A Naval Reference

I recommend using this guide for the water as you might use the DMG for land - as a reference for when you are unsure on a ruling, and not something to be memorized. At first this may be a lot (same as when you first started!) but after a time you will develop your own rulings and rely on this guide less. While I consider every rule to have its place, you may not, and that's okay! Create the experience you want and let me help you!

Playing Surfaces

Throughout this guide, several different play surfaces (both in and out of game) are referenced.

The first of these are "Combat Hexes". Similar to the grid or hex you may use during combat, Naval Combat takes place on 25ft hexes. These hexes are what the "Speed" of ships refers to, as well as cannon ranges, etc.

IRL, Naval Combat does not have to take place on a hex mat- instead, it can be played on an unmarked surface. The following changes should be made:

• Replace any mention of "Hexes" with the Imperial Unit "Inches"
  
• When moving, ships cannot move backwards. The bow may only move in the fore direction. Each ship may move a number of inches equal to their speed. Each of the Field of Fire templates have a "1 inch" mark, measured from the edge.
  
• Cannon ranges are also converted to inches (1 inch for every 25 ft). It is recommended to cut a length of string with inches marked for easy measuring.

The other measurement mentioned are "Travel Hexes" and are referred to by the "Travel Speed" of ships. These are the sort of hexes are the scale seen in WotC's "Kingdom-Scale" maps. These hexes are roughly 6 miles each and are only used in relation to traveling far distances, such as across seas or island to island.

Tiers of Rules

The Naval Code is a modular ruleset. The rules are designed so that any combination of them should result in a rewarding naval experience.

Throughout the document, alternative rules are given in yellow boxes. These rules may simplify the game or add an extra level of complexity. A summary of tiers and a collection of their exact changes can be found in the reference section. The Tiers are as follows:

• Captain Hook: Which ignores or simplifies many rules, and is best for quickly adding ships to a game. If you think this may be the route you are interested in, I recommend checking out "The Naval Code: Abridged." It made no sense to have to hunt through rules you were unlikely to use, so I compiled the essential ones in this shorter version.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The guide in its natural state
• Documentary: For players who wish for gritty sea life.

Class

Ships are categorized into classes based on their size. Each class of ship has different base statistics, found below in the "Base Ship Statistics" table. There are many types of ships in each class, whose unique stat blocks are listed in the references.

Speed

Like characters, ships may move up to their speed on each of their turns. The speed of a ship refers to the number of 25 ft. hexes it may move on a single turn. Smaller ships are faster than large ones, which is important for maneuvering around their cannons and gaining opportunities for boarding.

For more information on how ships move in Naval Combat, see Movement.

• Traveling Speed While the maneuverability of smaller ships allows them to move quickly around a battlefield, they are unable to keep that speed consistently. The raw sailing power of larger ships keeps them consistent, and so are greater over long distances. Ships have a travel speed equal to the number of 6-mile hexes they are able to travel in a day (assuming 8 hours of travel). These values are what is referenced in the Pilot travel role, and are the basis for the traveling system, where a full day of travel is the full amount.

Damage Threshold

Ships are hardy structures which require a considerable attack to take damage. The damage of a single attack must be greater than the damage threshold or have no effect at all on the ship or rigging. This number is not subtracted from damage, it is all or nothing.
Siege Weapons ignore the Damage Threshold of ships.

Storage Capacity

This value does not concern cannons, crew, etc. but pertains only to items, rations, and other things being stored. Beyond this value, each ship has room for chests. All officers share access to 2 lock boxes below deck and possess a smaller locker within their living quarters.

Davit Slots

Davits are cranes to hold lifeboats. A ship can hold a number of life boats equal to its davit slots before they begin to take up storage space. By installing Davits (up to the number of slots the ship has), the lifeboat it holds can be lowered as an object interaction instead of an action. (See Davit section in Ship Enhancements.)

HP

• HP: The HP of a ship. Ships become crippled under a certain value (Effective HP) and begin sinking at 0.
• Rigging HP: The HP of the Rigging. This is determined by the number of masts on the ship. Each Mast a ship has adds 40 rigging HP. Taking damage to the rigging affects the movement of the ship (Rigging HP section).
• Effective HP: Below this threshold, the ship is nearly wrecked and several restrictions are placed on actions and movement. This is where most ship battles end.

More information regarding the HP of ships can be found in the Hit point section.

