The Captain

The Captain steers and maneuvers the ship through wildspace, bringing the crew into range to unload their weapons while evading return fire. During the Captain's turn, they make tactical decisions on what distance to engage the enemy ship at, and when to move the vessel for best effect.
The captain issues orders. The best captains have high Intelligence and Charisma scores, as well as proficiency with vehicles and the Intimidation and Persuasian skills.
Captains make special skill checks called Pilot checks. A character is proficient in this skill if they have proficiency with land or water vehicles, and the main ability for this skill is Dexterity. The Captain's ability to maneuver a ship is also affected by the size of the vessel. For every 30 feet of the longest side of the ship (rounded down), the Captain takes a -1 penalty to their Pilot checks for that ship.

Special Officer Actions

Take Aim As an action, the captain, first mate, or bosun directs the crew's firing, aiding in aiming one of the ship's weapons. Select one of the ship's weapons that is within 10 feet of you. It gains advantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of the ship's next turn.
Full Speed Ahead As an action while on deck, the Captain, First mate, or Bosun can exhort the crew or Spelljammer depending on the situation, location, etc, to work harder and drive the ship forward faster. Roll a d6 and multiply the result by 5. Apply the total as a bonus to the ship's speed until the end of the ship's next turn. If the ship is already benefiting from this action's bonus, don't add the bonuses together; the higher bonus applies.
Ram. As an action, you attempt to crash your ship into an enemy ship in Close range. Make an opposed Pilot check against that ship's Captain. The ramming ship's Captain may use Strength or Dexterity for this check, but the defending ship's Captain must use Dexterity. If you succeed, you crash your ship into the enemy ship. Consult the Crash Damage chart to figure its damage to the enemy ships hull.
Hold Steady. As an action, you keep your ship's path as steady as possible. Until the start of your next turn, attack rolls made with your ship's weapons have advantage, but attack rolls against your ship also have advantage
Captains may also be able to use special piloting maneuvers based on their class, which enhance their basic piloting actions. At the beginning of each ship combat engagement, the Captain gains a pool of superiority dice (d6s) equal to twice their proficiency bonus, which are used to perform these piloting maneuvers. Where a maneuver refers to a ship's AC, or attacks made against a ship, this refers to the ACs of the hull, weapons, and crewmates of that ship.

Activity While Traveling

Draw A Map

A ship's captain often undertakes this activity, producing a map of the ship's progress and helps the crew get back on course if they get lost. No ability check is required

Stealth

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.

Class Features

Artificer

Infuse Item You imbue the ship's steering mechanisms with your magic, allowing you to operate them at the speed of thought. You can use Intelligence instead of Dexterity for Pilot checks.
Tool Expertise Your skill in operating large mechanisms helps you move your ship more efficiently. The penalty that your ship's size imposes on your Pilot checks is halved, rounded up. (For example, if your ship would impose a -7 penalty on your Pilot check normally, it only imposes a -4 penalty instead.)
Flash of Genius You can use your Flash of Genius feature to perform piloting maneuvers instead of superiority dice. When you do so, you use your Intelligence bonus in place of the result of the d6 roll.
Piloting Maneuvers:
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Action Stations, Rolling Scissors
+3 | Ironclad assault, serpentine shift
+4 | Circle strafe, got you in my sights
+5 | Bombing Run

Barbarian

Rage While raging, you may use Strength instead of Dexterity for Pilot checks. Your rage grants you advantage on these checks.
Reckless Attack When you Advance on or Ram an enemy, you can also grant your ship the effects of Hold Steady.
Danger Sense You add your proficiency bonus to your ship's AC.
Piloting Maneuvers
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Action Stations, Parting Shot
+3 | Crash Counter, Ironclad Assault
+4 | Got You In My Sights, Ramming Speed
+5 | Collision Course

Bard

Bardic Inspiration You can use your Bardic Inspiration dice to perform piloting maneuvers instead of superiority dice. When you do so, roll your Bardic Inspiration die instead of a superiority die.
Piloting Maneuvers
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Action Stations, Barrel Roll
+3 | High Loop, Serpentine Shift
+4 | Got You In My Sights, Circle Strafe
+5 | Evasive Maneuvers

Fighter

Fighting Style Defense/Protection You add your proficiency bonus to your ship's AC. Dueling. If you are proficient in the Pilot skill, you double your proficiency bonus for Pilot Checks.
Indomitable When you fail an opposed Pilot check, you can expend a use of Indomitable to reroll your check with advantage. You must use the new roll.
Piloting Maneuvers
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Barrel Roll, Parting Shot, Rolling Scissors
+3 | high Loop, Crash Counter, Serpentine Shift
+4 | Circle strafe, Got You In My Sights, Ramming Speed
+5 | Bombing Run, Collision Course

Monk

KI You may expend a ki point instead of a superiority die to perform a piloting maneuver. If you do, roll your martial arts die instead of a d6 for the superiority die.
Deflect Missiles As a reaction when your ship is hit by a ranged weapon attack, you can make a Pilot check and use the result as your ship's AC against that attack. If you do, and the attack misses, you deflect that attack. Make a ranged attack roll against an enemy, using the same attack that you deflected.
Evasion You nimbly maneuver around incoming fire, turning solid hits into grazing shots. Whenever an enemy fires on your ship, if the result of the attack roll is lower than the result of the last Pilot check you made this combat, your ship has resistance to the damage of that attack.
Piloting Maneuvers
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Ride the Astral Flow, Barrel Roll
+3 | High Loop, Serpentine Shift
+4 | Centre of Calm, Circle Strafe
+5 | Evasive Maneuvers

Paladin

Divine Sense When you roll side initiative, you add your Charisma bonus to your side's result.
Fighting Style Defense/Protection You add your proficiency bonus to your ship's AC. Dueling If you are proficient in the Pilot skill, you double your pfociency bonus for Pilot checks.
Aura of Courage When you attempt to Advance on or Ram an enemy, you add your Charisma bonus to your Pilot check.
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Action Stations, Rolling Scissors
+3 | High Loop, Ironclad Assault
+4 | Ramming Speed, Circle Strafe
+5 | Collision Course

Ranger

Fighting Styles Defense You add your proficiency bonus to your ship's AC. Dueling If you are proficient in the Pilot Skill, you double your proficiency bonus for Pilot checks.
Land's Stride You add your Wisdom bonus to your Pilot checks.
Piloting Maneuvers
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Ride the Astral Flow, Parting Shot
+3 | High Loop, Serpentine Shift
+4 | Got You In My Sights, Circle Strafe
+5 | Bombing Run

Rogue

Evasion You nimbly maneuver around incoming fire, turning solid hits into grazing shots. Whenever an enemy fires on your ship, if the result of the attack roll is lower than the result of the last Pilot check you made this combat, your ship has resistance to the damage of that attack.
Piloting Maneuvers
Proficiency Bonus ||| Maneuvers
+2 | Parting Shot, Barrel Roll, Rolling Scissors
+3 | High Loop, Serpentine Shift, Crash Counter
+4 | Got You In My Sights, Circle Strafe, Centre of Calm
+5 | Bombing Run, Evasive Maneuvers

Type

Transportation