Pirate, 2nd Variant (3.5e Class)
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Pirate[edit]
So long as civilized creatures have shipped goods by sea, there have been certain individuals whom have risked life and limb to take those goods. Sailing across the seas of the world, taking what they can by any means necessary, these seafaring thieves are known as Pirates.
Adventures: Pirates usually adventure for multiple reasons, but most reasons are related to either treasure or loot. Adventuring typically involves doing things which a Pirate is used to doing, namely killing things and taking their stuff.
Characteristics: Piracy is a profession open to all, and thus Pirates have many diverse characteristics. The most common characteristics of Pirates are ability to fight, ability to swim, at least some usefulness on a ship, greed, and little to no objection to stealing.
Alignment: Most Pirates have little to no respect for the law, and tend to be selfish and greedy. Even those Pirates who work in the service of a government or nation, who are known as privateers, tend toward the chaotic outlook.
Religion: Pirates are a diverse lot, containing many different followers of many different gods, plus a good amount of the impious. Many Pirates give tribute to weather gods for calm seas and strong winds, gods of war for strength and courage in battle, and gods of trickery and deceit for the usual reasons.
Background: People usually become Pirates for many reasons, seeking a life of fortune, to travel the world, to escape the drudgery of an average sailor's life, etc.
Races: Pirates hail from all races and cultures, so any race that can survive the open sea and combat can be a Pirate.
Other Classes: Pirates get along best with rogues, beguilers, bards, red mages, spellthieves, and swashbucklers. Fighters, rangers, wizards, sorcerers, duskblades, mystic warriors, and barbarians tend to keep a tighter hold on their valuables when around Pirates. Paladins, knights, samurai, and other lawful classes have nothing but mistrust and distain for Pirates.
Role: Pirates best role is that of a skill monkey and combatant. Due to lack of access to heavier armor and good staying power, the Pirate's best chances come from opportunistic attacks, and fights that are biased in the Pirate's favor.
Game Rule Information[edit]
Abilities: Pirates benefit from high Strength & Dexterity scores, which help out in combat, and are good for various class skills. A high Dexterity also gives a bonus to armor class since the Pirate is only proficient w/light armor & shields. A high Intelligence score helps rack up skill points and is good for various class skills. A high Charisma score will help a Pirate out of certain situations. Like all skill-based classes, a Pirate sees least use for a high Constitution score.
Alignment: Any non-lawful.
Starting Age: Simple
Starting Gold: 4d4 × 10
Starting Equipment: leather armor, 2d4+2 simple pistol, side-sword & dagger or rapier & musket (duelist), light harquebus & scimitar (sniper), or cutlass & shortsword (two-weapon fighter).
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Sneak Attack +1d6 | |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Combat Style | |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Uncanny Dodge | |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | ||
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Sneak Attack +2d6, Treasure Scent 1/day | |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Evasion | |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Improved Combat Style | |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Treasure Scent 2/day | |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Sneak Attack +3d6, Rig Monkey | |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Acrobatic Advance | |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Treasure Scent 3/day | |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Combat Style Mastery | |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Sneak Attack +4d6 | |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +4 | Treasure Scent 4/day | |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +5 | Improved Evasion | |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | ||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Sneak Attack +5d6, Treasure Scent 5/day | |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +6 | ||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Defensive Combat Style | |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +6 | Treasure Scent 6/day | |
|
Class Skills ((6 + Int modifier) x4 at 1st level.) | ||||||
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the Pirate:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Pirates are proficient with all simple weapons, the short sword, the dagger, the rondel, the cutlass, the scimitar, the rapier, the spiked chain, and the pistol. Pirates are also proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Sneak Attack (Ex): Starting at 1st level, the Pirate gains Sneak Attack +1d6 (just like the Rogue ability of the same name). The extra damage increases by another d6 at 5th, 9th, 13th, & 17th levels.
Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level, the Pirate must choose one of the following combat styles (at the dm’s discretion, other combat styles can be made): Dueling, Sniping, or Two-Weapon Fighting.
- Dueling: If the Pirate selects dueling, she gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
- Sniping: If the Pirate selects sniping, she gains either Crossbow Sniper (Player's Handbook II page 77) or Firearm Sniper (3.5e Feat) as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
- Two-Weapon Combat: If the Pirate selects two-weapon combat, she gains Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
The benefits for the Pirate’s combat style only apply when the Pirate is wearing light or no armor. She loses all benefits of her combat style when she wears medium or heavy armor.
Uncanny Dodge: At 3rd level, a Pirate retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a Pirate already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
Treasure Scent (Sp): Starting at 5th level, the Pirate can use Treasure Scent (Spell Compendium page 223) as a spell-like ability once per day with a caster level equal to her Pirate level. She can use this ability an additional time per day every 3 levels beyond 5th level (at 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, & 20th levels), to a maximum of 6 times per day at 20th level.
Evasion (Ex): At 6th level and higher, a Pirate can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Pirate is wearing light or no armor. A helpless Pirate does not gain the benefit of Evasion.
Improved Combat Style (Ex): At 7th level, the Pirate’s aptitude in her combat style improves.
- Dueling: If the Pirate had selected Dueling at 2nd level, she gains Improved Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat with one weapon she has finessed, even if she does not meet the prerequisites for it.
- Sniping: If the Pirate had selected Sniping at 2nd level, she gains Improved Crossbow Sniper (if she selected Crossbow Sniper at level 1) or Improved Firearm Sniper (3.5e Feat) (if she selected Firearm Sniper (3.5e Feat)) as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites for it.
- Two-Weapon Combat: If the Pirate had selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, she gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
As before, the benefits for the Pirate’s combat style only apply when the Pirate is wearing light or no armor. She loses all benefits of her combat style when she wears medium or heavy armor.
Rig Monkey (Ex): At 9th level, the Pirate is so used to be up in the rigs that she does not lose her Dex bonus to AC while climbing or balancing, and can climb unimpeded while holding something in one hand.
Acrobatic Advance (Ex): At 10th level, a Pirate gains the ability to move freely in situations where others cannot. Upon making a successful Tumble check with DC equal to the distance travelled, she may move at up to her maximum speed over difficult terrain that normally slows movement, without provoking Attacks of Opportunity.
Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 12th level, the Pirate’s aptitude in her combat style improves yet again.
- Dueling: If the Pirate had selected dueling at 2nd level, she gains Improved Critical with one weapon she has Weapon Finesse with as a bonus feat.
- Sniping: If the Pirate had selected sniper at 2nd level, she gains Improved Precise Shot as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
- Two-Weapon Combat: If the Pirate had selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, she gains Greater Two-weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
As before, the benefits for the Pirate’s combat style only apply when the Pirate is wearing light or no armor. She loses all benefits of her combat style when she wears medium or heavy armor.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 15th level, a Pirate’s evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless Pirate does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Defensive Combat Style (Ex): At 19th level, the Pirate will start to get more defensive in her combat style.
- Dueling: If the Pirate had selected dueling at 2nd level, she gains Improved Disarm as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
- Sniping: If the Pirate had selected sniper at 2nd level, she gains Able Sniper as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
- Two-Weapon Combat: If the Pirate had selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, she gains Two-Weapon Defense as a bonus feat, even if she does meet the prerequisites for it.
As before, the benefits for the Pirate’s combat style only apply when the Pirate is wearing light or no armor. She loses all benefits of her combat style when she wears medium or heavy armor.
Ex-Pirate[edit]
The life of a Pirate is a very turbulent and tumultuous one, ill-suited to those souls who enjoy rules and structure in life. A Pirate who becomes lawful may not progress any farther in levels as a Pirate until she regains a non-lawful alignment. She also loses access to her Treasure Scent and Sneak Attack abilities for this duration.
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