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Of Ships and The Sea: Nearthed Rcana
Of Ships and The Sea: Nearthed Rcana
ARCANA
Of Ships and the Sea
This document provides optional rules for using Capacity
ships in play, managing the officers and crew A ship’s stat block indicates how many creatures
needed to run a ship, and owning a ship. The sea and how much cargo it can carry. Creatures
offers rewards and risks for those willing to include both the crew required to operate the
brave the waves in search of adventure. vessel and any passengers who might ride along.
Passengers could include marines who repel
This Is Playtest Content boarders and lead the attack on monsters and
The material here is presented for playtesting and to enemy ships.
spark your imagination. These game mechanics are in
draft form, usable in your D&D campaign but not
refined by final design and editing. They aren’t officially
Travel Pace
part of the game and aren’t permitted in D&D
A ship’s travel pace determines how far the
Adventurers League events. vessel can move per hour and per day. A ship’s
If we decide to make this material official, it will be movement-related components (described later
refined based on your feedback, and then it will appear in the stat block) determine how far the vessel
in a D&D book. can move each round.
Control: Helm
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Armor Class 16 16 (+3) 7 (−2) 13 (+1) 0 0 0
Hit Points 50
Move up to the speed of one of its movement Damage Immunities poison, psychic
components, with one 90-degree turn. If the helm is Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
destroyed, the galley can’t turn. exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Movement: Sails
Armor Class 12 Hull
Hit Points 100; –10 ft. speed per 25 damage taken Armor Class 15
Locomotion (water) sails, speed 35 ft.; 15 ft. while Hit Points 100 (damage threshold 10)
sailing into the wind; 50 ft. while sailing with the wind
Control: Helm
Movement: Oars
Armor Class 12
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 50
Hit Points 100; –5 ft. speed per 25 damage taken Move up to the speed of one of its movement
Locomotion (water) oars, speed 30 ft. components, with one 90-degree turn. If the helm is
destroyed, the keelboat can’t turn.
Weapons: Ballistas (4)
Armor Class 15 Movement: Sails
Hit Points 50 each Armor Class 12
Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., Hit Points 100; –5 ft. speed per 20 damage taken
one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage. Locomotion (water) sails, speed 25 ft.; 15 ft. while
sailing into the wind; 35 ft. while sailing with the wind
Weapons: Mangonels (2)
Armor Class 15 Movement: Oars
Hit Points 100 each Armor Class 12
Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 200/800 ft. Hit Points 100; –5 ft. speed per 25 damage taken
(can’t hit targets within 60 ft. of it), one target. Hit: 27 Locomotion (water) oars, speed 20 ft.
(5d10) bludgeoning damage.
Weapon: Ballista
Weapon: Ram
Armor Class 15
Armor Class 20 Hit Points 50
Hit Points 100 (damage threshold 10) Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft.,
The galley has advantage on all saving throws relating to one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
crashing when it crashes into a creature or object, and Keelboats typically include a ballista only when they are
any damage it suffers from the crash is instead applied equipped for combat.
to the ram. These benefits do not apply if a vehicle
crashes into the galley. Actions
On its turn, the keelboat can move using its helm. It can
also fire its ballista if it is equipped with one. If it has half
Actions
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 4 (−3) 20 (+5) 0 0 0 On its turn, the warship can move using its helm. It can
also fire its ballistas and mangonels. If it has half its crew
Damage Immunities poison, psychic or fewer, it moves at half speed and can fire only half of
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, its weapons.
exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious Officers
If you’d like to explore running a ship, it needs
Hull
officers to oversee its operations—officers who
Armor Class 15 fill six different roles. A person can fill only one
Hit Points 500 (damage threshold 20) role at a time, though multiple people can be
assigned to a single role. Some roles aboard a
Control: Helm
ship reflect the need for trained experts to direct
Armor Class 18 a crew’s efforts. Others focus on keeping the
Hit Points 50 crew’s health and morale in order.
Move up to the speed of one of its movement Each role is described below, along with the
components, with one 90-degree turn. If the helm is abilities and proficiencies that help a character
destroyed, the warship can’t turn.
excel at it (but that aren’t required):
Movement: Sails Captain. The captain issues orders. The best
Armor Class 12 captains have high Intelligence and Charisma
Hit Points 100; –10 ft. speed per 25 damage taken scores, as well as proficiency with water
Locomotion (water) sails, speed 35 ft.; 15 ft. while vehicles and the Intimidation and Persuasion
sailing into the wind; 50 ft. while sailing with the wind skills.
Movement: Oars
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 100; –5 ft. speed per 25 damage taken