While you can do pirates with the RAW, I think the advantage of a Pirate spec would be to capture the "spirit" of cinematic pirate characters. Much like you could make an archaeologist with the Scholar spec, the Archaeologist-with-a-capital-A is different -- she's a tough-as-nails fist fighter and tomb raider. It's a spec to capture the Indiana Jones/Lara Croft/The Mummy archetype. In the same way, a Pirate spec ideally would provide several talents for swinging from chandeliers and witty repartee. I'm thinking all the stuff Guybrush Threepwood tries to emulate in the Monkey Island games, but played for action/adventure more than humor.

I completely get this, and if anyone wants to make a Pirate specialty within the Smuggler career, I'm not saying that is wrong at all. I'm just saying that RAW has it pretty much covered already and pointing out the term "pirate" can mean all sorts of possible career paths and skills so it would be hard to limit it to just one specialty. We don't have a "Criminal" career either, for example. There are all different types of criminals that can be described with RAW depending on their speciality (strong arm robber - Marauder, burglar - Thief, hacker - Slicer, etc).

So, what you are descibing is the iconic Errol Flynn pirate in a space setting? You said, "swinging from chandeliers and witty repartee". I would add fighting and sailing skills (scifi versions). So, with RAW, look at Smuggler (Scoundrel). Core skills would include Coordination (swinging from chandeliers?), Deception/Charm (witty repartee), Piloting-space (sailing skills), Cool & Ranged-Light (fighting skills). Talents for the above include Convincing Demeanor & Natural Charmer, Rapid Reaction, Side Step, Quick Strike. These cover the fighting skills and "witty repartee" and possibly chandelier swinging while fighting depending on your narrative description or exactly what that means. The only thing lacking for talents would be those for pilots and possibly "swinging from chandeliers" if the above isn't enough. Luckily, there are more talents along these lines within the same career (Smuggler) under other specialties the character can easily dabble into (Pilot & Thief).

Could a Smuggler (Pirate) specialty be slightly better when modeling this specific type of priate? Sure. You could design some new talents and toss some Core skills to add things such as Melee and Athletics. But for me RAW has this specific type of Pirate already 90% covered.

Don't take this wrong! I still want anyone designing a Smuggler (Pirate) to share!

Eta: The new Smuggler book doesn't include a "Pirate", but the new Charmer specialty may be something a Smuggler wanting to be an Errol Flynn pirate may want to dabble in.

A Corporate Sector Authority source book seems the most likely option if regions are the common theme. However, I would prefer a Shadowports book that devotes short chapters (say the length of "Corellia" in Suns of Fortune) to a variety of planets like Tatooine and Ord Mantell as well as The Wheel and other space stations. And since those are the kinds of places pirates hang their hats, it would kill two birds with one stone.

Ord Mantell has been name-checked since ESB (I had a vinyl copy of Mission to Ord Mantell as a kid) and has been in several games but I don't recall a full and consistent write-up in any RPGs.

Since ... NO Force and Destiny books listed as upcoming, clearly this means that the range is dead. Sorry folks, it was a good run - but all things must come to an end.

Of course I am a bit old-fashioned, but I believe that they will publish the core rulebook first, before they go into supplements. But maybe that's just me

I was all "What-the-where-the-why now?!"

But I see now it was a case of "Sarcasm Powers activate! Form of flaming thread! Shape of panic attack."

Good good.

As for what I'd like to see Sector/Source Book wise...

Well, it's highly likely to be a Tatooine Source book with details on all of the major settlements and the diverse population. Could go into details about Pod Racing and various other "fun" activities. That and species such as the Sand Raiders, Jawas and such. I get that we're getting the Hutt Space Book, and that it should include snippets of this, but the description doesn't even mention Tatooine at all in it, so I'm thinking that the Furthest from the Brightest Center of the Universe will get it's own Book of details and stories. Much like the Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina novel.

Think of it as a follow-up book, I suppose.

Things such as the Core Worlds, Kuat Drive Yards and the like will likely pop-up under the Age of Rebellion flagship, rather than the Edge of the Empire. Much like Byss and Dagobah will likely be in Force and Destiny.

I don't think Tatooine needs a sourcebook of its own. Pod racing I could see covered in the Hutt Space book if it is covered at all. Given that it is portrayed as an alien only sport with the exception of Anakin I could see the Empire setting out to squash it very easily.

Another sourcebook I'd like to see would be a Book on Droids and how to design them. I know you can build droids using the system we got.. But I'd like to see some Droid Specific stuff..

Droids might fit well into the tech career book(s).

Wonder if a good idea would be Kessel. It would detail prisons, maximum security locations (Star's End for instance), have classes for Wardens, Security officers, and convicts. It would offer specialized prisoner transfer equipment, and offer a section on improvising tools for a possible escape. Could also talk about known escape attempts from these facilifies, and what kind of duties prisoners are forced to do there.

