History Main / ScoundrelCode

** "The code's more like guidelines, than lateral rules."

** Parodied in ''GURPS Literature/{{Discworld}} Also'', where the Pirate's Code is complicated enough that they've been known to press-gang contract lawyers, and sometimes start arguing about a point of order in the middle of a raid.

-->--''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', "The Nagus"

* ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean'': The Pirates' Code (Or [[AltumVidetur Pirata Codex]]) is one that governs the relations of pirates. For instance, if someone says "parley" you have to take them to your captain alive. However, there are a number of caveats to this code.

* In ''{{Casino}}'', Ace Rothstein talks about his soon-to-be wife Ginger following "the Hustlers' Code" -- basically, making sure that she pays off everyone who is in a position to help her carry out her profession as a high-class prostitute, so they have an incentive to do so.

A GreatBigBookOfEverything teaches, well, everything. A BigBookOfWar teaches details on how to deal with, well, war. Then there is this book, or this set of rules. Usually PlayedForLaughs, it teaches pirates, thieves, less savory people, scoundrels in general and those that want to be more like said scoundrels how to behave for their best gain. Its suggestions and rules are usually less than ethical, when not outright illegal. Less savory anti-heroes and other protagonists will often quote it. Antagonists will quote it less often.

Depending on the society in a PlanetOfHats, this kind of list can actually be a central tenet of its culture. Due to its nature, the people that follow such a code tend to be good or amoral. Evil characters may consider it as advice, but ignore it for profit. A chaotic character may lack the discipline to follow it, or may prefer to improvise. Lawful folks won't usually follow such a code unless said code is the cultural norm. The LovableRogue and others of the TricksterArchetype are prone to following this kind of code. It is always dangerous to count on someone following the scoundrel's code and many even instruct their followers to ignore the rules for results.

Compare HonorAmongThieves, which is an actual moral code for the criminal or unsavory. Also compare the EvilOverlordList, a meta[=/=]GenreSavvy version of this for {{Evil Overlord}}s.

* ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean'': The Pirates' Code (Or [[AltumVidetur Pirata Codex]]) is one. Also patently silly, since freedom from authority is one of the main reasons for being a pirate in the first place. This is probably why they are rarely hesitant to stray from it, so long as Captain Teague isn't in the room.
** "The code's more like guidelines, than actual rules."
** The idea of a Pirate Code isn't ''entirely'' silly, as every pirate ship did have rules- the 'ship's articles', and strict ones at that ('Black Bart' Roberts' rules included a strict 10pm bedtime for anyone who was not on watch), just in order to function (you can't sail a tallship if you're not organised). These were, however, written specifically for each individual ship (sometimes extending to the crew's behaviour ashore), not to the whole trade.
*** The most important part of the Articles was the table spelling out what percentage of the treasure each pirate received. This often also included a "worker's comp" system specifying a certain amount of gold for a lost hand, leg, eye, etc.

->'''Quark''': The sixth rule of Acquisition expressly states...\\

** {{Bounty Hunter}}s in that universe ''also'' have [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bounty_Hunters%27_Creed an accepted code of conduct.]] No Bounty Is Worth Dying For; People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties (meaning that anyone you are being paid to shoot is just a target, not a sentient being); Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity; [[ApeShallNeverKillApe No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter]]; [[EnemyMine No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter]]; No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt (the rules of not sabotaging/killing other Hunters rule are not in play with the [[StarWarsTheOldRepublic Great Hunt]], where the goal is to ''compete'' with other hunters, however); and In the Hunt One Captures or Kills, Never Both (meaning you don't kill an unarmed target who has surrendered. If they try to escape is another story).

* [[http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Pirate_code_of_Bartholomew_Roberts Bartholomew "Black Bart" Roberts' famous code]] [[InsistentTerminology with 11 articles]] factors into ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag''. It's pure SchmuckBait, as it places all power in Roberts' hands, but as he himself notes, [[spoiler:[[NoHonorAmongThieves he never said anything about loyalty in them]]]].

* Dennis Stanton, a GentlemanThief who, after going straight, became a recurring character in ''MurderSheWrote'', maintained his own code of conduct; never steal anything his victims couldn't afford to lose, never steal anything of sentimental value, and only steal items that were insured by a specific insurance company. The last one's more for personal revenge, as the company in question refused to pay for a treatment that could have saved his wife's life.

* The ''DungeonsAndDragons'' d20 System Reference Documents have variant rules for an [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/honor.htm "honour" system]] which can include this sort of moral code as guidelines for characters to follow. In said SRD are included the Thieves' Code and the Mafia's Omerta -- both of which mix HonorAmongThieves and ScoundrelCode.
* ''{{GURPS}}'' offers a Pirate's Code of Honor in addition to the more standard types. It is, needless to say, less restrictive.

* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', you learn on [[WretchedHive Nar Shaddaa]] there's a bounty on all Jedi - you count for this - and its a big one. Thing is the bounty hunter rule that they can't hunt each other is in effect, and Nar Shaddaa has gone horribly quiet. This should be an indicator of just how many bounty hunters are after you.

