Sea Scourge
Under the direction of the nine Pirate Lords, Sea Scourges enforce the Pirate Codes and rain hell upon those that break The Codes. Brutal and devilishly efficient Sea Scourges are feared and respected in equal measure. While some pirates resent the Scourges, all pirates deep down know that they are necessary to maintain the lifestyle beloved of pirates.
The Code:
I. Every man has a vote in affairs of the moment; has equal title to the fresh provisions, or strong liquors, at any time seized, and may use them at pleasure, unless a scarcity makes it necessary.
II. Every man to be called fairly in turn, by list, on board of prizes because, but if they defrauded the company to the value of a dollar in plate, jewels, or money, marooning was their punishment. If the robbery was only betwixt one another, they contented themselves with slitting the ears and nose of him that was guilty, and set him on shore, not in an uninhabited place, but somewhere, where he was sure to encounter hardships.
III. To keep their piece, pistols, and cutlass clean and fit for service.
IV. To desert the ship or their quarters in battle, was punished with death or marooning.
V. No striking one another on board, but every man's quarrels to be ended on shore, at sword and pistol. If both miss, they come to their cutlasses, and then he is declared the victor who draws the first blood.
VI. No man to talk of breaking up their way of living.
| Article | Effect |
|---|---|
| I | When you denounce a violator of the first code or a freeloader, the freeloader takes an extra 1D6 Psychic damage each time you hit them with an attack for the next minute as you mete out punishment. |
| II | When you denounce a violator of the second code or a thief, the thief has disadvantage on WIS saving throws for the next minute as they are racked with guilt. |
| III | When you denounce a violator of the third code or a liability, the liability has a 1D6 penalty to all attack rolls for the next minute as their equipment and skills fail them. |
| IV | When you denounce a violator of the fourth code a deserter, the deserter has their movement speed halved for one minute as the guilt crushes them. |
| V | When you denounce a violator of the troublemaker, the troublemaker has disadvantage on attacks that are not on you and you have advantage on attacks on them for the next minute as you force them to atone. |
| VI | When you denounce a violator of the defector, the defector’s location is known to you for the next week as long as you both are on the same plane of existence as you hunt them down. You can track one defector at a time, when you decounce another defector the first defector’s location is lost. |
| 1D10 | Pirate Lord | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lord of the Infinite Expanse | The mantle of the Infinite Expanse rests on you. You gain a Flying speed equal to your movement speed and can take the Dash action while flying as a bonus action. |
| 2 | Lord of the Deepest Abyss | The mantle of the Deepest Abyss rests on you. You are intangible in Darkness and Dim Light allowing you to move through objects and people as if they are Difficult Terrain. You take 1D8 Force damage if you end your turn in an occupied space. You can take the Hide action as a bonus action in this state. |
| 3 | Lord of the Sparkling Depths | The mantle of the Sparkling Depths rests on you. A protective light covers you giving you a +2 AC and a +2 bonus to saving throws. |
| 4 | Lord of the Charmed Sea | The mantle of the Charmed Sea rests on you. You learn the cantrips Friends and Minor Illusion. You can apply your WIS score to Persuasion checks. |
| 5 | Lord of the Thundering Waves | The mantle of the Thundering Waves rests on you. When you make an attack you deal an additional 1D6 Thunder damage. You have Resistance to Thunder and Lightning damage. |
| 6 | Lord of the Heartless Tides | The mantle of the Heartless Tides rests on you. When you reduce a creature to zero hit points you gain temporary hit points equal to half your Pirate level rounded down and can move half your movement and make an additional attack. |
| 7 | Lord of the Emerald Waters | The mantle of the Emerald Waters rests on you. Your attacks deal an additional 1D6 Poison damage and on a failed DC 8 + your WIS modifier + your Proficiency Bonus CON save they are Poisoned. While Poisoned this way they take 1D4 Poison damage at the start of each of their turns for the next minute or until they succeed the saving throw. A creature is Immune to this condition for 24 hours on a successful save. |
| 8 | Lord of the Uncanny Ocean | The mantle of the Uncanny Ocean rests on you. You learn the cantrip Mind Sliver and you can cast the spell Disguise Self once per long or short rest without expending a spell slot. |
| 9 | Lord of the White Surf | The mantle of the White Surf rests on you. The ground within 20 ft of you is Difficult Terrain for creatures you choose. Creatures within your Difficult Terrain have a 1D6 penalty to attack throws. |
Subclass Features
Code Enforcer
Charged with defending The Codes and empowered to do so by the nine Pirate Lords. You can sense if a Code Violator is within 30 ft of them and on a successful DC 14 Insight check you determine which of the Codes have been broken. Code Violators do not necessarily need to be Pirates, as far as the Pirate Lords are concerned if you make use of the sea you abide by The Codes.
