Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me! *DM Help.*

[Metahuman1]

So, gonna run a pirate encounter with my IRL group before long.

Since the group features new players, one a Swift hunter ranger/scout another a Bard with fairly optimized inspire courage and the last one a Half - Minotaur Paladin of freedom (He asked if playing a full minotaur would work originally and I as DM said no but offered the template to him as an alternative.) .

We also have a homebrew Samurai fix and a dwarf cleric of Moradin in the party. Those two players are experienced.


So, since this isn't actually my favorite Genera, I could use some input on ways to make this fun/stylish/challenging for the party. The only things I'm locked in on are that the pirate captain have pistols that the ranger can loot and that the encounter feature a Mage and preferably 1 guy who does bull rushes really well and another who does Tripping and Lock down stuff well so that I can show the new players how that works and let them learn to handle it, and use it themselves with luck.

Party will be in the level 4-5 range when we get to this.

[Averis Vol]

i see an incredible lack of swim here, that might be a problem. other then that most of the fun in the open sea's is the PC's creativity, like tying the dwarf to a rope and using him as a wrecking ball :smallbiggrin:. if i were you i'd try to force the PC's to board the other ship, then when one of them does have mr. bullrush send them tumbling into the water. all the while have the wizard throwing up protections, like windwall, protection from arrows....anything not to get wiped off the face of the earth by the swift hunter immediately (unless hes melee, then theres no real reason to worry about normal long ranged defense). but all in all it really is up to the PC's how much fun they have, besides conventional canon (or ballistae) warfare then boarding and capture theres not much to it.

[Caedes]

I highly recommend the Stormwrack book.

It has tons of watery on the seas goodies in it. Lot's of stuff to add flavor to your story.

Makes me want to dust off my old swashbuckler/Dread Captain!

[shimmercat]

I second the Stormwrack suggestion! (It also makes a great little table for my netbook, as I just realized I am using Stormwrack for that purpose. XD) Stormwrack has shipboard maps if nothing else. Fighting on a ship is a different sort of experience than fighting in a room or on an open plain.

That said, acquiring another book isn't always possible, so why are the PCing running into the pirates? Why do the PCs attack? Are these murderous scum pirates or the more romantic version in modern literature? Maybe the pirates are slavers, maybe the PCs are rescuing a kidnapped Duke's son...

Maybe a Caller from the Depths appears mid battle. :smallbiggrin:

[Metahuman1]

Just a quick answer for a couple of the questions.


PC's are doing Pirates because one or two of them mentioned wanting to do some nautical/navel battle stuff and the rest were amenable to the idea. Thus I'm trying to give them what they want since the game is more episodic in nature.


And I defiantly want bad guys for the Pirates, makes it easier for the paladin not to feel bad when he kills them. Being part of the slave trade is a good idea and I think I'll run with it, it also gives me an out if the PC's loose to not kill them, or all of them.

[shimmercat]

Yay, I'm helping! :D

Ok, so if it's just for a couple of episodes, acquiring a new book isn't such a helpful suggestion. You may still want a ship map (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MW_Stormwrack/01_Stormwrack_300_ppi_dfg19.jpg) anyway, to have a more interesting battleground. Keep in mind that if you're fighting on the pirate ship, the pirates would have the advantage of home turf. Put an archer/sharpshooter in the crow's nest, with cover. The PCs would have to use ranged attacks/spells through that cover or climb the rigging to get him. Have the pirates use the upper ground of the quarterdeck and foc's'le. BULLRUSH PEOPLE INTO THE WATER! :D

Oh man, I love battling on a ship.

[Metahuman1]

Ok, the ship map is helpful, and as it happens I have a copy of Stomewrack. So, what I think I'm gonna do is adjust the location of the stares to the quarter deck a bit and have a trip build character guarding that. Mean while on the Quarter deck and in the crows nest I'll have guys with fire arms, a flint lock in the crows nest and the captain with pistol's on the quarter deck. I'll also have the pirates outfitted with bows and a sorcerer for the rest of the crew to force combat onto there ship.

Pirates will probably favor Shields and Cutlasses once the party boards, and the bulls rush guy will be among them using a Trident and a tower shield.

