Bravely Default: Pirate Job Guide

Yar! The Pirate in Bravely Default is interesting. It has the highest Strength of any class, and makes for a good tank. By mixing the right abilities from other classes, the Pirate definitely has a unique play style. Let me guide you to becoming a King, or Queen, on the open water.

This guide will cover everything about Pirate including:

• Unlocking Pirate: How to unlock the job.
• Equipment Guide: What they use, and the optimal equips.
• Ability List: What level they get them.
• Cross Job Tips: Which jobs fit well with Pirate.
• Special Moves: Which are best suited for Pirate.
• Combat Tips: Being most effective in battle.

Unlocking Pirate

You unlock Pirate by defeating Barbarossa in chapter 3. You get a side quest from Zatz and Datz that talks about a ghost ship.

You have to go to a foggy area, then choose to enter. The location changes between north of the Grandship and southwest of the Grandship.

Equipment Guide

Pirates have an S aptitude for Axes. They also have an A aptitude for Swords and Shields.

Armor

• You want Strength to take advantage of their high Physical Attack.
• Getting items with Dexterity can also help, because they can miss a lot.
• If you want to tank and take too much damage, try a shield.

Weapons

• Axes all the way. You will do a lot of damage.
• If you really can’t afford any misses, then go with swords.

Ability List

Pirates have the Adrenaline Rush Specialty.

• Adrenaline Rush – Raises Physical Attack and Defense by 50% for five turns when your HP falls below 20%

Level 1

• Double Damage – Uses 25% of you max MP to do double the damage of a normal attack.

Level 2

• Provoke – Raises your chances of being targeted by all enemies to the highest level possible.

Level 3

• Shell Split – Attack that does normal damage, but lowers the target’s Physical Defense by 25% for four turns

Level 4

• Scale Strip – Attack that does normal damage, but lowers the target’s Magic Defense by 25% for four turns.

Level 5

• Shin Smash – Attack that does normal damage, but lowers the target’s Speed by 25% for four turns.

Level 6

• Mass Attack – Causes allies with less than 20% of their HP left to attack at the same time you do. The allies that join in can still do their normal actions.

Level 7

• Berserk – Raises Physical Attack by 50%, but can only use normal attacks for six turns. Does not stack with other Physical Attack boosts.

Level 8

• Adrenaline Rush – Support ability that lets you use the Pirate’s Specialty on other Jobs.

Level 9

• Physical Attack 20% Up – Support ability that raises Physical Attack by 20%

Level 10

• Defang – Attack that does normal damage, but lowers the target’s Physical Attack by 25% for four turns.

Level 11

• Skull Bash – Attack that does normal damage, but lowers the target’s Magic Attack by 25% for four turns.

Level 12

• Axe Lore – Support ability that raises Axe aptitude to S.

Level 13

• Torrent – Physical Water attack that does 0.3 times the damage of a normal attack up to 16 times on one target. Costs 2 extra BP to use.

Level 14

• Amped Strike – Attack that uses half of your max MP to deal four times the damage of a normal attack.

Cross Job Tips

The Pirate is a great tank or pure damage dealer.

• Swordmaster is great for a variety of reasons. Nothing Ventured will halve the damage you take during that turn and counter attack with double the damage of a normal attack. By using Provoke, you can make sure that you counter every enemy and you won’t take much damage while doing it.
• Swordmasters also get Free Lunch at level 14. This causes all abilities for two turns to use no MP. That lets you use Amped Strike freely. Talk about a lot of damage.
• Knights and Templars are great if you want to tank with Pirate. Their Physical Defense Up abilities really help. You also want the Knight’s Two-Handed ability if you want to just do damage.

Special Moves

Axe

• Level 1 – Defeat 5 enemies with physical attacks.
• Grand Strike – Attacks all enemies. Raises Physical Defense for all allies.

• Level 2 – Defeat 10 enemies with physical attacks.
• Maelstrom – Attacks one. Raises Hit Count for all allies.

• Level 3 – Defeat 5 enemies with physical attacks.
• Gigaton Swing – Attacks one enemy with Earth damage. Raises Physical Defense for all allies.

Combat Tips

Pirates make good damage dealers and good tanks. Other classes can do each Job better, but I like using the Pirate to do both.

• Use the Knight’s Two-Handed ability to have a nice increase of Physical Attack.
• Max level a Swordmaster, then use it as your cross job. Now you can Provoke enemies and counter them all the next turn. On bosses you can spam Amped Strike after using Free Lunch.
• As long as you keep the Pirate a live, it and your whole team can deal all the damage they want to enemies. If you have trouble staying a live, equip a shield and switch Two-Handed for either a Defense or HP ability.

Check my Master Guide List for more tips and guides. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or suggestions.