Of Ships & the Sea
Components
A ship is composed of different components:- Hull. A ship’s hull is its basic frame, on which the other components are mounted.
- Control. A control component is used to steer a ship.
- Movement. A movement component is the element of the ship that enables it to move, such as a set of sails or oars.
- Weapon. A ship capable of being used in combat has one or more weapon components, each of which is operated separately.
Armor Class
A component has an Armor Class. Its AC is meant to reflect its size, the materials used to construct it, and any defensive plating or armor used to augment its toughness.
A ship component is destroyed and becomes unusable when it drops to 0 hit points. A ship is wrecked if its hull is destroyed. A ship component does not have Hit Dice.
If a ship component has a damage threshold, that threshold appears after its hit points. A component has immunity to all damage unless it takes an amount of damage equal to or greater than its damage threshold, in which case it takes damage as normal. Any damage that fails to meet or exceed the damage threshold is considered superficial and doesn’t reduce the component’s hit points.
This part of the stat block specifies what the ship can do on its turn, using its special actions rather than the actions used by creatures. It even relies on its actions to move; it doesn’t have a move otherwise.
Officers
If you’d like to explore running a ship, it needs officers to oversee its operations—officers who fill six different roles. A person can fill only one role at a time, though multiple people can be assigned to a single role. Some roles aboard a ship reflect the need for trained experts to direct a crew’s efforts. Others focus on keeping the crew’s health and morale in order. Each role is described below, along with the abilities and proficiencies that help a character excel at it (but that aren’t required):- Captain. The captain issues orders. The best captains have high Intelligence and Charisma scores, as well as proficiency with water vehicles and the Intimidation and Persuasion skills.
- First Mate. This specialist keeps the crew’s morale up by providing close supervision, encouragement, and discipline. A first mate benefits from a high Charisma score, as well as proficiency with the Intimidation and Persuasion skills.
- Bosun. The bosun (or boatswain) provides technical advice to the captain and crew and leads repair and maintenance efforts. A good bosun has a high Strength score, as well as proficiency with carpenter’s tools and the Athletics skill.
- Quartermaster. The quartermaster plots the ship’s course, relying on knowledge of nautical charts and a study of weather and sea conditions. A reliable quartermaster tends to have a high Wisdom score, as well as proficiency with navigator’s tools and the Nature skill.
- Surgeon. The ship’s surgeon tends to injuries, keeps illnesses from spreading throughout the ship, and oversees sanitation. A capable surgeon benefits from a high Intelligence score, as well as proficiency with herbalism kits and the Medicine skill.
- Cook. A ship’s cook works with the limited ingredients aboard a ship to make meals. A skilled cook keeps the crew’s morale in top shape, while a poor one drags down the entire crew’s performance. A talented cook has a high Constitution score, as well as proficiency with brewer’s supplies and cook’s utensils
Crew
A ship requires a number of able-bodied sailors to crew it, as specified in its stat block. A crew’s skill, experience, morale, and health are defined by its quality score. A crew starts with a quality score of +4, and that score varies over time, going as low as –10 and as high as +10. It decreases as a crew takes casualties, suffers hardship, or endures poor health. It increases if the crew enjoys high morale, has good health care, and receives clear, fair leadership. A typical crew member uses the commoner stat block in the Monster Manual.
A poorly led or mistreated crew might turn against its officers. Once per day, if a crew’s quality score is lower than 0, the captain must make a Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check modified by the crew’s quality score. If the check total is between 1 and 9, the crew’s quality score decreases by 1.
If the check total is 0 or lower, the crew mutinies. They become hostile to the officers and might attempt to kill them, imprison them, or throw them overboard. The crew can be cowed into obedience through violence, combat, or offers of treasure and other rewards.
When the DM ends the mutiny, the crew’s quality score increases by 1d4.
Life aboard a ship is a constant wear on the crew. Spending time in port allows the crew to relax and regain its composuree.
If a crew’s quality score is 3 or lower, the score increases by 1 for each day the crew spends in port or ashore.
