Half-Ogre Pirate Captain


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Grand Lodge

I have been tasked with creating a Half-Ogre Pirate Captain.

I am not entirely sure how to build it.

It needs to be about CR4.

Any suggestions?


Swashbuckler would fit best.

Liberty's Edge

How much of a badass does this guy need to be? Is he intended to be the boss encounter of a story arc or just a mook?

Grand Lodge

He is intended to be a Boss.

Swashbuckler just seems, a bit too dex focused.

Liberty's Edge

If you're looking for the hardest encounter possible, make him a magus or a warpriest. If you want something a bit more thematically appropriate I'd do a seasinger bard, sea reaver barbarian, or thug rogue.

Any of those sound enticing?


Barbarian (Sea reaver)?


Well, he wants boss, so don't do a rogue. Maybe a Viking fighter would work.

Liberty's Edge

A well built rogue can be an excellent boss, especially one with an unavoidable disabling gimmick (which the thug has).

Grand Lodge

I should really clarify, that I mean the Pathfinder Half-Ogre, or Ogrekin.

Sorry if it was confused with the 3rd Party ‎Adamant Entertainment‎ Half-Ogre race.

Liberty's Edge

This is intended for a 2nd level party? How many players are in it?


Here's one I whipped up. Might be a bit much. And could use some proofing. This THING is suppose dto be CR4? Yeesh.

Took the base ogrekin from beastiary 2 (based on a fighter) and then changed it.

Spoiler:

Captain Cleaver
Ogrekin Captain (Half-Ogre) CR 4

Male human ogrekin Barbarian (Sea reaver/Invulnerable Rager) 4
CE Medium humanoid (giant)
Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +1

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, +3 natural, +4 Armor)
hp 50 (4d12+20 incl favored class) (+8 HP raging)
Fort +8, Ref +2, Will+2 (+4 raging);
Defensive Abilities
DR 2/-
Extreme Endurance (fire) Resist Fire 1

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee
Normal Large +1 Greatword +12 (3d6+10)
Raging Power Attack Furious focus: Large +1 Greatsword +12 (3d6+19)

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6
Raging:
Str 28, Dex 13, Con 22, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +4; CMB 11; CMD 22
Feats Power Attack, Furious Focus
Rage Powers: Guarded Life, Reckless Abandon
Skills Climb* +13, Swim* +13, Intimidate +5, Profession (Sailor) +8,
Languages Common
SQ deformities (Oversized Limb, Light sensitive), Damage Reduction

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Rage (Ex)
+4 STR, Con, +2 will saves, 20 rounds/day

Oversized Limb (Ex):
The ogrekin can wield weapons one size category larger than normal without any penalty and gains a +2 bonus to its Strength.

Light Sensitive (Ex)

The ogrekin gains light sensitivity.

Marine Terror (Ex)

A sea reaver can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to four times her Constitution score. In addition, a sea reaver can move normally though squares of standing water or bog that is 1 foot deep. It does not cost her extra movement to traverse these terrains. Lastly, a sea reaver ignores the normal cover bonus to AC when attacking creatures that are partially immersed in water.

Eyes of the Storm (Ex)

At 2nd level, a sea reaver ignores any concealment provided by fog, rain, sleet, mist, wind, or other weather effects that is less than total concealment, and any penalties weather applies on Perception checks are halved.

Savage Sailor (Ex)

At 3rd level, a sea reaver gains a +1 bonus on Acrobatics, Climb, Profession (sailor), Survival, and Swim checks made in aquatic terrain, including aboard a ship or along shorelines. These bonuses improve by +1 every three levels after 3rd.

GEAR:
Large +1 Greatsword, Large Chain Shirt

Grand Lodge

Does Oversized Limb allow you to bypass the number of hands required?

Grand Lodge

Feral wrote:
This is intended for a 2nd level party? How many players are in it?

I have been told the party is 2nd to 3rd, with 3 to 5 players.

They are 20 point buy PCs.

Yeah, this DM is great at being vague.


Gnome Ogrekin With Obese and oversized Limbs holding oversized leg's of beef as clubs.... and an eyepatch! ...... I may just go make that the next pc I play lol.

