The Gladiator is Unicorn Overlord’s heavy infantry bruiser, a high-HP brawler with a massive axe who cleaves through entire rows of enemies.
Once promoted to Berserker, this class gains access to all-target attacks and even more devastating offense.
If you want a frontline fighter who hits everything at once, the Gladiator/Berserker delivers big time.
Strengths
Gladiators boast the highest HP of any standard infantry class, making them surprisingly durable despite mediocre defense stats.
Their signature strength is row-hitting attacks.
Spinning Edge hits all enemies in a row right from the start, giving you consistent area damage.
They deal bonus damage at full HP, which synergizes perfectly with Clerics or other healers who keep them topped off.
A full-health Gladiator hitting a row of enemies is one of the most satisfying things in the game.
After promotion, Berserkers gain Cyclone, which attacks every enemy in the entire formation.
Combined with accuracy buffs from Witches, this can wipe out whole enemy units in a single activation.
Their leader effect is Barrier Breaker, allowing the unit to destroy gates and barricades on the overworld.
Weaknesses
Gladiators have low physickal and magick defense despite their high HP.
They’re a “hit points tank” rather than a “defense tank,” which means sustained damage will bring them down even though they can absorb a few big hits.
They struggle against cavalry classes, especially Knights and Great Knights who deal bonus damage against infantry.
Thieves are also problematic, their high evasion makes them hard for the inaccurate Gladiator to hit.
Gladiators have low accuracy in general, which can be frustrating against evasive enemies.
Buffs from Witches or equipment that boosts hit rate help considerably.
Key Skills and How to Use Them
Spinning Edge is the starting row attack. Hits all enemies in a row for solid damage. Your bread and butter.
Wild Swing (level 10) is a powerful single-target attack with high potency. Good for focusing down priority targets.
Cyclone (level 20, Berserker only) attacks every enemy in the formation. With accuracy support, this can devastate entire enemy units.
Battle Cry is a passive that restores HP when the Gladiator defeats an enemy, providing self-sustain during combat.
Frenzy (level 15) boosts attack when HP drops below a threshold, turning the Gladiator into a raging damage machine when wounded.
Promotion to Berserker
Promotion is absolutely worth it.
Cyclone hitting every enemy is a massive upgrade over row-only attacks.
The stat boosts to HP and attack further cement the Berserker as a wrecking ball. High-priority promotion if you’re using Bruno or a Gladiator regularly.
Best Team Compositions and Tactics
Gladiator + Cleric keeps HP at max for the full-health damage bonus. Essential pairing.
Gladiator + Witch provides accuracy buffs that fix the Gladiator’s hit rate problems, and the Witch’s magick imbue makes the Gladiator’s attacks even deadlier.
Gladiator + Hoplite puts a defense wall in front while the Gladiator swings freely.
Gladiator + Vanguard works because Provoke pulls attacks away from the Gladiator, keeping them at full HP.
Position Gladiators in the front row for maximum area coverage. Set Cyclone against large enemy formations and Spinning Edge as default.
Characters Who Use This Class
Bruno is the only named Gladiator, recruited through the story in Cornia. He’s a strong physical powerhouse with great HP growth.
Generic Gladiator mercenaries are available at forts.
Final Thoughts
The Gladiator/Berserker is area damage incarnate.
Row attacks, full-formation attacks, high HP, and self-healing on kills make this class a wrecking ball that plows through groups of enemies.
Pair it with a healer to maintain the full-HP bonus and an accuracy buffer to fix its hit rate, and the Berserker will clear entire enemy units single-handedly.
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Featured image for this article is from the official Unicorn Overlord website and used under Fair Use.