Siege Weapons

Most ships have some form of siege weapons, with cannons being the most sophisticated choice. There many choices of siege weapons that can be invested in with a number of upgrades.
Max: How many cannons a ship can hold per side (Port and Starboard)
Minimum: An estimate of how few siege weapons any given ship will carry per side - they could of course have fewer.

Crew

Crew are the sailors who work, live, and die on the ship. While this conversationally includes "Officers", the influential positions PC's are able take, "crew" refers to the unskilled laborers that are hired to work the lines and cannons. Skilled crew are also a potential option, persons with proficiencies who are qualified to act as officers.

Features and Actions granted by officer positions are only available during Naval Combat.

Each Position also comes linked a Travel Role; a responsibility you are trusted with while making journeys on the sea, such as navigating or keeping a lookout. The implementation of these roles are further discussed in "Making A Journey". A quick guide to these roles is available in the "Printable" section.

Officer Positions can be taken or swapped as an action but carry over across non-combat scenarios. There is no need to re-take officer positions.

If initiative is called and you do not have an officer position, or wish for a different one, an action will need to be taken to have it swapped / assigned to you.

Captain

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Honorary: Captain
Maximum: 1

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The Captain, First Mate, and Quartermaster are generally charismatic officers. While the names may imply authority, remember that all Officers share the top of the hierarchy of a ship. Still, a ship would be amiss without someone calling themselves “Captain” and wearing a funny shaped hat.

Without a specific responsibility during combat, these positions focus on supporting others and have the unique ability to take the Boarding Action, in which the entire ship participates. While their Available Actions are the same, differences lie in the Travel Role of each.

Available Actions:

• Rally: Give a d6 Inspiration Die to an ally. A Charisma Check, DC dependent on the situation, is required. You may use this action only once per battle.
• Assess: An Investigation check to locate any weakness of an opponent’s ship. If successful, you have advantage on your next attack or contest against them for the next minute.
• Assign Position: As an action, you may immediately replace one officer’s position, promote someone to an officer position, etc. The target must accept this change.
  •   You may also use this action to relocate a number of gunners up to double your proficiency bonus to new cannons.
• Board: Free Action. Give the order to Board. See Boarding for more information

Travel Role

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• Navigator The Navigator helps plan the route for the ship and assists the Helmsman on their journey. Make a Nature / Survival check at each part of the day (5 total), against the same DC as the Helmsman's survival checks. You gain a +1 to Navigation checks if you have access to a map (you must recognize both where you and your destination are on it)
• Each success by the Navigator awards the Helmsman +1 bonus to their survival check.
• Once the Navigator fails 2 checks, they are unable to give bonuses for the rest of the day.

Travel Feature

• Shipman. The first mate is known to be a jack of all trades. As such, you are able to help more than normal.
• When you choose to assist another role in their responsibilities, you grant a +2 to their rolls, instead of the usual +1.

Available Actions:

• Rally: Give a d6 Inspiration Die to an ally. A Charisma Check, DC dependent on the situation, is required. You may use this action only once per battle.
• Assess: An Investigation check to locate any weakness of an opponent’s ship. If successful, you have advantage on your next attack or contest against them for the next minute.

• Assign Position: As an action, you may immediately replace one officer’s position with another, promote someone to an officer position, etc. The target must accept this change.
  •   You may also use this action to relocate a number of gunners up to double your proficiency bonus to new cannons.
• Board: Free Action. Give the order to Board. See Boarding for more information

Travel Role

• Cook. A ship's cook is more concerned about preparing and keeping a balanced nutrition for crew than the actual food. Having a dedicated cook results in high quality rations:
• Having a cook decreases the chance of disease and promotes higher morale.
• After a full day of having a cook, anyone who ate their food may spend one free hit die on their next short rest. Benefit fades at the end of the day following.

Available Actions:

• Evasive Maneuver: Dex/Str/Int Pilot Check with disadvantage: If successful, immediately add your proficiency bonus to the ship's AC and gain advantage on the next pilot check to contest a boarding check until the start of your next turn. 1/2 Speed next turn.
• Come About (Evasive Maneuver Variant): Uses full Movement, pilot check to succeed. The aft most section of ship moves to inhabit the hex forward to the one the bow was previously in, and the bow moves in a straight line over so that the ship extends perpendicular to its former orientation. ½ speed next turn. May cause overboard saves, and consecutive attempts are more difficult. See 'Come About' in the movement section for the full mechanics.
• Ram: Ram your prow into another ship using your movement. 1d12 damage per hex traveled in straight line (that round, Max 10, Minimum 2), taking 1/2 damage back to your ship.
• Boarding Check: Roll to try and grapple a targeted ship at the end of a turn the Boarding action was taken.

