Pirate Borg Review: A Pirate's Life For Me | The Gamerheads Podcast

We had the opportunity to review the TTRPG Pirate Borg. This review covers the core book. If you are interested in learning more about the starter set, read our review!

Beyond the Starter Set

While the starter set is a great way to get into Pirate Borg, the core book goes beyond what the starter set offers. GMs who got a taste of what the starter set has to offer will want to dig into the core book. It adds a whole new level for GMs, with more lore, more tools, a new adventure, and plenty of tables to help build a deep, rich world for pirates to explore…if they live long enough to tell their tales.

Expanding the World of Pirate Borg

For those who don’t know what Pirate Borg is, it’s a dark pirate world filled with the supernatural. The game is listed for ages sixteen and up, and it’s easy to see why. The world is packed with zombies, political intrigue, and strange, mystical forces that make the seas feel chaotic and dangerous.

A pirate never knows if this will be their last adventure. In most cases, it probably will be. Don’t get too attached to your characters. Pirate Borg can be ruthless.

Of course, a GM could ease up on the dread lurking around every corner. But the game is clearly designed to throw danger at the party and see how the crew handles it.

One of the things I love about the core book is that it expands on the different factions that shape the world of Pirate Borg. Several groups come into play, including the British, the French, the Spanish Inquisition, the Republic of Pirates, and the cultists known as the Wretched. The book also dives into the underworld and the strange, mystical creatures that lurk beneath the ocean.

Each of these factions and forces is explored in greater detail in the core book, giving GMs plenty of inspiration for conflicts, alliances, and adventures on the high seas.

The core book also provides a history of the Dark Caribbean, the world in which Pirate Borg is set. GMs are encouraged to use as little or as much of this history as they like, allowing them to shape the setting to fit their campaign.

The book even includes a table that lets the GM roll the dice and allow fate to decide which events are currently unfolding in the world.

The book also provides ideas for creating new lands. One idea I had never considered before involves rolling dice directly onto a map and then drawing islands around where the dice land. The dice then determine the makeup of the newly discovered land, letting chance shape what the players might encounter.

Tables, Tables, and More Tables

One of my favorite aspects of the core book is the sheer number of tables included. Need a pirate name for an NPC? There’s a table for that. Need a potion and its effect? There’s a table for that. Need to determine what treasure is inside the chest the pirates just looted? The book has you covered. Need a job or side quest for the crew to take on? Yes, there’s a table for that.

Despite the number of tables, I never felt overwhelmed by what the book offers. Nor did I feel pigeonholed into specific ideas or solutions. The game provides plenty of options, but it encourages GMs to use as little or as much of it as they want. It feels more like a reference guide than a strict rulebook. Even with all the tables available, there is still plenty of room for a GM to add their own creative ideas or build on the ideas that emerge from the group.

The Included Adventure

I really enjoyed the adventure included in the core book. One thing I’ll say about it is that it’s very open-ended. There’s a clear idea of what’s happening, but the GM is encouraged to let the party of pirates decide what their next move will be.

This is where I think the starter set really shines for new GMs. The adventure in the starter set acts as a tutorial, walking players through combat, naval battles, and roleplaying. The adventure in the core book, however, feels more like a toolbox. It gives seasoned GMs a rich set of ideas and situations to work with, while leaving plenty of room to put their own spin on the story.

There are also several moments in the adventure that can easily hook players into side quests or even open the door to entirely new storylines.

Who This Book Is For

The core book is ideal for those who started with the starter set and are ready to take a deeper dive into the world of Pirate Borg. If you’re a seasoned GM, you could probably skip the starter set and jump straight into the core book. That said, I still love the maps, tokens, and dice included in the starter set, and they work well alongside the core book.

If you have a group of players who enjoy darker settings, love pirates, and don’t mind rolling up new characters from time to time, Pirate Borg is a great fit. It’s perfect for players who don’t want to be bogged down by complex rules, who are willing to let the dice decide their fate, and who want danger and adventure waiting around every corner.

For GMs looking for a game that offers guidance rather than strict rules, Pirate Borg delivers. There’s a lot of freedom in how you run the game, but the book also provides plenty of tools and inspiration to help you build out your own version of the Dark Caribbean.

Final Grade: A

Review copy provided by UberStrategist PR and Free League Publishing