Morturi: Heavy Roles

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This page describes the various Heavy Roles.
Heavy Roles include:

• Andabatus - An exceptionally heavily armoured fighter, that wears a helmet without a visor and fights blindly.
• Bustuarius - A "funeral fighter", armed with a ceremonial weapon plus heavily adorned scutum shield, and skilled in entertaining the crowds.
• Hoplomachus - The basic "heavy fighter" class, representing a warrior with heavy armour plates and a single double handed weapon.
• Large beast - An animal, such as a bear, which combines unmatched strength with superb toughness.
• Samnite - A version of the Hoplomachus armed with spear and shield, trading defensive power for tactical versatility.

Andabatus

• Move: 3
• Attack: Double handed weapon - Roll 5+ to deal 5 damage.
• Life Points: 8

Andabatus Special Rules

Blind - An Andabatus has the persistent condition blinded. A blinded character has a +2 to their to-hit numbers on attacks they make (e.g. 5+ to hit becomes 7+ to hit). The Andabatus cannot remove the blinded condition by any means. Note that by default, the Andabatus is incapable of hitting opponents with a normal attack!

Fully Armoured - Attacks against this gladiator receive a -1 damage reduction. This is an armour effect.

Andabatus Tricks

Novicius Gladiators have 0 tricks. Palus Gladiators select 3 tricks. Primus Palus Gladiators gain all 7 tricks.

• Circle Sweep

If the Andabatus has not spent any movement points this turn, he may make a Circle Sweep instead of a melee attack. If he does, roll a D6 for each Gladiator adjacent to the Andabatus, whether allied or enemy. That gladiator is hit for that many life points in damage. Note that this roll is not modified by the blinded condition.

• Endurance

If, at the start of his turn, the Andabatus has an odd number of Life Points, he gains +1 Life Point.

• Focus

The Andabatus can spend 3 Movement points to Focus. For the remainder of his current turn, he may reroll any one single D6 roll once, though he must accept the new result even if it is worse than the original roll.

• Heavy Impact

If the Andabatus hits an opponent with a melee attack (but not with Circle Sweep), and rolls a "6" on the to-hit roll, then that opponent is knocked prone immediately after the attack. All further attacks against a prone target count as being made against his rear facing, regardless of which way the gladiator is facing. A prone target cannot turn-to-face as a reaction. A prone gladiator cannot make attacks. A prone gladiator can stand up from prone by spending 3 movement points.

• Movement Sense

The Andabatus reduces his blinded penalty from "+2 to hit" to "+1 to hit". (That is, the Andabatus now hits on a 6+ instead of a 7+).

• Toe to Toe

The gladiator may spend 3 movement points to make a melee attack against an adjacent enemy. This is on addition to his normal attacks this round.

• Will to Live

The gladiator receives a +1 bonus to the dice roll on Survival checks.

Bustuarius

• Move: 3
• Attack: Ceremonial blade - Roll 5+ to deal 4 damage.
• Life Points: 8

Bustuarius Special Rules

Ceremonial Scutum - Melee attacks against the front facing of the Bustuarius receive a -1 damage reduction. This is an armour effect.

Fully Armoured - Attacks against this gladiator receive a -1 damage reduction. This is an armour effect.

Bustuarius Tricks

Novicius Gladiators have 0 tricks. Palus Gladiators select 3 tricks. Primus Palus Gladiators gain all 7 tricks.

• Everyone loves Bustuarii!

At the start of the battle, if this Bustuarius is in the arena, his school gains +1 point of Crowd's Favour.

• In Memoriam

If during the previous turn an ally of the Bustuarius was taken out of action (i.e. reduced to 0 Life Points and taken out of the battle), he may choose to lose his current turn altogether to salute the fallen comrade. If he does so, roll a D6 - on a 4+, his school immediately gains an additional +1 point of Crowd's Favour.

• Last Words

If the Bustuarius is reduced to 0 Life Points, his school immediately gains +1 point of Crowd's Favour.

