Pirates CSG
Frequently Asked Questions, Clarifications, and Errata
May 2007
Changes, updates, and additions to the April 2007 edition are marked in purple.
*NOTE: This is a condensed edition of the FAQ. For a more comprehensive listing, please visit the “Pirates CSG:
Rules” section of the official forums at www.wizkidsgames.com.
CARD CORRECTIONS AND MISPRINTS
General Rule: If there is a discrepancy in any game-relevant statistics or abilities between the
deckplate card, the masts, a published check-off sheet, an online gallery, or any other source, the
printed deckplate card always takes precedence except where noted in this document.
“Cannonball” Gallows (MI-042a): This crewmember has the Ransom keyword in addition to
his printed abilities, and a point cost of 0 (zero).
Duque Marcus Vaccaro (BC-072): This crewmember's point cost is 0 (zero).
Ghost Wind (CC-215): This crewmember's point cost is 2.
Grendel (FN-005): This ship’s deckplate should indicate that it has 2 masts, not 3.
Guy LaPlante (R-062): Guy LaPlante is linked to Le Courgeux (R-051).
Nancy Nox (MI-033): This ship’s complete ability text should read: “If this ship wins a
boarding party, she may take as much treasure from the other ship as she wants, up to her
available cargo space.”
Polaris (FN-300): This ship’s nationality is Viking, not Cursed.
Q: My Coleoptera (MI-029) has the name “Nautilus” on its side. Did I get the wrong card 2 of
2?
A: No. Due to an artwork error the incorrect name appears on Coleoptera’s hull, however, the
cannon ranks and collector numbers on the individual pieces are still correct so it should be
played “as-is”.
Q: My generic crew is an Explorer according to the card and token, but it has a picture of a
Musketeer instead. Which type of crew is it?
A: If a crew token has a mismatched image, its type or identity is determined by the printed text
not the picture.
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GENERAL RULES QUESTIONS AND TERMINOLOGY
Keywords vs. Ship Types
Q: My ship looks like a galley/schooner/turtle ship/etc., but it doesn’t have the corresponding
keyword printed on its deckplate. Can it still use that ability?
A: No, a ship has only the abilities that are printed on its deckplate card. While certain
keywords may often be associated with a particular ship type, those ships do not automatically
inherit that ability based upon their design or appearance.
Links
Q: Does the nationality of my crew have to match the ship in order to use a link, and can a link
be cancelled or copied?
A: Linking is considered a rule rather than an ability, so nationality restrictions do not apply
and it cannot be cancelled or copied.
Named Crew Abilities
Q: If my named crew has “Captain” in his/her name (i.e. Captain Mission), does he/she
automatically get the Captain ability?
A: No, named crew have only the abilities printed on their cards. They do not inherit any other
abilities based upon their name, title, or flavor text.
“Removed from the game” vs. "Eliminated"
Q: What is the difference between being removed from the game and being eliminated?
A: “Removed from the game” refers to a game piece that has been taken out of play without
necessarily being killed or destroyed. (Example: Missionary takes crew out of play without
killing them.) Items that are removed from the game cannot be returned to play unless a rule or
ability specifically allows it. (Example: A repair action can bring back a removed mast.)
“Eliminated” refers to a game piece that has been killed or destroyed. Certain abilities may
allow a game piece to remain in play or return to play even after it is eliminated.
Sea Dragons, Sea Monsters, and Titans
Q: Is a sea dragon, sea monster, or titan considered to be a ship?
A: Yes, any action or ability that can target a ship can also target a sea dragon, sea monster, or
titan.
Q: Are tentacles/segments/etc. considered masts?
A: Yes, any actions or abilities that refer to masts also apply to tentacles/segments/etc.
Who picks?
Q: When an ability or rule targets crew, treasure, cargo, masts, or any other game item for
removal, elimination, theft, or transfer, who gets to decide which item is targeted?
A: Unless stated otherwise, the defender (the player losing the item) chooses.
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MULTIPLAYER RULES
Treasure that is on a ship that is sunk or lost in a fog bank does not count toward victory for any
player. (Addition)
TOURNAMENT AND APPROVED PLAY RULES
Card Modifications
Q: Can I use modified, repainted, or kit-bashed ships?
A: Modifications are acceptable as long as they are approved for use by the Privateer and do
not alter how those items function within the game. Unacceptable modifications include but are
not limited to: constructing ships incorrectly to change their overall shape or size, bending or
cutting masts to change lines of fire, and changing printed statistics or abilities.
Peripherals
Q: Can I use homemade islands, custom measuring devices, special dice, etc.?
A: Third-party and/or custom gaming objects may be used as long as they are approved for use
by the Privateer and are made equally available for use by your opponents.
Retired and Restricted Items
Q: Are any game pieces or sets retired or restricted from play?
A: There are currently no retired or restricted items. However, The Sleigh (HH05a) and
Captain Whitebeard (HH05b) are not intended for use in standard games so they must be preapproved for use by the Privateer before gameplay begins.
PIRATES ONLINE
Tech Support
Q: Help! My game won’t load, I can’t login, the game runs really slow, it keeps crashing, etc.
Where should I go for help?
A: Questions regarding software, hardware, or any other technical issues with the computer
game should be directed to Sony Online Entertainment Customer Support, available at:
http://support.station.sony.com
Rules Discrepancies
Q: Some of the rules seem to work differently in the computer game. Do these rule changes
apply to the tabletop version of the game as well?
A: No. There are some rules, abilities, and other game effects that were altered for the online
version of the game. Those changes apply only to the computer game, and have no effect
whatsoever on how the tabletop version of Pirates CSG is played.
3
SPECIFIC RULES
(By rulebook section)
BUILDING YOUR FLEET
No-duplicates Rule:
A player cannot have two or more of the same character, ship, sea monster, event token, or fort
in their fleet at the same time unless it is captured from an opposing player. Generic crew are not
limited in this way.