[Igneel]

Dragon Magazine #318 has several things for Pirate games that might be of interest. Mostly mundane/magical gear and a few guidelines for the base classes. Couple of things it gives that Stormwrack doesn't is stats for a Hook, and several 'pirate' grafts like prostetic eyes, hooks, and peg legs with special abilities.

Light Melee (Simple Weapon)
Hook; 8gp; Dmg (M) 1d4; Crit x4; Range Increment -; Weight 1lb; Type Piercing
======

Now as for what your wanting...
Obviously a Mage pirate isn't going to be lopping Fireballs as much as one in a dungeon if they plan on looting and capturing prisoners. If a Mage is smart, he would use something like Scorching Ray to start the Sails or ropes on fire so as to take away the main way to move. From there they will be stranded. Pending on the threat of cannons he and any artillery could give support by taking out the cannons.

I always have been interested in a 'wrecking ball'-styled spiked chain where it has a iron ball on the end. Maybe as a tripper and a 'leg breaker' XP

Realistically I don't recall Pirates using shields that much historically as shields don't do much for pistols and swimming when they fall. Bucklers might be more the way to go. Also remember that pistols and rifles take time to load and fire, almost more so then crossbows pending on era. Pistols were largely used as single shots during combat unless they have enough distance to reload. Given the chance they would use the butts of the pistols as improvised clubs, or carry multiple pistols. Bayonets might help with this as well.

Hope this helps some.

[Mikeavelli]

- Pirates have lost any chance of being taken seriously anymore, so just play up the hamminess as much as you can. Make them colorful and entertaining.

- Have the Pirates bring a bard of their own, let the party know that the theme music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVoFymy3IMU) is being played by this guy.

- The Pirates have a secret base on Skull Island where they're keeping slaves. That'll get the Paladin of Freedom up in Arrrrrrms, and give him the chance to go all righteous indignation role-playing goodness.

[zanetheinsane]

Have the objective be to retrieve some form of cargo from the ship, whether it be slaves, a stolen shipment, etc. That gives your players a goal and that way they won't just blow the ship out of the water with cannons or spells. If they don't save the booty they don't get paid.

I have a set of 9 Cloudreaver minis because you always need some pirates handy

One of my favorite ideas is that the players need to retrieve a very valuable shipment of "exotic" animals. Make it something like a pair of wild nasties (lions, tigers, owlbears, oh my). The odds of those animals getting loose during the brouhaha is high and they could end up attacking pirates and then the players would need to come up with a plan to corral them.

Sounds pretty madcap and zany, just the type of adventure they need. The players then make the choice of selling the animals for money, returning them for the reward, or keeping them and raising them as pets.

[zanetheinsane]

- Have the Pirates bring a bard of their own, let the party know that the theme music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVoFymy3IMU) is being played by this guy.

Or even better! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5vjvAk4AKs)

[Malachei]

The new Pathfinder adventure path, Skull & Shackles, is pirate-themed. It can easily be converted to D&D 3.5. There's also support material, such as ship maps, etc.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by shimmercat
You may still want a ship map anyway, to have a more interesting battleground.

Speaking of ship maps, has anyone looked closely at that caravel? The tip of the ballista's arrow is about two feet from the back of the foremast, and the catapault is aimed directly at the mainmast. Even if they swivel, those masts are dense with shrouds and standing rigging, so all you'd be doing is shooting away what holds up your sails. Not to mention the sails themselves.

Also, the ship's wheel is three feet behind the mizzenmast, conveniently located so the helmsman can't see a thing. Typical lubberly work from Wizards.

[Metahuman1]

Now as for what your wanting...
Obviously a Mage pirate isn't going to be lopping Fireballs as much as one in a dungeon if they plan on looting and capturing prisoners. If a Mage is smart, he would use something like Scorching Ray to start the Sails or ropes on fire so as to take away the main way to move. From there they will be stranded. Pending on the threat of cannons he and any artillery could give support by taking out the cannons.

Realistically I don't recall Pirates using shields that much historically as shields don't do much for pistols and swimming when they fall. Bucklers might be more the way to go. Also remember that pistols and rifles take time to load and fire, almost more so then crossbows pending on era. Pistols were largely used as single shots during combat unless they have enough distance to reload. Given the chance they would use the butts of the pistols as improvised clubs, or carry multiple pistols. Bayonets might help with this as well.

