Skill Overview
A cestus is a heavy gauntlet, worn by a hand clenched into a fist. It is much heftier than a normal glove, and can weigh half a dozen pounds or more. The gladiatorial cestus often has bronze, iron, or boison spikes jutting out, either in an orderly pattern or at random. It is strapped on and difficult to remove in a hurry, used to bludgeon and puncture an opponent. Some have longer spikes or even knifelike blades jutting forward like extended fingers. Cestii are most effective when worn on both hands, as many maneuvers require two. Rarely, however, a single cestus may be used alone or as a secondary weapon.
Basic familiarity with the cestus involves becoming comfortable enough with the weight and shape of the weapon to avoid stabbing yourself in the chest or hip with the spikes, and to perform the simplest punching motions with the extra weight on your hand. It also means unlearning some basic habits like scratching your nose during a fight.
For guidance on using the skill set, see the Cestus Guide.
| Skill Info | Ranks Taught by Trainer | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skills/Actions | Difficulty | Hands | Range | Wound | Prerequisites | Ariston | Mervia | **Prestis |
| Cestus | Easy | - | - | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Weaving Stance | Average | 2 | - | - | - | 100 | 100 | 154 |
| Cestus Jab | Easy | Either | Short | Pierce | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Short Upcut | Easy | 2 | Short | Pierce | 300 | 500 | 154 | |
| Cestus Spike Slash | Easy | Either | Short | Cut | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Double Jab | Average | 2 | Short | Pierce Pierce |
20 Ranks in Cestus Jab | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Feint | Average | Either | Short | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Tumble Lunge | Average | 2 | Long | Pierce | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Rear Upcut | Average | 2 | Short | Pierce | Cestus Weaving Stance | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Spinning Backhand | Average | Either | Short | Cut | 20 Ranks in Cestus Spike Slash |
300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Stab | Average | Either | Short | Pierce | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Upward Thrust | Average | Either | Either | Pierce | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Triple Slash | Difficult | 2 | Short | Cut Cut Cut |
30 Ranks in Cestus Spike Slash | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Upcut Spin | Difficult | 2 | Short | Pierce Pierce Pierce |
Cestus Weaving Stance 20 Ranks in Cestus Short Upcut 20 Ranks in Cestus Rear Upcut |
300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Vital Gouge | Difficult | Either | Short | Pierce | 10 Ranks in Cestus Jab | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Weapon Trap | Difficult | Either | Short | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Simple Block | Average | Either | - | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Cross Block | Average | Either | - | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Weaving Block | Average | 2 | - | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Blade Block | Average | Either | - | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Low Cross | Difficult | 2 | - | - | - | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Ducking Cross | Difficult | 2 | - | - | Prone Position | 300 | 500 | 154 |
| Cestus Accuracy | Difficult | - | - | - | - | 100 | 100 | 154 |
| Cestus Form | Impossible | - | - | - | - | 100 | 100 | 154 |
Directions to Ariston (Iridine): walk to bronze, Ex2, NEx2, N, Ex4, N, W
Directions to Mervia (Seld): Walk to Seld (Town Square), Nx2, W, S
Directions to Prestis (Colosseum): Walk to Colosseum, Nx2, Wx2, N.
Notes on Learning
**Prestis will only teach you once you have enough reputation.
Skill Details
#Cestus Weaving Stance weave
The wielder swings his cestus-hand in a figure-eight before him, keeping the elbow "ahead" of the weight at all times to ensure maximum maneuverability. From this stance, any attack is slightly more likely to succeed. Failure means it was done too slowly or clumsily to be effective and amounts to little more than a wasted motion.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator attempts to weave is cestii in a figure eight before him, but it comes out as clumsy and slow.
In a series of deft motions, a gladiator swiftly weaves his cestii in a figure eight before him until they begin to blur together.
#Cestus Jab jab <target>
The wielder learns how to punch with the added weight on his arm, eventually learning how to land quick jabs using the blades and spikes along the cestus' knuckles.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator jabs at a thug with a swift punch using his iron cestus, but misses.
#Cestus Short Upcut upcut <target>
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator dips his lead hand and throw a quick uppercut at a thug with his bronze cestus! He suffers a punture to his left thigh.
#Cestus Spike Slash slash <target>
The wielder swings his fist sideways, trying to score a shallow gouge on the opponent's body or armor with the cestus' spikes or blades. Though the attack causes little damage, it's difficult to block, as the human arm bends, unlike most weapons.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator swings a cestus covered fist sideways, lashing out at a thug with the blades of his weapon, but misses.
#Cestus Double Jab doublejab <target>
The gladiator has become proficient enough at punching with cestus-covered fists to be able to perform conventional combination punches. Double jab is a heavily armored version of the standard one-two double punch.
When you see this in use you see:
With a rapid one-two punch, a gladiator jabs quickly at a thug with both cestii! He suffers a puncture to his right thigh.
#Cestus Feint feint <target>
Similar to the fake jabs and sucker punches thrown by any good brawler, the gladiator leans forward and uses his cestus to distract his opponent. The difficulty for a feint to be used is dependant on the opponents overall fighting ability, a less skilled opponent will fall for a feint easier then a more skilled warrior.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator leans forward, feigning a thrust at a thug with his iron cestus!
#Cestus Tumble Lunge lunge <target>
In a skillfull show of acrobatics, the gladiator dives forward from a distance, rolling on the ground towards his opponent while keeping his cestii locked together, then does a rapid low double-punch at his opponent as he rises. A very flashy way of quickly closing the distance with your target (the flashy way is usually the better way when in the arena), the maneuver leaves the wielder temporarily vulnerable and on his knees following the attack. At this point, Ducking Cross might become useful.
