Ultimate Kingdoms

Warfare the ship when it sinks, including its crew, artillerists, or Maneuver: This modifier applies on Morale checks
other passengers, takes 1d6 points of damage and must made to make tactical maneuvers during battle,
make a Morale check; if failed, the unit takes double including engaging or disengaging from opposing units.
damage and becomes fatigued. During the Melee Phase,
allied naval units can attempt a rescue (or allied aerial Naval Combat
units an airlift) during the Melee Phase, and if in Coastal
or River terrain surviving units from the sunken ship While armies can traverse land easily enough, for
can forgo making a melee attack and instead attempt a crossing water or traveling upriver or down they require
Morale check to make their way to shore. A successful ships to transport them. A handful of standard medieval
check brings them to the shore, but if there are enemy ship types can be used to provide a simple basis for
units not engaged that have not yet attacked in the Melee waterborne transport and combat in conjunction with
phase, they can oppose the unit’s landing (see Docking the mass combat rules. This section presents two sets of
under Naval Tactics). rules for ships, because for some these relatively simple
rules provide all the integration they need or want for
If there is an allied ship anchored on the battlefield, incorporating ships with a primarily land-based combat
a successful Morale check allows a unit to swim to simulation, while others may enjoy a much more robust
that ship instead of to shore. If the ship does not have set of options.
sufficient passenger capacity to carry a unit swimming
to it in this fashion, all units aboard the ship are treated Commanders and Ships: For commanders assigned
as fatigued until the excess passengers are removed. to the crew of a ship or to leading a unit that is fighting
on board a ship, use the following Leadership Bonus
Blood in the Water: Units floating in the water on the (LB) in lieu of the commander’s normal LB.
wreckage of a ship are vulnerable to attack and have a
difficult time fighting back, taking a -4 penalty on DV, LB (Naval): Determine LB (naval) as described above,
AV, RV, and OM. granting a bonus for appropriate naval backgrounds or
proficiencies.
Shipwrecked: Units that are not rescued or able to
reach the shore by the end of the current Battle Phase Ships as Support Vehicles for Land Battles:
(or within 8 hours, if in overland travel), this Morale Sometimes a full-scale naval combat system is not really
check must be repeated; failure deals 1d6 points of what is needed in a particular battle scenario. Ships
damage and results in exhaustion. This Morale check may exist as part of the battle scenario or objective,
must be repeated at the end of every Battle Phase or but they may not have the cause to engage in a ship-to-
every 8 hours. A unit already exhausted is destroyed on ship combat or fleet actions. Instead, they may function
a failed Morale check, regardless of its hit points. as transportation for armies, using their passenger
capacity to move troops more quickly along waterways
Seaworthiness: This modifier applies on Morale than the troops themselves could move on land.
checks made to stay safely afloat or otherwise avoid
damage or destruction of the ship or its key components.

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Alternatively, ships can serve as mobile artillery Creatures able to move underwater can attack ships Warfare
batteries, training their siege engines where desired. in the Melee Phase as long as they are in the shallows,
These ships can serve as more than transportation using though they cannot be attacked in return during that
the same abstract battlefield zones discussed in Ultimate phase. Ranged attacks made between aquatic units in
Battle. In general terms, ships always remain in the the Shallows and units (including ships) on the surface
Ranged Zone with respect to armies on land, as the open take a -4 RV penalty due to the cover and concealment
water constitutes an impassable barrier to land-bound afforded by the water’s surface.
armies (see Terrain). Ships carrying soldiers armed with
ranged weapons can make ranged attacks every Battle Minelaying: A ship equipped with mines can use
phase, though they cannot engage in melee unless they them during the Ranged Phase as indirect-fire ranged
dock or beach themselves and debark their passengers. weapons (+0 RV modifier) against creatures in the
Ships armed with siege weapons can use those weapons Shallows, or even against creatures in the Deeps (-10 RV
as easily as a land-bound artillery battery. modifier). Alternatively, in the Melee Phase it can forgo
an attack to use its mines to lay a minefield. Underwater
Ships and Close Assault Siege Weapons: Ships can creatures gain a +5 bonus on Scouting checks (see
mount rams (as noted in Table 3-18: Ship Statistics, Camouflage and Scouting) to notice an underwater
Combat), which they can use to make ramming attacks minefield.
against other ships. A ram takes up no spaces.
Naval Tactics
A ship can also mount an assault bridge. This functions
as described under Siege Weapons, but it also grants Whether they are units comprised of swimming
a +1 MV bonus when making melee attacks against creatures or the crew and marines aboard ships, naval
units on board other ships, and a +1 bonus on opposed units follow most of the same rules as their land-bound
Morale checks made to prevent an enemy ship or enemy equivalents, including all of the strategic options
unit on board a ship from disengaging, retreating, or available to land-bound units as well as tactics like
withdrawing. Cautious Combat, Covering Fire, False Retreat, Full
Defense, Overwhelming Onslaught, Pincer Maneuver,
Shipboard Units: When facing other ships or aquatic Pursuit, Retreat, Screening Defense, Siegebreaker,
armies, armies on board a ship can move into the Skirmishers, Sniper Support, Spellbreaker, Strafing
Melee zone with units on other ships or with units on Skirmishers, Taunt, Volley, and Withdraw. In addition
the surface of the water. Units on board ships follow to these standard tactics, naval units have a number of
the same rules for engagement as armies do on land, additional tactical options available to them.
though shipboard armies gain a +2 bonus to Morale
checks made to disengage when they use the Retreat or Anchoring: The ship drops its anchor to halt its motion.
Withdraw tactic (see Tactics). The ship itself does not An anchored ship gains a +2 bonus on Seaworthiness
fight in melee, of course; it is simply a platform upon checks to survive stormy conditions. If an allied ship
which the unit it carries can fight, though the ship’s is anchored on the battlefield, units from sunken ships
crew can make ramming attacks using the ship itself as can swim to safety on the ship with a successful Morale
a weapon. check. If the number of passengers aboard the ship
exceeds its passenger capacity. Requirement: The ship
Shipboard units can also use ranged attacks, and must be in Coastal or River terrain.
in many naval battles ranged attacks are used almost
exclusively until one ship has been pounded into Beaching: The ship intentionally runs itself aground
submission or sinking, after which the victor closes in in order to rapidly disgorge its crew. Like docking,
for a boarding action. Ranged attacks can be directed beaching takes place during the Melee Phase. Unlike
at the ship itself or at units on board the ship, but there docking, beaching does not require careful maneuvering
is always some collateral damage in either direction. and units aboard the ship take no penalty on their RV
That is, a successful ranged attack against a shipboard during the Ranged Phase. A beached ship still must
unit also deals 1d3-1 (minimum 0) points of damage to make Morale checks (adjusted by its Seaworthiness) to
the ship itself. Likewise, a successful attack against the avoid being damaged or wrecked in stormy conditions,
ship deals 1d3-1 points of damage to one of the units on but cannot be sunk.
board. Generally speaking, the defender chooses which
unit takes this damage; however, on a natural 20 the The crew of a ship that beaches itself must succeed
attacker chooses which unit takes this damage. on a Morale check with a bonus equal to the ship’s
maneuverability modifier; if failed, the ship takes 1d6
Underwater Units: Aquatic units on the surface points of damage from the beaching maneuver and
can make melee and ranged attacks against other becomes damaged. It cannot be removed from the beach
units (including ships) on the surface and vice versa. until the battle is over, and even if returned to the water
In addition, the crew of a ship can make a ramming its speed is reduced by 1 until all damage is repaired.
attack during the Melee Phase against an aquatic unit If the ship is damaged in this fashion, all units aboard
comprised of Large or larger creatures. Smaller creatures it take a -4 RV penalty for the remainder of the battle. If
cannot be effectively rammed. the ship is damaged in this way, any passengers aboard

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Warfare

(including artillerist units and other units) must also (adjusted by its Seaworthiness) with a +4 bonus to avoid
succeed at Morale checks or take 1 point of damage and being damaged, wrecked, or sunk in stormy conditions.
become fatigued.
If units aboard the ship attempt to disembark, any
Landing Troops: Once the ship has been beached, enemy army that is not engaged and that is eligible to
any units aboard can clamber off its sides and attack attack in the Melee Phase can oppose their landing. The
immediately in the Melee Phase. Units leaving the ship unit attempting to leave the ship must resolve this as
take a -1 penalty on Speed and MV for the remainder of a boarding action (as described in Aerial Tactics). If
the current Battle Phase. their boarding action onto the docks is repulsed, they
are forced back onto the ship. If the unit attempting to
Launching Back to Sea: A beached ship that is Medium disembark has already attacked in the Ranged Phase, it
or smaller can be move back out into the water during takes a -4 penalty on its OM and opposed Morale check
the Rout Phase if its crew wishes to retreat rather than when making a forced landing. Any unit that successful
staying on the shore. A Large ship can be moved back disembarks takes -1 penalty to its Speed during the
into the water during the Melee Phase or Rout Phase Battle Phase in which is disembarks. Members of the
of the following Battle Phase if the crew succeeds on a ship’s crew cannot disembark in the same round that
Morale check, modified by the vessel’s Seaworthiness they use this tactic. Requirements: ground unit on
and its Maneuverability. Larger ships require one board a ship.
successful Morale check for each size category they are
above Medium, made by their own crew or by other Flak: This functions as described for Fighting Units
units (naval or aquatic units or land-based units) made on the Ground.
during the Melee Phase or Rout Phase of subsequent
Battle Phases. Picket Duty: Your unit is always scanning the
horizon, looking for vessels small and large as well as
Boarding Action: This functions as described for creatures moving under the water. You gain a +2 bonus
Aerial Tactics. on Scouting checks to spot enemy naval or aquatic
units and a +2 DV bonus against attacks by naval or
Cut the Rigging: This functions as described for aquatic units. You cannot make attacks against armies
Aerial Tactics. on the ground or in the air when using this tactic.
Requirements: none.
Docking: The ship makes its way into a harbor with
Piers or a Waterfront and unloads its units at a pier to Ramming: Your ship intentionally crashes into
carefully unload its passengers. Docking takes place another vessel during the Melee Phase. An aquatic unit
during the Melee Phase. Because of the need for careful of Huge or larger swimming creatures can also use
maneuvering when docking, any units on board the this tactic. Your unit and the target unit make opposed
ship take a -2 penalty on their RV during the Ranged Morale checks plus each unit’s speed (in hexes) and
Phase. A docked ship still must make Morale checks Maneuverability modifier. If your opposed check fails,

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your opponent evades you and your attack deals no other than accrued damage, you reduce that condition
damage. If you succeed in this opposed check, you deal to damaged if you beat the DC of your Morale check
damage based on the size of your ship: by 10 or more. You cannot repair a ship that has sunk.
Requirements: none.
Table 3-23: Ramming
Rescue: During the Melee Phase, your ship can pick
SHIP OR CREATURE SIZE MV DAMAGE up a unit in the water, which may be a unit from a
Medium or smaller sunken ship or an aquatic unit that wishes to board the
Large +2 1 ship. Picking up one unit is automatic. You can pick up
Huge +4 1d4 multiple units as long as you make a successful Morale
Gargantuan +6 1d6 check for each unit after the first, with a cumulative
+8 1d8 -2 penalty for each unit after the first. Once you fail a
Morale check, you cannot rescue additional units.
Ramming an opponent also deals half as much Warfare
damage to the attacking ship or unit as the target ship or If the number of passengers your ship carries exceeds
unit would have dealt had it made a successful ramming its passenger limit on Table 3-14: Ship Statistics, General,
attack. In addition, any units (including both crew and all units on the ship (including the crew) are considered
passengers) on the target ship must succeed at a Morale fatigued until the excess passengers are removed from
check or take 1 point of damage and become fatigued the ship. If the number of passengers is more than
until the end of the current Battle Phase. double the passenger limit, all units aboard are treated
as exhausted and the ship’s crew must succeed on a
Mounted Rams: Some ships, those marked on Tables Morale check (modified by its Seaworthiness) at the
3-20 to 3-22 with a superscript R, have prows reinforced end of each Battle Phase (or each day of overland travel)
to provide maximum impact. Such ships deal double the or become damaged (or wrecked if already damaged).
normal damage on a successful ram attack, while they Requirements: none.
themselves take no damage when making ram attacks.
In addition, after a successful ramming attack against a Run for the Shallows: During the Ranged Phase, your
ship, the attacking unit and the crew of the target ship ship can forgo making a ranged attack in order to move
must succeed on opposed Morale checks, modified by into shallow waters where larger ships cannot follow
the ship’s Seaworthiness modifier. If the attacker wins without running aground. Make a Morale check with a
the check, the target ship becomes Damaged, regardless bonus equal to your ship’s Maneuverability. Any ship of
of how many hit points it has. If the ship is already your size or larger wishing to attack you in Melee must
Damaged, it is Wrecked, while a Wrecked ship is Sunk. succeed on a Morale (modified by its Maneuverability)
If the defending ship is larger than the ramming ship, with a penalty of -2 for each size it is larger than yours.
the defending crew gains a +2 bonus per size category of If the check fails, the enemy ship fails to close to melee
difference between the two. range with you and takes 1 point of damage for each size
category it is larger than yours as its hull hits the rocks,
Rapid Repair: During the Melee Phase, your ship reefs, or seafloor beneath. Any ship that takes damage
can rapidly improvise repairs that help it get back in this fashion must succeed on a second Morale check
underway. Make a Morale check with a bonus equal to modified by its Seaworthiness or become damaged (or
the Seaworthiness of your ship and divide the result wrecked if already damaged). If it fails this check by 5
by 5; the result is the number of points of damage to or more, it is also considered beached.
your ship that you repair. If your ship has the damaged
condition by an effect other than accrued damage, you Because of their construction, a barge, junk, longship,
remove that condition if you beat the DC of your Morale roundship, or skiff is treated as one size smaller than its
check by 5 or more. If your ship is wrecked by an effect actual size for the purpose of this tactic.

If you use this tactic in stormy conditions (Strong or
higher wind levels), the crew must attempt a Morale
check at the end of the Battle Phase or be driven aground
by the wind, beaching the ship. Requirement: Ship in
Coastal or River terrain. This tactic can sometimes be
used in Deep Water if there are shoals, reefs, or rocky
islets present.

Shear the Oars: Your ship intentionally sideswipes
an oared vessel during the Melee Phase in an attempt to
snap off its oars on one side. An aquatic unit of Large or
larger swimming creatures can also use this tactic. Your
unit and the target unit make opposed Morale checks
plus each unit’s speed (in hexes) and Maneuverability
modifier. If your opposed check fails, your opponent
evades you and your attack deals no damage. If you

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Warfare succeed in this opposed check, you deal no damage ordinary soldiers and count against your kingdom’s
but the target ship’s rowed speed is reduced by half Manpower limit and have Consumption like any other
(rounding down, minimum of 0) and its Maneuverability active or reserve army. However, they are like reserve
is reduced by 2 until the ship is repaired. Requirement: armies in that they do not count against the number of
Maneuverability modifier of -2 or better. armies your kingdom can maintain.

