Mariner (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a merger of the Inner Sea Pirate and Shackles Pirate prestige classes. Despite having "pirate" in the name, this fits any rogue of the high seas.

An adventurer of the great blue, the pirate sees himself as a daredevil champion of freedom, but many of them are little more than thugs of the sea. Pirates sail many different bodies of water in search of plunder, from the most common sea pirates to privateers, slave hunters, and slave-trader hunting abolitionists. Sea pirates are adept at both sailing and sword fighting, and most have looked death in the face more than once. They possess a variety of skills that prove useful when sailing and plundering, and two sea pirates might be quite different from each other.

Heroic pirates prowl waters near natural hazards, stormy seas, faery bogs, and mist-shrouded reefs. They mix the practical skills of piracy with a mystic understanding of their environs, and legends among them can harness the power of nature for their own benefit.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype, a rogue of the high seas.

Prestige Class: Inner sea pirate Pathfinder Player Companion: Pirates of the Inner Sea and Shackles pirate Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting.

Build Classes: Rogue.

Role: While many sailors work as pirates, those in this class show more talent than do common deck hands. Pirates often captain their own ships; those who do not usually serve as officers or aboard notorious ships under accomplished captains. Legendary pirates not only brave natural danger, they thrive of them, seeking out dangerous situations others cannot handle and prey on the weakened survivors. At higher levels, they can call on these natural hazards for aid.

Alignment: Sea pirates are often chaotic and rarely good, but can be any nonlawful alignment. Legendary pirates often use and champion some natural phenomenon, making them friendly to druids.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The pirate's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The pirate has the class features of the rogue, except as follows.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Pirates are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the cutlass, hand crossbow, hook hand, rapier, sap, short sword, and shortbow. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Pirate Tricks

A pirate learns specialized tricks as he advances in level. Starting at 2nd level, a pirate gains one pirate trick. She gains an additional pirate trick for every 2 levels of pirate attained after 2nd level. The sea pirate can also learn rogue tricks, but no more than half a pirate's tricks can be replaced with rogue talents. This means that the sea pirate's first pirate trick cannot be replaced with a rogue talent.

Bogstep (Ex): The pirate learns how to move quickly through treacherous bog terrain. She moves through shallow bogs normally, and it costs her 2 squares of movement to move into a square with a deep bog. She can use Acrobatics to tumble through shallow bogs with no penalty and can tumble through deep bogs with a –4 penalty (see Marsh Terrain for more information regarding bogs and swamps.) She ignores treacherous ground created by water or slippery surfaces (See Acrobatics).

Classic Duelist (Ex): The pirate gains a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls made with a cutlass, rapier, or short sword.

Deep Breath (Ex): The pirate can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to four times her Constitution score before she must start making Constitution checks.

Drink for Free (Ex): The pirate is famous enough that she can get others to pick up her tab. The pirate designates one tavern per pirate level as a “favored tavern.” When in a favored tavern, the pirate drinks for free. In addition, she gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks within a favored tavern.

Farseer (Ex): Pirates take turns serving as lookouts. A pirate with this ability reduces any distance-based penalties on Perception checks by half when she is at least 10 feet off the ground or above the deck of a ship. In an opposed Perception roll to see which ship spots the other first, she gets a +10 bonus.

Fearsome Advance* (Ex): If the pirate deals damage with her sneak attack, she can make an Intimidate check as an immediate action to demoralize the damaged opponent.

Quick Appraise (Ex): The pirate must at times quickly select the most valuable items to spirit away. She appraises an item as a move action and can determine the most valuable item in a treasure hoard as a standard action.

Rigging Monkey (Ex): Some pirates become skilled at climbing on ropes and rigging. This ability grants the pirate a +2 bonus on Climb checks when using a rope to help her climb. In addition, when using a rope to help her climb, the pirate can move at half her speed. (By accepting a –5 penalty she can move at her normal speed.) The pirate does not lose her Dexterity bonus to AC when climbing ropes or rigging.

