Help finding class, evil campaign pirate-like, 3.5

[Adamosaur]

The DM said that the campaign will take place on a boat mostly (piratelike, not amphibious) and that our characters must be evil aligned. I want to make a character that is based on inflicting pain: not necessarily in spells to inflict pain, but also maybe in being able to torture or execute enemies. I can't think of anything to benefit this except for putting skill ranks in profession torturer, so not sure if there's a class that can be paired with this aside from evil cleric. I'm also much more interested in roleplaying (or character interactions) rather than fireballing other ships or destroying towns (ie. optimized for combat).

The catch is, I am limited in races. We have to be one of these races (including LA):
+0 Human, Goblin, Kobold, Half-Drow, Hadozee, Half-Orc
+1 Poison Dusk lizardfolk, Gnoll, Goatfolk, Hobgoblin, Bugbear, Tiefling
+2 Ogre, Yuan-Ti, Varag, Drow, Githyanki
I'm not that knowledgeable about templates and prestiges, so maybe those will have some answers without taking up too many character levels. I don't have that many pdfs/books so I'm not fully aware if there's something out there fitting this.

Any ideas on ways to base a character around "persuading" enemies to tell the truth by evil methods, or would it be better just to pick a common class and put some ranks into Professions? If so, which class would be good for this, just a rogue with mass skillpoints for cc ranks, or maybe a social bard-type or a stoic anti-pally type? Thanks!

[Righteous Doggy]

Goliath Warblade made an awesome pirate in a game of mine, I'd go with evil human wizard in the one your describing personally. You get skillranks from int and racial to make use for anything you'd like, pirate background means profession sailor is probably inclass, and its hard to find something you can't do. Burning hands wil make them talk, Bwahaha~

[JeminiZero]

As far as Templates go, I like Amphibious from Stormwrack.

Anyway, if you want evil ways to extract the truth, as the saying goes: Speak with Dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/speakWithDead.htm) does not lie. :smallbiggrin:

Even MORE evil is the spell Absorb Mind (Corrupt 3) from Book of Vile Deeds. You eat the targets brain, and have a chance of recalling some of the stuff he knew. As a corrupt spell, any prepared spellcaster (Cleric/Wiz/Druid, but not Sorc) can learn and prepare it.

You could also try and see if you can force your victim to tell the truth by placing a lesser geas (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/geasLesser.htm) on him.

The most EVIL of all is the infamous Mind Rape (Sorc/Wiz 9), which automatically lets you know everything the creature knew, and lets you turn his mind into play-doh.

[wayfare]

Well, there is a PrC is the Stormwrack supplement that is basically "evil pirate guy" and there is one that has variable effects dependant on wether you are good or evil.

As for intimidating, paladin of tyranny isn't a bad idea. But my route would be some kind of rogue, into assassin or blackguard. You can also get a ton of milage out of Psychic Warrior as a torturer type -- intimidate foes by growing claws, use any number of powers that inflict non-lethal damage batter your victim into telling the truth.

[Wyntonian]

First, Oh my Stormwind. PM me if you want to know what that means. It's a roleplaying fallacy that you kinda inadvertently stepped in, but I won't bog down the thread with it.

Also, it looks like you're trying to find a class that helps you play a certain personality. Try instead to look at the mechanics of your character (What kind of armor? Do they cast spells? Are they sneaky? Do they fight with a big sword or two knives? Do they help the people around them? How? Magic or music or motivation?) and find a class from there, rather than saying "So, I want a pirate torturer!" and running with it. Because every class except for paladin can be a pirate torturer. Yeah. Every single one. It's what your character does mechanically that the class is for, not how they act.

That said, I doubt most DM's will go "So, you put a knife through his hand while pouring boiling water on his feet? Roll Profession (torturer). Oh, a 2? And a bonus of +4? Yeah, he isn't hurt. Want to take 10?". You don't really need mechanics to support that bit of it.

There's a Prestige Class whose name I can't remember (Dread Captain? Dread Pirate?) that fits your idea pretty beautifully.

[wayfare]

First, Oh my Stormwind. PM me if you want to know what that means. It's a roleplaying fallacy that you kinda inadvertently stepped in, but I won't bog down the thread with it.

Also, it looks like you're trying to find a class that helps you play a certain personality. Try instead to look at the mechanics of your character (What kind of armor? Do they cast spells? Are they sneaky? Do they fight with a big sword or two knives? Do they help the people around them? How? Magic or music or motivation?) and find a class from there, rather than saying "So, I want a pirate torturer!" and running with it. Because every class except for paladin can be a pirate torturer. Yeah. Every single one. It's what your character does mechanically that the class is for, not how they act.

That said, I doubt most DM's will go "So, you put a knife through his hand while pouring boiling water on his feet? Roll Profession (torturer). Oh, a 2? And a bonus of +4? Yeah, he isn't hurt. Want to take 10?". You don't really need mechanics to support that bit of it.

There's a Prestige Class whose name I can't remember (Dread Captain? Dread Pirate?) that fits your idea pretty beautifully.

Thats exactly the one -- Dread Pirate is the pirate torturer class from stormwrack (which is a great book to pick up in any case).

[Adamosaur]

Thanks guys! The issue also is that I'm less interested in mechanics and more of a roleplay type of player (especially with evil pirates!). I've played plenty of clerics but never an arcane castor, so that might we worth a try, especially being focused on evil necro/enchantment spells (unlike a turning cleric).

I would play a very social type, like a bard, but there is already another party member who is playing a bard/jester mix or something based entirely on social premises. Human is the optimal decision, and the easiest since sensitivity to light kindof sucks in a sea-faring campaign, day and night.
I have also never played a rogue (a scout before though), so maybe combining a rogue/assassin would work well. Thanks again!

[killianh]

How about a dread Necro? board bigger ships, kill everyone, animate dead, have crew for new ship that you don't even need to feed!

[Jarveiyan]

Scarlet Corsair I do believe is the PrC from Stormwrack, Dread Pirate is from CAdv.