Sweeping Salvo: Your unit knows how to sail in Artillerists in Combat: Artillerist units are fairly
close to shore in order to launch ranged attacks against vulnerable in combat situations; however, because they
enemies on the beaches, or to swiftly glide through are fairly compact they are easy for other armies to
enemy fleets and formations while raining death upon defend. If an allied army uses the Screening Defense
other vessels. Your unit can attack two enemy units in a tactic, it can protect a number of artillerists equal
single Battle phase during the Ranged Phase. Your unit to half its own size, even if the artillerists are from
gains -2 RV and -2 DV for the remainder of the Battle multiple units. If the defending army using this tactic
phase and your attacks deal only half damage. If an takes damage from a ranged attack, choose one of the
army you attack during a strafing run is engaged with a artillerist units it guards randomly to take the 1d6-3
friendly army, you automatically deal 1 point of friendly points of collateral damage; conversely, a successful
fire damage to that allied army. You cannot attack in the ranged attack (including a Bombardment attack against
Melee phase after making a strafing run. Requirement: the siege weapons themselves rather than the artillerists)
flying unit at low altitude or ground level with ranged against any artillerist unit deals 1d6-3 points of damage
attack capability. to the army protecting it.

Siege
Warfare
Inevitably in warfare, one army will have to assault a
fortified position held by the enemy, where a lightning- Siege
fast attack is not possible and the attacker must settle Weapons
in to break the defender’s city, or his will. A number
of specialized tactics are available in siege situations, The following rules describe the use of siege weapons,
as described below. Sieges often make use of siege including both ranged siege weapons like cannons and
weapons, as described below, though there are a number catapults as well as close assault weapons like battering
of siege tactics described below that do not depend on rams and siege towers. This applies to siege weapons
the use of such weapons. whether they are mobile weapons used on a battlefield,
gunnery emplacements in a fortification, or vehicular
The basic rules presuppose a collection of siege weapons mounted on board an aircraft or naval vessel.
weapons that travels with a regular army and which All types of siege weapons use the same rules. A “siege
may be of several different types. The rules here provide weapon” is, generally speaking, an abstraction and
for more detailed and varied options for siege engines. does not typically represent a single siege weapon but
rather a battery of such weapons that are crewed by a
Sieges and Commanders and Sieges: For commanders group of trained artillerists, though manual tasks such
assigned to a unit of artillery, use the following as loading weapons or wielding a battering ram may
Leadership Bonus (LB) in lieu of the commander’s be undertaken by assistants retained for their strength
normal LB. rather than their special training.

LB (Siege): Determine LB (siege) as described above, Consumption: The ammunition, supplies, tools, and
granting a +1 bonus for appropriate backgrounds or draft animals involved in moving and maintaining a
proficiencies (GM discretion). battery of siege weapons increases Consumption by 1d2
for each battery of siege weapons each time they are
Standard Combat and Attack Rolls: These rules are involved in a battle. Cannons and bombards increase
designed as part of the mass combat rules and as such Consumption by 1d4 per battery per battle.
are not suitable for use with the standard combat rules
in the SRD.

Artillerists

Unlike the basic rules, wherein abstract siege weapons
are embedded within ordinary armies, each siege
weapon described below has a crew, typically an
auxiliary army. These artillerists must be recruited as

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Fragility: Siege weapons are easily damaged by Ballista: Rather like an enormous crossbow, a ballista’s Warfare
other siege weapons, taking double damage when the power is provided by twisted skeins of animal sinew
weapons themselves are targeted. Siege weapons are used as torsion springs which drive a pair of adjustable
undamaged by ordinary ranged attacks, although the arms. A cord connected to both arms is winched
artillerists crewing them are affected by them normally. back and a projectile loaded into a grooved board and
propelled forward by a wide strap or cup of leather
Gunpowder Weapons: If your campaign uses to release. Gate-breaker ballistae are massive engines
gunpowder weapons, such as bombards, cannon, and commonplace in fortified defenses and often used by
rocket springals, every time one of your artillerist units those attacking such places by land or and on large
fires such a weapon there is a 10% non-cumulative warships. Heavy ballistae, also called arcuballistae, are
chance that the backblast and fumes from these among the most common siege engines, favored for their
weapons produce light smoke (causing the area to be maneuverability and ease of use and often mounted
lightly obscured; see Visibility) on the battlefield; if atop towers. Light ballistae, often called carroballistae,
light smoke already exists, this increases to thick smoke are mobile heavy weapons that pack a good punch,
(heavily obscured). This smoke persists until the end of often mounted on metal-plated war wagons. Ballistae
the next Battle phase. are direct fire weapons.

Misfires: Bombards, cannons, firedrakes, firewyrms, Bombard: A bombard is a thick-walled cannon,
and rocket springals are somewhat unreliable, and if usually short in length but wide in bore. Also called a
an army using such siege weapons rolls a natural 1 on mortar, a bombard is designed to launch its projectiles
its army or unit attack roll the weapon misfires, with over walls and obstructions and cannot be used for
the resulting consequences determined by rolling 1d20. direct fire attacks, though it can launch both solid shot
Damage from a misfire is treated as one-half fire damage and scatter shot.
for the purpose of resistance or immunity.
Cannon: Cannons are siege weapons made of metal,
Table 3-24: Gunpowder Siege Weapon Misfire Result some cast in one piece like long, narrow bells, while
others are built like bundles of metallic staves welded
D20 RESULT EFFECT together and reinforced with iron bands. Cannons use
1-8 Misfire gunpowder (or its magical equivalent, depending on the
9-14 Backfire The weapon fails to fire and deals no dam- technology level and magic level of the campaign world)
age. to fire its projectiles with devastating force. A standard
15-18 Cracked As misfire, but the artillerist unit manning cannon, also called a falconet, saker, or culverin, can
the weapon takes 1d3 points of damage be mounted on the ground or in a wooden frame for
19-20 Explodes and the area around the weapon and its use in ships and fortifications. Those traveling with
accompanying unit (including any weapon armies are typically bolted to heavy wheeled frames
that is engaged with the unit or protecting and towed by draft animals. Fiend’s mouth cannon, also
it using a defensive tactic or boon) is lightly called culverin extraordinairy, siege cannon, or true
obscured until the end of the Battle Phase. cannon, are too large to mount in any but the largest
The weapon itself is damaged, taking 1d6 of ships, and usually are stationed in hardened artillery
points of damage. It can still be fired, but it emplacements.
now misfires on a natural 1 or 2, with a +5
modifier to future rolls to determine misfire Catapult: Historically speaking, the dividing line
results. between ballista and catapult is far from clear, but for
Weapon destroyed, and the accompanying the purpose of these rules a catapult is a stone-throwing
artillerists are affected as a backfire, but weapon powered by winched arms run through torsion
take 2d4 points of damage. Other engaged skeins, either single-armed like the onager or double-
armies or defending armies take 1d3 points armed tension-torsion hybrids like the mangonel,
of damage. holding their payload in a sling or cup that swings up and
over the top of the weapon when released. Catapults are
Ranged Siege capable of hurling solid shot to attack hardened targets,
Weapons scatter shot to pelt enemy armies with a rain of death,
Many siege weapons are designed to attack enemy or even exotic and unusual payloads to spread fire,
fortifications, armies, and ships at a great distance. disease, and terror upon their enemies. Small catapults,
Direct-fire siege weapons shoot on a relatively flat called onagers, can be used on the decks of ships or in
trajectory and are easier to aim at moving targets but have small fortifications, and are highly mobile (though the
difficulty shooting over walls. Indirect-fire weapons fire primitive sling-armed lithobolos is an immobile light
their payloads on a high-arching trajectory that makes catapult able to throw only solid shot) while their larger
it difficult to target moving creatures (though they can standard and heavy cousins, called mangonels, use two
drop scatter shot on concentrated masses of troops) but vertical skeins with a pair of torsion bow arms harnessed
makes it easy for them to fire over high walls. to the mangonel’s throwing arm for greater power.

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Warfare Firedrake: This apparatus contains a large reservoir tank and a series of pumps and conduits that unleashes a gout
of alchemist’s fire at close range. Firedrakes are direct fire weapons.

Fireworks: These alchemical skyrockets, smoke pots, and other incendiaries do not deal direct damage to enemy
armies, but they can be used to perform a special bombardment (incendiaries or smoke; see Siege Tactics) or in
conjunction with the Battlefield Illumination or Smoke Screen command boons. Fireworks are single-use items and
must be replenished in between battles. A unit may be equipped with more than one set of fireworks.

Firewyrm: A firewyrm is simply a larger and more powerful version of the firedrake, with larger-flow conduits
and pressurized relesae apertures that grant it a much greater range.

Springal: A springal uses a torsion-cranked composite paddle to strike a firing rack containing multiple bolts,
which rain down in an arc over a burst area where they fall in a deadly hail of steel. A springal cannot target specific
creatures but always affects an area. A rocket springal uses powder-fueled rockets to launch its bolts rather than a
torsion paddle. Springals are indirect fire weapons.

Trebuchet: Trebuchets are siege weapons based on counterweight principles. Their appearance is similar to a
catapult’s, with the payload to be launched being placed into a sling, cup, or basket at one end of a long lever. The
counterweight is then dropped close to the fulcrum (often with crew or draft animals pulling attached ropes, especially
for heavy trebuchets), with the resulting leverage enabling a trebuchet to hurl massive projectiles. Trebuchets are too
bulky to mount and move and must be assembled in place on the battlefield. Trebuchets are indirect fire weapons.

Table 3-25: Ranged Siege Weapons

DIRECT-FIRE WEAPONS COST SIZE SETUP CREW OM SIEGE DAMAGE

Ballista, light 1 BP Large Mobile 10 +2 1d3
Ballista, heavy 2 BP Huge 1 20 +4 1d4
Ballista, gate breakerL 3 BP Garg. 1 20 +6 1d6
12 BP Large 10 +6 2d4
Cannon 18 BP Huge Mobile 20 +8 2d6
Cannon, fiend’s mouthL 8 BP Huge 1 20 +8 1d4F
12 BP Garg. 20 +12 1d6F
Firedrake Mobile
Firewyrm 1

INDIRECT-FIRE WEAPONS COST SIZE SETUP CREW OM SIEGE DAMAGE

Bombard, light 12 BP Large Mobile 10 +0 2d4

Bombard, standardL 18 BP Huge 1 20 +0 2d6

Bombard, heavyL 24 BP Garg. 1 20 +0 2d8

Catapult, lightL 1 BP Large Mobile 10 +0 1d4

Catapult, standardL 2 BP Huge 1 20 +0 1d6

Catapult, heavyL 3 BP Garg. 1 20 +0 1d8

Fireworks 1 BP Large Mobile 5 - -

Springal, arrow 3 BP Huge 1 10 +8 -

Springal, rocket 12 BP Huge 1 10 +10 1d4F

Trebuchet, lightL 2 BP Large 1 10 +0 1d6

Trebuchet, standardL 4 BP Huge 2 20 +0 2d4

Trebuchet, heavyL 6 BP Garg. 3 50 +0 2d6

F A firedrake, firewyrm, and rocket springal deal fire damage and can harm armies or wooden buildings and fortifications but does no damage
to stone buildings or fortifications. If a battery of firedrakes, firewyrms, or rocket springals is destroyed, it has a 50% chance to explode,
dealing 2d6 points of damage to the artillerist unit manning it and half this amount to any army guarding the artillerists with the Screening
Defense tactic. The explosion also creates light smoke (lightly obscured condition; see VisibilityUB) on the battlefield, or thick smoke if light
smoke is already present.

L T hese siege weapons have exceptionally long range and can be set up in the Camp zone (see Battle ZonesUB) and are outside the range of
ordinary ranged attacks. However, enemy siege weapons with similarly long range and enemies with the Magical Barrage command boon can
attack siege weapons in the Camp zone as if they were in the Ranged zone.

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Cost: The cost in BP for a battery of four siege weapons Escalade Ladder: These ladders may be simple wooden Warfare
of the appropriate type. Siege weapons can be added to affairs or grapples with knotted ropes attached, while
a unit only in a settlement with an Exotic Artisan. the largest are carefully engineered and counterweighted
levered mechanisms topped with hooked stanchions to
Size: The size of a siege engine determines how many cling onto battlements. Whatever their design, ladders
batteries of that kind of weapon can be placed on board are required to use the Escalade siege tactic without
a ship or inside a fortification. A Large weapon takes up penalty (unless the attacking army has a climb speed or
1 space, a Huge weapon 2, and a Gargantuan weapon 4. siege tower).

Setup: Some siege weapons can be moved whole, Gallery: This is a semi-mobile wooden frame clad in
traveling with an army and ready to use, but many must hides or planks to provide cover to soldiers underneath.
be disassembled and then reassembled at the battlefield. A battering ram and its crew can shelter under a gallery,
A siege weapon that is Mobile can be moved as an army providing protection while they attack the walls.
with a Speed of 1.
Mantlets: These are small, movable walls that can
A siege weapon that is not Mobile cannot be moved provide shelter to a small number of soldiers. Mantlets
intact and must be disassembled, carried with the army, require no crew, as they are wheeled about by the soldiers
and then reassembled at the battlefield, taking the listed using them for shelter.
number of Battle phases to set up. This number can be
ignored if an army with siege weapons has ample time Mine: A mine is a semi-portable alchemical explosive
to prepare and set up the battlefield before the battle device, sometimes mounted on a wagon or boat, and
begins, such as an army defending a fortification or maneuvered close to an enemy fortification or ship and
waiting in ambush. If this is not the case, the army then detonated. A mine deals full damage when used for
must spend the listed number of Battle phases setting sapping. A mine is a single-use weapon, but a unit can
up the siege weapon. Unless they have exceptionally be equipped with more than one. If a unit equipped with
long range, siege weapons must be set up in the Ranged a mine is routed or destroyed, there is a 50% chance the
zone and are subject to ranged attacks by enemy armies mine explodes, as described in Table 3-24: Gunpowder
while they are being set up. Siege Weapon Misfire Result.

Crew: The size of unit required to service and crew a Minefields: Mines can also be deployed defensively,
battery of four siege weapons. either buried underground or suspended underwater
in naval combat settings, and in such cases are usually
OM: This bonus applies to the weapon’s OM on ranged arrayed in minefields of numerous smaller mines rather
attacks and siege tactics only. than a single mine. When placing a hidden mine on the
battlefield, make a Morale check modified by the unit
Siege Damage: This is the damage dealt by the weapon commander’s LB (camouflage) and LB (siege). The lower
when it targets a building, fortification, or other siege result of the two serves as the DC for opposed Scouting
weapon. This damage is applied directly to the target’s checks (see Camouflage and Scouting). During any
BP value (or its Fortification Points, if any). Battle Phase, there is a 50% chance that an enemy unit
determined at random must make such a Scouting check
Close Assault or blunder into the hidden minefield, causing the mines
Siege Weapons to explode as described in Table 3-24: Gunpowder Siege
Weapon Misfire Result.
While the above siege weapons are designed to attack
into or over enemy defenses at range, the culmination of Ram: These heavy tree trunks, sometimes carried by
most sieges (unless they end in surrender) is a massed strong warriors but often mounted on swinging ropes or
melee assault on the defenses. Unsurprisingly, there are chains mounted under mobile galleries, are used to make
a variety of siege weapons specially designed to expedite Sapping attacks against buildings. They cannot attack
this process and ensure success and at least partial safety other armies. Special: A ram can be mounted on a galley
for troops approaching the walls and then seeking to go and used to attack other ships or aquatic units that are
over, under, or through them. comprised of Huge or larger creatures.

