D20 Blood & Space 2: Pirates of Numos (d20 Modern/Future - 5th level)

[Masada]

Last year I ran a Blood & Space campaign where the PC's all played a ship role on a Pirate Corvette in a backwater system on the fringe of a large Empire. It was a sort of Pirates of the Caribbean in space. The game play ended over the holidays and I'm returning to pick it up again. However, some of the players have moved on. So I'm looking for new players that can either adopt a PC or (preferably) create new characters.

Game play is about to begin (next week) and the Pirates will pick up where they left off. They have boarded a freighter and have just disabled it. It's a good time to introduce new PC's.

I won't be playing on this forum, but rather on http://www.intrepidheroes.com. The server is smaller and generally more available since it carries much, much less traffic. However, post character concepts and questions here.

Character Creation:
Starting level will be 5th. I'm using the Blood & Space 2 rules with modified pirate variants.

Usable sources
d20 Modern Core Rules
d20 Future
Blood & Space 2: High Flyers and Ground Pounders
Blood & Space 2: Pirates, Merchants and Smugglers
Blood & Space 2: Starship Construction Rules
Blood & Circuits

Possible starting backgrounds
Hostage on the Freighter currently under attack
Stow-away either on the Ship of Fools or the Freighter
One of the recently aquired crew (any class)
One of the Freighter's crew about to be shang-hi'd
"Sleeper" on the Freigher (cryro-sleep) (any class)
Something you suggest... post here

NEW FEATS:

PIRATE CHARGE [Navigator Feat]
The charge of a pirate vessels means certain doom to the targeted vessel. Even strong men break and run for the life pods.
Pre-Requisite: Slingshot, Allegiance (Pirate)
Benefit: The ship navigator and/or pilot transmit an iconic message known over the galaxy as a pirate signature. This transmission is targeted at one vessel and displays to all terminals of the targeted ship. The pirate ship must be of equal size or larger than the target ship. The crew of the target vessel receives a unit Will Save DC 10 + Cha mod + Reputation mod of the Captain of the pirate ship or be Shaken for 2d4 rounds. This feat can be used by the navigator, pilot or the Captain of the pirate ship.

BROADSIDE [Navigator Feat]
The pilot maneuvers the ship guns to their most advantagous angle; giving the Gunnery crew a bonus to attacks
Pre-requisite: 8 Ranks of Pilot
Benefit: Attacks gain +1 to hit if the navigator can beat the Pilot check of the target vessel. The navigators ship must be within 1000 feet to use this feat. This feat stacks with Weapons Lock class ability.

RUN SILENT [Navigator Feat]
The Navigator has mastered techniques to mask their ship signature from sensors.
Pre-Requisite: Starship Tracking, Pilot 8 ranks
Benefit: Add +5 to the DC of other crews to scan the navigators ship. This feat only functions while the navigator pilots the ship.

RECKLESS PURSUIT [Operations Expert Feat]
The Ops Ex can disable the safeties on the ship engines to gain 110% power. This puts the engine crew and the ship at risk.
Pre-Requisite: Emergency Power
Benefit: The ship gains +500 feet of tactical movement. Each round this speed is used there is a increasing 5% chance of engine failure. Roll a d20 a result of 1 on the 1st round means failure; 2 on the 2nd round, etc. On a failed check the engines stop and the ship loses all thrust and guidance. It will coast in it's current facing for a number of squares equal to its last movement. The engines will remain off for a number of rounds equal to the rounds of red-lining. This penalty is accumlative until the ship can shutdown the engines for 1 hour. A ship only needs to check for failure if using its full movement.

NEEDS OF THE MANY [Operations Expert Feat]
Sometimes a ship needs a hero. The Operations Expert can order a lower ranking crewman to "take one for the team". The crewman may or may not know the order is fatal (Bluff / Sense Motive checks).
Pre-Requisite: Repair 8 ranks, Damage Coordination +2, Charisma 14
Benefit: The Operations Expert can give a repair order to a lower ranking crew member that is fatal to that crew member. Once ordered the Operations Expert makes a repair check DC 25 and spends an Action Point (representing how good the orders were) to immediately repair 2d4x10 HP to the ship. This repair can even stop the Breaking Apart condition if used with in 1 round of being reduced to 0 HP. The repair result must bring the ship in to positive numbers. The crewman dies tragically regardless of the result.
Special: This feat can only be used on PC's if they are willing (regardless of rank). If a PC chooses to sacrifice themselves (including the Op Ex), the check is automatically successful and a Breaking Apart condition is automatically restored granting the ship 1 HP or the result of the roll whichever is greater. Once used, this feat can not be repeated until the ship is fully repaired.

