Your next recruit is more than another health bar: he also needs training, equipment, and room in your budget. The Slave Market is where you add those fighters to your Ludus. Understanding its inspection and refresh options helps you replace losses or expand the roster without buying someone you cannot support.
How to recruit a gladiator
Open your Dominus options, visit the Slave Market, and inspect the available recruits before confirming a purchase. Player experience in the demo shows the market presenting a recruit's starting Health and talent, with additional details available when inspecting the fighter.
Compare the candidates, choose the recruit you actually want, and read the purchase confirmation. The September 6 developer update added that confirmation and clearer feedback when you cannot afford a purchase. Once the recruit joins the Ludus, assign the available class, choose a skill to train, and check his equipment before treating him as arena-ready.
The official Dominus Gladiatus Steam description emphasizes that recruits have different strengths, weaknesses, and potential. The cheapest purchase and the strongest starting health bar therefore answer different needs.
What to inspect before spending coins
| Check | Why it changes the purchase |
|---|---|
| Starting Health | Affects the fighter's initial durability, but does not replace training or equipment. |
| Talent | Can support faster training, recovery, or another role in the school. |
| Morale and temperament | Help you understand the fighter's condition and reactions rather than assuming every recruit behaves alike. |
| Price | Must leave enough money for the rest of the roster and the Ludus. |
| Your next match | Determines whether you need an immediate fighter, a reserve, or someone you can develop over time. |
Player experience provides useful contrasts. Some successful demo runs invested in a healthier recruit, while others prioritized a useful talent or a cheap third fighter. Those are examples of fitting a purchase to a plan, not proof that one fixed market slot is always the best deal.
Keep equipment costs in that calculation. A recruit with impressive Health but a practice weapon may still be poorly prepared for the next opponent.
How the market changes over time
There are several ways to see a different selection:
- The market's arrival countdown advances with Ludus time, following the September 17 update.
- The October 7 update automatically replaces recruits who have remained in the market for more than 12 days.
- The paid Market Refresh action immediately generates another selection.
Read the countdown before paying. If a natural change is close and you do not urgently need a fighter, waiting may preserve money for equipment. If you must fill a lineup immediately, compare the refresh cost with the cost of choosing from the current selection.
The September 6 demo update also allowed trained gladiators to appear from Day 20. That gives later recruitment a different purpose: you may find someone more developed than a fresh recruit. It does not guarantee that every later arrival is trained or that a replacement will match the veteran you lost.
Use the current price, not an old recording
The market has been rebalanced repeatedly. September 6 introduced specific starting Health and price examples; September 17 adjusted purchase and sale prices again. An old video's coin amount is therefore a historical example rather than a reliable current price list.
Kepri's market discount also changed. The September 6 notes specify a 15% reduction in slave prices, superseding older footage that describes a flat coin discount. Check your selected Dominus and the displayed purchase price instead of subtracting the old amount yourself.
The November 2 pre-launch changes apply across the demo and current pre-release builds, with some systems restricted to the full game. Keep that distinction when comparing a 40-day demo run with the full tournament.
FAQ
Can I refresh the Slave Market immediately?
Yes. The Market Refresh interaction spends coins to generate a new selection. Inspect the current cost and your budget before using it.
Why did a recruit disappear without my buying him?
The October 7 update added automatic replacement for recruits who stay in the market longer than 12 days. The market also shows an arrival countdown tied to Ludus time.
Does buying a recruit make him ready for combat?
Not necessarily. Check his class, trained skills, equipment, and current condition after recruitment. Starting Health alone does not tell you whether he is suitable for the next arena match.