Well, the shields was a nod to one of the original Conan: The Barbarian Short Stories, the queen of the black coast. Conan ends up fighting a bunch of guys described as pirates who use short spears and shields.

As for Gunpowder stuff, since I don't want it to be too common in this setting, I'm gonna have one sniper and one spotter up in the crows nest with a long musket and the captain equipped with a metric butt ton of loaded pistols and a swift hunter build + Travel devotion to teach the party swift hunter how to use his own build and give me an excuse to give him some potent loot since he seems to be lagging behind the power curve of the party.

As for the mage, he's mostly gonna put up a buff or two and spam ranged touch attacks at one particular member of the party who's built to be very good against Conventional attacks but sucks vs. Magic. He'll probably use a scroll of control weather to attack the ship the party's on initially, and then use flight to keep out of there reach. Maybe a scroll of Teleport to bail out if it becomes clear his sides lost.



The paladin's already up in arms at the fact that the pirates are going around killing and stealing from people who are just trying to make a living and go about there lives. That said, slaves on the ship manning the ores sounds like a good way to force the party to fight the Pirates on the ship rather then just sinking the ship.

I'm leery of the pets thing since the Paladin already has a pet Tiger and the Samurai has a pet Gorilla, but it's a though. Particularly since a somewhat unfriendly animal would give the Ranger a chance to use his wild empathy and probably feel more useful.

That said, applying the awaken construct template to a One-man-band Instrument set up and giving it bard levels and an inclination not to like the Pirates sounds like a fun possibility. What do you guys think?

[zanetheinsane]

I'm leery of the pets thing since the Paladin already has a pet Tiger and the Samurai has a pet Gorilla, but it's a though. Particularly since a somewhat unfriendly animal would give the Ranger a chance to use his wild empathy and probably feel more useful.

Make it a magical beast, that makes it untrainable by Handle Animal except for epic usage (or magic / magic items). Watch out for exceptions like Griffons and Hippogriffs unless you're looking to give you paladin a new mount.

A Basilisk may provide a good challenge or a slightly advanced Owlbear. Both are of animal intelligence although you might get a different reaction from your players if the pirates were caging up and selling an animal of intelligence.

[F0X7713]

Or even better! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5vjvAk4AKs)

I have to say, very very good call ^_^

[Metahuman1]

I think I'll open with the final fantasy music for the mooks and then when the fighting get's more serious as they start encountering things with builds designed to do something other then die and quickly, I'll shift gears to something a bit more epic.



And Throwing a random animal/Magical Beast at the party if the encounter starts looking like it was gonna too easy sounds like a good on the fly adjustment to have for this now that I think about it. Thanks for the suggestion. =)

[Red_Dog]

Hmmm I see no one suggested Scarlet Corsairs yet? ^^

Here is a build that I like that can be helpful =>

Hexblade[ACF dark companion] 4/Fighter[Variants=> Sneak Attack & Hit'n'Run] 1/Scarlet Corsair 1+

the build can makes a cool veteran Pirate. Debuffs people around him/her, curses the one she/he intimidates, fients as move action. For lvl1 spell take Karmic Aura so every time someone hits him/her, they need to pass saves.

Not overly powerful, but I love this character concept ^^ For added horror, pick up Imperious Command at lvl6 to cower the Paladin of Freedom ^^(always funny to make paladin cowering ^^). You could do TWF, or just one Big weapon, as you have 3 free feats to spend by lvl6 with having FullBAB. You could be human, and have an extra one as usual ^^ You could also just give them Elusive Target chain to run around, trip[sadly no improved trip = \, lack of feats] people and laughing at Palain's massive PA(I assume he has PA?) ^^

P.S. EDIT sorry to edit more than once, but totally forgot about psychic swashbucklers! ^^ Psychic Rouge or Lurk[to be a bit less powerful] mixed with Swashbuckler 3 nets you an awesome Int synergy! ^^ Also, trade Grace for Arcane Stun[Complete Mage] for IntMod/day spell-like abilities ^^