Need help with modern pirate concept

[Tech]

I throw myself on the mercy of fellow Hero gamers for help with this concept!

 

I want to create a new character for a group. He's going to be a modern pirate who works with the heroes or even be part of the group. He may prey on other modern day pirates for income but I really haven't thought this out too much. I would also like him to have a ship and whereas I don't have the Ultimate Vehicle, I do have Champions 1, 2, 3, 4th & Hero Games 5th Ed. I think I even have Danger International.

 

What do I want for this guy is the next question. I want him to have the Fencing martial arts with sword (perhaps hi-tech sword), though a modern pistol/energy gun of some sort may work. I need suggestions for a 'Brawling' martial arts - I've got the Ultimate Martial Arts book. I want the ship to be able to avoid modern surveillance systems, should I decide I want him to have a little unscrupulous side to him. This ship, effectively a base, will probably be the biggest cost to him but perhaps I can squeeze some extra pts out of the GM. How would I build such a ship, using one of the books I listed?

 

Are there any good pirate pictures out there somewhere? I kind of have a picture but am wanting to look at piratical pics also. (I know someone's going to suggest Pirates of the Caribbean but nah.) I don't know anything about seamanship skills so I need suggestions on those kind of skills. What other skills might you suggest?

 

A general question: in this modern world of superheroes, would a modern-day pirate still be possible with satellites, hi-tech surveillance and everything else? How could I make him a pirate and yet, still be in good or at least neutral ground with the law?

 

This concept is still being worked on so feel free to throw out all those ideas, whether character concept, ship building or law enforcement relationship.

[Blue]

Re: Need help with modern pirate concept

 

I thought of an idea but haven't implemented it, likely called an "Improvisation Pool". I thought of it while playing my Swashbuckler in D&D 3.5.

 

To start with, the character can make a low-level weapon from items around him, almost at will. Somebody draws a sword, he applies a few points from the pool and makes the skill roll (to basically locate soomething), and now he has a coat-rack, which allows him to use his MA Parry w/weapon and next turn he makes a roll applies some points, and turns a serving tray into a shield. Round after that he buys a swingline and for sfx it's the sash on a tall curtain, and manages to swing across the room.

 

I think each power would have to be reasonably small, and sometimes you'd have to drop the last item to use the next, but that's a reasonable enough SFX (Dropping the sword to have enough points to swing 10" to the woman on the bow of the yacht).

 

I also considered giving CSLs only usable on shipboard (or something similar) because he's at home.

[Lightray]

Whatever else, he needs Environmental Movement: no penalties while drunk. Every pirate needs to be a rummy pirate.

[sinanju]

Re: Need help with modern pirate concept

 

A general question: in this modern world of superheroes, would a modern-day pirate still be possible with satellites, hi-tech surveillance and everything else? How could I make him a pirate and yet, still be in good or at least neutral ground with the law?

 

Hell, yes! Piracy is still a serious problem in various parts of the world. Unfortunately, the pirates in question aren't the gentlemen pirates of fiction, they're bloodthirsty scum who'll kill you as soon as look at you.

 

Most modern pirates seize other vessels, presumably rob and maybe rape the victims, then kill them. Then they use the stolen (and disposable) vessels to smuggle drugs or arms.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Need help with modern pirate concept

 

A player in a one off game I ran (which was supposed to lead into a campaign but I am cursed) wanted to be an air pirate. That was about the sum total of her character concept. So we came up with this idea that her father invented a means of "sailing" through the air using solar power via huge sails made of solar panels fueling an anti-grav field. Whether this would work or not, we also decided due to the unique power source and whatever jibber jabber we could come up with, vessels constructed in this manner would be radar invisible. What are they, Galleons? We didn't get too far, but the ships were built to resemble Galleons. If that's the right style for pirates that I'm thinking of.

Her schtick was solar powered weapons and equipment in addition to her ship. Which was just a, is skiff right? the two man deals. Her father's ship had been stolen and it was going to be an ongoing plot of her trying to track the thieves down.

