Gaff, Boarding

Cost 8 gp Weight 8 lbs.
Damage 1d4/1d4 (small), 1d6/1d6 (medium) Critical x2 Type slashing
Category two-handed Proficiency exotic
Weapon Groups double, polearms
Special double, reach, trip

A gaff hook is a long pole with a hook on one end for spearing fish. Pirates often add extra, heavier hooks to both ends of gaff hooks to assist with boarding actions. After the pirates use grappling hooks to draw ships close together, they hook the gunwales together with boarding gaffs to prevent the ships from drifting. Small crafts often use boarding gaffs in place of grappling hooks. Boarding gaffs bite deeply into the wood of the railing. It takes 1 minute to pry a boarding gaff loose. Most pirates use a boarding axe or cutlass to cut through boarding gaffs rather than trying to unhook them one by one. The gaff can also be used for fishing when not in combat.