SETUP
Q: Do I build my fleet during setup?
A: No, you build your fleet before setup begins.
Island Distances and Placement
Q: What are the restrictions for island placement?
A: Each island must be placed at least 3L away from all other islands, but no more than 6L
away from at least one other island.
Q: What is the required size for a playing area?
A: The overall size of the playing area is limited only by the island placement restrictions and
total space available. As a minimum, an area approximately 3ft x 3ft (1m x 1m) is
recommended.
Treasure Pool
A player cannot place more than one of any Unique Treasure in the treasure pool during setup.
Standard treasure is not limited in this way.
MOVING
Q: If my ship has multiple segments of movement (i.e. S+L), when can I change heading?
A: You may determine a new heading at the beginning of each segment of movement, including
the first.
Q: Is there a limit to the turning angle, such as 90° or 45°?
A: The physical shape of a ship’s hull provides the only limit to its turning angle. Most ship
types are capable of turning up to 160° or more to either side.
Q: Can a ship continue movement after coming into contact with an island or another ship?
A: No, if a ship touches another ship or an island during her movement she must stop
immediately, even if there are additional movement segments remaining.
Q: When can I use the “stern turn” ability of the Galley or Schooner keywords?
A: The “stern turn” is considered the final segment of movement, so it is applied after the base
move and any other movement bonuses, but before using abilities like those of a captain or
explorer and before ramming.
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Ram
Q: Can you sink a derelict by ramming it?
A: No, ramming can only remove masts.
Pin
Q: Can I pin an enemy ship with my move action?
A: Yes, you can pin an enemy ship by moving your ship so that it is in contact with the enemy
ship’s bow.
Q: If my ship is pinned, can it still shoot?
A: Yes, pinning only restricts movement.
Board
Q: Can boarding happen only after ramming?
A: Yes, unless an ability specifically allows you to board at some other time.
Q: How many boarding actions can occur after a ram?
A: Only one boarding action can occur immediately following a ram, regardless of which player
initiated it.
Tow
Q: When can I initiate a tow?
A: You may initiate a tow at the beginning or end of your ship’s move action.
Q: Can you voluntarily release a towed vessel at any time?
A: Yes.
Q: How many ships can you tow at a time?
A: One.
EXPLORING
Q: How many treasure tokens can I load onto my ship with one explore action?
A: You may load as many items as you have available cargo space.
Q: Can I unload treasure or crew from my ship when it explores a wild island?
A: Yes, cargo may be unloaded to a wild island during an explore action, but the effects of any
unique treasures on the island must be resolved before any other cargo can be transferred.
Q: If my ship docks at a wild island and uses an explorer crew to explore the island, can I unload
that explorer to make room for more treasure?
A: Yes, you may unload the explorer to make room for treasure, but when he leaves the ship the
free explore action he provided immediately ends. In order to load treasure back into that empty
cargo space, another explore action is required.
Q: Can cargo, treasure, or crew be transferred between friendly ships?
A: Yes. The two ships must be touching and one of them must be given an explore action to
transfer the cargo. You may also explore an enemy derelict in this way.
5
Unique Treasure (UT)
Q: When you find a unique treasure and its ability doesn’t seem to work properly due to the
interaction with other abilities on your ship, what happens?
A: Unique treasure is always picked up when found. However, if a specific UT ability cannot be
used due to an ability on the ship, then that UT ability has no effect until circumstances change
to allow it to work properly. Any other additional abilities of the UT still function normally.
Q: If a unique treasure can be loaded face down, must I reveal it to my opponent?
A: No, UTs that can be loaded face down do not have to be revealed or loaded.
Q: Can I transfer a unique treasure off my ship and on to another?
A: Yes, you may transfer unique treasure from one ship to another using an explore action,
unless an ability specifically states that the UT cannot be unloaded.
Q: If a unique treasure has a gold value that is determined when it is loaded, what happens when
I transfer it to another ship?
A: The gold value of a UT is determined when it is first loaded from a wild island, so
transferring it to another ship will not reset it. However, any other effects of that UT will still
apply normally when loaded onto another ship.
SHOOTING
Q: During a shoot action, how many cannons can I fire?
A: During a single shoot action, you may fire each of your ship’s cannons provided that they
have valid targets and a clear line of fire.
Q: Do I have to have a target, or can my ship shoot at the water?
A: A ship cannot be given a shoot action if it does not have a valid target, unless it has an ability
that allows it to shoot without a target.
Q: Where do I measure my shots from on a submarine, sea dragon, sea monster, or titan?
A: Cannon range is measured from the printed die on the mast, segment, or hull piece.
TERRAIN TYPES
Iceberg
Q: If an iceberg touches another iceberg or some other type of terrain, what happens?
A: The iceberg stops moving immediately if it touches another object. Unless that object was an
island, the iceberg may be moved again at a later time per the standard rules.
Fog Bank
Q: How do I determine if an ability or action can affect a ship within a Fog Bank?
A: If an ability, action, or other effect has a fixed range, requires a line of sight, affects an area,
or requires direct contact between ships, it cannot be used against (or by) a ship that is “lost” in
a fog bank. If the ability, action, or effect does not have one or more of those requirements, it
may be used against (or by) a ship in a fog bank.
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Reef
Q: If my ship is wrecked, can it be repaired or use its abilities? Can another ship ram or tow a
wreck, or target it with abilities? What about Events?
A: A wrecked ship has effectively sunk, so it cannot move or be moved, it cannot be given any
actions, and it cannot use any abilities (including crew abilities). Other ships may explore a
wreck to transfer cargo, but they cannot target the wreck with any other actions or abilities.
Events have no effect on a wreck.
WINNING THE GAME
Q: Under which conditions is the game officially over?
A: The game is over when any of the following conditions are met:
• The official time has expired and the current player has finished his or her turn.
