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[FallacyofUrist]

Have you ever longed for glory?

Have you ever longed to craft a team and command it to victory?

To manage its growth, its members, its abilities, its equipment?

Perhaps you have. But others have as well. Will you be the one to take the Crown?


This is a tactical game where you build a team of gladiators and clash against other players' teams of gladiators.

The rules will expand and update each each Season, so be on the lookout for new factors.

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Each Season is divided into a repeating cycle of Bidding, Preparation, and Battle phases.

In the Bidding phase, each player receives 15G to secretly bid on various Gladiators, Abilities, and Items.

In the Preparation phase, the battle matchups are determined and released, and then players privately compose the team they wish to use for the Battle phase.

In the Battle phase, each player commands the team they built against the team of the player they were matched against. The winner of the battle receives 1 Point if the player they defeated had an equal or lower number of Points, and 2 Points if the player they defeated had a greater number of points.

The first player to reach 7 Points receives the Crown and thus wins the Season. They may also suggest an addition to the rules, and are added to the list of Season winners.

If two players reach 7 Points in the same Battle phase, there is a tiebreaker where one final pair of Preparation and Battle phases occur, and the tied players clash to win the Crown.

Spoiler: Bidding (click to show/hide)

In the Bidding phase, each player receives 15G, a currency to to place bids in a secret auction. The currency will not roll over between phases, so you're best off using all of it.

Once the Bidding phase starts, a number of Gladiators, Abilities, and Items are put up for auction. These are publicly listed, though there may be mystery options.

Each option put up for auction will have a minimum bid. A bid on a given option cannot pass below its minimum, but you can bid more than the minimum. Your total bids must add up to 15 or less.

Bids are submitted via PM to the game moderator (me), though you should post a notification in the thread that you've made them.

Some examples of valid Bid PMs:

I bid 5G on Knight Ronald, 3G on the Silver Shield, 2G on Power Strike, and 5G on Speed Training.

Knight Ronald - 4G
Power Strike - 1G
Dagger Throw - 1G
Smoke Powder - 3G
Throwing Star Barrage - 6G

Basically, just make sure I know what you're bidding on and for how much.

Once everyone's submitted their bids (and possibly conducted negotiations with each other), the winners of each Gladiator, Ability, and Item will be announced publicly (though mystery options are unboxed privately).

If a bid is tied, it goes to a random player that bid upon it.

Spoiler: Preparation (click to show/hide)

At the start of the Preparation phase, the matchups are randomly selected and announced. If a given matchup occurs three times in a row, I will reroll the matchups.

Additionally, the number of Gladiators allowed for the upcoming Battle is announced. This will start at 2 and gradually increase as the Season goes on.

During the Preparation phase, each player privately selects which Gladiators they will use for the upcoming Battle. Additionally, they may equip Abilities and Items to their Gladiators.

At the end of the Preparation phase, each player's composed team will be publicly revealed. Anything not used to form a team will remain in reserve, and will not be revealed.

Spoiler: Gladiators, Abilities, and Items (click to show/hide)

Every Gladiator has several Stats. These Stats are Health, Max Health, Action Points, and Speed.

A Gladiator's Health starts at their Max Health at the beginning of Battle, and once it is reduced to 0, they are killed and removed from the Battle. The average Max Health is 10.

Fear not, a dead Gladiator is (usually) only dead for that Battle, and may be used again for the next.

Any action a Gladiator takes will use some number of Action Points, which refresh every turn of the Battle. The average number of Action Points is 2.

Speed determines how soon a given Gladiator's actions resolve. A Gladiator with higher Speed will have their actions resolve first. In the event of a tie, the Gladiator that acts first is determined randomly. The average Speed is 6.

In addition to their Stats, a given Gladiator may hold one Item, which may be freely added and removed during the Preparation phase.

A Gladiator will also have a number of Ability Slots, which may be restricted or unconditional. Once an Ability is added to an Ability Slot during the Preparation phase, it resides there permanently, and cannot be removed.


An Ability can do just about anything, but they're more commonly fairly straightforwards.

Some Abilities will be passive and have a constant effect, and others will be active, which means they take the form of an action that can be performed for a given number of Action Points.

An Ability can be added to a given Gladiator's Ability Slot (if it is compatible) during the Preparation phase, but once added, it cannot be removed.

