Making a memorable Pirate Captain

[oxinabox]

So with my nautical campaign it's come the the time;
There Will Be Pirates!
Now I'll find a crew resource somewhere, (any suggestions, 3 lvl 9's created with 26 pt buy (extra chewy!))

But the pirate lord, who when his ship is attacked hangs back giving orders, and a moral bonus to hit, until the end.
And who when attackign if the first to swing in from a rop hanging from the t'gallent (or maybe the upper... or the lower...)

THe Guy who the party will fight along back and forth the forecourse yard arm. (lowest, longest horizontal woodern bit from which hangs a square sail)

The one with the Macaw, ah yes the parrot...


Need rp advice, build suggestions.

[Telonius]

I posted this level 11 pirate build awhile ago, not sure if the forum has eaten it yet. Skill requirements are spoilered - it gets a little fiddly making sure all the prereqs are in place. Hope it helps!

Halfling

Starting Stats:

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Str (12-2) 10
Dex (12+2) 14
Con 10
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 12

Rogue1 Quick Draw (1st level feat), Sneak 1d6

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Jump 4, Balance 4, Bluff 4, Intimidate 4, Profession (Sailor) 4, Tumble 4, Sleight of Hand 4, Appraise 4, Use Rope 4, Swim 4

Rogue1/Swashbuckler(CWar) 1 Weapon Finesse, Extreme Leap skill trick (from skills)

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Balance 5, Bluff 5, Jump 5, Tumble 5, Profession (Sailor) 5, Intimidate 5, Extreme Leap Skill trick (CSco)

Rog2/Sws1 Evasion (Rogue), Tumbling Crawl Skill Trick (from skills), Freerunner (CSco) (3rd Level Feat) = Nimble Charge skill trick

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Tumbling Crawl skill trick, Appraise 6, Profession 6, Intimidate 6

Rog2/Sws2 Grace +1, +1 Dex

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Profession 7

Rog3/Sws2 Sneak 2d6, Hidden Blade skill trick

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Profession 8, Bluff 8, Intimidate 8, Appraise 8, Hidden Blade skill trick

Rog3/Sws3 Insightful Strike (Sws), Daring Outlaw (6th level feat) = +3d6 sneak, +1 Dodge to AC
Rog4/Sws3 Uncanny Dodge, Sneak +4d6
Rog4/Sws3/Dread Pirate(CAdv)1 Two-Weapon Fighting, +1 Dex
Rog4/Sws3/DrP1/Scarlet Corsair(Stormwrack)1 Improved Feint (Corsair), Improved TWF (9th level feat)
Rog4/Sws3/DrP1/ScC2 Sneak +5d6
Rog4/Sws3/DrP1/ScC3 Corsair's Feint

Key Equipment: +1 Keen rapier, +1 Keen kukri, +2 Mithral chain, Gloves of Dex +4, Three-Cornered Hat, Spyglass, Parrot

So, at 11th level, that will amount to:

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Str 10
Dex 16 (+4 gloves) = 20
Con 10
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 12

+10 BAB
Fort +6, Ref +14, Will +6
Single Attack: 10 +5(dex) +1 (small) +1 (magic) = +17
Full attack: 15/15/10/10, d4+4 on the rapier, d3+4 on the Kukri, both at 15-20x2.
Sneak +5d6
AC = 10 + 5 (dex) +2 (magic) +4 (Mithral Chain) + 1 (Dodge) +1 (Size) = 23

Hidden Blade, Quick Draw, and Corsair's Feint will help the character get as many sneak attacks as possible. Nimble Charge and Extreme Leap will help the character navigate a pitching ship, or a barroom brawl. Relatively high (for a Rogue-ish combatant) attack bonuses help him connect. Insightful Strike puts his intelligence to use.

[Gaiyamato]

Telonias' build is almost the same as what I was going to post.
Dread Pirate, Scarlet Corsair and Ledgendary Captain are your key prestige classes. Rogue and Swashbuckler are your base classes. :)

[Surfing HalfOrc]

If you can find it, "The Savage Tide" Adventure Path (Dungeon Magazine, issues 138-150) had a lot of pirates/pirate captains.

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The final captains before your ship goes to the Abyss were demon merged or modified, wings, demon powers, demon imunities, ets. But Captain Harless Javell wasn't one of the ones who went over to the demon side. She had a lot of good bits to her build, so you might want to look her up as well.

Other than that, just wait here, and people will drop off their builds... This hobby tends to spawn some very creative people who love to show off.

[Anxe]

Is there a way to make a non-memorable Pirate Captain?

