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Fax Celestis
2006-06-28, 02:54 AM
The Privateer is a pirate in the employ of a government. They sail the oceans and steal from their employer's opponent's navies. They are skilled in thievery, sailing, combat, and (in most cases) drinking large amounts of alcohol.

Abilities: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution all share equal importance, but none are as important as Intelligence for you. Charisma and Wisdom are nice to have, but not necessary.

Races: Privateers are mostly human, halfling, or half-orc. Other races tend to see being a mercenary pirate as unsavory, outside their ability, or too far out on the ocean.

Alignment: Privateers may be any alignment, though they tend towards chaos.

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: 6d6x10 gp.

Starting Age: As fighter (PH 109).

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Privateers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light armor. Privateers are also proficient with weapons used in ship-to-ship combat (cannons, ballistae, etc.).

Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (The Seas), Open Lock, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Rope

Seamanship: Starting at first level, a privateer gains a +2 competence bonus to all Profession (Sailor), Balance, Survival, and Swim checks while at sea. This bonus improves to +3 at 4th level, +4 at 7th, +5 at 10th, +6 at 13th, +7 at 15th, and +8 at 18th.

Savvy Offense: While wearing light or no armor and fighting with a light or one-handed weapon, a privateer may add one point of intelligence bonus per class level to all damage rolls made with that weapon. A privateer retains this bonus while fighting with two weapons as long as they are both light.

Sea Legs: A privateer may always take ten on balance checks while on board a ship.

Savvy Defense: While wearing light or no armor and fighting with a light or one-handed weapon, a privateer may add one point of intelligence bonus per class level to his armor class as a dodge bonus. A privateer retains this bonus if fighting unarmed, but loses this bonus in any circumstance where he would also be denied a dexterity bonus to AC.

Uncanny Dodge: At 3rd level, a privateer gains the ability to react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his dexterity and Savvy Defense bonuses (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses these bonuses to AC if immobilized.

If a privateer already has uncanny dodge from a different class (a privateer with at least four levels of rogue, for example), he instead automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Endurance: A privateer gains the benefits of the Endurance feat at 3rd level.

Precise Strike: At 3rd level, a privateer gains the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed weapon, gaining an extra 1d6 damage added to his normal damage roll. When making a precise strike, a privateer cannot wear armor heavier than light armor or use a shield. A privateers precise strike only works against living creatures with discernible anatomies. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is immune to a precise strike.

To perform a precise strike, a privateer must first make a contested bluff check (this is an immediate action and is contested using the privateer’s opponent’s sense motive check). If successful, the privateer immediately attacks as normal and gets an additional 1d6 of damage added to the result. In the case of a full-attack, the 1d6 damage only applies to the first attack, whether or not that attack hits.

The damage from a precise strike increases by 1d6 every three levels, to 2d6 at 6th, 3d6 at 9th, 4d6 at 12th, 5d6 at 15th, and 6d6 at 18th.

Evasion: At 4th level, a privateer can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if the privateer is wearing light or no armor. A helpless privateer (such as one who is unconscious or paralyzed) does not gain the benefits of evasion.

Bonus Fighter Feat: At 5th level and every five levels after (10th, 15th, and 20th), a privateer may choose any feat classified as a fighter feat that they qualify for.

Steady Stance: At 5th level, a privateer gains the ability to remain standing when other people can't. He is not considered flat-footed while balancing or climbing, and he adds his class level as a bonus on Balance or Climb checks to remain balancing when he takes damage.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: A privateer of 6th level or higher can no longer be flanked; he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack him by flanking, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the character does in privateer.

Diehard: A privateer gains the benefits of the Diehard feat at 8th level.

Skill Mastery: At 11th level, a privateer is so sure of his abilities that he may take ten on Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Tumble checks even when circumstances would not normally allow it.

Improved Evasion: At 12th level, a privateer increases his ability to dodge magical and unusual attacks. Like the Evasion skill, if he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. In addition, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed saving throw. Improved Evasion can only be used if the privateer is wearing light or no armor. A helpless privateer (such as one who is unconscious or paralyzed) does not gain the benefits of evasion.

Savvy Precision: At 14th level, a privateer may choose to sacrifice his bonus damage from a sucessful precise strike in order to deal an amount of ability damage equal to his Intelligence modifier to an enemy's strength, constitution, or dexterity. This ability only functions if the privateer is wielding a light or one-handed weapon and is wearing light or no armor.

Playing A Privateer

Your goal in life is to get very very rich, whether through piracy or the employ of a government. Fame is also important. Oh, and you like showing off.

