Custom Ships (post your custom game pieces here!)

[Skelebone]

One thing you could maybe do is make the six roll also include the five effect so it eliminates all crew (or just named crew?) before capturing the ship, so you’re still getting the ship but it won’t be as capable as it was.

I like that idea, feels right and makes sense. I’ll add it to my spreadsheet. Thanks for the help!

[Skelebone]

This week I return with the currently completed selection of Pirate pieces in my Pirates of  the Baltic Sea custom set!

Name: Fallen Eagle
ID: 001
Rarity: Rare
Cost: 14
Masts: 5
Cargo: 4
Movement: L
Cannons: 3S-3S-3S-3S-3S
Ability: Crew of any nationality may use their abilities on this ship. This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against non-Pirate ships and forts.
Flavor Text: The Fallen Eagle accepts all the misfits and outcasts who choose to rebel against the empires who oppress them.

Name: Polska
ID: 002
Rarity: Uncommon
Cost: 14
Link: Kazimierz Lux
Masts: 4
Cargo: 3
Movement: L
Cannons: 3L-3L-3L-3L
Ability: When this ship hits an enemy ship, you may also eliminate one cargo from that ship.
Flavor Text: After deciding to return to piracy, Kazimierz Lux gathered a crew and stole a Russian frigate, rechristening her ‘Polska’ in honor of the nation he hoped to free.

Name: Prestige
ID: 005
Rarity: Common
Cost: 10
Masts: 2
Cargo: 4
Movement: S+S
Cannons: 2L-3L
Ability: Turuma. This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against the Swedish.
Flavor Text: The Prestige has made quite a name for herself raiding merchant and shipping vessels all along the Swedish coast.

Name: Sudden Death
ID: 006
Rarity: Common
Cost: 14
Link: John Derdrake
Masts: 3
Cargo: 3
Movement: S+S
Cannons: 2S-2L-2S
Ability: Once per turn, reroll any die roll made for this ship; you must use the second die roll result. This ship gets +1 to her boarding rolls.
Flavor Text: Originally a Russian warship, Sudden Death was captured and renamed by the infamous John Derdrake.

Name: Unicorn
ID: 009
Rarity: Common
Cost: 9
Masts: 3
Cargo: 5
Movement: L
Cannons: 3S-3S-3S
Ability: Crew of any nationality may use their abilities on this ship.
Flavor Text: Having traded hands many times and run through many different crews, most forget the Unicorn’s origins as an English merchant ship.

Name: Zloty Kot
ID: 010
Rarity: Uncommon
Cost: 11
Masts: 2
Cargo: 4
Movement: S+S
Cannons: 3L-3L
Ability: Once per turn before you give this ship an action, roll a d6. On a 5 or 6, this ship may be given the same action twice.
Flavor Text: Zloty Kot has a large guilded feline as a figurehead, which her crew claim to have stolen from a nobleman’s personal pleasure boat.

Name: Imperial Dynasty
ID: 011
Rarity: Uncommon
Cost: 9
Masts: 4
Cargo: 4
Movement: L
Cannons: 3S-3S-3S-3S
Ability: This ship gets +1 to her rolls agianst Russian ships.
Flavor Text: Captain Mikhailov was to be put to death for a murder he didn’t commit; instead he and his crew deserted the Russian Navy and vowed revenge against the nation who betrayed them.

Name: Johanna Hard
ID: 015
Rarity: Rare
Cost: 7
Ability: If this ship succeeds at a boarding party, choose two of the following: eliminate a crew, take a treasure, or eliminate a mast.
Flavor Text: Johanna Hard was sentenced to death for piracy, but a well placed bribe allowed her to escape the noose and set sail to once again plunder the Swedish coast.

Name: Kazimierz Lux
ID: 016
Rarity: Rare
Cost: 8
Link: Polska
Ability: Captain. This ship gets +1 to her cannon and boarding rolls.
Flavor Text: Kazimierz Lux had planned on settling down for a normal life after returning to Warsaw, until he met Captain Leviathan, who convinced him that a continued life of piracy in the name of a free Poland was a nobler cause than any work he could find legally.

Name: Mr. Constantine
ID: 017
Rarity: Common
Cost: 3
Ability: Once per turn, reroll any die roll made for this ship; you must use the second die roll result.
Flavor Text: A mysterious gentleman from England and serving as Captain Leviathan’s right hand man, Mr. Constantine always seems to be able to tip the odds in his favor.

