Gladiator PvP Gameplay Guide

Aion’s Gladiator class has the unique opportunity to not only be a solid contender in the realm of damage dealing, but also a plate class that can take hit after hit in combat.  It is this level of survivability that makes this warrior class a popular choice for PvP players and rightly so! It is well suited to both new PvP players and more skilled veterans.

As a very diverse class, there are a lot of options that are open to the Gladiator players and this is where many get stumped.  Armor and weapon choices, stigmas, and skills are all things that need to be coordinated properly to get the best possible experience and we have the tips and advice to help you along! 

• Stuns and knock downs
• High burst damage
• Area of effect skills

Weaknesses

• Slow weapon damage
• Close combat dependant

Gearing for PvP

Gearing for PvP is not unlike gearing for PvE for the Gladiator.  You’ll want to always equip the very best plate armor you can afford since it is key in keeping your defenses high.  Putting a couple of levels of enchantments on each piece of gear is a good goal and if you have kinah to burn you can always go for maximum enchantments, but for most players, adding a couple enchantments per piece is good.

Weapon choices for the Gladiator will always be up for debate.  It has been noted by many that during flight, having a dual wield weapon set takes advantage of the quicker attacks and higher damage. Aerial combat doesn’t take advantage of many of the Gladiators 2-handed skills, so going dual-wield (you’ll need the stigma for it) does make complete sense.  Bows can also be useful for when your target has moved out of weapon combat range adding damage where you might not have had any. So which do you equip in a secondary weapon slot?

In the Abyss, keep duel swords in your second slot and for rifting, keep a bow.  You’ll have to remember to upgrade all of these regularly of course, but you’ll be thankful that you have them.

As for your primary weapon, go polearm.  Big burst damage and critical hits are really nice to have in PvP and often times are what win it for you.

Manastones should be stacked in favor of Physical Critical Hits first, and Attack second.   Also remember to add enchantments to your weapon for an extra Atk bonus there.

Stigmas of preference will be Crippling Cut, Ankle Snare, and Lockdown.  All of these will aid in your ability to kill quickly by keeping your target unable to fight back effectively.

Solo PvP

The Gladiator makes a formidable solo foe, enough so that other players should be cautious if they see one coming at them.  The element of surprise is difficult for a class that has no ability to invis, but none the less, it is always the best way to approach the enemy.  Right off you’ll want to toss a combo that allows for a knock down followed by a valuable stigma skill, Crippling Cut. Early on in the fight is a good time to use Rage, and then let loose your various combos.  Midway or towards the end of the fight when the opponent is clearly losing or about to flee, use another stigma skill, Ankle Snare, and then wail on the poor fellow until dead.  Remember to alternate your stumbled combos so that you are keeping the enemy down as much as possible.

If you’re attacked or losing the battle you initiated, you may need to take on a more defensive role in combat.  Keep Aether Jelly on hand to make use of your DP skills, particularly Explosion of Rage which deals a good amount of damage, stumbles the target, and never misses so it’s a nice Hail Mary move to even the score a bit and give yourself a fighting chance.  Also keep life potions and healing potions to use as needed.

Group PvP

Because Gladiators are a tank class, it is always expected that they keep the enemies off of their weaker groupmates.  Priests and mages end up being primary targets but both will be needed if you want to take on a group.  Protect your friends so that they may, in turn, protect you!

Your tactic here is not unlike your soloing tactic.  Keep the targets off kilter by unleashing your Stumbles at regular intervals (which also helps keep the targets focused on you) and because you are taking on more than one target, be very liberal with your AoE attacks.

Smaller groups work better when you are hunting through rifts, and if you take along a crowd control class or a scout, you will likely be nearly unstoppable!