Religion

Many privateers worship Fharlanghn, while others worship Kord, Olidammara, or St. Cuthbert. Evil privateers usually worship Nerull or Erythnul.

Other Classes

Privateers get along remarkably well with rogues, bards, fighters, and sea-oriented rangers. Clerics and paladins are usually too morally-aligned to get along well with privateers. Other classes are pretty much on a case-by-case basis.

Combat

Privateers like getting into the thick of things, though ones with low Intelligence usually don't last long. As a whole, privateers enjoy combat and often make it into something of a game, showing off or performing acrobatics throughout the combat.

Cross-Classes

The most common cross-class is rogue, though privateer/rangers and privateer/fighters are not unheard of. Even privateer/wizards spring into existence now and again. Perhaps least common is the privateer/paladin and the privateer/monk.

Privateer Progression
{table]
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special

|1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Seamanship +2, Savvy Offense, Sea Legs

2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Savvy Defense

3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Uncanny Dodge, Endurance, Precise Strike +1d6

4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Seamanship +3, Evasion

5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Bonus Fighter Feat, Steady Stance

6th +4 +5 +5 +2 Improved Uncanny Dodge, Precise Strike +2d6

7th +5 +5 +5 +2 Seamanship +4

8th +6/+1 +6 +6 +2 Diehard

9th +6/+1 +6 +6 +3 Precise Strike +3d6

10th +7/+2 +7 +7 +3 Seamanship +5, Bonus Fighter Feat

11th +8/+3 +7 +7 +3 Skill Mastery

12th +9/+4 +8 +8 +4 Improved Evasion, Precise Strike +4d6

13th +9/+4 +8 +8 +4 Seamanship +6

14th +10/+5 +9 +9 +4 Savvy Precision

15th +11/+6/+1 +9 +9 +5 Bonus Fighter Feat, Precise Strike +5d6

16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +5 Seamanship +7

17th +12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +5 -

18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +11 +6 Precise Strike +6d6

19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +11 +6 Seamanship +8

20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +12 +6 Bonus Fighter Feat

[/table]

An example (http://corporation.walagata.com/fax/gaming/DnD/Malcolm%20the%20Quick.html)

Altair_the_Vexed
2006-06-28, 03:29 AM
Now, this class might be better served merged with the Corsair class (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=gaming;action=display;num=1151478158 ) that you also posted - in the "real world" there was never a great deal of difference between pirates and privateers.

Other than that, it seems balanced. Stormwrack needs to be consulted, I feel, at least to explore the similarities.

Fax Celestis
2006-06-28, 03:32 AM
The difference I was trying to imply with the Corsair and Privateer classes was that the Privateer is more intelligent and classy, while the Corsair is more of an uneducated braggart. Captain Hook? Privateer. Smee? Corsair.

Altair_the_Vexed
2006-06-28, 03:54 AM
Ah, I get it.
I guess I just tend to resist the proliferation of base classes. ;D

Still, they could be made into once class, with a bunch of options, so that you can play the character at any level of sophistication. You're already nearly duplicating some abilities from one class to the other.

On the other hand, nicking a few of the Stormwrack special abilities (I'll PM them to you later - drop me a line if I forget) might help. For example, Dirty Fighting is similar to the Scarlet Corsair's Fearful Lunge.

These are good concepts. I'm only trying to help cause I want to nick the classes!!

Fax Celestis
2006-06-28, 03:57 AM
Help is always appreciated.

AmoDman
2006-06-28, 04:04 AM
Hmmm, I like it, but I'm not sure if it's balanced...It seems alright, IMO. Let's see, he's got rogue Evasion/Uncanny Dodge. He's a skill monkey with a d6, but his class skills suck. Precise Strike certainly adds some Oomf to his combat ability, though not as good as sneak attack with the damage, but then again it may be usable more often, as well as the extra +'s he gets from Int. There's also the bonus fighter feats to consider as well as the d8 hit die, putting him over the rogue. With an interesting sprinkling of extra abilities on top of that I'm not sure it pushes him over the edge or not. It might make it "too good," or make it just good enough to be cool and useful...

Premier
2006-06-28, 06:25 AM
The Privateer is a pirate in the employ of a government. They sail the oceans and steal from their employer's navies.

I assume you meant "steal from their employer's enemies' navies"?

Fax Celestis
2006-06-28, 02:35 PM
I assume you meant "steal from their employer's enemies' navies"?

