Revising the Gladiator system

[Decimate_The_Weak]

While I think the gladiator system is a cool addition to EfU and was created with good intentions I think, like it has been discussed, that just like other things implemented it has been learned, cheesed and no longer retains the spirit that was initially intended.

I have some small suggestions;

1) As Griff said in another suggestion, the power level (despite the argument of time and supply investment) should be toned down. I don't think any static reward should be as powerful as the deck is.

2) Gladiators offer substantial XP in some cases and makes progressing from level 9 to level 10 much easier than in previous chapters. The XP should be scaled back, at least at levels 9+.

Level 10 has always been regarded as a level that's had a certain expectation for characters that achieve it. I am not sure if that expectation is being met in some circumstances and I do not want to see characters who do not meet these expectations to be rewarded for cheesing or laming content.

3) Gladiators should no longer announce when they arrive. On several occassions I have heard of players opening a conversation with a gladiator so that other players cannot open the dialogue themselves. This is done so that their OOC friends can log in and fight the gladiator. While this won't remedy this completely it will help prevent players from sniping gladiators. And this type of behavior is very gamey a doesn't belong on EfU.

4) No pre-buffing *period*. A player should still be allowed to pre-buff before moving in the arena once in it but players shouldn't be allowed to have their cleric and wizard buddy apply every buff possible before initiating the fight.

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The gladiator system is a great system for characters that indulge in those activities and it is static content that helps characterize certain concepts. Though unfortunately the characters that benefit most from this system are characters who otherwise do not engage in this style of play or roleplay outside of trying to make gains in the PvE arena.

I am not suggesting that the gladiator system be nerfed so much that it is no longer worth it but I think as it is now deserves some discussions of simply making it more fair, more sporting and overall better for the health of the server.

[Vlaid]

No pre-buffing at all just makes it cheaper and favor self-buffing characters more than it already does.

The situation you describe where people just open dialogue to keep others from challenging a gladiator until their friends arrive sounds like extremely exploitive behavior that should be reported to DMs.

Maybe something as simple as anyone who holds a deck can be challenged by any PC to a fight in the pit for the deck. If you are an ace gladiator it seems pretty fitting.

[Random_White_Guy]

I'm not sure I love the idea of decks becoming hot potato items.

It's one thing for it to be stolen by bandits or etc but having something worth that much prestige/potency just floating to whatever PC smashes your face for it feels equally gamey.

I do definitely think though anyone with the Deck is subject to a big DMNPC duel or etc or maybe some "All Deck Fighters Fight" type tournament or anything though with some stakes attached to it instead of just "I've got this trophy ha ha time to rest on my laurels".

I personally have no mechanical talent for it, having failed time and again to make dueling PCs, but I've had the pleasure to be the first PC to run the Groat's dueling arena, a few times on other PCs and had a PC who pushed Domina into it and etc and absolutely love gladiator storylines and RP and etc. So anything to bring it away from the less RP driven current incarnation and something moreso I think would only be better for the server.

And in some fantasy world beyond this fantasy world I can play one sometime lol.