Draft House Rules


Advice

Grand Lodge

Party People,

I have drafted a set of houserules for an upcoming Skull & Shackles game. My objective is to encourage the development of thematic characters, and emphasize the importance of skills and tasks to life aboard a ship.

Would you be willing to evaluate and critique the rules listed below? I am open to any and all feedback. Thank you!

SKILLS:

Buy 2 Skills, Get 1 Free: Life at sea is a constant test of skill. Time typically spent on the road, meeting with city officials, or interacting with members of an adventurer’s professional community; all that time is spent performing shipboard duties. To represent this significant investment, I have developed the following rule – Any time a character allocates skill points, if two or more skill points are spent on sailing related skills, the character gains a bonus skill point. The list of qualifying skills includes: Appraise, Craft (Alchemy), Craft (Sails), Craft (Siege Engine), Craft (Ships), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Engineering), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Nature), Profession (Cook), Profession (Sailor), Profession (Siege Engineer), Swim

For example, Krell the human Barbarian has a 12 intelligence. At 2nd level Krell would earn 6 skill points, and she invests ranks in Knowledge (Nature), and Profession (Sailor). She would immediately gain another skill point, which could be invested in any skill, not strictly a sailing skill.

TRAITS:

Pirate’s Cunning (Basic): Whether by study, observation, or guile, years of life at sea have taught you much. Your intellect, savvy, or charm have made you an indispensable member of any seafaring crew. Select two skills from the following list. You may replace the primary ability modifier with any mental ability modifier. Appraise, Bluff, Craft (Alchemy), Craft (Sails), Craft (Siege Engine), Craft (Ships), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Engineering), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Nature), Profession (Cook), Profession (Sailor), Profession (Siege Engineer)

Stowaway (Campaign Trait): You felt the call of the sea at a very young age. Trouble at home, a nautical lineage, or a burning desire set you on a path to stowaway as a youth. Whether given duties on a desperate crew, or mentored by a caretaker pirate, spending your formative years at sea has given you a proclivity for pirate tasks. Pick a crew position from the list below. You treat two vocational skills as class skills, and both skills gain an automatic +1 trait bonus.
• Barrel Man: Perception, Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Nature)
• Boatswain / Bosun: Craft (Sails), Intimidate, Profession (Sailor)
• Carpenter: Craft (Ships), Heal, Knowledge (Engineering)
• Cook: Heal, Profession (Cook), Survival
• Coxswain: Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Nature), Profession (Sailor)
• Gunner: Craft (Siege Engine), Knowledge (Engineering), Profession (Siege Engineer)
• Master At Arms: Climb, Intimidate, Swim
• Quartermaster: Appraise, Diplomacy, Profession (Sailor)
• Rigger: Climb, Craft (Sails), Knowledge (Nature)
• Swab: Bluff, Knowledge (Local), Stealth

FEATS:

2+2=5 (Story): The life of a pirate is demanding, but rewarding. Your dedication to your life at sea is unequaled, and you have now gained an unequaled insight.
Prerequisites: One of the following feats – Athletic, Skill Focus, Expert Driver, Sea Legs, Siege Commander, Siege Engineer, Siege Gunner, Skilled Driver, Sure Grasp
5 Ranks in two of the following skills - Appraise, Craft (Alchemy), Craft (Sails), Craft (Siege Engine), Craft (Ships), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Engineering), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Nature), Profession (Cook), Profession (Sailor), Profession (Siege Engineer), Swim
Benefit: Upon taking this feat, you immediately gain two of the following feats – Athletic, Skill Focus, Expert Driver, Sea Legs, Siege Commander, Siege Engineer, Siege Gunner, Skilled Driver, Sure Grasp

Crewcible of War (Teamwork): Battles, bilges, and ballistae have pressed you into locked step with your crew. Collectively your crewmembers are able to anticipate the turn of the ship, the release of a siege engine, and fire fusillades for furious effect.
Prerequisites: 5 Ranks in any of the following skills - Appraise, Craft (Alchemy), Craft (Sails), Craft (Siege Engine), Craft (Ships), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Engineering), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Nature), Profession (Sailor), Profession (Siege Engineer)
Benefit: Any crewmember with this feat makes a piloting check to improve the performance of the siege engines. Make a DC 5 piloting check to assist a siege engine crew. For every 5 points by which the pilot exceeds the DC, an additional siege engine crew may be assisted. A siege engine crew must have at least one operator with this feat to gain the following benefits:
1) The pilot may be treated as part of the assisted siege engine crew
2) All assisted siege engines halve penalties for movement or environmental conditions
3) Assisted indirect fire siege engines halve the deviation distance on a missed attack (to a minimum of 1 square)
4) Assisted direct fire siege engine operators count as one size larger
5) Assisted siege engine crews may choose one additional benefit before making an attack roll, at the cost of an additional assist from the pilot:
a. Increase the critical threat range of one siege weapon
b. Increase the critical multiplier of one siege weapon


General Dissa Ray wrote:

Party People,

I have drafted a set of houserules for an upcoming Skull & Shackles game. My objective is to encourage the development of thematic characters, and emphasize the importance of skills and tasks to life aboard a ship.

Would you be willing to evaluate and critique the rules listed below? I am open to any and all feedback. Thank you!

SKILLS:

Buy 2 Skills, Get 1 Free: Life at sea is a constant test of skill. Time typically spent on the road, meeting with city officials, or interacting with members of an adventurer’s professional community; all that time is spent performing shipboard duties. To represent this significant investment, I have developed the following rule – Any time a character allocates skill points, if two or more skill points are spent on sailing related skills, the character gains a bonus skill point. The list of qualifying skills includes: Appraise, Craft (Alchemy), Craft (Sails), Craft (Siege Engine), Craft (Ships), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Engineering), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Nature), Profession (Cook), Profession (Sailor), Profession (Siege Engineer), Swim

For example, Krell the human Barbarian has a 12 intelligence. At 2nd level Krell would earn 6 skill points, and she invests ranks in Knowledge (Nature), and Profession (Sailor). She would immediately gain another skill point, which could be invested in any skill, not strictly a sailing skill.

TRAITS:

Pirate’s Cunning (Basic): Whether by study, observation, or guile, years of life at sea have taught you much. Your intellect, savvy, or charm have made you an indispensable member of any seafaring crew. Select two skills from the following list. You may replace the primary ability modifier with any mental ability modifier. Appraise, Bluff, Craft (Alchemy), Craft (Sails), Craft (Siege Engine), Craft (Ships), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Engineering), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Nature), Profession...

When I started that campaign, I just told the players that certain skills were really important and they took them. We didn't have a problem with fun, thematic characters. We just got them because everyone really embraced the concept of the campaign.

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