Currently, I am preparing for a D&D session where a good friend will be leaving our table for an extended period; and I want to prep a character for what is likely to be a sea-faring adventure (which may go on even further).
I have tentatively settled on a Fire Genasi (from the new Monsters of the Multiverse), with the “Pirate” background.
The “Bad Reputation” feature of the Pirate background very much ties into the character’s backstory…Fire Genasi are rarely welcome on sailing ships; as many fear that their fiery heritage will inadvertently set their vessel ablaze. A mishap where an entire port filled with ships caught fire, led an angry mob to blame the Fire Genasi in their youth for the deed (which wasn’t true at all), and led to the only family the Fire Genasi knew to be killed defending them.
Needless to say, this fueled a burning anger in the Fire Genasi which led them to become everything they feared…a pirate of the high seas who would burn every ship that dared oppose them. They have charcoal-colored skin & hair, and pupil-less eyes that sometimes burn with the embers of a dying flame. Flecks of ash or soot will sometimes dance about them; and when angered their steps will cause faint smoke to rise from the surfaces of where they tread.
…anyway, I have to come up with a name: and I have already settled on the surname Bellows (a name which means “the air that feeds the flame”)
I need a first name to go with Bellows; and am hitting a bit of a block.
For a class; I am leaning towards a Bladesinger Wizard (all the fun of spells; with a dash of swashbuckling).
…but, I don’t want this…forum, thread? I can never remember the difference…to be solely about my character…
…so also: let’s here about interesting races / classes that make for cool Pirate-themed characters!
And share some of your characters that have been Sailors / Pirates!
I played a half-elf Bladesinger/Echo Knight multiclassed pirate for a Level 7-8 campaign. He would use his bladesong to cut down opponents in combat and use his echo to bamf around the enemy ships and specifically, their sails and rigging, while his seagull familiar would harass enemies.
He was a right bastard, and a lot of fun to play both mechanically and as a character.
I played a half-elf Bladesinger/Echo Knight multiclassed pirate for a Level 7-8 campaign. He would use his bladesong to cut down opponents in combat and use his echo to bamf around the enemy ships and specifically, their sails and rigging, while his seagull familiar would harass enemies.
He was a right bastard, and a lot of fun to play both mechanically and as a character.
Great concept; I like when the mechanics of the character tie into the background.
If you can find it then the Legends of Runeterra Bilgewater setting that was released a while back has some nice options for pirates. I really enjoyed doing a bit of an odd ball combo of Triton + Sailor/Pirate background + lvl 5 Barbarian Path of the Depths (from the Runeterra setting) + lvl 5 Warlock with Marid Genie Patron & Pacto f Tome, plenty of stompy melee shennigans with some magical options for when raging isnt beneficial.
Edit: I played him as an enforcer for the Marid Genie, raoming around making sure those in the Genie's employment (other warlocks) were adherring to their agreements.
Swashbuckler rogue is what usually comes to mind for me first for a pirate character, at least the 'swashbuckling' kind. But I think Fathomless warlock could also make a fun pirate character. Someone betrayed by their crew, or throw overboard during a ship battle etc, sinking into the sea and offered a pact by a kracken or some other dark power lurking beneath the waves. Coming back to the surface with a new lease on life and out to reclaim all they lost and get revenge on who put them in the sea to start with.
Any sort of sea dwelling creature with enough power to be a warlock patron would work well I think.
The suggestions are:
Entities of the deep that might empower a warlock include krakens, ancient water elementals, godlike hallucinations dreamed into being by kuo-toa, merfolk demigods, and sea hag covens.
But I think an aboleth would also work. I'm sure there are other examples as well.
The tentacle the subclass can summon as its defining feature can always be given a new flavor as well for patrons where tentacles don't quite fit the theming.
Tempest clerics make excellent pirates. They can be the ship’s chaplain, and sink the enemies with control water, or blow them up with call lightning, or even shatter. Then when the fight’s over go around healing their crew.
