Rules for the Far Side of Tairos Campaign

List of rules governing ship usage and repair as well as any house rules in effect

Operating a Ship

Tool Proficiency: Ship's Helm (Water)

Maneuvering a ship will require the pilot to use this tool proficiency. The DC will generally be based on the state of the ship and the weather conditions it's sailing under. Rolls for piloting will be called for when trying to avoid obstacles, navigate through difficult water, and any situation that requires some exertion of skill. Checks are generally not required to pilot under ideal conditions but characters cannot generally make this skill roll unless they are proficient in it.

Tool Proficiency: Shipwrights' Tools

Shipwrights' tools are an essential aid to any bosun looking to keep their ship seaworthy. A tool proficiency check will be required to make any kind of emergency repairs to a ship, to install new modifications, and when making repair rolls. Shipwrights' tool are large, cumbersome pieces of equipment and generally are left on board the ship the bosun is assigned to. If carried they will take up all the space in a standard backpack and weight about twelve pounds. Characters cannot make repairs to a ship without a set of navigators' tools. They can make rolls to make repairs if they have tools but no proficiency in them though that roll will be at disadvantage.

Tool Proficiency Navigators' Tools

A ship's navigator is a vital position on any ship and such a lofty station requires a very specific set of tools. These tools generally consist of several of the following: maps, star charts, sextant, a compass, ink and pen or charcoal stylus, and an astrolabe. Simple courses generally do not require a roll but uncharted, difficult, or unusual ones will. Also, any time the navigator is trying to cut down the time a trip will take a tool proficiency check can be made to do so. Generally the trip time can be reduced by 5% per point over the DC rolled.

Deck Crew Duties

There are no specific skills tied to many of the duties a deck crew member might be rolling to accomplish tasks. Things such as tending to the rigging, watching the waters from the crow's nest, calling out commands or relaying info from other stations, tying down equipment, tending to minor wounds, maintaining and directing lighting during storms, locking down hatches and generally bracing the ship and crew... and dozens of other tasks. These can be represented by rolls using skills such as athletics, acrobatics, perception, persuasion(possibly intimidation), medicine, and survival. When a crew scene is called for PCs can choose any skill to contribute but each skill can only be contributed by one person. NPC crew members will be able to roll any skill their commanders choose for them and based on their size and skill may be able to make several rolls (and may even contribute the same skill multiple times).

Crew Scenes

A crew scene is when the Player Characters and their ship are involved in a situation that require dedicated time and consideration applied to a certain duty. These can be when the ship needs to endure the the ravages of a dangerous storm or during an intense naval battle, or even when the vessel is under siege by a giant beast. Generally, these scenes will have perils that require player characters to fill certain rolls on board. In any crew scene a pilot is almost always required. Each crew scene will generally have a set amount of random damage that will be applied to the ship either for the entire scene (in the case of storms) or per round in the situations (such as a monster attack or naval battle). Each successful roll made by the player characters will reduce the incoming damage pool by 2D and the NPC crew by 1D. Critical successes reduce the damage by an additional die. The DC of the checks will be based on intensity of the danger. Existing damage on the vessel will further factor into that. Every 25% of the ship's health missing forces disadvantage on two skill checks (determined by the GM)

Repairing a Ship

Even the smallest of sailing ships require considerable time, effort, and resources to mend. Port cities are where most return to when battle or the hardships of the open waters have taken their toll though some manage to make repairs on their own.

When trying to repair damage to a section of a ship a character will make a tool proficiency check with Shipwrights' Tools at a DC of 10+2 per 25% of the section's missing HP. For example, if trying to repair a hull with a starting HP of 100 that has suffered 50 points of damage the DC for the check would be 14.

If the check fails only a minimal amount of repairs were completed and D4HP is restored to the location. On a success a D10HP is restored but increase that amount by the tool user's Proficiency and Intelligence Bonus as well. Restoring HP requires resources such as lumber, nails, rope, chain, and other heavy-duty material. Each point of HP restored will require one point of Raw Repair Materials. If a check is attempted without sufficient materials then only a D4 of HP will be restored as a simple patch job is all that can be managed. It takes roughly 8 hours to make a repair attempt on a ship.

Raw Repair Material can generally be bought in most cities that have access to lumber (the primary component needed to repair most ships) at a price of 5GP per HP worth of product. This price should be expected to fluctuate based on market factors. Raw Repair Material takes up one ton of cargo space per 10HP worth stored on board. Dock yards will generally charge 10GP per HP they are restoring. A ship with its own talented bosun can save a captain a considerable amount of money when it comes to repairs.

Repairs are also meant to simulate the regular maintenance and restocking of a vessel as well. It is for that reason that a ship doesn't normally need to track simple upkeep or munitions fired. In fact, many of the most common munitions (such as ballista bolts and catapult/mangonel ammo) are something that can be fashioned out of onboard material. Certain rarer or more exotic weapons maybe have costs associated with them outside of the regular restocking and maintenance associated with repairs.

