Gladiator Prestige Class
by argentmantleHit Die: d10
Requirements:
To qualify to become a Gladiator, a character must fulfil the following requirements.
[b]Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Endurance, any two Exotic Weapon Proficiencies.
Special: Character must have survived at least five fights in the gladiatorial arena.
Class Skills
The Gladiators class skills are Bluff(Cha), Climb(Str), Craft(Int), Handle Animal(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Ride(Dex), Performance (Cha), and Tumble(Dex).
Skill points at each level: 2+ Int modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Gladiator prestige class.
Weapons and armour Proficiency: A Gladiator is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armour, medium armour, and shields. Note the armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape artist, Hide, Hump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also Swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armour and equipment carried.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 1st level, a Gladiator can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilised.
If a Gladiator already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.
Weapon Sense (Ex): At 1st level, the Gladiator begins to learn how to use any available weapon effectively. Therefore he only suffers a -2 penalty when using a weapon in which he is not proficient, as apposed to the normal -4.
Makeshift Armour (Ex): Because of the lack of reliable armour in most arenas, the gladiator is incredibly adept at adopting bits and pieces of armour to maximise his protection. At 2nd level, the gladiator gains a +1 insight or competence bonus to his AC while wearing light or medium armour. At 5th level this increases to +2, and at 8th level the bonus increases to +3. Makeshift armour can never be counted as masterwork, and can never be enchanted.
Skewer (Ex): At 4th level, the Gladiator learns to drive his blade deep into his opponent and keep it there until his opponent stops struggling. Any time the Gladiator damages a foe with a piercing weapon he may attempt to skewer as a free action. He and his opponent make an opposed Strength check. If the Gladiator is successful he has lodged his weapon inside his opponent’s body
Every round thereafter the Gladiator may use a full round action to twist the weapon and press it deeper into his opponent, automatically delivering damage as if he had rolled a successful hit.
An opponent caught in this manner may make an opposed strength check to pull the weapon from his body. The Gladiator receives a +2 bonus to this check due to his improved leverage. Either character can make an opposed strength check to move up to ¼ speed while the skewer is maintained. If successful, both creatures move the same distance.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency: At 3rd, 6th and 9th level the Gladiator gains a bonus exotic weapon proficiency of his choosing.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: A Gladiator of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defence denies another Gladiator the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more Gladiator levels than the target does.
If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum Gladiator level required to flank the character.
Savage Strike: This crippling blow is meant to disable the Gladiator’s opponent so that he may finish him off more easily. Once per day at 5th level and then twice pre day at 10th, the Gladiator may declare one of his attacks as a savage strike. If the attack hits, it deals 1d4 temporary damage to Strength in addition to the normal damage.
The savage strike can only affect opponents of medium-size or smaller, and any creature that is immune to critical hits is also immune to the savage strike.
Battle Sense: At 7th level, the Gladiator is increasingly aware of the space around him, giving him the ability to react in situations that a normal combatant would not. The advantages he gains are listed below.
At 7th level, if two or more opponents within his reach have attacked the Gladiator since his last action, he gains an extra partial action that can only be used to attack one of these opponents. This extra partial action is lost if the number of valid targets is brought below two before the Gladiator’s action
Steal the Kill(Ex): Beginning at 8th level, the Gladiator can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as one of the Gladiator's attacks of opportunity for that round.
Pure Form: At 10th level the Gladiator’s combat training gives him the extraordinary ability to stay alive during the fiercest of combats. As a full round action, the Gladiator may make an attack at opponents within reach or gain a +4 dodge bonus to his AC against those opponent until his next action. He must still be able to reach an opponent to attack him.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Uncanny dodge |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Makeshift armour +1 |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Exotic weapon proficiency |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Skewer, improved uncanny dodge |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Makeshift armour +2, savage strike |
| 6 | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Exotic weapon proficiency |
| 7 | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Battle sense |
| 8 | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Makeshift armour +3, steal the kill |
| 9 | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Exotic weapon proficiency |
| 10 | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Pure form, savage strike 2/day |
Additional variant:
Savage Strike: This crippling blow is meant to disable the Gladiator’s opponent so that he may finish him off more easily. Once per day at 3rd level, the Gladiator may declare one of his attacks as a savage strike. He gains an additional use of this ability every three levels (6 and 9). If the attack hits, it deals 1d4 temporary damage to Strength in addition to the normal damage.
The savage strike can only affect opponents of medium-size or smaller, and any creature that is immune to critical hits is also immune to the savage strike.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Uncanny dodge |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Makeshift armour +1 |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Savage strike 1/day |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Skewer, improved uncanny dodge |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Makeshift armour +2 |
| 6 | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Savage strike 2/day |
| 7 | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Battle sense |
| 8 | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Makeshift armour +3, steal the kill |
| 9 | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Savage strike 3/day |
| 10 | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Pure form |
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