Travel at Sea
Here are rules to help adjudicate travel at sea, specifically travel of an hour or more. This material builds on the travel rules in the Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Travel Pace
Ships travel at a speed given their stat blocks. Unlike with land travel, players can’t choose to move at a faster pace, though they can choose to go slower. If a ship’s mode of movement takes damage, it might be slowed. For every decrease of 10 feet in speed, reduce the ship’s pace by 1 mile per hour and 24 miles per dayActivity While Traveling
The activities available to a ship’s crew and passengers are a bit different from the options available to a group traveling by land. Refer to “Activity While Traveling” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook for more information on some of the topics discussed below. A number of activities are restricted to certain officers, unless the DM rules otherwise. For example, a bard might be allowed to engage in the raise morale activity by playing bawdy songs on deck to lift the crew’s spirits. The party’s pace has no effect on the activities they can engage in while traveling by ship.Draw a Map
A ship’s captain often undertakes this activity, producing a map that records the ship’s progress and helps the crew get back on course if they get lost. No ability check is required.
The character casts out fishing lines, keeping an eye out for sources of food, making a Wisdom (Survival) check when the DM calls for it.
First Mate Only
The first mate can manage the crew’s time to grant extended breaks, provide instruction, and improve morale. Once per day, if the crew’s quality score is 3 or lower, the first mate can make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a successful check, the crew’s quality score increases by 1.
The first mate can manage the crew’s time to grant extended breaks, provide instruction, and improve morale. Once per day, if the crew’s quality score is 3 or lower, the first mate can make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a successful check, the crew’s quality score increases by 1.
Quartermaster Only
The quartermaster can try to prevent the group from becoming lost, making a Wisdom (Survival) check when the DM calls for it. (See “Becoming Lost” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information.)
The quartermaster can try to prevent the group from becoming lost, making a Wisdom (Survival) check when the DM calls for it. (See “Becoming Lost” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information.)
Use the passive Wisdom (Perception) score of the characters or the crew to determine whether anyone on the ship notices a hidden threat. The crew has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score equal to 10 + the crew’s quality score. The DM might decide that a threat can be noticed only by characters in a specific area of the ship. For example, only characters below deck might have a chance to hear or spot a creature hiding on board.
Bosun Only
The ship’s bosun can undertake this activity. At the end of the day, the bosun can make a Strength check using carpenter’s tools. On a 15 or higher, each damaged component regains hit points equal to 1d6 + the crew’s quality score (minimum of 1 hit point). A component other than the hull that had 0 hit points becomes functional again.
The ship’s bosun can undertake this activity. At the end of the day, the bosun can make a Strength check using carpenter’s tools. On a 15 or higher, each damaged component regains hit points equal to 1d6 + the crew’s quality score (minimum of 1 hit point). A component other than the hull that had 0 hit points becomes functional again.
Captain Only
The ship’s captain can engage in this activity only if the weather conditions restrict visibility, such as in heavy fog. The ship makes a Dexterity check with a bonus equal to the crew’s quality score to determine if it can hide.
The ship’s captain can engage in this activity only if the weather conditions restrict visibility, such as in heavy fog. The ship makes a Dexterity check with a bonus equal to the crew’s quality score to determine if it can hide.
Hazards
Hazards come in two basic types: environmental hazards, such as storms or turbulent waters, and other events, such as a fire aboard the ship or a plague outbreak. Hazard ChecksIcebergs choke a misty sea. Winds and towering waves threaten to capsize a ship. Snowstorms batter ships that venture north too late in the year. These are all examples of environmental hazards that can last for days and demand a crew’s attention.
Each day a ship spends involved in a hazard requires the officers to each make a special ability check, as shown on the Hazard Checks table. This check takes the place of any other activities that the officer might undertake and represents the officer’s contribution to keeping the ship afloat.
Hazard Checks
If there is no one available to make a check, treat the result as a 0.
Finally, roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier to the roll. Add up all of these checks and then refer to the Hazard Check Results table. That table shows if the ship has met with disaster or success in surviving that day of the hazard.
Each day a ship spends involved in a hazard requires the officers to each make a special ability check, as shown on the Hazard Checks table. This check takes the place of any other activities that the officer might undertake and represents the officer’s contribution to keeping the ship afloat.