Assault Bridge: This is a sturdy but lightweight wooden Siege Tower: These advanced galleries have a lower
framework, ranging from simple planking to more compartment where the crew moves the towers and
elaborate versions with folding supports, iron hooks, an upper structure of covered ladders and shooting
and rope railings, which is used to quickly span a gap platforms from which ranged attacks can be made. An
that troops are otherwise unable to cross. If an Artillerist army traveling in a siege tower unit can make ranged
unit spends one Melee phase deploying an assault bridge, attacks, though it takes a -2 penalty to its OM. It cannot
a gallery, ram, or siege tower unit can use it to cross a make melee attacks, however, except when using an
Moat. Alternatively, an assault bridge can allow a melee Escalade siege tactic. If a siege tower is destroyed, it
army attacking a fortification by Escalade, Infiltration, or collapses dealing 2d6 points of damage to the crew and
Sapping to ignore the Defense bonus provided by a Moat. any army inside it.

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Table 3-26: Close Assault Siege Weapons

WEAPON COST SETUP CREW ARMY OM SIEGE DV FP

Assault bridge 1 BP 1 10 - - - - -
-
Escalade ladder 2 BP Mobile 10 - - - - 2
4
Gallery, huge 2 BP Mobile 10 20 - - +2 1
-
Gallery, gargantuan 4 BP 1 20 50 - - +2 -
3
Mantlets 1 BP Mobile - 10- - - +1 6
9
Mine 4 BP Mobile 1 - +5 2d10 -

Ram 4 BP Mobile 20 - +5 2d8 -

Siege Tower, large 3 BP 1 10 20 - - +2

Warfare Siege Tower, huge 6 BP 2 20 50 - - +4

Siege Tower, gargantuan 9 BP 3 50 100 - - +4

Close assault siege weapons are used to protect other Siege Tactics
siege weapons or to protect troops approaching a
fortification during an assault. As noted above, the prosecution of a siege does not
require any specialized weapons. In fact, given that
Cost: The cost in BP for a cluster of four siege weapons defenders protecting their home know it intimately and
of the appropriate type. Siege weapons can be added to will have a Battlefield Advantage (+2 bonus to OM
a unit only in a settlement with an Exotic Artisan. and DV, as described in the existing mass combat rules)
when fighting house to house in the streets and alleys
Setup: The number of Battle phases is takes to erect inside their city, it may be the path of wisdom to simply
these close assault siege weapons once a battle begins, starve them out or ravage the population hemmed in
as described above. A Mobile siege weapon can move by your armies by unleashing fire and plague. In short,
with its Artillerists with a Speed of 1. you have many options for reducing the strongholds of
your enemies, both conventional and unconventional.
Crew: The crew required to move and operate the
siege engine; these crews represent an Artillerist unit as Blockade: This tactic relies on preventing people or
described above. goods from passing into or out of the blockaded city.
Requires: 100 soldiers to blockade a city (if using the
Army: The number of soldiers that can shelter Cities, Towns, and Villages rules in Chapter 2, 50
within a close assault weapon, gaining its DV bonus. soldiers can blockade a town, 20 soldiers a village). All
Alternatively, a gallery or siege tower can hold a battery armies being used to blockade the city must be defeated,
of direct-fire or close assault siege weapons along with destroyed, disbanded, or routed in order to end the
their crews: blockade. If the city has a water border, a blockade takes
double the normal amount of time to take effect, unless
Huge: light ballista, cannon a shipboard army or army with a swim speed aids in
maintaining the blockade.
Gargantuan: ballista (gate breaker or heavy), cannon
(fiend’s mouth), firedrake, firewyrm, ram Effect: No new buildings or improvements can be
constructed within the blockaded settlement or the hex
OM: The OM of a battering ram applies only to melee it occupies, and every week that the blockade continues,
attacks against fortifications; it has no effect against the defender’s kingdom must succeed at Stability check
creatures. with a penalty equal to the number of weeks the blockade
has continued. If failed, all settlement bonuses provided
Siege: The damage dealt to a target building, by improvements in that settlement are reduced by 1, to
fortification, or siege engine’s BP (or FP) for each round a minimum of 0. In addition, the kingdom must succeed
of successful attack, as described above. at a Loyalty check with a penalty equal to the number of
weeks the blockade has continued or the city surrenders
DV: The close assault weapon provides this DV bonus to the blockaders. This check is made with a +1 bonus
to a number of soldiers equal to its capacity. per 100 soldiers inside the city (not counting emergency
conscripts), but with a -1 penalty for each building that
FP: The number of Fortification Points (FP) that must
be depleted before the siege weapon’s BP value can be
directly attacked by enemy siege weapons.

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has been significantly damaged (more than half its BP Warfare
value), increased to -2 for each building that has been
destroyed. Each Cistern or Granary within the city Table 3-27: Fortifications
delays the effect of a blockade by 1 week. After 1 month
of blockade, armies defending the settlement become BUILDING BUILD POINTS (BP) FORTIFICATION
fatigued and cannot remove this condition without POINTS (FP)
magical aid. Aerie 18
Barracks 6 5
If the city remains blockaded on your next kingdom Caster’s Tower 36 10
turn, there is a 25% chance each kingdom turn that a 60 10
dangerous settlement event occurs in that settlement, Castle 2 80
as described in Kingdoms and in Ultimate Rulership. City Walls 24 20
This event, if it occurs, is in addition to any settlement 30 40
event that would normally occur. Fort 14 20
Garrison 16 10
Bombardment: This tactic is a besieging assault 108 10
directed at the physical destruction of the city’s Jail 12 20
buildings. If the attacking army has an accurate map Monastery 20
of the city, such as from an (Espionage Edict), it can
target specific buildings. Lacking this information, the Palace
attacker may target large 4-lot buildings or can simply Watchtower
designate a city lot to attack without knowing exactly
what building is being attacked. The besieger’s siege weapons can attack the siege
weapons of the defender and vice versa. Siege weapons
Requires: A direct fire siege weapon can perform a have a base DV of 12 plus the twice the normal DV
bombardment of a building in a lot at the outer edge bonus of the siege weapon, though siege weapons can
of a settlement but cannot target buildings farther in. be protected by mantlets, galleries, and siege towers on
If the settlement has City Walls, it can target the walls the battlefield, and they gain the Defense bonus of any
but cannot target buildings inside the walls, except for fortifications the defender has.
Castles or Watchtowers, and then only if they are in
the outer edge of lots in the settlement. An indirect fire
siege weapon can target buildings anywhere within a
settlement. Both direct and indirect-fire weapons can
target non-settlement fortifications such as Forts and
Watchtowers.

Effect: During each Battle phase, the bombardment
deals the siege damage of the siege weapon to the Build
Point (BP) value of the improvement in the target lot. If
the building takes enough damage to reduce its BP value
below half, it becomes damaged and ceases providing
any benefits to the city or kingdom, except for the
building’s Defense value, which is halved (rounding
down) if the building is damaged.

If reduced to 0 BP, the building is destroyed. A
destroyed building must be rebuilt from scratch, but a
damaged building can be repaired in one month as part
of its owner’s “construct a new building” Improvement
Edict during their next kingdom turn).

Some buildings are hardened and durable and have
a set quantity of Fortification Points (FP) in addition
to their base BP value; until these FP are depleted, the
building remains intact and no damage is done to its
essential structure. If a battle ends and a building’s
FP have not been depleted, they are replenished at no
cost and with no action required on the owner’s next
kingdom turn. If the building has actual BP damage,
that damage must be repaired first before the FP are
replenished.

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Warfare Bombardment, Special: A special bombardment Escalade: An escalade is an attempt by attacking
involves using specialized payloads and unconventional armies to scale the walls.
weapons. Performing a special bombardment increases
the attacking kingdom’s Consumption by 1 each time it Requires: Escalade ladder, siege tower, or an army
is used. with a climb speed.

Requires: A catapult or trebuchet battery is required Effect: The attacking army chooses one army within
to use the plague special bombardment. A bombard, the target fortification to attack. During the escalade,
catapult, rocket springal, or trebuchet can be used to the attacking army takes a -4 penalty to its OM and DV
deliver incendiaries or smoke. (reduced to -2 if the attacking army has a Climb speed)
and must allow the defending army to make a melee
Incendiaries: A special bombardment with attack against it first; this is an exception to the standard
incendiaries deals normal damage to wooden buildings rule that mass combat is simultaneous. If the defending
but minimum damage against stone buildings. In army’s attack succeeds, the attacker must succeed at a
addition, at the end of each Battle phase the defender’s Morale check with a penalty equal to the damage it was
kingdom must succeed at a Stability check to prevent a just dealt by the defending army. If this Morale check
fire. This check is made with a +2 bonus if the building fails, the attacking army is driven back and is unable to
in the target lot is made of stone, with an additional attack. If the Morale check succeeds, the attacking army
+2 bonus for each Cistern, Waterway, or water border can continue with its attack, and although the attack
adjacent to the lot, and a +1 bonus for each Cistern or takes a -4 penalty the defending army gains only half
Waterway lot anywhere else in the settlement and a the normal Defense bonus from whatever fortification
+1 bonus for each water border (not each lot along a it is defending.
border; just +1 per border). Armies can also be sent to
help fight the fire, providing a +1 bonus to the Stability If the attacking army’s attack fails, its escalade is
check for every 20 soldiers sent to battle the flames. If thwarted and it automatically disengages from the
the check succeeds, the fire is extinguished. If the check defending army. If its attack succeeds, however, the
fails, the fire spreads throughout the lot and continues attacking and defending armies are now engaged atop
to burn and spreads into an adjacent lot, spreading the fortification, and for as long as they remain engaged
throughout a multi-lot building first before it spreads to the attacking army’s OM and DV penalties are halved
another building. This fire produces light smoke (lightly
obscured area) in the target settlement, or thick smoke
(heavily obscured area) if light smoke is already present.

At the end of each Battle phase that a building
continues to burn, a new Stability check must be made.
Success extinguishes one lot. Failure allows the fire to
spread to another adjacent lot. If there is more than one
separate fire in the settlement, in non-adjacent squares,
checks to fight any of the fires take a -2 penalty for each
non-adjacent fire. Fire cannot spread across City Walls
or a Moat, nor can it spread into a Cistern or Waterway
(even if there is a bridge). If a building remains on fire
at the end of consecutive Battle phases, it becomes
damaged (reduced to half its normal BP value). If it
remains on fire at the end of three consecutive Battle
phases, it is destroyed.

Plague: Each time you perform a plague bombardment,
choose one army at random within the city. The
defending kingdom must succeed at a Stability check or
that army becomes infected (see Disease, under Healing
After Battle). In addition, each plague bombardment
has a 10% (non-cumulative) chance to cause a Plague
kingdom event inside the target settlement, as described
in the existing kingdom rules. This event, if it occurs, is
in addition to any other kingdom events that may occur.

Smoke: Each smoke bombardment creates light smoke
inside the settlement or fortification until the end of
the next Battle phase. If light smoke (a lightly obscured
area) already exists, it becomes thick smoke (heavily
obscured).

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and it ignores the fortification’s Defense bonus when targets in an area, though with highly variable accuracy. Warfare
resolving attacks against the defending army. If the An indirect fire siege weapon battery adds 2d6 to its
defending army is defeated or routs, the attacking army OM when making this attack against the target army,
can occupy the fortification and gain its Defense bonus but on a successful attack the damage it deals is equal
to its own DV for the remainder of the battle; however, to half the weapon’s Siege damage rather than being
the attacking army is now somewhat isolated in its determined by its OM and the defender’s DV. If the
breach into the fortifications and it takes a -4 penalty on target army is engaged, any armies engaged with it take
Morale checks it makes to withdraw or retreat. 1/2 the damage the target army takes. This is considered
friendly fire damage.
Note that an escalade targets one particular
fortification and occupying one fortification does not Magical
obviate the Defense bonus of other fortifications. City Siege
Walls are a special case, as once an attacking army has Weapons
successfully escaladed the walls, they can ignore their
Defense bonus for the remainder of the battle. These The following section describes several types of siege
walls provide less advantage to an army atop them weapons and ammunition.
fighting other armies inside the city than they do against
armies outside; if fighting a defending army from atop Pricing: The following items are assigned an item
a City Wall, treat this as holding the high ground (see rarity that GMs can factor into their decisions when
Terrain) rather than applying the City Wall’s Defense trying to buy, sell, or manufacture them.
bonus.
For the purposes of the kingdom-building rules,
Infiltration: This siege tactic also seeks to circumvent kingdoms may be able to acquire such items at the GM’s
the fortifications, but through guile and stealth discretion by issuing a Commission Edict or through
rather than naked bravado in scaling the walls. In an possible random generation in the kingdom’s magic
infiltration, the attacking army tries to slip inside the item slots. In addition, if a settlement’s gold piece limit
fortification and open a gate or sally port or otherwise equals or exceeds the price of the items in question,
compromise the defenses. Every defending army is the GM may allow these magical banners and siege
entitled to a Scouting check with a +2 bonus, opposed weapons to be purchased with kingdom resources by
by the infiltrating army’s Camouflage. If the infiltration spending the listed BP cost. This is the cost to upgrade
is detected, the unit noticing the infiltrators can attack a normal battery of siege weapons to these magical
them. While a small force is highly effective at remaining properties; it is not the cost to simply buy these siege
unnoticed, if it is spotted it may be easily crushed by weapons outright. This BP cost is not considered part
the defenders. If the defending army’s attack succeeds, of the item’s BP value if it is targeted by an attack (see
the infiltrating army must retreat from the fortification Bombardment, under Siege Tactics).
if it survives. If the attack fails, the infiltrators evade
capture, assuming no other defending armies do not Table 3-28: Magical Siege Weapons
spot them, or if they spot them fail to successfully attack
them. RARITY PRICE (BP) ITEM NAME
Rare +2 BP
If the infiltration is not detected, the infiltrators are Rare +2 BP elemental siege shot
able to open up access to the fortification for one allied Rare +2 BP ooze siege shot
army. That army can attack one of the defending armies +4 BP
as if it had performed an escalade, though without Very rare zombie siege shot
taking the -4 penalty to OM and DV. +8 BP zombie apocalypse
Very rare +8 BP
Sapping: This tactic involves trying to dig, mine, Very rare +8 BP siege shot
undermine, burrow, or smash through or under the Very rare adamant ram
walls. The attacking army makes a melee attack against blizzard ballista
a DV equal to 15 plus twice the building’s Defense thunderbolt cannon
modifier (if any). A successful attack deals half damage
to the buildings’s BP (or FP, if any); sapping deals full Ballista, Blizzard
damage if the attack is performed with a ram.
Wondrous item, very rare
Volley: This tactic simply refers to targeting enemy
armies with springals or direct-fire siege weapons. This This rime-glazed ballista launches spears of solid ice, which
is resolved as a standard attack in the Ranged phase, it coalesces from the air around it. It needs no ammunition
using the attacking unit’s OM adjusted by the bonus and only one-half the normal crew of a ballista of its size.
provided by the siege weapon. A blizzard ballista gains a +1 bonus on damage rolls when
making volley attacks, and it also gains a +2 bonus on RV
Volley, Scatter: When indirect fire weapons (other
than springals) are used for volley attacks, they typically 158
are loaded with scatter shot of some type, affecting all

