MAROONER — ROGUE SUBCLASS
Salorras Paragon: Marooner · Path: Scoundrel (Rogue) · Subclass type: Roguish Archetype, chosen at 3rd level The corsairs of the Deep Fleet and the open archipelago.
The corsairs are fearsome, sea-weathered sailors raised on the waves and the deep blue of the oceans — the elite of the finest naval warriors in the history of Asmeda. Most are trained from a young age to join the Deep Fleet, the greatest active fleet in the world, though many are or remain adventurers, traders, couriers, extreme explorers — and not a few are cutpurses and pirates. Their roots lie in Lutys, the historic city-state of the Free Cities of South, where the Deep Fleet is seated. The world prizes their seamanship but keeps its distance: these sea-dogs are masters of the one-handed sword, and negotiations with them can turn fatal. The open seas are their home — especially the Ornamentis coast and the gulf of Tarpses in the ocean Arbon, waters other ships avoid.
Marooners hold that the salt water gives them life and strength, and that travel by sea is everyone’s right. Years on the water make them wiser travelers; from storms and rough seas they learn to pour great force into their otherwise airy, elegant swordwork. Those of the Deep Fleet keep the military codes of Lutys; the many who run free live an anarchic life and keep good relations with the autonomous and pirate fleets of the Isles of Nocte — to most of Salorras, the corsairs are anarchic scum who steal, burn, and plunder the ports and ships of the world.
Becoming a Marooner (roleplay, not a mechanical prerequisite)
You choose this archetype at 3rd level with no in-game prerequisites. In the fiction a corsair earns their name on the water, sword in hand, whether under the Deep Fleet’s flag or none at all.
Marooner Features
| Rogue Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3 | Corsair’s Audacity, Pirate Tricks |
| 9 | Parley, Sea Legs |
| 13 | Spirited Tricks, Sea Dog’s Riposte |
| 17 | Surge of the Oceans |
Level 3 — Corsair’s Audacity
You fight with the careless daring of one at home on a pitching deck.
- You add your Charisma modifier to your Initiative rolls.
- You can use your Sneak Attack even if you don’t have Advantage, provided you have no Disadvantage, you are within 5 feet of the target, and no other enemy is within 5 feet of you (the duelist’s single-blade poise).
- Any one-handed sword you wield gains the Finesse property for you (Finesse of the Tides).
Level 3 — Pirate Tricks
You know the dirty fighting of the corsairs. You gain three Cunning Strike options (used when you deal Sneak Attack damage):
- Disarm (Cost 1d6). The target makes a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or drops one item of your choice that it is holding.
- Trip (Cost 1d6). The target makes a Strength saving throw against the same DC or has the Prone condition.
- Feint (Cost 1d6). You have Advantage on your next attack roll against the target before the end of the current turn.
Level 9 — Parley
Well-traveled and silver-tongued in the ways of the sea, you wield words like a cutlass. As a Bonus Action, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check to charm or a Charisma (Intimidation) check to menace a creature that can hear and understand you (an enemy you so menace has Disadvantage on attacks against creatures other than you until the end of your next turn). You also have Advantage on Charisma checks made against any sailor, dockhand, pirate, or seafarer on matters touching the sea.
Level 9 — Sea Legs
The deck is steadier under you than dry land is under most. While aboard a vessel or in the water, you ignore Difficult Terrain, you can’t be knocked Prone or off the ship against your will unless you choose to allow it, and you have Advantage on checks and saves to keep your footing. You have a Swim Speed equal to your Speed and can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes. In addition, you carry a wanderer’s broad lore: you can add your Proficiency Bonus (or double it, if already proficient) to Intelligence checks to recall information about distant places, peoples, ships, and strange relics (a Traveler’s Ken).
Level 13 — Spirited Tricks
Success breeds swagger. Whenever a creature fails its saving throw against one of your Pirate Tricks, you have Advantage on your next attack roll against that creature before the end of your next turn.
Level 13 — Sea Dog’s Riposte
You answer every clumsy swing. When a creature within 5 feet of you misses you with a melee attack, you can use your Reaction to make a melee weapon attack against it. When you hit with this attack, you can apply one of your Pirate Tricks to it (paying its Sneak Attack cost only if you deal Sneak Attack damage).
Level 17 — Surge of the Oceans
You channel the airy fury of the storm into your blade.
- Your hits with a Finesse weapon deal extra damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum +1).
- Once on each of your turns, when you miss a creature with a Finesse weapon attack, you can reroll that attack with Advantage (the corsair’s relentless follow-through).
Ability Note
The Marooner is a Dexterity Rogue who leans hard on Charisma (initiative, Parley, the corsair’s bravado) more than most scoundrels.