Liberty's Edge

I'm at the gym right now but I'll post a couple suggestions when I get home.


blackbloodtroll wrote:
Does Oversized Limb allow you to bypass the number of hands required?

The description doesn't say if it only applies to one. It just says "wield weapons".

Maybe having 1 hand oversized is sufficient?

If 1 limb is not sufficient, I guess you can trade out furious focus for exotic WP (Bastard Sword), make the damage adjustments and call it a day. I guess it would be GM interpretation.

It would do less damage 1-handed, but then I'd give him a large shield.

And he'd probably still massacre a 3rd level party.


blackbloodtroll wrote:
Feral wrote:
This is intended for a 2nd level party? How many players are in it?

I have been told the party is 2nd to 3rd, with 3 to 5 players.

They are 20 point buy PCs.

Yeah, this DM is great at being vague.

A well built challenge rating 4 ogrekin Barbarian will walk through one shotting the described group, or be torn down with a disable and some concentrated fire. Not an encounter that really pays off for the effort you put into it.

How about a gunslinger ogrekin with a bard/Cleric/buffer first mate and expert/fighter quartermaster?

Grand Lodge

What I mean is, that a Large One-handed weapon, is a Two-handed weapon for a Medium creature, whilst a Large Two-handed weapon, is impossible for a medium creature.

It looks like it just removes penalties, not change the number of hands required to wield the weapon.

Grand Lodge

DM Livgin wrote:


A well built challenge rating 4 ogrekin Barbarian will walk through one shotting the described group, or be torn down with a disable and some concentrated fire. Not an encounter that really pays off for the effort you put into it.

How about a gunslinger ogrekin with a bard/Cleric/buffer first mate and expert/fighter quartermaster?

I not sure how I would go about building that either.


blackbloodtroll wrote:

What I mean is, that a Large One-handed weapon, is a Two-handed weapon for a Medium creature, whilst a Large Two-handed weapon, is impossible for a medium creature.

It looks like it just removes penalties, not change the number of hands required to wield the weapon.

Ah, I see... so let's do this the easy way.

Make it a bastard sword with EWP (1-handed) so he can then wield it 2 handed.

Grand Lodge

Also, there will be a number of weaker fights just before this boss.

I guess that is something to consider.

Liberty's Edge

This guy is less murderous than the barbarian but with better staying power and less likely to be one-shot by a save-or-lose. He can spell combat 4 times per day to heal himself or buff with bear's endurance, shield of faith, or divine favor.

Warpriest of Besmara:
Brutal Bart CR 4
XP 1200
Human Ogrekin Warpriest 4
CN Medium humanoid (giant, human)
Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +6
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +1 shield, +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 41 (4d8+20)
Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +9
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee light shield bash +9 (1d3+9/×2) and
. . masterwork cutlass +12 (1d6+9/18-20/×2)
Special Attacks Channel Energy 1d6
Warpriest Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +6):
2nd (2/day)—bear's endurance, stalwart resolve
1st (4/day)—shield of faith, divine favor, bless, remove fear
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 24, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +9; CMD 21
Feats Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (cutlass)
Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +5, Perception +6, Profession (sailor) +9, Swim +8
Languages Common
SQ aura, blessings, copycat, Fervor 1d6, Sacred Weapon +2, blessings (trickery blessing, weather blessing), spontaneous casting, storm strike
Other Gear Masterwork Breastplate, Masterwork Light wooden shield, Masterwork Cutlass, Cloak of resistance +1
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Aura (Ex) The Cleric has an aura corresponding to his deity's alignment.
Blessings (5/day) (Su) A warpriest’s deity influences his alignment, what magic he can perform, his values, and how others see him. Each warpriest can select two blessings from among those granted by his deity (each deity grants the blessings tied to its domains). A warpri
Cleave If you hit a foe, attack an adjacent target at the same attack bonus but take -2 AC.
Copycat (Su) As a move action, create 1 mirror image (doesn't stack).
Fervor 1d6 (3/day) (Su) Standard action, touch channels positive/negative energy to heal or harm. Swift to cast spell on self.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Sacred Weapon +2 (4 rounds/day) (Su) As a swift action, grant weapon enhancement bonus or certain powers.
Spontaneous Casting The Cleric can convert stored spells into Cure or Inflict spells.
Storm Strike (Su) Touched melee weapon deals +1d4 electricity dam for 1 min.
Warpriest Channel Positive Energy 1d6 (1/day) (DC 13) (Su) Positive energy heals the living and harms the undead; negative has the reverse effect.

