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Wraithy
2007-09-22, 11:03 AM
pronounced as *aaarg pirates*

I recently talked to my group about what we'd do if we DM'd a themed campaign. we had plenty of good (if clichéd) suggestions: pirates, desert, evil aligned etc. but then something amazingly cool came up:
Air Pirates
this means pirates of the air, crewing the hindenburg, raiding blimps etc.
this idea was an instant success in my group, and although we probably won't get to play this, it does raise the point of how you'd play one of these campaigns.
what is the best air pirate you could play (either build or RP) given the chance? how would you adapt encounters to fit with the setting? and what else would you do?

being a huge scout and kobold fan, Id probably make a kobold corsair (skirmish looks like the perfect thing for boarding ships). I think I'd call him Riggins or something to that effect.

KIDS
2007-09-22, 11:15 AM
Hmmm is this Stardust inspired? Captain Shakespeare? :)

I think you can make it in one of those ways:

a) a race/culture that spiritually identifies itself with air (and their tactics are adapted to sucH)
b) a pragmatic race/culture that descend from the sky to pillage and retreats into the clouds because it is an original idea in their world and makes them less likely to get caught
c) both.

Either way, it's a fun idea with a lot of inspiration potential! Now of course, I am biased by the said Stardust movie/book but a human daring outlaw with his wealth invested into an airship (see Eberron) would seem the best basic idea. Further than that...

PlatinumJester
2007-09-22, 11:22 AM
pronounced as *aaarg pirates*

I recently talked to my group about what we'd do if we DM'd a themed campaign. we had plenty of good (if clichéd) suggestions: pirates, desert, evil aligned etc. but then something amazingly cool came up:
Air Pirates
this means pirates of the air, crewing the hindenburg, raiding blimps etc.
this idea was an instant success in my group, and although we probably won't get to play this, it does raise the point of how you'd play one of these campaigns.
what is the best air pirate you could play (either build or RP) given the chance? how would you adapt encounters to fit with the setting? and what else would you do?

being a huge scout and kobold fan, Id probably make a kobold corsair (skirmish looks like the perfect thing for boarding ships). I think I'd call him Riggins or something to that effect.

You told us about this?:smallconfused:.
Still Windwright Captain prestige and explorers handbook seem a must for this.

Nerd-o-rama
2007-09-22, 11:42 AM
http://www.plothook.net/RPG/forumdisplay.php?f=613

A testament to my short attention span as DM, sadly. Also, I think I lost most of my notes, or I'd share those.

hippie_dwarf
2007-09-22, 01:59 PM
I'm feeling barbarian. How cool would that look to see some beefy as dude leaping from ship to ship screaming his head off. Or Psionics, psionics is good in any situation.

And i really only think you told a few of us man.

As for a kobold? No. They are the sinlge most annoying race ever. Only Deekin was cool, and the jumping ones in the cave. The rest are *fart noise*.

NEO|Phyte
2007-09-22, 02:10 PM
This thread makes me happy in nonspecific ways.

As for the kind of character I'd make, I'd go for a scout, with the variant class feature that gets a climb speed instead of an increased land speed. Maybe throw in a bit of ranger, too.

CrazedGoblin
2007-09-22, 02:12 PM
You told us about this?:smallconfused:.
Still Windwright Captain prestige and explorers handbook seem a must for this.

first i have heard of it to hahah but id be a crossbow Sniper to pick of thos enasty little beasties on their ship

Balkash
2007-09-22, 02:16 PM
Well one question would be would it be on the Elemental Plain of Air or just Material Plain?

CthulhuM
2007-09-22, 02:24 PM
Personally, I'd make a Hadozee (from Stormwrack). First, of all, they're ape people with a dex bonus and a passion for the seafaring life, so what's not to love? And second, of course, is the fact that they can glide, so if the airship goes down a Hadozee isn't necessarily screwed.