Some examples:

Name: Strong Strike
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 1

Deal 3 damage to the target Gladiator.

Can only be used once per turn.

Name: Great Vitality
Tags: Passive

Gain 4 Max Health.

Whenever this Gladiator gains Health due to a source other than this Ability, gain 1 additional Health.

Name: Trip
Tags: Active
Action Points: 0

Priority: +2 Speed for this action.

Reduce the target enemy Gladiator's Speed by 3 this turn.

Cooldown: next 2 turns.

Name: Intercept
Tags: Active, Defense
Action Points: 1

Priority: +2 Speed for this action.

Block up to 4 damage that would be dealt to the target friendly Gladiator. Cannot be self-used.

Cooldown: next turn.

Additionally, all Gladiators may use the basic ability Flailing Punch.

Name: Flailing Punch
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 1

Deal 1d2 damage to the target enemy Gladiator.

An Item is similar to an Ability. Any Gladiator can hold an Item, but not more than one. Unlike Abilities, you can remove Items from the Gladiators that hold them during the Preparation phase.

Of note is the Consumable tag, which indicates that the Item will be permanently destroyed after it is used or triggered.

Spoiler: Battle (click to show/hide)

At the start of the Battle phase, the teams constructed by each player are fully revealed. The game then proceeds on a turn-by-turn basis.

Each player submits privately the actions they wish their team of Gladiators to take. Then, the actions are resolved in order of the Speed of the Gladiators performing them, from highest to lowest - modified by factors such as Priority, and the state of the Battle is displayed.

(Players are encouraged to publicly post notifications that they've sent their actions in, and banter as they please.)

Once all a team's Gladiators have been reduced to 0 Health and eliminated, the opposing player is the victor, and receives Points according to the earlier stated conditions.

If somehow all Gladiators on both teams are eliminated simultaneously, the Battle is a draw and neither player earns Points.

Any questions?

For the first Season, I'm taking four players. First come, first served, but I'll set up a waitlist for future Seasons if there's interest.


Waitlist (for Season 2):
-Naturegirl1999
-BlackPaladin99

[FiveBalesOfHay]

In.

[Crystalizedmire]

In.

[IronyOwl]

In!

[Egan_BW]

In.

[FallacyofUrist]

Bidding Phase 1

Gladiators:

Spoiler: Gladiators (click to show/hide)

Name: Kyle Seven

Max Health: 7
Speed: 7
Action Points: 2

[empty slot]
[empty slot (Active)]

Minimum Bid: 2G.

First off we have Kyle Seven. Not super special, really, and he looks... a little fragile! I'm sure he'll be fine.

Name: Pizzaman

Max Health: 9
Speed: 5
Action Points: 2

[empty slot (Active)]
[empty slot (Active)]

Minimum Bid: 2G.

This mysterious fellow called Pizzaman can only use Active abilities! Maybe you'll find some use for him.

Name: The Jester

Max Health: 10
Speed: 7
Action Points: 2

[empty slot]
[empty slot (Non-Damaging, Active)]
[empty slot (Non-Damaging, Active)]

Minimum Bid: 3G.

The Jester has room for versatility, but mostly in the supportive role.

Name: Lancer

Max Health: 11
Speed: 6
Action Points: 2

[empty slot]
[empty slot (Attack)]
[empty slot (Defense)]

Minimum Bid: 4G.

Hello, Lancer! I am informed that he is neither a servant nor a being of darkness, and is in fact a stalwart warrior.

Name: Granite

Max Health: 14
Speed: 2
Action Points: 1

[empty slot]
[empty slot (Passive)]

Minimum Bid: 4G.

Granite here will be rather hard to take down, but is the only Gladiator on offer here to only have a single Action Point.

Name: Everyman

Max Health: 11
Speed: 5
Action Points: 2

[empty slot]
[empty slot]
[empty slot]

Minimum Bid: 5G.

You really pay for the versatility you would get with Everyman.

Make sure to get at least one Gladiator, unless you want to auto-lose your first Battle.

Although, if that's a risk you're willing to take, it's not my place to stop you.

The typical number of Gladiators on offer will be less than this, but as it's currently the first Bidding phase, some extra have been put up to ensure everyone can get at least one.