• A player has unloaded more than half of the game’s starting gold value onto his or her
home island.
• At the start of any turn the current player no longer has the possibility of giving any
future move actions to any of his or her ships.
• All available gold is on players’ home islands and/or has become inaccessible.
• A stalemate is reached in which neither player is able or willing to achieve any other
endgame conditions.
Q: If I sink all of my opponent’s ships, do I automatically get any uncollected gold remaining in
play?
A: No, play continues as normal until the beginning of that player’s next turn, and then the
game immediately ends. Uncollected gold does not count toward victory for any player.
Q: If I sink all of my opponent’s ships but he has more gold on his home island than me, who
wins?
A: The player with the most gold on his or her home island and in forts at the end of the game is
the winner.
Q: What if both players have an equal amount of gold?
A: In the event of a tie in gold, the player who eliminated the most masts is the winner. If both
players eliminated an equal number of masts, the player with the most masts remaining is the
winner. If both players have an equal number of masts remaining, use any other tiebreaker you
wish to determine a winner.
7
ABILITIES AND KEYWORDS
GENERAL
Ability Disclaimer
These ability rulings, clarifications, and errata apply to all sources of the same abilities, even if
they are not listed here by name.
Ability Conflicts
If one ability says to do something and another ability says you cannot do something, the "not"
ability takes precedence. However, abilities that use terms such as “always” or “must” are
considered mandatory so they take precedence over abilities that do not use those terms. Use the
following hierarchy as a guide, in order of priority:
1) Mandatory Not – (“never” or “must not”)
2) Mandatory – (“always” or “must”)
3) Not – (“no”, “cannot”, or “do not”)
4) Other/Optional – (“do”, “may”, “can”, or unspecified)
Exceptions to this list are described in their respective sections below.
Abilities that move ships
Q: If an ability allows a ship to move or it allows you to move a ship, does the ship’s heading
change, and can it be used if the ship is pinned?
A: If the ability refers to the ship making the movement, such as “this ship may move S”, it
functions much like a normal movement segment. The ship’s heading changes to point in the
direction it moved, but it cannot be used if the ship is pinned. If the ability refers to an outside
force moving or pushing the ship, such as “move a ship L”, the ship’s heading does not change,
but it may be used if the ship is pinned.
Miscellaneous
Q: Are keywords considered to be abilities?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I use abilities on my opponent’s turn?
A: Yes, unless the ability applies to, modifies, or requires an action, or if it specifically states
otherwise.
Q: How many times per round can I use a “once per turn” or “every turn” ability?
A: You may use it during your own turn and during each opponent’s turn, unless stated
otherwise.
Submerged (Sea Monster and Submarine keywords)
Q: What happens if my submerged ship moves through terrain?
A: Terrain effects apply normally whether a ship is submerged or on the surface.
Q: Does a submerged ship block the line of fire for other ships?
A: No.
8
SHIP AND CREW ABILITIES
“After looking at treasure on a wild island, you may trade any one treasure from that island
for a random treasure on any other wild island. This ship must load the traded treasure.”
Christian Jefferson, Esquire – Don “Pedro” Gilbert – East Wind – El Profeta – El San Jose – Hare’s Luck – La Dijon
– La Mezquita – Neptune’s Hoard – San Theodora – Shamrock – Zheng Li Kwan
Q: If I have an ability that allows me to “look” at treasure on a wild island, can it be used with
this ability?
A: No, this ability can only be used at a wild island when this ship is given an explore action.
Q: Can I trade away a unique treasure to avoid its effect?
A: Yes.
“All of this ship’s cannons have (L)-range.”
Master Gunner Rogelio Vazquez - Commander Albert Crenshaw - HMS Sultan – Harlequin - La Felicite
Q: Does this ability change all of the cannons to L-range cannons?
A: No, this ability only allows all cannons to fire at L-range.
“As part of a move action, this ship may initiate a boarding party against a ship up to S away
from her, without having to ram. The boarded ship may not use any boarding bonuses.”
Q: Is the number of masts remaining on a ship considered a “bonus”?
A: No, the number of masts is an inherent part of a boarding roll so it cannot be negated by any
ability. This ability prevents the use of abilities that add +1 to boarding rolls and those that
provide an additional effect when you win or lose a boarding action.
Black Mark (keyword)
Q: Can I use my Pirate’s Black Mark ability to convert a non-Pirate ship to the Cursed?
A: No, the printed nationalities of the ship and the crew must match before applying the Black
Mark keyword.
Q: Does Black Mark convert the other crew onboard my ship to the Cursed?
A: No, only the ship and the crewmember with the Black Mark ability become Cursed.
Broadsides Attack (keyword)
In order to use Broadsides Attack, the following criteria must be met:
1. All remaining cannons must have clear line of sight to a single target.
2. All remaining cannons must be within S-range of the single target.
3. All remaining cannons must be able to hit or no masts are eliminated.
Q: Does the ship need to have all of her cannons in order to perform a Broadsides Attack?
A: No, however all of the remaining cannons must be within S-range of the target and have a
clear line of fire.
Q: Can Broadsides Attack be canceled by another ability?
A: Yes, the cancellation ability is applied to Broadsides Attack not the shoot action.
Q: How does Broadsides Attack apply to defensive abilities of the target ship?
A: Broadsides Attack ignores all defensive abilities, except those that make the ship an invalid
target for a shoot action.
9
Q: Can ships with overlapping masts, such as schooners and junks, use Broadsides Attack?
A: Yes, if the ship can be positioned so that all remaining masts have a clear line of fire and are
within range of the target. This may not be possible until after some of the ship’s masts have
been removed.
Cancel ability
“Once per turn, cancel the ability of one crew or ship within S of this ship.”
Nemesio Diaz
“Once per turn, one crew or ship within S of this ship cannot use its ability that turn.”
