New character for a pirate campaign

[Malfurion]

Hello once again GiTP’ers. We’re going to be starting a new campaign soon and I’m wondering what option I should go with. It’s going to be a pirate campaign where the party is press ganged into service in the first couple sessions.

Trying to decide on what character to be. I’ve been thinking Bard but this isn’t set in stone. I would like to be a swashbuckler type but with magic. I was thinking swords bard but I don’t know how good they are in play versus a swashbuckler / lore bard multi-class as I like the charismatic type of character with some melee chops. As I love the gish as a idea.

I definitely want be more a support character as I was a optimized GWM vengeance Paladin the last game and I felt I outshined characters in the damage department. So this time I would like to take more of a backseat in pure damage, but still be a blast to play. I like the idea of just disrupting enemies and making combat easier for my fellow players. I definitely going for more of a mischievous vibe.

So we’ll be starting at level 1 and using point buy. All UA and books are accepted. Any class and race will be fine. Just searching for ideas. Thanks!

[Kane0]

Well, for a Cha based support swashbuckler type then a Blade or Valor bard is right up your alley, as is a Swashbuckler rogue. Can't go wrong really.
Dipping the ever-popular Hexblade really helps too for the armor/weapon proficiencies and Cha synergy. Invocations for backup blasting or face abilities too.

[lunaticfringe]

Swashbuckler with Magic Initiate and Ritual Caster. Blade Cantrips will probably up your damage. More of a hedge caster with a few combat tricks than a true gish

Any Bard + Crossbow Expert, not really a melee gish but it handles the Pirate with a Pistol image.

Arcane Trickster/Bladesinger. I really like this combo, it adds Moar Spells & Nerd Rage to the AT chassis.

[Hyde]

Warlock! Your patron is Davey Jones!

[Avigor]

Something else worth considering: Make sure the party includes a Storm Sorcerer (whether it's you or someone else).

Also, go Sailor background, and Aquatic (SCAG variant) Half-Elf race.

[Kane0]

Water Genasi and Triton are also great options.

[Malfurion]

Thanks for the ideas guys! For Valor and Swords bard. Do you know how they play in game? Most guides say there under perform compared to lore bard.

For the AT/Bladesinger what would the split be and when would it be best to take it.

For Hexblade would it best to take it off the bat and then go bard from there?

Thanks again for the help!!

[Kane0]

Hexblade off the bat is largely a question of what saves you want to have proficient, but it does mean you start with cha to hit and damage with those armor and weapon profs, plus a curse for swordplay and a short rest spell slot. For a gish it's a fantastic start, and you can split off into bard whenever you like (straight away leaves you only one level behind on bardy goodness, level 3 lands you invocations and a 2nd short rest slot, level 4 pact boon and 2nd level spells, level 5 and ASI, level 6 potentially extra attack and 3rd level slots. All good break points.)

[lunaticfringe]

Bladesinger 2 after Rogue 5 or 7 gets the most bang for your buck.

If you want to be more castery Rogue 11/Singer 9 nets you 6d6 sneak Attack, 2 5th level spells, 4 levels of slot recovered through Arcane Recovery, Magical Ambush, Reliable Talent & Extra Attack. I would take the majority of Wizard levels late making you more like the Half Casters but grab Blade song before double digits.

[Naanomi]

A triton
A water gensai
A storm herald Barbarian
A warlock with the Gift if the Depths invocation

All the ways to get water breathing and a swim speed perminantly...

[Kane0]

Also Mariner fighting style and magic items like Cap of Water Breathing/Necklace of Adaption/Diving Armor

[lunaticfringe]

UA Sea Elves
Planeshift: Zendikar Merfolk. A stretch because it's not listed as a source, but not much of one imho because UA is on the table. They have Tiefling stats though so eh.

[Caelic]

A druid is also a remarkably useful character in a sea-based campaign.

[Kane0]

Oh and protip: Find Steed can get you aquatic mounts. I had a shark.

[JoyfulJester]

You could also try battle master/sword college. Use battle master to help support your team, Bard spells for more support, then if you need to get in the fray of things, you have decent sword play available.

[napoleon_in_rag]

I would read Howard's Queen of the Black Coast (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Queen_of_the_Black_Coast) for inspiration.

[Ivor_The_Mad]

Go with a diver, everyone hates the diver. (Homebrew class of brazenburn, everyone wanted him dead). I think swashbuckler rogue is a good choice with the sailor background.

[Beaureguard]

I've been wanting to play a Triton Beast Master ranger with a melee weapon. With triton, aquatic/coastal ranger makes sense. I picture him as a privateer of sorts sailing up and down the coasts raiding/trading. The Beast Master part is just because I think it'd be really cool to have a crocodile pet (not RAW but I want it) but, most ranger sub classes would work fine.

[Specter]

For a pirate campaign, remember that range is usually more efficient than melee. So no matter your choice, have an efficient means of range.

[Naanomi]

I've been wanting to play a Triton Beast Master ranger with a melee weapon. With triton, aquatic/coastal ranger makes sense. I picture him as a privateer of sorts sailing up and down the coasts raiding/trading. The Beast Master part is just because I think it'd be really cool to have a crocodile pet (not RAW but I want it) but, most ranger sub classes would work fine.
It’s all about the giant crab