Abilities:

Spoiler: Abilities (click to show/hide)

Name: Dagger Throw
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 1

Priority: +2 Speed for this action.

Deal 2 damage to the target Gladiator.

(3 uses per Battle.)

Minimum Bid: 1G.

A quick way to deal damage! You'll run out of knives eventually, though.

Name: Slash
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 1

Deal 2 damage to the target Gladiator.

Minimum Bid: 1G.

An extremely basic attack. Better than a Flailing Punch, at least.

Name: Poisoned Weapon
Tags: Passive

The first time this Gladiator deals damage to an enemy Gladiator per turn, apply Poison 1.

Minimum Bid: 2G.

Poison X: Deal X damage to the afflicted Gladiator at the end of each turn. Stackable.

The perfect way to punish drawn-out fights.

Name: Aimed Arrow
Tags: Active, Attack, Focus
Action Points: 1

Focus: If this Gladiator takes damage this turn before using this action, this action is prevented.

Deal 3 damage to the target Gladiator.

Minimum Bid: 2G.

Focus is the first real example of why Speed is important. Getting to act first is a necessity to use your Focus abilities well.

Name: Trip
Tags: Active
Action Points: 0

Priority: +2 Speed for this action.

Reduce the target enemy Gladiator's Speed by 3 this turn.

Cooldown: next 2 turns.

Minimum Bid: 3G.

It's not just an example!

Name: Heavy Slam
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 2

Deal 4 damage to the target enemy Gladiator.

Cooldown: next turn.

Minimum Bid: 3G.

"Hit them very hard" is a viable strategy.

Name: Physical Conditioning
Tags: Passive

Increase this Gladiator's Max Health by 3 and Speed by 1.

The first Attack action used by this Gladiator each turn does 1 additional damage.

Minimum Bid: 4G.

The power of exercise shines within you.

Name: Defensive Stance
Tags: Active, Defense
Action Points: 0

Resolve this action at the beginning of the turn.

Reduce this Gladiator's Speed by 2 for this turn, but reduce the damage taken from Attack actions by 1.

Cooldown: next turn.

Minimum Bid: 4G.

If you must get hit, at least brace for it.

Name: Blunderbuss
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 2

Slow: -2 Speed for this action.

Deal 6 damage to the target enemy Gladiator.

(1 use per Battle.)

Minimum Bid: 5G.

Very powerful, honestly, but expect it to be proportionately less effective later on, as teams grow larger.

To build for the short or long term, for synergy or offense or defense... to install your Abilities in their slots immediately, or save them for later phases?

Questions only you can answer.


Items:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: Minor Flask of Healing
Tags: Active, Consumable
Action Points: 0

Heal the holder by 2, then destroy this Item.

Minimum Bid: 2G.

A quick heal, in a pinch.

Name: Wooden Buckler
Tags: Passive

The first time each turn the holder takes 3 or more damage in a single instance, reduce that damage by 2.

Minimum Bid: 2G.

Mitigates heavy hits, but not so much the light ones.

Name: Air Horn
Tags: Active, Global
Action Points: 1

For the remainder of the turn, all enemy Attack actions will target the holder.

(1 use per Battle.)

Minimum Bid: 3G.

Hey look, a distraction!

Name: Leather Gambeson
Tags: Passive

The first 4 Attack actions the holder is targeted by per Battle have their damage reduced by 1.

Minimum Bid: 4G.

Limited but expansive protection.

Items will tend to be more scarce in the Bidding phase, auction, just because their ability to be moved around makes them more versatile.


Place your bids!

[FiveBalesOfHay]

Bid is in.

[Crystalizedmire]

Bids in.

[IronyOwl]

Bids in.

[Egan_BW]

sent.

[FallacyofUrist]

Bidding Phase 1

The largest bid is 10G upon Granite - FiveBalesOfHay snaps up the lumbering warrior!

It looks like Poisoned Weapon has been popular - FiveBalesOfHay and IronyOwl tie, each bidding 5G on it.

(1d2=2) But it looks like IronyOwl wins the coin toss, and snatches it up.

5G upon Lancer ensures that IronyOwl acquires this skilled warrior...

And similarly, Egan_BW uses their own 5G to acquire the versatile Everyman.

Crystalizedmire acquires Kyle Seven for 4G, Slash for 3G, and Leather Gambeson for a painful 6G.

