The feedback I received from players was that people wanted more variety in their gladiators. So with that in mind, I created the leveling system in Age Of Gladiators II to be far more robust, allowing players to deploy and try a variety different combat builds out in the arena!
Attributes and Combat Stats
With Age Of Gladiators II, there are now 12 physical attributes in total that contribute partially to an equal number of different combat stats.
Each physical attribute contributes 75% into one combat stat and 25% into another. This equates into more planning and strategy when shaping the physical attributes of your gladiator.
Here’s a breakdown of how attributes work:
- Strength: Determines Melee Hit Damage (75%) and Block Chance (25%)
- Stamina: Determines Counter-Attack Change (75%) and Hit Points (25%)
- Aim: Determines Ranged Hit Chance (75%) and Ranged Damage (25%)
- Vision: Determines Ranged Damage (75%) and Special Item Cooldown (25%)
- Perception: Determines Critical Chance (75%) and Ranged Hit Chance (25%)
- Reflexes: Determines Block Chance (75%) and Melee Hit Chance (25%)
- Agility: Determines Dodge Chance (75%) and Counter-Attack Chance (25%)
- Speed: Determines Action Points (75%) and Dodge Chance (25%)
- Intelligence: Determines Special Item Cooldown (75%) and Critical Chance (25%)
- Coordination: Determines Melee Hit Chance (75%) and Melee Hit Damage (25%)
- Aggression: Determines Species Ability Cooldown (75%) and Action Points (25%)
- Vitality: Determines Hit Points (75%) and Species Ability Cooldown (25%)
Or in reverse, here are the combat stats and the attributes used to feed them:
- Action Points: Determined by Speed (75%) and Aggression (25%)
- Hit Points: Determined by Vitality (75%) and Stamina (25%)
- Block Chance: Determined by Reflexes (75%) and Strength (25%)
- Dodge Chance: Determined by Agility (75%) and Speed (25%)
- Counter-Attack Chance: Determined by Stamina (75%) and Agility (25%)
- Special Item Cooldown: Determined by Intelligence (75%) and Vision (25%)
- Species Ability Cooldown: Determined by Aggression (75%) and Vitality (25%)
- Ranged Hit Chance: Determined by Aim (75%) and Perception (25%)
- Ranged Hit Damage: Determined by Vision (75%) and Aim (25%)
- Melee Hit Chance: Determined by Coordination (75%) and Reflexes (25%)
- Melee Hit Damage: Determined by Strength (75%) and Coordination (25%)
- Critical Hit Chance: Determined by Perception (75%) and Intelligence (25%)
As well, Initiative, which contributes to the roll of which gladiator or team of gladiators gets first move in the arena is determined as follows:
Initiative: Speed (25%), Aggression (25%), Intelligence (25%), Perception (25%)
So as you can see, there are now a wide array of combat possibilities based on a gladiator's physical make-up.
Expertise
Each time a gladiator levels up, they are further shaped by their expertise. With Age of Gladiators II, Expertise is split into Offensive and Defensive categories. This will allow you to further customize your gladiator into a damage or tank build (or both).
As well, Expertise will allow you to create other types of more specific builds as well. For example, if the attributes of your gladiator favor a fighting style of dodging and counter-attacking, you can further take advantage of these skills in combat by putting Expertise points into Inspired Agility and Lethal Counterstrike – which will mean that each time a gladiator dodges or counter-attacks, they will also rejuvenate hit points.
It is no longer just a mighty and strong gladiator that is viable in the arena. Imagine rolling out physically weaker but speedy gladiator that dodges most attacks and then counter-attacks right after, while also healing damage each time as well.
Weapons Training
Another dimension to leveling now is the specific weapons training.
Weapons training is split into two categories: Ranged and Melee. A gladiator can only train each turn in one of the two categories. Their weapons discipline is initially determined by their physical attributes – but you can change this at any time.
Once a gladiator earns either a Ranged or Melee level, they can assign a point into a specific weapon choice belonging to whichever discipline they are currently training in:
Ranged
- Pistol
- Carbine
- Rifle
Melee
- Vibroblade
- Sword
- Axe
Training points add a damage bonus to the weapon of your choice. This allows for further customization of your gladiators to use weapons that make most sense for their build.
A gladiator can use any weapon you desire, but the advanced training specializations allow you to build a gladiator that is extremely lethal with specific types of weapons.
Summary
The leveling system in Age of Gladiators II has been created so that you can create and roll out a multitude of different combat builds, using weapons of your choice. I wanted to avoid a strict class system, instead making it possible to mix-and-match various attributes, expertise selections, and weapons specialties in order for you to forge forward with the gladiators of your choosing.
If you want a speedy and agile pistoleer equipped with light armor and specialized gear, you can make that build. Or if you want a slow-moving, heavily armored tank wielding an deadly axe, you can do so as well!