Pirate Like mariners, pirates love the ocean. However, pirates also love wealth. Evil pirates are the scum of the seas. They’ll attack a ship and kill the crew to a man—unless there is a nobleman or wealthy heiress on board they can hold for ransom. These buccaneers have no lofty goals and fight for no cause other than to net the next ship full of booty.

Privateers are neutral- or good-aligned pirates who are usually commissioned by a government to prey on the shipping of that government’s enemy. Privateers are often granted Letters of Marque that state they are in the employ of their king or queen. As representatives of a nation, privateers are expected to behave with a code of honor. They accept surrenders, treat prisoners well, and are always deferential to any noble captives—especially those of the opposite sex.

Social ranks: Pirates usually come from the middle rungs of the social ladder. Roll 2d6 to determine the rank of a pirate.

2d6 roll	Rank
2–7	Lower Middle Class
8–12	Upper Middle Class

Requirements: A life on the sea is rigorous and demanding. Pirates must have minimum Constitution/Health and Dexterity/Balance scores of 12. The pirate kit is prohibited for dwarves, aarakocra, alaghi, bullywugs, centaurs, ogres, orcs, satyrs, swanmays, thri-kreen, and wemics. This kit is open to all classes.

Weapon proficiencies: Pirates can be versed in any weapons applicable to their classes. However, rapiers and cutlasses are suggested for swashbuckling characters.

Recommended nonweapon proficiencies: Navigation, fishing, seamanship, rope use, gambling, tightrope walking, direction sense, swimming, weather sense.

Equipment: Pirates tend to avoid large weapons and heavy armor. Characters who are weighted down have a hard time climbing around in the ship’s rigging and are likely to drown if they are pitched overboard during a storm or a fierce battle.

Recommended traits: Alertness, glibness, light sleeper.

Benefits: Pirates are accustomed to the pitch and roll of a ship and have an advantage when engaged in melee on deck. They gain a +1 bonus to their attack rolls while fighting at sea. Pirates also have a designated hideaway. Such locations include deserted isles, hidden anchorages, a sea-cave complex beneath the port city, etc.

Hindrances: Pirates suffer a –2 penalty on reaction rolls when they enter a port. If a pirate behaves in a manner appropriate to the setting, this penalty may be reduced and then eliminated upon subsequent visits. Pirates often make a lot of enemies. Hence, pirates are sometimes hunted by those they plundered. Pirate characters should never get too complacent—there’s always somebody not too far away who wants the character’s loot or head to show that this sea wolf will prowl the oceans no more.

Wealth: Standard for the character’s class.

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