OPOSSUM [Operations Expert Feat]
The Ops Ex disables all powered systems in such a way that they can be reactivated in a split second gaining surprise on the first exchange.
Pre-Requisite: Emergency Power +1, Computer Use 8 ranks
Benefit: The Operations Expert puts all systems on the lowest level standby imposing a -10 penalty on sensor checks to detect active systems on the pirate vessel. This makes the ship appear "dead". At a moments notice the Operations Expert reactives all systems. This grants one automatic flat-footed attack against a single target and +2 Initiative. This bonus is only granted if the target vessel is within 1000 feet.

DESPERATE ATTACK [Gunner Feat]
In the heat of battle weapons are often improvised.
Pre-Requisite: Repair 8 ranks
Benefit: The gunner can either fire a disabled weapon at full attack bonus at half damage or make an extra attack with a functioning starship weapon at -10 to attack and half damage.

STARSHIP GRAPPLE [Gunner Feat]
The pirate gunner has mastered the art of using the ship grapplers to allow the navigator better chances to establish a dock with a hostile vessel.
Pre-Requisite: Starship Gunnery
Benefit: The gunner gains +4 to grapple attacks. If successful, the navigator/pilot gains +2 on Pilot checks to establish a dock with a vessel.

VIOLATION OF TREATY [Gunner Feat]
Civilized nations have agreed that certain weapons are too horrible to use in combat. In many cases, this means limiting the power of beam weapons or elimination of "dirty" radioactive weapons. Pirates don't always honor such gentlemanly conventions.
Pre-Requisite: Repair 8 Ranks, No Allegiances to civilized organizations
Benefit: The gunner must spend an Action Point and make a Repair check against a weapon equal to number of dice damage the weapon deals. Once set, the next shot from the weapon is modified to be more effective against the crew of targeted vessels. In addition to its normal damage to the ship the crew suffers 1d4 casualties from radiation poisoning, disintergration, sonic rupturing or the like. This weapon will be instantly recognized as a violation of war treaties once fired whether it hits or not. This imposes a -4 penalty on all future Diplomacy checks with a civilized vessel. Once modified, the weapon can remain unfired indefinitely; a matching Repair check is required to undo the modification without firing the weapon.
Special: This feat does not automatically kill PC's. The GM may decided that PC saving throws are in order to avoid effects of radiation or other similar hazard. This feat can only be used against starships with crews larger than 1. Only weapons mounted to a Light or larger starship can be modified with this feat.

Character can also select their AdC class abilities from "trees" similar to Talents. The trees are laid out below... again, from Blood & Space 2: High Flyers and Ground Pounders.

Operations Expert Talents:
Emergency Power Talent Tree
Emergency Power +1
Reckless Pursuit
Pre-req: Emergency Power +1
Opossum
Pre-req: Emergency Power +1
Emergency Power +2
Pre-req: Emergency Power +1
Emergency Power +3
Pre-req: Emergency Power +2

Damage Control Talent Tree
Damage Control +1
Damage Control +2
Pre-Req: Damage Control +1
Needs of the Many
Pre-Req: Damage Control +2, Charisma 14
Damage Control +3
Pre-Req: Damage Control +2

Pirate Gunner Talent Tree
Weapon Talent Tree
Weapon Focus
Desperate Attack
Pre-req: Weapon Focus
Starship Grapple
Pre-req: Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization
Pre-req: Weapon Focus
Far Shot
Improved Weapon Focus
Pre-req: Weapon Focus
Improved Weapon Specialization
Pre-req: Weapon Specialization

Disabling Shot Talent Tree
Disabling Shot
Pre-req: Weapon Specialization
Violation of Treaty
Pre-req: Disabling Shot
Improved Disabling Shot
Pre-req: Disabling Shot

