Gladiator: Sands of Death A D20 System supplement from Mongoose Publishing Rating: (3 out of 5 hearts) by Jean-Michel

Here is another one from the very prolific people at Mongoose Publishing. "Gladiator: Sands of Death" is a sourcebook providing players and DMs with material concerning arenas and gladiators. This book covers the subject of the gladiatorial world to such an extent that campaigns centered around life in the arena become quite feasible.

The first part of the book describes the raison d'être of arenas. In a fantasy world, as in the real one, the ruling classes can follow the old adage and say in chorus with the Roman Emperors of old: "Give the people wine and games and they will be easier to rule." In other words, it is best to keep the crowds busy thinking about the match, not about political and social concerns. Also, the bigger arenas are a testament to a nation's power and wealth and serve to impress neighbouring nations.

A description of the people involved with arenas and gladiatorial games, such as stable owners, gladiators, managers and spectators gives us a look at what happens behind the scenes. Extensive descriptions of five different arenas, from the small illegal fighting pit in the basement of an inn to the grand, monumental coliseum, provide good background on which to set an adventure's stage.

The next section details the gladiator campaign. Some scenario hooks and ideas suggest how a party could get involved. Here are a couple of examples to give you a feel:

The PCs are approached by someone who wants them to liberate an enslaved loved one who will otherwise fight to the death the next day in the local arena.

The PCs are captured by slavers and are the ones who have to fight in the arena.

Anything that encourages the PCs' involvement with one of the arenas will do. The next step consists in providing guidelines on how to animate a full-blown gladiator campaign. Here is a little quote from the book to entice us and show us how it can be done: "… imagine a great barbarian king… Though now a 20th level killing machine, he began his life as a slave before entering the arena. Sound familiar?". A new NPC class, the slave, is described. It is suggested as a starting class for characters in a full-blown gladiator campaign. The slave class never counts towards the total number of classes when multiclassing, and it gives access to a special quality called Born to Fight, which gives +1 to all physical attributes and -1 to all then mental ones. Three prestige classes well suited to the arena follow. The Gladiator Champion is a superb warrior, a showman of the arena reknowned for his prowess and beloved of the crowds. Perform is an important skill for this guy. The Beast Handler is a specialised gladiator who trains an animal, beast or creature for combat and teaches it to fight in the arena, by itself or in tandem with the Beast Handler. The Charioteer is an expert of one of the most captivating gladiatorial event: the chariot race.

After the prestige classes comes the gladiatorial feats. These feats offer greater knowledge of armours, advantages on the battlefield by distracting, intimidating or taunting an enemy, talents to rouse the crowds and increase your fame or a superior aptitude for chariot racing.

A description of the types of matches typically occurring in arenas follows. These include such niceties as the "One on One", the "Chain Gang", the "Mage Killer", "Naval Battles", "Sacrificial Games", "Armed on Unarmed", "Mounted Matches", "Jousts", the "Blood Bath" and of course "Chariots". A few paragraphs on inventing other types of matches conclude this section.

The author then deals with a subject of paramount importance to any performer (especially for one whose show is slaughter): "Fame, Mercy & the Crowd". The new Fame points can give a morale bonus to a favourite of the crowd, who is cheered on to butcher his unlucky counterpart. An elegant system on acquiring and loosing fame points is included.

The next section gives rules for chariot races and combat. Elements such as horses, passengers and costs are discussed, as well as rules for charioteering. Different circumstantial modifiers on a Handle Animal check are given depending on the type of action a charioteer tries to accomplish, such as tight turns, sideswipes and surviving overturning.

The section on exotic weapons provide interesting additions to the list. Since each exotic weapon requires the devotion of a feat be used at maximum efficiency, bolas, mancatchers, quad crossbows, wrist razors and their ilk will not appear in every character's hands. They will have interesting and surprising effects when they show up. The following section describes the dirty tricks of the gladiator's trade, from the traditional sand in the eyes to the caltrops, poisons and irritants, blowpipes and blood bags that simulate severe wounds.

The final part is an interesting addition: a new game based on the d20 system. In the "Sands of Death" game, each player (there is no DM) takes on the role of a stable master, an owner of gladiators. Each is given a starting amount of gold with which to build his or her team and then a type of match is determined randomly, pitting each player against the others. The winner gets gold, fame points and experience points for his gladiators. Again, we are offered an efficient set of rules.

This is an excellent book all in all, and deserves a rating of five hearts if you are looking for material on gladiators and arenas. Since that probably won't be the case for most people, I give it three hearts for being an adequate product but not an exceptionally useful addition to the mass of d20 products out there at this point.


New Rules:

New classes: NPC class: The Slave. Prestige Classes: the Gladiator Champion, the Beast Handler, the Charioteer

New Feats: Armour Penetration, Armour Specialisation, Chariot Control, Death Move, Distract, Fame & Glory, Fearsome Display, Improved Chariot Sideswipe, Taunt

New rules concerning charioteering

A new game: "Sands of Death"


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