Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2012 12:04:07 GMT -6
Hi guys. New here. But not new to RPG (started way back in '84)
This game seems to be made for my group. I have old grognards that miss AD&D 1st edition, and we all enjoy the S & S genre over more Tolkienesque stuff...
Now, I'm prepping up my brand new campaign and am about to unleash my first scenario on my group in 2 weeks...
This game rocks...
OK, now on to one class missing... The Pirate!
Conan was known as amra the lion, a bloodthirsty pirate
Thongor fought the Pirates of Tarakus
There were pirates in Brak: When Idols Walked
OK, I'm running out of pirates references...
Until the good folks who made this great game produce a supplement containing the pirate, here's my homebrew version!
Pirate (Thief)
The pirate can be a bloodthirsty cutthroat, or a noble corsair patrolling the perilous waters of Hyperborea
Attribute requirements: STR 9, DEX 9
Primate Attributes: STR, DEX
Hit die Type: 1d8
Alignment: Any save Lawful Good
Armour Allowed: Light
Favored Weapons: cf. Assassin
Favored Armor: Light
Shields Allowed: None
Saving throw Modifier: cf. Assassin
XP table: cf. Assassin
Abilities:
Seamanship: General ability to operate/manage/navigate a watercraft of any size with reduced chances (Referee's discretion) to get lost at sea
Agile: cf. Assassin
Detect Secret Doors
Stronghold: a 9th level Pirate can establish a Pirate Stronghold
Ambusher (as per the ranger class)
Weapon Mastery (as per the ranger class)
Thief Abilities: (as per a thief of the same level)
Climb
Discern Noise
Hide
Manipulate Traps
Move Silently
Open Locks
|
|
|
|
Post by mabon5127 on Aug 24, 2012 12:31:26 GMT -6
Hi guys. New here. But not new to RPG (started way back in '84) This game seems to be made for my group. I have old grognards that miss AD&D 1st edition, and we all enjoy the S & S genre over more Tolkienesque stuff... Now, I'm prepping up my brand new campaign and am about to unleash my first scenario on my group in 2 weeks... This game rocks... OK, now on to one class missing... The Pirate! Conan was known as amra the lion, a bloodthirsty pirate Thongor fought the Pirates of Tarakus There were pirates in Brak: When Idols Walked OK, I'm running out of pirates references... Until the good folks who made this great game produce a supplement containing the pirate, here's my homebrew version! Pirate (Thief) The pirate can be a bloodthirsty cutthroat, or a noble corsair patrolling the perilous waters of Hyperborea Attribute requirements: STR 9, DEX 9 Primate Attributes: STR, DEX Hit die Type: 1d8 Alignment: Any save Lawful Good Armour Allowed: Light Favored Weapons: cf. Assassin Favored Armor: Light Shields Allowed: None Saving throw Modifier: cf. Assassin XP table: cf. Assassin Abilities: Seamanship: General ability to operate/manage/navigate a watercraft of any size with reduced chances (Referee's discretion) to get lost at sea Agile: cf. Assassin Detect Secret Doors Stronghold: a 9th level Pirate can establish a Pirate Stronghold Ambusher (as per the ranger class) Weapon Mastery (as per the ranger class) Thief Abilities: (as per a thief of the same level) Climb Discern Noise Hide Manipulate Traps Move Silently Open Locks Looks good to me. I would also give them the tracking ability at sea. I know ships don't leave footprints but a good pirate always knows where to find the fat merchant ships! They would also know the hiding places available to escaping ships and how they would travel based on weather and speed. The Thongor reference is cool as I keep those stories as a secret vice. Morgan |
|
|
|
Post by Ghul on Aug 24, 2012 18:18:52 GMT -6
For me, placing a pirate in the thief category is a tough call. In fact, it was a tough call to assign the scout to the thief class (at one time we tried a completely different version that was fighter-based). Of course, there are some campaign elements that play right into the pirate as thief in Hyperborea: in more than section of the books, we reference a variant of thieves' cant that is spoken by seafaring types. I like what you've done, but I would (personally) change a few things. Of course, do what thou wilt, but consider the following: - I would not give Weapon Mastery to a non-fighter type. This is something we've limited to fighters and fighter subclasses.
- I might remove hide ability (how often are pirates hiding?); would it be part of their training?
- With weapon mastery stripped, I would consider replacing it with backstab.
But see, the thing is, when you make the sorts of changes I am suggesting, you are left thinking -- why not just make a thief or assassin and call it a pirate? In Hyperborea, seamanship (particularly navigation) is particularly challenging, because the sun does not rise from the East, reach it's zenith, and set in the West; rather, it wheels just above the horizon. So, this would be a strong skill for a pirate, but it is indeed a secondary skill, too, so in fact it could be a component of any character type. Anyway, have fun, and thanks for the post! Cheers, Jeff T. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2012 18:32:06 GMT -6
This is a fine effort and you are to be commended.
I do things bit different: IMC a pirate isn't a class, it's a profession. So any of the "big four" classes can be pirates, though I weight random generation of the NPC pirates heavily toward thief and fighter.
