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TheElfLord
2008-02-26, 06:34 PM
I'm making an NPC for my game that was a legendary sailor in his time. I'm trying to find an interesting class for a combative sailor/corsair. I want something that is a little more interesting than fighter X. Something on the level of Jason from the Argos (famous explorer/warrior). I was at first thinking either scout or ranger, since both have a nice, mobile, lightly armored flavor to them, but scout having to move all the time doesn't work so well in ship to ship combat, and TWF is not effective (I want this guy to use melee). I'm thinking either short spear or trident for weapon choices.

So, I bring this question to you, oh people who know far more about classes than I do. What would be a fun, interesting selection of class(s) for this basic archetype.



EDIT: I don't have ToB, so I can't use anything from there.

Ganurath
2008-02-26, 06:49 PM
I would suggest Bard/Honorable Dread Pirate, if you're willing to dabble in magic. If you feel like being a little silly, though, you could be a Cleric without a deity with the Water and Celerity domains.

Icewalker
2008-02-26, 06:52 PM
Sailor/Rogue. Yeah, I'm making a Sailor class, which may or may not be a PC class, I'm not sure yet, it's unfinished.

Other than my homebrew, rogue is a good one. Also there is a class Swashbuckler, but I forget what book it's in.

Generally sailors weaponry included cutlasses and pikes in particular.

Ganurath
2008-02-26, 06:57 PM
Other than my homebrew, rogue is a good one. Also there is a class Swashbuckler, but I forget what book it's in.Complete Warrior. Full BAB, favors light armor, gets Int to damage and free Weapon Finesse. A decent choice, especially with Use Rope as a class skill.

SamTheCleric
2008-02-26, 08:40 PM
Rogue/Swashbuckler/Dread Pirate/Scarlet Corsair

(Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer, Stormwrack)

Daring Outlaw for the rogue/swash synergy... then two very sailor-esque PrCs

[FLUX]
2008-02-26, 09:40 PM
Guys, please. The answer is ALWAYS Rogue. Rogues can do anything, it's a well-established fact. Rogues can be the Shark from Jaws if they need to.

Alternately, yeah, Dread Pirate for all your "Anything You Do From A Boat, You Get +100 To Your Roll" needs.

Draz74
2008-02-26, 09:52 PM
Yeah, I vote simple Rogue.

Or Rogue/Swashbuckler with the Daring Outlaw feat. That works too.

Personally I haven't been impressed with sailor-themed PrCs; they don't make the character any more "sailor-ish" or "pirate-ish" to me.

Xyk
2008-02-26, 09:58 PM
i vote dread pirate.

Collin152
2008-02-26, 10:05 PM
;3990922']Guys, please. The answer is ALWAYS Rogue. Rogues can do anything, it's a well-established fact. Rogues can be the Shark from Jaws if they need to.

I know a Druid could, but... damn, use magic device...

Sucrose
2008-02-26, 10:09 PM
Just adding to the Rogue/ Rogue/Swashy Daring Outlaw choir. Take ranks in Use Rope, Climb, Swim, Diplomacy and maybe Bluff, and you've pretty much got the corsair down.

Collin152
2008-02-26, 10:11 PM
Just play a CWar Samurai.
They can fill any fluff niche with the same crunchy goodness!

[FLUX]
2008-02-26, 10:14 PM
I know a Druid could, but... damn, use magic device...

It's okay, Druids are broken incarnate in the right hands. Rogues, however, are Awesome! incarnate, and always are. If you're a Rogue who is not awesome, you are doing it wrong, gee-tee-eff-oh, et cetera.

TheElfLord
2008-02-26, 10:16 PM
Good Advice so far, where is dashing outlaw from?

Draz74
2008-02-26, 10:37 PM
Good Advice so far, where is dashing outlaw from?

Daring Outlaw (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Daring_Outlaw,CS) is from the Complete Scoundrel.

mabriss lethe
2008-02-27, 04:08 AM
well, ranger is still a decent choice if you chose archery style instead of TWF. But yeah, Rogue is an excellent choice, Bard? so-so. (though a drunken sailor who's always in the mood to spin a yarn or belt out an off color song during a fight could be rather entertaining.)

A cleric who worships cthulhu-esque sea gods could be creepy as all-get-out. Just be sure to name him Obed Marsh and just get it over with.

Sorcerer or Wizard wouldn't be my first or even second choice.
Paladin is pretty much out as well.

Thematically, monk is way in left field, but it does bring to mind the Drunken Master PrC. Drunken Master would make an unbelievably fun sort of sailor to play.

Fighter could do it, but would work better with levels of rogue or some other class to back it up. (the Thug variant from UA might be in order then.)

Hexblades, spellthieves, warlocks, etc: I really can't think of a good theme for them that isn't already covered above, but I'm sure there is one.

Dhavaer
2008-02-27, 04:21 AM
The Thug variant Fighter from Unearthed Arcana. Combine with the sneak attack variant, and you have an excellent lead in to the Scarlet Corsair.

SoD
2008-02-27, 06:45 AM
I personally would say Swashbuckler leading into Dread Pirate. That's how I'd run that sort of character up, at least. Maybe with a few levels of rogue thrown in...

Leon
2008-02-27, 07:14 AM
Just play a CWar Samurai.
They can fill any fluff niche with the same crunchy goodness!

They only go so far when it comes to filling niches - you'll run out of samurai if there are too many to fill

Ahem...

Rogue/Swashbucker heading into Dread Pirate (about 4th lvl) then Scarlett Corsair to fill out

Miraqariftsky
2008-02-27, 07:18 AM
Come on, whatevertheheck happened to the good ol' flat ol' seafaring rogue or fighter or barbarian?

Telonius
2008-02-27, 07:49 AM
Depends on what kind of sailor you're planning on playing.

Honorable captain of a ship of the line? Paladin.
Standard pirate? Rogue.
Guy who's up in the Crow's Nest or doing the rigging on the sails? Monk.
Marine? Fighter or Ranger.
Weatherworker? Cleric, Druid, Wizard, or Sorcerer.
Yo-ho-ho singer with fiddle? Bard.
Viking? Barbarian.
Swashbuckler? Rogue or Ranger.

If you're going for something like Jason, Odysseus, or Sinbad, I would say that a few levels of Rogue are in order, heavy on the bluff and social skills. They're sneaky and crafty, but high Charisma.

CASTLEMIKE
2008-02-27, 02:35 PM
Rogue -2, Factotum -3, Legendary Captain-2+

Lots of skill points for things like Diplomacy, Profession Sailor, Knowledge Geography (for Navigating) and other skills to taste.

Evasion, Leadership, IPs with extra Fonts of Inspiration feats.

Draz74
2008-02-27, 03:36 PM
Hmmm, I hadn't thought about a straight Factotum as a sailor. Not bad.