Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheLe" data-source="post: 2946428" data-attributes="member: 3981">Sneak Peek: The Ghostly BuccaneerWe continue our preview of Unorthodox Pirates with another class, the Ghostly Buccaneer.=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=GHOSTLY BUCCANEERThey say in whispers at dockside taverns and on the late watches of the seafarers that dead men tell no tales. They speak of deals that desperate sailors have made with the evils spirits deep within the blackness of the ocean depths. Most sane watermen dismiss these as mere legend and hearsay, but a few of the more grizzled and wary sailors know the truth.They know of the unknowable spirits that dwell in the darkest waters and they know of the promises they offer greedy pirates and corsairs. They say that men have sold their very souls to these foul beasts for the promise of eternal life at sea. Shallow and foul, legends speak of ghostly pirates coming in the night. Their weapons pass through armor and they sail upon a ship of shadows. They are Ghostly Buccaneers.AdventuresMost Ghostly Buccaneers adventure because the deals they have made with the dark spirits of the sea make most normal folk uncomfortable, and so they are forced to never stop moving. Many of them bury this solitude by pillaging "lesser" seafarers, living a life of unshakable greed and sin. A rarer few realize the great sin they committed in selling their soul to the endless depths, and though they know there is no hope for them, they try to use their ill-gotten gifts for a good greater than themselves.CharacteristicsHardened by a life at sea and by the sword, the Ghostly Buccaneer makes a fine fighting companion. His ability to endure damage as well as his fearless nature makes him an asset in battle as do his natural gifts at leadership. Unfortunately, this often makes him foolhardy and reckless, leaving little room for the concern of the plans of others or their own contributions to an adventuring party. AlignmentSwept away by the chaos of the sea and caught forever in the prison of their own damned creation, the vast majority of Ghostly Pirates are evil in alignment. Those few who have not let the darkness of their pact consume their soul are still typically a cold neutral at best. Only rarely does the good Ghostly Buccaneer know that though he is damned, he can serve as an avenging spirit of the sea and try to right some of the wrong he may have helped bring into this world.ReligionKnowing they are already damned, the Ghostly Buccaneer pays little heed or homage to the deities of the world. In an odd contrast, most Ghostly Buccaneers have an extensive knowledge of the various superstitions surrounding piracy and sea travel.BackgroundGhostly Buccaneers almost always come from areas where the sea is the lifeblood of the area. Whether they were once fishermen who asked for gifts to avenge a horrible wrong, a lost seaman who asked for life with his dying breath, or a devilish researcher who actively sought the path to darkness, at some point all Ghostly Buccaneers actively decided that they wanted this condition brought down upon them. All of them asked to be damned.RacesThe overwhelming majority of Ghostly Buccaneers are human, with most of the small remainder being half-orc or half-elf. No other races would promise their soul to dark powers, except in the most extraordinary circumstance.Other ClassesGhostly Buccaneers typically get along well with Barbarians and Fighters, who they see as kinsman in combat. Though they don't trust them, they also harbor a strong respect for rogues and their ability to adapt to any situation. They can relate to the nomadic life of a ranger, though they find the spiritual nature of a druid to be disconcerting at best. Wizards are regarded with suspicion, though sorcerers are seen often as "cursed brethren." Clerics and Paladins are universally distrusted and despised by Ghostly Buccaneers.Game Rule InformationGhostly Buccaneers have the following game statistics.Abilities: Strength and Constitution are important to a Ghostly Buccaneer, as they will undoubtedly be lending martial support to a party. Charisma is also important for a Buccaneer's summoning abilities. Alignment: Chaotic good, chaotic neutral, any evil.Hit Dice: d10Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Profession (Int), Swim (Str), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4Skill Points at each additional level: 4 + Int modifierWeapon and Armor Proficiencies: Damned Buccaneers are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, light armor as well as bucklers and small shields.Fearless (Ex): At 1st level the Ghostly Buccaneer is immune to fear (magical and otherwise). He cannot be shaken, frightened, or panicked. As a person who has already sold his soul to the darkest spirits of the sea, he knows there is no greater darkness than those with whom he has already parleyed. Damage Reduction (Su): As the Ghostly Buccaneer grows in power; his body becomes less and less substantial. Blades do not cut as deeply and blows do not land as heavily. At 3rd level the Ghostly Buccaneer gains Damage Reduction 1/magic. At 6th level and every three levels thereafter, this Damage Reduction increases by 1.Ghostly Blades (Su): The Ghostly Buccaneer soon becomes so in-tune with the spirit world that he can actually cause the weapons he wields to pass through the border between the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. Starting at 4th level all melee weapons wielded by the Ghostly Buccaneer are considered to have the Ghost Touch trait.=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=This Ghostly Buccaneer class was written by James Spahn, author of Neo Paladins: The Martyr. Unorthodox Pirates will be released next week (we're pretty sure).Tomorrow's preview: The Freebooter--The Le Games, We Enhance Worlds</blockquote>

Verification