PDA

View Full Version : Two Pirate Classes



unknownmercury
2013-12-10, 11:21 PM
So a friend of mine wanted me to run him through a pirate-themed adventure, but there didn't seem to be any good pirate classes out there. With that in mind, I decided to homebrew two for him to choose from. I present for your entertainment and use, the Scallywag and the Scoundrel.


Role: Scallywags are good fighters, meant to be at the front of a party, using their weapon styles and tricks to defeat their foes quickly.

Alignment: any

HD: d10

Class skills: The Scallywag's class skills are Acrobatics (dex), Appraise (int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (Seafaring) (int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex) and Swim (Str)

Skill points each level: 4 + int mod

Class features: All of the following are class features of the Scallywag.

Weapon and Armor proficiency: A Scallywag is proficient with all simple weapons, as well as the long sword, short sword, rapier, scimitar, short bow, whip, and musket pistol. They are also proficient with light armor and non-armor clothing.

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Rope Cut, Rope Run, Slow Fall 20 ft

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+0|Charming Personality, Slow Fall 30 ft.

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|Weapon Finesse,, Evasion, Slow Fall 40 ft.

4th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+1|Confoundment, Parkour, Uncanny Dodge, Slow Fall 50 ft.

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+1|Graceful Sword, Combat Style, Slow Fall 60 ft.

6th|
+4|
+3|
+5|
+2|Combat Reflexes, Slow Fall 70 ft.

7th|
+5|
+3|
+5|
+2|Rope Fall, Slow Fall 80 ft.

8th|
+6/1|
+4|
+6|
+2|Improved Uncanny Dodge, Rope Swing, Slow Fall, 90 ft.

9th|
+6/1|
+4|
+6|
+3|Slow Fall Any Distance

10th|
+7/2|
+5|
+7|
+3|Stop Fall, Combat Style

11th|
+8/3|
+5|
+7|
+3| Knife Climb

12th|
+9/4|
+6|
+8|
+4|Sword Throw

13th|
+9/4|
+6|
+8|
+4|Improvised Fighting

14th|
+10/5|
+7|
+9|
+4|

15th|
+11/6/1|
+7|
+9|
+5|Combat Style

16th|
+12/7/2|
+8|
+10
|
+5|Pole Shimmy

17th|
+12/7/2|
+8|
+10|
+5|

18th|
+13/8/3|
+9|
+11|
+6|

19th|
+14/9/4|
+9|
+11|
+6|

20th|
+15/10/5|
+10|
+12|
+6|[/table]

Combat Style: At fifth level and every five levels thereafter, the Scallywag obtains access to a new combat style, mastering them all at level 20. Main-hand attacks have no penalty, while off-hand attacks receive a -4. These bonuses stack with the two-weapon fighting feats. At level 20, these bonuses increase to +4/+0
Two-blade fighting: Fight with a sword in your right hand and shorter weapon in your left.
Heaven and Hell: Use a sword and gun in accordance with each other.
Inferno: Fight with two muskets, terrorizing your enemies with deadly fire.

Rope Cut: As a move action, you can grab a nearby rope and cut it to ascend to the top of the rigging.

Rope Run: The DC for acrobatics checks is reduced by five when walking across narrow surfaces, and you can move at full speed across these surfaces.

Slow Fall: You can use a sword to slow your fall when close to a wall or other structure like that.

Charming Personality: At 2nd level, you are able to add your Charisma modifieo your initiative and damage.

Weapon Finesse: At 3rd level, you can opt to use your Dexterity instead of your Strength when making attack rolls with light weapons, rapiers, whips, and spiked chains.

Evasion: At 3rd level and higher, a Scallywag can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If s/he makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if a Scallywag is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Scallywag does not benefit from Evasion.

Confoundment: At 4th level, a Scallywag can use a bluff check to avoid attacks of opportunity while moving through threatened areas.

Parkour: At 4th level, the Scallywag attains the ability to use his Acrobatics check to run along walls, up them, and flip off of them to land behind his opponents.

Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 4th level, a Scallywag can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A character with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action (see Combat) against her.
If a Scallywag already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Graceful Sword: At 5th level, the Scallywag’s Weapon Finesse extends to include scimitars and long swords.

Combat Reflexes: At 6th level, a Scallywag can make a number of extra attacks of opportunity equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Rope Fall: At 7th level, the Scallywag can grip a rope and use it to slow his descent to the ground. He can ignore 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet of rope, even to the point of negating all damage.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: A Scallywag of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies rogues the ability to sneak attack a character by flanking her, unless the attacker is four levels higher than the character. If a character already has Uncanny Dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains Improved Uncanny Dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum levels required to flank the character.

