At any point you'd like to "Roll/Randomize" a field, just click the Randomize button on the right of the desired field.
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Character Name - Name yer character

Each class comes with things you'll need to start sailing these haunted waters:

Once you see a Class you think is interesting, using Omnisearch in game, typing in the Class you like in the search field, then sharing the resulting Article to the Journal will help you find the following information:

Your Class may give you specialized attacks, spells, items, or even playing card mechanics specific to the class as well, so, read carefully.

There are 2 Optional Classes to choose from in the core Pirate Borg book with multiple subclass variants under each Optional Class:

Each one of these Optional Classes adds flavor to another Class, giving additional bonuses, features, and flaws. By choosing one of these Optional Classes you will stack two Classes together.

For Example:

Randomize, choose, or create your own Class Feature for your pirate. Note that some of the selections are for when you first make your pirate and others are for when you 'improve'/'get better'/'level up' your pirate.
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It's standard that the first field offered (if there are more than one) is the Feature you get when first making the character and the second field is for when you 'improve'/'get better'/'level up' the character.

These Features will often times give you special actions you can take during a game specific to the, almost subclass like, character you are playing. These Features can be anything such as a new attack/weapon/relic/arcane ritual/spell/a skill you're particularly good at (ultimately lowering the Difficulty to pass certain rolls), or additional damage when using certain attacks.

Your Class will tell you to roll a certain die to determine your starting Clothing/Armor and Hat, up to a d10 on Clothes and a d12 on Hats. You can also spend any starting gold on grabbing some Clothing or Hats if your GM allows it.

The heavier your Armor the less likely you are to dodge an attack, but have larger damage reduction if hit. (often times negating the damage altogether)

Hats are mostly there for flare. A pirate is only as good as the fanciness of their Hat after all. Although, there are a couple Hats that can mechanically benefit the creature wearing them.

Each of the 5 Abilities are rolled with 3d6 and then a Modifier is created with the resulting total. Place the Modifier in the fields next to each Attribute.

Before matching a Modifier to your roll, don't forget to add or subtract numbers to the modifier according to your chosen Class or Optional Class.

After improving a character, an Ability can never exceed +6 or -3.

Example: (3d6) | +2 for Strength; due to chosen Class

Don't forget to check the Class you've chosen for situationally specific rolls when dealing with Abilities. (i.e. All normal Agility tests are reduced by 2, going from DR12 to DR10)

Randomize, choose, or create your own background. Choosing a background will give you your starting Silver value and possibly an Item/Weapon/Purpose etc.

Distinctive Flaw, Physical Trademark, Idiosyncrasies, Unfortunate Incidents & Conditions and Things of Importance can all be either randomized, chosen, or created as you see fit for the character!

Description Field

Here you can place a description of your pirate if you'd like. You can also toggle this portion of the sheet to be visible to anyone who chooses to view your character while in the game if the "Public Description" toggle is 'on/green'.

The amount of Devil's Luck you have to start with are, again, stated in the Class you've chosen as a die roll (Landlubbers start at d2).

When used, Devil's Luck can turn the Player's bad luck around, or possibly give them a better chance of survival and success. You can use a point of Devil's Luck to do one of the following:

Devil's Luck can be gained back after at least 6 hours of rest AND you had previously run completely out of Devil's Luck, at which time the player rolls their Class's starting Devil's Luck die again to gain back that amount of Luck back. (Landlubbers roll d2)

Your Hit Points are calculated as Toughness + a certain die roll according to Class. You can start this game with 1HP, but no less.

Certain Classes will allow you to learn innate spells or prayers that you can cast without requiring a roll or test. You can only cast a number of times per day though, equal to d2 + Spirit. If you are playing a Class that doesn't use either of these things, feel free to delete the Tracker by right clicking the Tracker and deleting it from the character. (We've made a handy Action named "Spell / Power Uses Per Day". You can find this Action by clicking the Add Action button under the 'Action' tab for Players)
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Note that the number of times a day you can cast Spells is refreshed at SUNSET and the number of times a day you can use Prayers is refreshed at DAWN. You cannot stack uses per day.

For Example:

You have 1 Spell, and roll 3 Spell uses. You can use that Spell up to 3 times that day.

You have 3 Prayers, and roll 2 Prayer uses. You can use any 2 of those 3 Prayers that day.

Every morning at dawn, everyone must roll a d4+Spirit. This is the amount of times you can cast Rituals for the day if you happen to find any. (You'll find an Action named "Ritual Uses Per Day" in every player's 'Action' tab)

Brutes cannot cast Arcane Rituals and may delete this Tracker.