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Warfare and damage against armies vulnerable to cold. In addition, Siege Shot, Ooze
even missed shots from a blizzard ballista leave swaths of
ice and slush strewn across the battlefield. An army targeted Weapon (ammunition), rare
with a blizzard ballista has its movement reduced by 1
(minimum 1) for the remainder of the current Battle Phase. This enchanted black stone bursts upon impact after being
launched by a cannon, catapult, trebuchet, or similar siege
Cannon, Thunderbolt weapon. After dealing damage, the stone shatters and
releases a black pudding. This ooze is treated as a temporary
Wondrous item, very rare Hero army (see Table 3-5: Army Size and Statistics)
with ACR 3 that attacks for one Battle Phase and then is
This copper-bound cannon launches bolts of raw electricity automatically destroyed.
that strike with pounding peals of thunder. A thunderbolt
cannon needs no ammunition and only one-half the normal Siege Shot, Zombie
crew of a cannon of its size. It cannot be used as an indirect-
fire siege weapon. A thunderbolt cannon gains a +1 bonus Weapon (ammunition), rare
on damage rolls when making volley attacks, and it also
gains a +1 bonus on RV and damage against armies equipped This mass of corpses is lashed together and imbued with
with medium or heavy armor (see Table 3-6: Equipping an dreadful necromantic power. When used to perform a
Army). In addition, the deafening shots of a thunderbolt plague bombardment during the Ranged Phase, during
cannon make it difficult for the target of its attacks to relay the Melee Phase the corpses animate as 20 zombies. These
or respond to orders even on a missed attack, resulting in zombies are treated as a temporary squad (see Table 3-5:
a -1 penalty on Morale checks made to change Strategy, Army Size and Statistics) with ACR 1 that attacks for
Tactics, or formation or to disengage with an opposing one Battle Phase and then is automatically destroyed. In
army or unit. This penalty lasts until the Tactics Phase of addition, if the zombies damage an army with their melee
the following Battle Phase. attack, the kingdom’s Stability check to resist that army
contracting disease takes a -2 penalty and the chance of a
Ram, Adamant Plague event in the city is increased to 15%.

Wondrous item, very rare Siege Shot, Zombie Apocalypse

This devastating close assault weapon shatters almost any Weapon (ammunition), very rare
barrier in its path. When used to perform a sapping attack,
an adamant ram doubles its OM bonus to +10 and deals This mass of corpses is lashed together and imbued with
3d8 points of damage. If attacked by another siege weapon, dreadful necromantic power. When used to perform a
an adamant ram takes normal damage rather than double plague bombardment during the Ranged Phase, during
damage, as it lacks the fragility of other siege weapons. the Melee Phase the corpses animate as 20 zombies. These
zombies are treated as a temporary platoon (see Table
Siege Shot, Elemental 3-5: Army Size and Statistics) with ACR 4 that attacks for
one Battle Phase and then is automatically destroyed. In
Weapon (ammunition), rare addition, if the apocalypse zombies damage an army with
their melee attack, the kingdom’s Stability check to resist
This enchanted stone bursts upon impact after being that army contracting disease takes a -4 penalty and the
launched by a cannon, catapult, trebuchet, or similar chance of a Plague event in the city is increased to 25%.
siege weapon. After dealing damage, the stone shatters
and releases a Huge elemental of a type designated by
the creator of the elemental siege shot. This elemental is
treated as a temporary Hero army (see Table 3-5: Army Size
and Statistics) with ACR 3 that attacks for one Battle Phase
and then is automatically destroyed.

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CHAPTER 4

of Ships and Sea

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of Ships and Sea NAUTICAL CAMPAIGNS HAVE A DIFFERENT creatures unsuited to shipboard combat like horses or
rollicking feel to them, and a ship can be as much large creatures may have disadvantage. The following
of a character as the scoundrels crewing it, and once the sample DCs and modifiers can be used to adjudicate
PCs get their own ship, it will likely see as much action movement on board a ship.
as do the PCs themselves. Whether the PCs are fighting
rival pirates in hand-to-hand combat on the deck of a Table 4-1: Typical Shipboard DCs
sailing rig, attacking a merchantman with a hold full of Dexterity (Acrobatics)
riches to plunder with their own pirate ship, or sending
an entire fleet of ships against an enemy armada, naval DC TASK
combat plays a significant role in a nautical campaign, 5 Move at normal speed on a cluttered deck
and Ultimate Ships provides a wealth of rules for 10 Stand or move, heeling deck (a sloping or slanted deck,
nautical combat of every kind. Generally speaking,
battles at sea are handled in one of three ways: shipboard such as in high winds or sharp turns)
combat (normal combat on board a ship), ship-to-ship 10 Swing on ship’s rigging to another location on the same
combat (combat between two or more individual ships),
and fleet combat (combat between two or more fleets ship.
of multiple ships each). Rules for these three types of 13 Swing on ship’s rigging to land on a different ship grap-
naval combat are detailed in the following sections.
pled or rammed by your ship.
The rules presented in this chapter are designed 15 Stand or move, rolling deck (violently rocking back and
as a campaign expansion for GMs that want to focus
on nautical campaigns and aquatic adventuring. forth, as in a severe storm)
Siege weapon rules here are designed for use in naval 18 Swing on ship’s rigging to a nearby ship that has not been
encounters; where they may vary from siege weapon
statistics in Chapter 4: Strongholds, you can treat those grappled or rammed.
as separate statistics for land-based artillery in places 20 Stand or move along a yardarm or rope.
where rules vary for each type. The rules here are not
directly connected with the Kingdom and War rules in Strength (Athletics)
the previous chapter, as many nautical campaigns may
wish to stay focused at the player character level and DC TASK
not delve into such subsystems. 5 Climb anchor chain
5 Climb ship’s rigging
Shipboard 10 Climb ship’s mast
Combat 15 Climb onto horizontal spar or yardarm
20 Climb hull
Shipboard combat is just like any other combat between
the PCs and their opponents, except the encounter takes Modifiers
place on board a ship, rather than in a dungeon or on
a forest path. For the most part, shipboard combat can DC TASK
be resolved normally. The only constraints are the size +2 Wet surface
of the ship (and therefore, the size of the battlefield), +2 High winds
the danger of falling overboard into the water, and the +2 Rolling deck
effects of weather on the ship. +5 Icy surface or wave surge (1 foot deep or less)
-2 Use one hand to brace yourself
If the combat happens during a storm or in rough -5 Use both hands to brace yourself
seas, treat the ship’s deck as difficult terrain. Characters -10 Use both hands and a rope (does not apply to climbing
climbing into the rigging or diving into the sea to swim
from one ship to another or to climb out of the water up the rigging)
an anchor chain or up the hull of a ship must succeed
on Strength (Athletics) checks, while moving across a If a combatant falls overboard, use the standard rules
crowded deck, leaping across open hatches or from mast for aquatic terrain and water dangers from swimming
to deck, or negotiating pitching boards slick with spray and possibly drowning. In all other ways, shipboard
must succeed on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. The DC combat functions no differently than combat on land.
of such checks depends on how severe the wave and
weather conditions are and how great a challenge you Shipboard vs.
want the environment to be. Experienced sailors and Ship-to-Ship
aquatic races may have advantage on such checks, while Combat

A typical nautical campaign presupposes that assumes
that the PCs are more interested in capturing enemy
ships than in sinking them. After all, if they sink a

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ship, they can’t plunder its cargo, ransom its crew and of Ships and Sea
passengers, and sell (or use) the ship themselves. So
once a ship has been boarded, ship-to-ship combat ends
and shipboard combat begins on whichever ship was
boarded first.

Shipboard combat is normally a battle between the
“primaries” of the two ships—usually meaning that the
PCs fight the enemy ship’s captain and any other major
NPCs on the enemy ship in normal combat. Meanwhile,
the two ships’ crews are assumed to be fighting each
other in the background.

Whoever wins the “primary” combat (either the PCs
or the enemy NPCs) wins the entire battle. In other
words, a ship’s crew is victorious over an enemy crew if
their captain defeats the enemy captain. While a ship’s
crew will likely take losses in a battle, it is assumed that
enough members of the defeated crew join the victorious
crew to replenish any losses. This keeps the PCs from
having to play out combat between large numbers of
low-level opponents, and from needing to track exactly
how many casualties their crew takes in each battle.

The PCs earn normal XP for the foes they defeat in
shipboard combat. In most circumstances, a ship-to
ship battle just serves as a prelude to the main combat.
If, however, the PCs decided to fight out an entire ship-
to-ship battle and they sink or destroy a ship without
ever fighting the ship’s captain and key NPCs, then they
should be awarded XP based on the captain’s Challenge
level, as the captain is the only one piloting the enemy
ship in ship-to-ship combat).

Simple Ship- NEW TOOL: Ship’s Helm
to-Ship
Combat Characters may become proficient with the ship’s
helm, in the same way as with artisan’s tools, in
When ships themselves become a part of a battle, order to add their proficiency bonuses to checks to
combat becomes unusual. The following rules are not pilot a ship via the helm.
meant to accurately simulate all of the complexities of
ship-to-ship combat, only to provide you with a quick Decide what type of ships are involved in the combat
and easy set of rules to resolve such situations when (see Table 4-2: Ship Statistics). Use a large, blank battle
they inevitably arise in a nautical adventure, whether it mat to represent the waters on which the battle occurs.
be a battle between two ships or between a ship and a A single square corresponds to 30 feet of distance.
sea monster. These rules represent an attempt to strike Represent each ship by placing markers that take up
a balance between verisimilitude and ease and speed of the appropriate number of squares (miniature toy ships
play during combat and can be applied to a vessel of any make great markers and should be available at most
size, from a simple dinghy to a multi-deck man-o’-war. hobby stores).
These rules focus only on piloting and fighting with a
ship on the water. Starting Combat: When combat begins, allow the PCs
(and important NPC allies) to roll initiative as normal—
the ship itself moves and attacks on the captain’s
initiative result. If any of the ships in the battle rely
on sails to move, randomly determine what direction
the wind is blowing by rolling 1d8, with each value

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of Ships and Sea corresponding to a cardinal or intercardinal direction (N, E,
S, W, NE, NW, SE, SW).

Movement: On the captain’s initiative count, the ship
can move its current speed in a single round as a move
for the captain (or Dash to move further), as long as it has
its minimum crew complement. The ship can increase or
decrease its speed by 30 feet each round, up to its maximum
speed. Alternatively, the captain can change direction (up to
one side of a square at a time) as an action. A ship can only
change direction at the start of a turn.

Attacks: Crewmembers in excess of the ship’s minimum
crew requirement can be allocated to man siege engines.
Siege engines attack on the captain’s initiative count.

A ship can also attempt to ram a target if it has its minimum
crew. To ram a target, the ship must move at least 30 feet
and end with its bow in a square adjacent to the target.
The ship’s captain then makes an attack roll— if this check
equals or exceeds the target’s AC, the ship hits its target,
inflicting damage as indicated on the ship statistics table to
the target, as well as minimum damage to the ramming ship.
A ship outfitted with an actual ram siege engine inflicts an
additional 3d6 points of damage to the target (the ramming
vessel suffers no additional damage).

Sinking

A ship gains the sinking condition if its hit points are
reduced to 0 or fewer. A sinking ship cannot move or attack,
and it sinks completely 10 rounds after it gains the sinking
condition. Each hit on a sinking ship that inflicts damage
reduces the remaining time for it to sink by 1 round per 25
points of damage inflicted. A fabricate spell can repair a
sinking ship, repairing a number of hit points equal to 4d12
+ your spellcasting ability modifier. If the ship’s hit points
are raised above 0 by this repair, the ship loses the sinking
condition. Generally, non-magical repairs take too long to
save a ship from sinking once it begins to go down.

Ship Statistics
A vast variety of boats and ships exist in the real world, from small rafts and longboats to intimidating galleons
and swift galleys. To represent the numerous distinctions of shape and size that exist between water-going vessels,
Table 4-2 describes several standard ship sizes and their respective statistics. Just as the cultures of the real world
have created and adapted hundreds of different types of seafaring vessels, races in fantasy worlds might create
their own strange ships. GMs might use or alter the statistics below to suit the needs of their creations and describe
such conveyances however they please. All ships have the following traits:

Table 4-2: Simple Ship Statistics

SHIP TYPE AC HP BASE SAVE MAXIMUM SPEED ARMS RAM SQUARES CREW

Keelboat 12 60 +4 30 feet* 1 2d6+6 2 4/15+100
4d6+18 3 50/75+100
Longship 14 75 +5 60 feet* 1 3d6+12 3 20/50+120
3d6+12 4 60/80+160
Sailing ship 15 125 +6 60 feet* (sails only) 2 6d6+24 4 200/250+200

Warship 18 175 +7 60 feet* 3

Galley 16 200 +8 90 feet* 4

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Ship Type: This is a general category that lists the combat, it is difficult to significantly damage such large of Ships and Sea
ship’s basic type. vehicles. In addition, a captured ship is usually worth
more as a prize to be towed or sailed home than sunk
AC: The ship’s base Armor Class. To calculate a ship’s to the bottom of the sea. As a result, most ship-to-ship
actual AC, add the captain’s Wisdom modifier to the combat ends when the crew of one ship boards another
ship’s base AC. to fight the enemy crew in hand-to-hand combat (see
Boarding and Grappling).
hp: The ship’s total hit points. In addition, all ships
have a damage threshold based on their construction Ship Basics
material (damage threshold 5 for most wooden ships). At
0 or fewer hit points, a ship gains the sinking condition The following overview presents more extensive rules
as described above. for ship-to-ship combat. All ships use these rules for
movement and combat.
Base Save: The ship’s base save modifier. All of a
ship’s saving throws have the same value. To determine Pilots
a ship’s actual saving throw modifiers, add the captain’s
Wisdom modifier to this base value. A ship requires two things to keep it moving—a pilot
and a means of propulsion. A pilot is a creature with an
Maximum Speed: The ship’s maximum tactical speed Intelligence score of 3 or higher who is physically able
in combat. An asterisk indicates the ship has sails and to use the ship’s control device. A ship’s captain is often
can move at double speed when it moves in the same (but not always) the pilot. The pilot uses the control
direction as the wind. A ship with only sails can only device and her Wisdom to control the ship. Without a
move if there is some wind. pilot, a ship will not move or will continue moving in
a straight line, depending on the ship’s state when it
Arms: The number of siege weapons such as catapults becomes pilotless.
or ballistae that can be fitted on the ship. A ram uses
one of these slots, and only one ram may be fitted to Crews
a ship.
Most ships require a crew. A ship without a full crew
Ram: The amount of damage the ship inflicts on a complement, but with at least half its crew gains
successful ramming attack (without a ram siege engine). disadvantage on all sailing checks. A ship needs at least
half its crew complement in order to be piloted at all.
Squares: The number of squares the ship takes up on If more than half of a ship’s crew is killed, restrained,
the battle mat. A ship’s width is always considered to be incapacitated, stunned, or rendered unconscious, the
one square. ship can only take the “uncontrolled” action. Crew
members can take no action while the ship is in motion
Crew: The first number lists the minimum crew except to aid in that ship’s movement. Any crew required
complement the ship needs to function normally, to operate siege engines are in addition to those crew
excluding those needed to make use of the vessel’s needed to operate the ship.
weapons. The second value lists the ship’s maximum
crew plus additional soldiers or passengers. A ship Size and Space
without its minimum crew complement can only move,
change speed, change direction, or ram if its captain Ships have sizes and spaces different from creature sizes
makes a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) and spaces. In order to play out ship-to-ship combat on
check. Crew in excess of the minimum have no effect on a battle mat, a single square on the map corresponds to
movement, but they can replace fallen crewmembers or 30 feet of distance, rather than 5 feet. Most ships are
man additional weapons. long and thin; rather than taking up a space of an equal
number of squares per side like creatures do, a ship’s
Advanced width is always considered to be one square.
Ship-To-Ship
Combat Facing and Movement

