SHIP STAT BLOCKS
To aid in running adventures where ships engage in combat, undertake precise navigation, or face situations where their various capabilities become relevant, the following section presents new rules and stat blocks for a spectrum of vessels.
BASIC STATISTICS
A ship stat block has three main parts: basic statistics, components, and action requirements. Ships can't take any actions on their own. Without effort from its crew, a ship might drift on the water, come to a stop, or careen out of control.
CAPACITY
A ship's stat block indicates how many creatures and how much cargo it can carry. Creatures include both the crew of the vessel and any passengers who might ride along. Passengers don't generally engage in running a ship, but they also don't need to be mere bystanders. Seasick merchants and marines thoroughly capable of facing menaces from the deep both count as passengers.
Cargo capacity notes the maximum amount of cargo a ship can carry. A vessel can't move-or might even start taking on water- if its cargo exceeds this capacity.
TRAVEL PACE
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.
ABILITY SCORES
A ship has the six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and the corresponding modifiers.
The Strength of a ship expresses 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.
RESISTANCES AND IMMUNITIES
A ship's vulnerabilities, resistances, and immunities apply to all its components, unless otherwise noted in the stat block.
Ships are typically immune to poison and psychic damage. Ships are also usually immune to the following conditions: blinded, charmed, deafened , exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned. prone, stunned, and unconscious.
COMPONENTS
A ship is composed of different components, each of
which comprises multiple objects:
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, and has a specific speed.
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 reflects the materials used to construct it and any defensive plating 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.
DAMAGE THRESHOLD
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 that equals or exceeds its threshold, in which case it takes damage as normal.
Morale
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. This score can affect a number of general ship activities, like the crew's ability to notice threats or contend with hazards.
- A crew starts with a quality score of +4. but 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 fair leadership.
- A crew with a quality score below 0 risks mutiny!
Shore Leave
Life aboard a ship is a constant wear on the crew. Spending time in port allows the crew to relax and regain its composure.
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.
Supply Management
The captain can add supply management to a particular officer's (their choice) list of duties to track and purchase, or can decide to divide the work amongst them (Bosun requests ship parts, Cook: rations, Surgeon: medicine, and Master-of-Arms: Ammo).
Officer Positions
Every Ship needs a captain. As ships get bigger, so does the number of officers required to run it properly. While all seven of the roles should be filled on any ship, they commonly are only a dedicated position as follows:
- Captain, First Mate, and Bosun: always when present
- Quartermaster and Cook: Crew larger than 10
Captain
The captain issues orders. The best captains have high Intelligence and Charisma scores, as well as proficiency with water vehicles, navigator's tools, and the Intimidation and Persuasion skills.
- The Captain chooses all actions, and rolls in all hazard checks
First Mate
This specialist keeps the crew's morale high by providing supervision, encouragement. and discipline. A first mate benefits from a high Charisma score, as well as proficiency with the Intimidation and Persuasion skills.
- The First Mate grants benefits to most actions, and rolls in many hazard checks
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 Insight skill.
- The Bosun grants benefits to several actions, and rolls in several hazard checks
Master-of-Arms
Instructs crewmen in proper firing technique, aims and maintains the onboard weapons. The best Masters-of-Arms have high Dexterity. As a combat-only position, they can also be the Quartermaster, Cook, or Surgeon.
- The Master-of-Arms grants benefits to the "Fire!" action.
Cook
A ship's cook works with the limited ingredients aboard a ship. 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 and Wisdom score, as well as proficiency with brewer's supplies or cook's utensils.
- The Cook grants benefits to morale+health related checks
Surgeon
The ship's surgeon tends to injuries, keeps illnesses from spreading throughout the ship, and over sees sanitation. A capable surgeon benefits from proficiency with herbalism kits and the Medicine skill.
Helmsman
Not an actual officer, rolls water vehicle checks if the captain is occupied by combat, sleep, or other. Must have proficiency with water vehicles.
Actions while Traveling
Each action can be attempted once per day.
Each character can attempt one action each day.