Rope Swing: At 8th level, the Scallywag can grab the end of a rope and swing down from a great height. If any enemies are in the path of the swing, she can make an attack roll against each one until the end of her swing.

Stop Fall: At 10th level, a Scallywag can jam their sword into a structure (wall, tree, sail, etc.) to completely stop their fall.

Knife Climb: At 11th level, a Scallywag can use knives to climb even completely smooth surfaces.

Sword Throw: At 12th level, a Scallywag is capable of throwing a sword (short, rapier, long, or scimitar) as if it were a dagger.

Improvised Fighting: At 13th level, Scallywags gain the ability to use items around them to deal damage or gain temporary armor class (DM’s discretion.)


Pole Shimmy: At 16th level, a Scallywag can climb up poles and other such objects without using knives, moving at half his normal speed. He can move at his full speed with a Climb check equal to the pole’s normal difficulty.



Role: Scoundrels are opportunistic fighters, always looking for ways to put opponents off guard sot hey can make deadly strikes.

Alignment: Any Chaotic

HD: D8

Class Skills: The Scoundrel’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Seafaring) (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skill Points each level: 6 + int modifier

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Rope Cut, Rope Run, Sneak Attack +1d6

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+0|Slow Fall 20 ft., Two-Weapon Fighting

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|Evasion, Slow Fall 30 ft. Sneak Attack +2d6, Weapon Finesse

4th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+1|Parkour, Slow Fall 40 ft, Uncanny Dodge

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+1|Graceful Sword, Slow Fall 50 ft., Sneak Attack +3d6


6th|
+4|
+3|
+5|
+2|Advanced Parry: Combat Reflexes, Slow Fall 60 ft.

7th|
+5|
+3|
+5|
+2|Rope Fall, Slow Fall 70 ft., Sneak Attack +4d6

8th|
+6/1|
+4|
+6|
+2|Improved Uncanny Dodge, Rope Swing, Slow Fall 80 ft. Two Weapon Perfection

9th|
+6/1|
+4|
+6|
+3|Slow Fall 90 ft., Sneak Attack +5d6

10th|
+7/2|
+5|
+7|
+3|Slow Fall Any Distance

11th|
+8/3|
+5|
+7|
+3|Sneak Attack +6d6, Stop Fall

12th|
+9/4|
+6|
+8|
+4|Knife Climb

13th|
+9/4|
+6|
+8|
+4|Sneak Attack +7d6

14th|
+10/5|
+7|
+9|
+4|

15th|
+11/6/1|
+7|
+9|
+5|Sneak Attack +8d6

16th|
+12/7/2|
+8|
+x10|
+5|Pole Shimmy

17th|
+12/7/2|
+8|
+10|
+5|Sneak Attack +9d6

18th|
+13/8/3|
+9|
+11|
+6

19th|
+14/9/4|
+9|
+11|
+6|Sneak Attack +10d6

20th|
+15/10/5|
+10|
+12|
+6|Master Strike[/table]

Class Features: All of the following are class features of the Scoundrel.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A scoundrel is proficient with all Simple Weapons as well as the longsword, rapier, scimitar, short bow, shortsword, and whip. They are also proficient with light armor and non-armor clothing.


Rope Cut: As a move action, you can grab a nearby rope and cut it to ascend to the top of the rigging.

Rope Run: The DC for acrobatics checks is reduced by five when walking across narrow surfaces, and you can move at full speed across these surfaces.

Sneak Attack: If a Scoundrel can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The Scoundrel's attack deals extra damage anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Scoundrel flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two Scoundrel levels thereafter. Should the Scoundrel score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a Scoundrel can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.
The Scoundrel must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A Scoundrel cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.


Slow Fall: You can use a sword or dagger to slow your fall when near a wall or other such structure.

Two Weapon Fighting: At second level, the Scoundrel is capable of using a weapon in each hand without incurring the normal penalties. He treats all off-hand weapons as light so long as he is proficient with them. He attains this ability even if he does not meet the prerequisite. If he already has two-weapon fighting, he instead gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting.

Evasion: At 3rd level and higher, a Scoundrel can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If s/he makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if a Scoundrel is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Scoundrel does not benefit from Evasion.

Weapon Finesse: At 3rd level, you can opt to use your Dexterity instead of your Strength when making attack rolls with light weapons, rapiers, whips, and spiked chains.

Parkour: At 4th level, the Scoundrel attains the ability to use his Acrobatics check to run along walls, up them, and flip off of them to land behind his opponents.

Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 4th level, a Scoundrel can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A character with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action (see Combat) against her.
If a Scoundrel already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Graceful Sword: At 5th level, a Scoundrel’s Weapon Finesse extends to include scimitars and longswords.

