Urgent!

[Land Outcast]

Neat idea (IMHO):

Shackes of Life Binding:
Half damage dealt to one of the shackled individuals is instead dealt to the other one. This can result in simultaneous death.

Use those toys, shackling memebers of opposing teams together.

 

[Tinner]

Am I too late?

Ever seen Mortal Kombat (movie or game doesn't matter.)
Use Skorpion's lair - it's basically a huge scaffold/jungle gym that covers the entire arena.
Now animate it.
Cover some rungs with oil of slipperiness, and others with sovreign glue.
Now flood the arena to a depth of say 5 feet.
Ad cover the ground of the arena with 5.1 foot long poisoned spears.

Good times, my friend. Good times.

 

[smilinggm]

So Morrus what did you end up doing???

 

[Steel_Wind]

Sounds like Morrus was running Round 1 of AoW's Champion's Belt.

Sand and sweat and little else in the arena of the Free City works just great.

Of course, you might have built them one to play in...

Check out Tim Stelburg's awesome model of the GreyHawk Arena he built for A Champion's Belt.

Age of Worms. Go run it. It's cool enough to inspire DMs to do things like this:

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Various animals such as lions, tigers, bears released at random intervals (either released from chains holding them to a certain spot in the arena or released into the area from outside).

Various pit traps and other traps placed throughout the arena. These can either be hidden or in the open (can you say Bull Rush?).

I must say that there are a lot of great ideas here. I may have to swipe some. Out of interest, what adventure are you running?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Jemal]

Those're all awesome ideas, guys..

Hmm, I'm feeling inspired.

 

[Relique du Madde]

The spectators are carrying tanglefoot bags, smoke sticks, poison vials, oil, alchemist fire, healing potions, etc. Every round 2d4 of these items are tossed into the arena.

 

[Herobizkit]

Give us an update... what did you end up doing?

Personally, I like the "three stages of hell" match from the three-cheese movie "Ready To Rumble". Multiple platforms, each with their own hazards, maybe even their own weapons and magic items for the PCs and NPCs to employ...

 

[Dark Dragon]

Age of Worms. Go run it. It's cool enough to inspire DMs to do things like this:

Whoa! That looks nice! Just my 2 cp...

 

[Ry]

Robert, I am at this moment both thrilled and terrified to be joining your group.