You can use a bonus action to denounce a target within 60 ft of you as a Code Violator and impose one of the following effects based on which article of The Code they broke. A Code Violator cannot be denounced more than once every 24 hours but can be denounced for multiple offenses. If the target is not a Code Violator, nothing happens.
Parley
Negotiating with volatile captains and crew is essential to your work. You have proficiency with Persuasion and Insight.
Advanced Dueling
You are a veteran of battle earlier than most pirates. You gain a +4 bonus to damage rolls when you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons in place of the bonus from the Dueling Feat. Or if you did not choose the Dueling Fighting Style you gain that Fighting Style.
Pirate Subordinate
A fledgling Pirate Lord has the distinct pleasure of having a subordinate even if they do not necessarily have a ship or crew of their own. You call upon one of your fallen Sea Scourge brothers to serve The Codes once more.
During a long rest you can summon your subordinate that uses the Thug stat block and is an Undead and immune to Poison and Necrotic damage. The subordinate acts after your turn in initiative and acts under your orders or takes the Dodge action if you become Unconscious. If the subordinate is reduced to zero hit points it vanishes with a wet pop and you can summon a new one in 1D4 long rests.
Level 10
Greater Subordinate
You call upon even stronger fallen brethren to aid you. When you use your Pirate Subordinate feature you summon a subordinate using the Berserker stat block that has the same damage Immunities.
Pirate Lord
You have been called to become one of the nine Pirate Lords. It is recommended that you roll to determine the position you fill among the nine. Roll 1D10 rerolling on a 10.
Superior Subordinate
You summon a mighty fallen brother to aid you. When you use your Pirate Subordinate feature you summon a subordinate using the Veteran stat block that has the same damage Immunities.
Call the Empress
Your duty calls to the first Pirate Lord and the lost ship the Empress. As an action you summon The Empress, the impregnable iron hull and dark sail bring a dark reverence to the battlefield. It remains for one hour or until you dismiss it as a free action, vanishing with a pop and leaving a damp spot of seawater. The Empress hovers 30 ft above you or in an unoccupied space within 30 ft of you. The ship is ethereal and Immune to all damage and conditions and is large-gargantuan in size depending on the space available.
You can command the ship to aid you in a number of ways
Free action: The ship travels up to 60 ft in any direction and takes up position in front of a target in range providing Half Cover.
Bonus action (Recharge 5-6): Chain Shot, the ship fires the twin cannons launching two cannonballs lined by a thick chain. It has a range of 60/100 ft with +12 to hit, dealing 2D12 magical Bludgeoning damage and leaving the target Restrained. The target can use an action to untangle itself.
Action: Main Cannon: The ship fires its main cannon with a range of 200/400 ft forcing each creature in a 10 ft diameter to make a DC 20 DEX save taking 5D6 Thunder damage or half as much on a successful save.
Reaction: Empress’ Majesty, the Empress shows a brief glimpse of its grand splendor as one of the finest ships ever to sail the seas causing one creature within 60 ft to roll their attacks with disadvantage until the end of their turn.
You can use this feature once per long rest.