[Victor]

Re: Need help with modern pirate concept

 

A general question: in this modern world of superheroes' date=' would a modern-day pirate still be possible with satellites, hi-tech surveillance and everything else? How could I make him a pirate and yet, still be in good or at least neutral ground with the law?[/quote']

 

One idea for that might be if he were a sea-going freedom fighter. If he and his crew were refugees who were kicked out of their home country, they might ignore most civilian vessels in favor of raiding the commercial ships which supply the corrupt government (perhaps giving much of the spoils to other exiles), and attacking the navy that serves it. He may even have been an officer in that navy who's gone rogue, taking his ship and it's crew with him.

 

A neighboring country might be at war with the one he comes from, and given the character a Fringe Benefit: Letter of Marque. The UN won't recognize it, but it would largely be a license to practice piracy, if only against certain targets.

 

There you've got a Hunted or two, a Wealth perk (what you can't afford to buy, you might have access to from raided commerce), lots of room for contacts/rivals/favors/DNPC's, and a whole bag full of potential plot hooks for your GM to play with.

[Hawksmoor]

Re: Need help with modern pirate concept

 

Piracy? Heck yeah! The coast of Thailand is crawling with them.

 

The key issue here, unlike the really real world, is that what ever needs to happen happens.

 

If that fails: Invisiblity to Radar Sense Group; Suppress [Any Electronic Warfare Power] Two at a Time AE Radius Megascale; Dispel Radar etc will work wonders as a ECM/ECCM suite.

 

As to your other questions TUV is priceless, but you can do alot with just the FRED.

 

Hawksmoor

[Bengal]

Re: Need help with modern pirate concept

 

You ought to check out the Pirates vs Superheroes thread in the Other Genres category.

[Crimson Arrow]

Re: Need help with modern pirate concept

 

What do I want for this guy is the next question. I want him to have the Fencing martial arts with sword (perhaps hi-tech sword)' date=' though a modern pistol/energy gun of some sort may work. [/quote']

 

Check out the '2000 AD' character, Nikolai Dante, if you can. While it's set in the future, he could easily be a superhero. He has a 'Weapons Crest', which is a computer/AID which can access other computer systems and also provides him with information. He can also use the Crest to make blades come out of his hands, although he often carries a regular sword. As a result of one of his adventures, he ended up with a gun which looks like a 19th Century powder firearm, but which can actually create any projectile needed to kill whoever it's aimed at.

 

He's a classic rogue type good guy. Charming, feckless, slightly unlucky, a sucker for a beautiful woman, but cannot truly turn his back on innocents. He doesn't always operate as a pirate, but that's his background.

 

Also have a look at Corsair, Cyclops's father, who has a piratical theme.

 

I need suggestions for a 'Brawling' martial arts - I've got the Ultimate Martial Arts book.

 

It's Dirty Infighting you want surely? Buy some moves for that and for Fencing. Allow him to use Clubs as well as Blades and you've got a great basis.

 

I'm not too good with vehicles, but really you should be able to build something perfectly serviceable using the 5th Ed rules.

 

As to Skills or skill-like Powers, consider Environmental Movement: On The Water, possibly even In The Water, some extra Swimming, TF with types of water craft, PS: Sailor, KS: Sailing, possibly Oratory (he's the cap'n), maybe some underlings (no matter how good he is, he'll need some back-up), Acrobatics, Climbing, possibly Systems Operation, WF with a variety of weapons, including ship-mounted ones, possibly Seduction, maybe Gambling (card games and/or dice). That's kind of a mish-mash of old-fashioned and modern day superhero pirates, though.

 

A general question: in this modern world of superheroes, would a modern-day pirate still be possible with satellites, hi-tech surveillance and everything else?

 

There are lots of pirates still. They are indeed a bunch of very nasty people and a distant relative of mine was involved in advising on ways to tackle the problem.

 

How could I make him a pirate and yet, still be in good or at least neutral ground with the law?

 

Because he only ever attacks other pirates, or, as was suggested above, because he's sponsored by a local government.