Name: John Derdrake
ID: 021
Rarity: Common
Cost: 7
Link: Sudden Death
Ability: If this ship succeeds at a boarding party, she can eliminate all of the other ship’s crew.
Flavor Text: The ruthless captain Derdrake is known to make a show out of executing his prisoners, usually forcing them to ‘walk the plank’.

Name: Death’s Hand
ID: 146
Rarity: Super Rare
Cost: 17
Link: Captain Leviathan
Masts: 5
Cargo: 3
Movement: L
Cannons: 2S-2L-2L-2L-2S
Ability: Fear. Once per turn, one of this ship’s cannons may shoot again if it misses.
Flavor Text: Sailors who view the black sails of Captain Leviathan’s flagship seldom return to tell the tale.

Name: Thorn
ID: 147
Rarity: Super Rare
Cost: 8
Masts: 1
Cargo: 3
Movement: S+S
Cannons: 3L
Ability: One of this ship’s treasures is worth +1 when unloaded at home island.
Flavor Text: The crew of the Thorn have resolved to raid small merchant ships along the Baltic coast, selling whatever they manage to take to the highest bidder on the black market.

Name: Captain Leviathan
ID: 148
Rarity: Super Rare
Cost: 10
Link: Death’s Hand
Ability: Ransom. Captain. Helmsman. Loyal: Pirates; Hostile: all other factions. Once per turn, roll a d6. On a 5 or 6, this ship may be given an extra action.
Flavor Text: Credited by most as being responsible for the resurgence of piracy in the Baltic Sea, Captain Leviathan has declared a personal war against the empires of Europe until the nations they subjugate are given free rule. He has thus far proven to be a very hard man to catch and has inspired many a sailor to join his cause, whether it be for freedom or for plunder.

Next Friday I shall return bearing unique treasures.

[Skelebone]

I come today with the completed unique treasures of Pirates of the Baltic Sea, and will probably be the last post I make on the set for a little while.

Name: Mortar Shot
ID: 101
Rarity: Rare
Effect: Once per turn, during a shooting action this ship may double the range of one of her cannons, but a 5 or a 6 must be rolled to hit. On a hit, remove Mortar Shot from the game.

Name: Ornate Cannons
ID: 102
Rarity: Rare
Effect: This ship gains one 3S cannon that can shoot from any mast. If a 1 or a 2 is rolled when shooting, eliminate a mast from this ship and remove Ornate Cannons from the game.

Name: Gunpowder Barrels
ID: 103
Rarity: Rare
Effect: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls. All this ship’s cannons are L-range. When this ship is hit, replace the removed mast with a fire mast and remove Gunpowder Barrels from the game. If this ship is hit by a firepot, replace two masts with a fire mast and remove Gunpowder Barrels from the game.

Name: Traitor
ID: 104
Rarity: Rare
Effect: When this ship initiates a boarding party, her opponent may choose one crew with a point cost of 1 or 2 from this ship to be placed on their ship if the other ship has the required cargo space. Once this action is completed, remove Traitor from the game. This treasure may not be unloaded.

Name: Stowaway
ID: 105
Rarity: Rare
Effect: When this treasure is loaded, roll a d6. On a 1 or a 2, eliminate a random piece of cargo from this ship. On a 3 or a 4, this ship loses her next turn. On a 5 or a 6, bring in a crew worth less than 3 points to this ship, so long as she has the required cargo space. Eliminate Stowaway from the game once the effects of the roll have been applied.

Name: Stortebeker’s Skull
ID: 106
Rarity: Rare
Effect: If loaded by a Cursed ship, this ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against non-Cursed ships and forts. If loaded by another nation’s ship, this ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against the Cursed, and the Cursed get +1 to their cannon rolls against this ship.

Name: Captain Leviathan’s Declaration
ID: 149
Rarity: Super Rare
Effect: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against non-Pirate ships and forts. All other ships and forts get +1 to their cannon rolls against this ship. This treasure cannot be unloaded.

Name: Riches from Distant Lands
ID: 303
Rarity: Limited Edition/Promo
Effect: When this treasure is unloaded on to your home island, it is worth half the total gold points held by the player whose turn it is next.

