Dominus Gladiatus Recruitment & Slave Market
Dominus Gladiatus recruitment: Slave Market evaluation, 85/100/115 Health pricing, talents, refreshes, Day 20 trained gladiators and Khepri's discount.
The Slave Market is where a run's ceiling is set. A good recruit becomes a ten-year fighter; a bad one becomes a daily upkeep charge with a name. The market shows Base Health, talent, temperament, class and price, but the official store description also mentions hidden potential, so the card is not the whole story.
Quick answer
Buy 100-115 Health recruits with Fast Learner or Rapid Recovery, keep a 30-coin reserve, and do not buy a second body until the first one earns. The opening band is 85, 100 and 115 Health for 35, 50 and 65 coins. After Day 20, trained gladiators can appear; check their Fatigue, injuries and morale before paying a premium.
What does the Slave Market show?
A market card lists:
- Name and class - Murmillo, Secutor, Scissor or an opponent class.
- Base Health - the durable stat.
- Talent - Fast Learner, Rapid Recovery, Charismatic, Harden, Failed and others.
- Temperament - Balanced, Hot-Blooded and others.
- Price - the upfront coin cost.
- Potential - the store description mentions hidden potential, so two recruits with the same visible stats may develop differently.
The purchase confirmation was added in Patch 4, so you cannot accidentally buy a slave with a single misclick.
Official source: Dominus Gladiatus store page ↗
What is the opening market band?
Patch 4 lists the starting recruits at 85, 100 and 115 Health for 35, 50 and 65 coins. The 100-Health recruit is the usual best value because it leaves coins for the Gladiator Quarters and a reserve.
| Recruit | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 85 Health | 35 | Skip unless the talent is exceptional and you can protect them |
| 100 Health | 50 | Best opening value |
| 115 Health | 65 | Take only if the reserve survives |
The 85-Health recruit is not unplayable. It is a project that needs more healing, more careful matchups and more time. In the first ten days, that is the opposite of what you need.
How should you evaluate a recruit?
Use this order:
- Health floor. 100+ for a main roster slot, 110+ for a carry.
- Talent. Fast Learner and Rapid Recovery are the compounding picks.
- Class fit. Does the class answer a matchup you currently lose?
- Temperament. Balanced is safe; Hot-Blooded suits a Scissor.
- Price and reserve. Can you buy without skipping upkeep or a building?
- Hidden potential. Treat it as a bonus, not a reason to overpay.
A recruit who fails the Health floor needs a very good reason: a unique class answer, a Charismatic money plan or a Harden specialist for a Fatigue-heavy schedule.
Which talents matter most?
- Fast Learner: faster skill progression. The best long-term pick for a fighter you intend to keep.
- Rapid Recovery: faster recovery. Excellent for a workhorse who fights often.
- Charismatic: extra arena coins. A money talent; pair it with a safe schedule.
- Harden: immunity to fatigue-based arena injuries. A safety talent for high-Fatigue plans.
- Failed: a negative talent. Treat the recruit as a discount body.
Talent value depends on the plan. A Harden recruit on a Fatigue-0 schedule is a wasted slot; a Fast Learner on a fighter you sell in ten days is a wasted investment.
The best gladiators tier list → ranks the full profiles.
How does the market refresh?
Patch 5 changed the Slave Market to refresh on Ludus time with a countdown. Patch 4 added a paid Market Refresh. Patch 6 made slaves older than 12 days auto-replace.
Practical implications:
- You do not need to check the market every real-time minute; the Ludus clock drives it.
- A paid refresh is worth it when you need a specific class or a health upgrade, not when you are bored.
- Do not hoard slaves for 12 days hoping the price changes; the market will replace them.
When do trained gladiators appear?
From Day 20, the market can offer trained gladiators according to Patch 4. These are fighters with existing skill ranks, which can save you training days.
Check before buying:
- Fatigue and injuries. A trained fighter with a hidden injury is a trap.
- Morale. A low-morale recruit can refuse immediately.
- Skill ranks. A rank 1 in four skills is less valuable than rank 3 in Combat.
- Price versus training time. A trained fighter at 100 coins can be cheaper than 9 days of training if the roster is time-starved.
How does Khepri's discount work?
Khepri Setekh's Dominus power reduces slave prices by 15% according to Patch 4. If Khepri is your patron or the relevant rival power is active, the discount changes the value calculation on every market visit.
A 65-coin recruit becomes roughly 55 coins at a 15% discount. That can be the difference between buying the 115-Health recruit and keeping the reserve. Check the price on the card, not the base price in a guide.
How many gladiators should you own?
The upkeep formula is 1 coin per day plus 1 per gladiator. A five-gladiator roster costs 6 coins per day before staff, healing or equipment.
A practical roster curve:
| Stage | Roster size | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1-10 | 2 | Learn the loop without upkeep pressure |
| Days 11-30 | 2-3 | Add a class answer or a backup |
| Days 31-60 | 3 | Depth for injuries and matchups |
| Days 61-100 | 3-4 | Tournament prep |
| Post-game | 3-5 | Only if you take 4v4/5v5 contracts |
Do not build for 5v5 before the post-game. The extra bodies cost coins every day and may never fight.
Should you buy a Sword for Hire?
The Slave Trader staff member lets you hire a Sword for Hire, tied to the Sword for Hire achievement. Treat it as a temporary body, not a roster investment.
Use a Sword for Hire when:
- You need a fifth fighter for a one-off team contract.
- Your main roster is injured and a batch is about to expire.
- You want to test a class before buying a permanent recruit.
Do not build your economy around temporary hires. They are a patch for a specific gap, not a training plan.
Official source: Dominus Gladiatus achievements ↗
Official source: Steam news ↗
FAQ
What is the best first recruit? The 100-Health recruit at 50 coins, unless the 115-Health recruit leaves enough reserve for the Quarters.
Can recruits have hidden injuries? Patch 3 changed new slaves to no longer arrive injured. Existing fighters can still be injured in the arena.
Is the paid market refresh worth it? Only when you need a specific class or Health upgrade. Random refreshes drain the reserve.
Should I sell a gladiator I just bought? If the recruit's hidden potential or class fit is wrong, selling early is better than paying upkeep for a fighter you will never field.
More Dominus Gladiatus Guides
A Dominus Gladiatus arena readiness checklist: Fatigue, injuries, Health, morale, crowd, matchup, rules and reserve before you accept a purse.
Dominus Gladiatus best build guide: Health vs damage, skill order for Murmillo, Secutor and Scissor, Veteran bonuses, equipment priorities and team-fight roles.
How crowd favor works in Dominus Gladiatus: Liked, Indifferent and Disliked calls, two calls per fight, stones and food, favored immunity and Ruthless rules.
All six Dominus Gladiatus Domini: Titus Aurelian, Khepri Setekh, Cassius Lysandros, Aurelia Zahara, Livia Calpurnia and Decimus Amborix, powers and counterplay.
Twelve Dominus Gladiatus tips that prevent early run deaths: fatigue management, market discipline, morale warnings, crowd calls and upkeep traps.
How Dominus Gladiatus endgame contracts work after the Grand Tournament: 10-fight batches, 1v1 to 5v5, beast spectacles, rising upkeep and retirement.
Dominus Gladiatus equipment guide: weapon, shield, helmet, legs, armband and pants stats, block chance vs damage reduction, weapon range and spending priority.
How exhibition matches work in Dominus Gladiatus: Ordinator setup, 20-coin base reward, +3 per arena win, cooldowns and when the low-risk income is worth it.