As for a first name maybe Agni? I have a female air genesai ranger 6 (Fey wanderer)/ storm sorceror 1 that would make a heck of a pirate/0cean adventurer. She is in a campaign that is on hold exploring an island that rises from the sea for 14 days once a century looking for a magic spear her team’s patron wants to find. Her ability to hold her breath indefinitely and her swim speed have proven invaluable.
How about “Igni” for a first name? It literally means “fire,” and “Igni Bellows” has a nice ring to it.
If I were gonna do a pirate my first instinct would be a Swashbuckler Rogue with maybe a multiclass into Bard for College of Swords as it would make a nice combo. Otherwise I would consider either a Path or the Depths Barbarian from Runtarra as it might fit Mx. Bellows fiery nature (if you need it I can hook you up with a copy), or an Oath of the Open Seas Paladin from Critical Role as it might fit the character’s swearing to become what those people feared most as a pirate of the open seas.
I actually used that Path of the Depths Barbarian for an NPC once and it worked well.
If you're going with Swashbuckler Rogue, then I'd recommend multiclassing a level or two into Hexblade instead. That way, your Charisma mod is pulling double-duty (boosting both your Initiative and your stabby-stabs), and you can claim that you're slapping people around with a Cursed Pirate Sword named LeChop, that you discovered on an island entirely populated by monkeys, embedded in the corpse of some Guy stuck in a Brush, next to Three(p) stacks of Wood. Bonus points if you take a quick dip into Eloquence Bard as well, for those epic Persuasion checks, to bolster your piratey Panache.~
'Edward' comes to mind as a first name. Seems plebian to many, but Blackbeard was named Edward Teach IRL, and the name's just always had a faintly piratical air to it. Edward Bellows is far from the worst name I've heard for a character.
'Edward' comes to mind as a first name. Seems plebian to many, but Blackbeard was named Edward Teach IRL, and the name's just always had a faintly piratical air to it. Edward Bellows is far from the worst name I've heard for a character.
That…is actually pretty straightforward; and is a nice callback.
Since my initial post; my group has been tossing out names left & right, too.
Somehow, he ended up with a Cajun accent; and is being tentatively called “Jambalaya Bellows”. XD
Currently, I am preparing for a D&D session where a good friend will be leaving our table for an extended period; and I want to prep a character for what is likely to be a sea-faring adventure (which may go on even further).
I have tentatively settled on a Fire Genasi (from the new Monsters of the Multiverse), with the “Pirate” background.
The “Bad Reputation” feature of the Pirate background very much ties into the character’s backstory…Fire Genasi are rarely welcome on sailing ships; as many fear that their fiery heritage will inadvertently set their vessel ablaze. A mishap where an entire port filled with ships caught fire, led an angry mob to blame the Fire Genasi in their youth for the deed (which wasn’t true at all), and led to the only family the Fire Genasi knew to be killed defending them.
Needless to say, this fueled a burning anger in the Fire Genasi which led them to become everything they feared…a pirate of the high seas who would burn every ship that dared oppose them. They have charcoal-colored skin & hair, and pupil-less eyes that sometimes burn with the embers of a dying flame. Flecks of ash or soot will sometimes dance about them; and when angered their steps will cause faint smoke to rise from the surfaces of where they tread.
…anyway, I have to come up with a name: and I have already settled on the surname Bellows (a name which means “the air that feeds the flame”)
I need a first name to go with Bellows; and am hitting a bit of a block.
For a class; I am leaning towards a Bladesinger Wizard (all the fun of spells; with a dash of swashbuckling).
…but, I don’t want this…forum, thread? I can never remember the difference…to be solely about my character…
…so also: let’s here about interesting races / classes that make for cool Pirate-themed characters!
And share some of your characters that have been Sailors / Pirates!
I played a half-elf Bladesinger/Echo Knight multiclassed pirate for a Level 7-8 campaign. He would use his bladesong to cut down opponents in combat and use his echo to bamf around the enemy ships and specifically, their sails and rigging, while his seagull familiar would harass enemies.
He was a right bastard, and a lot of fun to play both mechanically and as a character.
Great concept; I like when the mechanics of the character tie into the background.