When ships themselves become a part of a battle, combat Ships do not move like creatures, even when they use
becomes unusual. The following rules are not meant to creatures for propulsion. They tend to move in the
accurately simulate all of the complexities of ship-to- direction of their forward facing and do so quickly.
ship combat; rather, they represent an attempt to strike
a balance between verisimilitude and ease and speed of Facing: Unlike creatures, ships have a forward facing.
play during combat and can be applied to a vessel of any Usually one of the shorter sides of a ship serves as the
size, from a simple dinghy to a multi-deck man-o’-war. It ship’s forward facing. Facing represents the effect of
is important to note that while ships can be attacked in
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inertia on vehicles. Ships move best when moving in Control Devices
the direction of their forward facing, and it takes time Every vehicle has a control device for steering. A control
and skill to move them in other directions. When piloted device is typically an object with object immunities and
correctly, ships can move straight ahead, diagonally, or resistances and with its own statistics. The following are
a mix of both within the same movement. Skilled pilots some of the typical control devices for ships, plus their
can make a ship zigzag in a forward direction with ease. usual Armor Class, hit points, and hardness. When a
control device is reduced to half hp, all sailing checks
Movement: Ships have a maximum speed and an gain disadvantage. When a control device is destroyed,
acceleration listing. The maximum speed is the fastest a ship cannot be piloted until the control device is
rate the ship can travel per round (though a wind- repaired.
propelled ship sailing in the direction of the wind can
double this speed). A ship cannot usually start at its Table 4-3: Control Devices
maximum speed. Each round, the pilot can attempt to
accelerate the ship or decelerate it by a rate equal to CONTROL AC HIT POINTS THRESHOLD
its acceleration (see the Movement section in Ships in DEVICE
Combat). The rate at which a ship is currently moving is
of Ships and Sea called its current speed. Oars* 12 10 per oar 5

Edge of the Map: When playing out ship-to-ship Steering wheel 10 25 5
combat on a Flip-Mat or battle mat, the edge of the map
forms an artificial boundary—on the open sea, there is Tiller 10 25 5
no edge of the map. As a result, if a ship moves off the
edge of the map, you can extend the map with a new Magically — ×2 ×2
blank Flip-Mat or battle mat or reposition the ships so
they have room to maneuver. treated*

Waterborne Movement: Travel over long distances * Oars are treated as at half hp if at least half the oars on a ship
across seas or oceans uses waterborne movement, are destroyed.
measured in miles per hour or day. For muscle-propelled
ships, a day represents 10 hours of rowing. For a wind- ** More information on magically treated control devices can be
propelled sailing ship, it represents 24 hours. Waterborne found in Ship Modifications.
speeds for the most common ship types can be found
under Vessels and Vessel Customization. PSariolpiunlgsSikonilalns d
Every vehicle has a means of propulsion. Boats and
Sailing Check ships are propelled by currents, muscle, wind, or all
three forces. The method of propulsion typically affects
To control a ship in combat, a pilot must make a sailing the speed and maneuverability of a ship, but more
check to determine the maneuverability and speed of importantly, determines the required skill needed to
the ship that round. The ship’s propulsion determines control the ship. Controlling a ship takes common
what skill is used for the sailing check (see Propulsion sense, awareness, intuition, and often some amount
and Sailing Skills). If a ship is using two means of of skill in the ship’s means of propulsion. In the case
propulsion at the same time, such as wind and muscle, of wind or current propulsion, it is about using the
the pilot chooses which skill to use, and takes a –2 current and tools like sails, oars, or a rudder to move
penalty on all sailing checks. Outside of combat, the the ship. In the case of muscle propulsion, it is about
base DC for all sailing checks is DC 5. In combat, the guiding creatures to move the ship. The following are
base DC for all sailing checks is DC 15. A ship without the general methods of ship propulsion, along with the
a full crew complement, but with at least half its crew, skills typically needed to pilot ships propelled by the
gains disadvantage. specified means.

Help: Just as with other skills, a character can spend Current: All boats and ships can use water currents
an action to use the Help action. This represents an for propulsion, but ships that only rely on currents for
extra pair of eyes observing the enemy, giving orders to propulsion are somewhat limited. These vehicles can
the crew, or simply helpful advice. Only one character only move in the direction and at the speed of a current
can use the Help action to help a pilot on a single unless they also employ some other means of propulsion
sailing check. or manipulation, and thus often have an additional form
of propulsion, such as muscle in the case of a rowboat,
Controlling a Ship Outside of Combat: Since piloting or wind in the case of a sailing ship. A current-propelled
a ship outside of combat is easily accomplished and ship requires a Wisdom check, adding one’s proficiency
often lacks serious repercussions, sailing checks are bonus if proficient in the ship’s helm.
not normally needed. Almost every character can do it
with relative ease; the DCs are given only to adjudicate
special situations that may come up in your game.

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Wind: Wind-propelled ships use sails to harness the of Ships and Sea
power of the wind for propulsion. A wind-propelled
A current-propelled ship’s maximum speed depends ship requires a Wisdom check for the sailing check, on
on the speed of the current (often as high as 120 feet). which ship’s helm proficiency applies.
The acceleration of a current-propelled ship is 30 feet.
Small wind-propelled ships can move at a maximum
Muscle: Muscle-propelled ships use oars and rowers speed of 30 feet. Larger ships that are also muscle-
to push the ship forward. Sailing skills for muscle- propelled often have a maximum speed of 60 feet when
propelled ships tend to be Persuasion, Intimidation, or using only wind propulsion. Large ships with multiple
Animal Handling, depending on the intelligence and masts and many sails can have maximum speeds of up
attitude of the creatures supplying the muscle for the to 90 feet. The acceleration of a wind-propelled ship is
propulsion. 30 feet.

For intelligent creatures, use Persuasion if the All wind-propelled ships can move twice their normal
creatures providing the propulsion have an attitude of maximum speed when moving in the direction of the
indifferent, or friendly. If the creatures providing the wind. A ship using wind propulsion cannot move in the
propulsion are friendly, Diplomacy sailing checks are opposite direction from the wind.
made with advantage. An average crew is considered
indifferent, though a particularly loyal crew might be Sails and Rigging: All wind-propelled ships require
considered friendly. Intimidation is used for intelligent the use of sails and rigging. To move at full speed, a ship
creatures with an attitude of hostile, such as captive requires 10 5-foot squares of sails per mast per square
rowers on a slave galley. Animal Handling is used if the of the ship. For example, a 3-square ship with three
creatures providing the propulsion are not intelligent. masts requires 90 squares of sails. Sails have their own
statistics.
The maximum speed and acceleration of a muscle-
propelled ship depends on the number of creatures Mixed Means of Propulsion: Some ships use multiple
providing the propulsion, but most muscle-propelled forms of propulsion. Multiple methods of propulsion
ship have a maximum speed of 30 feet and an add flexibility and can work in concert to create faster
acceleration of 30 feet. Larger muscle-propelled ships movement. If a ship has two means of propulsion, such
with many rowers have a maximum speed of 60 feet as wind and muscle, it generally adds its two maximum
and an acceleration of 30 feet. speeds together to determine its maximum speed.
Acceleration remains the same. Nothing is added for
Oars: All muscle-propelled ships require the use of a third form of propulsion, except for the flexibility
oars. Oars have their own statistics. of having a back-up form of propulsion. A ship with
multiple methods of propulsion often requires a large
crew to get it going and keep it moving.

Evasion and
Pursuit

On the wide, open sea, one ship can spot another from
miles away, making it virtually impossible to surprise
another ship. If both ships want to engage in combat,
the ships close with one another and begin ship-to-ship
combat normally. If one ship wants to avoid combat,
however, a chase ensues. At the GM’s discretion, a faster
ship can always catch a slower ship, but even slow ships
can take advantage of favorable winds, currents, or
coastal terrain to make good their escape.

When two ships first encounter one another, the
pilots of the two ships must make three opposed sailing
checks. Whichever pilot wins at least two out of three
of the opposed checks is victorious. If the pursuing ship
wins, it catches up to the fleeing ship and ship-to-ship
combat begins. If the fleeing ship wins, it escapes. If
the result is a tie, the pilots should begin a new series of
three opposed checks.

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Means of Ships In
Propulsion Combat
The following are some of the various means of
of Ships and Sea propulsion for ships, plus their base Armor Class, hit The following are the rules for how ships act in the
points, and hardness. To calculate the actual AC of a combat round. Once at least two ships are ready to
ship’s propulsion, add the current pilot’s sailing skill engage in combat, you can use a large map grid, whether
modifier to the base AC. When a means of propulsion printed paper or a dry-erase or wet-erase battle mat,
gains the broken condition, the ship’s maximum speed with each square corresponding to 30 feet of distance
is halved, and the ship can no longer gain the upper (see Size and Space).
hand until the propulsion is repaired or replaced. If the
ship is in motion, and is traveling faster than its new Determine which ship is the attacker and which is the
maximum speed, it automatically decelerates to its new defender. As pirates, the PCs will usually be the attacking
maximum speed. ship, and their opponent will usually be the defending
ship (though the tables might be turned in specific
Oars: Oars are often weaker than the vessels they encounters). Represent each ship by using markers that
propel and are difficult to replace. Destroying a ship’s take up the appropriate number of squares, or use the
oars is a good way to capture a vessel. If a ship’s oars counters provided at the end of this book.
reach half hp, the ship’s maximum speed is halved
when using muscle propulsion. If all of a ship’s oars are To establish the position of the ships on the battle mat,
destroyed, the ship can no longer use muscle propulsion roll 1d4 to determine the ships’ heading (the direction
and must rely on current and/or wind propulsion only. they are facing). Since both ships are coming out of a
chase, they are both assumed to have the same heading.
Sails and Rigging: Sails (including the rigging A roll of 1 is north, 2 is east, 3 is south, and 4 is west.
that controls them) are often weaker than the vessels Place the defending ship as close to the center of the
they propel, though they are relatively easy to repair. map as possible on the correct heading.
Destroying a ship’s sails is a good way to capture a
vessel. Sails take double the normal damage from acid Next, roll 1d8 to determine the bearing of the attacking
and fire attacks (multiply the damage roll by 2). If all ship (its position relative to the other ship). Follow the
of a ship’s sails are destroyed, the ship can no longer guidelines for missed splash weapons, with a roll of 1
use wind propulsion and must rely on current or muscle indicating north, and counting squares clockwise for a
propulsion only. roll of 2 through 8 to determine the bearing. In some
cases, this will put the attacking ship ahead of the
Table 4-4: Propulsion defending ship—this simply means the attacking ship
overshot its quarry as the chase came to a close.
PROPULSION BASE AC HIT POINTS HARDNESS
Finally, roll 1d4+2 to determine the number of squares
Oars 12 10 per oar 5 on the battle mat between the two ships. Place the
attacking ship on the map at the appropriate bearing
Sails 6 4 per 5-ft. 0 and distance from the opposing ship. Unless otherwise
square detailed in an encounter, assume that each ship begins
combat with a speed of 30 feet. Any siege engines
Magically treated* — ×2 ×2 carried on a ship are likewise assumed to be loaded at
the beginning of combat.
* More information on magically treated means of propulsion can
be found in the Ship Modifications section. Such chases can take Wind: If any of the ships in the battle rely on sails
days, as one ship struggles to outmaneuver the other. At the GM’s and wind to move, randomly determine what direction
discretion, roll 1d4 to determine the number of days a chase lasts. the wind is blowing by rolling 1d4 and using the same
guidelines for determining heading.
Withdrawing: Once in ship-to-ship combat, a ship
can withdraw from combat by simply moving off the Initiative
edge of the battle mat, ending ship-to-ship combat
immediately if the other ships involved do not choose When combat begins, the pilot of a ship should roll
to pursue. At the GM’s discretion, the ship has either initiative as normal—the ship moves at the start of
escaped completely, or the two ships can go back to the its pilot’s turn. If a ship has no pilot, it moves on the
evasion and pursuit rules above. turn of the last creature that was its pilot, or on a turn
determined by the GM. If they wish to take actions in
combat, the PCs (and important NPCs involved in the
combat) should roll initiative at this time as well.

