the crowd. In a match featuring gladiators on horseback, for example, being knocked from the saddle might worsen the crowd’s attitude toward you by one step. If the crowd is composed of mind flayers, a successful coup de grace that reveals your opponent’s brains may improve the crowd’s attitude by two steps.
While one-on-one gladiator contests are the most common, team matches are also popular (and may be more convenient, because all PCs can participate). One common variation pits a single Large or Huge creature against a team of smaller gladiators. Occasionally, a gladiatorial match includes mounted combat or ranged combat.
It’s also commonplace for march organizers to add terrain elements to make a fight more memorable or deadly. Sometimes two gladiators fight atop tall platforms, attempting to bull rush each other to their doom. Some organizers hide weapons all over the arena, leading to a mad scramble as the gladiators arm themselves. Sometimes a maze or stockade is built inside the arena, although spectators will not Likely pay to attend a gladiator match they can’t see.
To award experience for gladiator matches, calculate the Encounter Level for the match normally, but cut the experience point award by 25% to 50% if the match’s equipment or rules make it less lethal than a normal combat. If the march is deliberately unfair (which usually happens only when the match serves as punishment), increase the experience point award for the underdog by up to 25%.
| Situation | Check | Consequence1 |
| Gladiator rolls natural 1 on attack roll | - | Attitude toward gladiator worsens |
| Gladiator confirms critical hit | - | Attitude toward gladiator improves |
| Successful feint in combat | Bluff vs. Sense Motive2 | Attitude toward opponent worsens |
| Successful demoralize opponent | Intimidate vs. level check2 | Attitude toward opponent worsens |
| Successful tumble through enemy square | DC 25 Tumble | Attitude toward you improves |
| Successful Perform (weapon drill) check | DC 20 Perform | Attitude toward you improves |
| Destroy opponents weapon | See sunder rules | Attitude toward you improves |
| Trip opponent | See trip rules | Attitude toward you improves3 |
| Disarm opponent | See disarm rules | Attitude toward you improves3 |
| Pin an opponent | See grapple rules | Attitude toward you improves, attitude toward opponent worsens |
| Bull rush opponent 10 feet4 | See bull rush rules | Attitude toward you improves |
| Gladiator caught cheating | - | Attitude toward gladiator worsens by two steps |
1 All attitude changes are one step (for example, indifferent to unfriendly) unless otherwise noted.
2 Special modifiers apply to this check. See the appropriate skill description in the Players Handbook.
3 If you are tripped or disarmed yourself in a failed attempt, the attitude toward you worsens.
4 If you fall prone during a failed attempt, the attitude toward you worsens.
PERFORM (WEAPON DRILL) (Cha)
You are skilled in quick, flashy movements of a weapon and can put on a display that shows off your prowess in combat.
This category of the Perform skill covers any sort of weapon display, such as twirling a sword or flipping a dagger from hand to hand. Despite the skill’s name, you can use it when unarmed by demonstrating difficult martial arts techniques or shadow boxing against an imaginary opponent.
Check: Unlike other categories of the Perform skill, your prowess with the weapon (indicated by your base attack bonus) is an important factor in how good your Perform (weapon drill) skill is. Apply half your base attack bonus (rounded down) as a circumstance bonus on Perform (weapon drill) checks. Your Charisma modifier also applies, as with any Perform check. If you arent proficient with the weapon you’re using, you take the -4 nonproficiency penalty on Perform (weapon drill) checks.
Action: Varies. If you’re performing to earn money in public, a weapon drill requires at least 4 hours of 20-minute performances, with breaks in between. If you’re demonstrating your skill or trying to impress the crowd at a gladiator match (see Chapter 4 of this book), the performance is a standard action
Try Again: Yes, but as with other uses of the Perform skill, subsequent attempts after a failure increase the DC of the Perform check by 2 for each previous failure.
Special: The following feats each grant a +2 bonus on relevant Perform (weapon drill) checks: Combat Expertise, Greater Weapon Focus, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon focus, and Whirlwind Attack.
A bard cannot use Perform (weapon drill) checks to perform his bardic music abilities (inspire courage, fascinate, and so on).