Gladiator (Variant 2) (5e Subclass)

Gladiator

Fighter Subclass

In the heart of the arena, where the sand is stained with the tales of a thousand battles, the Gladiator stands as the master of spectacle and combat. Born from the crucible of public contests and gladiatorial games, these warriors have turned the art of battle into a performance that captivates and terrifies. To them, every strike is a potential masterpiece, every duel a story to be told, and the clash of steel is the music of their souls.

Gladiators are not mere fighters; they are artists whose canvas is the battlefield, and their paint is the will to survive and triumph. They know that to the victor goes not just the spoils but the adoration of the masses, the immortalization in song and story. With a flourish of their weapon and a defiant glare, they challenge not just their foes but the very legends that came before them. For a Gladiator, every battle is an opportunity to become legend, to ensure that their name—and their deeds—will never be forgotten.

Spectacle of Combat

At 3rd level, you've learned to harness the energy of the crowd and the spectacle of combat to enhance your abilities. Whether you're performing in a grand arena or a makeshift battleground, you draw strength from the notion of being watched and admired. This feature includes the following abilities :

• Showman's Flair : Whenever you make an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw, you can choose to do so with dramatic flair. Before the roll, declare that you're using this ability. On a successful roll that utilizes Showman's Flair, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). These temporary hit points last for 10 minutes. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Crowd Pleaser : You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. If you are already proficient in Performance, you instead gain expertise in it, allowing you to add double your proficiency bonus to checks made with it. Additionally, you can use your action to perform a feat of combat prowess to dazzle onlookers and intimidate your enemies. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be charmed or frightened by you (your choice) until the end of your next turn. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Arena Acumen

Starting at 3rd level, your time spent in the arena—or in situations simulating its brutal and unforgiving nature—has honed your instincts for survival and spectacle. You've learned to read your opponents and the environment to your advantage, turning both into critical elements of your performance. This feature grants you the following benefits :

• Tactical Showmanship : You can gauge the crowd's (or your allies') expectations and the terrain to gain an edge in combat. As a bonus action on your turn, you can analyze one creature you can see or the immediate environment to gain one of the following benefits for 1 minute:

1. Against a creature : You gain advantage on the first attack roll you make against the chosen creature before the end of your next turn.
2. Environment : You identify an environmental feature (such as sand to kick, a wall to push someone against, or a chandelier to swing from) that you can use to your advantage. The next ability check or attack roll you make that involves this feature gains a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus.

• Gladiator's Insight : You have honed your ability to predict your opponent's moves and turn their expectations against them. If a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature. This attack has advantage if the creature is within 5 feet of an environmental feature you can exploit.

Duelist's Parry

By 7th level, your experience in the arena has taught you not just to attack with flair, but to defend with it too. You've become adept at turning your opponents' attacks into opportunities for counterattacks and showy maneuvers that can turn the tide of battle in your favor. This feature provides the following benefits :

• Parry and Riposte : When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) to your AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss. If the attack still hits, you can make one melee weapon attack against the attacker as part of the same reaction. If this counterattack hits, you can push the attacker up to 10 feet away from you, showcasing your control over the battle's flow and space.
• Crowd's Favor : If you successfully parry and riposte in front of an audience (determined at the DM's discretion), you gain advantage on your next attack roll, skill check, or saving throw within the next minute. The crowd's reaction to your skillful defense energizes you, granting you a momentary boost. This aspect of the feature symbolizes your ability to draw strength from being the center of attention, turning the audience's admiration into a tangible advantage.

Roar of the Arena

At 10th level, your very presence on the battlefield can inspire allies and demoralize enemies, as if the echo of a thousand voices cheers you on. You've learned to channel the spirit of the arena, turning the tide of battle with the sheer force of your personality and reputation. This feature includes the following abilities :

• Inspiring Presence : As a bonus action, you can let out a battle cry that bolsters your allies' spirits. Choose up to three allies within 60 feet who can hear you. For the next minute, these allies gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) and have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Terrifying Reputation : You can leverage your reputation as a formidable gladiator to unsettle your foes. As an action, you project an aura of menace. Each enemy within 30 feet of you that can see or hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, an enemy is frightened of you for 1 minute. An enemy can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Master of the Arena

By 15th level, you have achieved a legendary status in the world of combat, known for your unmatched skill, charisma, and ability to turn even the direst situations to your advantage. Your performances in battle are so captivating that you can manipulate the flow of combat with ease, always finding a way to emerge victorious. This feature provides the following benefits :

• Unyielding Spirit : Your fighting spirit is so strong that it can shake off effects that would impair a lesser warrior. You gain advantage on saving throws against being stunned, paralyzed, or petrified. Additionally, if you fail a saving throw against such conditions, you can choose to succeed instead. Once you use this latter ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
• Gladiator's Grandeur : Whenever you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points or score a critical hit, you can choose to perform a spectacular maneuver that captivates any onlookers and intimidates your remaining opponents. All allies within 60 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your fighter level, and all enemies within 60 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be frightened of you until the end of their next turn. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Champion of the Coliseum

Reaching level 18, you've transcended beyond a mere combatant to become a symbol of peak martial prowess and theatrical combat. You are the embodiment of the coliseum's spirit, a champion whose very presence on the battlefield can alter the course of the fight. This pinnacle of your journey as a Gladiator grants you the following abilities :

• Indomitable Will : Your will to emerge victorious in every battle has become unbreakable. You gain immunity to being frightened and charmed. Your mind is as fortified as your body, unwavering in the face of any mental onslaught.
• Coliseum's Favor : Your legendary status in the arena has garnered you the favor of some unseen force, granting you miraculous powers in the heat of combat. Once per long rest, when you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. For the next minute, your attacks deal extra damage equal to your Charisma modifier, and you have advantage on all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. This miraculous resurgence embodies the dramatic comebacks seen in tales and legends, further cementing your legacy as the Champion of the Coliseum.

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