Feature:

• Automatically gain the Officer Position “Cannoneer” – together, these two officer positions count as only having 1. Cannons under your control require one less gunner than normal (min. 1).

Available Actions:

• Call Broadside: (Recharge 5-6) See Broadside Section

Feature: Oversee Cannons

Select one side of the ship. If there are to be more than 2 canoneers, you should instead select a single deck and side. You may not select cannons that are already under a different cannoneer's jurisdiction.

You are in control of all cannons that are assigned to that side, and count as one gunner for the sake of manning them. Firearm proficiency is not required to be a cannoneer. Effects that deal damage when you hit (Hunter’s Mark, Hex) only trigger if you are personally manning a siege weapon - not to cannons you are overseeing.

Available Actions:

• Fire! Make any number of attacks with cannons under your control.
• Concentrate: Move to assist another Cannoneer. While there, you may help man a siege weapon of your choice. If you have proficiency in Firearms, you may add your proficiency bonus to hit for whichever weapon you are manning. You may return to your position as a free action.
• Repair: Using Tinker's or Smiths’ tools, make a check to repair a misfired cannon (DC= 8+ Misfire Score). The cannon does not need to be one under your control. Failure results in the cannon dropping to 0 hp. Must be proficient in the tools you use.
• Assess: Investigation check to locate any weakness of an opponent’s ship. If successful, you have advantage on your next attack or contest against them for the next minute.

Available Actions:

• Treatment (Medicine or appropriate tool Check): On a successful check and one use of a Healer’s Kit, you may return one crew casualty back to the fight. If your current crew count is not equal to your total, add one back (up to the original total) This action cannot be taken if you already have crew equal to your total crew. Reference Casualties for more information.
• Example: During battle, 3 of your 30 crew fell (27/30 Crew). On a success, you may add 1 crew back, your new crew count being 28/30. Assuming no more casualties, you may take this action 2 more times returning the crew to 30/30, at which point this action cannot be taken.

Travel Role

• Surgeon. Spend your day treating the wounded or sick. Requires proficiency in Medicine or an appropriate tool.
• On a successful medicine check, 1d4 people may gain the effects of a Lessor Restoration Spell, with the added benefit of decreasing exhaustion levels by 1.

Available Actions:

• Order Repairs: As an action, you supervise repairs. Choose to repair either the ship or the rigging. The ship recovers hit points equal to 1d4 + your level, or the rigging recovers 1d4 + your proficiency bonus. If you are proficient with carpenters’ tools, you may add your proficiency bonus to the HP gained (even if you already added it once). You may use this action 3 times per day.
  • You may also use this action to attempt to repair a misfired cannon. Using it for this purpose does not count against the total for the day.
• Assess: Investigation check to locate any weakness of an opponent’s ship. If successful, you have advantage on your next attack or contest against them for the next minute. You may add your proficiency modifier to this check, regardless of your proficiency in the skill.

Travel Role

• Carpenter. Spend the day repairing the ship
• The adventuring day is made up of 5 parts. For each of those in which you did not spend time doing anything else (combat, other actions, adventure, etc.), make a Carpenter's tools check (DC: 15). On 3 passes, you may add 2d6 x your proficiency bonus HP back to the ship. You may split this between Ship and Rigging HP as you see fit.
• Assisting this role gives a +1 to each check that you are present for.

Feature:

• As an Arcanist, you may use ship turns as you own turn, taking full turns of actions, bonus actions, movement, etc. Your responsibilities to the ship include helping others with their roles, casting offensive and defensive spells, or doing whatever you deem appropriate. See the Magic Section for information on how spells interact with Naval and Ship-bound combat.
• Unlike normal Naval Combat, your location defines what actions are available to be taken- To take an action granted by an officer position, you must be in the Associated Location of the position that grants you that action.
• So, as a Pilot/Arcanist, you must move to the helm to take any actions associated with piloting. For information on how to take actions, and how to interact with other officers, see the Associated Locations Table in the Combat Section.

