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If you’ve been looking for a tabletop RPG that features cursed treasure, undead horrors, forgotten islands and swashbuckling action, Free League’s new PIRATE BORG Starter Set might be exactly what your crew needs.
Built on the popular MÖRK BORG game engine, the upcoming starter set is designed to quickly get players up to speed and drop them straight into the cannon fire and rum-soaked chaos. The set is coming out next month, but is available for pre-order now from your local game store, Free League and Amazon.
So does this new Starter Set deliver the booty? Below, we walk the plank to find out.
What Is Pirate Borg?
First launched on Kickstarter in 2022 and written and illustrated by Luke Stratton (aka Limithron), Pirate Borg is an offshoot of the popular MÖRK BORG rules light RPG system. Initially released independently, it was later picked and is now officially distributed by Swedish publisher Free League.
In 2023, the game was nominated for an Origins Award for Best Game-Related Writing and the community has grown significantly over the past few years, with numerous fan-made adventures, third-party supplements and a large Pirate Borg subReddit.
The setting leans heavily into MÖRK BORG‘s dark fantasy vibes and unique art style, while also including elements of the supernatural set in the “Dark Caribbean,” an alternate version of the Golden Age of Piracy during the 17th and 18th centuries. In recent years, the setting has also expanded, including the new Pirate Borg: Down Among the Dead sourcebook which takes place in the netherworld of Davey Jones’ locker.
Mechanically, Pirate Borg uses a streamlined version of MÖRK BORG‘s rules. Characters have four core abilities (Strength, Agility, Presence and Toughness) and roll a d20 + ability modifier against a target number (usually a 12). Notably, the game also features a unique magic system known as “Arcane Rituals,” which allow players to wield powerful, yet incredibly risky dark magic.
What’s in the Pirate Borg Starter Set?
The Pirate Borg Starter Set contains the following:
- The Player’s Guidebook: A softcover book which contains the basic rules for players and GMS.
- Trapped in the Tropics: A softcover adventure which is new to Pirate Borg.
- 58 cardboard tokens for enemies, NPCs and hazards
- 22 reference cards for quick rules lookups
- 10 poster maps, including jungle islands, shipwrecks and cursed ruins
- 6 pre-made characters designed for new players
- 25 unfilled character sheets
- 12 resin dice, which are black with white ink
- 2 dry erase markers
Notably, the adventure is designed to be run in 3-5 sessions, with players tracking down a shipwreck on a remote jungle island where they’ll battle British Redcoats, rival pirates, booby traps, zombies and cursed relics.
How much is the Pirate Borg Starter Set?
The box set currently retails for $60 USD (not including shipping and handling), which is pretty reasonable considering you get multiple booklets, maps, dice, cards and tokens. In fact, the hardcover for the Pirate Borg Core Rules alone goes $50 USD.
If you do purchase the box set from Free League, you’ll also get the PDF for free via DriveThruRPG.
When will the Pirate Borg Starter Set be released?
An exact release date has not yet been confirmed, with Free League indicating only that the product will arrive in warehouses in March. So it’s likely it will be available for order online and at local game stores sometime in late March and early April 2026.
Is the Pirate Borg Starter Set worth picking up?
If you’re interested in trying out Pirate Borg (or MÖRK BORG-style games in general) it’s worth considering picking the set up.
- It’s genuinely table-ready, with everything needed for multiple sessions
- The adventure is meaty enough to feel like a real campaign arc, not a throwaway demo
- Physical aids like poster maps, tokens, and reference cards dramatically reduce prep time
- It works equally well for new players and experienced GMs
If you already own the core Pirate Borg book and prefer digital tools, you might not need the box. But if you enjoy running in-person games, teaching new players or want some additional accessories for your existing Pirate Borg campaign, this might be a product worth setting sails with.
Final thoughts
Pirate Borg has exploded in popularity over the past few years, thanks to its unique theme, stylish art and streamlined mechanics built on the MÖRK BORG engine. Creating a starter set to bring even more players into the world of swashbucklers, the supernatural and scurvy seems like a smart move on the part of Free League and Limithron.
You can pre-order the Pirate Borg Starter Set now from your local game store, Free League and Amazon.