Chart Course
Quartermaster only
The quartermaster can attempt to chart the next days travel with detail, to avoid hazards and make the best time. The quartermaster makes an Intelligence (Navigation Tools) check (DC varies). On a success, the ship has advantage on checks to avoid getting lost, avoid hazards, and similar.
Crew Insight
Bosun or Cook only
You chat with the crew, listening for any sources of future conflict. Make a DC 15 Insight check, on a success, you determine the crew's quality score.
Forage
The character casts fishing lines, keeping an eye out for sources of food, making a Wisdom (Survival) check.
Raise Morale
First Mate, Cook, or Performance proficiency only
The character can manage the crew's time to grant extended breaks, provide a special meal, or sing popular shanties. If the crew's quality score is 3 or lower, the character can make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion or Performance) or DC 15 Wisdom (Cooking Tools) check.
On a success, the crew's quality score increases by 1.
Repair
Bosun or Carpenter's Tools proficiency only
The ship's bosun can make a DC 15 Strength (carpenter's tools) check. On a success, each damaged component regains hit points equal to ld6 +the crew's quality score. A component other than the hull that had 0 hit points becomes functional again.
Restore Crew
Surgeon only
The surgeon can make a DC 15 Medicine check. On a success, all crew members regain 1 spent hit dice. In addition, if the crew's quality score is 3 or lower, the crew's quality score increases by 1.
Stealth
Captain only
The ship's captain can take this action only if the weather conditions restrict visibility. The ship makes a Dexterity check to hide with a bonus equal to the crew's quality score.
Combat
Initiative
A ship rolls initiative using its Dexterity, and it uses its crew's quality score as a modifier to that roll.
Movement
A ship always moves its speed on its turn. Its speed may change due to wind conditions, dropping anchor, or other factors. If a ship only has oars, its speed is 0 unless the number of crew noted in its statblock are rowing.
Actions in Combat
The ship's captain decides which actions to use on its turn. Most ships have three actions. Smaller ships may only have two, while large warships can have four or more. If a ship is under-crewed, it may have less actions as specified in its statblock.
Most actions can be chosen only once during a turn; however, "Fire" and "Repair Below" can be chosen multiple times if each targets a different component.
The crew members required to complete each action spend their entire turns doing so (movement climbing rigging or running ammo, actions reloading or tying down sails, etc). Rowing crew are unavailable to complete actions.
Assisting Actions
Characters other than the Captain may choose to assist in actions on the Ship's turn. If they do so, they spend the entire round assisting in this way and may not take other actions or reactions. They are considered one of the required crew members. Additionally, officers grant benefits to actions they specialize in: see the action for details.
Actions
- "Trim the Sails!" The ship moves faster.
- "Fire _____!" One type of weapon fires.
- "Brace Yourselves!" Protect the Crew.
- "Repair Below!" Repair part of the Ship.
- "You're Needed Above!" One character acts normally.
- "Prepare to Board!" Ready boarding actions.
- "Drop/Raise Anchor!" Stop Ship / Move again.
Who Rolls?
Any assisting officers roll any check for an action. If no officers are assisting, the captain rolls.
"Trim the Sails!"
Increase the speed of the ship by 1d4 x 5 until your next turn.
First Mate or Bosun Assisting adds an additional 10 feet.
"Fire!"
Fire all of one type of weapon (all cannons or all ballista, etc).
Master of Arms can add their DEX modifier to a single weapon's attack roll.
"Brace Yourselves!"
Make a DC 10 Constitution check for the ship. On success, all crew members have total cover until the start of your next turn.
First Mate assisting gives advantage on the check.
"Repair Below!"
One component of the ship regains 2d10 hit points.
Bosun assisting restores an additional 1d10.
"You're Needed Above!"
One character takes their turn immediately and cannot assist actions this round.
"Prepare to Board!"
The crew readies weapons and moves into position to board.
First Mate assisting gives advantage on any ability checks related to boarding until your next turn.
"Drop/Raise Anchor!"
The ship's speed becomes/is no longer 0.