Christian Fiore – El Alma – El Paso – Ghost Walker – Guinee – Hessian – HMS Rye – Lawrence – Mobilis –
Monsieur LeNoir – USS Kettering
Q: What is the difference between Nemesio Diaz and Monsieur LeNoir/Lawrence/etc.?
A: Effectively, nothing. Although their ability text is slightly different, the two versions function
exactly the same way and the no-stacking rule applies equally to both.
Q: If a ship or crew has more than one ability, can I cancel all of those abilities at once or just
one at a time?
A: Only one ability can be cancelled at a time.
Q: How long does an ability remain cancelled?
A: Abilities remain cancelled until the end of the current player’s turn.
Q: When can I cancel a captain, a helmsman, Broadsides Attack, an extra action, etc.?
A: An ability may be cancelled at any time prior to the application or completion of its effect. A
captain or Broadsides Attack may be cancelled before the ship’s controller rolls the first die for
shooting. A helmsman may be cancelled before the ship begins the additional S segment of
movement. An extra action (or the same action twice) may be cancelled before the additional
action is given to the ship.
Q: Can I cancel an ability after it has been used?
A: Yes, however that will have no effect on any previous uses of the target ability. It will only
prevent the ability from being used again during the current turn.
Q: Can continuously active abilities such as a point reducer be cancelled, and if yes, what
happens?
A: Continuously active abilities may be cancelled at any time, and if that cancellation creates an
illegal situation it must be resolved immediately by removing any excess crew or treasure (in
that order) from the game.
Captain ability
(Printed text)“This ship may move and shoot using the same move action.”
(Errata) “This ship may be given a free shoot action immediately after she completes a nonfree move action, but before any other free actions.”
Q: If this ship moves to touch an enemy ship so it can ram and shoot at the enemy, in which
order do they occur?
A: The shooting occurs immediately after the move action ends, but before any other free
actions such as ramming.
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Capture ability #1
“If this ship wins a boarding party, she may capture the crew with the highest point cost
instead of eliminating it. This captured crew becomes cargo worth its point cost in gold when
unloaded at your home island”
Aruj Barbarossa - Bonny Peel - Dragon Eyes – Wodin
Q: Can a crew captured by this ability use its abilities, and do cargo space or point limits apply?
A: The crew becomes generic cargo that cannot use any abilities, and it does not count against
the point limit of the ship. However, since it is still cargo it does take up a cargo space.
Q: If my crew cannot be eliminated or I have a doctor onboard, can my crew be captured?
A: Yes. Captured crew are not eliminated, so abilities that prevent elimination have no effect.
Q: If I use this ability to capture a crew with the Ransom keyword, what is it worth?
A: The crew is worth its point cost in gold, which is zero. However, since you captured the crew
you will also receive 5 gold from the Ransom keyword.
Capture ability #2
“If this ship wins a boarding party, she may capture the crew with the highest point cost
instead of eliminating it. A captive becomes assigned to this ship, takes up no cargo space,
and can use its abilities. The captive cannot leave this ship unless the ship sinks.”
Captain Nemo
Q: Do crew captured by this ability count against the ship’s point limit?
A: Yes. They remain crew and can use their abilities, so they do count against the point limit of
the ship.
Catamaran (keyword)
Q: Can I roll to ignore every hit during a shoot action or only the first one?
A: You may roll for each and every hit the ship takes.
Q: Can a Catamaran be rammed after it loses its outrigger (secondary hull)?
A: No, a Catamaran cannot be rammed whether it has the outrigger or not.
Copy ability
“At the beginning of each of your turns, choose any ability possessed by any ship or crew in
play; this character has that ability. You may make a different choice each turn.”
Behemoth - Davy Jones
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Can I copy the ability of a facedown crew?
No, facedown abilities are not “in play”.
If a ship or crew has multiple abilities, can I copy all of them or just one?
You can copy only one ability at a time.
11
Doctor ability
“When another face-up crew on this ship would be eliminated by an enemy source, turn it
facedown instead.” (Errata/Addition)
Doctor Urbano Javier – Dr. Forbes Beattie – Don Rafael y de Teresa – Father Rene Bordeaux – “Hacksaw” Riley –
Lars Valgard
Q: Will a doctor protect my crew from unique treasures?
A: Yes, a doctor can protect crew from unique treasures, provided that they do not eliminate all
crew at once, remove crew from the game, or eliminate the doctor first.
Ex-Patriot (keyword)
Q: If a crew with this keyword is placed on (for example) a Spanish ship, can Spanish crew still
use their abilities while onboard?
A: Yes. The ship gains the Mercenary keyword, but its original nationality does not change.
Explorer ability
“This ship may dock and explore a wild island using the same move action.”
Q: Can I use my Explorer to move and explore a derelict ship?
A: No, this ability applies specifically to wild islands. It has no effect on other ships.
Firemast
Firepot Specialist – Tiamat
Q: Does a firemast count as a regular mast?
A: No, a firemast is not the same as a standard mast. It has no cannon (it cannot shoot), it does
not count for ramming, boarding, or terrain rolls, it cannot be removed when the ship is hit or
would have a mast removed/replaced, and it does not block lines of fire. The exception to this is
that a ship with only firemasts may still be given move actions normally, even though it has no
standard masts remaining.
Ghost Ship (keyword)
Q: Can a ship that is “ghostly” shoot or be shot at?
A: Yes, “ghostly” only affects actions and abilities that require direct, physical contact between
a ship and other ships, islands, or terrain.
“(L)-range cannons cannot hit this ship.”
Q: Does this ability mean that L-range cannons cannot hit this ship at long range only?
A: L-range cannons cannot hit this ship at any range.
Longship (keyword)
Q: When I give my longship a shoot action, how many dice do I roll?
A: You may roll two dice for each mast. If the longship has three masts you could make a
combined total of six die rolls.
