How do I go about being an effective sky pirate?

[RPGaddict28]

My party is going to get an airship soon, and I want to get into the sky pirating career, going after the evil and neutral parties, and some good guys, when the cleric isn't around. My PC is going to be the captain, as decided by the fact I'm most qualified to pilot, and I want need some recommendations on the best things to get for an airship, and sky piratery.

[TroubleBrewing]

Featherfall.

[(Un)Inspired]

Life insurance.

[Alent]

Moonstone cannon.

[RPGaddict28]

Featherfall.

We all have rings of featherfalling, already.

[Deaxsa]

My PC is going to be the captain, as decided by the fact I'm most qualified to pilot,

Note how Wash is not the Captain. In fact... the navigator/pilot is RARELY The Captain. The Captain needs a very different skill set than the pilot.. The Captain is like an armchair general (whether though intellectual genius, amazing charisma, the ability to avoid all traps, or some combination). He needs to be good at getting what he wants. He needs to play the other antagonists, not the map.

/2cp

[RPGaddict28]

Note how Wash is not the Captain. In fact... the navigator/pilot is RARELY The Captain. The Captain needs a very different skill set than the pilot.. The Captain is like an armchair general (whether though intellectual genius, amazing charisma, the ability to avoid all traps, or some combination). He needs to be good at getting what he wants. He needs to play the other antagonists, not the map.

/2cp

My character can fit that, iunno, I just picture captains as the people behind the wheel barking orders.

[Andezzar]

My character can fit that, iunno, I just picture captains as the people behind the wheel barking orders.On the bridge barking orders, rarely at the helm. The guy at the helm usually is busy steering.

Look at Kirk, Picard and the other Star Trek Captains, very rarely do they personally steer their vessels. Most of the time they simply tell the crew what they want their ship to do.

I'm not very familiar with D&D airships, so it could be that those contraptions could require so little crew that anyone besides the helmsman would not really be crew (who need to be commanded) but passengers.

[(Un)Inspired]

On the bridge barking orders, rarely at the helm. The guy at the helm usually is busy steering.

Look at Kirk, Picard and the other Star Trek Captains, very rarely do they personally steer their vessels. Most of the time they simply tell the crew what they want their ship to do.

I'm not very familiar with D&D airships, so it could be that those contraptions could require so little crew that anyone besides the helmsman would not really be crew (who need to be commanded) but passengers.

The guy at the helm is the pilot or helmsman not the captain. Are you sure you're the most qualified to be captain...

[Alent]

I'm not very familiar with D&D airships, so it could be that those contraptions could require so little crew that anyone besides the helmsman would not really be crew (who need to be commanded) but passengers.

It was my understanding that D&D Airships don't have a Helmsmen, they have a bound air elemental carrying them from the inside.

(Edit: and I think Eberron Airships actually use a bound fire elemental reshaped into a ring propelling the airship like a jet? My group hasn't done much with Eberron past poaching some occasional PrCs and feats. :smallannoyed:)

[RPGaddict28]

It was my understanding that D&D Airships don't have a Helmsmen, they have a bound air elemental carrying them from the inside.

(Edit: and I think Eberron Airships actually use a bound fire elemental reshaped into a ring propelling the airship like a jet? My group hasn't done much with Eberron past poaching some occasional PrCs and feats. :smallannoyed:)

The way our airship is gonna work is that it uses the energy from a gem with a fire elemental in it as fuel.

[Kelb_Panthera]

You do it the same way you be a successful pirate on the water. The change in travel medium only makes going overboard a lot more dangerous.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Featherfall.
And lifelines. You may survive the thousand-foot drop, but good luck getting back up to the airship.

As for weapons... fire. Fire is dangerous for any wooden ship, but doubly so if you're in the (dry upper atmosphere) air instead of on the water. Set 'em on fire and let 'em crash-- gold and magic items won't break.

[Zweisteine]

Outfit the ship with Ballistas. PReferably with grappling hooks or explosives attached. And magic ballistas that shoot fire or lightning. Those are a thing (from Heroes of Battle).

Also, find a way to never fail your check to balance on the ship. Falling off would be bad (unless you have permanent flight, or even feather fall, though that has the downside of being unable to get back up).

Levitate might work pretty well for getting back up. Permanent flight is best, though (50k gp gets you flight at land speed with perfect maneuverability (Phoenix Cloak, MIC)).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Chains like these, with massive grappling hooks at both ends, securely attached to the ship at the middle. Hire NPC spellcasters to put Animate Objects (www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/animateObjects.htm) + Permanency (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/permanency.htm) on them, making them Huge or Gargantuan (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm#bigandLittleCreatu resInCombat) Animated Objects (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/animatedObject.htm). They can sweep attackers off the ship, swat flyers out of the sky, latch onto enemy ships and pull them in or rip them asunder, and grab and constrict powerful foes.
http://keithwoodphotography.com/galleryImages/07152125206_l.jpg

[Eldest]

Dangle a ton of 100 foot (or however many feet you fall in a round or two) off the side. You fall off, featherfall, grab on. You can also add hooks onto it if you want to have a way to tether your craft to another, or at least cause some havoc.

[Yael]

Just do what you want 'cause a pirate is free.

However, if you are flying a lot (which you should), the talismans of Feather Fall on a neackle or bracelet are always a good idea.

[Vanitas]

Just do what you want 'cause a pirate is free.



You... are... a piraaaaate!