Yeah. ::)

Fax Celestis
2006-06-28, 02:38 PM
Hmmm, I like it, but I'm not sure if it's balanced...It seems alright, IMO. Let's see, he's got rogue Evasion/Uncanny Dodge. He's a skill monkey with a d6, but his class skills suck. Precise Strike certainly adds some Oomf to his combat ability, though not as good as sneak attack with the damage, but then again it may be usable more often, as well as the extra +'s he gets from Int. There's also the bonus fighter feats to consider as well as the d8 hit die, putting him over the rogue. With an interesting sprinkling of extra abilities on top of that I'm not sure it pushes him over the edge or not. It might make it "too good," or make it just good enough to be cool and useful...

The main thing iwth the Precise strike is that it's a once-a-round thing, and is resistable. You can sneak attack for four hits in a round with a high enough BAB, but you wouldn't be able to do that here.

Ugly_Panda
2006-06-28, 03:26 PM
Savvy critical is too strong if you're using rapiers. Other than than that, the class looks like a nice mixture of rogues and swashbucklers.

It's funny that the spooky wizards haven't made an official pirate class, even though they've already made ninja into one. Means we can't use D&D stats in the pointless "Pirate vs. Ninja" arguments.

TheThan
2006-06-28, 04:33 PM
Well they have the swashbuckler, the dread pirate, the scarlet corsair, the duelist, and legendary captain. There are probably some I’m missing. Anyway there are plenty of pirate like classes.
I’m only aware of two ninja classes, the one from complete adventurer and the other from Oriental adventures, (which is a prestige class anyway).

IonizedChicken
2006-06-28, 05:57 PM
First of all, the class is presented in a neat, professional fashion. I like that. Now, onto the class itself.

1) Savvy Offense
Drop the INT bonus to attack rolls. It's too much.

2) Savvy Critical:
Way too powerful and makes small amounts of sense. How would slash with a sword cause Charisma or Intelligence damage? Secondely, giving the ability to deal CON damage at 14th level is too much, since it not only translates to standard ability damage, but also into bonus damage.

The amount of damage a character can deal with a single critical hit using this is ludicrous. I mean, at 14th level a Privateer will have at least an INT modifier of +6 (Possibly and probably more). That means he can deal 6 points of CON damage. 6 points of CON damage is a lot, and when the Privateer actually gets to 18th level, he can deal even more. A Swashy gets 2 points of CON damage at 18th level, while this class gets a variable, absolute minimum 4 points of CON damage. Either make it 1/2 INT or set a limit of 3, perhaps even both.

3) I'm not sure what you mean by Precise Strike being immediate -- that he can perform it with AoOs? That seems kind'a weird. You must mean Swift, right?
===
Another brief look at the class gives me the impression it gets more abilities than it dumps (Compared to a swashy). Also, since this is a mainly fighting class, it shouldn't have a medium BAB but a full BAB. I'm not going into it too deep though.

Ugly_Panda
2006-06-28, 07:23 PM
Well they have the swashbuckler, the dread pirate, the scarlet corsair, the duelist, and legendary captain. There are probably some I’m missing. Anyway there are plenty of pirate like classes.
I’m only aware of two ninja classes, the one from complete adventurer and the other from Oriental adventures, (which is a prestige class anyway).

I meant a base class that has to be in the ocean. Swashbucklers aren't always pirates.

Catch
2006-06-28, 07:55 PM
For Savvy Critical, I'd limit it to physical ability damage, and perhaps in lieu of dealing normal damage.

I'd like the idea of making it work like the Soulknife's Knife to the Soul, using Precise Strike.

Like: Savvy Precision: At 14th level, a privateer may choose to sacrifice his bonus damage from a sucessful precise strike in order to deal an amount of ability damage equal to his Intelligence modifier to an enemy's strength, constitution, or dexterity. This ability only functions if the privateer is wielding a light or one-handed weapon and is wearing light or no armor.

Fax Celestis
2006-06-29, 03:10 AM
For Savvy Critical, I'd limit it to physical ability damage, and perhaps in lieu of dealing normal damage.

I'd like the idea of making it work like the Soulknife's Knife to the Soul, using Precise Strike.

Like: Savvy Precision: At 14th level, a privateer may choose to sacrifice his bonus damage from a sucessful precise strike in order to deal an amount of ability damage equal to his Intelligence modifier to an enemy's strength, constitution, or dexterity. This ability only functions if the privateer is wielding a light or one-handed weapon and is wearing light or no armor.

Good idea. I'll contemplate and update tomorrow. For now: sleep.

Fax Celestis
2006-06-30, 10:08 PM
Updated. Whatcha think now?