(As a quick warning this post is quite long.)
In this entire post I'm suggesting both the idea to rework the skeleton cosmetic system in way that would take work to do but end up allowing the curse to be far more customizable and enjoyable in the long run, suggest more clothing options that would both be unlocked as soon as the curse is, as well as ones that would be commendation locked outside hourglass.
I'm aware my post is not original and ideas I share here are all ones that have been shared elsewhere with some even having visual examples to further show their ideas, we all wish this curse to be better than it currently is.
The skeleton curse is one of two most highly sought after cosmetic curses within the game as far as I'm concerned and despite having been released well over 2 years ago, still has a severe lack of cosmetic choices and all the ones currently available are locked behind even more grind walls. Some of the commendations are far easier than others but the base level of the curse itself lacks anything you can use or buy from the get-go.
Currently within the hideout the bonesmith offers 32 total cosmetics with: 7 different bone colours, 9 different head pieces, 8 different torso pieces, and 8 different leg pieces. 16 of the cosmetic items require commendations, 12 require a specific SOTF rank, and 4 require both a rank as well as a commendation and although some of these are better looking than others, a lot of them are a bit lacking both in the design itself and the full customizability of normal cosmetics as shown with the ghost curse or normal pirates.
[Redesigning the Skeleton curse]
Although this task would be extremely difficult and the least likely of things to happen, I think preforming a full rework would be much better than the current version of the curse.
Starting out the entire skeleton and its cosmetic possibilities should be equal to those of the normal pirate, splitting between items within the clothing chest such as: Costumes, Hats, Shirts, Gloves, Jackets, Rings, Dresses, Belts, Bottoms, Boots, and Underwear as well as further items in the vanity chest such as: Beards, Hairs, Hair Dyes, Eyepatches, Hooks, Peglegs, Titles, Tattoos, Scars, Makeup, Curses, and Emotes with all currently unlocked items being able to be usable for your curse alongside having skeleton curse specific ones from the bonesmith.
[Redesigning hiccups, questions, and solutions]
Costumes: Costumes are essentially what we have now and I'd fully understand not having them included since some would likely not function properly, Underwear is in a similar position however on female pirates the chest wrap across the skeleton could make their pirate skeleton appear more feminine as well fit very well for certain outfits in general.
Item Conflictions: I'm aware that both currently listed items as well as ones mentioned down the line would likely cause floating pieces, clipping issues, and other general bugs that would not look the best however those could adjusted around the confliction or simply hide conflicting cosmetics like how rings wont appear if a pirate wears gloves.
When I say 'adjusted around the confliction' I'm meaning the cosmetic item itself could change around the issue, for example, If you were trying to use the 'Long hair' piece alongside the 'repaired skull' piece, rather than clipping through or not allowing you to use one with the other, the hair could be changed so that it is either missing from that section or be bunched or folding up and resting on the second skull itself, allowing you to use both without clipping issues though It would essentially be a new hair item for that one particular instance and would take more time and effort to actually do. The easiest way would simply to be only allow certain hairs with certain head pieces and all hairs for the default head piece.
Tattoos: This one is much more simple to deal with and would simply display the tattoos along the bones itself rather than skin like a normal pirate, allowing for much more personalization of your curse.
Scars: Scars can completely change the appearance/Tone of your pirate depending on what they are or be used in remembrance of events, These should also carry over to your skeleton. The best way I have personally thought of doing this was to simply use the same pattern that the normal scars use and have them as fractures, cracks, and dents along the bones itself. An example of what I mean can be used with the 'Shark Bitemark Scars' and the 'Merciless Marauder Scars' which both look great on normal pirates, They could be translated over to the skeleton curse and cause deep noticeable indentions that always stand out, if you have painted bones, the scars would stand out with a darker colour or with the ashen bones would glow to reveal it. They could also stay a dull white to be even more noticeable apart from the paints and give them further purpose in customizing your skeleton.
Makeup: Not all of the makeup items for normal pirates would translate very well to the skeleton curse outright but could be adjusted to allow it. When I try to think of useable makeups I primarily think of ones like: Raven Makeup, Blooded Warrior Makeup, Chieftain Makeup, Shadows Makeup, and all other makeups that act more like face paint rather than like lipstick or eyeshadows, I think the ones we currently have as well as new ones could be used to nicely decorate your skeleton.
Current Skeleton Cosmetics: I know some of the current cosmetics offered would not fit at all and cause plenty of clipping issues if matched with anything else, I am sure there is some possible way to deal with this such as hiding parts based on what clothing item is being worn like what is done with hooks and peglegs, but I know it would not work for everyone or every item, It is one of the issues to further think about.
All the other clothing and vanity pieces explain themselves and I feel they don't require further explanation on how they could be implemented.