Available Actions:

• Arcane Well: As an Action, you may begin concentrating on your magic. If by your next turn you have not lost concentration, nor failed a Dexterity save due to the ships movement, you may roll 1d4-1 (minimum result of 1), gaining a spell slot of that level to use only that turn. If you do not have access to the level gained, you instead gain the highest level you have access to. You may take this action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Note: As with all officer actions, this action may only be taken during Naval Combat.

Travel Role

• Lookout Responsible for making Perception checks to notice landmarks, obstacles, encounters, etc. If you have a lookout at the start of a Naval Encounter, you gain a +1 to the ship's initiative (even if the lookout missed the threat).

Starting

At the onset of a journey, a destination, however tentative, must be decided. A location on a map, following a series of directions, a known location, or a basic direction are all acceptable.

Making Ready a ship takes 10 Minutes, decreased by 1 minute for every person proficient in water vehicles involved. Making ready involves untethering from the dock, prepping lines and sails, organizing crew, etc. Remember, a ship must have above its Skeleton Crew to make a journey without risking exhaustion.

Travel

Based off the Darker Dungeons Homebrew, traveling on ships is based around Travel Roles- the responsibilities each Officer has available to take on. It is recommended to see the source for any questions regarding traveling.

At the beginning of the adventuring day, you may choose to fulfill one of the roles granted by your officer positions, assist another in their role (granting a +1 to their rolls), or neither. Fulfilling a role is an all day commitment.

As a group, you must also decide on the pace of travel - the speeds of each class of ship are given in the Travel Speed Section.

Your Officer Position defines what roles are available to you. You may elect to change one of your officer positions to gain a certain role. This can be done easily out of combat. Be wary though - once initiative is called, if you want to switch back, it will require an action to do so.

When fulfilling a role, consider it the equivalent of traveling over land – you can’t participate in downtime activities while actively scouting for danger. Over the day, rolls are made by the DM to discover if anything happens- and what that thing may be.

You may not rest while fulfilling a traveling role. It is not required for every party member to take a role, but to make a journey at all you must have a Pilot. If you do not take a role, you may spend the day as you please- downtime activities, resting, etc.- but know that others may not look kindly at too many days off.

Many of the roles echo the originals outlined in the source material, with some additions due to the necessities of life on the high sea. For more information on how to use this traveling mechanic, please reference the Darker Dungeons PDF @ r/darkerdungeons5e

Arrival

Upon reaching the destination, there are several options on how to proceed. If the water is deep enough, the ship can be pulled right to land. Should there be a dock, the ship could be tied there. If the water is too shallow, or the area unsavory, boats can be taken ashore. When this second option is taken, the ship generally sits around 600 ft. from shore, and one or more capable crew are left aboard to look after it.

Traits

To better characterize crew, each of them have 3 secret traits, which may be low, medium, or high. These traits don't affect any mechanics (unless you want them to), but help create meaningful characters with potential to be more:

Demeanor:

A basic idea of the agreeableness of a crew member. A summary of their social skills, this has a large impact in their role on the ship, and how they respond to orders or conditions on the ship.

Crew High in demeanor are well liked among the crew, and likely the officers as well. They may be chosen as a sort of mouthpiece for the crew, communicating to the officers the state of things. They will likely seek out and quell trouble on the ship. They raise general moral and take problems and issues in positive ways. If anything happens to them, morale could take quite a toll.

Low Demeanor crew are disliked and unwelcome by many- but not all. They may be sneaky or rude, or simply untrusted. Low demeanor crew may interpret things in the worst way, loath orders, and are quick to resort to extreme measure. Have you ever heard of a mutiny?

Boring Shot

• Medium and Heavy Cannon Ammunition
• Specialized: May only target the Ship. Deals an additional 1d10 Bldg. damage on hit. No damage from an attack that uses this is considered toward casualty damage.

Chain Shot

• Ammunition (Any)
• Target Rigging: Allows the targeting of Rigging without disadvantage.

Cannister Shot

• Light or Medium Cannon Ammunition
• Cannister: Lasts 6 rounds, dispersed by moderate wind or by moving 75 ft. in one turn or 100 ft. over 2 turns. Comes in two varieties:
•  Smoke (20 gp)
  
•    Standard Combat: Heavily Obscured 15 ft radius
  
•    Naval Combat: May only target the deck. On hit, one attack per round for the duration is made at disadvantage. (Multiple cannisters stack up to 3 attacks at disv. per round). Attacks against specific targets on the affected ship made at disadvantage for the duration. May also affect perception checks.