“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.”
Q: Can I roll for this ability at the start of my turn and decide later which action to repeat?
A: No, you roll for this ability immediately before giving the action you wish to repeat.
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“Once per turn if this ship is touching another ship, reveal all face-down treasure aboard the
other ship. This ship can take as much unique treasure from the other ship as she can carry.”
Maman Brigitte – Rollando – Sir Jeremy Rothschild
Q: If a unique treasure is revealed by this ability, does it have to be used immediately?
A: No, it remains face-up until used.
“Once per turn, if this ship is within S of an island, you may mark the island as explored
without docking at it. The island becomes unexplored in regards to all other players.”
Alejandro Malaspina – Dr. Clark Lewis – El Cervantes – Ethan the Farseeker – Gale Force Nine – HMS Kirkwall –
James Cook – Nicholas-Thomas Baudin – Sunrise Fire – USS Cheyenne – Vlad the Iceblood
Q: When I use this ability, can I look at treasure on the island or load it onto my ship?
A: No, this ability does not explore the island. It only marks the island “explored”, which
allows your ships to explore it as a free action when they dock.
“Once per turn, roll a d6. On a 1–4, you may give this ship an extra action; on a 5, you may
give any ship you control an extra action; on a 6, you may give an enemy ship an action.”
Davy Jones – King Blackheart (NOTE: all questions refer to the effect of a “6” result on the d6 roll)
Q: If I roll a 6 for this ability, how exactly does it work?
A: If you roll a 6, you may give an opposing ship an action as if it were a member of your fleet.
It may be used to attack any ships that are that opposing to you, even if they are normally
friendly to itself.
Q: Can I use the target ship’s abilities? Can I give it free actions (such as ramming or boarding)
in addition to the primary action?
A: Abilities and free actions may be used if and only if they apply as part of or as the direct
result of the primary action that is given to the ship. Note that ownership of the target does not
change, so it cannot pin or become pinned by other members of its own fleet.
Q: Can I scuttle the ship?
A: If the ship is derelict, you may have it make a scuttle attempt. This does count as giving an
action to the ship with regards to this ability, even though scuttling is normally a free action.
“Once per turn, this ship may move S after unloading cargo.”
Lady Newport – Pescados del Plata
“Once per turn, this ship may move S after loading treasure.”
La Monarca – USS Oregon – Wasp
Q: Can my ship use this ability to move even if it is derelict?
A: Yes.
Q: If I unload (or load) the required item to trigger this ability, can I then load (or unload) that
same item before moving my ship?
A: No, the location of the cargo or treasure must be different before and after using the ability
or the ship cannot move S.
“Once per turn, you may eliminate one of this ship’s crew to give her an extra action.”
Capitaine Arathiel – Captain Blackheart – Derrik the Red – Diamond Strike – “Don” Pedro Gilbert – El Fantasma –
Havana Black – The Headhunter
Q: Can this ability be used with doctors or crew that “cannot be eliminated”?
A: No, the crew must be eliminated and must remain eliminated in order to gain the extra action.
13
“Place this crew face up during setup. You may build your fleet using 5 more points than the
game’s build total.”
Administrator Scott Bratley – “Cannonball” Gallows – Commodore Matthew Perry – Countess Anita Amore – Hag
of Tortuga – Li Quin – Vicomte Jules de Cissey
Q: If I include a crew with this ability in my fleet, when do I add the extra 5 points?
A: The ability comes into play when the crew is placed on a ship, during setup. This occurs
after building your fleet.
Q: If this crew is eliminated or its ability is cancelled, do I have to remove crew or ships from
my fleet to make it fit within the build limit of the game?
A: No, the build limit only applies when creating your fleet and during setup. Once the game
has begun, the loss of this crew or its ability has no effect on the rest of your fleet.
Point Reducers and Modifiers
“Reduce the cost of all other crew placed on this ship by 1.”
Countess Diana Doone – Gaspar Zuan – Inquisitor Sebastian Blanco – Phillipe du Brissac – Pierce Hollow – Ruth
Lee – The Stump
“Crew placed on this ship cost no points, but they always take up one cargo space.”
Jonah – Princess Arii Auraa – Robinson
Q: When do these abilities apply?
A: Abilities that reduce or modify the point values of other crew apply when placed on a ship.
This first occurs during setup, after building your fleet, so they only apply toward the point limit
of a ship. They do not allow you to exceed the build limit of the game.
Q: If a point reducer is cancelled, what happens?
A: If canceling this ability causes the combined cost of crew onboard to exceed the point limit of
a ship, any and all excess crew must be immediately removed from the game until the setup is
made legal. Removed crewmembers do not return to the ship when the point reducer becomes
active again on a subsequent turn.
Ransom (keyword)
Q: Can a crew with the Ransom keyword be sacrificed to Captain Blackheart to gain an extra
action? Can I transfer the crew to my home island so it can‘t be captured?
A: Crew with this keyword can be eliminated only by an enemy, and cannot be unloaded to any
island unless captured. Friendly abilities cannot be used to modify this ability.
Reverse-captain ability
“After this ship resolves a shoot action, she may move as a free action.”
Q: Can this ability be combined with the captain ability to move-shoot-move or shoot-moveshoot?
A: No, this ability requires a non-free shoot action and the captain ability requires a non-free
move action.
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Sea Dragon (keyword)
Q: Can I cancel the Sea Dragon keyword during a swoop attack in order to prevent it from
damaging my ship?
A: When a swoop attack is made, the die is rolled and damage is done before placing the sea
dragon next to the target. If it began the swoop attack more than S away from the target ship,
that ship cannot cancel the Sea Dragon keyword until after the attack has been resolved. Ships
or crew may cancel the attack if they are within S of the sea dragon when the swoop attack is
declared.
Q: If the Sea Dragon keyword is cancelled, can the dragon still move?