If you can find it then the Legends of Runeterra Bilgewater setting that was released a while back has some nice options for pirates. I really enjoyed doing a bit of an odd ball combo of Triton + Sailor/Pirate background + lvl 5 Barbarian Path of the Depths (from the Runeterra setting) + lvl 5 Warlock with Marid Genie Patron & Pacto f Tome, plenty of stompy melee shennigans with some magical options for when raging isnt beneficial.
Edit: I played him as an enforcer for the Marid Genie, raoming around making sure those in the Genie's employment (other warlocks) were adherring to their agreements.
I think you should name them Flute. Like Francis Flute, the bellows mender in Midsummer Night’s Dream.
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).
Swashbuckler rogue is what usually comes to mind for me first for a pirate character, at least the 'swashbuckling' kind. But I think Fathomless warlock could also make a fun pirate character. Someone betrayed by their crew, or throw overboard during a ship battle etc, sinking into the sea and offered a pact by a kracken or some other dark power lurking beneath the waves. Coming back to the surface with a new lease on life and out to reclaim all they lost and get revenge on who put them in the sea to start with.
What about a warlock who made a pact with a powerful aboleth? I picture them looking and acting kind of like Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean.
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).
Any sort of sea dwelling creature with enough power to be a warlock patron would work well I think.
The suggestions are:
Entities of the deep that might empower a warlock include krakens, ancient water elementals, godlike hallucinations dreamed into being by kuo-toa, merfolk demigods, and sea hag covens.
But I think an aboleth would also work. I'm sure there are other examples as well.
The tentacle the subclass can summon as its defining feature can always be given a new flavor as well for patrons where tentacles don't quite fit the theming.
Tempest clerics make excellent pirates. They can be the ship’s chaplain, and sink the enemies with control water, or blow them up with call lightning, or even shatter. Then when the fight’s over go around healing their crew.
As for a first name maybe Agni?
I have a female air genesai ranger 6 (Fey wanderer)/ storm sorceror 1 that would make a heck of a pirate/0cean adventurer. She is in a campaign that is on hold exploring an island that rises from the sea for 14 days once a century looking for a magic spear her team’s patron wants to find. Her ability to hold her breath indefinitely and her swim speed have proven invaluable.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
How about “Igni” for a first name? It literally means “fire,” and “Igni Bellows” has a nice ring to it.
If I were gonna do a pirate my first instinct would be a Swashbuckler Rogue with maybe a multiclass into Bard for College of Swords as it would make a nice combo. Otherwise I would consider either a Path or the Depths Barbarian from Runtarra as it might fit Mx. Bellows fiery nature (if you need it I can hook you up with a copy), or an Oath of the Open Seas Paladin from Critical Role as it might fit the character’s swearing to become what those people feared most as a pirate of the open seas.
I actually used that Path of the Depths Barbarian for an NPC once and it worked well.
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If you're going with Swashbuckler Rogue, then I'd recommend multiclassing a level or two into Hexblade instead. That way, your Charisma mod is pulling double-duty (boosting both your Initiative and your stabby-stabs), and you can claim that you're slapping people around with a Cursed Pirate Sword named LeChop, that you discovered on an island entirely populated by monkeys, embedded in the corpse of some Guy stuck in a Brush, next to Three(p) stacks of Wood. Bonus points if you take a quick dip into Eloquence Bard as well, for those epic Persuasion checks, to bolster your piratey Panache.~
What about Cyrus Bellows?
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'Edward' comes to mind as a first name. Seems plebian to many, but Blackbeard was named Edward Teach IRL, and the name's just always had a faintly piratical air to it. Edward Bellows is far from the worst name I've heard for a character.
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That…is actually pretty straightforward; and is a nice callback.
Since my initial post; my group has been tossing out names left & right, too.
Somehow, he ended up with a Cajun accent; and is being tentatively called “Jambalaya Bellows”. XD
Not Tabasco bellows?
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Simon Blackheart
Sir Ratcha Bellows!
It's taken nearly an hour for me to get the pun.......
Ha ha.