The immediate thought is how much this would overlap with the Edge of the Unknown splat book with regards to capturing equipment, but Kessel would be focused more on prisoner treatment rather than wild animals.

Star's End would almost certainly be covered in a Corporate sector book because if memory serves it is in the Corporate Sector. At least it first appeared in the Han Solo Adventures Trilogy which focused on Han's pre-OT adventures in the Corporate Sector.

As for Kessel getting its own book I don't think any one planet, which the possible of exception of Coruscant, deserves an entire sourcebook dedicated to it.

It would have to be Star's End II, without giving away story details to any who might have not read the books.

True but the Star's End prison was in use during the X-Wing PC game set after the Han Solo Adventures,

Don't know anything about a video game but Star's End was gone before events in Episode IV.

The way Wookieepedia reads everyone left on it died but some of parts of the structure were salvageable and it was rebuilt and back in operation by the period leading up to the Battle of Yavin..

On the pirate front I've read some rumors states that a pirate base and the band that uses the base will play some role in Episode VII. If the rumors are true maybe FFG will be able to port some of the ships, weapons and hardware the pirates use to EOE.

I'm betting on the Corporate Sector for next "region" book.

Tatooine, I believe, will be the setting for the next "adventure" book in much the same way Cloud City was the setting for Jewel of Yavin.

But, hey, you never know...

The way Wookieepedia reads everyone left on it died but some of parts of the structure were salvageable and it was rebuilt and back in operation by the period leading up to the Battle of Yavin..

On the pirate front I've read some rumors states that a pirate base and the band that uses the base will play some role in Episode VII. If the rumors are true maybe FFG will be able to port some of the ships, weapons and hardware the pirates use to EOE.

That's not consistent with the actual book.

I'm betting on the Corporate Sector for next "region" book.

Tatooine, I believe, will be the setting for the next "adventure" book in much the same way Cloud City was the setting for Jewel of Yavin.

But, hey, you never know...

If that is the case maybe Hoth will be the next adventure book for Age.

I would love to see a Corporate Sector book or books detailing the major trade routes. I feel like the trade routes can cover a lot of ground in expanding the play area for groups. Heck even one covering a smattering minor trade routes wouldn't be a bad idea either.

"Trade route" is a pretty generic term. How would you lump them together thematically? Except for those planets that have removed themselves from the galactic community or are too primitive, everyone trades.

The way Wookieepedia reads everyone left on it died but some of parts of the structure were salvageable and it was rebuilt and back in operation by the period leading up to the Battle of Yavin..

On the pirate front I've read some rumors states that a pirate base and the band that uses the base will play some role in Episode VII. If the rumors are true maybe FFG will be able to port some of the ships, weapons and hardware the pirates use to EOE.

That's not consistent with the actual book.

It's not unknown for legends to get fuzzy on details, and it happens with Legends too.

"Trade route" is a pretty generic term. How would you lump them together thematically? Except for those planets that have removed themselves from the galactic community or are too primitive, everyone trades.

Well, you could call the book "Trade Routes" and sum up the five major ones (Rimma Trade Route, Hydian Way, Corellian Run, Corellian Trade Spine and Perlemian Trade Route) or go about it "geographically" (galactographically?) e.g. The Deep Core, Expanision Region (Galaxy Map) or even regionally "The Slice", New Trade Routes, etc. (Region). In each case, you go over the major ones and then also describe (with less detail) a couple of smaller ones or important ones (e.g. Kessel Run, Elrood-Derilyn Run).

Personally I think that the first approach makes most sense and I don't think we need five separate books, but one (larger than Suns of Fortune).

(Sorry for the link orgy but some points of reference may come in helpful here, I think)

The way Wookieepedia reads everyone left on it died but some of parts of the structure were salvageable and it was rebuilt and back in operation by the period leading up to the Battle of Yavin..

On the pirate front I've read some rumors states that a pirate base and the band that uses the base will play some role in Episode VII. If the rumors are true maybe FFG will be able to port some of the ships, weapons and hardware the pirates use to EOE.

That's not consistent with the actual book.

It's not unknown for legends to get fuzzy on details, and it happens with Legends too.

The book is Legends and it isn't fuzzy at all, the details are quite clear.

I agree. IF you accept that book to be accurate. With Legends, I may or may not be.

I'd love to see a Corporate Sector book. I like the idea of trade rout books too.

With Star's End, it may have been 'totally destroyed' in it's original appearance in the Han Solo trilogy, but if a work that takes place after said book says that Star's End wasn't totally destroyed and was able to be rebuilt, then I'd think the work set after the Han Solo book would indicate that Star's End was still around and could be used in games that take place after the Han Solo trilogy.

Since both sources are Legends, if FFG does opt to go for a Corporate Sector book, they can pick whichever version they want, though I'd suspect they'd go with "Star's End got put out of commission because of a group of spacers a while back, but it's up and running again" as that'd provide more adventure options for PCs operating in that region, either to break out an ally or to escape from the place themselves.