New Properties

Firearm. The stats and properties of weapons which have this property replace the optional rules listed in the DMG. Firearms do not count as simple or martial ranged weapons; Only those with proficiency in firearms may add their proficiency bonus to attacks made with weapons which have the firearm property. Further, making attacks with a firearm without proficiency raises the misfire score by 1.

Should the "Weapon Specialist" Feature be taken to gain access to a weapon with the firearm property, you also gain proficiency with all firearms of the same nature - Pistols (one handed), Rifles (two-handed), or Cannons.

Variant Rule: Common Firearms
To increase the potential number of firearms for settings in which firearms are common, remove the "Firearm" property. Instead, all weapons with that property are considered Martial Ranged Weapons. This will increase the number of firearms in a game and allow more experimentation.

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• Explosive. On hit, everything within 5 ft of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC= 8 + your attack bonus) or take the damage. Saving results in no damage being taken. If the attack misses, the explosive fails to detonate or falls in a location where it does no damage. Access to weapons with this property should be limited.
• Reload. This weapon may fire a number of times equal to its reload score before 1 action or 1 attack must be used to reload it. One free hand is required to reload.

Special Weapons

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• Bayonet. A small blade, able to be affixed to a weapon that has the ammunition property. While attached, you can choose for the weapon to change between two forms as a bonus action: Its normal form, or a martial melee weapon which deals 1d4 piercing damage.
• Boarding Axe. While wielding a Boarding Axe in each hand, you have advantage on athletic checks to climb wood.

Anchor

Keeps a ship from moving- ship must already be stopped and cannot be in deep water. An action is needed to raise any anchor.

Instant Anchor: Stops a ship immediately but deals damage to the ship according to it's class: Unrated=50, 2nd rate=75, 1st rate = 100.

Grappling Hooks

Iron hooks on a length of rope. To attach, make a thrown weapon attack against the AC of the ship. For each attached hook, your ship gains a +1 to its Boarding Bonus. Successful grappling hooks break if their target moves out of their range. A grappling hook can be removed with a DC 12 Athletic check.

Fire Barrel

1 batch = 12 barrels. When exposed to fire, each creature and object within 5 feet of the barrel must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d6 Fire Damage (1/2 on success). The barrel will stay lit for up to 1 min, emitting light and causing 1d6 fire damage to anything it comes into contact with.

When released into the sea, each batch fills a 25ft. space. A ship can make a pilot check (Dex, DC:15) to avoid hitting any. If the barrels are already on fire, on a failure, a ship take 6d10 fire damage as it hits the flaming barrels. If the barrels are not yet lit, no damage is dealt.

Barrels can be fit with a fuse. Fuse lengths can vary from 1 to 10 rounds. After being lit, roll initiative for the barrel. On that initiative, a number of rounds equal to the fuse length later, the barrel explodes.

Gangplank

A 5x15 ft long plank with weak hooks to keep hold. Gives Advantage on the acrobatic / athletics checks to cross between ships at a DC:12. As an action, a gangplank can be affixed between a ship and another ship or dock. Max 3 deployed at once. If the structures it bridges move apart further than its length, it snaps. Gangplanks have several potential upgrades:

• Corvus (300 gp): An advanced Boarding device- uses a Davit Slot. Corvus have the properties of a "Hooked" Gangplank, but do not require a person’s actions to be deployed. The Corvus can be lowered as an Object Interaction instead.
• Extra Long (20 gp): 20ft long
• Extra Wide (20 gp): 10ft wide
• Hooked (20 gp): Adds +1 to the Boarding Bonus while in place
• Safety Net (100 gp): Adds a net that spans the gangplank, held out by small poles. Has the capability to hold 1 medium or smaller sized creature before bursting.

Life Preserver

Gain advantage on athletic checks related to swimming - If you are using a life preserver in water and it is affixed to a ship, you are pulled along with the ship. This does not use your movement.