Storm Sailor (Ex): The pirate treats all storms as if they were one category less severe for the purposes of sailing and navigation. (This benefit stacks with other effects related to wind conditions.) She can make an Acrobatics check to move her normal speed across uneven ground, and she does not take a penalty on any Acrobatics checks due to slightly slippery, slightly unsteady, or moderately unsteady conditions.

Windrigger (Ex): The pirate has learned the tricky art of tacking. With a DC 15 Profession (sailor) check, she increases her ship’s base movement by 10 feet for 1 hour. The pirate has also learned to coax speed out of her ship when it really counts. With a DC 20 Profession (sailor) check, she doubles her ship’s base movement for 1 round, but on a failed roll her ship's speed is reduced to half. She must be in command of her ship to use this ability. This can be a temporary command, she need not be the captain.

Sea Sense (Ex)

At 3rd level, a pirate gains an intuitive sense that helps her prosper at sea. When on board a ship or boat, the sea pirate gains a +1 bonus on Acrobatics, Climb, Perception, and Profession (sailor) checks. These bonuses rise to +2 when the sea pirate reaches 6th level, to +3 when she reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level. Sea sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack. This replaces trap sense.

Advanced Pirate Tricks

At 10th level, and every two levels thereafter, a pirate can choose one of the following advanced pirate tricks in place of a normal pirate trick. Some of these are legendary abilities, suitable for pirates that have confronted legendary treaths.

Fogcraft (Su) The pirate has the incredible power to shape a vessel out of the fog that roils across the boggy landscape. This ability functions only in fog or thick water spray (as is common near navigational hazards) and is usable once per day.

Table: Fogcraft

'Fogcraft Type'	'AC'	'Carries'	'Duration'	'Stealth'
Raft	10	4	10 hours	+12
Rowboat	10	6	10 hours	+10
Longship	8	170	4 hours	+8
Keelboat	8	115	4 hours	+8
Sailing ship	6	220	4 hours	+8
Warship	6	240	2 hours	+6
Galley	4	450	2 hours	+4

Forming a craft takes 10 minutes, and the craft’s duration lasts for a variable number of hours depending on its size. It is also possible to turn an existing boat or ship into the equivalent fogcraft for a time, this works the same way but takes only a full-round action to do.

A fogcraft appears made of swirling gray mist but feels solid to the touch. Its unique composition can make it difficult to spot, and the craft makes no sound, but it does not baffle sounds made by its crew.

A fogcraft has a carrying capacity equal to an ordinary ship of its type, but its impermanence makes it a poor cargo ship. It requires the appropriate number of crewmen in order to sail. A fogcraft possesses speed and maneuverability equal to that of an ordinary ship of its type, but unlike ordinary ships, a fogcraft can move over land as easily as water.

When a pirate creates a fogcraft, she can chose its size from any of the table. With larger ships comes a trade-off in stealth, Armor Class, and duration. Compliment in the table is how many medium-sized humanoids the can carry, including the pirate herself.

Foot Sweep* (Ex): The pirate has learned to sweep her opponents’ legs when they are reeling from the pain of her precise attacks. If the pirate deals damage with a sneak attack, she can make a trip attack against the damaged opponent as an immediate action. All the usual rules for trip attacks apply, and feats such as Improved Trip modify the attack normally.

Grapple Ship (Su): As a pirate’s connection to the sea grows stronger, she learns to perform impossible feats. At 10th level, a pirate gains the ability to stop another ship dead in the water for a short time. To use this ability, the pirate must hurl a grappling hook at the target ship. The pirate is considered proficient with the grappling hook, and she throws it with a 20-foot range increment.

If the pirate hits the target ship, she then makes a Strength check with a DC based on the size of the vessel. Raft (14), Rowboat (15), Longship (17), Keelboat (19), Sailing ship (20), Warship (21), and Galley (22). She gains a +1 bonus on her check for every crewmate who also grapples the enemy ship, although crewmates are considered non-proficient with grappling hooks and throw them with 10-foot range increments. For every point by which the pirate exceeds the ship’s Strength check, she halts its progress for 1 round.

