I propose we add some new bonuses and ranks to those who have chosen to go it alone and fly the Jolly Roger.

Here be what I propose:

Pirate
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
It is considered a special rank. You are given certain bonuses in Pirate controlled ports:
New Additions in Red
*Recruitment does not require influence
*Recruitment is free of charge.
*Cannons are free of charge.
You are also given some other privileges:
*Upkeep costs are halved.
*Skirmish attacks do not require the use of turns
*+10% fame earned from plunder (ie if you earn 1000 fame, you earn a bonus of 10%, aka 100 fame more)
*+10% on influence (as a pirate controlled port has no taxes)

Pirate Rankings

Buccaneer of the Third Order
*Those carrying this distinction gain 2 additional skirmish points per day for a total of 5 per day.

Buccaneer of the Second Order
*Those marked with this distinction gain another 2 skirmish points per day for a total of 7 per day.

Buccaneer of the First Order
*Those marked with this distinction gain another 2 skirmish points per day for a total of 9 per day.
*Upon completing this mission, a Buccaneer of the First Order (when it becomes available) can acquire a flagship.

Missions from the Governor, of course, are required. These missions can include:

Spoiler: show

NPC battles to locate and vanquish famed Pirate Hunters such as:
William Rhett, known for capturing Stede Bonnett
Robert Maynard, known for defeating Blackbeard and his crew, and
Chalonor Ogle, who defeated the dreaded pirate, Bartholomew Roberts

PvP skirmishes and plunders against the top 20 players and top 10 nations

Dastardly missions, such as wooing a certain daughter of a certain governor, only to break her heart.
Running a certain amount of cargo to a certain port in a certain time
and of course, removing populations in certain ports, and increasing influence in certain ports.

The pirate rank has need of more tools to do what pirates do - those who skirmish and plunder carrying the nation flag have the perks and bonuses offered by those national ranks, and the port controlling nation even more. Pirates also wish to build hideouts, spend gold bars and become more substantial in wealth and power, just as everyone else - they simply do so in a different manner .

It's time to provide some bonuses and perks to those who fly the Jolly Roger.

+1

Aye, they do need some form of assistance, many are reduced to sleeping in doorways : one tires of tripping over them on the way to the Opera.

Big +1 from me.

Pirates are in dire need of some motivational missions and bonuses similar to Nationals.

I would also like to add, typically in the past it has always been merchants vs pirates on the forum in terms of game updates, when one argues a point for the other side it is noteworthy. So SHM, I would like to thank you for your support regarding pirates! An esteemed merchant and Banker such as yourself surely sees both sides of the coin and suggests concepts for the betterment of the game as a whole and not just to your ends.

I commend you sir!

Some perks for the black flag may be a good idea, although I'm not so sure.

I'm worried that if those perks become too good, then being an attacker with a flag becomes very tough. For me and the plans we make, having a flag can be important, although we raid and plunder too. With this suggestion, skirmish becomes so incredibly much better for those using the Black Flag than others, that all our fun plans including nations may be abandoned simply because it's so much more lucrative to fly Black when skirmishing.

If the turns for skirmishes are to be removed, I think that should apply to all, not just those flying Black.

And back to considering only ones self and their own plans...

This won't make any of what you do harder, just give some benefit to being a pirate. Bonuses shouldn't go both ways. Think of it as a scale

Pirate --------I---------Merchant

The farther you move in either direction the better your benefits pertaining to that end. Hang in the middle you are jack of all Master of none and thus have some benefits from each but not to the full effect.

+1

i haven't yet an opinion on this proposal.
but i do agree that the black flag should have some benefits that boost their trade.

i don't agree with vane's slide though, i figure a triangle with 3 corners: pirate merchant and noble.
at the moment merchant and noble are intertwined and being the merchant nobleman gives double advantages. The pirate is opposite merchant and noble (nation) and lacks their benefits.

the no-tax, free cannons etc benefit is small because the few ships kept by pirates. maybe this proposal is what's needed. maybe we have to look elsewhere as well.


since this thread is about ranking and bonus i like to make an additional suggesting here

nobles: influence
merchants: fame
pirates: bloodprice (or another piraty name)

bloodprice and fame are similar but opposite, a negative fame.

fame is earned by trading and fighting pirates (here those who have bloodprice)
bloodprice is earned by fighting merchants (those with fame)

points earned is related to goldcoins stolen (by voodoo, theft, plunder or skirmish) ships stolen are valued by the shipwright and bloodprice points are accorded equally.

high fame should give merchants some boons (apart from the noble ones) and high bloodprice should be beneficial to the pirates. (and nation sanctioned pirated to a lesser degree)

A benefit of a number equivalent to fame?...

Why do all the decent suggestions for pirates to earn something worth while get derailed and turned into something pointless?

Let's start a list of the benefits to nationals,

- 10% trade profit
- 10% reduced ship upgrade costs
- stipends
- port tax income
- cheaper ship build cost in port owned
- even voodoo directly pertain to them, forced labour, military service, can't be used on a pirate.
- their own bank access
- Many more but on mobile I'm getting lazy to list them.



Now the list of what pirates have that merchants do not.

- a black flag
- half upkeep costs (saves me $2,000 per day!)
- ....


If we repeat it enough perhaps one day it will be recognized!

The pirate is a lone thief : outside the laws of nations : they earn their daily bread by taking it away from others : thats it : no great plan exists for being a pirate apart from that : they build nothing save the tools of their trade, they create nothing of any benefit except to themselves : so, I find myself thinking, quite what bonuses would they think worthy of their craft? Quite what vast expenses do they labor under in pursuit of piratical excellence? Their thefts should receive a greater reward? More coin, more fame, more whatever measure of something valuable applies? Their enemies should be made weaker, perhaps, their victims hobbled, tied up and laid out neatly for their daily plucking? Their weapons should be stronger, perhaps, their shot twice as explosive, their cannons twice as accurate, their ships twice as strong.. for no extra charge, naturally, after all, they fly a pretty black flag, they dont need rules to govern them, they make their own... and demand a few extra rules for everyone else to abide by to make their illicit lifestyles easier.
Well, let us know the SMS number and I'll donate a few coins to an appropriate charitable institution to relieve such destitution : but instituting new rules to benefit those who choose to play outside the rules of man is, well, a bit ironic?