Desperately looking for something else, Egan_BW manages to snatch up Dagger Throw for 1G.


Condensed Acquisitions:

Spoiler: FiveBalesOfHay (click to show/hide)

Gladiators:

Name: Granite

Max Health: 14
Speed: 2
Action Points: 1

[empty slot]
[empty slot (Passive)]

Spoiler: Crystalizedmire (click to show/hide)

Gladiators:

Name: Kyle Seven

Max Health: 7
Speed: 7
Action Points: 2

[empty slot]
[empty slot (Active)]

Abilities:

Name: Slash
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 1

Deal 2 damage to the target Gladiator.

Items:

Name: Leather Gambeson
Tags: Passive

The first 4 Attack actions the holder is targeted by per Battle have their damage reduced by 1.

Spoiler: IronyOwl (click to show/hide)

Gladiators:

Name: Lancer

Max Health: 11
Speed: 6
Action Points: 2

[empty slot]
[empty slot (Attack)]
[empty slot (Defense)]

Abilities:

Name: Poisoned Weapon
Tags: Passive

The first time this Gladiator deals damage to an enemy Gladiator per turn, apply Poison 1.

Poison X: Deal X damage to the afflicted Gladiator at the end of each turn. Stackable.

Spoiler: Egan_BW (click to show/hide)

Gladiators:

Name: Everyman

Max Health: 11
Speed: 5
Action Points: 2

[empty slot]
[empty slot]
[empty slot]

Abilities:

Name: Dagger Throw
Tags: Active, Attack
Action Points: 1

Priority: +2 Speed for this action.

Deal 2 damage to the target Gladiator.

(3 uses per Battle.)

Preparation Phase 1

And... the matchups are in!

IronyOwl vs. Crystalizedmire!

FiveBalesOfHay vs. Egan_BW!

For the first Battle, each player may use up to 2 Gladiators, not that any of you currently have more than one.

Send in your private team compositions!

[Egan_BW]

It doesn't exactly seem vital that I keep this secret, so I won't bother.

Equip Everyman with Dagger Throw. Throw daggers until out, then punch.

I'd thought about minimum bidding on as many fighters as possible to try to outnumber, but instead went for min bids on the three most expensive fighters. Bit of a shame, going for the cheaper ones would have worked here, with nobody else getting more than one fighter.

[FiveBalesOfHay]

I'll just post my composition publicly. Surprise, it's Granite.

[Egan_BW]

Here's a simulation of our fight, assuming that Everyman's punches roll minimum damage and Granite's punches roll maximum damage:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

turn 0

everyman: 11 HP
granite: 14 HP


turn 1

everyman daggers twice for 4 damage
granite punches for 2 damage

everyman: 9 HP
granite: 10 HP


turn 2

everyman daggers once and punches once for 3 damage
granite punches for 2 damage

everyman: 7 HP
granite: 7 HP


turn 3

everyman punches twice for 2 damage
granite punches for 2 damage

everyman: 5 HP
granite: 5 HP


turn 4

everyman punches twice for 2 damage
granite punches for 2 damage

everyman: 3 HP
granite: 3 HP


turn 5

everyman punches twice for 2 damage
granite punches for 2 damage

everyman: 1 HP
granite: 1 HP


turn 6

everyman punches twice for 2 damage
granite is dead

everyman: 1 HP
granite: 0 HP

I'm fairly sure I've won this round, assuming I understand the battle mechanics correctly. Thoughts?

[IronyOwl]

I'd thought about minimum bidding on as many fighters as possible to try to outnumber, but instead went for min bids on the three most expensive fighters. Bit of a shame, going for the cheaper ones would have worked here, with nobody else getting more than one fighter.

Thought about this as well, but was worried it'd lose to a more medium approach and I'd get nothing. I also considered getting greedy and bidding 3 on poison and 2 on slash, which would have resulted in exactly that.

I also nearly bid on Everyman rather than Granite, which could have had interesting implications if I'd won the coinflip.

I'm fairly sure I've won this round, assuming I understand the battle mechanics correctly. Thoughts?

I've likewise simulated my match and Kyle has it, so it looks like you'll be facing him next. You'll run out of daggers before he runs out of armor!

(Technically rolling max damage on my first four attacks while equipped with the poison passive would let me win, but that's a 1 in 16 chance)