When Limithron’s Pirate Borg game sailed onto the tabletop scene it was an instant hit, and it’s easy to see why. Combining the death metal old-school RPG vibe of MÖRK BORG with high seas piracy, eldritch foes, and a lucrative trade selling the psychedelic dust of undead sailors is the kind of gonzo concept that gives Pirate Borg its unique appeal. It’s no surprise that Pirate Borg events regularly sell out at GenCon and other major gaming convention events, but finding a table outside of those major events can be more challenging than fighting off scurvy when your crew is all out of lime juice.
Luckily for all the would-be sea dogs out there, the explosion in popularity of hosting roleplaying games online has made it possible to sail forbidden seas that landlubbers of yore could only dream of. It’s easier than ever to go hunting on the internet for exactly the sort of hidden treasure that is worth raising the black flag for.
Still, before you walk the plank into shark-infested waters, here is the current ranking of best places to find glory, treasure, and plenty of black powder when sailing with your ideal Pirate Borg crew.
1. StartPlaying
Let’s assume that you’re out of luck: your crew has all died or fled, the authorities have pirate hunters tailing you from port-to-port, you’ve spotted the vast dark shape of the Kraken lurking below your ship, and worst of all, you’re out of rum. Where is a pirate to go in order to keep on sailing?
Be glad that you still have some dubloons in your pocket, matey, because it’s time for you to check out Startplaying Games!
If you don’t know where to start, you’ll find plenty on the horizon at the dedicated Startplaying Games Pirate Borg Page. There you’ll see all of the publicly-listed crews out at sea or getting ready to set sail and looking for crew. If none of them shiver your timbers, you can also search by Game Master Profiles to see what other devious captains might be willing to give you a shot at gold and glory.
2. Discord
If you’re a seasoned sea dog when it comes to sailing the digital roleplaying seas, it’ll come as no surprise that Discord is a great shore for you to set out for when looking to play some Pirate Borg. If you’re unfamiliar with Discord, its multifunctional ability to manage voice chat and text in various channels makes it a marvelous place to organize your next plunderous expedition. Limithron’s Pirate Borg Discord server has more fans of the game than you can shake a hook at (along with a host of moderators to keep even the most addled sailor in line). There are dozens of separate channels for meeting with fellow players, finding GMs, and staying abreast of upcoming events both online and in-the-still-living-flesh. Even if you continue seeking your game on other tides, the Discord is a great place to stick around to provide a crow’s nest where you can see all of the marvelous (and terrifying) events on the horizon.
3. Roll20
In the ocean of virtual tabletops (VTTs), Roll20 is still a great whale, hosting the largest community of players online in the world. It is also a great place to get your dark piracy roleplaying game in ship-shape, hosting integrated digital tools specifically for Pirate Borg on Roll20. You’re welcome to navigate the waters yourself with a robust search function to look for upcoming games, and the Roll20 forums provides a great digital tavern for you to chat with potential crewmates and captains before you set sail. Whether you’re looking for a free game or willing to spend some dubloons to find the right crew, the forums support all manner of advertisements so long as the game is hosted on the Roll20 VTT. Even in a den of like-minded pirates, you’ll want to keep your head on a swivel as the postings come fast and furious every day, and it’s easy to miss your chance to set sail if you aren’t being careful. Also, fair warning: if you’re brave enough to charter your own crew, make sure your email notifications are set up properly, or else a message offering you a chance for booty might end up in the Davey Jones’s Locker of your spam folder.
4. Reddit
Much like the haunted Caribbean of Pirate Borg, you can find plenty of buried treasure out there on Reddit, but you’d better have a good map and a sturdy shovel to navigate the vast waters and sift through those tropical sands. The official Pirate Borg subreddit is a great place for resources, ideas, and current events going on with the product line, but finding a game open for recruitment is about as likely as quenching your thirst with sea water. The LFG (looking for group) subreddit has far friendlier waters when it comes to finding games of all kinds, but trying to find a table specifically looking for Pirate Borg can be like trying to find a specific reef in a vast ocean. The LFG Premium subreddit is an advertising place for paid games, though it can still be a challenge to find a ship still looking for crew. If you post as a player looking specifically for a Pirate Borg group in either place, though, you might get lucky in finding your port of call.
5. Facebook
While even the saltiest of scalawags might be skeptical about seeking out the Book of Faces when it comes to roleplaying groups, the Talk Pirate Borg Facebook Group is an active (and actively-moderated) crew of like-minded pirates who are ready and motivated to set sail. It’s a private group so you’ll have to ask for permission before joining the crew, but once you’ve come aboard there are plenty of fellow scoundrels to meet with. The biggest limiting factor you’ll come across is the relatively small group size - while there are lots of cool resources and information being posted, there aren’t nearly as many groups actively recruiting, so if you want to get one going you’re best off planting a flag and sending out the call for others to sign up.
Good luck out there, sea dogs. And remember, anyone who says that dead men tell no tales has clearly never had a TPK.
Nate is a writer and game designer living in the D.C. area.
