Quick Start for players in Roger's Gladiator Game
Version 1.0

	For the amphitheatre is consecrated to names more numerous and more dire 
	than is the Capitol itself, temple of all demons as it is.
		-- Tertullian


Rules Stuff:

Hi, kids.  Alright, this is pretty much the standard 3.5 D&D ruleset.  There's a few new things:


New Stuff

Reputation

This game uses the Reputation subsystem; see the following for reference:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/reputation.htm

If you're using some weird class that's not on the table, we'll try to figure out a best guess as
to which class it most closely resembles.

Those two feats -- Renown and Low Profile -- are available.

Reputation is mostly used for swaying the arena crowd, which I'll get to in a little bit.

[Yeah, I thought about using some huge arcane Fame system in which you get more famous for kicking
a troll in the crotch, etc etc, but I'm hoping this will work out just fine.]


Swaying the Crowd

This is a full-round check.  You can use Perform (Acting), Intimidate, or Bluff.  It doesn't draw an AoO.

It's pretty much like using Diplomacy to improve someone's opinion.  The crowd has a different opinion
of each combatant -- they could hate all of them or love all of them, for example.


Attitude  	Bonus
Hostile 	-4
Unfriendly 	-2
Indifferent 	0
Friendly 	+2
Helpful 	+4


The bonus is a morale bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves.

[This /may/ end up being a lot more complicated, with some sort of crowd opinion track, or something.
Or it might not.  The applicable skills might get shifted around too.]


Profession (Gladiator) is now a skill.  Don't feel like you have to take it.


Slavery

Alright, so mostly all y'all are going to start off as slaves.  So I bet you want to know what
that's all about.

Unsurprisingly, it sucks.

While you're a slave, you suffer the %20 experience penalty as if you had multiclassed badly.  This
stacks with any actual multiclassing experience penalties you might be suffering.

I could track your money to figure out when you could buy your freedom, but let's just say by the time
you reach 5th level, you're either rich enough to buy your way out, or famous enough that some 
politician sets you free.



Fancy New Equipment, Classes, Races, Prestige Classes, Feats, Etc Etc Etc

No.  There's like a thousand classes already just from WotC.  That should be enough.




Specific to our particular game stuff

I'm pretty open to wild and wacky classes, races, etc, so feel free to try something weird.

Standard 25-point stat buy -- nothing new there.

I'll probably start y'all off at 1st level and then see where it takes us.

I might try some variant rules every once in a bit, just to see what they do.  Things like random
initiative every round, or whatnot.  I'll let y'all know.

Maps and that Fun Stuff:  Ummm, ehhh.  I might try to upload a little text illustration of where 
everyone is in relation to one another, if it turns out to be a big deal.  
Otherwise I might just wing it.  We'll play it by ear.  You might want to lean towards melee combat
over ranged, in general, though.  I don't think the arena crowd likes it much when you shoot your
opponent 200' away with a crossbow bolt through the throat and kill him in the first 3 seconds.  Yeah,
I'll write some rules to support that sorta thing.

As you may have figured out, this whole thing isn't really "plot heavy", so ideally, people can just
show up whenever they want.  If you think it looks kinda cool, hey, throw together a character.  If
you can't make it for the next few weeks, don't sweat it.

On the other hand, with you kids being the way you are, there's a good chance some of you are going
to want to pull some political machination tricks or whatnot.  So we'll see how that works out.

I consider this playtesting, so if something seems really dumb, or you have a great idea for something,
or whatever, let me know and we'll try it out.

I haven't entirely decided on a date/time yet.  Probably either Saturday or Sunday daytimeish.  Feel
free to shout suggestions at me.



Cheers,
Roger .. roger@carbol.com