Name: False Sighting
ID: 307
Rarity: Limited Edition/Promo
Effect: When this treasure is loaded, roll a d6. On a 1-3, this ship must skip her next turn. On a 4-6, this ship must skip her next two turns. Eliminate False Sighting from the game once the effects of the roll have been applied.

[Xerecs]

I would suggest a re-word to Mortar Shot. SOmething more along this maybe:

When this ship is given a shoot action you may double the range of one of her cannons. If you do you must roll a 5 or 6 to hit with that cannon. Remove Mortar Shot from the game after the shoot action.

 

This ship gains one 3S cannon that can shoot from any mast. If a 1 or a 2 is rolled when shooting, eliminate a mast from this ship and remove Ornate Cannons from the game.

Does this apply to any of the ships cannons, or just the Ornate one? I would suggest some text that specifies.

 

When this treasure is loaded, roll a d6. On a 1 or a 2, eliminate a random piece of cargo from this ship. On a 3 or a 4, this ship loses her next turn. On a 5 or a 6, bring in a crew worth less than 3 points to this ship, so long as she has the required cargo space. Eliminate Stowaway from the game once the effects of the roll have been applied.

I’d suggest some minor wording changes here. On a 1 or 2 eliminate one random cargo from this ship. On a 5 or 6 place any one crew with point cost of 2 or less on this ship, using standard cargo capacity rules. That crew assumes the nationality of this ship.

 

When this treasure is unloaded on to your home island, it is worth half the total gold points held by the player whose turn it is next.

This would be a powerful one I feel, if a little wonky. Would you round up or round down if your opponent has an odd number of gold on their home island?

 

When this treasure is loaded, roll a d6. On a 1-3, this ship must skip her next turn. On a 4-6, this ship must skip her next two turns. Eliminate False Sighting from the game once the effects of the roll have been applied.

Oof. This is like Mermaids. Not sure if the two turn skip should be kept.

[Skelebone]

I would suggest a re-word to Mortar Shot.

Will do.

Does this apply to any of the ships cannons, or just the Ornate one? I would suggest some text that specifies.

It’s meant to apply to all cannons, not just the extra one granted by the treasure.

This would be a powerful one I feel, if a little wonky. Would you round up or round down if your opponent has an odd number of gold on their home island?

Round down, so as to maybe keep this treasure a bit more balanced. I’ll add some wording to clarify.

Oof. This is like Mermaids. Not sure if the two turn skip should be kept.

Hmm, what if I made it so the two turns lost is only when a 6 is rolled? Or would that still teeter on unbalanced? If so I’ll give some thought to a different alternate effect.

[Skelebone]

Decided to just rework False Sighting altogether. Its new effect is similar, although hopefully more balanced:

At the beginning of this ship’s turn, roll a d6. on a 5 or a 6, skip this ship’s turn and remove False Sighting from the game. This treasure cannot be unloaded.

[Ben]

@Skelebone: Nice to see so many new customs!  With customs feedback I generally prefer to recommend only point cost adjustments so everything else with the game piece can stay the same, barring any broken abilities/etc.  Here are my thoughts:

