Pirate/Outlaw

Description

This character is the heroic scofflaw, the warrior who defies the laws and rulers of the land and steers his own course. Usually in the company of other pirates or outlaws, he fights the minions of the rulers he defies, and comes to be regarded as a hero by others who suffer at those rulers' hands. The Pirate, of course, is the adventurer of the high seas, who makes his living raiding other ships and seacoast communities; the Outlaw makes his home in the wilderness (often deep forest) and preys on the traffic moving through that wilderness.
There are no special ability. score requirements to be a Pirate or Outlaw.

Role

In a campaign, the pirate or outlaw can belong to one of two orientations. Either he's a "good guy," and it is the law and the rulers who are evil, or he is a "bad guy" and simply takes what he wants from those who have it. The player, therefore, gets to decide on his character's alignment and (mis)deeds.
Note, though, that good guy pirates and outlaws tend to live by a very strict code of conduct — for example, the classic cinema code of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, where the outlaws robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, and protected the defenseless with more honor and zeal than England's supposedly Noble Warriors did. Naturally, if a player chooses to be a good guy in a company of bad guys, or vice-versa, when his companions find out his true colors, they'll probably try to kill him or to turn him in to the law for the reward on his head.

Weapon Proficiencies

If the character is a Pirate, he must take the following proficiencies: Cutlass, and Belaying Pin, or Gaff/Hook (player choice).
If the character is an Outlaw. he can take any weapon proficiencies he chooses, but the DM, if he's created this campaign so that the outlaws have a special motif weapon (such as Robin Hood's Merry Men and their longbows) may insist that all Outlaw characters take a specific weapon proficiency. Recommended to classic Merry Man-type outlaws are longbow, long sword, and quarterstaff.

Nonweapon Proficiencies

Pirate's Bonus Proficiencies

General

Rope Use, Seamanship

Pirate's Recommended Proficiencies

General

Swimming, Weather Sense

Warrior

Navigation

Priest

double slots unless Paladin
Engineering (for shipbuilding), Reading/Writing (for mapmaking)

Rogue

double slots
Appraising, Set Snares (in association with Rope Use skill), Tightrope Walking, Tumbling

Wizard

double slots unless Ranger
Engineering (for shipbuilding), Reading/Writing (for mapmaking)

Outlaw's Bonus Proficiencies

Direction Sense , Fire-Building

Outlaw's Recommended Proficiencies

General

Riding, Land Based

Warrior

Animal Lore, Bowyer/Fletcher, Endurance, Hunting, Running, Set Snares, Survival, Tracking,

Priest

double slots unless Paladin
Healing, Herbalism, Local History,

Rogue

double slots
Disguise

Special Note:

Your DM may be a fan of the very acrobatic pirate or outlaw movies of the past, and prefer that Tumbling be one of your Bonus Proficiencies instead of one of the ones listed; check with him to see if this is so.

Equipment

Pirates and Outlaws come from widely diverse backgrounds, so there's no real restriction on what they can buy with their starting money. However, it would be foolish for either type of character to buy metal armor of any kind (banded, brigandine, bronze plate, chain, field plate, full plate, plate mail, and ring mail). Pirates wearing such armor in naval combat will inevitably fall overboard and sink (they can't swim with such stuff on if they're lucky enough to get it off so they can swim, they've lost the armor. Outlaws living out in the wild have their belongings exposed to the elements, and metal armor quickly corrodes. Therefore, it's up to the DM to keep things in balance. If a Pirate or Outlaw buys metal armor and keeps it stowed away for special occasions (major land engagements, climactic battles, etc.), that's fine. But if they wear such stuff all the time, the DM should continually take it away from them through accidents. rust and corrosion. etc.

Special Benefits

: Pirates and Outlaws do not have any intrinsic special benefits, although the DM can bestow some campaign-based benefits on them if he chooses. For instance. in many Pirate settings. there is a powerful pirate city where the PCs can go to trade their ill-gotten gains, a place where the law dares not enter: this makes it easier for them to dispose of their goods and enjoy the benefits of a home city when otherwise they wouldn't have one. As another example, in a "Merry Men" type outlaw campaign, the heroes have the dubious benefit of knowing that they're on the right side and if they can just oust the current rulers (probably restoring the proper rulers in the process), they'll have their fortunes restored or enhanced, the land will once again be bright and shiny, and everyone will live happily ever after.

Special Hindrances

The major problem with being an outlaw or pirate is that the law is always after the characters. Though the authorities do not have to put in an appearance in every single play-session, they're always out there, plotting against the heroes. Many of them are quite clever, they probably have more money, ships and men than the heroes, and they'll continue to plague the heroes until the campaign is done.

Wealth Options

Pirate and Outlaw characters get the standard 5d4x10 gp for starting gold.

Races

Outlaws and Pirates, unless your campaign is very human-oriented, will take just about anyone they can get, so it's perfectly appropriate for there to be Outlaws and Pirates of the demihuman races.

Note

In a Pirate campaign, it could be that the player-characters will eventually come to terms with the authorities and "go straight." This doesn't mean they have to abandon the Pirate Warrior Kit, however, They could instead become Privateers — who are basically pirates sailing under the papers of (permission of) their ruler, and preying on the nation's enemies. At that point, they can still behave just as they did previously, and the other nation's authorities become their specific enemy.

[Complete Fighter's Handbook]