Rope Swings

A length of rope suspended from the boom of a mast. Can be used as an action to swing, moving 20ft. across or off the ship in the direction of choice with acrobatic check (DC=12)
Max 5 per 50 ft. of ship

Arcanist’s Shield

Price: 500 gp

• Characteristics: Defense: A large wooden shield with an open window. Offers 3 / 4 cover. Disadvantage on assess and perception checks when in use. Can be built on deck or crow’s nest. If installed on a crows nest, pick a side of the ship. It is always in effect toward that side.
• Further Upgrades Iron: +100 gp, Fire Resistant: +100 gp, Full Hut: +1000 gp, Hinged: +40 gp

Bow / Stern Cannon Ports

Price: 2,500 gp ea., plus price of cannons

• Characteristics: Adds port holes for 2 siege weapons facing fore or aft. Can only fit Light Cannons, Carronades or Ballista. Acts as an additional "side" of the ship. See "Cannon Aim" for more detailed information.
• Further Upgrades: Davey Jones’s Triplets: Replaces Light cannons with 3-barral cannons. Triplets only available in Bow. Use Light cannon stats, but 1d10 damage and Loading (0)

Crow’s Nest

Price: 500g
Restriction: Only up to # of masts

• Characteristics: High Ground: Ranged spell and weapon attacks from the crow’s nest have increased range equal to 1 / 2 their original range (100 ft → 150 ft).
  While in the Crows nest, when you succeed on an "Assess" action, you may grant the benefit to another person.
• Further Upgrades: Fireproof (250 gp): Nonflammable, Metal (500 gp), Feather Fall (1000 gp): Once per day, a person in the crow’s nest may use a reaction to receive the benefits of Feather Fall until they stop falling.

Davit

Price: 500 gp

• Characteristics: Cranes by which to suspend Lifeboats on a ship- each Davit can hold 1 boat which can be quickly deployed as an object interaction. Davits/Boats do not provide cover or take space on a battle map.
• Further Upgrades: Longboat Ready (+200g): The Davit is extended, long enough to house a longboat.
  Stacked (+350g): Davits are double tall, so that each may hold 2 boats.

Figurehead

Price: 500-2000 gp

• Characteristics: Aesthetics
• Further Upgrades: Can be enchanted, combined with spotlights, or combined with a ram.

Fireproofing

Prices:
Deck: 2,000 gp
Hull: 2,000 gp
Masts: 1,500 gp

• Characteristics: A fireproofed surface is considered “Nonflammable” for the sake of catching on fire. Fireproofing does not make the surface resistant to fire damage.
• Further Upgrades: May add fire resistance

Glass Floor

Price: 1000 gp

• Characteristics: Aesthetic/Exploration: You may see into the ocean below. Damage threshold = 10, the AC is equal to the ships minus 4.
• Further Upgrades: Add a Hatch.

Ironsides

Price: 100,000 gp

• Characteristics: +2 AC, Resist B/P/S from Nonmagical Weapons, Fire resistance and Inflammable. -1 speed, +1 round at 1/2 speed to stop. +6 Damage Threshold, and denies other ships the bonus of "Raking Fire". Not compatible with Live Oak or Reinforced Walls. It takes much longer to complete the upgrade than average, and is likely unavailable from most docks. It may require additional research and resources to be gathered.

Live Oak Hull

Prices:
Bow: 2,000 gp x Ship Size (Unranked=1, 2nd = 2, 1st = 3)
Stern: 2,000 gp x Ship Size
Port Side: 2,500 gp x Ship Size
Starboard Side: 2,500 gp x Ship Size.

• Characteristics: Making the hull out of solid pieces of trees as opposed to cut pieces. +1 AC and +4 damage threshold from attacks to that location. Enhancing the Bow or Stern denies other ships the "Raking Fire" damage bonus from the respective direction. It takes longer to complete this upgrade than average.
• Further Upgrades: May be purchased an additional time in each location for the original price x 2, adding an additional +1 AC and +2 to damage threshold.

Improved Mechanism

Price: 1000 gp

• Characteristics: +1 to Pilot checks
• Further Upgrades: Fine-Tuned (1500g): +2 to Pilot checks. Requires Improved Mechanism.

One-handed wheel

Price: 2000 gp

• Characteristics: Pilot checks are no longer made at disadvantage if preforming an action on the same time (Only applicable to Dex-based checks).

Weighted Mechanisms

Price: 200 gp

• Characteristics: Pilot checks over watch are made at advantage
• Further Upgrades: Arcane Locked (1000g): Nighttime Pilot checks have a 75% chance of succeeding even if no one takes them.

Free Spinning

Price: 500 gp

• Characteristics: Gain advantage on Pilot Checks to take the About Face action.