Gladan: 6 points
Turuma keyword is neat, I’d be interested to try out the rotation movement.
Otto Gustaf Nordenskold: 6 or 7 points, as Canceller is certainly worth 5+ on its own.
Azov: 13 points
Captain Ramius: 8 points
Nachtkrapp: 4 points
Roter Teufel: Have a feeling this could come down to 10 or 11, but would want to playtest first.
Krikun: 12 points
Hel: 12 points (compare to the Golden Medusa from RV, which I think is good at 15)
Godeke Michels: 6 points (I need to playtest Massacre more but feel Wizkids definitely overpriced it)
Likedeeler: 5 points (^similar for Hoard)
Krampus: can probably get away with 7 points if you want. (ex: Executioner from RV likely not OP at all and is better overall)
SMS Friedrich der Grosse: I think this would be fine at 17 or 18 if you want to lower it.
SMS Falke: 11 points (I see her as a 6 point ship without those abilities)
SMS Schultzie: I would up this to at least 27 for playtesting. HMS Endeavour would still see play at probably 24+ points, and this adds important speed and a cargo space.
Grosse Jacht: 6 points. I would change the second ability to: “If this ship rolls a 6 when shooting, she may be given an extra shoot action.” The intent wasn’t unclear but I wouldn’t want people to interpret it as a global effect (unless I’m mistaken, in which case the ability would be broken heh) Fun flavor text!
SMS Amazone: 8 points. Interesting linked/named crew options….
SMS Luchs: One of the harder ones to judge. I’m wary she’s worth 14-15.
SMS Ludwig II: My fave from the set so far. I’m a sucker for these stacked ships lol no matter the cost. She might even prove herself to be worth 18-19.
The Black Baron should be fun to playtest, the 6 roll reminds me of what I’ve thought about for the historical pirates that captured a ton of prizes in their careers (such as Black Bart, Black Sam Bellamy).
Fallen Eagle: 16 points
Polska: 15-16 points
Prestige: 8 points
Sudden Death: 13 points
Johanna Hard: 3 points (I’m strongly opposed to how Wizkids costed this.)
John Derdrake: 5 points
Love the Death’s Hand, nice name for the ship.
Thorn: 6 points
Captain Leviathan: 9 points (C+H+EA is an amazing package, but the Ransom and Hostile: everyone is ugly enough to probably lower his cost by 1 point. Debatable though since combining the 3 positive abilities into 1 cargo space is probably worth a few points)
I like the tradeoffs of Gunpowder Barrels!
Traitor is interesting since the traitor could be killed in the boarding party in question.
Riches from Distant Lands: I could see this getting messy, regardless of the campaign game implications of sudden windfall riches. It sounds like it would force the next player to reveal how much gold they have. By “held”, is it just gold on their home island or does it include gold on ships, in forts/etc? Such a big reveal might change a game by tipping off other players if they should build a fort, flip Trade Route (UT from SCS), HI raid said player, etc.
False Sighting: A personal nitpick but I think it should trigger on a 1-2 since low rolls are almost always bad in Pirates; high rolls usually signify success.

Cool set and thanks for sharing! 😀 Hopefully my feedback makes sense and doesn’t sound too harsh. 🙂

[Skelebone]

Cool set and thanks for sharing! Hopefully my feedback makes sense and doesn’t sound too harsh.

Thanks! And keep in mind this is just some of the pieces, the full 144 (192 if you count generic crew, but I don’t) piece set should see full release later today. And it wasn’t harsh at all, I’ll definitely be taking it into consideration! I’ll take another look at pricing on the pieces you mentioned, but at least for initial playtesting some might remain similar to the original calculated price until I can get a good idea of how they play. Thanks again for the input!

[Woelf]

Decided to just rework False Sighting altogether. Its new effect is similar, although hopefully more balanced:

At the beginning of this ship’s turn, roll a d6. on a 5 or a 6, skip this ship’s turn and remove False Sighting from the game. This treasure cannot be unloaded.

This is a more interesting effect anyway.  The previous was basically a weaker version of Natives (lose 1 turn per crew).

The thematic implications of it hitting later on are better too.   Instead of being stuck at the island longer, they sail along doing other stuff when they spot something in the distance and then spend a turn checking it out, only to find out it was unimportant.

Riches from Distant Lands: I could see this getting messy, regardless of the campaign game implications of sudden windfall riches. It sounds like it would force the next player to reveal how much gold they have. By “held”, is it just gold on their home island or does it include gold on ships, in forts/etc? Such a big reveal might change a game by tipping off other players if they should build a fort, flip Trade Route (UT from SCS), HI raid said player, etc.

I agree, this one would be a mess to implement because there are a lot of variables that would have to be considered, and a lot of specific details would need to be clarified.   Getting to peek at another player’s entire gold collection is almost as powerful as the gold payout, but is only indirectly implied by the wording; it should be clearly stated as part of the full effect.

There’s also the issue of it being potentially game-breaking if a player purposely keeps it on a ship near home until as late as possible in the game, to maximize the value.  It would be especially problematic in a timed tournament game where every player is allowed to have the same number of turns.

 

It would work better as a UT if the value was locked in when it was first loaded, and was based on something that was easier to determine at that moment, like the total value of all other treasure on the island where it was found, for example.

ADDED:  Another alternative would be to add some sort of “poison” effect that forces the player to unload it as quickly as possible, because, regardless of how the gold value is determined, it could be a massive amount of gold value sitting on a single ship with no obvious downside.

 

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