Nautical Adventure and Combat

Specialists and Officers: Special Actions

---

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.
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.
Forage 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. (minimum of 1 hit point). A component other than the hull that had 0 hit points becomes functional again.

Stealth (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 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.
Navigate (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.) Noticing Threats 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.
Repair (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. (minimum of 1 hit point). A component other than the hull that had 0 hit points becomes functional again.
Stealth(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.

Special Officers Actions:

---

Full Speed Ahead As an action while on deck, the captain, first mate, or bosun can exhort the crew 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.

---

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 the officer. It gains advantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of the ship’s next turn.

Crashing a Ship:

---

If a ship moves into the space occupied by a creature or object, it might crash. A ship avoids crashing if the creature or object is at least two sizes smaller than it. When a ship crashes, it must immediately make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes damage to its hull based on the size of the creature or object it crashed into, as shown on the Crash Damage table.
The ship stops moving if the object or creature that it hits is bigger than it, or one size smaller. Otherwise the ship continues moving, and the creature or object moves to the nearest unoccupied space that is not in the ship’s path. At the DM’s discretion, an object that is forced to move but is fixed in place is instead destroyed.

---

Example: Hazard Check

---

The DM informs the Captain that the vessel needs to make a Hazard check, due to the massive storm that has enveloped the ship.

1. The Captain rolls 1d20 , resulting in an 11, and applies his Intelligence modifier; in this case, a +3. Therefore, Captain=14.
2. The First Mate rolls 1d20 , resulting in a 16, and applies his Charisma modifier; in this case, a +4. Therefore, First Mate=20.
3. The Bosun rolls 1d20 , resulting in a 6, and applies his Athletics modifier; in this case, a +7. Therefore, Bosun=13.
4. The Quartermaster rolls 1d20 , resulting in a 17, and applies his Nature modifier; in this case, a +6. Therefore, Quartermaster=23.
5. The Surgeon rolls 1d20 , resulting in a 7, and applies his Medicine modifier; in this case, a +5. Therefore, Surgeon=12.
6. The Cook rolls 1d20 , resulting in a 19, and applies his Constitution modifier; in this case, a +3. Therefore, the Cook=22.
7. The Crew rolls 1d20 , resulting in a 10, and applies the ships Crew Quality Score; in this case, a +4. Therefore, ship and crew=14.
8. Taking the sum of (14+20+13+23+12+22+14), the ship and crew have rolled 118 for this Hazard Check. Comparing this to the Hazard Check Results Table. In this case, The Ship Survives Unscathed, and sails on into the gloaming evening.

Ships'n Shite

---

Believe it or not, ships have character sheets! They roll initiative, have actions, the whole hill of wax. It just takes a crew. Resources: It takes one week to recruit a crew, and (100+ 4d6 ) to cover the costs of recruitment and supplies. Once you have paid these costs, you will have a captain and a crew to maintain the ship. Resolution: Once you have a working ship, it turns a small profit each month. At the end of every four weeks, you earn 5d20 gp.

---

Expand table for the Officers Billet

---

Quality Score

---

A ship's Quality Score is on a continuum from -10 to +10. Below -10, we are talking mutiny, friends. As it goes up there other benefits earned.' The Quality Score decreases as a crew takes casualties, suffers hardship, or endures poor health. Likewise, it increases if the crew enjoys high morale, has good health care, and receives clear, fair leadership.

---

Ships and Initiative

---

A ship rolls Initiative using its Dexterity; and it uses its crew’s Quality Score as a modifier to that roll. On a ship’s turn, the captain decides which of the ship’s actions to use.

---

Click to expand the Crash Damage Table

---

Anything struck by a moving vessel must make a Dexterity saving throw if it is able, with a DC equal to (10 + the ship’s Strength Modifier), taking damage based on the ship’s size (as shown on the Crash Damage table) on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

---

Hazard Checks

---

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. When appropriate, the DM will have the crew make a Hazard Check. This entails the captain and crew rolling 1d20 adding their particular modifier to their roll. The crew also rolls a Hazard Check, using the crew Quality Score as the modifier. All of these results are then added together, and the result applied to the Hazard Check Table. This will determine how well the ship and crew has weathered whataver hazard they found themselves facing. These results can vary wildly, and always affect the ship's crew's Quality Score.

Expand table for hazard check results

DM Tools

---

Expand for Random Difficulty Class

---

Expand for Hazard Type

Yahoy hoy Matey!

---

Click above to generate a page of random occurances and troublesome marine gremlins that can affect everything from the ships operations, to crew morale.