Basic Rules
Team Building Rules
Each Manager builds their arena team with common rarity creatures from all first-party Pathfinder 2nd Edition sources. Each creature costs a number of XP rewarded for its defeat against a party of players at the arena event's base level. Each arena events has a base level, usually an even value. If a base level is not defined, the default is 2nd level.
Every creature must share at least one keyword with every other creature on the same team. Each creature must be given a unique name and Team Managers are encouraged to roleplay the team dynamics.
All creatures enter combat with their weapons drawn and ammunition readed, if they wield a ranged weapon.
Event XP Budget
| Event Type | Budget XP |
|---|---|
| Village Pit Fights | 100 |
| Standard Colliseum | 160 |
| Grand Colliseum | 240 |
Creature XP Costs
| Creature Level | XP |
|---|---|
| Event Level - 2 | 20 |
| Event Level - 1 | 30 |
| Event Level | 40 |
| Event Level + 1 | 60 |
| Event Level + 2 | 80 |
| Event Level + 3 | 120 |
Creature Restrictions
The following creature properties cannot be used in a standard arena event or are disqualified if they abuse them.
-
Creatures with etherealness (or similar) or resistances that make them take no damage from high damage attack by a creature of event level minus 1 (GMG, p. 64).
-
Creatures with burrow and flight speed are disqualified if they fly higher than 20 feet off the ground, or burrow deeper than 10 feet under the ground.
Hero Points
At the start of the first, second and third round each Team receives a Hero Point. Hero Points can only be used to re-roll attacks and skill checks, and cannot be used to stabilize dying creatures.
Creature Advancement
Death is final. When a creature is reduced to 0 with a lethal blow, it is killed and its corpse will be discarded after the fights. The Team Manager can refill vacant spots in his team with any other creature within the remaining budget XP.
Team Managers can agree to a friendly game where attacks that reduce a creature to 0 do nonlethal damage. Doing so does not require a -2 circumstance penalty to the attack. Creatures do not gain battle experience from such fights. Arena organizes may disallow friendly fights, as they do not please the crowd's bloodthirst.
Each creature that survives 3 games becomes a veteran. Veteran creatures gain +2 HP per creature level (min 1), and +1 to each attack, damage and skill check, as well as +1 to each DC and AC. Abilities with a basic save or with requirement to use again (such as 1d4 rounds) do +2 damage instead of +1.
Each veteran creature that survives 6 games becomes elite. Elite creatures gain +5 HP per creature level (min 1), and +2 to each attack, damage and skill check, as well as +2 to each DC and AC. Abilities with a basic save or with requirement to use again (such as 1d4 rounds) do +4 damage instead of +2.
Team Managers are encouraged to reward their veterans and elites with battle-earned names, and must put the word Veteran and Elite before the creature's name, as well as increase the size of their token by +10% (for veteran) or 20% (for elite) over the base size.
Team Fund
Some Arena Master may grant Team Managers with a gold stipend to spend on equipment such as magical items, runes, talismans and more. The amount of gold granted to each side depends on the arena event. Organizers can increase or decrease the event level if they feel particularly stingy or generous, but always equally to both teams.
Equipment Budget
| Event Level | Budget, in gp |
|---|---|
| 1 | 40 gp |
| 2 | 70 gp |
| 3 | 120 gp |
| 4 | 200 gp |
| 5 | 320 gp |
| 6 | 500 gp |
| 7 | 720 gp |
| 8 | 1000 gp |
| 9 | 1400 gp |
| 10 | 2000 gp |
| Event Level | Budget in gp |
|---|---|
| 11 | 2800 gp |
| 12 | 4000 gp |
| 13 | 6000 gp |
| 14 | 9000 gp |
| 15 | 13000 gp |
| 16 | 20000 gp |
| 17 | 30000 gp |
| 18 | 48000 gp |
| 19 | 80000 gp |
| 20 | 14000 gp |
The Games
Standard
There are no additional rules. Each team fights to the death, for the entertainment of the crowds. Surviving creatures are granted battle experience and may become veteran or elite.
Tag Team
Four teams walk into the arena, two paired on each side. The pair that defeats all creatures of the opposing teams claims victory. However, the next fight must be between both teams in the pair, once they replenish their ranks with new creatures. Both fights count as two for battle experience.
Party Clash
Each team consists of four player characters of level equal to the event level, with budget equal to the same event level.
Leader
Each Team Manager can spend 40 XP to hire one player character with level equal to the arena event, to lead their creatures. If the Leader is killed, all remaining team creatures become frightened 2, recovered as normal.
Tyrant. Team Managers can spend 60 XP to hire one Player Character with character level equal to the event level plus 2.