Advanced Parry: When wielding a weapon in your off-hand, you gain a deflection bonus equal to that weapons damage die to armor class.

Combat Reflexes: At 6th level, a Scoundrel can make an additional number of attacks of opportunity equal to his dexterity modifier.

Rope Fall: At 7th level, the Scoundrel can grip a rope and use it to slow his descent to the ground. He can ignore 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet of rope, even to the point of negating all damage.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: A Scoundrel of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies Scoundrels the ability to sneak attack a character by flanking her, unless the attacker is four levels higher than the character. If a character already has Uncanny Dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains Improved Uncanny Dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum levels required to flank the character.

Rope Swing: At 8th level, the Scoundrel can grab the end of a rope and swing down from a great height. If any enemies are in the path of the swing, she can make an attack roll against each one until the end of her swing.

Two Weapon Perfection: At 8th level, the Scoundrel is able to fight with two weapons without taking any penalties to attack, so long as he is proficient with both weapons. If he is not proficient, the normal penalty for using a weapon you don't know how to use applies.

Stop Fall: At 11th level, a Scoundrel can jam their sword or knife into a structure (wall, tree, sail, etc.) to completely stop their fall.

Knife Climb: At 12th level, the Scoundrel can use knives to climb even completely smooth surfaces.

Pole Shimmy: At 16th level, a Scoundrel can climb up poles and other such objects without using knives, moving at half his normal speed. He can move at his full speed with a Climb check equal to the pole’s normal difficulty.

Master Strike: Upon reaching 20th level, a Scoundrel becomes incredibly deadly when dealing sneak attack damage. Each time the Scoundrel deals sneak attack damage, she can choose one of the following three effects:
The target can be...

put to sleep for 1d4 hours
paralyzed for 2d6 rounds, or
slain

Regardless of the effect chosen, the target receives a Fortitude save to negate the additional effect. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the Scoundrel's level + the Scoundrel's Intelligence modifier. Once a creature has been the target of a master strike, regardless of whether or not the save is made, that creature is immune to that Scoundrel's master strike for 24 hours. Creatures that are immune to sneak attack damage are also immune to this ability.

unknownmercury
2013-12-11, 03:30 PM
Both classes are now up.

Bhu
2013-12-11, 04:46 PM
Are you still editing the Scally wag?

unknownmercury
2013-12-11, 05:39 PM
No. I wanted him to have a lot of abilities early on, and to balance that I gave him less at later levels.

Thrice Dead Cat
2013-12-11, 06:07 PM
No. I wanted him to have a lot of abilities early on, and to balance that I gave him less at later levels.

Then why bother continuing in that class? At that point, a reasonable person would either multiclass or prestige class to actually gain something.

unknownmercury
2013-12-11, 08:48 PM
Then perhaps I should spread out the slow fall progression and give stop fall at 20th level?

GunbladeKnight
2013-12-12, 01:57 AM
Then perhaps I should spread out the slow fall progression and give stop fall at 20th level?
No, because you end up with barbarian/monk fallacy. Sure, they might have something every level, but most are essentially dead levels because it's a minor increase to things they already have. I would spread out some of their early level abilities, or increase the power on some and have them at later levels. One thing you should always try to do in every class, whether base or prestige, is to have a capstone. Reward them for staying with the class.

Now on to actually Critiquing.


So a friend of mine wanted me to run him through a pirate-themed adventure, but there didn't seem to be any good pirate classes out there. With that in mind, I decided to homebrew two for him to choose from. I present for your entertainment and use, the Scallywag and the Scoundrel.
What of the Swashbuckler from Complete Adventurer?


Scallywag
Role: Scallywags are good fighters, meant to be at the front of a party, using their weapon styles and tricks to defeat their foes quickly.
Alright, I will try to keep this in mind while reading it.


HD: d10
Good, though I'm more of a fan of d12 for frontliners (even paladin and fighter).


Class skills: The Scallywag's class skills are Acrobatics (dex), Appraise (int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (Seafaring) (int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex) and Swim (Str)
Skill points each level: 4 + int mod
Are you playing Pathfinder, or did you just combine some skills? No Profession (Sailor)? No Use Rope?


Class Table
3/4 BAB for a frontline fighter? No good Fort?


Weapon and Armor proficiency: A Scallywag is proficient with all simple weapons, as well as the long sword, short sword, rapier, scimitar, short bow, whip, and musket pistol. They are also proficient with light armor and non-armor clothing.
Non-armor clothing? Musket pistol? No axes?


