Are the pirate units worth using later in the game?

[Zechnophobe]

Nah, not worth it. You'll spend far too much time going back and forth buying more of them. They aren't strictly no retal, they don't have range, and don't resurrect well. You would probably due better with Fairies and dryads than pirates, since they are everything that pirate/robbers aren't.

Oh, and also, there isn't a big badass item (Unless it is in the gift bag) for them. The ring of Arianna is no Anga's Ruby, or that 'always crit' spider item either.