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These are optional advanced rules for the game Dread Pirate from Front Porch Classics that my family and I came up with. I recommend familiarizing yourself with the basic rules and the official advanced rules before trying out any of my suggestions. The rules listed below are divided into three sections.
Clarifications are our interpretations of unclear rules in the official rulebook. We thought the rulebook was ambiguous, so we wrote down clarifications.
The next section is for Alterations. These are rules we simply disagreed with. I own a copy of the game. I didn't like a rule. I changed it.
The last section is House Advanced Rules. These are similar to the Advanced Rules listed in the official Dread Pirate Rulebook, except that they are my ideas. Choose the ones you like, and give them a try. You probably don't want to try them all at once. For instance, Salvage Treasure does not work well when Navigating the Shallows is in effect, because most captains will tend to avoid the coastlines. Try out different combinations, and let me know what you think.
Compass rose, jolly roger and Dread Pirate logo are not map icons.
If you roll double 5s or 6s, the wind changes before you roll again.
Set out home port gems for every home port, even if only 2 or 3 people are playing.
When a player gets 1/2 the treasure of another player, empty the bag, count the coins and split them 50:50. If there is an odd number, roll to see who gets it. Count the gems, divide by two. Put the gems back in the bag, and pull out the appropriate number. If there is an odd number, roll (unless the coins were also odd, in which case the extra gem goes to the player who lost roll for the coins).
Cards which allow you to take treasure from Dread Island need not be played immediately after being drawn. The card may be placed in front of you until you wish to 'redeem' it, much like the 'subtract 1 from your next skirmish roll' cards sit in front of the player until the appropriate time.
Surrendered players keep any cards that are sitting on the table in front of them.
Cards which refer to the "Nearest Port" are referring to any port, including Dread Island (as the crow flies). If there are two nearly equidistant ports, the current player may choose one.
When trading, the port owner rolls the coin payment, the ships captain rolls the gem collection.
The "Unlimited Horizons" rule, as listed in the official rule book, under advanced rules, should now be called either "The PacMan Rule" or, preferably, "Pirates of Pangaea."
When the wind die lands on the "Dread Pirate" logo side, the player currently playing the Dread Pirate must choose which direction (if any) the wind is blowing, and set the die accordingly. The compass rose still means "no wind," as usual. If there is currently no dread pirate, the logo still means "no wind," as usual. Optionally, when a Dread Pirate first appears near the beginning of the game, just before leaving Dread Island for the first time, he may set the wind as he chooses.
Cards that give you movement due to wind always move you in the direction of the wind every other step (at least. Or until you reach the shore.)
At the start of the game, all foreign ports are considered "neutral." If you attempt to raid a neutral port, you receive +1 to your attack roll. The port is now considered "hostile" for the rest of the game.
When you trade at a hostile port, you must pay a fee to do so. You must pay 1 coin to the port owner (the player's treasure pouch) in addition to any dread island payment you would normally make when trading. When trading with an unmanned port (no player), pay the 1 coin tax to Dread Island.
When moving through any square which contains both ocean and coastline, or through the shaded area surrounding the 'Kelp Morass,' count each square as two movement pips unless you are moving with the wind directly at your stern. Coastline within 4 squares of your homeport does not affect your movement rate. Always round half squares in your favor (yes you can move that last square). Note: When cards or other rules refer to squares, count them as squares.
Any significant skirmish which takes place along a coast (at least 1 ship occupies a square containing coastline, and the winner is collecting 5 or 6 treasure), the winner must place 1 treasure from his collected booty on the beach and leave it there.
Any player who then lands on that square at the end of their turn may try to roll a 4, 5, or 6 (on one die) to collect the treasure from the shore. If you fail your roll, you must wait until your next turn before trying again. As long as you end your turn on that square, you may try again as often as you wish. On your second attempt to collect the same treasure without moving away, you will succeed on a 3 or more. On your third attempt, a 2 or more. If it's your fourth attempt, don't bother even rolling the die, just take the treasure, and get on with the game.
(Note: there is a card that says to 'dump' treasure as ballast. Leave it on the nearest coastline instead of Dread Island.)
If you raid the last gem from a port, you may then spend your next turn "burning the city" to earn an extra 2 points to your next skirmish or raid (due to increased morale).
If you and your friends enjoy these additional rules, I'd love to know. thenimaj@yahoo.com
Dread Pirate and the Dread Pirate logo are ©Front Porch Classics. TheNimaj.com is in no way affiliated with them. Thanks for making such a great game.
By the way, don't forget, September 19th is International Talk-like-a-Pirate Day.