Pirate
Designed by
About this class
Pirates are seafaring folk who live outside the boundaries of the laws back on land. Free-spirited, and determined, Pirates tend to make their own way. Some call them criminals, but they aren’t always evil. Rather, they tend to follow their own path, no matter how hard it gets. And it gets hard. For the sea is a cruel mistress; just as likely to guide you gently down a stream, as it is to down you in torrential waves. For that reason, Pirates have to remain hardy, and strong. Otherwise, they’ll get swept away before they know it. However, a good Pirate knows how to navigate even the harshest waves. Pirates make for good companions, as a Pirate is only as good as their crew.
Included subclasses
Domains
Bone
Starting stats
Hope feature
Class features
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Wind At Your Back
Whenever you, or anyone within Close range, has Advantage on a roll, you may reroll any 1s on the Advantage dice.
-
Valuable Crewmate
Whenever an ally within Very Close range makes an attack roll, you may Spend a Hope to add your Spellcast Trait to the attack, and damage rolls.
-
Sea Dog's Bite
When you make a successful attack with Hope, you may Mark a Stress to make another attack using that same roll against another target. You may only use this ability once per roll.
Class items
- A map to the treasure of your former captain
- A good luck charm from a coastal city
Character questions
Background prompts
- A life at sea is a dangerous one. What makes it worth the risk?
- There are all kinds of stories about the fates of other Pirates. Which one scares you the most?
- There is much fortune to be had at sea. What has been your greatest haul?
Connection prompts
- I’ve often told you that seafaring is a life of freedom. Is there anything you feel restrained by that traveling with me helps ease?
- You’ve told me not to loot a particular place, despite the fact that there is treasure abound within it. Which place is it, and why?
- You murmur something about me in your sleep that I catch on nights when the sea is still. What is it?
Subclass cards
Printable via header menu
Swashbuckler
Foundation
SPELLCAST TRAIT: Presence
Parlay: Whenever you roll with Hope, you may place a token on this card instead of gaining a Hope. You can store a number of these tokens equal to your Presence modifier. Whenever someone within Close range makes a roll, you may spend one of these tokens to add your Presence modifier to the roll. At the end of the session, clear any unspent tokens, and gain a Hope per token cleared.
Swashbuckler
Specialization
Daring Escape: Gain a permanent +1 Bonus to your Evasion. Whenever an enemy misses you with an attack, you may mark a Stress, and safely move to anywhere in Close range.
Panache: You may spend a Hope to add your Presence modifier to your Damage rolls, or reaction rolls
Swashbuckler
Mastery
Ante Up: You now start the session with 3 Parlay tokens, and the new maximum amount of Parlay tokens you can have stored is your Presence modifier + 3.
Trick of the Wrist: Whenever you use a Parlay token, you may mark a Stress to give them advantage on the roll as well.
Scoundrel
Foundation
SPELLCAST TRAIT: Agility
Plunder: Whenever you make a successful attack, mark a Stress, and choose one of the following:
- Add one level of Proficiency
- Gain a Hope
- Clear a Hit Point
Tell No Tales: Whenever you cause a creature to mark their last Hit Point, roll 1d6, and clear an equal amount of Stress.
Scoundrel
Specialization
Hardened Adventurer: Gain a Permanent +2 to your Damage Thresholds
Unsteadying Strike: Whenever you make a successful attack, spend a Hope to force the target to make a reaction roll (16). On a failure, they roll with disadvantage a number of rolls equal to your Agility modifier.
Scoundrel
Mastery
Icon of Treachery: Whenever you start a battle, spend 2 Hope, and make a Spellcast roll. For the duration of the battle, you gain advantage on attack rolls against any enemies within Very Far range with a difficulty equal, or lower, than the result of your Spellcast roll.
