Best Pirate RPG?

RPGPundit · January 27, 2010, 01:09:30 AM

Which is the best Pirate-themed RPG or RPG-setting, in your opinion?

RPGPundit

Ronin · January 27, 2010, 11:38:10 AM

I've never honestly played or ran a pirate game. But I suppose if I was to do so. I would use Flashing Blades, and get the High Seas book for it. I dont know much about the "High Seas" book. But I like the core/main book a lot. So I'm kind of figuring it would be at the very least decent. I seem to remember someone telling me that Privateers and Gentlemen was pretty good. But I know exactly zero about that.

jibbajibba · January 27, 2010, 01:03:53 PM

I can tell you that Pirates and Plunder is the worst. In fact its the worst RPG ever.
Any game where chargen is build into a compulsory railroad adventure and there are no rules for ship in a book about pirates...... But I was young and there was no internet to check out reviews.

flyingmice · January 27, 2010, 01:12:23 PM

I don't use pirate-specific RPGs. I prefer using other non-specific RPGs set in the proper period.

-clash

ConanMK · January 27, 2010, 01:12:59 PM

I'd say, just use your favorite generic or generic fantasy RPG.

I like True20 and Savage Worlds so my pics would be:

Pirates of the Spanish Main and/or Savage Worlds Freeport Companion

or

True20 + True20 Freeport Companion

7th sea probably deserves honorable mention.

ConanMK · January 27, 2010, 01:13:48 PM

Quote from: flyingmice;357776I don't use pirate-specific RPGs. I prefer using other non-specific RPGs set in the proper period.

-clash

This.

Clash beat me to it.

A good Pirates! campaign is about a type of setting/theme/attitude far more than a specific rules set. Furthermore, you could play a piratical game set in a high fantasy, sword and sorcery, alternate history, Lovecraftian horror or even modern, post-apocalyptic or far future style.

kryyst · January 27, 2010, 01:14:51 PM

Never played a pirate specific rpg. But I've played in a pirate Themed RPG using WFRP and it worked very well.

pawsplay · January 27, 2010, 01:20:55 PM

For whatever reason, I have a weakness for pirate-themed D&D/Pathfinder games.

kryyst · January 27, 2010, 01:22:47 PM

I haven't read it yet but I wouldn't be surprised if Pirates of the Spanish Main is rather good. Their Deadlands conversion holds pretty faithfully as do most other Savage World setting books that I've read.

flyingmice · January 27, 2010, 01:24:03 PM

Quote from: ConanMK;357778This.

Clash beat me to it.

A good Pirates! campaign is about a type of setting/theme/attitude far more than a specific rules set. Furthermore, you could play a piratical game set in a high fantasy, sword and sorcery, alternate history, Lovecraftian horror or even modern, post-apocalyptic or far future style.

Agree with all of these points. The trouble with pirate-specific games for me is that they have a rather narrow view of pirates - coinciding nearly identically with the Pirates of the Caribbean movie - and I don't.

-clash

Lawbag · January 27, 2010, 06:00:38 PM

Im gonna vote 7th Sea, because it really worked for me.

Strip away all the background and metagame nonsense, and you have a very robust system that really shines on all levels of combat, interaction and Monkey Island-esque adventures - land or sea.

arminius · January 27, 2010, 06:44:40 PM

I like GURPS Swashbucklers, at least on reading. I think I have the 2nd edition of that (which goes with GURPS 3e). The rules all make sense, and the background material is presented very well.

jeff37923 · January 27, 2010, 07:05:06 PM

To me, Pirates are a subgenre of some other gaming genre.

Space Pirates works great for me in Traveller, especially since the flamewars on piracy via the TML and some historical research have given me some very good campaign setting ideas that both allow piracy in a believeable manner but also are very fertile grounds for adventuring in general.

For a fun expirament try combining Superhero genre RPGs with the idea of Pirates and see what you get.

HinterWelt · January 27, 2010, 07:39:03 PM

Quote from: flyingmice;357784Agree with all of these points. The trouble with pirate-specific games for me is that they have a rather narrow view of pirates - coinciding nearly identically with the Pirates of the Caribbean movie - and I don't.

-clash

Well, yeah, except for squirrel pirates...I mean, we have squirrels AND Portuguese Water Dogs!

flyingmice · January 27, 2010, 08:04:08 PM

Quote from: HinterWelt;357852Well, yeah, except for squirrel pirates...I mean, we have squirrels AND Portuguese Water Dogs!

That is not a pirate RPG, it's a Squirrel RPG! They just happen to be pirate squirrels!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

-clash