Grand Lodge

That's pretty cool.

Keeps the "Captain" part more relevant.


blackbloodtroll wrote:
DM Livgin wrote:


A well built challenge rating 4 ogrekin Barbarian will walk through one shotting the described group, or be torn down with a disable and some concentrated fire. Not an encounter that really pays off for the effort you put into it.

How about a gunslinger ogrekin with a bard/Cleric/buffer first mate and expert/fighter quartermaster?

I not sure how I would go about building that either.

To start with the minions, we'll do the bard first mate, mostly because I like the idea of the bard playing a flute inspiring competence for the whole crew. Use the level one bard from the npc codex and add some flavor, switch out the rapier for a cutlass, hmm, no cutlass in the equipment book, use the scimitar and describe it as a cutlass. Also the weapon fitness feat no longer applies, so lets switch that out for toughness, it is flavor appropriate if he is a half elf hanging out with an ogrekin pirate. He comes out to CR 0.5 (200 exp)

Next is the quartermaster, start with the shipmate from the back of the DM guide. Adding flavor we again keep the scimitar and skin it as a cutlass. As he is he's a expert/warrior, we can switch that to a fighter by just adding one feat. We will keep the skill focus sailor feat, it is flavor appropriate and NPCs should not always be combat optimized. The dodge feat is a good pick, but we want to play with different mechanics so let's give him combat expertise and improved disarm. The stat block doesn't have enough intelligence for the combat expertise feat so we will just hand wave, GM fiat, the stat block up to 13 in, maybe add a hit to wis and cha. He comes out to CR 0.5 (200 exp), the 2 hit dice quartermaster has the same challenge rating as the 1 hit dice first mate because he has the npc gear budget.

You've noticed I've been counting experience, that's cause we are using Alexander Augunas's guide to creating challenging encounters. The CR 4 encounter gives us a 1200 experience budget, 400 has been used leaving us exactly 800 experience, or a CR 3 captain. The ogrekin template adds +1 CR, so all we have left is to make a level 3 gunslinger (CR 2) and add the template. I don't have my ultimate combat with me so I can't help with the gunslinger levels. A lvl 3-4 pc class has a 3k to 6k budget, give him a masterwork gun, some +1 armor, a ring if you want to give the party better loot, then fill out the rest of your budget with flavor items from page 294, sailors, of the DM guide.

Forgive any typos.

Grand Lodge

This DM uses event-based leveling.

So, XP is never used.


Not as an award, but it's still effective as a measurement of how challenging a fight should be.

Grand Lodge

Ipslore the Red wrote:
Not as an award, but it's still effective as a measurement of how challenging a fight should be.

Ah.

I have no experience building encounters.

I have just been asked to do a favor, and want to do a decent job.


Environmental factors can also help. If they're not good climbers, making your captain a good climber and fighting on his ships' rigging would make things more challenging.

Grand Lodge

Well, a ship is a likely place for the battle to happen, but as far as I know, the battle could be on land as well, depending on what the PCs do.


Ah, yes. Vagueness. You might want to write a couple different sets of tactics and possibly give him somewhat different consumables for land and ship battles. Ship battles would involve more bull rushing, repositioning, and such to push PCs overboard, as an example.

Grand Lodge

Should he be Bull Rush focused?

How would I do that, with the Pirate Captain feel?


Corsair fighter works well for an ogre. Maybe use reposition to take away flanking.

Liberty's Edge

It's hard to make bull rush a useful combat mechanic until a bit higher level.

Grand Lodge

So, no bull rush?

What is the best base race to create this NPC?


You could use the race building rules from the Advanced Race Guide. Here's an example of how they would build an ogre: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advancedRaceGuide/raceBuilder/exampleRac es.html#_other-race-examples

With that you can factor in the size if you want to go Large, or stay Medium.