Massacre
Each Team Manager must have three teams ready for battle. At the start of fourth and eighth turn, the gates open and each Team Manager can deploy one of their remaining teams onto the arena. If a team manager has no living creatures on the arena at the start of a combat round, they are defeated.
Rushed Wave. Once per battle, each Team Manager can spend 2 Hero Points to release one of his teams one turn earlier than normal.
Blitz. At the start of third and sixth turn, the gates open and each Team Manager and deploy their next team onto the arena.
Clown Defense
Each Team Manager has a captured slave, dressed as a clown, who is given no equipment other than a silly costume and is unable to defend themselves. The clown has AC and saves 15 + event level, and 3 hp per event level. It uses all its actions to ridicule the opposing team, or flee from threats.
As long as the clown is alive, at its own initiative the clown can 
attempt to rouse the crowds then make a flat check to earn its team 1 Hero Point. If the clown's controlling team has more living creatures on the arena than the opposing team, the DC is 15, otherwise it is DC 12.
King of the Hill
Requires: King of the Hill map.
As an additional win condition, any team that has one of its own creatures end its turn on the top of the crown-stamped 2x2 area for three consecutive turns without being pushed outside the area or slain, claims the victory for its team.
The top platform is 12 feet tall and cannot be reaches from the ground using normal reach 10 ft. weapons.
Monster Bash
Requires: Monster Pit map.
The two Teams face a captured monstrocity ran by an independent third player, usually an elite-adjusted creature of level equal to event level plus 3. The monster is released through the monster pit at the start of 2nd turn. Both teams must make their best to survive by defeating the deadly threat with least of losses. The team that delivers the death blow to the monstrocity gain immediately 2 Hero Points.
At any time during the fight, members of each team can attack members of the opposing team.
Tag Team Monster Bash. Four teams walk into the arena, two paired on each side.The captured monstrocity is an elite-adjusted creature of level equal to event level plus 5.
Draft
The Arena Master provides six sets of four creatures each and each team takes turns to pick one from that pool until the pool is empty and each Team Manager has three sets. The first to pick is decided by either the losing team from the previous battle, if any, or with a dice roll.
Each set contains one uncommon rarity and three common rarity creatures, with same level and XP cost. Each Team Manager is revealed one set at a time, picks one creature from it, and the list is passed the remaining creatures to the opposing team. Each list is passed three times that way until it contains no more creatures.
Each Team Manager then prepares his team from the twelve creatures he has picked. The requirement that creatures must share the same type is ignored.
Tag Team. With four players, the Arena Master provides six sets of eight creatures each. Each set contains two uncommon creatures and the rest are common creatures with the same level and XP cost. Team Managers are put in a cross seat, with each team manager facing an opposing team. First, third and fifth set are passed clockwise, and second, fourth and sixth set are passed counterclockwise. Each set should be seen twice by each team manager, on his first and fifth pick.
Lucky Drops. The Arena Master places at random common or uncommon two Elite Event Level +2 creatures in separate packs. This is done by rolling 1d48 twice (reroll if same results), and exchanging one of the creatures when ordered from 1st to 48th position across all sets, with the Elite Event Level +2 creature.
Pack Distribution
| Pack Number | Contents |
|---|---|
| Pack 1 | Event Level + 2, 80 XP |
| Pack 2 | Event Level + 2, 60 XP |
| Pack 3 | Event Level + 1, 60 XP |
| Pack 4 | Event Level + 1, 60 XP |
| Pack 5 | Event Level, 40 XP |
| Pack 6 | Event Level, 40 XP |
Appendix
Average Damage
If a creature resistence is close to, equal or greater than the average damage dealt by a creature with a level equal to event level minus 1 (min 1), this creature should not be allowed in a fair combat.
| Creature Level | Avg. Damage |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 7 |
| 3 | 10 |
| 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 13 |
| 6 | 15 |
| 7 | 17 |
| 8 | 18 |
| 9 | 20 |
| 10 | 22 |
| Creature Level | Avg. Damage |
|---|---|
| 11 | 22 |
| 12 | 23 |
| 13 | 25 |
| 14 | 27 |
| 15 | 28 |
| 16 | 30 |
| 17 | 31 |
| 18 | 32 |
| 19 | 33 |
| 20 | 37 |
Opponent Knowledge
Each Team Manager is assumed to have researched the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing team. No Recall Knowledge checks are needed to know the abilities and spells used by creatures of the opposing team.
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
-
Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
-
The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
-
Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
-
Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
-
Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
-
Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
-
Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
-
Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
-
Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
-
Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
-
Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
-
Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
-
Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
-
Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
-
COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.