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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silverblade The Ench" data-source="post: 3990819" data-attributes="member: 19083">*nods* <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> the rules from the Athas.org 3.5 ed were pretty good, for defilers what I'd do is use mostly what they did: take defiling as "feats", when used they give a metamagic effect to any spell you cast, but at the cost of life to those creatures around you. This would also make clear why high level defilers are said to cause folk to die by defiling, where as the rules only seemed ot make it kill plants and discomfort creatures, which never made sense to me.For example, Defiling Empower Spell, same as normal Empower, but useable at will, you don't have to prepare at 2 levels higher. the defiling effect does 1hp/spell level, including the +2 levels for Empower, in a 1' radius per caster level, will save for half.The defiler thus can freely boost his spells, but will destroy plants etc (no will save allowed normally to inanimate/non stat type creatures, so small/simple plants automatically die).Where there isn't enough life to suport this: no plants or say 1 creature per spell level in radius, the effect cannot be used. This would also mean defilers could have slaves always at his side, for sucking their life...adding another interesting dimension! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Outisder,"Gladiator" is just a profession! It's no different to being an "assassin", both are killers who work in a certain way: one in an arena, the other for pay by stealth. What "class" they are doesn't matter at all, it's what they do that counts, now how <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />That was a mistake of Dark Sun and the 3.5 rules. "gladiators" are mostly just fighters or fighter/rogues.The two fighting proffessions of Athas and ancient Rome: Soldier and Gladiator. Each is trained differently. A gladiator will generally beat a soldier in street fight, but a company of soldiers will slaughter a bunch of gladiators in a battle. This is because of their training, not because gladiators are somehow magically better (though that can occur in some campigns  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" /> ) Spartacus' gladiators were butchered by the Roman legions, but in nasty street fights etc, tha gladiators often had an edge.let's examine them from D&D terms:A professional soldier, or successful gladiator, is *NOT* a mook, they are not 1st level warriors! They are picked men, chosen on merit. Each requires 6 months of training or more, advancing in experience and skill.Take a typical *veteran* legionary or gladiator, say they are 3rd level fighters.The gladiator will take feats for close in combat, to survive better, say weapon focus, Dodge, Mobility, two weapon fighting, etc to let him use sword and shield at same time, effectively in combat. He has many paths open to him, the crowd likes varying types of fighitng, his trainers encourage this.The legionary needs Endurance, to the ability march in full pack and training for such was vital, while the gladiator was extremely fit, it was more for dexterity and strength, than lugging a pack! Iron Will is good, to hold steady in battle, certainly a feat for any Centurions. TThe legionary does train with his shortsword, but at least as important is his shield. Thus feats like Phalanx Fighting are important to a soldier, so he and his comrades can provide a unified front, improving ALL their armour class. Some legionaries excel with the short sword, some with the javelin (weapon focus) but all most work together and obey orders, which doesn't really have a D&D feat that I know of, but is not something gladitors can do because they are not trained for it. -Working as a coherent unit, soldiers will slaughter gladiators on the battlefield, but in an alley way, a dungeon etc, where it's one on one, a gladiators skills will shine.Thus, for D&D, there is absolutely no need for a "gladiator" class: they are just fighters who take feats/skills in a certain path <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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