Gladiator Beast

Gladiator Beast
The Battle Beast with "Gladiator Beast Murmillo", "Gladiator Beast Augustus" and "Gladiator Beast Secutor".
Japanese	剣闘獣（グラディアルビースト） 剣闘獣 (base) グラディアルビースト (ruby) Guradiaru Bīsuto (romanized) Gladial Beast (translated)
French	Bête Gladiateur
German	Gladiatorungeheuer
Italian	Gladiatore Bestia
Korean	검투수 劍鬪獸 (Hanja) Geomtusu (romanized)
Portuguese	Besta Gladiadora
Spanish	Bestia Gladiador
Sets Gladiator's Assault Phantom Darkness Light of Destruction The Duelist Genesis Crossroads of Chaos Crimson Crisis V Jump Edition 3 Extreme Victory Primal Origin 20th Anniversary Pack 1st Wave Duelist Saga Collectors Pack 2017 Battles of Legend: Light's Revenge
Anime appearances
Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D Bonds Beyond Time Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Lists	Members Support Anti-support

"Gladiator Beast", known as "Gladial Beast" (剣闘獣（グラディアルビースト） Guradiaru Bīsuto) in the OCG, is an archetype of monsters with various Attributes (primarily DARK and EARTH) and Types (primarily Beast, Beast-Warrior, and Winged-Beast) released in Gladiator's Assault. They are used by both the Battle Beast and Sanders in Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V.

Design

Appearance

The archetype resemble futuristic versions of the ancient Roman Colosseum slave-warriors.

Etymology

The archetype's name comes from "Gladiator", a man trained to fight with weapons against other men or wild animals in an arena.

Each monster is primarily named after types of gladiators that fought in the Roman Colosseum, while others are named after famous fighters from the Roman Empire.

Members

Main Deck

Gladiator Beast	Origin		Tag out effect
	Reference	Creature
Alexander	Alexander the Great	Flying lion	Unaffected by Spell effects.
Andal	Andabata	Black bear	N/A
Augustus	Augustus	Dragon	Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your hand in Defense Position, but it is returned to the Deck at the End Phase.
Bestiari	Bestiarii	Bestiary	Destroy 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field
Darius	Darius the Great	Horse	Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Graveyard.
Dimacari	Dimachaerus	Cape buffalo	Attack twice during the Battle Phase.
Equeste	Equites	Winged Centaur	Add 1 "Gladiator Beast" card from your Graveyard to your hand.
Hoplomus	Hoplomachus	Rhino	DEF becomes 2400.
Lanista	Lanista	Eagle	Gains the name of 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster banished from your Graveyard.
Laquari	Laquearius	Tiger	ATK becomes 2100.
Murmillo	Murmillo	Carp	Destroy 1 face-up monster on the field.
Noxius	Noxii	Leopard	Send 1 Gladiator Beast Monster from the Deck to the GY.
Octavius	Gaius Octavius	Bald eagle	Destroy 1 face-down Spell/Trap Card on the field.
Retiari	Retiarius	Crocodile	Banish 1 card from your opponent's Graveyard.
Samnite	Samnite	Smilodon	When it destroys an opponent's monster by battle, add 1 "Gladiator Beast" card from your Deck to your hand.
Secutor	Secutor	Lizard	Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck after an attack involving it.
Spartacus	Spartacus	Dinosaur	Add 1 "Gladiator Beast" Equip Spell Card from your Deck to your hand.
Torax	Thraex	Blowfish	Tag it out to draw 1 card.
Tygerius	Tiberius	White tiger	Discard 1 "Gladiator Beast" card to add 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck to your hand.

Extra Deck

Gladiator Beast	Origin		Tag out effect
	Reference	Creature
Andabata	Andabatae	Hadrosaurid	Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck.
Essedarii	Essedarius	Gorilla	N/A
Gaiodiaz	Gordias	Tyrannosaurus	Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Spartacus".
Gyzarus	Gaius Julius Caesar	Unknown bird	Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Bestiari".
Heraklinos	Heracles	Chimera	N/A
Nerokius	Nero	Bat	Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck.
Tamer Editor	Taming	Moose	N/A

Support

Card	Origin
Colosseum - Cage of the Gladiator Beasts	Colosseum
Gladiator Beast War Chariot	Chariot
Gladiator Beast's Battle Archfiend Shield	Scutum
Gladiator Beast's Battle Gladius	Gladius
Gladiator Beast's Battle Halberd	Halberd
Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica	Manica
Pollice Verso	Pollice verso
Trojan Gladiator Beast	Trojan Horse
Virtus of Gladiator Beast	Virtus

Playing style

With a few exceptions, all non-Fusion "Gladiator Beasts" have an effect to return to the Deck during the end of a Battle Phase when it battled, and then to Special Summon another "Gladiator Beast" monster to replace it (this is also known as 'tagging out'). The newly Special Summoned "Gladiator Beast" monsters usually gain another effect when Special Summoned in this way.

