D&D General Gladiator = Weapon Master

[Valetudo]

Darksun peeps like their darksun to be darksun.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Gladiator needs more work. A lot more.

It's not even Battlemaster light, it's battlemaster-but sucks.

more or less same features but usage and DC keyed of tertiary stat for a fighter at best. maybe even 5th ability in priority order.

Actually I like power tied to different stats.

another example of 2024 obsession of linking of ability usage with ability modifier.
it needs to be removed from the game. every instance of it.
number of usages needs to be keyed to proficiency bonus of fixed depending on CLASS level.

Here I strongly agree. Or better: every class has their own proficiency bonus entry.
For a while, usages were tied to proficiency bonus.

Nothing would have been easier than just adding following entry to multiclass rules:
If a class gives you an ability that you can use proficiency bonus times per day, you use the bonus from the class table.

In all other cases you use the proficiency bonus from the multiclass table.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I really wish it weren't tied to weapon masteries since I hate weapon masteries, but otherwise it seems pretty cool.

 

[Minigiant]

another example of 2024 obsession of linking of ability usage with ability modifier.
it needs to be removed from the game. every instance of it.
number of usages needs to be keyed to proficiency bonus of fixed depending on CLASS level

Burning Hot take​

It's should be Charisma score use per Long rest and you regain Proficiency mod on Short Rest.

Then the high level feature and the parry could cost multiple uses.

The lack of utilization of Ability Score in 5e is a travesty

 

[Stalker0]

No, they are pretty similar.
Just unwrap the weapon mastery to compare.


Level 3 Battlemaster with Trip Attack and a war hammer
1d10+Str + push 10' + save or fall prone + 1d8
Vs
Level 3 Gladiator with Stumble and a war hammer
1d10+Str + push 10' + save or fall prone + can take either a bonus action or action.

Yeah I have to agree. Once you brass tax it I'm not seeing much that you couldn't do with a Battlemaster who is not so dependent on charisma.

The only thing that is "wow" about the gladiator is the stagger at lvl 10, which to me is the most powerful ability by far in a normal party. Your spellcaster buddies are drooling over that thing.

 

[Minigiant]

Yeah I have to agree. Once you brass tax it I'm not seeing much that you couldn't do with a Battlemaster who is not so dependent on charisma.

Yeah to me, a subclass that invokes a secondary stat should have something more.

Fighter Subclass	Secondary Score	Uses	Focus
Battle Master	None	Maneuvers	Damage + Control
"Brute"	Constitution	????	Raw Damage
Champion	None	Criticals	Raw Damage
Gladiator	Gladiator	Weapon Masteries	Defense + Control
"Weapon Expert"	Wisdom	Maneuvers	Damage + Defense
"Weapon Master"	Intelligence	Weapon Masteries	Hard Control

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I dig the Gladiator, the new Fighter subclass being tested in Unearthed Arcana. I like the flavor but I especially like the mechanics.

I've heard some say the Gladiator is just a Battle Master lite, and that its Brutality features should just be Battle Master maneuvers.

I disagree.

In fact, I believe the Gladiator has (inadvertently?) opened up an entirely new design space. What makes Brutality unique is that all the features are tied to weapon masteries. No other fighter subclass has ever done this. This is brand new. This is exciting.

The Gladiator is better at weapon masteries than any other subclass. It is the master of weapon mastery. You might even call it...a Weapon Master.

Now imagine a Weapon Master subclass that has a menu of 10+ maneuvers to choose from, all of which give new ways to play with weapon masteries. It's like Brutality -- but bigger. This would create a subclass that's an alternative to the Battle Master. Like the Battle Master, the Weapon Master would offer a lot of choices -- but new and distinct choices.

How cool would that be?

I’d love to see a few variants that are just as focused as the Gladiator but on a different concept. Like an archer.

 

[Kurotowa]

It strikes me, when looking at the Gladiator, is that it shouldn't be evaluated solely on the combat axis. It's a Fighter that can really shine in social encounters too.

The design of the subclass rewards you for making Cha your second highest stat, after Str or Dex. Intimidate and Persuasion are both on the Fighter skill list, while Gladiator lets you add Deception or Performance too. And you've got Tactical Mind as a backstop for failed rolls. So while it's maybe not quite as good as a Bard or Rogue who went all in on social stats, it's can be a good bit better at Influence rolls than most.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Gladiators should get "when not wearing armour*, can add Charisma bonus to AC" so they can show off their glistening abs to the crowd, as depicted in the art.


*apart from a chainmail bikini.

 

[TorgoTheWhite]

I like the idea. I think the subclass could use some real work though.

Boy! CHA mod worth of primary feature use seems pretty piss-poor particularly with their low-scaling. The LV 15 feature dooks-craps. Feels like regains should be tied to Cha and landing successful brutality then making a Cha based check and regaining a use.. or felling an enemy and doing that.

Lv. 10 would make thematic sense if it was it was a sister ability to the Champion's "heroic warrior"... BUT, it was timed so you granted an ALLY an inspiration every round

Inspiration should tie in more. Maybe some form of regeneration, or getting another use of 2nd wind would be granted when an ally gives you their inspiration