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The Upper Hand a pilot can perform a standard action and a move action of Ships and Sea
each round. Once the pilot has selected an action, or
At the beginning of every round, each pilot makes an takes some other action forcing the ship to become
opposed sailing check to determine who has the upper uncontrolled, the ship moves. If a ship has less than
hand that round. This represents the vagaries of luck, half its crew or has no pilot, or if the pilot takes no
skill, and the environment, whether catching a favorable action, takes some other action instead of piloting the
gust of wind, taking advantage of a fast current, sliding ship, or delays or readies an action, the ship takes the
down the back of a large wave, or disrupting an opposing “uncontrolled” action.
ship’s wind with your own ship’s “dirty air.” The pilot
who succeeds at the check gains the upper hand and Full Ahead (action): With a successful sailing check,
can immediately reposition her ship by one square in the ship’s current speed increases by its acceleration
any direction as a free action. For every 5 by which the (usually 30 feet), but no higher than its maximum speed.
successful pilot’s check exceeds the opposing pilot’s The ship can move forward or forward diagonally.
check, the pilot with the upper hand can reposition In other words, each time a ship enters a new 30-foot
her ship by an additional square. On a tie, neither pilot square, it can choose any of its forward-facing squares—
gains the upper hand. the one directly in front or either of the squares directly
forward and diagonal. This allows the ship to swerve.
Alternatively, the pilot who wins the upper hand can A pilot who fails her sailing check does not accelerate
change the heading of her ship by 90 degrees. For every and can only move into a square directly in front of the
5 by which the successful pilot’s check exceeds the ship’s forward facing.
opposing pilot’s check, the pilot with the upper hand
can change the heading of her ship by an additional 90 Hard to Port or Hard to Starboard (action): The pilot
degrees. can turn the ship while it moves forward at its current
speed. With a successful sailing check, the pilot can
A ship that is upwind of another ship (closer to the change the ship’s forward facing either left (port) or
direction of the wind) is said to “hold the weather gage,” right (starboard) by 90 degrees at any point during the
and gains a +2 bonus on the opposed check to gain the ship’s movement. Do this by pivoting the ship so that
upper hand. the rear square of the ship takes the place of the ship’s
former forward-facing square. If a ship’s current speed
Movement is twice its acceleration, the pilot takes a –3 penalty
on the sailing check. If a ship’s current speed is three
At the start of a pilot’s turn, she can take any of the times its acceleration, the pilot takes a –6 penalty on
following sailing actions (except the “uncontrolled” the sailing check. If its current speed is four or more
action) by making a sailing check to control the ship. times its acceleration, the pilot takes a –10 penalty. On a
The pilot must take whatever action is required before failed check, the ship does not turn, but can be moved
doing anything else that turn. Just as in normal combat, forward diagonally during its movement. Note: A wind-
propelled ship that turns into the wind (its forward

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of Ships and Sea facing is pointed in the opposite direction from the Attacks
wind) is said to be “in irons” and takes the uncontrolled
action until its pilot turns it to face another direction. Ships typically don’t have attacks and do not threaten
any area around them, though some ships can be
Heave To (action): With a successful sailing check, the fitted with rams. Some ships also carry siege engines.
ship’s current speed decreases by 30 feet. On a failed Provided that the ship has enough additional crew to
check, the ship does not decelerate. Either way, the ship operate them, these siege engines can make attacks.
can move forward on its current facing and can move While individuals aboard a ship generally don’t play
forward diagonally. If deceleration reduces a ship’s a significant role in ship-to-ship combat, important
speed to 0, some amount of inertia will continue to characters such as PCs might still become involved if
move the ship forward. The ship moves forward (either they wish to fire siege engines or if an enemy ship is in
directly forward or forward diagonally) 1d4×30 feet range of their ranged attacks or spells. When attacking
before coming to a complete stop. a ship, you can attack the ship’s structure, occupants,

Make Way (action): With a successful sailing check, propulsion, or control device. You can also
a pilot can make a tricky or difficult attempt to grapple and board a ship. In
maneuver that forces an enemy pilot to addition, a ship can make a ramming
react. The result of this sailing check maneuver or shearing maneuver
then becomes the DC of the enemy as part of its movement.
pilot’s next sailing check. On a
failed check, the ship’s speed Attacking the Structure:
remains constant, but the This is an attack against the
ship cannot move forward ship itself. If the attack is
diagonally, and the enemy successful, the ship takes
pilot makes his next sailing damage normally.
check at the normal DC.
Attacking an Occupant:
Stay the Course (move): This is a normal attack
With a successful sailing against a ship’s occupant—
check, the pilot can move any creature that is a
the ship forward on its passenger, pilot, crew, or
current facing at its current providing propulsion on
speed, and it can move a ship. Occupants get half
directly forward or forward cover (+2 to AC and Dexterity
diagonally. Failing the check saving throws) or greater
keeps the speed constant, against attacks coming
but the ship can only move from outside of the ship.
directly forward, not forward Occupants in a forecastle
diagonally. or sterncastle have three-
quarters cover (+5 to AC and
Full Astern (move and Dexterity saving throws), while
action): With a successful those inside a port or hatch have
sailing check, the pilot can move total cover (can’t be targeted). In
the ship backward at a speed general, once combat begins among
of 30 feet, moving either directly the occupants of two ships (such as
backward (the reverse of its forward when boarding), ship-to-ship combat
facing) or backward diagonally. On a should be replaced with shipboard combat.
failed check, it does not move backward. A ship may
only be moved in reverse if its current speed is 0. Attacking Propulsion: A ship’s means of propulsion
usually has its own set of statistics, while creatures
Uncontrolled (no action): When the pilot does propelling a ship use their own statistics. See Attacking
nothing, if there is no pilot, or if the ship has less than an Occupant above if crew members providing
half its crew, the ship is uncontrolled. An uncontrolled propulsion are attacked. Individual ship stat blocks
ship does nothing except take the uncontrolled action detail their means of propulsion.
until it stops or someone becomes its new pilot. An
uncontrolled ship moves forward only (it cannot move Attacking the Control Device: A ship’s control device
forward diagonally) and automatically decelerates by 30 is an object with its own statistics. When a control
feet. Even if a ship does nothing, it can still perform device is destroyed, the ship can no longer be piloted.
ramming maneuvers (see Ramming).
Attacking a Siege Engine: Siege engines mounted on
a ship have their own statistics. Siege engines benefit
from cover as occupants on a ship.

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Broadsides: Some ships can carry a large number is successful, the target ship is grappled. On the next of Ships and Sea
of siege engines. Rather than bog down ship-to-ship round, the two ships are moved adjacent to one another,
combat with numerous individual attack rolls, siege and the speed of both ships is reduced to 0. If a ship
engines can be fired in “broadsides.” All siege engines has less than its full crew complement, the pilot gains
of the same type on a single side of the ship can fire disadvantage on her check to grapple.
at once. Broadside attacks can only be used to attack
the structure of a ship or propulsion. Make a single Breaking a Grapple: The pilot of a grappled ship can
attack roll for all of the siege engines in the broadside. attempt to break the grapple by making a sailing check
If the attack roll is successful, all the weapons hit their with a DC equal to the sailing check made to initiate
target. If the attack roll fails, all the weapons miss. On the grapple. If the check is successful, the crew has cut
a successful attack roll, take the average damage of a the grappling lines and the freed ship may now move
single weapon and multiply it by the number of weapons as normal.
in the broadside to determine the total damage dealt.
Boarding: Once two ships are grappled, a crew can
For example, a sailing ship with a bank of 10 light board the other ship. The pilot with the highest initiative
catapults on its port side fires a broadside attack. A can choose whether to board the opposing ship with
single light catapult deals 4d10 points of damage, for an her crew first or wait for the opposing crew to board
average of 22 points of damage. If the attack hits, the her ship. Characters boarding an opposing ship grant
broadside deals 22 × 10, or 220 points of damage. advantage on attack rolls against themselves for the
first round of combat, due to the difficulty of climbing
over the ships’ rails and finding footing on the enemy
deck. Characters using a corvus to board another ship
do not grant advantage on attack rolls.

Ramming
To ram a target, a ship must move at least 30 feet and
end with its forward square in a square adjacent to
the target. The ship’s pilot must make a sailing check
against the target’s AC plus the target’s pilot’s sailing
check modifier. If the check is successful, the ship hits
its target, dealing its ramming damage to the target.
The ramming ship takes half that damage. A ship’s base
ramming damage is listed in its stat block. If the pilot’s
sailing check exceeds the target’s CMD by 5 or more,
the target takes twice the ship’s ramming damage. If
the combat maneuver check exceeds the target’s sailing
check by 10 or more, the target takes twice the ship’s
ramming damage and the target’s speed is immediately
reduced to 0. Regardless of the result of the check, the
ramming ship’s speed is reduced to 0.

Grappling If a ship collides with another ship or a solid object
and Boarding (an immobile structure with a damage threshold of 5 or
more), it also makes a ramming maneuver, regardless
When the crew of one ship wishes to board an enemy of the pilot’s intent. There is no sailing check for this
ship and attack its crew, they must first grapple the ramming maneuver; its effects happen automatically.
other ship. To grapple, the two ships must be within When a ship makes a ramming maneuver against a
30 feet of one another (in other words, they must be in solid object, to determine how much damage both the
adjacent squares on the battle mat). If both pilots want solid object and the ship take, allow the ship to enter the
to grapple, grappling is automatically successful. The solid object’s space. The ship will only travel through
two crews throw out grappling lines and draw the ships that space if the damage is enough to destroy the solid
together. If both ships are reduced to a speed of 0 as the object; in all other cases, the ship takes the damage and
result of a ramming maneuver, they are also considered its speed is immediately reduced to 0 as it comes to a
grappled. sudden stop directly in front of the solid object.

If only one pilot wants to grapple, she must make A ship can be outfitted with a ram on its forward
a sailing check against the target ship’s AC plus the facing. A ship equipped with a ram deals an additional
opposing captain’s sailing check modifier. If the check 2d8 points of damage with a ramming maneuver and
ignores the damage for the first square of a solid object
it enters, and all damage from ramming creatures or
other objects (such as other ships). A ram can be added

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of Ships and Sea to a Large ship for 50 gp, a Huge ship for 100 gp, a and gain the broken condition, thus reducing the ship’s
Gargantuan ship for 300 gp, and a Colossal ship for maximum speed by half and preventing its pilot from
1,000 gp. gaining the upper hand. If the target ship is in motion,
and is traveling faster than its new maximum speed, it
If a ship has less than its full crew complement, but automatically decelerates to its new maximum speed.
has at least half its crew, the pilot gains disadvantage A ship that does not use oars for muscle propulsion is
on his check to make a ramming maneuver. A ship unaffected by a shearing maneuver.
without at least half its crew complement cannot make
a ramming maneuver. If a ship has less than its full crew complement, but
has at least half its crew, the pilot gains disadvantage on
Combat After her sailing check to make a shearing maneuver. A ship
Boarding without at least half its crew complement cannot make
a shearing maneuver.
Ship-to-ship combat assumes that the PCs are more
interested in capturing enemy ships than in sinking ToafkainShgiCpontrol
them. After all, if you sink a ship, you can’t plunder its
cargo, ransom its crew and passengers, and sell (or use) If a ship has no pilot, another creature can take control
the ship yourself. Once a ship has been boarded, ship- of the ship as long as the creature is adjacent to the ship’s
to-ship combat ends and shipboard combat begins on control device and makes a sailing check as a bonus
whichever ship was boarded first. action. The ship’s pilot can always give over control to
another adjacent creature as a free action. If a creature
Shipboard combat is normally a battle between the wants to take control of a ship from another forcefully,
“primaries” of the two ships—usually meaning that the it must kill the pilot or otherwise remove the pilot from
PCs fight the enemy ship’s captain and any other major the control device. When a new creature becomes the
NPCs on the enemy ship in normal combat. Meanwhile, pilot, the ship moves on the new pilot’s turn, but not on
the two ships’ crews are assumed to be fighting each the new pilot’s first turn after taking control of the ship.
other in the background.
Damaging a Ship
Whoever wins the “primary” combat (either the PCs
or the enemy NPCs) wins the entire battle. In other Ships have hit points and hardness based on their
words, a ship’s crew is victorious over an enemy crew if primary components. Most ships are made of wood (15
their captain defeats the enemy captain. While a ship’s hit points per 5-foot-square, damage threshold 5). When
crew will likely take losses in a battle, it is assumed that a ship is reduced to below half its hit points, it gains the
enough members of the defeated crew join the victorious broken condition. When it reaches 0 hit points, it gains
crew to replenish any losses. This keeps the PCs from the sinking condition.
having to play out combat between large numbers of
low-level opponents, and from needing to track exactly Broken Condition: When a ship takes enough damage
how many casualties their crew takes in each battle. to put it at half hp, it is considered broken and it takes a
–2 penalty to AC, on sailing checks, and saving throws.
The PCs earn normal XP for the foes they defeat in If a ship or its means of propulsion becomes broken,
shipboard combat. In most circumstances, the ship-to- the ship’s maximum speed is halved, and the ship can
ship battle just serves as a prelude to the main combat. no longer gain the upper hand until repaired. If the
If, however, the PCs decided to fight out an entire ship- ship is in motion and traveling faster than its new
to-ship battle and they sink or destroy a ship without maximum speed, it automatically decelerates to its
ever fighting the ship’s captain and NPCs, then they new maximum speed.
earn XP based on the captain’s challenge rating (as the
captain is the only one piloting the enemy ship in ship- Sinking Condition: A ship that is reduced to 0 or
to-ship combat). fewer hit points gains the sinking condition. A sinking
ship cannot move or attack, and it sinks completely
Shearing 10 rounds after it gains the sinking condition. Each
additional hit on a sinking ship that deals more than
A ship may attempt to shear off the oars of an opposing 25 points of damage reduces the remaining time for it
ship, if the target ship uses oars for muscle propulsion. to sink by 1 round. A ship that sinks completely drops
To attempt a shearing maneuver, a ship must be adjacent to the bottom of the body of water and is considered
to the target’s forward or rear square and move along destroyed. A destroyed ship cannot be repaired—it is so
the side of the target for a number of adjacent squares significantly damaged it cannot even be used for scrap
equal to the target ship’s number of squares. The ship’s material. Magic can repair a sinking ship if the ship’s hit
pilot must make an opposed sailing check against the points are raised above 0, at which point the ship loses
target. If the check is successful, the ship shears the the sinking condition. Generally, nonmagical repairs
target’s oars. The target’s oars take damage that reduces take too long to save a ship from sinking once it begins
their hit points to half their maximum hit point total to go down.

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Repairing a Ship When a ship takes fire damage (such as from of Ships and Sea
Alchemist’s fire, flaming arrows, certain spells, and
The fastest and easiest way to repair a ship is with spells. other effects at the GM’s discretion), it must immediately
Mending is not powerful enough to meaningfully affect make a Constitution saving throw (DC equals damage
an object as large as a ship (though it can be used to dealt) or catch fire. Unless an attack specifically targets
repair small objects on board a ship, such as ropes, a ship’s means of propulsion (such as sails), it is assumed
windows, chains, and the like), but fabricate repairs that such attacks affect the structure of a ship itself.
4d12 points of damage plus your spellcasting ability
modifier. In addition, more mundane methods can also Once a ship has caught fire, it automatically takes
be used to repair ships. Because of their specialized 2d6 points of fire damage per round (ignoring damage
construction, ships (as well as oars and sails) usually threshold) as the fire spreads. The ship’s crew can
require the Craft (ships) skill to repair. Depending on the attempt to extinguish the flames as an action for the
nature of the damage, carpenter’s tools or weaver’s tools entire crew, allowing the ship to make a Dexterity
or other tools or skills, can be used to repair ships with saving throw (DC 10 + the number of rounds the ship
the GM’s approval. In general, a day’s worth of work by has been on fire). A successful saving throw means the
a single person using the appropriate skill to repair a fire has been put out. A failed saving throw results in
ship requires 10 gp of raw materials and a DC 10 skill the ship taking the normal 2d6 points of fire damage
check, and repairs 10 points of damage on a success, or for the round.
5 hit points on a failure. New oars can be purchased for
2 gp each. A ship must take the “uncontrolled” action each round
that its crew attempts to put out a fire, as they are not
Fire sailing the ship at this time.