Grand Lodge

Wycen wrote:

You could use the race building rules from the Advanced Race Guide. Here's an example of how they would build an ogre: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advancedRaceGuide/raceBuilder/exampleRac es.html#_other-race-examples

With that you can factor in the size if you want to go Large, or stay Medium.

That is not needed.

I need only a base medium Humanoid, such as Human, or Dwarf, and apply the Ogrekin template.


Is it intended to be a challenge that is about as hard as a CR4 monster, or is it intended to mechanically add up to CR4? Because if it's the first, you might want to consider disregarding the CR applied by the templates/levels and just compare it to existing creatures. As a boss, you might want to focus mainly on it's defences, and leave offense threatening but less "one hit one kill" and more rounded defenses so it's likely to last for a bit.

Grand Lodge

A bit beefy and defensive?

Grand Lodge

Okay, here is my first go:

Captain Fathands:
Captain Fathands
Human Ogrekin Ranger (Freebooter, Wild Stalker) 4
CE Medium humanoid (giant, human)
Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
Aura freebooter's bane (1 ft.)
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +3 natural)
hp 60 (4d10+20)
Fort +8 (+4 vs. hot or cold environments and to resist damage from suffocation), Ref +4, Will +2
Defensive Abilities uncanny dodge
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee (L) masterwork trident +13 (2d6+12) and
net +8 ()
Special Attacks rage (8 rounds/day)
Ranger (Freebooter, Wild Stalker) Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +2):
1st—longstrider
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 26, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 6
Base Atk +4; CMB +12 (+14 bull rush); CMD 22 (24 vs. bull rush)
Feats Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack
Skills Climb +15, Intimidate +13, Perception +9 (+11 while in water terrain), Profession (sailor) +8, Stealth
+7 (+9 while in water terrain), Survival +8 (+10 while in water terrain, +10 to track), Swim +15 (+19 to
resist nonlethal damage from exhaustion)
Languages Common
SQ favored terrain (water +2), freebooter's bond, track, wild empathy
Combat Gear oil of magic weapon, Potion of Bull's Strength (x2); Other Gear +1 wooden armor,
masterwork trident, net, 230 GP
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Endurance +4 to a variety of fort saves, skill and ability checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Favored Terrain (Water +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs Favored Terrain (Water).
Freebooter's Bane +1 (Ex) +1 to hit & damage vs. chosen target.
Freebooter's Bond At 4th level, a freebooter forms a bond with her crewmates. This bond allows her to
spend a move action to grant her allies extra combat prowess when they work as a team. All allies within
30 feet who can see or hear the freebooter gain an additional
Improved Bull Rush You don't provoke attacks of opportunity when bull rushing.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Potion of Bull's Strength (x2) Add this item to create a potion of a chosen spell.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Rage (8 rounds/day) (Ex) +4 Str, +4 Con, +2 to Will saves, -2 to AC when enraged.
Track +2 Add the listed bonus to survival checks made to track.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex) Retain Dex bonus to AC when flat-footed.
Wild Empathy +4 (Ex) Improve the attitude of an animal, as if using Diplomacy.

I will add some mundane gear later.

What do you think?

Dark Archive

That Will save looks dangerously low, sleep, hypnotism, colour spray etc are likely to have a DC of 15-16 at this point, that's maybe a 60% chance to fail his save even when raging, perhaps swap out a feat for Iron Will to at least give him a 50/50?

His damage is way more than enough imo, presuming Power Attack is worked into it already he goes up to +17/2d6+16 if given a couple of rounds to buff, if it's not then it's even more and he's probably doing enough to one shot most 2nd or 3rd level characters. I'd focus a little more on defences or tricks to make him memorable, like the Bull Rush (especially if they face him on a ship and he can knock people overboard).

Grand Lodge

Intimidating Prowess swapped for Iron Will?

With the bonus from Rage, it should be high enough?

Maybe switch some of the Potions to something defensive?

Dark Archive

Feat change sounds good, buffs his save to a decent level. Maybe a couple of Blur or Aid potions in place of Bulls Strength? Still low level and gives him a bit more defensive ompf.


I'd consider adding (or swapping) a level of hungry ghost monk (handwave the alignment prereq - you're the gm). She'd get:
+2/+2/+2 to saves, improved unarmed strikes and flurry (+11/+11 (1d8+8), punishing kick 2/day, and a bonus feat (probably dodge for +1 AC).

