This encounter will test your skills in movement, resource management, and offensive capabilities. It’s a fight to the death and the Gladiator will not go down easily. Welcome to the arena, Slayer.

First Phase

First thing’s first: the Gladiator has a massive shield and he uses it wisely. However, his attacks leave him open for a chance to strike! Just like the Marauder, the Gladiator’s eye will flash bright green before he launches into an attack—shoot him when his eyes flash, and you’ll stagger him, creating an opportunity to follow up with another attack. The Gladiator’s flails are deadly at range, so you’ll have to use your dash if you happen to miss the chance to shoot him! He’ll attack with overhand and underhand swings, as well as with an occasional ground smash…just keep a safe distance, and don’t stop moving! If you happen to get too close to the Gladiator, he’ll remind you to stay back with a powerful AOE blast.

Another element of the Gladiator’s offense is his shield. When at range, the Gladiator will bang on his shield with his mace, signaling he’s about to release a giant red blast across the arena. Once again, use your dash wisely and stay clear of the shield’s trajectory.

Second Phase

The second pahse starts once you've dealt with the Gladiator's shield and he adds a second flail to his attacks. He’ll repeat his ranged attacks with double the power so stay on your toes! One of the biggest differences in the second phase is the Gladiator’s shockwave attack. He’ll close you in between two massive walls and fire shockwaves at you. Keep an eye on where the gaps are in these waves and position yourself accordingly. He’ll finish this attack with a powerful dash towards you—stagger him by getting a shot off before he closes the distance, and you’ll have an opportunity to follow up with another attack.

While he is shield-less, the Gladiator spin one of his maces to protect himself. Anything you fire at him will be deflected in this state, so use your ammo wisely. As with every encounter, be mindful of the fodder that continuously spawns, and you’ll never be hurting for extra ammunition.

Keep layering movement into your attacks, and the Gladiator will be done in no time. Ever wanted to use a demon’s weapon against itself? Finish the fight, and you might have the chance.

Slayer Strategy: Combine your dashes with the Lock On Burst Rocket Launcher MOD and get some free hits while avoiding damage!