The pirate is a seafaring warrior who relies on his agility, speed, and comrades for success in battle. He is a bloodthirsty treasure-hound that strikes fear in the hearts of traveling merchants.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d10

Class Skills

Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (Nature), Linguistics (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Level	Base Attack	Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities
1st	+1	+0	+2	+0	Back-to-Back, Seamanship +1, Fighting Style
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+0	Fighting Style
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+1	Evasion
4th	+4	+1	+4	+1	Uncanny Dodge
5th	+5	+1	+4	+1	Seamanship +1
6th	+6/+1	+2	+5	+2	Fighting Style
7th	+7/+2	+2	+5	+2	Acrobatic Assault
8th	+8/+3	+2	+6	+2	Improved Flanking
9th	+9/+4	+3	+6	+3	Seamanship +1
10th	+10/+5	+3	+7	+3	Fighting Style, Intimidating Presence
11th	+11/+6/+1	+3	+7	+3	Pirate's Fortune 1/day, Death Dealer
12th	+12/+7/+2	+4	+8	+4	Improved Uncanny Dodge
13th	+13/+8/+3	+4	+8	+4	Acrobatic Mastery, Seamanship +1, Death Dealer
14th	+14/+9/+4	+4	+9	+4	Fighting Style
15th	+15/+10/+5	+5	+9	+5	Death Dealer
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+5	+10	+5	Improved Evasion
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Seamanship +1, Death Dealer
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Pirate's Fortune 2/day, Fighting Style
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Death Dealer
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Dread Pirate

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Pirates are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor and the buckler. In settings featuring firearms the pirate should be proficient in those as well.

Safety in Numbers (Ex): A pirate is trained in fighting in closed quarters with comrades on his flanks. Whenever a pirate is fighting adjacent to an ally, he gains a +1 dodge bonus to his AC. This bonus increases to +2 at 4th level, +3 at 9th level, +4 at 14th level, and +5 at 19th level. He loses this bonus if he is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC or if he or his ally moves more than 5 ft. away.

Seamanship (Ex): At 1st level, and every four levels thereafter, a pirate gains a competency bonus of +1 to Acrobatics, Climb, and Profession (sailor) checks, for a maximum bonus of +5 at level 17.

Fighting Style (Ex): At 1st level, a pirate chooses a particular style of combat, Florentine or Guns, and gains a bonus feat. The pirate's expertise further manifests in the form of bonus feats at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. He can choose feats from his selected fighting style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.

If the pirate selects Guns, at 1st level he gains Point Blank Shot. At 2nd level he can choose from the following list whenever he gains a fighting style feat: Far Shot, Precise Shot, and Rapid Shot. At 6th level, he adds Improved Precise Shot to the list. At 10th level, he adds Pinpoint Targeting and Shot on the Run to the list.

If the pirate selects Florentine, at 1st level he gain Two-Weapon Fighting. At 2nd level he can choose from the following list whenever he gains a combat style feat: Weapon Finesse, Double Slice and Two-Weapon Defense. At 6th level, he adds Improved Two-Weapon Fighting to the list. At 10th level, he adds Greater Two-Weapon Fighting and Two-Weapon Rend to the list.

The benefits of the pirate's chosen style feats apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style feats when wearing medium or heavy armor. Once a pirate selects a combat style, it cannot be changed.

Evasion (Ex): At 3rd level or higher, if a pirate makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the pirate is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless pirate does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a pirate can react to danger before his senses would normally allow her to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. He still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a pirate already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Acrobatic Assault (Ex): At 7th level the pirate gains the ability to charge in situations where others cannot. He may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement. Depending on the circumstance, he may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain.

Improved Flanking (Ex): An 8th level pirate who is flanking an opponent gains a +4 bonus on attacks instead of a +2 bonus on attacks. (Other characters flanking with the pirate don't gain this increased bonus.)

Death Dealer (Ex): A pirate deals death without mercy. As a bonus feat at 9th level he gains Critical Focus. The pirate's expertise manifests in the form of bonus feats at 11th, 13th, 15, and 19th level. At level 11, add Bleeding Critical and Sickening Critical to the list of Death Dealer feats he can choose. At 13th level add Deafening Critical, Staggering Critical, and Tiring Critical to the feats he can choose. At 15th level add Blinding Critical and Exhausting Critical to the feats he can choose. At 17th level add Critical Mastery to the feats he can choose.

Intimidating Presence (Ex): At 10th level a pirate begins to develop his reputation as a merciless combatant, one whose exploits are enough to send lesser-armed ships running for safe harbor. He gains a +6 bonus to the Intimidate Skill. At this point he earns a moniker of his choice, such as Blackbeard or Bloody John, and is usually referred to by that moniker.

Pirate's Luck (Ex): Pirates are extremely skilled and lucky individuals. Once per day, a pirate of 11th level or higher may re-roll any failed attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw. The character may take the higher of the two results. A pirate of 18th level or higher rolls 2d20 and selects the best roll. At 18th level he may use this ability two times per day.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A 12th level pirate can no longer be flanked. This defense denies rogues the ability to sneak attack the pirate by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the pirate does. If the pirate already has uncanny dodge from another class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the pirate.

Acrobatic Mastery (Ex): A 13th level pirate may always take 10 on Acrobatics and Climb checks and never loses his dexterity bonus to AC for Balancing, Climbing, Running or performing other precarious stunts.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 16th level, a pirate's evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, and now takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless pirate does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Dread Pirate (Ex): At 20th level, a pirate has made such a name for himself that people refer to him as "the Dread Pirate (name)." He gains a +6 bonus to Intimidate checks. This stacks with Intimidating Presence. In addition, whenever he travels within pirate-controlled areas, he does not need to worry about the cost of common material goods. The citizens provide...or else. His lack of mercy is something that is so widely known, that most people who meet him soil themselves.

Author's Note: Although this class was written for use in campaigns that have blackpowder weapons, it only takes a minor flavor change to make it viable in worlds still using longbows, ballista, and crossbows. Comments are appreciated. I hang out at http://www.online-roleplaying.com under the username Mercutio.

Additional Ratings
Balance:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 17 Votes )
Utility:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 16 Votes )
Clarity:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 16 Votes )