You've found your way into the service of a ringmaster one way or another, be it through repaying a debt or being taken as a child. All you've known since is the adrenaline-filled action known as combat.
You might have been given a specific task to do while you fight. Execution? Crippling? Disembowelment? It depends on the customer, and whoever holds the knife to your throat at the end of the day.
As for adventuring, well, you must have escaped at some point, right? Or do you still work for the people that make you fight? Do you enjoy it?
These are the questions that float around a pit fighter's head. Some know their stance, and some may waver. All they know is themselves and their loyalties, and for most that seems to be enough.
- Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics or Athletics, Perception
- Tool Proficiencies: One gaming set of your choice.
- Languages: One language of your choice.
- Equipment: Manacles, a lucky charm such as a rabbit foot or a small stone with a hole in the center (or you may roll for a random trinket), a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
Some pit fighters go into the ring for glory, some for a fight, and some for an execution. You should think about how you see your character reacting to these tasks, and choose a specialisation from there.
| d4 | Pit Fighter Specialisation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pugilist |
| 2 | Executor |
| 3 | Fight seeker |
| 4 | Punching bag |
No matter where you go, people are afraid of you due to your reputation. When you are in a civilized settlement, you can get away with minor criminal offenses, such as refusing to pay for food at a tavern or breaking down doors at a local shop, since most people will not report your activity to the authorities.
Suggested Characteristics
Pit fighters can be a rough lot, but the loyalty shown towards each other and people that show them kindness make them generally reliable as well. The first people that show a pit fighter kindness form their most important attachments.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | My friends know they can rely on me, no matter what. |
| 2 | I work hard so that I can play hard when the work is done. |
| 3 | I stretch the truth for the sake of a good story. |
| 4 | To me, a tavern brawl is a nice way to get to know a new city. |
| 5 | I never pass up a friendly wager. |
| 6 | My language is as foul as an otyugh nest. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Respect. Mutual respect is courtesy among fighters. (Good) |
| 2 | Fairness. We all do the work, so we all share in the rewards. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Freedom. I long for freedom — the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Mastery. I’m a predator, and my opponents are my prey. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I’m committed to my friends, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Aspiration. Someday I’ll get my life back and follow my own destiny. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m loyal to my friends first, everything else second. |
| 2 | Death before dishonour. |
| 3 | I’ll always remember my first opponent. |
| 4 | In a harbor town, I have a paramour whose eyes nearly stole me from the sea. |
| 5 | I was cheated out of my fair share of the profits, and I want to get my due. |
| 6 | My captors murdered my family and friends, plundered our village, and kidnapped me to work for them. Vengeance will be mine. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I follow orders, even if I think they’re wrong. |
| 2 | I’ll say anything to avoid having to do extra work. |
| 3 | Once someone questions my courage, I never back down no matter how dangerous the situation. |
| 4 | Once I start drinking, it’s hard for me to stop. |
| 5 | I can’t help but pocket loose coins and other trinkets I come across. |
| 6 | My pride will probably lead to my destruction. |
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