Modifying a Ship

Many ships are heavily modified from their stock version to suit the needs of their captains and the dangerous realities of the waters they sail. Below are just a sample of the many modifications that are possible. The cost listed is the price a dock would charge. The manufacturing cost is the amount of Raw Repair Materials required for a crew to fabricate the modification on their own as well as the number of successful skill/tool checks that are needed. Checks should be kept track of by the bosun so they can determine when the required number of successes is reached. A failed roll does not negate any successes but it does cost one point of Raw Repair Materials. This represents wasted labor and efforts that need to be reattempted.

Example List of Modifications

Reinforced Hull Plating, thicker wood, additional supports, or magical bracing are used to make a more resilient hull

This upgrade can be selected up to three times. It increases the AC of the hull by one and increases the base HP of the Hull section by an amount equal to 20% of its current base HP. For example, a hull with 100HP would increase to 120HP by selecting this modification.

Manufacturing Cost: 20 units of Raw Repair Material and 3 Shipwrights' Tool checks at a DC of 12

Dockyard Cost: 1500GP

Larger Sails and Reinforced Mast By creating a larger area to catch the wind and strengthening the masts that hold them a ship can move much quicker

This upgrade can be selected only twice. It increases the HP of the masts by 10% their current base total and increases the speed of the ship by 1 knot during travel and by 10 feet during crew scenes and battles. Each time this is taken it reduced the cargo capacity of the ship by one ton.

Manufacturing Cost: 5 units of Raw Repair Materials and 3 Shipwrights' Tools check a DC of 15.

Dockyard Cost: 600GP

Reinforced Rudder and Anchor The rudder and anchor are key pieces of equipment that allow a ship to make precise movements needed to survive storms, combat, and life on the open waters. the proper modifications to those items can provide a ship the crucial edge it needs to survive life at sea

This modification can only be taken once. It allows a ship to make one extra turn during combat and to slow their speed by half in a single round if desired.

Manufacturing Cost: 10 Units of Raw Repair Material and one Shipwrights' Tool check with a DC of 12.

Dockyard Cost: 500GP

Improved Munitions Sharper edges, explosive-laden shells, armor-sundering runes, and any number of other specialized upgrades can add impressive yield to already deadly weapons

This upgrade can only be selected three times. Each time it's selected the damage of a single chosen shipboard weapon increases by 1D+2.

Manufacturing Cost: Each time this is selected it requires 3 units of Raw Repair Materials and two Shipwrights' Tools checks with a DC of 14.(Success provides the modifications needed to the weapon and amble rounds as well)

Dockyard Cost: 450GP (this includes amble rounds and the modification to the weapon itself)

Crew Moral and Costs

Maintaining moral is of the utmost importance and ignoring it will often lead a cruel captain to a quick end at the hands of the malcontents they created. Crew Moral is a simple numerical score that is used to describe the general mood of the crew onboard a ship. This score can also come into play when NPC crew members are tasked with making rolls, carrying out tasks, and obeying orders.

Crew scores can range from -3 all the way up to 3. This score is both the modifier applied to rolls made by the crew or rolls made by players targeting the crew (such as attempts to command them for example). It is also a reflection of their state of mind.

-3 Malcontent: The crew is on the verge of a mutiny or already planning one.
-2 Resentful: The crew have no respect for their commanders and deeply resent their treatment
-1 Unsatisfied: The crew have a dim view of their commanders and barely tolerate the conditions they live by
0 Neutral: The crew has no particular loyalty to their commanders nor do they harbor any ill will. It's simply a job
1 Favorable: The crew have a generally positive attitude toward their commanders and view their treatment as preferential
2 Loyal: The crew see their commanders as someone worthy of respect and are grateful for the treatment they receive
3 Dedicated: The crew would die for their commander and believe their treatment is second to none

Most standard deck hands expect to be able to live a comfortable lifestyle; earning 1GP per day. A higher rate of pay can certainly help increase a ship's moral but a drop in pay can sour even the most loyal with deep resentment. The treatment of the crew and their living conditions also play a factor in determining moral. Gifts, celebrations, shore leave, and other fun activities can also help bolster a ship's sagging moral. Food and clean drink are also expected to be provided by the ship. Meals and clean water or simple spirits generally cost 5SP per day per crew. For example a crew of ten would cost approximately total (10GP+30SP) to keep fed and at a satisfied level of pay.

Moral is something that can be learned by making an insight check modified the crew's moral score if a member of the command staff is making the roll. Poor morals making it harder to get a feel for the level of discontent as the crew often hide their feelings leaders for fear of reprisal. Happy crews are easy to spot though.

House Rule(s)

Any house rules in effect for this campaign will be found here Manacite Requirements

As with all campaigns in the Tairos setting magic casters require Manacite, Artificial Manacite), or some other means of powering spells as natural magic is all but dead.

More Lethal

Making damage and the threat of dropping to 0HP a more significant fear is the goal of this House Rule. When a player drops to 0HP they also gain one level of exhaustion. In addition, failed death saves do not reset each time a character is brought back above 0HP. Instead, failed saves remain until a character has had a long rest at which point they are reset. A successful medicine check with a DC of 15 can also remove one failed death save at the cost of use of a healers' kit. Spells like Lesser and Greater Restoration will also reset all failed death saves.