Pirate Navigator Talent Tree
Sensors Talent Tree
Sensors Expert
Run Silent
Pre-req: Sensors Expert
Sensors Mastery
Pre-req: Sensors Expert
Starship Tracking
Pre-req: Sensors Expert

Weapons Lock Talent Tree
Weapons Lock +1
Broadside
Pre-req: Weapons Lock +1
Weapons Lock +2
Pre-req: Weapons Lock +1

Pilot Talent Tree
Slingshot +1
Pirate Charge
Pre-req: Slingshot +1
Slingshot +2
Pre-req: Slingshot +1
Slingshot +3
Pre-req: Slingshot +2

 

[Masada]

The Original Intro to Pirates of Numos

There are 3 crucial roles to be filled; Operations Expert (Engineering), Ship Gunner (Weapons Master) and Ship Navigator (Pilot). Starting level will be 4th. The above classes are Advanced Classes. So you'll be 1st level Ops, Gunner or Nav. The captain will have to invest heavily in Pilot skills and feats.

The players are going to be smugglers and pirates in Fringe Space adjacent to the Evil Empire. The ship will be run by the players (2-4) with a small handful of lesser crew (10 untrained). Ship scale would be something a little smaller than the Star Wars "Corvette" class vessel.

Anyone interested? If so what positon?

We have one Navigator confirmed (original player). The rest are open.

The Captian will be NPC and posted here when I finish him/her.
CORVETTE (PL 6) - The Ship of Fools

Essentially a larger version of the escort ship, the corvette serves as both a gunship and fleet escort. Of the military vessels designed to operate independently in wartime, corvettes are the smallest.

Type:    Light               Size: Colossal (–8 size) 
Subtype: Corvette            Tactical Speed: 3,500 ft. (7 sq.) 
Defense: 7                   Length: 320 feet 
Flat-footed Defense: 5       Weight: 3,200 tons 
Autopilot Defense: 5         Targeting System Bonus: +3 
Hardness: 30                 Crew: 16 (trained +4) 
Hit Dice: 40d20 (800 hp)     Passenger Capacity: 32 
Initiative Modifier: +4      Cargo Capacity: 150 tons 
Pilot’s Class Bonus: +3      Grapple Modifier: +16 
Pilot’s Dex Modifier: +2     Base Purchase DC: 56 
Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +2    Restriction: Military (+3)

Attack: 2 fire-linked fusion beams –3 ranged (15d8) and 2 fire-linked CHE missiles –8 ranged (9d12/19–20); or 2 fire-linked CHE missiles –3 ranged (9d12/19–20) and 2 fire-linked fusion beams –8 ranged (15d8)
Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +3 ranged (2d12×10)

Standard PL 6 Design Specs:
Engines: Ion engine, thrusters
Armor: Vanadium
Defense Systems: Autopilot system, improved damage control (3d10), magnetic field, point-defense system, radiation shielding
Sensors: Class III sensor array, targeting system
Communications: Laser transceiver, radio transceiver
Weapons: 2 fire-linked fusion beams (range incr. 3,000 ft.), 2 firelinked CHE missile launchers (8 missiles each)
Grappling Systems: Grapplers

The Ship of Fools is an older vessel compared to the Empire's fleet. But she does pretty good in Fringe Space. Pirates live outside the system as "free" men and women. While there are many old ships, there are few old pirates. Life is fast and short.

You have managed to survive the boarding parties, skirmishes and the multiple hazards of space to become an officer on the Ship of Fools. In the last encounter with drug smugglers you were dealt a heavy blow losing most of your trained crew and barely limping away.

Faltz MO #4047 is a Mining Operation that developed in to a pirates hang-out and recruiting station. The life of a miner is hard and the teeming "lifers" of the large planetoid provide eager volunteers. Contraband of all types is freely available and only losely hidden from the Faltz port authority. Faltz is owned by a large corporation, that rarely takes notice of what happens on a profitable operation in the Fringe. The Ship of Fools is about to dock here.

Captain Holger has been on the crew of this ship for nearly 30 years. He is the oldest pirate any of you have ever known. He has an average build and broad shoulders. Having watched him in hand to hand combat (and the occasional ship scuffle) you know that he is still quite strong and capable in a fight.

