Hello adventurers welcome to my spellbook and thank you so much for checking out the 39th episode of our background series. Today we’re going to be going over pirate which in my opinion is one of the more interesting backgrounds in the player’s handbook. More so because it kind of goes against the grain of a lot of the other backgrounds found in there so it is interesting. In any case let’s dive right on into the pirate by first checking out its description.
Description
Being a pirate 5e background you’re sailed on the seagoing vessel for most of your life time years. In that case, you have been faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep and also those who would like to sink in your craft to a bottomless depths. Probably, your first love is a distant line of horizon, but mainly the time has arrived for trying your hand at almost new.
You should discuss about the nature of the ship that you’re previously sailed with your DM. Basically that was it a merchant ship, a naval vessel, a ship of discovery, or a pirate ship? How famous (or infamous) is it? Is it widely traveled? Is it still sailing, or is it missing and presumed lost with all hands?
What were your duties on board – boatswain, captain, navigator, cook, or some other position? Who were the captain and first mate? Did you leave your ship on good terms with your fellows, or on the run? Such type of queries were being asked. This pirate dnd 5e background has found in the player’s handbook.
Now as with a lot of these other backgrounds always make sure your back story lines up with your character level. For example if you are level 1, you are not going to be the lord of the seven feet seas and the blackbeard is not going to be your first mate. So do not try it unless until it’s some scrawny dude named blackbeard who is just like 12 years old or something. But for the most part at level one you’re likely just going to be a ship hand nothing really too special about you. In any case let’s move on to the mechanics.
Mechanics
- Skill Proficiencies: You gain skill proficiency in both athletics and perception. Both of which are amazing skills to have proficiency in by the way. Especially if you don’t already have it.
- Tool Proficiencies: Under tool proficiencies you will gain the navigator’s tools as well as water vehicles which is pretty useful especially is no one else in your party rather has the ability to navigate especially over the sea.
- Equipment: Under the equipment you have a belaying pin which is just really a club, 50 feet of silk rope, a lucky charm such as a rabbit foot or a small stone with a hole in the center (or you may roll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in chapter 5), a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10gp
- Languages: None
Taking a look at this overall..i do think it is quite strong especially relative to a couple of the other PHB backgrounds. Navigators tools and the water vehicles in particular are rather noteworthy. Although depending on your campaign and the NPCs you encounter along the way, their usefulness may vary. In any case let’s take a moment here and go over its feature. This one is called bad reputation.
Feature: Bad Reputation
It doesn’t matter wherever you go, the people are affend of you because of your bad reputation. So when you’re in the civilized settlement, you could be get away with some small criminal offenses like refusing to pay for food at a tavern or else breaking down doors at your local store, since most people will not report your activity to the authorities.
Now this is rather interesting and i would make a case that as you scale and level and as you pursue this more rugged thuggish lifestyle. The degree of crimes to which you can get away with would only increase, however something else worth noting is just because you don’t get reported doing it doesn’t mean it isn’t known that you did it. By this what i mean is it is fair to be said that some people namely shop owners or inn owners are not gonna like you or your party all that much.
They’ll be kind to you in person but behind the scenes they will be using any tools they have access to, to get rid of you and making sure you’re not welcome. In other words make sure you’re checking your food and drink for saliva before indulging too much. In any case let’s move on to its suggested charactertistics.
Suggested Characteristics
Mainly the pirate dnd 5e stats are mentioned below. Mainly the sailors could be a rough lot, but the responsibilities of life on the ship shall make them generally reliable too. The life abroad a ship shapes their outlook and also their forms their most important attachments. You can see the dnd pirate background ideas from one of the below tables now.
Personality Trait
For the example for personality trait i went with ” My friends know that they can rely on me, no matter what.”
| d8 | Personality traits |
|---|---|
| 1 | My friends know they can rely on me, no matter what. |
| 2 | I work hard so that I can play hard when the work is done. |
| 3 | I enjoy sailing into new ports and making new friends over a flagon of ale. |
| 4 | I stretch the truth for the sake of a good story. |
| 5 | To me, a tavern brawl is a nice way to get to know a new city. |
| 6 | I never pass up a friendly wager. |
| 7 | My language is as foul as an otyugh nest. |
| 8 | I like a job well done, especially if I can convince someone else to do it. |
Ideal
Under ideal i put “Fairness: We all do the work, so we all share in the rewards and this will take you towards the lawful side of things.”
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Respect. The thing that keeps a ship together is mutual respect between captain and crew. (Good) |
| 2 | Fairness. We all do the work, so we all share in the rewards. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Freedom. The sea is freedom-the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Mastery. I'm a predator, and the other ships on the sea are my prey. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I'm committed to my crewmates, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Aspiration. Someday I'll own my own ship and chart my own destiny. (Any) |
Bond
Under bond “I will always remember my first ship.”
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm loyal to my captain first, everything else second. |
| 2 | The ship is most important – crewmates and captains come and go. |
| 3 | I'll always remember my first ship. |
| 4 | In a harbor town, I have a paramour whose eyes nearly stole me from the sea. |
| 5 | I was cheated out of my fair share of the profits, and I want to get my due. |
| 6 | Ruthless pirates murdered my captain and crewmates, plundered our ship, and left me to die. Vengeance will be mine. |
Flaw
Under flaw “I can’t help but pocket loose coins and other trinkets i come across.”
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I follow orders, even if I think they're wrong. |
| 2 | I'll say anything to avoid having to do extra work. |
| 3 | Once someone questions my courage, I never back down no matter how dangerous the situation. |
| 4 | Once I start drinking, it's hard for me to stop. |
| 5 | I can't help but pocket loose coins and other trinkets I come across. |
| 6 | My pride will probably lead to my destruction. |
I really do kind of like this because it has that almost homesickness kind of vibe to it but you know you’re a very caring person to those in your inner circle and you likely left a lot of those behind when you decided to leave the sailing life or maybe they were taken from you in a painful way who knows. We all do the work so we all share in the rewards. It’s just a very almost noble thing to say in a lot of ways.
However it might lead you to look down on certain people in high society which might lead to some points of friction in the campaign. Always remembering your first ship kind of falls in line with that homesickness or nostalgia and under flaw it just would make sure for some interesting character developments or maybe just some interesting scenarios in general. A good way to really take advantage of this is to have the DM be like and as you check your pockets you realize you have taken the fiance’s ring without even noticing it. Something like that kind of like kleptomaniac syndrome a little bit.
Variants
Pirate
You were spend your youth under the sway of the dread pirate and a ruthless cutthroat those who was taught you how to survive in the world of the sharks and even the savages. You’ve also been indulged in the larceny on a high seas and even sent more than a deserving soul for a briny grave. The fear and also the bloodshed are no longer to be strangers to you, and even you’ve been garnered a somewhat unsavory reputation in many a port town.
Suppose, if you’ve decided that your sailing career was involved piracy and you can select the Bad Reputation feature below instead of a Ship’s Passage feature. In any case let’s move on to my personal thoughts.
Thoughts
I really like the pirate i think it’s good in almost every regard, it’s feature has some drawbacks inherent to it but you know what it would make some interesting opportunities, character advancements and just plot details in general. So i like it gives the dungeon master a lot to work with. That being said, certain members of your party might not be so fond of it but in terms of the campaign at large i doubt it’ll be affected too too much.
Conclusion
That being said, let me know what you think of the pirate down beneath in the comment section. Be sure to mention any thoughts, questions, comments or concerns you may have as well as any ideas stories or adventures of your own might have had. Of course i hope you all have a great day and as always happy adventuring.