Ninja/Pirate!

[Swooper]

I've had this idea in my head for a few months, knowing it could be done without bothering to look up how. Note that this is no meant as an actual character for playing, just as a silly thought exercise. Maybe I'll use one as a villain when I'm DMing though

So, what's the optimal build for making a character that is both a pirate and a ninja? Right now I've got: Rogue 2/Ninja 4/Dread Pirate 4/Scarlet Corsair 10, but this is just a 'placeholder' build so to speak - I haven't given it any optimisation yet. The rogue levels are there to qualify for Dread Pirate, since it needs 8 ranks in both Appraise and Profession (Sailor). Although this suggests 5 levels to be enough to enter, we really need 6 because of the BAB +4 requirement. The 5th Ninja level doesn't give BAB (unless we're using fractional BAB) so we'll make that another rogue level. I thought about using Swashbuckler, but this would increase MAD and doesn't get Appraise as a class skill. What else? What can be done to make this not suck badly? What feats would work for this concept? What other ninja-ish or pirate-ish PrCs are there that could be used?

Use any books you like. Go wild

[MorkaisChosen]

Well, the best way to represent a Ninja/Pirate's true awesomeness would be Gestalt:

Swashbuckler/Dread Pirate//Ninja

However, that's not really what you're looking for...

TWF with a cutlass and a Sai would work, and there's a feat somewhere that gives you a neat trick when you use a sai in your offhand (CWar, I think).

[SilverSheriff]

Weapon Focus: Rapier and Ninja-to.

[Swooper]

Hmm, yeah, it would be pretty awesome in gestalt. Although I'd possibly go Swashbuckler 3/Rogue X//Ninja/Dread Pirate/Scarlet Corsair for the Daring Outlaw (right?) goodness

Still, as you said, not what I'm looking for. I like the TWF with a cutlass and a sai idea though. Any other suggestions?

[AngryRussian16]

Im sorry, but I just had to post this :

http://www.goblinscomic.com/tf8.html

:p

[Swooper]

I nearly forgot about that one I doubt I'll share his fate though - I'm not writing this down on paper... So unless someone finds a way to make me eat the internet, I'm pretty safe

[herrhauptmann]

The angry russian beat me to it, I was just bringing up the page when I saw this thread...

I'm not to knowledgeable about Complete Scoundrel, but I know its got a number of feats to allow your rogue levels to stack with class features from other classes, like Ninja and monk. Maybe it can help you out.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

I think the concept calls for a new feat that works for Swashbuckler/Ninja in a manner similar to Daring Rogue. As a matter of fact, I'm adding that to my list of things to homebrew. The example character is going to be the coolest. Warforged. Zombie. EVAR!!1!

[Chronos]

The example character is going to be the coolest. Warforged. Zombie. EVAR!!1!

This might be a good place to mention that, a few years ago, my Halloween costume was a mummified firebreathing mutant vampire zombie alien robot dinosaur.

[Madmal]

I nearly forgot about that one I doubt I'll share his fate though - I'm not writing this down on paper... So unless someone finds a way to make me eat the internet, I'm pretty safe

We could make you heard your hard drive...as starters...

[Hadrian_Emrys]

This might be a good place to mention that, a few years ago, my Halloween costume was a mummified firebreathing mutant vampire zombie alien robot dinosaur.

XD That cracks me up.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

This might be a good place to mention that, a few years ago, my Halloween costume was a mummified firebreathing mutant vampire zombie alien robot dinosaur.

Sigged. Very Sigged. Quite definately Sigged. Why is Sigged always capitalised? I don't know.

[dspeyer]

You might consider ranger, as it gives full bab, lots of skills and useful special abilities. I think a ranger with a pet shark that follows him in the water and helps as needed could be pretty cool. Appraise is still cross-class. You can afford the 2 point cost, but only if you get the max up early (eg rogue 1 / ranger 4 / dread pirate X -- you took up crime, quickly got thrown out of society, and came back to make them pay). Of course, you generally don't want to stop ranger at 4 (right before second favored enemy and improved combat style), but there are various feats that make levels stack for stuff like that. You'll probably want at least one of those.

You might also consider a monstrous race to help with your MAD. Doppleganger's good across the board (and shape-shift and detect thoughts are great for a pirate). Azer gets everything except CHA and has appraise as a class skill (6 nat armor is handy too, but the whole wreathed-in-flames thing might be a problem on boats or in water). Since they're LN, you might make him a licensed privateer. In both cases, the ECL is a lot higher than the CR, so whether their worth it depends on which way you're calculating.

[Ascension]

I'm going to second? third? whatever Warforged as the race. Why have a ninja/pirate when you can have a robot/ninja/pirate?

How about EWP: cutlasschucks?

[sonofzeal]

I'm going to second? third? whatever Warforged as the race. Why have a ninja/pirate when you can have a robot/ninja/pirate?

How about EWP: cutlasschucks?

Only if you take Tomb Tainted soul for a Ninja Pirate Robot Zombie.

I'd use Swordsage instead of the actual Ninja class though. Stay in Assassin's Stance and dip Swashbuckler for Daring Outlaw goodness and extra pirateness.

[Chronos]

Stay in Assassin's Stance and dip Swashbuckler for Daring Outlaw goodness and extra pirateness.

While you can (probably) use Assassin's Stance to qualify you for Daring Outlaw, it won't do you any good. Daring Outlaw says that your swashbuckler and rogue levels stack, not that your swashbuckler levels stack with the class that grants you Sneak Attack.

[monty]

Somebody wanted a Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot?

[Hadrian_Emrys]

That's actually a bloody slick possibility. Instead of a feat to blend ninja and swash, tinker it to be one that ties swordsage, shadowsun, and swash! That's all colors of cool!

Edit: Hell, if you can make it a necropolitan character, it'll have infinite post battle heals for the party. The era of Dread Pirate Optimus Raptor begins TONIGHT!

[Collin152]

Sigged. Very Sigged. Quite definately Sigged. Why is Sigged always capitalised? I don't know.

Because its in honour of Sigmund Pauster, who suffered a fatal heart attack asa direct result of his endless quoting.

[sonofzeal]

While you can (probably) use Assassin's Stance to qualify you for Daring Outlaw, it won't do you any good. Daring Outlaw says that your swashbuckler and rogue levels stack, not that your swashbuckler levels stack with the class that grants you Sneak Attack.

It works, just slightly differently. Your Swashbuckler level (say, 3) adds with your Rogue level (in this case, 0), netting you +2d6 sneak attack for the cost of a feat. Still a good bargain, and gets better if you advance Swash farther.