That was last week... Today the Ship of Fools is locked in combat with a freighter. The boarding party is already inside and several of the freighter's crew have been eliminated. The cargo holds have not been investigated and not all the crew is accounted for. Specifically, the freighter Pilot is running from a member of the boarding party. Other crew members could still be discovered...

 

[Masada]

Here's the Ship Navigator. She's sort of a female version of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Ratia Lathan

Ratia is the youngest of Kembrik Lathan’s four children. While she was doted on by her mother (Shynna), Kembrik saw his only daughter as a liability and worked tirelessly with his oldest son to come up with a method of ridding the family of her without distressing Shynna. It took them seven years, but they finally able to convincingly “lose” the girl.

Ratia was abandoned on the fringe station when her family’s ship left. With no one to care for her, the child relied on her inherent charm and sticky fingers to survive. Much to the surprise of the station’s other denizens, she not only survived, but thrived on the dark and seedy lifestyle into which she’d been dropped. Her personality evolved according to her environment, and she became one of the most well-known of the station’s so-called invisible population.

As soon as she could convince the docked captains that she was old enough, Ratia began hiring out on short trips as a hired hand. She learned bits and pieces about the ships and trained with the pilots – mostly disguising her desires as ‘youthful curiosity’ – until she learned the ins and outs of flying most of the smaller ships. She continued hiring on short runs for years, sometimes with captains she’s hired to before. Those who knew her and her abilities would allow her to fly or even hire her to sit in for ill or missing pilots or navigators.

When she hired with Captain Holger, she expected much of the same – a short run, maybe as an assistant navigator… she wasn’t prepared for the particular involvement he took with his crew. Nor was she prepared for the hands-on expert training she received – apparently out of the blue – from Holger. When he offered her a permanent position on the crew of the Ship of Fools, even she knew that she’d be the real fool if she refused.

Ratia is fiercely loyal to Holger and the rest of his crew. When it comes down to it, though, the only reason she’s loyal to the others is because Holger picked them as well.

Fast 2 - Charismatic 2 - Starship Navigator 1
HP 26; Mas 13; Init +3, Spd 30 ft; Defense 18, touch 18, flatfooted 15 (+3 Dex, +5 class); BAB +2; Grap +3; Atk +3 Melee (1d6+1, weapon) or +5 ranged (1d6+0, weapon); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL - Capt. Holger, crew; SV For +3, Ref +8, Will +1; AP 2; Rep +2; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 14.
Occupation: Pirate (Computer Use, Navigate)
Skills: Bluff +6, Computer Use +7, Diplomacy +5, Drive +7, Gather Information +5, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +2, Knowledge (Current Events) +2, Knowledge (Streetwise) +5, Move Silently +5, Navigate +7, Perform +3, Pilot +8, Sleight of Hand +5, Tumble +6
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Improved Slingshot, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Spacer, Starship Operations (Light)
Talents (Fast Hero): Evasion
Talents (Charismatic Hero): Fast-Talk
Talents (Starship Navigator): Slingshot +1
Possessions: laser pistol, tangler gun, EMP Grenade (x2), knife (x2), rapier, sword cane, chemicals (3 doses each of antitox, boost & solvaway), display contacts w/vehicle link software, flash-seal (x3), universal communicator, violet rations (x7), hackcard (x2 – programmed to open doors), several different flashy/gaudy/sparkly clothing accessories
Wealth +6
***Spacer feat makes alters total bonuses to Computer Use +9 Navigate +9(+10 for slingshot navigation) Pilot +10 when used on ship***

 

[Masada]

I plan to continue to use many visual aids.

Here is a exterior image of the Ship of Fools.

EDIT: Fixed the link

 

[Masada]

Bump.

Do none of ye scurvy dogs wot a life of a pi'rate? A life of booty and blazing ion cannons? Do ya not desirah to hear the sound of concussion grenades echoing down the hallways of yer foes?

Space is hard, but it's free! The Telus Empire would have ya take a number and be a slave... We offer ya a chance at freedom. Come wit' us! Join the Ship of Fools. Learn wot it is to be free men and women!