HAIL, GLADIATOR!

Survive these deadly games to win GLORY and fight to become CHAMPION OF ROME!

SPECTACULA is a tactical trick-taking solo RPG about fighting to become Rome’s greatest gladiator! Use your dice, cards, abilities, and other resources to climb all the way from the fighting pits up to the Colosseum itself, where you’ll battle for the title of Champion in front of the Emperor himself!

If you haven’t played a trick-taking game before, SPECTACULA is an easy solo introduction. In general, trick-taking games are like a more strategic and interesting version of the classic card game War. The twist is that you win, or lose, based not only on the value of the card, but also the suit.

SPECTACULA takes this gameplay a step further, requiring players to step into their roles as gladiators and walk the tightrope between defeating their adversaries and entertaining the audience!

In each fight you must win a specific number of tricks. Win too few and you lose the fight. Too many and you lose the crowd. Being a gladiator means being both a professional fighter AND entertainer. It’s far from easy.

In Spectacula you have a couple abilities at your disposal. There's the Maneuvers, that all gladiators get access to, and there's also the Class Abilities unique to each available Weapon Class.

With these abilities at your disposal, you’ll fight in tournaments, aiming to earn glory to attract Patrons to support your career so you can climb up the ranks.

You can record this class, and every other detail about your gladiator’s career on our amazing character sheet (designed by Paolino Caputo; visible on the right).

Use either the digital form-fillable version or print out a copy for yourself! You can even fold it into a brochure!

Who Is SPECTACULA For?

Solo games aren't for everyone, but this game might be for you if:

• You enjoy fast-paced games that let you tell a full story in under 1 hour!
• You want a tactical, gameplay-focused solo RPG!
• You’d love to try being a gladiator in Ancient Rome!
• You want to see some incredible paintings of Ancient Rome by amazing painters throughout history.
• You like For Northwood by Wilhelm Su (huge inspiration, great game!).
• You have 8d4* and a deck of cards!
• Are willing to brave defeat multiple times in order to claim ultimate victory and become Champion!

* Don’t have 8d4 to use? Don’t worry, the rulebook has lots of different ways you can track the dice results. Alternatively, you can use this awesome online dice roller by René-Pier Deshaies.

Journaling Your Rise!

If SPECTACULA's trick-taking gameplay gives you the tactical combat experience of being a gladiator, the journaling component of the game lets you explore the fame that accompanies your rise. In Ancient Rome, gladiatorial games were massive spectacles and the victors often became celebrities, even as slaves or commoners.

As you progress through the game, answer the journaling prompts in the rulebook to make a historical record of your gladiator’s career! 

The First Cut is a collection of bonus content that didn't make the first cut of the rulebook. With this bonus content, you can:

• Play as the hook-wielding Arbelai, the lasso-using Laquearius, a Venator with spear & bow, or the unfortunate, Noxii - a criminal doomed to die.
• Use Rumor Tables to flesh out the backstory of your Patrons & Adversaries with different forms of intrigue
  
• Challenge The Gauntlet of the Damned - A “hardcore mode” scenario in which you play as an enslaved fighter challenging to win their freedom. 

Click here to get The First Cut now.

Enjoy! And remember, fortune favors the bold.