Here is where you place the Silver you've been given according to your chosen Background.

Starting Weapons, much like Clothing/Armor, are decided as your Class has you roll a certain die to determine the Weapon, up to a d10.

If you don't have any weapon at all, you can still attack Unarmed - d2 damage

Everyone will roll using the following three tables to determine the remainder of your Starting Gear. Roll once per table: (You'll find an Action named "Randomize Starting Gear". You can find this Action by clicking the Add Action button under the 'Action' tab for Players)

D6 - Container

D12 - Cheap Gear

D12 - Fancy Gear

Items of power that provide magical benefits or effects.

AFTER a Relic is used test Spirit DR12

Your Game Master will decide when it's time for you characters to get better/level up to improve themselves.

When you Get Better, 4 things happen:

(You'll find 4 Actions named "Getting Better - ..." to assist in quick character improvements. You can find these Actions by clicking the Add Action button under the 'Action' tab for Players
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​There is also an Action called "Getting Better - All in 1" that will roll all 4 steps for you all at once but be cautious as this will fill the journal with a decent amount of roll cards. It's recommended to use this slowly, one player at a time)

Dice rolling in Pirate Borg are considered Tests. Tests involve rolling a single d20 and adding or subtracting your Ability Modifier from the result of the die roll.

To succeed in a Test, you will roll against a Difficulty Rating and attempt to roll at or over the Rating (Shown as the - Ability to be used - then the letters DR - then the number rating of the Difficulty)
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For Example - Agility DR12

All Normal rolls (not easy, not too hard) are made at DR12. More than that number is considered more difficult and tests less than 12 are easier the lower it becomes.

The GM rarely ever makes rolls in Pirate Borg (none in combat). If they ever need to roll for a creature, they will roll a raw d20 (no Ability bonuses) against the desired DR.

Roll a d6 (or use the "Black Powder Attack Fumble" Action)

When the PC's first encounter an NPC that isn't immediately thirsty for blood, an NPC Reaction roll can be made to determine their "reaction" to the PCs. (You'll find an Action named "Reaction (PC)" in every player's 'Action' tab)

Roll 1d6

1-3 Enemies go first

4-6 PCs go first

Once it's the PC's turn, Agility + d6 will determine each individual's Initiative within the group (You'll find an Action named "Individual Initiative" in every player's 'Action' tab)

During a Round you have enough time to:

Movement is purposely left up to the GM to decide. The GM will say whether or not what you want to do is possible within the range you are currently. On average, you can run across the deck of a ship with ease in a single turn.

Test Strength DR12 (unless GM says otherwise; can sometimes be modified by the creature being fought)

Test Presence DR12 (unless GM says otherwise; can sometimes be modified by the creature being fought)

Test Agility DR12 (unless GM says otherwise or type of Armor being worn; can sometimes be modified by the creature being fought or Medium/Heavy Armor)

When the fight isn't going the enemies way, some enemies will need to roll Morale to see if fighting to the death is worth it. (You'll find an Action named "Morale (PC)" in every player's 'Action' tab)

Three conditions could cause your enemies to roll Moral:

To test Morale, roll 2d6 and compare to the enemies stated Morale value. If the rolled total is above the creature's Morale value, roll a follow up d6 with the following results:

If the creature does not have a Morale value, the creature fights to the bloody end.

Everyone rolls a d4 + Spirit at dawn (minus Classes specifying they can't use Arcane Rituals) This is the amount of times you can use Arcane Rituals for the day. (There is an Action named "Ritual Uses Per Day". You can find this Actions by clicking the Add Action button under the 'Action' tab for Players)

As long as you have a Arcane Ritual use left for the day, you can attempt to use an Arcane Ritual.

To use an Arcane Ritual - Test Spirit DR12

The GM has the option of allowing a Ritual's difficulty to cast be affected by outside sources such as:

Every time before dealing out damage, whether against you or an enemy, don't forget to reduce the damage by a character/creature's Armor or Shield. (unless attacking with a black powder weapon)
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There are no modifiers added to a weapons stated damage dealt.

You can hold your breath for 1 + Toughness minutes (minimum 1 minute), and half that when under physical duress (minimum 30 seconds swimming fast, combat, lifting). After that, test Toughness DR12 each round (increase the DR by 2 each round) or lose 1 HP. You drown at 0 HP.

Without food or water, no HP is restored while resting and after two days of Starving, PC loses d4 HP per day.

Creature does not benefit from resting at all and instead loses d6 HP every morning.