When you see this in use you see:
Diving forward, a gladiator rolls into the ground towards a thug, before rising up with a double punch with his twin cestii! He suffers a severe puncture to his right leg. He suffers a severe puncture to his left thigh.
#Cestus Rear Upcut rupcut <target>
When you see this in use you see:
Arm extended, a gladiator pivots backwards on one foot, his boison cestus arcing a vicious slash across a thug! He suffers a severe cut to his head.
#Cestus Spinning Backhand spin <target>
The wielder pivots on one foot, turning all the way around. The attack is time-consuming, but strikes with greater force if it lands. This is best used when the opponent is too off-balance or stunned to strike during the moment of opportunity. It is a real crowd-pleaser, obviously dangerous.
When you see this in use you see:
Arms extended, a gladiator pivots backwards on one foot, his cestus slashing wildly at a thug, but misses.
#Cestus Stab stab <target>
The gladiator has become used enough to the weight of the cestus to throw heavier, underhand punches, attempting slower and more powerful stabbing motions with the cestus' spikes.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator sends a heavy underhand punch towards a thug, stabbing at him with the blades of his cestus!
#Cestus Upward Thrust upthrust
From a kneeling position, the wielder leaps upwards, bringing up his forward fist in a rapid and powerful uppercut. This maneuver is a crowd-pleaser, as the rising uppercut is visibly dramatic to distant onlookers.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator rises up with a quick upward stabbing motion at a thug with his bronze cestus, but misses.
#Cestus Triple Slash tripleslash <target>
Similar to Spinning Backhand but with two cestii, the wielder steps back and pivots on his rear foot, effectively whirling in place with his bladed fists extended. This highly dramatic attack can cause up to three powerful slashing strikes against an opponent in rapid succession.
When you see this in use you see:
With both arms extended, a gladiator spins in place, striking at a thug with the cestus on each hand! He suffers a cut to his right arm. He suffers a cut to his right thigh. He suffers a shallow cut to his chest.
#Cestus Upcut Spin upspin <target>
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator bobs down and darts towards a thug, spinning both hands upwards in a series of rapid, upward body shots. He suffers a puncture to his waist. He suffers a puncture to his waist. He suffers a puncture to his left thigh.
#Cestus Vital Gouge gouge <target>
Combining his ability to punch using the cestus' weight with first-hand experience of the body's weak points, a gladiator attempts a 'hook' punch which, if successful, gouges deep into the opponent's body with the cestus' blades. Aimed towards the vital organs and areas of the waist, chest, neck, and head, a successful blow is often incapacitating and always bloody.
When you see this in use you see:
In a heavy raking punch, a gladiator viciously gouges at a thug with the blades of his cestus!
#Cestus Weapon Trap trap <target>
The wielder catches the blade or haft of the opponent's weapon between two long spikes or blades of the cestus and tries to trap the weapon. If successful, the opponent's weapon is temporarily entangled, but so is the cestus. Both the wielder and the opponent can try to free the weapon (free <weapon>). Of course, you can only attempt this maneuver if the opponent is wielding a weapon.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator thrusts his arm forward and twists, but fails to catch a thug's tin dagger in the blades of his cestus.
#Cestus Simple Block
The wielder blocks a cutting or stabbing strike with the cestus, which can absorb a lot more punishment than an unarmored arm can. An untrained wielder has no chance of blocking a weapon with that much extra weight on his arm.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator raises his arm before a thug's dagger, absorbing the brunt of the attack with his cestii!
#Cestus Cross Block
In a motion similar to Spike Slash, the gladiator casts the blades of his cestii to the side in an attempt to catch or deflect incoming blows.
When you see this in use you see:
With a quick sideways motion, a gladiator catches a thug's tin dagger with the blades of his cestus!
#Cestus Weaving Block
The gladiator applies a weaving stance to a deft defensive movement in front of the upper body, knocking aside or deflecting high-aimed strikes. It is very useful against any slashing, chopping, or swatting attacks, but is nearly useless against stabbing and jabbing strikes. Against someone who doesn't know this, however, it can be very effective.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator rapidly deflects a thugs tin dagger using a swift weaving motion of his cestii!
#Cestus Blade Block
When you see this in use you see:
A thug makes a quick stabbing motion at a gladiator with his tin dagger, but misses. A gladiator deftly catches a thug's tin dagger with the blades of his bronze cestus and diverts the attack to the side!
#Cestus Low Cross
The gladiator squats down quickly and crosses his arms, the interlocked cestii hopefully absorbing any low-aimed attack or strike.
When you see this in use you see:
A gladiator squats and crosses his arms before him, blocking a thug's attack with his cestii!
#Cestus Ducking Cross
While in a prone position, such as kneeling or laying, the gladiator crosses his arms, the interlocked cestii hopefully absorbing any incoming strike.
#Cestus Accuracy
With enough training in Accuracy, you are able to raise your perception in combat situations. A grandmaster in this skill will be equivalent to low-end great perception.
When you see this in use you see:
(This is a passive skill that improves your perception, making it easier to hit targets.)
#Cestus Form
With enough training in Form, you are able to raise your dexterity in combat situations. A grandmaster in this skill will be equivalent to low-end great dexterity.
When you see this in use you see:
(This is a passive skill that improves your dexterity, making it significantly easier to hit targets.)