Gladiator Beast

Gladiator Beast
The Battle Beast with "Gladiator Beast Murmillo", "Augustus" and "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 Crimson Crisis Extreme Victory Primal Origin Chaos Impact TCG Crossroads of Chaos Duelist Saga Battles of Legend: Light's Revenge 2019 Gold Sarcophagus Tin Mega Pack 2020 Tin of Lost Memories OCG V Jump Edition 3 20th Anniversary Pack 1st Wave Collectors Pack 2017 LINK VRAINS Pack Tournament Pack 2019 Vol.3 Korean Special Pack Vol.2
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.

Lore

Main article: Master Duel card storylines § The Glory of the Gladiator Beasts

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

Gladiator Beast	Origin		Tag out effect
	Reference	Creature
Alexander	Alexander the Great	Winged lion	Unaffected by Spell effects.
Andal	Andabata	Black bear	N/A
Attorix	Gladiatrix	Caracal	You can send 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck or Extra Deck to the GY, except "Gladiator Beast Atrix"; until the End Phase, this card's Level and name become the sent monster's.
Augustus	Augustus	Cockatrice	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.
Noxious	Noxii	Leopard	Send 1 Gladiator Beast Monster from the Deck to the Graveyard.
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.
Sagittarii	Sagittarii/Sagittarius	Chiron	You can discard 1 "Gladiator Beast" card; draw 2 cards
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.
Vespasius	Titus Flavius Vespasianus	Basilisk	All monsters you control gain 500 ATK.
Andabata	Andabatae	Hadrosaurid	Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck.
Domitianus	Titus Flavius Caesar Domitianus Augustus	Unknown	Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck.
Dragases	Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos	Bald Eagle	Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters with different names 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	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/Editor	Deer	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
Gladiator Beast's Medusa Shield	Aegis
Gladiator Beast's Valor	Virtus
Gladiator Naumachia	Naumachia
Thumbs Down	Pollice verso
Trojan Gladiator Beast	Trojan Horse

Playing style

With a few exceptions, all non-Fusion "Gladiator Beast" monsters 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 eight Fusion Monsters, five 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 0-2 "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 "Test Panther".

Recommended cards

Recommended cards

Main Deck Monster Cards Normal Monsters Gladiator Beast Andal Effect Monsters Gladiator Beast Attorix Gladiator Beast Augustus Gladiator Beast Bestiari Gladiator Beast Darius Gladiator Beast Dimacari Gladiator Beast Equeste Gladiator Beast Hoplomus Gladiator Beast Lanista Gladiator Beast Laquari Gladiator Beast Murmillo Gladiator Beast Noxious Gladiator Beast Retiari Gladiator Beast Sagittarii Gladiator Beast Samnite Gladiator Beast Spartacus Gladiator Beast Vespasius Test Tiger Rescue Cat Rescue Rabbit Spell Cards Normal Spells Gladiator Beast's Comeback Gladiator Beast's Respite Gladiator Proving Ground Gladiator's Return Onslaught of the Fire Kings Unexpected Dai Equip Spells Gladiator Beast's Battle Halberd Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica Kahyoreigetsu Continuous Spells Gladiator Rejection Fire Formation - Tenki Fire Formation - Tensu Quick-Play Spells Gladiator Beast United Trap Cards Normal Traps Defensive Tactics Double Tag Team Gladiator Beast Charge Gladiator Lash Waboku Counter Traps Gladiator Beast War Chariot Disarm Parry Continuous Traps Gladiator Naumachia Extra Deck Fusion Monsters Gladiator Beast Andabata Gladiator Beast Domitianus Gladiator Beast Essedarii Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz Gladiator Beast Gyzarus Gladiator Beast Heraklinos Gladiator Beast Nerokius Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor Xyz Monsters Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Tiger King Lightning Chidori Tornado Dragon Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy Link Monsters Gladiator Beast Dragases Test Panther Attribute Boosters Fire Fighting Daruma Doll Cross-Sheep

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".