A: No, it cannot move without the keyword because a printed base move of “D” has no specific
length.
Sea Monster (keyword)
Q: Can a sea monster eliminate crew when it wins a boarding action?
A: Yes. “Cannot take crew” refers to capturing crew, not elimination.
Q: Can a sea monster submerge while carrying treasure?
A: Yes.
Q: If the Sea Monster keyword is cancelled, what happens?
A: The sea monster immediately returns to the surface if it was submerged, and functions
exactly like a standard ship. It may be given move, shoot, repair, and explore actions following
the standard rules. If it was touching (pinning) a non-bow part of an enemy ship, that ship is no
longer pinned.
Smokepot Specialist
Q: Does the “smoke” placed by a Smokepot Specialist work like a normal fog bank?
A: Yes, the “smoke” follows all of the standard rules for a fog bank. Any abilities or effects that
refer to a fog bank may be applied to it normally.
Q: Can the smoke (fog) be placed in contact with a ship, island or other terrain?
A: No.
Q: When the smoke (fog) is removed, what happens to the ships that are “lost” inside?
A: The current player should roll for the exit locations of each ship, place them accordingly,
and then remove the fog bank.
Submarine (keyword)
Q: If a submerged submarine rams a ship, does it board before or after moving S away?
A: The submerged submarine must move S away from the rammed ship instead of boarding. No
boarding action can occur unless an ability specifically allows otherwise.
Q: If the Submarine keyword is cancelled, what happens?
A: The submarine immediately returns to the surface if it was submerged, and functions exactly
like a standard ship. It can pin and be pinned, tow and be towed, and it will take damage if
successfully rammed.
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“This crew takes up no cargo when revealed. When revealed, put a crew with point cost 2 or
less from outside of the game onto this ship.”
Amos – Cameron the Cabin Boy – Claude Perier – Padre Francisco – Sensei Xu
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Does the added crew count against the point limit of the ship?
Yes. If adding a crew would exceed the point limit of the ship, this ability cannot be used.
If this crew is turned face down by a doctor crew, can its ability be used again?
Yes.
“This ship can shoot at submerged ships within S.”
Corcoran – Deepwater – El Relampago – Güímar - HMS Challenger – Le Renard qui Vole - Le Rocher Noir –
Pierre Aronnax – Professor Clive Defoe – Prussian Crown – Shinji Smith – USS Eagan
Q: Can this ability be used to shoot at sea monsters and submarines even though their abilities
state they cannot be shot while submerged?
A: Yes, this ability is an exception to the ability conflict hierarchy.
“This ship eliminates two masts with one hit.”
Delaware – HMS Leicester – HMS Oxley – La Furia – Le Mont Blanc – Santos Romanos – USS Superior
Q: If a ship with this ability hits a ship with one mast, does it sink?
A: No, this ability only applies to masts. It does not increase the number of hits.
Titan (keyword)
Q: If the Titan keyword is cancelled while it is sitting on an island, what happens?
A: The Titan becomes “stuck” in place on the island and cannot move until it regains use of the
keyword. The standard line of fire rules also apply so it will be unable to shoot or be shot at
except where parts of it extend outside of the island.
Turtle Ship (keyword)
Q: If a ship with this keyword has panels remaining and is hit by a Firepot Specialist, do you
remove a panel or do you immediately replace the mast with a fire mast?
A: Remove one panel because the ship was hit AND replace its mast with a fire mast. The Turtle
Ship ability affects only mast removal, not replacement.
“Two hits from the same shoot action are required to eliminate one of this ship’s masts.”
Constitution – El Acorazado – HMS Lord Cauldwell – La Corse – Nautilus – Santa Lucia – USS Emerald
Q: How does this ability interact with the ability that eliminates two masts with one hit?
A: The first hit does nothing, the second hit eliminates two masts, the third hit does nothing, the
fourth hit eliminates two masts, and so on.
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“When this ship is docked at your home island, you may eliminate one treasure. It becomes a
(3S) cannon that can be eliminated only when the ship sinks.”
Carbon Charlie – Sea Lion – USS Sea Tiger
Q: Can I eliminate treasure already on my home island, or does it have to be onboard my ship
when it docks?
A: This ability may be used at any time while your ship is docked. You may eliminate treasure
that was on your ship when it docked, or you may eliminate treasure that was already present on
your home island.
Q: Can I “convert” a unique treasure using this ability, even if it can’t be unloaded?
A: Yes. Since the treasure is eliminated rather than unloaded, any abilities that would prevent a
UT from being transferred have no effect.
Q: Can other abilities modify the range or die roll of this cannon? What about Broadsides
Attack?
A: Any abilities that apply to a ship’s standard cannons, including Broadsides Attack, may be
used with a cannon created by this ability.
“You may double the range of this ship’s cannons each turn, but you must roll a (6) or higher
to hit.” (Addition)
Coeur de Leon – Destiny – El Neptuno – El Tejon – Fancy – HMS Meresman – La Habana – La Serpiente – Le
Pique – Sea Duck – Selkie – USS Atlanta
Q: If I have an ability that gives +1 to cannon rolls, can I use it after doubling my range?
A: Yes, if you add +1 to your rolls each cannon will hit on a 5 or a 6.
UNIQUE TREASURE ABILITIES
Abandoned Crew
Q: When my ship finds an Abandoned Crew, must it be loaded and how is it used?
A: Abandoned Crew are treated exactly like standard (non-unique) treasure while face down,
and do not have to be loaded. If loaded, they remain facedown until you use their abilities.
While face up, they are treated exactly like their corresponding generic crew, except they have a
point cost of 0 (zero).
Castaway
Q: Does the crew added by Castaway take up cargo space and does it count against my ship’s
point limit?
A: Yes and yes.
Chariot of the Gods
Q: Can I use this UT to assign a crew to a sea monster that has no cargo space?