Same with assassin. You want to be an assassin? Kill someone for money. Many of the extra classes in D&D can be handled the same way.
|
|
Chainsaw
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 303
|
Post by Chainsaw on Aug 25, 2012 10:08:35 GMT -6
Welcome aboard, stefou. I enjoy and wholeheartedly support customizing rules and personalizing games with new material, but I would probably also treat the pirate as more of a profession (like mercenary, bodyguard, etc) than a class. Needless to say, you should do whatever you want and it sounds like you have some good ideas.  |
|
|
|
Post by odysseus on Aug 19, 2013 12:25:03 GMT -6
I think that pirate can and should be its own classe if it fits your campaign. As soon as this profession has its own code and culture, it deserves to be so, imho. Just like we have the Cataphract for those horseriders.
Technically, I'd place them between the Barbarian and the Ranger due to their link with nature and wilderness. Also, I'd give them a superstitious ability, a bit like the Barbarian's sorcerous distrust but its opposite roleplay-wise.
A thief subclass pirate would be more smugglerish, imho.
|
|
|
|
Post by rabindranath72 on Aug 20, 2013 2:27:54 GMT -6
Mimicking the d20 Conan rpg Pirate class, I'd do something like this:
The class has the thief abilities Climb and Move Silently. They can also Backstab.
1- Seamanship: the character gets +1 to AC and to use "thief" abilities when aboard a ship or boat at sea. Might increase with level.
2- Ferocity: +1 to initiative, damage and "to hit" in the first round of combat; however, he is -2 to AC. Might increase with level.
3- Pirate code: they get the analogous of Thieves' Cant, but they can also communicate via flags, trumpets, smoke signals etc.
4- To Sail a Road of Blood and Slaughter: when dispatching a defenseless opponent, the Pirate forces a morale check on all the onlookers.
5- Poison resistance: a Pirate's dissolute lifestyle has allows him to build up an incredible tolerance to almost
any poison or drug known to man. At 4th level he gains +1 to saves vs. poisons, drugs and alcohol.
6- Navigation: by 5th level the Pirate has learned to navigate without any needs of land or astral references
|
|
|
|
Post by odysseus on Aug 20, 2013 14:39:10 GMT -6
My 2 cents on some of those abilities : -I'm disapointed because "Seamanship" implies that thief abilities wouldn't normally be useable on a boat. -I'm surprised that they need an ability such as "To sail a road of blood and slaughter". I mean, it's gruesome intimidation 101 and should be available to anyone. -Their "poison resistance" brings a hint of humour and fun to them, I guess venereal diseases are implicitly included.  |
|
|
|
Post by rabindranath72 on Aug 21, 2013 9:22:33 GMT -6
My 2 cents on some of those abilities : -I'm disapointed because "Seamanship" implies that thief abilities wouldn't normally be useable on a boat. -I'm surprised that they need an ability such as "To sail a road of blood and slaughter". I mean, it's gruesome intimidation 101 and should be available to anyone. -Their "poison resistance" brings a hint of humour and fun to them, I guess venereal diseases are implicitly included. Where does that "implication" come from? The special ability only gives a bonus to a Pirate's thief abilities when used on a boat. The "sail a road" ability in d20 Conan allows a coup de grace as a free action and grants a bonus to intimidate checks. This is notable because usually it takes a full round to perform a coup de grace. So the speed and efficiency of the killing gives the bonus. The closest to that I could devise in AS&SH is to force a morale check. This does not normally happen in combat, otherwise for every kill you should perform a morale check, which is not how the rules work. So this ability provides an exception. Feel free to provide a better rule! Yes, I suppose venereal diseases could be included |
|
|
|
Post by Ynas Midgard on Aug 21, 2013 9:44:09 GMT -6
Where does that "implication" come from? The special ability only gives a bonus to a Pirate's thief abilities when used on a boat. You wrote: which can be interpreted as either: [gets +1 [to AC] and [to use "thief" abilities when aboard]] - as you did or [gets [+1 to AC] and [to use "thief" abilities when aboard]] - as odysseus did. |
|
|
|
Post by odysseus on Aug 21, 2013 14:13:37 GMT -6
Where does that "implication" come from? The special ability only gives a bonus to a Pirate's thief abilities when used on a boat. You wrote: which can be interpreted as either: [gets +1 [to AC] and [to use "thief" abilities when aboard]] - as you did or [gets [+1 to AC] and [to use "thief" abilities when aboard]] - as odysseus did. Yes, I did. My mistake. I didn't know how it worked originally (I have an aversion to anything D20 and kept away from those products as much as I could  even the good ones). So now, I see what its purpose was. As you mentionned defenseless opponent, I assumed we were not talking about combat situation (i.e. which occurs with a retaliating opponent). Anyway, now, I think I get your point. Maybe you could add a penalty to that morale check, like the "frightening aspect" of the berserker, a gruesome finish bonus ? And thank you for the venereal disease, this will save more lives than an AC bonus.  |
|
even the good ones). So now, I see what its purpose was.