PIRATE ------ Pirates choose the captains of their ships by vote. There is a Pirate Code and Articles of Agreement drawn up detailing conduct aboard ship, division of spoils, payment for injury, and punishments for infractions. * HIT POINTS: D6+1 + CON Bonus per level. 2pts/level after 9th. * +1 to TOUGHNESS and REFLEX Saving Throws * Only light armor(leather typically), no shield. * Can use any 1-handed melee weapon plus crossbows and firearms. Favored weapons are cutlass, sabre, rapier, flintlock pistol, musket, hand axe, dagger, and throwing knives. * Can fight with 2 weapons if one or both of the weapons used is a pistol. Pistols count as melee weapons for Pirates. * Pirates get a number of melee attacks against 'Normal Men'(or creatures of basically that strength, i.e., goblins, kobolds, dwarves, orks, men, gnomes, giant rats, etc) equal to their level each round. So a 3rd level Pirate would have 3 attacks/round against these. Flintlock pistols take a full round to load, so may only be used for this purpose if the Pirate has several on their person. * Any damage dealt by a Pirate which is over the amount necessary to bring their foe to zero hp is spread around to the next closest adversary(ies) with an AC that was able to be hit by the Pirate's attack roll until all the points are used. * +1 on to-hit rolls with firearms. Treat long range as medium. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fighting Ability: Begin with +1 to Normal Man THACO. Add +1 at levels 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16. (STR/DEX)Athletics(climbing/swinging through the rigging or walking along the spars of a storm-tossed ship, sliding down a billowing sail using a dagger, running on a slippery deck, swimming in rough seas, etc,): Begin with +1. Add +1 at every level through level 16. (DEX/PER)Filching(pick pockets/palming/hiding small objects on their body): Begin with +1. Add +1 every level through level 16. (DEX)Open Locks, Magical Closures/Puzzle Boxes(INT): Begin with +1. Add +1 every level through level 16. (DEX)Forgery: Begin with +1. Add +1 at every level through level 16. (See description of Forgery in text below) (INT)Seamanship(Navigating without instruments or landmarks and under strange stars, helming a ship through unknown waters with treacherous reefs and shoals or violent storms.): +1 to begin. +1 per level through level 16. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Base Chance Per Level --------------------- level 1 = 1-2(D6) level 7 = 1-4 level 13 = 1-19(D20) level 4 = 1-3 level 10 = 1-5 * SEA LORE: Knowledge of nautical legends, identifying sea monsters and ghost- ships, maritime history, recognizing uncharted islands from rumors and reports of landmarks, sunken ships and buried treasures, distant ports-of-call, etc. * DECIPHER: Treasure maps, magical writings, secret codes, obscure symbols, glyphs and ciphers, local signaling codes, island communication by conch shell, etc. Use Thief Table below. * APPRAISE: Pirates can make an accurate determination of the value of non-magical items and treasure and can tell fakes and forgeries. Very well made or non-magically disguised fakes may require a roll on the table above to see if the fake was discovered. * ESCAPE ARTIST: Escape from ropes, bonds, non-magical bindings, in D6 rounds. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Languages: Begin with Common, Pirate Patois(Thieves' Cant of the sea), and Hobgoblin. A new language of sea-faring peoples or sentient sea creatures may be learned every other level beginning at level 3 until reaching maximum language total(2 languages for every point of INT above 10 instead of the usual 1 per point). Additionally, Pirates are familiar with the major maritime flag codes and similar naval and sea merchant communications. * Pirates can use any magic items common to Fighters and Thieves as well as all general purpose magic items. * Set Traps: Pirates are experts at setting large traps such as deadfalls, rope /net snares, covered pits, spear/arrow traps, explosives/gunpowder, and similar devices(collectively called "Pits and Snares"). These traps are very reliable and very well hidden(4 in 6 chance of activ- ating if stepped on/over instead of the usual 2 in 6). Barbarians and Rangers have just a 1 in 6 chance to passively notice them. Barbarians, Rangers, and Thieves have a 2 in 6 chance to activate them when stepping on or over. * Passive ability to Detect Pits, Snares, and tripwires(2 in 6 chance) outdoors when merely passing near. And only 1 in 6 chance to spring pit traps and snares and the like when passing over them(instead of the usual 1-2). ROLLED BY DM. * Pirates will automatically find mechanical traps on/in locks(poisoned needles and the like) if searching for them. * Pirates know cartography