Fire is an ever-present danger on every wooden ship, Creatures can attack ships with spells. Ships are objects,
but while most ships are not in danger of going up in so spells that can only target creatures have no effect on
flames from a dropped torch or lantern, alchemical or ships. However, because a ship is actively crewed and
magical fires can be much more dangerous. Note that piloted, it can make saving throws against spell effects.
many instantaneous fire spells do not automatically Ships are immune to most spells that require a mental
catch a ship on fire, but those that deal fire damage over (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) saving throw. A ship
multiple rounds have a better chance of causing a fire without cannot make saving throws.
on board a ship (see Magic).
The effects of some spells on ships can be determined
normally. However, certain spells have different effects
in naval combat. The effects of these spells are detailed
on in the Spell Effects in Naval Combat section. GMs
can use these examples as guidelines for determining
how other spells not listed here affect ships. For the

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of Ships and Sea most part, these effects only apply during ship-to- Crew: The sheer size of a siege engine often necessitates
ship combat, not during normal combat aboard a ship, a crew for its use. One person of that crew is the crew
though some affects (such as starting fires), could still leader. Usually the crew leader controls the movement
apply, at the GM’s discretion. of a siege engine or designates its targets; sometimes the
crew leader does both. Often the crew leader is required
Naval Siege to take actions and make specific checks for a siege
Weapons engine to function. The rest of the crew members are
required to spend actions and make checks for a siege
Siege weapons (also called siege engines) assault engine to function. The crew of a siege engine is in
structures and people from a distance by propelling addition to the crew needed to operate the ship.
ammunition in some fashion. All siege engines in a pirate
campaign use the following basic rules, unless stated Magical Siege Engines: Siege engines can be enchanted
otherwise in an individual siege engine description. like any other weapon, and their ammunition can be
enchanted as well. However, not all enchantments
Proficiency: Siege engines are martial weapons. A lend themselves as well to catapult stones as they do to
character able to gain proficiency with martial weapons arrows. A cannonball of slaying should be a very rare
can become proficient with one kind of siege weapon and esoteric item, if it exists at all.
with proficiency. A creature with the Siege Engineer
feat is proficient with all siege engines. Disabling Siege Engines: A siege engine is a difficult
device to disable, requiring 2d4 rounds of effort and a
NEW FEAT: Siege Engineer DC 15 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to do so. When
a siege engine is disabled, it either doesn’t work or is
Long trained with siege engines, sabotaged and stops working after 1d4 minutes of use.
you gain the following benefits:
Repairing Siege Engines: Repairing a broken or
• I ncrease your Intelligence score by 1, to a disabled siege engine requires a DC 15 Intelligence
maximum of 20. check. It takes 10 minutes to fix the device, and the
check can be retried if the fix fails.
• W hen you fire a siege weapon, it does not suffer a
mishap on a roll of 1. Defense and Hit Points: All siege engines are objects,
typically crafted out of wood. A siege engines typically
• W hen you aim a siege weapon, you gain has an AC of 15. and a further penalty based on its size.
advantage on any intelligence checks to aim. Each type of siege engine has its own hit points.

Assembling Siege Engines: Siege engines can be broken
down for storage or transport and can be reassembled on
a ship’s deck. A Large siege engine requires 1 hour and
four workers to assemble. A Huge siege engine requires
2 hours and six workers to assemble. Each assembly

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worker must make a DC 10 Intelligence. If an assembly delivering their payloads of solid shot, scatter shot, or of Ships and Sea
worker fails, he makes no progress towards assembly, even disease-ridden offal to targets on other ships.
but assembly is not set back in any way. Assembly can
be performed with at least half the required number of Indirect Attack: To fire an indirect-fire siege engine, the
workers by doubling the time required. If fewer than crew leader makes an Intelligence check to target with a
half are available, the siege engine cannot be assembled. DC set by the siege engine. A PC commanding the siege
weapon that has proficiency with siege weapons can add
Firing Siege their proficiency bonus on this check. This check uses
Engines the appropriate modifiers from Table: Indirect Attack
Check Modifiers. If the check succeeds, the ammunition
Siege engines hurl massive projectiles in one of two of the indirect attack hits the square the siege engine was
ways: direct fire or indirect fire. Both take a number of aimed at, dealing the indicated damage or effect to any
actions to load or aim, and the basic rules are described object or creature within the area of its attack. Creatures
below. may get a saving throw to limit the effect of the attack;
this is typically based on the type of ammunition used.
Load Ammunition: In order for a siege engine to fire, it
must be loaded with ammunition. Loading ammunition If the attack misses the intended square, roll 1d8 to
takes a number of actions depending on the siege engine. determine in what direction the shot veers. A roll of 1
For example, a heavy ballista loaded by two creatures indicates the ammunition falls short (toward the siege
takes 1 round to load the siege weapon, since the creatures engine), with rolls of 2 through 8 counting squares
each take one of the two necessary actions to do so. clockwise around the target square. Roll 1d4 for every
200 ft. at which the attack was made, rounding up (1d4
Aiming a Siege Engine: Siege engines must be aimed if the target square is within the first 200 ft., 2d4 if the
in order to attack a desired target. Aiming takes a target square is within 400 ft., and so on). The total
number of actions depending on the siege engine. is the number of squares by which the attack misses.
Aiming a siege engine with a diminished crew doubles The ammunition deals its damage and any other effects
the amount of time it takes to aim the siege engine. in the square it lands on.
Each time a new target is chosen as the target of a siege
engine’s attack, that siege engine must be aimed anew. Table 4-5: Indirect Attack Check Modifiers
For example, a light catapult aimed by one creature
would have to spend a turn aiming the catapult in order CONDITION MODIFIER
to fire it on the next round, since a light catapult takes No line of sight to target square –6
an action actions to aim. If the same light catapult were
instead crewed by two creatures, one could spend an Successive shots +2* (crew can see where most
action aiming it and the remaining creature could fire it recent miss landed)
using their own action.
* Cumulative +2 per previous miss (maximum +10)
Direct-Fire Siege Engines: Direct-fire weapons launch
their projectiles on a relatively flat trajectory, allowing Successive shots +1* (crew can’t see where most
them to more easily target creatures or pummel barriers recent missed shot landed, but
directly in front of them. observer is providing feedback)

A direct-fire weapon uses a normal ranged attack roll * Cumulative +1 per previous miss (maximum +5)
based on the siege engine. The crew may take advantage
of any relevant feats or abilities. The crew takes a Successive shots after a hit +10
-2 penalty on the attack roll for each size category
difference between them and the siege weapon. Critical Hits: Siege engines can score critical hits as
However, each crew member beyond the first reduces normal. For the purposes of relevant abilities or feats,
this penalty by 2 as long as they are no more than 3 the character firing the siege engine is the character
sizes smaller. For example, a Huge ballista fired by a who scores the critical hit.
Medium creature that is part of a crew of two (one more
than the minimum number of crew members required) Mishaps and Misfires: Rolling a natural 1 on an attack
takes only a –2 penalty on attack rolls, and a crew of roll with a direct-fire siege engine or a targeting check
three would negate the penalty altogether. made by an indirect-fire siege engine produces a mishap.
Usually a mishap gives disadvantage to attack rolls until
Indirect-Fire Siege Engines: Indirect-fire weapons the siege engine is repaired out of combat for several
launch projectiles in high arcs toward their targets. They hours, with a second mishap rendering it inoperable.
typically lob heavier missiles and payloads than direct-fire
weapons, but they are harder to aim accurately. Indirect- If the creature that serves as crew leader has the Siege
fire weapons can bypass many forms of fortification, Engineer feat, that creature does not generate a mishap
on a natural 1 when firing the siege engine.

Certain siege engines also misfire on a roll of 1.
Misfires usually also happen alongside mishaps (unless
the crew leader has the Siege Engineer feat or other
relevant ability).

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Siege Engine
Qualities
Type: Like weapons, siege engines are classified
The siege engine table is presented in the following format: according to the type of damage they deal: B for

Cost: This value is the siege engine’s cost in gold pieces bludgeoning, P for piercing, or S for slashing. Some
(gp). The cost includes gear needed to work the engine as siege engines deal energy damage. In those cases, the
well as gear for upkeep. Typical ammunition costs and type of energy damage is listed instead.

weights are given in the siege engine descriptions. Crew: This column gives the number of Medium

Damage: This entry gives the damage typically dealt creatures needed to properly operate the siege engine.

by the siege engine. Unlike normal ranged weapons, Aim: This column gives the number of actions
siege engines deal full damage to objects. Siege engines required to aim a siege engine. If the siege engine is being
do not deal sneak attack damage or any other kind of controlled by less than its normal crew complement, the
precision damage.
number of actions it takes for the crew to aim the siege

Range: Any attack made closer than the first range engine is doubled.

number given suffers disadvantage. A siege engine Load: This column gives the number of actions
cannot attack beyond the second range number.
of Ships and Sea required to load a siege engine.

Table 4-6: Siege Weapon Statistics

Ships can mount Large or Huge siege engines; Gargantuan siege engines are included here for the purpose of
shore-based fortifications that might be armed with such weapons to defend against attacks from enemy ships.

Direct Fire Engines

LARGE COST DMG RANGE TYPE1 CREW AIM LOAD SPEED
Cannon 6,000 gp 6d6 100 ft. B and P 2 1 1 10 ft.
HUGE DMG RANGE TYPE1
Ballista, heavy COST 4d10 200/800 ft. CREW AIM LOAD SPEED
Cannon, fiend’s mouth 800 gp 12d10 600/2400 ft. P 3 1 2 0 ft.
Firedrake 9,000 gp 6d6 B and P 4 2 2 0 ft.
GARGANTUAN 4,000 gp DMG – 3 1 2 10 ft.
Ballista, gate breaker COST 6d10 RANGE fire
Firewyrm 1,200 gp 6d6 200/800 ft. TYPE1 CREW AIM LOAD SPEED
6,000 gp 4 1 3 0 ft.
– P 4 1 3 0 ft.
fire

Indirect Fire Engines

LARGE COST DMG RANGE TYPE1 CREW AIM LOAD SPEED
Bombard, light
Catapult, light 6,000 gp 4d10 600/2400 ft. B and P 2 1 1 10 ft.
Trebuchet, light 10 ft.
550 gp 4d10 120/480 ft. B 2 1 1 0 ft.
HUGE
Bombard, standard 800 gp 4d6 200/800 ft. B 2 1 1 SPEED
Catapult, standard
COST DMG RANGE TYPE1 CREW AIM LOAD 0 ft.
Springal, arrow 0 ft.
Springal, rocket 8,000 gp 6d10 600/2400 ft. B and P 3 1 2 0 ft.
Trebuchet, standard 0 ft.
GARGANTUAN 800 gp 6d10 120/480 ft. B 3 1 2 0 ft.
Bombard, heavy
Catapult, heavy 1,000 gp 3d8 150/600 ft. P 3 1 2 SPEED
Trebuchet, heavy
6,000 gp 3d10 150/600 ft. fire 3 1 2 0 ft.
0 ft.
1,000 gp 6d10 200/800 ft. B 3 1 2 0 ft.

COST DMG RANGE TYPE1 CREW AIM LOAD

16,000 gp 8d10 600/2400 ft. B and P 4 1 3

1,000 gp 8d10 120/480 ft. B 4 1 3

1,500 gp 8d10 200/800 ft. B 4 1 3

1 A weapon with two types of damage is both types (split evenly) if the entry specifies “and.”

Other DMG RANGE TYPE CREW AIM LOAD
100 gp — — — 1 1
COST

Corvus

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Siege Weapon GATEBREAKER BALLISTA of Ships and Sea
Descriptions Gargantuan object
Armor Class: 15
The following siege engines are available for use on Hit Points: 125
board ships and in shore fortifications where their Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
defenders may return fire to ships attacking them from Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 200/800
the water. Bombards, cannon, and rocket springals are
gunpowder weapons, and so their availability depends ft., one target. Hit: 33 (6d10) piercing damage.
on whether the campaign features firearms and similar
gunpowder technology. In a more purely medieval-style This massive ballista fires specially weighted quarrels with
campaign, such weapons might be unknown, or might blunt metal tips. These are used as long-range battering
be an exclusive secret held by a far-off island nation or rams, shot at walls or the gates of castles. It requires three
a society of mad tinkers. actions to load, one action to aim, and one action to fire.

Ballista Bombard

A ballista resembles a massive crossbow, and its power Resembling either large cauldrons or more traditional
is provided by twisted skeins of animal sinew used as cannons, these firearms lob their ammunition in an arc
torsion springs driving a pair of adjustable arms. A cord in order to deliver their deadly payloads over troops or
attached to both arms is winched back and a projectile castle walls. Bombards are normally fired indirectly but
is loaded into a grooved slider for release. Ballistae are also can be fired as direct-fire siege engines. When they
direct-fire siege engines. are used for direct fire, they disadvantage on attack rolls
and have their range halved. Bombards have a misfire
HEAVY BALLISTA chance.
Huge object
Armor Class: 15 LIGHT BOMBARD
Hit Points: 75 Large object
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic Armor Class: 15
Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 200/800 Hit Points: 50
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10) piercing damage. Bombard Ball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,

These Huge siege engines are commonly used as castle range 600/2400 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10)
defenses, as well as on large warships. It requires two bludgeoning damage.
actions to load, one action to aim, and one action to fire.
These bombards resemble cauldrons attached to swivels.
They often are mounted into the ground or into the stone
of castle walls because of the mighty power of their recoil.
They require one action to load, one action to aim, and one
action to fire. Aiming requires a DC 9 Intelligence check. On
a natural roll of 1, the bombard misfires and must be cleared
(2 actions) before being reloaded.

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STANDARD BOMBARD FIEND’S MOUTH CANNON
Huge object Gargantuan object
Armor Class: 15 Armor Class: 19
Hit Points: 75 Hit Points: 125
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Bombard Ball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, Cannon Ball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range

range 600/2400 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (6d10) 600/2400 ft., one target. Hit: 66 (12d10) bludgeoning
bludgeoning damage. damage.

These bombards feature the greatest diversity of forms. These massive cannons are usually crafted in multiple
Many take the cauldron shape of the light bombard, but pieces, and sometimes feature the heads of demons, devils,
they may also take the forms of more traditional cannons, or other fiends at their mouths. Like normal canons, they
albeit featuring stabilizing mechanisms that allow them propel their projectiles with great force. A fiend’s mouth
to fire at a much steeper incline. They require two actions cannon has a misfire chance. Fiend’s mouth cannon balls
to load, one action to aim, and one action to fire. Aiming cost 45 gp and weigh 30 pounds each.
requires a DC 12 Intelligence check. On a natural roll of 1,
the bombard misfires and must be cleared (2 actions) before Catapults
being reloaded.
Catapults are stone-throwing siege engines powered
of Ships and Sea by winched arms that run through torsion skeins and
hold their payload in a cup that swings up and over the
weapon when released. Catapults can hurl a variety of
different types of ammunition (the damage given is for
stone projectiles; other types of ammunition can be
found in the Special Siege Engine Ammunition section,
below). Catapults are indirect-fire siege engines.

HEAVY BOMBARD LIGHT CATAPULT
Gargantuan object Large object
Armor Class: 15 Armor Class: 15
Hit Points: 125 Hit Points: 50
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Bombard Ball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to Catapult Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to

hit, range 600/2400 ft., one target. Hit: 44 (8d10) hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10)
bludgeoning damage. bludgeoning damage.

