Dominus Gladiatus Which Class Beats Retiarius: Best Counter

The Secutor is the direct counter to the Retiarius, because its Net Breaker skill breaks out of the net and, per a community classes guide last updated 2026-11-06, reduces net time by 70%. That turns the net into a minor delay instead of a fight-losing stun. If you don't have a Secutor, a Scissor can also beat the net fighter by closing distance and killing him before the net lands.

Why the Secutor wins this matchup

The Retiarius controls the arena with his net. In first-hand full-release footage, a player facing the "net dude" notes that the Retiarius throws his net at around half health, describing it as a guaranteed stun. Once netted, your gladiator eats free trident hits while stunned.

The Secutor's kit answers exactly that. The in-game class description pairs Shield Guard (block chance) with Outmaneuver (dodge and slip behind the enemy), Backstab (bonus damage on exposed enemies) and Net Breaker (counter to nets). Net Breaker is the piece that matters here: instead of gambling on dodges, you neutralize the stun outright.

Prerequisites and actions:

1. Check the arena card before the fight. If the opponent is a net-and-trident Retiarius, note the match type (to surrender or to the death).
2. Send in a gladiator who has Net Breaker trained. In first-hand footage it takes about two days to learn, so start training as soon as a net user appears on the schedule.
3. Support him with decent block gear. The same footage pairs Net Breaker with Shield Guard and an armband, and the player calls the matchup "a no-brainer" once Net Breaker is learned.
4. Expect the net around half health; Net Breaker should cut its effect short so the fight continues on even terms.

If you don't have a Secutor

A Scissor with Headbutt and Brutal Kick can rush the Retiarius down, since closing distance before the net lands denies the setup entirely. A Murmillo without Net Breaker has no hard answer to the net, so keep him for shield matchups instead.

Class choice is permanent

You pick a class when you recruit or create a gladiator, and there is no respec on the info card. That makes the Slave Market a counter-picking tool: a cheap Secutor recruit is worth more than a second Murmillo once net fighters start appearing.

FAQ

Dominus Gladiatus which class beats Retiarius?

The Secutor, because Net Breaker reduces net time by 70% and turns the net stun into a minor delay. Scissor is the fallback if it kills fast enough.

Is the Retiarius playable?

According to the community classes guide, the playable classes on the choose class screen are Murmillo, Secutor and Scissor; the Retiarius appears as an opponent.

Can other classes learn Net Breaker?

First-hand footage shows Net Breaker on the skill list of a non-Secutor gladiator, taking about two days to train, so check the training options on the fighter you plan to send.

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Check note: the counter answer comes from the community classes guide (dominusgladiatu.wiki/guides/classes-guide, updated 2026-11-06) and first-hand full-release footage (youtube.com/watch?v=FpFrv94pqiM); game basics come from the official Steam page. The 70% net-time reduction figure and the two-day Net Breaker training time are player-reported and not developer-confirmed.