[Blackjackg]

I've been come up with a couple of pirate captains for a nautical campaign. The first is a basic Human Marshal. His crew would include an Extaminaar Wu Jen (Wood), a Lizardman Barbarian and a Half-Elf Chaos Monk, as well as a bunch of low-level human and halfling mooks (gained through the Leadership feat).

The other one (who's really more of a privateer than a pirate) was an Elder Serpent Tree Python Swift Hunter Druid (phew, that's a mouthful). Snakes on ships would be not-uncommon in this campaign, but won't the players be surprised when this snake is the captain, and can kick their ass.

Elder Serpent of Set is from Dragon Magazine #313, Tree Python is from Serpent Kingdoms and the Druid variant is from Unearthed Arcana.

[Hat-Trick]

RP advice: Avoid Captain Jack Sparrow. He's cool, but copying is never fun. May I suggest someone who is completely self centered and overconfident? He has the best crew on the seas (he assembled it, since he's perfect, they are too), has the greatest ship on the seas (he chose it, it has to be perfect), and is the master of the only Honorable fighting style in the world (because that's how he fights, nothing else could be better). He'd say things like, "You could have never won against me, you're a great swordsman, I'm just perfect." His cabin would be lined with pictures of himself, and he always goes with his plan over others when he has one. If he doesn't, he agrees to it and waves it off as "A plan from [his] perfect crew."

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Is the capitan a leader or a fighter? If he's a leader, Bard/Dread Pirate:Honorable, with Perform:oratory and IC maxed.

If he's a Fighter, Swordsage or Warblade, focused on Tiger Claw and White Raven, season to taste.

[Harperfan7]

I second having him be a marshall (master of tactics, motivate ardor/attack/or care). Maybe add in a level or two of sorcerer with a parrot (hawk) familiar. Add is some rogue/swashbuckler (Daring Outlaw) and you have a pirate.

Rogue 3/Swashbuckler 3/Marshall 2/Sorcerer ?

Make him a natural wereshark for extra awesome.

[shadow_archmagi]

Mash together every pirate sterotype you can think of.

Unless your campaign has an unusally *large* number of pirate captains, or the players are well versed in pirate literature, there's no need to stand out. You're already a goddamned pirate. If you don't stand out you're pirating WRONG.

[woodenbandman]

Okay, for a first mate, it is mandatory that you use Bruce.
Bruce: Chaotic Neutral Anthropomorphic Huge Shark Psychic Warrior 6
[Image Removed]
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetvie...sheetid=104631

No doubt due to the poor organization of savage species the Anthropomorphic Shark race was supposed to have a higher Strength. Change it to your liking.

Also this character must speak with an australian accent. And he eats the bodies of the fallen enemies that cross blades with him.

The coolness of this build is the ability to grapple someone, jump overboard, strangle them to death underwater, where they drown, then bring them back on board, and eat them. Consider Body Equillibrium if you ever want to walk on water.

[AslanCross]

I once had a pirate captain who was memorable because of how pathetic he was at swashbuckling. He was a straightforward Rogue/Swashbuckler build, but once he was swinging from his ship onto the heavily listing PC ship and slipped over the edge. :P He was hanging onto the railing and crying for help while the PC ranger poked him repeatedly.

He did manage to get up over the rail on his own, only to get baleful polymorphed into a snail.

His first mate didn't fare any better. He was thrown into the drink by the Ranger.

No ranks in swim + chainmail = very quick drowning.

[Blackjackg]

Maybe add in a level or two of sorcerer with a parrot (hawk) familiar.

They actually have parrot familiars in Stormwrack. Mechanically, they're the same as raven familiars (+3 to appraise, can speak one language).

[Tiki Snakes]

They actually have parrot familiars in Stormwrack. Mechanically, they're the same as raven familiars (+3 to appraise, can speak one language).

...Why on earth did I not realise this before? THIS is why there is a Parrot familiar in the 4th ed extra-familiar-options-list. (It's still pretty raven-like, ruleswise, which makes sense really.)

I am ashamed that Pirates did not, till now, occur to me. >_>

[Yuki Akuma]

Is there a way to make a non-memorable Pirate Captain?

Not that I remember.

[chiasaur11]

Ever seen the movie "Stardust"?

Remember Captain Shakespeare?

If not, look him up, and hope your players have not heard of Stardust.

[shadow_archmagi]

Not that I remember.

What about whatsisname who was in that film?

[chiasaur11]

What about whatsisname who was in that film?

With the thing?

I dunno. The bit with wossisface and the thingababod?
Memorable.