Ease- of – Access

Price: 500 gp

• Available Weapons: L, M, H Cannons
• Characteristics: Requires 1 less person to man “efficiently”

Fail-Switch

Price: 50 gp

• Available Weapons All
• Characteristics: An easy trigger to instantly reduce the weapon to 0hp

Hardy

Price: 100 gp

• Available Weapons All
• Characteristics: Raise HP by 20, Disadvantage on checks to disable

Precision

Price: 800 gp each time, extra 1k each time past the first (compounding). Culverin Costs x2.

• Available Weapons All
• Characteristics: +1, +2 and +3 to hit each time taken, respectively. Must take previous bonus before a higher one. So the price of "+2" is the price of "+1 and +2", or 2,600 gp, and you must have already had +1)

Rifling

Price: 600 gp

• Available Weapons Ca, S and M Cannons
• Characteristics: Increases normal range by 50, and maximum by 25.

Shock Absorbers

Price: 3,000 gp

• Available Weapons All- Whole side only
• Characteristics: The cannons are seated in springs- Decreases DC of pilot roll due to broadsides by 2 and the other side avoids disadvantage on attacks.

Human Cannonball

Price: 750 gp

• Available Weapons H Cannon
• Characteristics: Widens the Barrel. Can no longer fire normal shots. Range becomes 30ft. Deals 3d10 fire damage to the "ammunition"

Bronze Cannons

Price: 1,000 gp

• Available Weapons All Cannons
• Characteristics: A prestigious symbol

Feature: Sea Legs

Gain advantage on Dexterity checks and saving throws which are due to the ship's motion.

Sailor: Corsair

Not all sailors are in it for travel, or for the romance. Some are in it for money and to better their lot in life. Others are in it for power and privilege. Either way, having a strong background can help you make your way on the high seas.

• Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Perception
• Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (water)
• Weapon Proficiency: Firearms
• Equipment: A belaying pin, 50 feet of silk rope, a lucky charm, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 12 gp.

Sailor: Ship's Surgeon

No one wants scurvy, or to find themselves injured several weeks from shore. The most delicate instrument most of the crew has handled is a butcher’s knife. A ship's surgeon is the backbone of the ship- a man of the sea and of the cloth. Or of science. Or maybe of desperate necessity. Whichever gets the job done.

• Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Medicine
• Tools: Herbalism Kit, Vehicles (water)
• Equipment: A Healers Kit, common clothes, a quill and ink, and a belt pouch containing 5 gp

Feature: Sense of Direction

Even at sea, you always know which way North is. You have an eye for the tides, and can further discern whether the tides favor you and how the wind blows (and whether it is likely to change).

Feature: Discovery

You have made a journey to a legendary or secret location. (PHB 134, limited to a location).

Deck-Hand

Hard work on the deck of a ship has granted you skills and experience, to the following benefits:

• You gain one tool proficiency related to seafaring.
• You may assist a traveling role while Long Resting (not while sleeping)
• You gain advantage on non-spell based Overboard Saving Throws.
• You may assist up to 2 officer's roels while traveling (up from 1)

Firearm Expert

Thanks to extensive practice with firearms, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain proficiency in firearms, if you don't already have it.
• Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls when using a firearm.
• When you use the Attack action and attack with a one - handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a loaded firearm that you are holding in your off hand. Normal Two Weapon fighting rules apply.

Pilot

Manning the wheel
is natural to you, with the following benefits:

• If you do not have it already, you gain proficiency in Water Vehicles and Naval Signals (Flairs and Flags)
• If you take a non-pilot action, you do not gain disadvantage on Pilot checks.

Salty Dog

• You may fulfill up to 3 Officer Positions at the same time
• When you rally someone, they may add your proficiency bonus to their roll.
  
• You gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed, but only on ladders or rigging. Additionally, you have advantage on Acrobatic / Athletic checks relating to moving across the ship, up or down rigging, and boarding.

Applicable Tool Proficiencies:

• Brewer's: Who doesn’t like ale? Can also purify water.
  
• Calligrapher's: Analyzing contracts, deals, and maps.
  
• Carpenter's: Can build many of the ship enhancements, may repair ship using proficiency bonus.
  
• Cartographer's: If using a map, add +1 to navigation/pilot travel checks.
  
• Jeweler's: Appraise Treasures and identify mundane loot.
  
• Navigator’s: Add proficiency to Navigation checks.
  
• Smith’s: Repair misfired cannons, and broken cannons with access to a forge.
  
• Tinker’s: Repair cannons that misfire (not able to fix broken cannons).