Privs and Captured Ship Deeds

[Tresmett]

I was thinking about this the other day and wondering to myself, "Why as a Privateer, a sanctioned Pirate, a Mercenary, am I not able to use Captured Ship deeds for my own nefarious deeds on the Open Sea."

Don't get me wrong, I am not looking to be able to capture ships as the Pirates do, nor Scavenge a Ship as they do. No, I am wondering more about the deed itself. Why should I not be able to purchase a captured deed and sail it for my own purposes, within my class range of course (no invalids). Maybe this has been brought up before but I'd like it introduced. Being able to purchase these deeds would make sense for the Privateer class as long as they are for sale, fitting for the class I think without turning the Privvy into a complete Pirate.

It could even be used as a type of passive skill similar to the Pirates' capture skill. Perhaps with a longer refresh timer. Maybe something along the lines of 24 hours, or even maybe just once a week as you are sailing for a nation after all. Include a type of restriction as in; only a Player's Ship may be captured, or even, Must not be within 400 miles of a french Port or something of the ilk. Something to make it interesting but debilitating at the same time.

I don't want free ships, but some way to mitigate and or lower the Priv's costs of Operation would be interesting.

Any Red Tags have any thoughts on this, players?

[Spinnaker Sam]

The idea is interesting, but the history doesn't support it. Privateers are paid by a government to hunt enemy ships. They are required by their letter to turn over all seized ships and goods to the courts. Captain Kidd got himself hung because he stepped over the line between privateering and piracy.

With that said, if a character has taken the Sanction Piracy skill, then I don't see why he shouldn't be able to purchase captured ships from pirates. Of course doing that would most likely hurt the shipbuilding economy since anyone with the Sanction Piracy skill would probably buy the cheaper captured ship deeds instead of player built. And probably for that reason would not be implemented.

[Schneemann]

Pirates pay at least -75% db drops for their "free" and captured Ships. Giving those ships to Privateers with +20% db drops would cause huge imbalances.

[Tresmett]

Originally Posted by Spinnaker Sam The idea is interesting, but the history doesn't support it. Privateers are paid by a government to hunt enemy ships. They are required by their letter to turn over all seized ships and goods to the courts. Captain Kidd got himself hung because he stepped over the line between privateering and piracy. With that said, if a character has taken the Sanction Piracy skill, then I don't see why he shouldn't be able to purchase captured ships from pirates. Of course doing that would most likely hurt the shipbuilding economy since anyone with the Sanction Piracy skill would probably buy the cheaper captured ship deeds instead of player built. And probably for that reason would not be implemented.

Understandable, again that's why I do not advocate the ability to cap ships, alright so throw that one out. However being able to purchase captured deeds at a premium wouldn't exactly hurt the shipbuilding econ, for example: the ship desired may not be available on the Auction House, as it is only one Durability you are still paying for the Durability and moving money around through the nations.

I for one would still purchase deeds from Shipwrights, but I would be supplementing my combat operations with captured deeds. It lowers a priv's costs of operating without hurting the economy, it's just money changing hands.

With that said, savvy Freetraders and Shipwrights can snap up abundant captured deeds and list them in their own nation's AH's to supply it's privvys quickly and efficiently while turning an extra profit as a side business.

Originally Posted by Schneemann Pirates pay at least -75% db drops for their "free" and captured Ships. Giving those ships to Privateers with +20% db drops would cause huge imbalances.

I think you're thinking too much in the terms of the way the system for privateers is balanced now, removing the +20% or even adding a -20% and implementing the ability to purchase and sail captured deeds purchased from Pirate AH's might balance out. It would bring a new influx into the rat econ.

[Schneemann]

Originally Posted by Tresmett I think you're thinking too much in the terms of the way the system for privateers is balanced now, removing the +20% or even adding a -20% and implementing the ability to purchase and sail captured deeds purchased from Pirate AH's might balance out. It would bring a new influx into the rat econ.

Well -66% to drops and -33% to all already owned money (without previous announcement) would be more realistic to balance this out.


And as general Problem: Why shouldn´t everybody be able to use captured ships? In reality all Priceships captured by NOs were reused or sold, so give them also the possibility to claim and use those captured deeds. Same to FT, if they get a hand on a ship, they would use or sell it. ..


So probatly we should stay the way ist is atm.

[dogstar]

I like the idea - however here is what I say

Privateers can use captured ships, or even convert ships to captive ships but when they sail them, they're flagged as illegal ship PvP, like Pirates are in non-career ships.

[trongey]

OR (flame suit ready, please read clear through before lighting up)
-Drop the Privateer class.
-Make Privateering a Pirate skill branch at level 30 or so. You miss some of the high level Pirate buffs in exchange for the Privateer buffs.
-Create missions for pirates in good standing with a nation to acquire Letters of Marque.
-Pirate loses the marque and takes a huge reputation hit from the licensing nation if he breaks the terms of the license (sail or dock a captured ship, attack friendly ship, etc). Is perma flagged PvP for that nation until he repairs his standing. Takes a smaller hit from the other nations since he's untrusworthy. Pirate is now back to being a pirate with a somewhat different skill set until another letter can be acquired with same or different nation.
-Change the NO skill tree so that they can choose a career branch with key buffs that currently belong to Privateers so they can fill that hole in their fleets.

What this accomplishes:
- New career paths for both Rats and NOs.
- Privateers work like Privateers should.
- New content and strategies.
- New type of nation interraction.
- Potential for greater immersion.
Risks:
- Griefing (what doesn't risk this?)
- Players crying because they didn't understand the implications of the choices (like that's something new).
- Complexity.