Pirate
Pirates are seafaring folk who live outside the boundaries of the laws back on land. Free-spirited, and determined, Pirates tend to make their own way. Some call them criminals, but they aren’t always evil. Rather, they tend to follow their own path, no matter how hard it gets. And it gets hard. For the sea is a cruel mistress; just as likely to guide you gently down a stream, as it is to down you in torrential waves. For that reason, Pirates have to remain hardy, and strong. Otherwise, they’ll get swept away before they know it. However, a good Pirate knows how to navigate even the harshest waves. Pirates make for good companions, as a Pirate is only as good as their crew.
Domains
Bone + Sea
Starting Evasion
12
Starting Hit Points
6
Class Items
- • A map to the treasure of your former captain
- • A good luck charm from a coastal city
Pirate’s Hope Feature
Raise Your Flag : Spend 3 Hope on a successful attack to force the target to make a reaction roll (14). On a failure, the target subtracts your Spellcast Trait from their difficulty.
Class Features
Wind At Your Back
Whenever you, or anyone within Close range, has Advantage on a roll, you may reroll any 1s on the Advantage dice.
Valuable Crewmate
Whenever an ally within Very Close range makes an attack roll, you may Spend a Hope to add your Spellcast Trait to the attack, and damage rolls.
Sea Dog's Bite
When you make a successful attack with Hope, you may Mark a Stress to make another attack using that same roll against another target. You may only use this ability once per roll.
Pirate Subclasses
Choose either the Swashbuckler or Scoundrel subclass.
Swashbuckler
Play the Swashbuckler if you want to use your charm to assist others, and get out of sticky situations
Spellcast Trait
Presence
Foundation Features
Parlay: Whenever you roll with Hope, you may place a token on this card instead of gaining a Hope. You can store a number of these tokens equal to your Presence modifier. Whenever someone within Close range makes a roll, you may spend one of these tokens to add your Presence modifier to the roll. At the end of the session, clear any unspent tokens, and gain a Hope per token cleared.
Specialization Feature
Daring Escape: Gain a permanent +1 Bonus to your Evasion. Whenever an enemy misses you with an attack, you may mark a Stress, and safely move to anywhere in Close range.
Panache: You may spend a Hope to add your Presence modifier to your Damage rolls, or reaction rolls
Mastery Feature
Ante Up: You now start the session with 3 Parlay tokens, and the new maximum amount of Parlay tokens you can have stored is your Presence modifier + 3.
Trick of the Wrist: Whenever you use a Parlay token, you may mark a Stress to give them advantage on the roll as well.
Scoundrel
Play as the Scoundrel to use aggressive tactics, and scare others into getting what you want.
Spellcast Trait
Agility
Foundation Features
Plunder: Whenever you make a successful attack, mark a Stress, and choose one of the following:
- Add one level of Proficiency
- Gain a Hope
- Clear a Hit Point
Tell No Tales: Whenever you cause a creature to mark their last Hit Point, roll 1d6, and clear an equal amount of Stress.
Specialization Feature
Hardened Adventurer: Gain a Permanent +2 to your Damage Thresholds
Unsteadying Strike: Whenever you make a successful attack, spend a Hope to force the target to make a reaction roll (16). On a failure, they roll with disadvantage a number of rolls equal to your Agility modifier.
Mastery Feature
Icon of Treachery: Whenever you start a battle, spend 2 Hope, and make a Spellcast roll. For the duration of the battle, you gain advantage on attack rolls against any enemies within Very Far range with a difficulty equal, or lower, than the result of your Spellcast roll.
Background Questions
Answer any of the following, or create your own.
- • A life at sea is a dangerous one. What makes it worth the risk?
- • There are all kinds of stories about the fates of other Pirates. Which one scares you the most?
- • There is much fortune to be had at sea. What has been your greatest haul?
Connections
Ask one of the following, or improvise.
- • I’ve often told you that seafaring is a life of freedom. Is there anything you feel restrained by that traveling with me helps ease?
- • You’ve told me not to loot a particular place, despite the fact that there is treasure abound within it. Which place is it, and why?
- • You murmur something about me in your sleep that I catch on nights when the sea is still. What is it?
Discussion
Be thoughtful and kind.
Remember to be respectful. Comments are moderated and should add to the discussion.