If she's supposed to be encountered alone, the battlefield control from Punishing Kick (which can be applied to armed attacks, unlike stunning fist) will come in useful. The +2 to all saves are likewise very nice, and since she has a (limited) flurry she's not as reliant on the trident, making her both more protected against disarms, and able to throw the trident if needed. Combined with the feat swap, she ends up with very respectable saves of +10/+6/+6. If she has time to pre-buff a bit, a cheap potion of resistance brings it up to +11/+7/+7, which means she'd have about a 50/50 even against a focused SoL-caster.

I'm not sure how optimized the party is though, and how good they are at tactics. If you instead swap the level, in total she'd get:
+1/+1/+2 to saves, improved unarmed strikes and flurry (+10/+10), punishing kick 1/day and a bonus feat.
but lose:
1 AB, Freebooter's Bond, her 1st level spell.

Grand Lodge

Well, I have just been given the go on a First Mate, that he may run along side the Captain, if he feels the party needs a bigger challenge.

It may not be needed at all, as this party seems rather, unoptimized.

Dark Archive

From an optimising pov I'd say a cleric of Gorum with Strength and Tactics domains, stood behind the Ogrekin healing/buffing. But I think you might kill their entire party with those two soooo...

Maybe a Half Orc Bard (Archaeologist) or Monk perhaps, give him a ridiculous intimidate and Enforcer, etc and he's the scary one who ensures the captains orders are carried out. Useful in combat, doesn't slaughter the party and thematically appropriate.

Grand Lodge

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I had the sudden idea, that the First Mate would be the actual brains of the operation.

The Ogrekin Captain being more of a, mascot of sorts.

Terrifying enough, that no one would disobey orders, and impress the crew in combat.

Just a thought.


Sounds like a good idea to me. Clerics are always good, and a reach cleric seems perfect.

Is the first mate going to be another ogrekin?

The Cleric:

Gorum Ogrekin CR 4
XP 1,200
Human Ogrekin Cleric 4
CE Medium humanoid (giant, human)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 37 (4d8+16)
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +6
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee masterwork ranseur +10 (2d4+9/×3)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 2/day (DC 11, 2d6)
Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +6)
5/day—strength surge (+2), touch of evil (2 rounds)
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +6):
2nd—bull's strength [D], bull's strength, cure moderate wounds, sound burst (DC 14)
1st—bless, cure light wounds, divine favor, enlarge person [D] (DC 13), protection from good
0 (at will)—detect magic, guidance, light, mending
[D] Domain spell; Domains Evil, Strength
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 22, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +9; CMD 21
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Toughness
Skills Intimidate +6, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +9, Spellcraft +8
Languages Abyssal, Common
SQ aura, domains (evil, strength)
Combat Gear oil of magic weapon, potion of barkskin +2; Other Gear masterwork four-mirror armor, masterwork ranseur
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Aura (Ex) The Cleric has an aura corresponding to his deity's alignment.
Cleric Channel Negative Energy 2d6 (2/day) (DC 11) (Su) Positive energy heals the living and harms the undead; negative has the reverse effect.
Cleric Domain (Evil) Granted Powers: You are sinister and cruel, and have wholly pledged your soul to the cause of evil.
Cleric Domain (Strength) Granted Powers: In strength and brawn there is truth–your faith gives you incredible might and power.
Combat Reflexes (3 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Strength Surge (5/day) (Sp) Grant +2 to a melee atack or strength check.
Touch of Evil (2 rds) (5/day) (Sp) With a melee touch attack, target is sickened and counted as good-aligned for the purpose of [Evil] spells.

This was the only chaotic evil god with a reach weapon, but the domains aren't so bad

Grand Lodge

First Mate could, conceivably, be any race. Ogrekin not required.

Just "would hang out with an Ogrekin Pirate" as a restriction.

Yeah, like I said, this DM loves being vague.


Usually ogrekin only hang out with each other, because they eat other humanoid races, so it makes sense he would have a trusted ogerkin lieutenant.

Grand Lodge

Not some other "undesirable" race?

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