Pirate Borg
2–6 players
2022
About this Game
A scurvy-ridden, rules light, art heavy tabletop RPG.
Inspired by history, fantasy, horror and rum. Your cutlass & flintlock won’t save you from the hordes of skeletons, the Kraken, or even your own crew.
Find a ship. Recruit some crew. Raid, pillage, plunder, and otherwise pilfer your weasley black guts out. Get a bigger ship. Kill some things. Upgrade your ship. Sneak into a fort. Raid a port. Acquire treasure. Bury said treasure. Become infamous. Search for someone else’s treasure. Flee in terror from unfathomable creatures from the deep. Drink all of the rum. Die on the high seas. Roll a new character and do it all again.
Categories
Supernatural
Historical
Swashbuckling
Mechanics
OSR
How to play Pirate Borg
PIRATE BORG is a self-contained rules-light RPG for running swashbuckling campaigns. Character creation is optimized for random generation (though not required), and during combat all rolls are made by the players: enemies don’t roll to attack, instead PCs roll to defend. Pirate Borg is fun, easy to learn, potentially deadly, and perfect for OSR/NuSR style one-shots and for campaigns that focus more on player agency and smart decisions and less on character optimization and “what’s on my character sheet”.
Classes
Brute
When you're not bashing, smashing, slashing, or crashing, you're... well, that's all you really know how to do. You can’t use Arcane Rituals, but your muscles are basically "magic."
Buccaneer
Skilled trackers and survivalists. Expert sharpshooters, especially with muskets & rifles.
Haunted Soul
A possessed, infected, cursed, troubled, or undead individual.
Rapscallion
A sneaky, cutthroat scallywag good at backstabbing, breaking & entering, stealing, cheating, and escaping. Found in taverns, shadows, and shallow graves.
Sorcerer
An eldritch occultist, frail and enigmatic. They are conduits for meddlesome natural spirits and devious necromantic entities.
Swashbuckler
A brash fighter, with bravado & swagger.
Tall Tale
An optional class that allows you to play as a merfolk, aquatic mutant, or sentient animal.
Zealot
A clergy member, cultist, shaman, or believer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What supplies do I need to play Pirate Borg?
Obviously this will vary from table to table, but here are some good places to start! If your game is played in person, most likely you will want to get a set of dice, something to write with, and paper to take notes. If your game is hosted online instead, you will probably need to make accounts on a few sites for things like character sheets, access to the Virtual Tabletop for maps and tokens, and sites like Discord or Zoom for video/voice calls during the session. You won't always need to have the rulebooks to start, but if you want to read through them to make sure you know all the rules, this might also be a good option.
What if I'm not comfortable with certain themes or content in Pirate Borg?
Pirate Borg can cover an impressive range of topics and styles, including violence, horror, romance, and many many more! However, if there are specific themes or content that you’re uncomfortable with, let your group and GM know before the game, and have an open conversation about these topics. Any group worth playing with should be respectful and understanding of your concerns and the game can be adjusted so everyone is having fun. All tables on StartPlaying use “Safety Tools.” These tools help ensure that these conversations are handled easily, and everyone has a voice at the table.
What Stats does your character have in Pirate Borg?
There are five ability scores in Pirate Borg, with each one helping you with different things.
Strength is used for melee attacks, lift heavy things, or grapple people.
Agility is used to defend yourself, balance, swim, or flee from combat.
Presence is your smarts and charm, and also your ability to perceive or shoot.
Toughness allows you to resist poisons (or rum), hold your breath, or fall.
Spirit is not just your willpower, but also what you use for Arcane Rituals or to use Ancient Relics.
How do enemy attacks work in Pirate Borg?
Unlike in many other games, enemies do not roll to attack in Pirate Borg. Instead, players roll for both Attack and Defense in combat. When an enemy attacks your character, you will need to make an Agility roll to try and defend yourself.
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