BizzaroStormy
2007-09-22, 02:30 PM
I remember trying to get my DM to do an airship campaign but we ended up realizing that he sucked at DMing. Not to mention the fact that he would always try to make the most powerful character he could, then complain about it not being fun.

hippie_dwarf
2007-09-22, 02:51 PM
first i have heard of it to hahah but id be a crossbow Sniper to pick of thos enasty little beasties on their ship

You stole my idea :smallannoyed: garrr there'll be consequenses m' lad, mark m' word! :smallwink:

Wraithy
2007-09-22, 02:51 PM
a good question, the elemental plane of air would probably be a better idea because you have a reason to be hanging around in an airship, mainly no solid ground (though there is the occasional flying windmill ala Gorillaz-Feel Good Inc.)
hippydwarf: if you'd read races of the dragon or tucker's kobolds you would understand.
I like the scout variant idea, but the wall related AC bonus doesn't really fit, I surpose you could adapt it to "whenever you are on the deck of a ship"

hippie_dwarf
2007-09-22, 02:57 PM
hippydwarf: if you'd read races of the dragon or tucker's kobolds you would understand.
I like the scout variant idea, but the wall related AC bonus doesn't really fit, I surpose you could adapt it to "whenever you are on the deck of a ship"

Why do you keep playing scouts? When will you end the madness scoutness:smalleek: and kobolds for that matter.

Wraithy
2007-09-22, 03:26 PM
Why do you keep playing scouts? When will you end the madness scoutness:smalleek: and kobolds for that matter.

I have yet to find a more enjoyable skill monkey, and kobolds are just amazingly cool. They're one of the wealthiest races in D&D

Guy_Whozevl
2007-09-22, 04:33 PM
Heck, it could be like Skies of Arcadia.
Be sure to buy a ring of featherfalling and bull rush enemies off their own ships. That would be fun.

bosssmiley
2007-09-22, 04:51 PM
"Spelljammer", OD&D "Voyage of the Princess Ark" + "Into the Maelstrom" and "Crimson Skies" (pulp air pirates - what "Sky Captain" should have been!) are all good source.

Sure, Eberron has bound elemental craft, but they're just poor cousins of the epic mentalism that was "Spelljammer". :smallcool:

CrazedGoblin
2007-09-22, 05:56 PM
I have yet to find a more enjoyable skill monkey, and kobolds are just amazingly cool. They're one of the wealthiest races in D&D

they are rats with spears hehe

CrazedGoblin
2007-09-22, 05:57 PM
You stole my idea :smallannoyed: garrr there'll be consequenses m' lad, mark m' word! :smallwink:

isent your idea of sniping exploding their brains with psionics hehe:smalltongue:

tsuyoshikentsu
2007-09-22, 07:39 PM
I have yet to find a more enjoyable skill monkey, and kobolds are just amazingly cool. They're one of the wealthiest races in D&D

For skill monkey fun, try Factotum from Dungeonscape. Just make sure your DM allows Font of Inspiration from the website.

Kobolds... meh. Kobolds to me are an excuse to use weasel bombs.

KillianHawkeye
2007-09-22, 07:45 PM
This reminded me of the show Skyland. Check it out for some inspiration, even though it's technology-based, but they do the sky-pirates vs evil empire thing very well.

Hawriel
2007-09-22, 08:06 PM
what no Ideas from crimsen skies?

Wraithy
2007-09-23, 03:29 AM
For skill monkey fun, try Factotum from Dungeonscape. Just make sure your DM allows Font of Inspiration from the website.

Kobolds... meh. Kobolds to me are an excuse to use weasel bombs.

he he, weasle bombs :smalltongue:

tsuyoshikentsu
2007-09-23, 04:32 AM
he he, weasle bombs :smalltongue:

You laugh now, until you realize I'm talking about a Save-or-Die effect available at level 3.

Zombie pixe
2007-09-23, 04:40 AM
garrrr. this idea is a very good one!

heh, it would need alot of planning and new rules creation. you could have it so that the ground is feared? like they have all lived in mountais and platous a LONG way above "proper" ground?

as for a charicter, id make a crossclass dwarf fighter/swashbucler. that woudl be funny. also, you could adapt the "seafares handbook" that has lots of ship rules and ideas?

hippie_dwarf
2007-09-23, 06:13 AM
isent your idea of sniping exploding their brains with psionics hehe:smalltongue:

Very true. Intellect Bomb all the way :smallbiggrin: . I think right before they exploded they'd look something like this :smallfurious:

Wraithy
2007-09-23, 04:52 PM
I'd probably make ports giant floating rocks with subjective gravity (the best type of gravity)