* In KnightsOfTheOldRepublic: The Sith Lords, you learn on Nar Shaddaa there's a bounty on all Jedi - you count for this - and its a big one. Thing is the bounty hunter rule that they can't hunt each other is in effect, and Nar Shaddaa has gone horribly quiet. This should be an indicator of just how many bounty hunters are after you.

Compare HonorAmongThieves, which is an actual moral code for the criminal or unsavory. Also compare the EvilOverlordList, a meta[=/=]GenreSavvy version of this for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin evil]] [[CaptainObvious overlords]].

** {{Bounty Hunter}}s in that universe ''also'' have [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bounty_Hunters%27_Creed an accepted code of conduct.]] No Bounty Is Worth Dying For, People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties (meaning that anyone you are being paid to shoot is just a target, not a sentient being), Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity, No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt (the rules of not sabotaging/killing other Hunters rule are not in play with the [[StarWarsTheOldRepublic Great Hunt]], where the goal is to ''compete'' with other hunters, however), and In the Hunt One Captures or Kills, Never Both (meaning you don't kill an unarmed target who has surrendered. If they try to escape, however...)

* ''StarWars'': Han Solo's mentor Roa has Roa's Rules: Never ignore a call from help, steal only from those richer than you, never play cards unless you're prepared to lose, don't pilot under the influence, and always be prepared to make a quick getaway.
** {{Bounty Hunter}}s in that universe ''also'' have [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bounty_Hunters%27_Creed an accepted code of conduct.]] No Bounty Is Worth Dying For, People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties (meaning that anyone you are being paid to shoot is just a target, not a sentient being), Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity, No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt (the rules of not sabotaging/killing other Hunters rule are not in play with the [[StarWarsTheOldRepublic Great Hunt]], where the goal is to ''compete'' with other hunters, however), and In the Hunt One Captures or Kills, Never Both (meaning you don't kill an unarmed target who has surrendered. If they try to escape, however...)

* ''{{Hustle}}'' often refers to 'the Grifter's Code'.
* ''{{Dexter}}'' has the "Code of Harry" which allows him to uphold a measure of control over his SerialKiller tendencies.

* ''The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries'', in ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary''.

* ''The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries'', in ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary''.
* The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition, ''Franchise/StarTrek''.

** {{BountyHunter}}s in that universe ''also'' have [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bounty_Hunters%27_Creed an accepted code of conduct.]] No Bounty Is Worth Dying For, People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties (meaning that anyone you are being paid to shoot is just a target, not a sentient being), Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity, No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt (the rules of not sabotaging/killing other Hunters rule are not in play with the [[StarWarsTheOldRepublic Great Hunt]], where the goal is to ''compete'' with other hunters, however), and In the Hunt One Captures or Kills, Never Both (meaning you don't kill an unarmed target who has surrendered. If they try to escape, however...)

* ''{{Hustle}}'' often refers to 'the Grifter's Code'.
* ''{{Dexter}}'' has the "Code of Harry" which allows him to uphold a measure of control over his SerialKiller tendencies.

* The many variations of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate%27s_Code Pirate's Code]].

* Dennis Stanton, a GentlemanThief who, after going straight, became a recurring character in ''MurderSheWrote'', maintained his own code of conduct; never steal anything his victims couldn't afford to lose, never steal anything of sentimental value, and only steal items that were insured by a specific insurance company. The last one's more for personal revenge, as the company in question refused to pay for a treatment that could have saved his wife's life.

** {{BountyHunter}}s in that universe ''also'' have [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bounty_Hunters%27_Creed an accepted code of conduct.]] No Bounty Is Worth Dying For, People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties (meaning that anyone you are being paid to shoot is just a target, not a sentient being), Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity, No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter,
No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt (the rules of not sabotaging/killing other Hunters rule are not in play with the [[StarWarsTheOldRepublic Great Hunt]], where the goal is to ''compete'' with other hunters, however), and In the Hunt One Captures or Kills, Never Both (meaning you don't kill an unarmed target who has surrendered. If they try to escape, however...)

** {{BountyHunter}}s in that universe ''also'' have [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bounty_Hunters%27_Creed an accepted code of conduct.]] No Bounty Is Worth Dying For, People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties (meaning that anyone being paid to shoot is just a target, not a sentient being), Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity, No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter, No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt (this rule is not in play with the [[StarWarsTheOldRepublic Great Hunt]], where the goal is to ''compete'' with other hunters, however), In the Hunt One Captures or Kills, Never Both (meaning you don't kill an unarmed target who has surrendered. If they try to escape, however...), and No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter.

** The idea of a Pirate Code isn't ''entirely'' silly, as every pirate ship did have rules- the 'ship's articles', and strict ones at that, just in order to function (you can't sail a tallship if you're not organised). These were, however, written specifically for each individual ship (sometimes extending to the crew's behaviour ashore), not to the whole trade.

* ''{{Dexter}}'' has the Code of Harry.

* The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition, ''StarTrek''.