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So yeah, as the title says I am planning a homebrew pirate campaign, I'm huge into worldbuilding so I already got all the history and factions and lore (doesn't mean I don't want to hear any suggestions on stuff to add)
What I'd like to know is:
1: any suggestions on how to run things, or rules, tweaks, stories and the like would be very nice
2: I cannot decide how to do firearms, I'm leaning to early firearms but I specifically would like to add in colonial style rifles and those just don't feel like muskets OR rifles according to the rules
3: are there any books I should look into? I already have the core rulebook, ultimate equipment and combat, as well as a few more, I do not have the Inner Sea book
4: I am doing this in pathfinder 1st edition
5: I have GMd a few times before, but I am still young and stupid so any GMing advice is also good
Any suggestions or the like would be very nice and much appreciated!
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I'd take a long hard look at the Skulls and Shackles Adventure Path...
Originality is overrated
The most important thing may be to decide what kind of things your pirates want to do. Will they be raiding ships? Will they loot and pillage? Will they have a greater purpose or just be randomly going from port to port? What size ships will they have and how will they get the crew to man those ships?
What pirate themes do you want to make sure you do? Treasure hunt? Defeating a powerful pirate captain?
Originality is overrated
The most important thing may be to decide what kind of things your pirates want to do. Will they be raiding ships? Will they loot and pillage? Will they have a greater purpose or just be randomly going from port to port? What size ships will they have and how will they get the crew to man those ships?
What pirate themes do you want to make sure you do? Treasure hunt? Defeating a powerful pirate captain?
So the pirates in the region are generally based upon the one's from privateer days, attacking ships with fast and light craft so they can turn them in to whatever kingdom or faction is at odds with the crew they just raided. Some however are more akin to full fledged factions, taking hold of ports and requiring tribute from the locals and docking foreigners.
There's also a faction analagous to the East India Company.The themes are kind of more imperial Europe than pure pirates, but I'm thinking of adding in elements of 'pirate mythos' like ghost ships, sea hags, skeletons and cursed treasures.
I have not gotten all the info on players and such, and I'm trying to have things prepped before a full session 0
I'd take a long hard look at the Skulls and Shackles Adventure Path...
I like some of the stuff therr, but it also feels like a different brand of pirate than what I'm going for. I'm kind of more doing an Age of Sail but with fantasy elements, where this seems much more directly pirate focused. Still very good though, thanks!
Yes, so running privateers is a little easier than pirate-pirates in my opinion. Your characters have a little more structure to play off, being that you are more mercenaries than outlaws.
What I'd like to know is:
1: any suggestions on how to run things, or rules, tweaks, stories and the like would be very nice
I think it would be a good idea to make sure you have a good grasp of underwater combat, ship combat, and maybe siege weapon combat. Find some discussions on them to understand where they may fall short and if anyone has any homebrew fixes (or revamps) that you want to consider.
Yes, so running privateers is a little easier than pirate-pirates in my opinion. Your characters have a little more structure to play off, being that you are more mercenaries than outlaws.
Exactly! So, do you know of any suggestions following that concept?
Just to quickly run by one aspect of the campaign I was working on, here's the general idea I have for firearm rules.
Firearms count as martial weapons, but costs remain as listed.
Advanced firearms are not in circulation, or are incredibly rare and cannot be bought.
Gunsmithing need not be taken to utilize firearms, but is still required to make any repairs on the gun.
I also created a prototype stat block for the colonial era rifle I wanted to implement
LONG RIFLE (EARLY FIREARM)
COST: 3000GP WEIGHT: 7LBS
DAMAGE: 1D10 (SMALL), 1D12 (MEDIUM)
RANGE: 100FT
MISFIRE: 1-2 CAPACITY: 1
RELOAD IS ALWAYS A FULL ROUND ACTION AND CANNOT BE AFFECTED BY RAPID RELOAD OR MUSKET MASTER, IS REDUCED TO STANDARD ACTION BY PAPER CARTRIDGES. CANNOT FIRE OTHER FORMS OF ALCHEMICAL CARTRIDGES
Just to quickly run by one aspect of the campaign I was working on, here's the general idea I have for firearm rules.
Firearms count as martial weapons, but costs remain as listed.
Advanced firearms are not in circulation, or are incredibly rare and cannot be bought.
Gunsmithing need not be taken to utilize firearms, but is still required to make any repairs on the gun.I also created a prototype stat block for the colonial era rifle I wanted to implement
LONG RIFLE (EARLY FIREARM)
COST: 3000GP WEIGHT: 7LBS
DAMAGE: 1D10 (SMALL), 1D12 (MEDIUM)
RANGE: 100FT
MISFIRE: 1-2 CAPACITY: 1
RELOAD IS ALWAYS A FULL ROUND ACTION AND CANNOT BE AFFECTED BY RAPID RELOAD OR MUSKET MASTER, IS REDUCED TO STANDARD ACTION BY PAPER CARTRIDGES. CANNOT FIRE OTHER FORMS OF ALCHEMICAL CARTRIDGES
So, you mentioned you were young and haven't GM'd very much - My advice is to limit how many house rules you create. Do bans instead of modify existing rules, at least until you have quite a few games under your belt (I've been playing for 40 years and still modify very few rules). I also advise to use stuff already available - I mentioned the Skulls and Shackles AP earlier - my advice is to just run it. for the same prep time, your players will have a better adventure since you aren't starting from scratch.
Going off my experience running Skulls & Shackles. Your players may want to build their own ship at some point
I found Ships of Skybourne has some fairly decent rules for making all kinds of ships, if you end up needing them. Wish I had it when I ran the AP. It's mainly about making Airships but it works for regular ships as well, just ignore the stuff needed to get the ship in the air
Unless you want to shift to Air Pirates