Combat Style: At fifth level and every five levels thereafter, the Scallywag obtains access to a new combat style, mastering them all at level 20. Main-hand attacks have no penalty, while off-hand attacks receive a -4. These bonuses stack with the two-weapon fighting feats. At level 20, these bonuses increase to +4/+0
Wait, so with TWF and light off-hand it becomes... +4/+4?

Two-blade fighting: Fight with a sword in your right hand and shorter weapon in your left.
Heaven and Hell: Use a sword and gun in accordance with each other.
Inferno: Fight with two muskets, terrorizing your enemies with deadly fire.
So you're shoehorning them into TWF? I would rather take Barbarian than be forced to TWF because of a class.


Rope Cut: As a move action, you can grab a nearby rope and cut it to ascend to the top of the rigging.
Does this really need to be an ability? What if the rope is just lying on the ground, do you just fly in the air then?


Rope Run: The DC for acrobatics checks is reduced by five when walking across narrow surfaces, and you can move at full speed across these surfaces.
This seems too powerful for a first-level ability. Maybe around level 4-6?


Slow Fall: You can use a sword to slow your fall when close to a wall or other structure like that.
So monk slowfall, only worse because you need a sword? People already dislike the monk slowfall.


Charming Personality: At 2nd level, you are able to add your Charisma modifier your initiative and damage.
Alright, so they're supposed to be charismatic. Alright for a 2-3 level ability. Also, bolded the typo in the description.


Weapon Finesse: At 3rd level, you can opt to use your Dexterity instead of your Strength when making attack rolls with light weapons, rapiers, whips, and spiked chains.
Free feat tax they would have probably taken at level 1 if not for TWF.


Evasion: At 3rd level and higher, a Scallywag can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If s/he makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if a Scallywag is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Scallywag does not benefit from Evasion.
Standard ability.


Confoundment: At 4th level, a Scallywag can use a bluff check to avoid attacks of opportunity while moving through threatened areas.
So a bluff vs sense motive when moving? Why not just tumble and avoid any possibility of getting hit?


Parkour: At 4th level, the Scallywag attains the ability to use his Acrobatics check to run along walls, up them, and flip off of them to land behind his opponents.
Again, should this be an ability? It seems like it would be a normal, albeit difficult, use of the skill.


Uncanny Dodge:
Alright.


Graceful Sword: At 5th level, the Scallywag’s Weapon Finesse extends to include scimitars and long swords.
Unless they find a good longsword or scimitar, this is essentially a useless ability.


Combat Reflexes: At 6th level, a Scallywag can make a number of extra attacks of opportunity equal to your Dexterity modifier.
They probably would have taken this at 3rd after the free feat. Why not just do bonus feats and give a limited list of options?


Rope Fall: At 7th level, the Scallywag can grip a rope and use it to slow his descent to the ground. He can ignore 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet of rope, even to the point of negating all damage.
Now this should replace the slow fall at 2nd level. Still limited, but actually useful.


Improved Uncanny Dodge:
Alright.


Rope Swing: At 8th level, the Scallywag can grab the end of a rope and swing down from a great height. If any enemies are in the path of the swing, she can make an attack roll against each one until the end of her swing.
I actually like this. Not sure on its power level, though.


Stop Fall: At 10th level, a Scallywag can jam their sword into a structure (wall, tree, sail, etc.) to completely stop their fall.
Its called reflex/climb.


Knife Climb: At 11th level, a Scallywag can use knives to climb even completely smooth surfaces.
Modified climb check.


Sword Throw: At 12th level, a Scallywag is capable of throwing a sword (short, rapier, long, or scimitar) as if it were a dagger.
Why would they throw their sword and risk it sinking into the water? I would make it a line attack, reflex DC equal to 10 + 1/2 level + DEX mod to negate damage. And have the sword land/stick at the end of the line (30ft or 60ft)


Improvised Fighting: At 13th level, Scallywags gain the ability to use items around them to deal damage or gain temporary armor class (DM’s discretion.)
At no penalty? Otherwise, another pointless ability.



Pole Shimmy: At 16th level, a Scallywag can climb up poles and other such objects without using knives, moving at half his normal speed. He can move at his full speed with a Climb check equal to the pole’s normal difficulty.
Climb with no check?

I'll maybe get to the other one later.

Hanuman
2013-12-12, 08:58 PM
Check Stormwrack for aquatic adventures.

I'm aware this isn't PEACH, but I'm going to offer advice.

-Give the scallywag a bonus to profession [sailor] and acrobatics equal to their level.
-Grant a climb speed when on a ship.
-Bonus movement skilltrick every 2nd or 3rd level and write some custom skilltricks.

Now that that's out of the way 75% of your class features are now redundant, leaving more flavor options.
I suggest pathfinder's Dirty Trick as a good flavor option, the balls in your court!