[Yuki Akuma]

What about whatsisname who was in that film?

Hm? Who do you...

Oh! Do you mean that guy with the... and the other... and...

Hm.

No, sorry, lost it.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

What about whatsisname who was in that film?

With that other guy that could do that thing? And the girl? And all those funny/clever lines?

Yeah, I remember that one.

[Tiki Snakes]

Not that I remember.

I'm pretty sure I've seen Cutthroat Island. There was a girl in it? >_>

Admittedly, this is probably more a case of unmemorable movie than unmemorable pirates, but, I can't remember enough to be sure!

[Blackjackg]

What about whatsisname who was in that film?

I choose to assume you were talking about the aforementioned Captain Shakespeare who, despite my deep and abiding love for Robert DeNiro, disappoints in nearly every way.

Additionally, for inspiration, there's Captain Bloth from the Pirates of Dark Water, and any iteration of the Dread Pirate Roberts.

[Harperfan7]

They actually have parrot familiars in Stormwrack. Mechanically, they're the same as raven familiars (+3 to appraise, can speak one language).

Ha, I figured they would technically be more like ravens, but who ever uses raven familiars? Besides, the Hawks +3 to bright light spot checks makes more sense for a pirate (IMO).

[waterpenguin43]

Give him the legendary captain or scarlet corsair pretige class (from Stormwrack) if you don't own it, the whole book is on google.

[9mm]

make him a voodoo powered pirate ghost...

and add monkeys.

[shadow_archmagi]

I choose to assume you were talking about the aforementioned Captain Shakespeare who, despite my deep and abiding love for Robert DeNiro, disappoints in nearly every way.

Additionally, for inspiration, there's Captain Bloth from the Pirates of Dark Water, and any iteration of the Dread Pirate Roberts.

He didn't disappoint ME.

And even if he did disappoint you, he was still memorable enough for you to complain about him.

[oxinabox]

Unless your campaign has an unusally *large* number of pirate captains,
or the players are well versed in pirate literature,

Check: - it's a neutical campaign, there will be pirates
And check: My players maybe considered well versed on pirates...

Also my players are pirates too.

I wqas considering homkebrewing a new, differnent sort of pirate PrC.
Involoving reuirement for a hook or peg leg.
No requirement for a ship, instead a requirement to lead a crew of alteast 6 ruthless dashing pirates.

With Feaures like:
Doe

I'ld give Hook, a primairy penalty: cant hold anything in that hand.
But hook can be used a a weopon 1d4, (normally offhand)
and a skill penaltiy: -5 to disable device, open lock,

and Peg leg: primary penalty: -5 ft from speed.
skill penalty : -5 balance, -5 tumble

And then a class feature that says:
you don't take the skill penalty
and another:-
And if you have a Hook you gain TWF for it.
or if you have a pegleg you gain diehard (without needing endurance).

cos loosing a hand is easy on a ship. loosing a ankle imply you should have died.

this build of priate would be less rogue.

EDIT:

Also this character must speak with an australian accent.

|
All my characters speak with and autralian accent.
I'm Aussie.

Players are familiar with stardust, i'm not though.


Am, the famialir is not necessarily to have a parrot.
PC's can have pets, without them being magic.
And in this case the Macaw is actually part of the storyline, and will be inheritted by the PC's.
I would say more but what if they across this forum.
Idoubt it but...

[deuxhero]

Mechaniclly, making him a wizard (or druid) gets him a familiar (parrot) and he can throw fireballs at enemy sails if sails/masts are flamable (Hey, a good use for an evocation spell!), could give his ship favorable winds or currents ect.

[Gralamin]

Mechaniclly, making him a wizard (or druid) gets him a familiar (parrot) and he can throw fireballs at enemy sails if sails/masts are flamable (Hey, a good use for an evocation spell!), could give his ship favorable winds or currents ect.

You mean Snipe a vessels sails or masts (Massive range after all), and then just catch up to them now that their stranded.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Yanno, I once made Bosun McGee, a level 9 Ranger, with a particularly foul parrot for an Animal Companion (statted as a hawk). Had a Flaming Composite Longbow + Far Shot for sniping opponent sails... had mithral chain enchanted with the Boyant enhancement, which let him float.

He was... evil. Like, totally evil. He carried a +1 Shocking Whip just in case anyone needed a flogging, something he enjoyed doing a little too much. And his parrot would tattle on people... the crew kept trying to figure out ways of killing that damn bird, but could never manage to do it.

The crew hoped for combat... just to focus the Bosun's attention on the enemies rather than the swabbies