Hazard Checks
| Officer | Check |
|---|---|
| Captain | Intelligence (water vehicles) |
| First mate | Charisma (Intimidation) |
| Bosun | Strength (carpenter’s tools) |
| Quartermaster | Wisdom (Nature) |
| Surgeon | Intelligence (Medicine) |
| Cook | Constitution (cook’s utensils) |
Downtime: Managing a Ship
By hiring a competent captain and crew and putting them to work hauling cargo or otherwise offering their services, you can make it possible for a ship to remain in good repair and even generate a profit for you between adventures. Managing a ship is a downtime activity that requires time and effort to recruit an officer and crew. The ship is available for use when needed. Otherwise, the ship hauls passengers and cargo to cover the costs of maintaining the ship and paying the crew.Resources
It takes one week to recruit a crew and 100 + 4d6 gp to cover the costs of recruitment and supplies. Once you have paid these costs, you have a captain and a crew to maintain the ship.
Once you have a working ship, it turns a small profit each month. At the end of every four weeks, you earn 5d20 gp.
A ship owner runs the risk of foul weather, a bad trade deal, or a mutiny. When rolling to determine your profit, if any of the d20 rolls are a 1, roll on the Ship Ownership Complications table (or the DM may create a suitable complication).
Ship Ownership Complications
Ship Ownership Complications
| d6 | Complication |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your crew makes a bad bargain. You see no profit this month. |
| 2 | Your ship and crew have been pressed into military service to hunt pirates for 1d4 months. |
| 3 | A temple related to the sea or trade has accused your crew of disrespecting the gods, and no one will do business with your ship and crew. You lose 5d20 gp per month for 1d6 months or until the temple is mollified. |
| 4 | Your ship and crew go missing and must be rescued from their captors. |
| 5 | Your crew mutinies and is on the run from you. |
| 6 | Your crew is caught smuggling illegal goods. They are imprisoned, and your ship impounded. |
The Kirya
Gargantuan vehicle (120 ft. by 30 ft.)Creature Capacity 30 crew, 20 passengers
Cargo Capacity 100 tons
Travel Pace 5 miles per hour (120 miles per day)
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA
20 (+5) | 7 (−2) | 17 (+3) | 0 | 0 | 0
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Hull
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 300 (damage threshold 15)
Control: Helm
Armor Class 18
Hit Points 50
Move up to the speed of its sails, with one 90-degree turn. If the helm is destroyed, the ship can’t turn.
Movement: Sails
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 100; –5 ft. speed per 25 damage taken
Locomotion (water) sails, speed 45 ft.; 15 ft. while sailing into the wind; 60 ft. while sailing with the wind
Actions
On its turn, the sailing ship can move using its helm. It can also fire its ballista and its mangonel. If it has half its crew or fewer, it moves at half speed and can fire either its ballista or its mangonel.Basic Statistics
SizeMost ships are Large, Huge, or Gargantuan. A ship’s size category is determined by its length or width, whichever is longer. For instance, a
ship that is 10 feet long and 20 feet wide would use the size category that has a 20-foot width, which means the ship is Gargantuan.
A ship doesn’t have a square space unless its stat block specifies otherwise. For example, a ship that is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide occupies a 20-by-10-foot space. A ship can’t move into a space that is too small to accommodate it. If it tries to do so, it crashes, as described later in the “Crashing” section.
A ship’s stat block indicates how many creatures and how much cargo it can carry. Creatures include both the crew required to operate the vessel and any passengers who might ride along. Passengers could include marines who repel boarders and lead the attack on monsters and enemy ships.
A ship’s travel pace determines how far the vessel can move per hour and per day. A ship’s movement-related components (described later in the stat block) determine how far the vessel can move each round.
A ship has the six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and corresponding modifiers. A ship’s Strength represents its size and weight. Dexterity represents a ship’s ease of handling. A ship’s Constitution covers its durability and the quality of its construction. Ships usually have a score of 0 in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
If a ship has a 0 in a score, it automatically fails any ability check or saving throw that uses that score.
A ship’s vulnerabilities, resistances, and immunities apply to all its components, unless otherwise noted in the stat block.