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<blockquote data-quote="billd91" data-source="post: 6286813" data-attributes="member: 3400">This is why the devious captain cultivates informants among his other crew and officers. But ultimately, maybe he discovers it, maybe he doesn't. Either way - are the players having fun? Is the kickback fairly detectable if the fighter-class captain happens to do the right things to find it (hires an auditor, follows-up on suspicions with other NPCs, etc)? Then it doesn't matter if the fighter character has the intimidation, sense motive, appraise, profession (merchant) or any of that himself. He may have to spread a little more cash around than if he had the skills himself.In Skull and Shackles, I started captaining the ship at maybe 3rd level as a summoner. And that worked out OK. My sailing skills are terrible - I was pressed into being the cook. But I've got a good diplomacy and our PCs built up a good coalition of other crew members so that when we felt it was time to mutiny, we already had most of the crew on our side. Since that point, we've been treating them right with regular pay and shore leave - who needs to intimidate them into doing everything?I agree that you shouldn't be a feared and powerful pirate lord instantly - but I wouldn't consider it dependent on level so much as building up a reputation and pirate appropriate power resources through play. &quot;Power&quot; may be personal combat prowess but it might also be allied or vassal ships, important political connections in ports of call, skilled crews and subordinate officers, and good equipment. And none of those are inherently tied to level.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="billd91, post: 6286813, member: 3400"] This is why the devious captain cultivates informants among his other crew and officers. But ultimately, maybe he discovers it, maybe he doesn't. Either way - are the players having fun? Is the kickback fairly detectable if the fighter-class captain happens to do the right things to find it (hires an auditor, follows-up on suspicions with other NPCs, etc)? Then it doesn't matter if the fighter character has the intimidation, sense motive, appraise, profession (merchant) or any of that himself. He may have to spread a little more cash around than if he had the skills himself. In Skull and Shackles, I started captaining the ship at maybe 3rd level as a summoner. And that worked out OK. My sailing skills are terrible - I was pressed into being the cook. But I've got a good diplomacy and our PCs built up a good coalition of other crew members so that when we felt it was time to mutiny, we already had most of the crew on our side. Since that point, we've been treating them right with regular pay and shore leave - who needs to intimidate them into doing everything? I agree that you shouldn't be a feared and powerful pirate lord instantly - but I wouldn't consider it dependent on level so much as building up a reputation and pirate appropriate power resources through play. "Power" may be personal combat prowess but it might also be allied or vassal ships, important political connections in ports of call, skilled crews and subordinate officers, and good equipment. And none of those are inherently tied to level. [/QUOTE]

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