If HP is taken down below zero by an attack, your character is DEAD.

If taken down to exactly 0 HP, you are considered Broken and might not yet be dead...maybe...

Once Broken, roll d6:

There are several ways to heal damage in Pirate Borg:

While sailing the cursed seas, you may have the chance to find, buy or even craft your own Alchemical Potions. There are three methods of generating the Potion in question on the spot.

Most potions cost d100 silver pieces of eight from a reliable source.

A potion's DR can be used as the Toughness DR to resist the potion or the Presence DR to craft it.

Ships without enough crew can only take one crew action, regardless of how many PCs are on board.

Ship's can carry up to double their max crew, but only for short distances (less than a day)

Ship HP, as noted on NPC tokens, is equal to 5 times as much as a character's HP. i.e. Ship HP of 7 = 35 total HP vs. character's small arms/melee damage.

The opposite is true for a Ship's damage to a character. A ship's cannon will deal 5x's the damage to a character as it would to another ship.

Just think of converting damage from one to another at a 1 to 5 rate.

Around 30 seconds. PCs still only take 1 action each round.

Standard Range - 12 hexes

Broadside cannons can only be fired at a 45° angle from their side. Small arms fire such as muskets and swivel guns can be fired freely.

1 inch/hex ~ 50 feet.

Ships can move up to their speed in 50 mile hexes each day. i.e. Ship speed 3 = 150 miles per day.

Roll D6 + SHIP AGILITY for each ship. Highest goes first

Each action can only be chosen once* per ship's turn. Each ship gets at least 2 actions (or more if there are PCs on board). PCs taking crew actions add the bonus in parentheses.

*Larger ships have attack actions that may be taken multiple times. If the attack action is only taken by one PC, they may roll all of that ship's attacks, but they only add their Presence to the first roll. If multiple PCs take the attack action, each may add their Presence to one roll. Limit one PC per attack roll.

Double damage, then the hull is reduced one tier. Example: -d6 > -d4.

Ship hulls cannot be repaired at sea. Must be taken to a Shipwright.

GM decides outcome for other crew actions, if any.

Cannons or small arms misfire. (weapon is damaged and cannot be fired again until a successful Repair action is taken)

GM decides outcome for other crew actions, if any.

Zero HP or Less - The ship is derelict - Its speed is reduced to zero and it cannot take any crew actions while in combat.

Some NPCs—and experienced PCs—might improve or hinder a ship they crew. Use this list for ideas.

Some crews have more or less experience than others, and poor conditions, dire circumstances, and time at sea can affect a crew’s mood.

Crew Skill Test = d20 + (Ship's Skill stat + crew's experience or current conditions)

When asked to make a Crew Skill Test, you will add (or subtract) a crew's IMMEDIATELY CURRENT mood skill modifier with the ships noted "Skill" modifier (you can find a Ship's "Skill" modifier on their individual NPC character sheets) Once that is sorted, add or subtract the final modifier to a d20 roll for the Crew Skill Test.

Just think of a Ship's "Skill" ability as a sliding scale that is adjusted on the fly before making a "Crew Skill" test.

Examples of different Crew Skill modifiers can be found in the Navel Combat Article.

Example:

Test Crew Skill DR12

Crews current "Skill" modifier: -2

Ship's original "Skill" modifier: +1

Total Crew Skill modifier: -1

d20 + crew skill modifier: 15 - 1 = 14

Crew Skill test Successful

At the GM’s discretion, ships under attack or with low spirits may need to test morale or risk surrender/mutiny.

Roll 2D6 + CURRENT CREW SKILL

The cargo value is abstract. Value of cargo is left up to the GM.

Ships can only be repaired to 50% at sea (using the Repair crew action). The remainder must be repaired while moored or by a shipwright.

Recover 2 HP/day at a cost of 25s per HP regained

Ships need to be careened (cleaning the area of the ship below the water line by tilting the ship to one side at a time) every 3 months. Ships that have not been careened in over 3 months are -1 Speed.

To careen a ship, you must spend 1 day per 10 Max HP of the Ship cleaning.

You can have a shipwright repair your ship to full: 10 HP per day at 50s per HP regained.

Shipwrights also allow you to upgrade your ship, giving you bonuses to various attacks, HP, and speed. You'll find a list of upgrades in the Naval Combat Article.

Each day, the crew of a ship can sing a number of Shanties equal to 1 + the ship Captain's Spirit

Choose from your crew's known Shanties and test Crew's current Skill DR12 (You'll find a "Random Sea Shanty" Action to help GM's)