and can create professional maps for navigation on sea or land. * Weather Eye: When on the water, a Pirate can sense changes in the weather 2D6 hours before it happens. This does not include sudden magical changes. * Pirates can swim at their normal movement rate and hold their breath underwater CON/3 rounds. * Forgery takes time(D6 turns or hours) and knowledge of seals and such for specific documents. Well known signatures and seals should be carefully studied beforehand to render them believably. A skill roll shall be required for passing off forgeries of well known/important signatures or documents which will be carefully scrutinized by state officials or others related to the genuine articles. * Shipwright: Can construct a small, single-masted, seaworthy boat that holds up to a dozen human-sized creatures at first level. They can also appraise the seaworthiness of any vessel that sails upon the water. At 9th level, they can design and oversee the construction of a full-rigged ship of excellent quality. * EXPERT at cards, dice, and other games of chance. Against non-pirates you win most of the time(9 in 10 chance). When playing cards(only) against HOBBITS, or when playing any games of chance against Thieves, Bards, or other Pirates you gain no advantage. * Seeing St Elmo's Fire dancing along the masts and rigging raises crew morale and gives a +3 bonus to all Saves against spells, powers, or events that cause fear, paralysis, or loss of morale. If being pursued by the dreaded Flying Dutchman, the bonus is only +1.*** * Pirate Curse: pronounceable but 3 times in one's life. This curse is bestowed upon another pirate who is deemed to have grieviously betrayed their captain and/or their crewmates. Upon uttering a curse of this type a fourth time, the one pronouncing it is also affected. Only a pirate captain - or one who has been a captain - can do this. * The Black Spot - presented by a ship's crew to a captain or crewmate who has betrayed them, as a judgment and a warning. The one who receives the spot is a "marked man" condemned to death by the crew when any one of them comes across the victim again. The dark spot is made of ash on a round cut of paper about the size of a large coin. On the reverse side is a relevant verse, quote, or message of doom. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At 3rd level ------------ * Rum Luck: Drinking a pint of rum gives +2 to all Saving Throws for the next 4 hours. Usable once/day beginning at level 3. At 4th level ------------ * A Pirate begins to be able to "sense treasure" at a distance of 1" per XP level (e.g. 4" at level 4). * A Pirate may captain a ship at 4th level and above. * +1 to Morale of any buccaneers the Pirate is leading in sea/coastal combat. * Normal Types have their morale lowered by 1 and must make a Morale Check when the Pirate boards their ship unless they are led by someone of Hero-Level. At 8th level ------------ * A Pirate gets 2 attacks/round. * +2 to Morale of any buccaneers the Pirate is leading in sea/coastal combat. * Normal Types have their morale lowered by 2 and must make a Morale Check when the Pirate boards their ship unless they are led by someone of Hero-Level. At 9th level ------------ * A Pirate is considered a FLEET CAPTAIN, is known far and wide as a bold Commander and treasure hunter on the high seas, and can find a willing crew in any sizeable port town. If the Pirate establishes a hidden stronghold or pirate town, corsairs and buccaneers from all around will come to build and settle the lair - roll 2D6 to see how many pirate ships/crews initially arrive. At 10th level ------------- * When facing impossible odds on the high seas, a Pirate Captain can give a +3 bonus to all crew actions/attacks/saving throws/morale/and the like by giving a rousing speech from the stern deck. Requires 1 Turn. The effect lasts until the end of the ship battle/storm/sea monster attack or for 1 game day, whichever is of lesser dur- ation. This ability can only be used once per game session. In addition, any enemy boarding crew hearing this bold encouragement, even if the language is not understood, must make an immediate morale check unless they are led by a Fighter-type of 10th or higher level. Failure means that the boarding crew will cease fighting and surrender or leap over- board or flee. If the morale check is successful, they will continue to fight, but at -1 to-hit and with a loss of 2 points to their morale score. At 14th level ------------- * Add a second damage die to all damage rolls. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *** The Flying Dutchman is a legendary ghost ship of ill omen, captained by the infamous un-living pirate, Davy Jones, and his skeleton crew. It is one of the few things that shiver the timbers of any bold buccaneer.