I want to try it, but I don't want to lose my life to it. Thoughts?

Go pirate at 50, log in from time to time to raid and attack people, log off whenever you want knowing there's no dkp system or raid attendance to adhere to. Think of it this way guy takes all the time to tradeskill pack gear, haul it to Freedrich Island and you just kill him for all the reward. Kind of a pvper's wet dream.