Hand Stab* (Ex): The pirate can weaken an opponent’s weapon hand by hitting with a sneak attack. When she deals sneak attack damage against an opponent, she can make a disarm attack against the damaged opponent as an immediate action. All the usual rules for disarm attacks apply, and feats such as Improved Disarm modify the attack normally.

Master Shot (Su): At 20th level, when firing a siege engine at another vehicle and the attack roll matches the target ship's captain's piloting skill +10 (Diplomacy or Intimidate for rowing craft, Knowledge (nature) or Profession (sailor) for sailing craft), the target ship is rendered immobile for one minute. This replaces master strike.

Shipboard Authority (Ex): As a full-round action, the pirate can shout orders to her crew. All allies within 150 feet of the pirate who can hear her gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls or on a particular skill check for 1 round per the pirate’s level. The pirate specifies which bonus applies when she uses this ability and may not change the bonus for the duration of this ability.

Legendary Pirate Tricks

At 16th level, and every two levels thereafter, a pirate can choose one of the following legendary pirate tricks in place of a normal pirate trick.

Greater Fogcraft (Su): With this ability, fogcraft can be used at will and lasts as long as the pirate stays on board and for an additional tume as noted in Table: Fogcraft after she leaves the ship. Additionally, the fogrcrafted ship can sail in the air at its normal speed and maneuverability, as if under air walk. If the pirate leaves the fogcraft ship in mid-air, it stays put and cannot move under its own power, possibly drifting or being towed slowly unless anchored. When the duration runs out, it descends to the ground in a few minutes.

Into the Maelstrom (Sp): Once per day, the pirate can make her ship seemingly flounder while really emerging into another plane. This works like plane shift cast by a sorcerer of the pirate's level, except the entire ship and crew moves into another plane. Unwilling passengers can make a Will save to avoid this effect. Creatures observing the event can make a DC 22 Spellcraft check to realize what is really happening. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 18.

Maelstrom Ally (Sp): The pirate can cast summon nature's ally VII once per day, but only to summon creatures in water or bogs. This spell-like ability has a duration of concentration, plus 1 minute/level after the pirate stops concentrating to maintain it. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 16.

Shipmind (Su): Once per day as a standard action, the pirate can control her ship with a thought. The pirate must be on the deck of the ship she wishes to control and she must be conscious.

Once the pirate activates her shipmind, she can feel the ship as if it were an extension of her body. She can “see” from the ship anywhere she wants, and adjusting her point of view is a free action. The pirate can move the ship as if it were her own body, and it moves over water at her base move or the ship’s normal speed, whichever is prefered. If she moves the ship at her own speed, it moves as a character, not a vehicle. The ship can only move along the surface this way, and can move at either the pirate's land or swim speed.

While the pirate uses her shipmind ability, her body appears paralyzed and unresponsive. She is considered helpless and cannot defend herself, but she retains an awareness of what goes on around her body (and can see her body from her perspective on the ship if she wishes). She may end the shipmind effect as an immediate action. This ability lasts for 1 round per class level.

Table: Sea Pirate

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Evasion, pirate trick
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Sea sense +1, sneak attack +2d6
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Pirate trick, uncanny dodge
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Sneak attack +3d6
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Pirate trick, sea sense +2
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak attack +4d6
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Improved uncanny dodge, pirate trick
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Sea sense +3, sneak attack +5d6
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Advanced tricks, pirate trick
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	Sneak attack +6d6
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Pirate trick, sea sense +4
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Sneak attack +7d6
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	Pirate trick
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Sea sense +5, sneak attack +8d6
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Legendary Tricks, Pirate trick
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Sneak attack +9d6
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Pirate trick, sea sense +6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Sneak attack +10d6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Master strike, pirate trick

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the rogue are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Rogue Talents (all)
• Trap Sense
• Advanced Rogue Talent

See Also

Prestige archetype variants of the two separate pirate prestige classes.

• Maelstrom Pirate
• Sea Pirate