A: Yes. A crewmember assigned using this UT ignores all cargo space requirements.
Explosives
Q: If I ram a ship and reveal Explosives but the roll is unsuccessful, what happens?
A: Explosives is removed from the game when revealed, regardless of the die roll result.
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Fruit
Q: What happens if my ship doesn’t have two cargo spaces available?
A: Fruit takes up the cargo space as it becomes available.
Holy Water
Q: How does Holy Water interact with Broadsides Attack?
A: Broadsides Attack cannot be used when targeting a ship that carries Holy Water.
Homemade Flag
Q: Does this ability change my L-range cannons into S-range cannons?
A: No, it only changes the range at which they may fire.
Message in a Bottle
Q: When this unique treasure is found, does the ship get to load treasure from this island before
being moved?
A: All other unique treasures on the island are resolved normally, then the ship is immediately
placed at the new location. Any other cargo on the island (including unique treasures that may
be loaded facedown and crew) must be left behind.
Missionary
Q: Does Missionary affect crew that cannot be eliminated?
A: Yes, Missionary removes crew from the game whether or not they can be eliminated.
Nemo’s Plans
Q: How many times can I reuse a UT in a single turn?
A: If the UT applies to, modifies, or is triggered by a particular action or situation it may be
used once, each time that action or situation occurs. If the UT (such as Dry Powder) provides
an action directly to the ship it may be used only once per turn.
Q: How does Nemo’s Plans interact with Kharmic Idol?
A: Kharmic Idol removes all face-up UTs, including Nemo’s Plans, from the game.
Neptune’s Figurehead (or Resurrection Codex)
Q: If my ship sinks and returns to my home island, do I get to keep any crew or treasure that was
onboard?
A: No, only the ship returns. The normal sinking rules apply to all other cargo onboard.
Neptune’s Trident
Q: My ship has only two masts, but there are four ships within in the target area. Can I damage
them all?
A: Yes, Neptune’s Trident affects all ships within the target area regardless of the number of
masts on the firing ship.
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Pandora’s Box
Q: If I reveal Pandora’s Box and an opponent gives me a unique treasure that must remain on
the island, what happens?
A: Treat any unique treasures received from Pandora’s Box as if they were already on the
island when it was first explored.
Pension
Q: If a crew remains in play after being eliminated, do I still get gold for them?
A: No, the crew must remain eliminated to gain the gold.
Plague
Q: If a ship with crew that cannot be eliminated loads Plague, what happens?
A: Plague has no effect on the crew that cannot be eliminated, but otherwise functions normally.
Power Cannons
Q: Can Power Cannons be used with an ability that allows a ship to double its cannon range?
A: Yes. Power Cannons changes the ship’s cannon ranges to 2L, then the ship’s ability may be
used to double that range to 4L.
Rats
Q: If the ship sinks and the treasure onboard is split between players, does Rats reduce the value
of each by 1?
A: No, the treasure was not unloaded.
Runes of Death
Q: If Runes of Death cannot be unloaded, how can I transfer it to another ship?
A: The ability of Runes of Death specifically allows it to be transferred when this ship touches
another ship. It cannot be unloaded or transferred by any other means.
Runes of Loki
Runes of Thor
Q: Can I apply this to rolls made by my opponent, to terrain rolls, to mysterious islands, or to
other unique treasures?
A: The abilities of these two Runes may be applied to ANY die roll that is made during the game
regardless of which player rolled it or why it was rolled, with the exception of a shoot action
using the Broadsides Attack keyword.
Runes of Odin
Q: Can I place the iceberg in contact with a ship to instantly remove it from the game?
A: No, this iceberg cannot be placed on or in contact with any ship. It must move (following the
standard rules for icebergs) into contact with a ship in order to remove it from the game.
Q: After this iceberg removes a ship, do I also remove the iceberg?
A: No, only Runes of Odin is removed from the game. The iceberg remains in play and follows
all of the standard rules for icebergs for the remainder of the game.
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Screw Engine
Q: Does this UT double the length of my ship’s base move or does it give my ship an extra
move action?
A: Screw Engine allows a ship to be given another move action immediately after completing
the first. If the ship becomes incapable of performing the second move action (because it is
pinned, derelict, etc.), that action is lost and Screw Engine is removed.
Triton’s Defense
Q: What happens if I use this treasure when a sea dragon targets my ship with a swoop attack?
A: The sea dragon takes damage and is moved S before rolling for the attack. If it is still within
range (L+L) of the original target, the attack is resolved normally. If it is moved out of range, it
may choose a different target that is in range or the action is lost.
Wolves
Q: Where do I draw the line of fire to when attacking Wolves?
A: You may target any part of the island containing Wolves.
EVENTS
Becalmed
Q: How does Becalmed affect a ship with the oarsman ability or a keyword such as Galley or
Turtle Ship?
A: While affected by Becalmed, a ship with one of those abilities moves as if it was derelict.
Duel
“Reveal this event at the beginning of one of your turns. Choose one of your crew and one
enemy crew. For each chosen crew, roll a d6 and add the result to the crew’s point cost. The
crew with the lowest result is removed from the game. In case of a tie, remove both crew from
the game. Then remove Duel from the game.” (Errata)
Q: Can Duel be used with crew that cannot be eliminated?
A: Yes, Duel removes crew from the game whether or not they can be eliminated.
Q: Can Duel target facedown crew?
A: Yes.
Favor of the Gods
Q: Does Favor of the Gods remove all events (even those that have not yet been revealed) or
only those that are currently in play?
A: Favor of the Gods removes only events that are currently in play. It has no effect on
unrevealed events.
Hidden Cove
Q: Can I choose whether to go to the nearest unexplored island or the nearest with no treasure,
or does my ship automatically go to the closest island that fits either condition?
A: You may choose between the two options.
