Working the Crowd - Gladiatorial Fame in Dark Sun
Optional rules 5e for Dark Sun gladiators that are easily portable into other editions.
Fame is lifeblood for a gladiator – without the crowd being interested in the success (or failure) of a gladiator, a stable quickly loses interest. This means no gifts from fans, no fancy treatment, more dangerous matches, and worst of all, less pay. Knowing how to attract and sustain fame in the arena is therefore vital for gladiators, as well as any other folk pressed into service in high-performance roles (such as charioteers).
These optional rules for Dark Sun games allow player characters to build and leverage their fame, riding the knife edge of farming popularity and maintaining their image. However, a fumble at the wrong time, or a change of image, can burn credibility and harm their fame bonus.
While some arena matches are professional and fought to the first blood, or are showy but nonlethal, others are more lethal and offer no mercy. This can vary from city-state to city-state, and even a professional gladiator can never be sure of their footing - with enough money on the table, even an otherwise caring stable might throw a gladiator into a dangerous beast match or one for higher-than-normal stakes.
| Title | Fame Bonus |
|---|---|
| Nobody | +0 |
| Fresh | +1 |
| Challenger | +2 |
| Adept | +3 |
| Hot-shot | +4 |
| Star | +5 |
| Expert | +6 |
| Champion | +7 |
| Superstar | +8 |
| Prime | +9 |
| Greatest | +10 |
How Fame works
A gladiator (or chariot-racer) begins as a nobody - no matter how good you are with a sword, if no-one has seen you use it, your reputation isn’t worth anything. This can rocket up quickly, however.
Each gladiator begins with a Fame bonus of +0, which is independent of their level or proficiency bonus. This is used when the gladiator makes a Fame check (see below).
Ways to increase your Fame bonus
A gladiator’s fame is never static - without working on their fame, it dissipates like blood into the sand.
Winning matches (or races, etc.) is a surefire way to attract Fame, and usually the first thing that a new gladiator does to start attracting a fan-base. That said, working on building an audience through strategic solicitation of bards and storytellers goes a long way towards increasing one’s Fame.
In order to increase their Fame score to the next level, a gladiator must do one of the following:
* Compete in a number of performances equal to their current Fame bonus
* Spend 100 ceramic pieces x their current Fame bonus on bards
* Win a performance against an opponent with a higher Challenge Rating than their current Fame bonus
A gladiator’s Fame level can only increase by up to 1 level at a time.
Losing Fame
A gladiator who does not compete in any matches, does not defeat any opponents, or does not spend the requisite amount of ceramic pieces on bards within a month, drops to the next-lowest level of Fame bonus, as their fans interest and drift away.
The loss of a character’s Fame bonus can be prevented by competing in any matches, defeating any opponents, or spending 10 ceramic pieces x their current Fame level on bards.
Different Regions
Going to a different city-state allows a gladiator to use one-half (rounding down) of their current Fame bonus, as something of their reputation carries over, but they have not yet built as dedicated a fan-base.
For example, ‘Red Bone’ is a champion of the arena in Tyr, giving him a Fame bonus of +7. However, moving to Balic for a match only allows him to use a Fame bonus of +3, as the fan-base is limited and smaller.
Returning to your home region within 3 months restores your Fame to its usual level and the ‘away’ matches add to your Fame just as if they were ‘home’ matches, while continuing to travel or staying in the new location keeps it at its lower level.
Things that can be done with Fame
A gladiator can leverage their fame with fans as an action by making a check using a d20 roll + their Fame bonus. With a successful Fame check against DC 10, a gladiator can receive an immediate gift of little value, such as a round of drinks, a bunch of flowers, or a cup of water. (up to 1 ceramic piece x the gladiator’s Fame score).
This is a factor of leveraging their popularity, and does not cause any undue concern. However, leveraging their fame for more substantial requests causes strain on the relationship with their fans, and once the gladiator has made one of the below checks on the table, they cannot make another similar check using their Fame bonus until they complete a long rest or until their Fame score increases, whichever happens first.
| Benefit (with examples) | Fame check DC |
|---|---|
| Gain advantage on a related Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion check | 15 |
| Receive a promise of help or a gift at the time of the patron’s choosing (patronage for a month or a favor that could result in a slight risk for the fan) | 15 |
| Receive easy aid (a discount of up to 10% on services, doing something not likely to cause danger to the fan, etc.) | 15 |
| Get the crowd on-side during a match; This is particularly useful when requesting permission from the arena’s master (such as begging for mercy, breaking the rules slightly, or something that may cause damage to the arena itself) | 20 |
| This is particularly useful when requesting permission from the arena’s master (such as begging for mercy, breaking the rules slightly, or something that may cause damage to the arena itself) | 20 |
| Receive difficult aid (assisting in a way that might cause danger to the fan – hiding the gladiator from templars, getting in the way of pursuers, etc.) | 20 |
The Cost of Fame
A gladiator with a Fame bonus of +1 or higher has disadvantage on checks to conceal their appearance (for example, blending into a crowd or using a disguise kit), as fans tend to remember them and seek their attention.
In addition, rumors about a famous person spread quickly. A gladiator who is spotted (or plausibly accused of) committing a crime or going against their public persona will be more easily tracked and spotted, and their higher profile may result in a greater punishment by templars, to serve as an example to the common folk.
We who are about to die salute you!
A gladiator’s career might be meteoric, or short and brutal, but, even more so than the life of an adventurer, a gladiator’s life can be glamorous and lavish. Fame lives and dies by the will of the crowd, so hard work is needed to become (and stay) famous.
May the masters of the arena favor you in your battles!