• Sacrifice

If during the previous turn the Bustuarius dealt the final blow (i.e. one that successfully reduces to 0 Life Points and takes them out of the battle) to an enemy gladiator, he may choose to lose his current turn altogether to dedicate the "sacrifice" to the gods and the dead. If he does so, his school immediately gains an additional +1 point of Crowd's Favour.

• Tribute

At cost of 3 movement points the Bustuarius may make a Tribute to the beloved dead. If he does so roll a D6. On a roll of 6+ his school immediately gains +1 point of Crowd's Favour.

• Toe to Toe

The gladiator may spend 3 movement points to make a melee attack against an adjacent enemy. This is on addition to his normal attacks this round.

• Will to Live

The gladiator receives a +1 bonus to the dice roll on Survival checks.

Hoplomachus

• Move: 3
• Attack: Double handed weapon - Roll 5+ to deal 5 damage.
• Life Points: 8

Hoplomachus Special Rules

Fully Armoured - Attacks against this gladiator receive a -1 damage reduction. This is an armour effect.

Hoplomachus Tricks

Novicius Gladiators have 0 tricks. Palus Gladiators select 3 tricks. Primus Palus Gladiators gain all 7 tricks.

• Determination

If an attack reduces the Hoplomachus to exactly 0 Life Points, roll a D6. On a roll of 4+, the Provocator immediately regains 1 Life Point.

• Endurance

If, at the start of his turn, the Hoplomachus has an odd number of Life Points, he gains +1 Life Point.

• Heavy Impact

If the Hoplomachus hits an opponent with a melee attack, and rolls a "6" on the to-hit roll, then that opponent is knocked prone immediately after the attack. All further attacks against a prone target count as being made against his rear facing, regardless of which way the gladiator is facing. A prone target cannot turn-to-face as a reaction. A prone gladiator cannot make attacks. A prone gladiator can stand up from prone by spending 3 movement points.

• Relentless

The Hoplomachus ignores and increase in movement cost to move a square. As long as he is able to move, it always costs him one movement point to move to an adjacent square.

• Stand firm

The Hoplomachus cannot be forced to move by another gladiator's tricks. Ignore any forced movement effects applied to him.

• Toe to Toe

The gladiator may spend 3 movement points to make a melee attack against an adjacent enemy. This is on addition to his normal attacks this round.

• Will to Live

The gladiator receives a +1 bonus to the dice roll on Survival checks.

Large Beast

• Move: 3
• Attack: Heavy claw - Roll 5+ to deal 5 damage.
• Life Points: 8

Large Beast Special Rules

Animal Intellect - Because they are animals, beasts are not capable of complex strategy. On its turn, a beast must move towards the nearest opponent by the most direct route possible (Lanista selects if two equidistant choices). A beast adjacent to one or more opponents must stay in the square it is in and attack one of those opponents.

Non-Human - Beasts are non-humans.

Tough Hide - Attacks against this gladiator receive a -1 damage reduction. This is an toughness effect.

Large Beast Tricks

Novicius Gladiators have 0 tricks. Palus Gladiators select 3 tricks. Primus Palus Gladiators gain all 7 tricks.

• Determination

If an attack reduces the Provocator to exactly 0 Life Points, roll a D6. On a roll of 4+, the Large Beast immediately regains 1 Life Point.

• Killer instinct

+1 to damage dealt against wounded targets.

• Snarling beast

The beast is especially feral seeming, and intimidating to approach. Any enemy human gladiators moving into a square adjacent must pay +1 movement point for that square of movement. This is a Fear effect.

• Throat Tear

If the Fast Beast rolls a "6" on a damaging attack roll, he deals +4 damage.

• Toe to Toe

The gladiator may spend 3 movement points to make a melee attack against an adjacent enemy. This is on addition to his normal attacks this round.

• Very Tough Hide

Attacks against this gladiator receive a further -1 damage reduction. This is an toughness effect.

• Will to Live

The gladiator receives a +1 bonus to the dice roll on Survival checks.