"Gladiator Beasts" also have five Fusion Monsters, three of which require a specific "Gladiator Beast" monster and either one or two other "Gladiator Beast" monsters as Fusion Material. However, "Polymerization" is not required to Fusion Summon these monsters. Instead, the correct "Gladiator Beast" Fusion Material Monsters are returned to the Main Deck to Special Summon the appropriate "Gladiator Beast" Fusion Monster. This process is otherwise known as Contact Fusion. Several of the "Gladiator Beast" Fusion Monsters are also able to 'tag out' to Special Summon 2 or more "Gladiator Beast" monsters from the Deck.

Nearly every card in the archetype is capable of being returned to the hand, field, or Deck from the Graveyard by utilizing the effects of "Gladiator Beast" monsters or their support cards. The "Gladiator Beast" Deck includes a mix of destruction, aggro, and toolbox cards and tactics. It is this versatility which landed this Deck as one of the top Decks in the Shonen Jump Circuit.

The September 2010 Forbidden List caused "Gladiators Beasts" to become more popular, especially with the banning of "Heavy Storm" and Limiting of "Royal Oppression", both of which were a threat to their strategy.

The April 2015 Forbidden List made the previously Limited "Gladiator Beast Bestiari" Unlimited, making the entire deck not as susceptible to having a "Bottomless Trap Hole" or other card that banishes monsters used on "Bestiari", which would render "Gladiator Beast Gyzarus" inaccessible for the remainder of the Duel.

Previous incarnations of thes Deck used "Rescue Cat" to Summon monsters such as "Gladiator Beast Samnite" and "Test Tiger" to make big plays. With the Errata of "Rescue Cat", however, the Deck changed its strategy. With the release of "Rescue Rabbit", the new version of the Deck uses "Gladiator Beast Andal" to allow for the quick Summon of "Gladiator Beast Essedarii" or "Gladiator Beast Heraklinos".

Recommended cards

Main Deck Monster Cards Normal Monsters Gladiator Beast Andal Effect Monsters Gladiator Beast Augustus Gladiator Beast Bestiari Gladiator Beast Darius Gladiator Beast Equeste Gladiator Beast Laquari Gladiator Beast Murmillo Gladiator Beast Noxious Gladiator Beast Retiari Gladiator Beast Samnite Gladiator Beast Secutor Test Tiger Rescue Cat Rescue Rabbit Thunder King Rai-Oh Spell Cards Gladiator Proving Ground Book of Moon Fire Formation - Tenki Fire Formation - Tensu My Body as a Shield Trap Cards Gladiator Beast War Chariot Starlight Road Waboku Extra Deck Fusion Monsters Gladiator Beast Andabata Gladiator Beast Essedarii Gladiator Beast Heraklinos Gladiator Beast Gyzarus Gladiator Beast Nerokius Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor Xyz Monsters Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Tiger King Ghostrick Alucard Lightning Chidori Mechquipped Angineer Link Monsters Mastar Boy Missus Radiant

Weaknesses and counter-strategies

• Prevention of Special Summoning - As "Gladiator Beast" Decks focus heavily on Special Summoning, they become crippled by cards that prevent it. "Solemn Warning", "Archlord Kristya" and "Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo" are all common Main Deck and Side Deck cards that prevent Special Summoning, or neutralize it. In the case of "Kristya", the Deck finds it hard to get over a monster with 2800 ATK without Contact Fusion, as long as it is protected from the high Trap Card count with cards like "Forbidden Lance". Other options include "Vanity's Fiend", "Vanity's Ruler", "Deck Lockdown" and "Corridor of Agony".

• Counter-destruction - Often, it is the "Gladiator Beasts" with the effect to destroy cards that are the most troublesome, but there are several cards that can be used to combat this. "Starlight Road" is a common card that is particularly effective against "Gladiator Beast Gyzarus". Other options include "Divine Wrath", "Destruction Jammer", and "Stardust Dragon".

• Monster effects - As "Gladiator Beasts" must battle to gain their effects, monster effects that trigger during battle are highly effective. Note, however, that "Gladiator Beasts" have access to "Gladiator Beast War Chariot", so be prepared with something like "Dark Bribe" or "Seven Tools of the Bandit" to negate it. Here are some good monster card effects:
  • Monsters that destroy the monsters that attacked them - "Snowman Eater", "Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter"
  • Monsters that return the cards that attacked them - "Penguin Soldier", "Legendary Jujitsu Master", "Neo-Spacian Grand Mole"
  • Monsters that banish the cards that attacked them - "D.D. Warrior", "D.D. Warrior Lady"

• Destroy on Summoning - Cards such as "Torrential Tribute", "Bottomless Trap Hole" and especially "Mirror of Oaths", that destroy the monsters when Special Summoned are great against "Gladiator Beasts".

• Effect canceling - Cards such as "Skill Drain", "Chivalry" or "Effect Veiler" can prevent your monsters from tagging out or negate the effects of the ones that are Summoned, leaving them defenseless against high ATK monsters. "Clear Wing Synchro Dragon" and "Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon" are also very effective, as they can negate the effects of the Gladiator Beasts upon summon or when they 'tag out', leaving them often helpless.

• Attack negation/prevention - You can only 'tag out' a "Gladiator Beast" when it "attacks or is attacked", therefore, any Spell, Trap, or Monster Effect that lets you negate a monster attack would prevent the opponent from tagging out their "Gladiator Beasts".