[New non-commendation Pieces]
These are a simple list of possible skeleton specific cosmetics and pieces that would be unlocked the moment you get the curse
- (Current system)
Fractured Skull, Upper body, and Lower body (1,2,3,etc)
Haired Skull (1,2,3,etc)
Skeleton Captains Skull (Hats) (1,2,3,etc)
Skeleton Captains Upper body 1 (dresses) (1,2,3,etc) - Two different sets with gloves and no gloves
Skeleton Captains Upper body 2 (shirts) (1,2,3,etc) - Two different sets with gloves and no gloves
Skeleton Captains lower body (pants/skirts) (1,2,3,etc) - two different sets offering either pants and boots for the top, or a skirt and boots for the dress.
Grimy Bones.
All of these 'Skeleton Captains' items would be similar to the bilge rat items and be the same/similar design but recoloured variants
There could also be redesigned, rusted and extremely worn down variants of: Ocean Crawler, Admiral, Imperial, or Hunter added as well that fit the newly skeletal form.
The Fractured pieces would be designed similar to some of the broken or damaged skeletons you meet when you are fighting captains, missing ribs or fingers, having a massive chunk missing from your skull, similar things like that.
The haired skull would simply be your skull with various types of hairs, beards, and mustaches.
The Grimy Bones would be a simple design away from the default bones, Imagine the Fearless Bone Crusher sets with yellowed/browned covered areas, something different from the relatively clean looking bones you start with. - (Updated System)
All items above would be added alongside all the current clothing the player owns and would separate into the different various Skeleton Captains hats, dresses, tops, pants, shoes, gloves, eyepatches and any other skeletal item that comes with it. There could even be a design of only having one shoe or both.
It is not a large list of instantly unlocked items and I am sure plenty of other pirates can come up with others but it is better than having nothing at all aside the bare curse.
[Commendation specific Pieces]
These primarily would be outside hourglass and done through adventure, things that must be done whilst wearing the skeleton curse of course, for this list I will give the sets name, provide a brief description of what it could look like or look similar to, then how you unlock it. I will not split it up into (Current) and (updated) systems however, for these ill be using the current system to make it easier.
(Tall Tale Oriented - I'm only making cosmetics for Rare's original tales, so no Pirates life or Monkey Island ones here.)
- Shores Of gold set: This set would come with various clothing pieces similar to the gold hoarder lord and his minions and a matching bone colour that would only partially coat your skeleton in gold similarly to the gold curse, You unlock the clothes and the bone colour separately. - The clothes are earned by completing the shores of gold tall tale itself and the Partial gold curse would be earned by sitting in the throne at the shores of gold after defeating the gold hoarder lord.
- Cursed Rogue set: This set would come with various clothing sets similarly to Briggsy but not her exact clothing since that is already unlockable, likely just more flashy skeletal clothes similar to her style. This would also give you a unique bone colour that would paint order of souls runes along your skeleton and have the same black ink seeping out of the cracks along your body and a familiar green glow in your sockets with ink seeping out of them as well. - This would be earned by completing The Cursed Rogue Tall Tale.
- Morningstar set: This set would come with various clothes both representing extremely torn and weathered skeletal variations of the Morningstar crew clothes as well as fancy more alluring attire like what Greymarrow dawns. This would also come with a similarly designed beard for the skeletons who want one like his as a cosmetic, If a beard is not your style the second special item earned from this would be a wearable skull variant of Captain Douglas' skull, the blue crystalized skull used to summon Greymarrow. - This is earned by completing the Revenge of the Morningstar Tall tale.
- The Ashen Dragon set: This would be similar to the already existing Ashen Dragon items but appear more weathered and torn and fit for the skeleton curse. - You would earn the whole set by completing The Seabound Soul Tall Tale. (I would rather not force everyone to go for ashen journals a second time.)
(Adventure Sets)
- Ashen Skeleton sets: These sets would simply see to mimic the style of ashen skeletons and ashen Captain skeletons since their designs are quite fitting with the ashen bones - These sets would be earned by defeating 20 Ashen skeleton Captains.
- Ashen Lord sets: Each of these sets would give you clothes very similar to what each of the ashen lords wear that includes: Captain Grimm's set, Red Ruth's set, Old Horatio's set, and Warden Chi's set. - to unlock the sets you must fight and defeat each of the ashen lords 5 times whilst wearing the skeleton curse.
- Skeleton Lords set: You would earn this set the exact same way as the Ashen lord set, you would earn replicating sets for all 3 Skeleton Lords: The Mutinous Helmsman, The Two-Faced Scoundrel, and The Duchess. - You would unlock these sets by defeating each of the Skeleton Lords 5 times whilst wearing the skeleton curse.
There are more sets I likely could think of but I'm sure you get the idea by now, I desire the skeleton curse to be more customizable as well as have more cosmetics entirely. I enjoy the silly nature of some of the current ones but would love more kinds of clothing that some of the other skeletons and skeleton lords wear throughout the game too, more 'serious' ones I suppose. The newer reaper bones is a great start to describe what I mean, sets of items that are actual clothes rather than broken barrel pieces and pot lids.
If you read this far thank you.