Q: If my ship carries an explorer crew, can I use it to explore the island immediately?
A: No, an explorer requires a move action. Hidden Cove only docks the ship.
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Mermaids
Q: Do the turns lost to Mermaids include my opponent’s turn or only my own?
A: It applies only to your own turns.
Rolling Fog
Q: If my ship is already “lost” inside when the fog bank moves, does it move with the fog or get
left behind?
A: Ships that are “lost” remain inside the fog bank when it moves. A ship must be given a move
action to exit a fog bank.
FORTS
The complete rules for forts can be found in the Pirates of the Revolution edition of the
rulebook. The following clarifications and errata apply in addition to or in place of those printed
rules, as applicable:
• The nationality of a fort must match the nationality of at least one ship in your fleet.
• Gold in forts counts toward victory, but not towards any end of game conditions.
• The following requirements must be met before building a fort:
1) One of your ships must be docked at the island.
2) One of your ships must have explored the island.
3) You must have non-unique treasure with a value equal to or greater than the
gold cost of the fort on your home island.
Q: I’ve heard that forts are no longer supported by the official rules. What does this mean? Can
they still be used in official games?
A: Forts are considered “unsupported” because they are not included in the current edition of
the rules and are unlikely to be included in any future sets. However, the existing forts are still
legal for use in all standard games.
Q: How many flags do I place on my fort?
A: You place one flag for each cannon printed on the fort’s baseplate.
Q: Can a fleet made up of only Barbary Corsair, Jade Rebellion, Cursed, Mercenary, or Viking
ships build a fort?
A: Yes. Since those nationalities have no forts of their own available they may use forts of any
nationality.
Q: If I have an ability that allows me to mark an island within S “explored”, can I build a fort
without looking at or loading any treasure on the island?
A: Exploring an island and marking it “explored” are not the same. You may build a fort on a
“marked” island, but one of your ships must explore it first.
Q: Can my fort shoot as soon as I build it?
A: No, a fort is built at the end of your turn. It cannot be given any actions until your next turn.
Q: Do the walls or flags of a fort block its line of fire when shooting?
A: No, a fort’s own walls and flags do not block its lines of fire.
Q: Can I build a fort if the island contains the unique treasure Wolves?
A: Yes, Wolves only prevent you from loading treasure from the island.
Q: If I build a fort on a mysterious island, can I use the island's abilities?
A: No, a mysterious island’s ability has no effect while a fort is present.
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Devil’s Maw
“Place your crew on this fort if they are eliminated by an enemy source. They gain the Ghost
Ship keyword.” (Errata)
Q: Can I place my crew on this fort if they are removed from the game?
A: No, Devil’s Maw applies only when crew are eliminated, not removed from the game.
Ramsgate
“This fort has one 2(L)-range cannon. When placing this fort, indicate this cannon by
placing two flags side by side.”
Q: Does the double-flag cannon have a range of 2L, or is it a rank-2 cannon with a range of L?
A: The cannon has a range of 2L, and uses the normal printed cannon rank. The shot cannot
change direction between measurement segments.
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USEFUL LISTS: (Reference)
MOVE ACTION – Order of operations (as applicable):
Notes: Not all steps listed can occur with a single move action. Various situations, abilities, and other effects will
determine which can occur and which cannot, but the order never changes. Other abilities that apply as part of a
move action but do not affect movement may be used immediately before or after any movement segment, including
the "stern turn".
-Move action is given to a ship1) Towing may be initiated (if the ship is touching the bow of a derelict)
2) Movement occurs, up to the ship's printed base move (reduced to S if towing)
3) Apply any bonus movement segments (from a helmsman, or other abilities that add to the ship's base move)
4) "Stern turn" (via the Schooner or Galley keywords; considered the final segment of movement)
5) Explore (via Explorer ability or an "explored" marker, if the ship has docked at a wild island)
6) Towing may be initiated (if the ship is touching the bow of a derelict, and towing was not initiated in Step 1)
-Move action is completed (resolved)7) Shoot (via the Captain ability)
8) Ram (If the ship's bow has touched an enemy ship)
9) Boarding action (If the ship has rammed an enemy ship)
EXPLORE ACTION – Order of operations (as applicable):
1) Dock with island (current turn for free explore, or on a previous turn for a standard explore)
2) Roll for the Mysterious Island ability and apply the effects
3) Give Explore Action (standard action, or free via Explorer ability or an “explored” marker)
4) Look at treasure (without showing your opponents)
5) Trade one treasure with another wild island (if allowed by an ability)
6) Reveal UTs (unless an ability allows otherwise)
7) Load all revealed (face-up) UTs onto the ship and resolve their effects
8) Load or unload any additional cargo as desired and as cargo space allows
UNIQUE TREASURE TRANSFERS
Note: This list is intended only as a reference guide, and is not errata.
Transfers because of an ability:
Albatross (result of d6 roll) – Chariot of the Gods (placed on nearest sea monster upon reveal) – Jade (optional
unload to home island) – Plague (transfers upon contact) – Relics (transfers instead of mast/crew elimination) –
Runes of Death (optional transfer upon contact) – Wine (traded for gold at enemy HI)
Transfers (unloads) automatically when you dock at your home island because it has a gold value:
Barbary Corsair Banner – Buried Treasure – Ghostly Encounter – Knights of Malta Banner – Rum – Sunken
Treasure
Removed from the game upon reveal/activation (activates immediately when found):
Bad Maps – Castaway – Kharmic Idol – Maps of Alexandria – Missionary – Odin’s Revenge – Pandora's Box –
Volcano
Remains on island when found:
Trees (face down, if not used) – Natives (face down) – Wolves (face up until eliminated)
Non-transferable (specified by ability):
Fruit – Nemo’s Plans – Rats – Rotting Hull (removed by repair action) – Wet Gunpowder (removed by repair
action)
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