These massive siege engines are often fixed to positions These catapults are Large and often mounted on wheels.
on high hilltops or atop massive keeps, raining death The targeting DC of a light catapult is 9. Light catapult
down on a valley or strait. Often these firearms come in stones cost 10 gp and weigh 50 pounds each.
two pieces connected by a screw mechanism. The bombard
is unscrewed to be loaded, and then the main part of the STANDARD CATAPULT
muzzle is screwed back on to the barrel section in order to Huge object
be fired. Heavy bombards are too large and powerful to Armor Class: 15
mount on vehicles. They require three actions to load, one Hit Points: 75
action to aim, and one action to fire. Aiming requires a DC Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
15 Intelligence check. On a natural roll of 1, the bombard Catapult Ball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to
misfires and must be cleared (2 actions) before being
reloaded. hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (6d10)
bludgeoning damage.
Cannon
These Huge catapults are too large to be transported in one
Cannons are crafted of metal—some are cast in one piece and require assembly. Standard catapult stones cost
piece, others welded with iron bands—and mounted 15 gp and weigh 75 pounds each. They require two actions
either in the ground or on wooden frames. Cannons use to load, one action to aim, and one action to fire. Aiming
black powder to propel their projectiles with great force. requires a DC 12 Intelligence check.

HEAVY CATAPULT
Gargantuan object
Armor Class: 15
Hit Points: 125
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Catapult Ball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to

hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 44 (8d10)
bludgeoning damage.

These Gargantuan catapults are too large to be transported
in one piece and require assembly. Heavy catapult stones
cost 25 gp and weigh 100 pounds each. They require two
actions to load, one action to aim, and one action to fire.
Aiming requires a DC 15 Intelligence check.

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Corvus Springal of Ships and Sea

A corvus is a boarding device that features a hinged A springal uses a torsion-cranked composite paddle to
counterweight system for mounting a bridge vertically strike a firing rack containing multiple arrows, which
on the side of a ship, with a hooked end to grab onto a rain down in an arc over a burst area. Springals are
target ship. A corvus is usually 10 feet wide and 15 feet indirect-fire siege engines that affect the targeted square
long. It has a damage threshold of 5 and 10 hit points and a 15-foot radius around that square.
per square. Using a corvus requires a DC 10 Intelligence
check as an action, provided the corvus is in the correct ARROW SPRINGAL
position, which is within the length of the corvus and Huge object
adjacent to another ship. If the check fails, the corvus Armor Class: 15
fails to catch on the target and must be reset (an action). Hit Points: 75
Once a corvus is attached, it takes a Strength check as Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
an action to dislodge the corvus. Alternatively, if the Arrows. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range
corvus is attached to a ship, the pilot of either ship
can make a sailing check as an action to dislodge the 150/600 ft., one target and all targets within 15 ft.
corvus (a check that succeeds by 5 or more destroys the Hit: 13 (3d8) piercing damage.
corvus). The base DC for either of these checks is 10,
and the DC increases by 2 for every Small or Medium This springal propels a group of arrows that rains down
creature currently standing on the corvus. If a corvus on the targeted square and in a 15-foot burst around that
is disengaged while creatures are standing on it, those square. One use of arrow springal ammunition costs 20 gp
creatures must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw and weighs 10 pounds.
or fall. Succeeding at the saving throw allows them
to move to the nearest area of safe ground, but such ROCKET SPRINGAL
movement provokes opportunity attacks. A corvus Huge object
cannot be armored. A corvus does not count toward a Armor Class: 15
ship’s maximum number of siege engines. Hit Points: 75
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Firedrake Rockets. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range

These Huge siege engines are often mounted on wheels. 150/600 ft., one target and all targets within 15 ft.
This apparatus fires gouts of Alchemist’s fire in either a Hit: 16 (3d10) fire damage.
60-foot line or a 30-foot cone (siege crew leader’s choice).
Targets in the area take 6d6 points of fire damage (DC This highly volatile springal propels a group of black-powder
13 Dexterity save for half damage); those who fail their rockets that rain down on the targeted square and in a 15-
saves also catch on fire. A firedrake with the broken foot burst around the area. If the rocket springal misfires,
condition that suffers a further mishap explodes, dealing it explodes, dealing its damage in a 20-foot blast around the
its damage to all creatures within a 20-foot-radius burst springal. This explosion destroys the rocket springal. One
(DC 13 Dexterity save for half damage). Firedrakes have use of rocket springal ammunition costs 500 gp and weighs
a damage threshold of 10 and 75 hit points. One use 30 pounds.
of firedrake ammunition costs 200 gp and weighs 20
pounds. Trebuchet

Firewyrm Trebuchets are similar in form to catapults, with the
payload placed into a basket, cup, or sling at the end
This siege engine is a larger version of the firedrake. of a long lever, and a counterweight (often with crew
A firewyrm is too large to be transported to the or animals pulling attached ropes) close to the fulcrum.
battlefield in one piece and must be assembled once The leverage imparted by a trebuchet allows it to hurl
the component parts reach the battlefield. A firewyrm massive missiles. Trebuchets are too bulky to move
fires its gout of flame in either a 120-foot line or a 60- on wheels or vehicles and must be assembled on the
foot cone (crew leader’s choice). Targets in the area take battlefield.
6d6 points of fire damage (DC 18 Dexterity save halves).
Those who fail their saves catch on fire. A firewyrm LIGHT TREBUCHET
with the broken condition that suffers a further mishap Large object
explodes, dealing its damage to all creatures within a Armor Class: 15
30-foot radius (DC 18 Dexterity save halves). Firewyrms Hit Points: 50
have a damage threshold of 10 and 125 hit points. One Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
use of firewyrm ammunition costs 400 gp and weighs Trebuchet Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to
40 pounds.
hit, range 200/800 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10)
bludgeoning damage.

These Large siege engines typically hurl large stones
indirectly at a target (targeting DC 9). A light trebuchet’s
ammunition scatters on contact, dealing full damage to the
target square and half its damage to creatures and objects
within 5 feet of the target square (creatures can make a DC
12 Dexterity save to halve the damage again). One use of
light trebuchet stones costs 15 gp and weighs 60 pounds.

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of Ships and Sea STANDARD TREBUCHET damage to each creature and wooden structure within 5
Huge object feet of the target space, and each creature must make a
Armor Class: 15 DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or catch on fire (wooden
Hit Points: 50 objects automatically catch on fire). Every creature and
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic wooden object within the area between 5 and 30 feet
Trebuchet Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to of the target space must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving
throw or take half the fire damage but does not catch on
hit, range 200/800 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (6d10) fire. On a natural 1 on the attack roll, this ammunition
bludgeoning damage. explodes before it is launched, dealing its damage to
These Huge siege engines typically hurl large stones the siege engine and all nearby creatures and wooden
indirectly at a target (targeting DC 12). A standard objects as if one of the spaces of the siege engine (crew
trebuchet’s ammunition scatters on contact, dealing leader’s choice) were the target square. This alchemical
full damage to the target square and half its damage fire ignores the damage threshold of wooden objects.
to creatures and objects within 5 feet of the target
square (creatures can make a DC 14 Dexterity save to Chain Shot: Made of two small catapult stones chained
halve the damage again). One use of trebuchet stones together, this ammunition can be fired from catapults.
costs 30 gp and weighs 110 pounds. Chain shot is especially good at tearing through sails
and rigging, dealing double its normal damage to
HEAVY TREBUCHET that form of propulsion. It deals normal damage to a
Gargantuan object creature, and if hit, the creature must succeed at a DC 15
Armor Class: 15 Constitution saving throw or be knocked prone. Chain
Hit Points: 125 shot is relatively ineffective against ships themselves,
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic dealing only 2d6 points of damage for a light catapult,
Trebuchet Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to or 4d6 points of damage for a standard catapult.

hit, range 200/800 ft., one target. Hit: 44 (8d10) Liquid Ice: This hard, ceramic canister filled with
bludgeoning damage. alchemical liquid ice can be used as ammunition in
catapults. When it hits its target square, it deals 4d6
These Gargantuan siege engines typically hurl large stones points of cold damage to each creature within 5 feet of
indirectly at a target (targeting DC 15). A heavy trebuchet’s the target space, and each creature must make a DC 15
ammunition scatters on contact, dealing full damage to the Constitution saving throw or become restrained for 1
target square and half its damage to creatures and objects round. Every creature within the area between 5 and 30
within 30 feet of the target square (creatures can make a feet of the target space must make a DC 15 Constitution
DC 16 Dexterity save to halve the damage again). One use of saving throw or take half damage. On a siege engine
heavy trebuchet stones costs 40 gp and weighs 120 pounds. mishap, this ammunition explodes before it is launched,
dealing its damage to all nearby creatures as if one of
Special the spaces of the siege engine (crew leader’s choice)
Siege Engine were the target square.
Ammunition
The following kinds of ammunition can be used in select Plague Bundle: This hard, ceramic canister is filled
types of indirect-fire siege engines. The ammunition with a noxious mass of diseased carrion and offal that
description specifies which types of siege engines can can be used as ammunition for a catapult. It deals only
use the special ammunition. The costs and weights half damage, but every creature hit by it is exposed to
on Table: Special Siege Engine Ammunition are for sewer plague. A GM might allow a plague bundle to
individual uses of special ammunition. inflict other diseases.

Table 4-7: Special Siege Engine Ammunition Smoke Shot: This hard ceramic sphere contains two
alchemical substances separated by a thin barrier,
AMMUNITION COST WEIGHT much like a smoke pellet in larger form. It can be used
Alchemist’s fire as ammunition in catapults. When smoke shot hits the
200 gp 10 lbs. target space, it deals 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage
Chain shot 50 gp 30 lbs. to any creature in that space, and the substances mingle
Liquid ice 400 gp 20 lbs. and then create an area of foul but harmless yellow
Plague bundle 80 gp 20 lbs. smoke radiating 30 feet from the target square. Treat the
Smoke shot 250 gp 20 lbs. effect as a fog cloud spell. On a natural 1 on the attack
roll, the ammunition explodes before it is launched.
Alchemist’s Fire: This is either a hard, ceramic container Its effect is centered on one of the spaces of the siege
of alchemist’s fire that can be used as ammunition in engine (crew leader’s choice).
catapults, or a ceramic bulb of alchemist’s fire mounted
on the tip of a ballista bolt to be fired from ballistae.
When it hits its target square, it deals 4d6 points of fire

179

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Shore Bombardment
and actions to open or close a Large gate (up to three
While most of the rules for siege engines given above creatures can work together to close a Large gate as a of Ships and Sea
are intended to facilitate ship-to-ship combat, ships move and an action), and larger gates typically take at
armed with siege engines also can attack fortifications least a minute to close or open.
or buildings on land, pounding them to rubble and
demoralizing their defenders to the point of surrender. Gates can be magically treated. Doing so doubles the
The following rules give the statistics for various hardness and hit points. Magically treating a gate costs
buildings and barriers that are often the targets of siege 2,000 gp for a Large gate, 4,000 gp for a Huge gate,
engine attacks. They are split up into three different 8,000 gp for a Gargantuan gate, and 16,000 gp for a
categories: buildings, gates, and walls. Colossal gate. A spellcaster with the Craft Magic Arms
and Armor feat can magically treat gates.
When any of these structures reach 50% hp, their
damage threshold is halved. Gates can be attacked and damaged, or they can
become broken as a result of ramming. When a gate
Buildings reaches 50% hp, it is effectively breached, and can be
Buildings are sizable structures with many hit points. moved through as if it were an opening one size smaller.
When a building is reduced to half its hit points, it The gate’s damage threshold is subtracted from damage
is broken—it still stands, but only partially. It can be dealt by any attack (minimum 0).
easily entered, and for all intents and purposes it has
been breached. Reducing a building to 0 hit points Table 4-9: Gates Hit Points
completely destroys that building. Creatures inside the
building suffer the effects of a cave-in. THRES- HIT POINTS
HOLD LARGE
All these building statistics assume that the MATERIAL AC HUGE GARGAN-
structure’s inside is somewhat hollow but sturdily built, TUAN
with enough space for its occupants to walk around
inside. Flimsy buildings have half the hit points of the Wood 5 60 135 240
buildings detailed in Table: Buildings. Buildings can
be magically treated, like dungeon walls and doors Stone 8 100 225 400
can. Doing so doubles their hardness and hit points.
Magically treating a building costs 5,000 gp for a Large Iron or steel 24 10 200 500 800
building, 10,000 gp for a Huge building, 20,000 gp for
a Gargantuan building, and 40,000 gp for a Colossal Adamantine 48 20 280 630 1,120
building.
Walls
For larger buildings, put together multiple buildings of The walls that guard castles and cities are sturdy
these sizes and add the hit points together. The damage fortifications, usually constructed in a series of 5-foot
threshold is subtracted from the damage dealt by any squares. A square of wall has an AC of 5, and damage
attack (minimum 0). threshold and hit points equal to its type.

Table 4-8: Buildings Squares of walls can be magically treated. Doing so
doubles the damage threshold and hit points. Magically
THRES- HIT POINTS treating wall squares costs 500 gp per wall square.
HOLD
MATERIAL AC LARGE HUGE GARGAN- Destroying a section of wall allows it to become
TUAN breached. When a square of wall is breached, any
sections directly above it fall onto the missing section
Wood 15 5 120 270 960 of walls. Doing this reduces the falling wall section
8 to half its current hit point total –1. A wall’s damage
Stone 17 10 200 450 1,600 threshold is subtracted from damage dealt by any attack
20 (minimum 0).
Iron or steel 19 400 900 3.200
Table 4-10: Walls

Adamantine 23 560 1,260 4,480 MATERIAL DAMAGE HIT POINTS PER
THRESHOLD 5-FOOT SQUARE
Gates Wood
Gates serve as the entrances and exits to fortified Stone 5 30
structures and are typically the weakest spots in any Iron or steel 8 45
fortification’s defenses. Gates are at least Large but can Adamantine 10 90
be as large as Colossal. It typically takes three moves 20 120

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Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)

of Ships and Sea Animate Objects: A ship under the control of a pilot
cannot be animated with this spell without the pilot’s
Spell consent. An animated ship moves as the caster directs.
Effects It needs no crew other than the caster, who is considered
in Naval the ship’s pilot. An animated ship’s statistics, such as its
Combat hit points, do not change.

Creatures can attack ships with spells. Ships are objects, Black Tentacles: This spell can be cast on the surface
so spells that can only target creatures have no effect on of the water or on a ship’s deck. The tentacles do not
ships. However, because a ship is actively crewed and attack ships.
piloted, it can make saving throws against spell effects.
Ships are immune to most spells that require a mental Blade Barrier, Cloudkill, Fog Cloud, Pyrotechnics,
(Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) save. A ship without Stinking Cloud, Storm of Vengeance: The effects created
a crew is considered an unattended object and cannot by these spells do not move with a ship.
make saving throws.
Call Lightning, Chain Lightning, Lightning Bolt,
The effects of most spells on ships can be determined Scorching Ray, Storm of Vengeance: These spells do not
normally. However, certain spells have different effects start fires on a ship.
in naval combat. The effects of these spells are detailed
on the following page. GMs can use these examples as Control Water: A ship cannot leave the area affected
guidelines for determining how other spells not listed by this spell and must take the “uncontrolled” action for
here affect ships. For the most part, these effects only the duration of the spell.
apply during ship-to-ship combat, not during normal
combat aboard a ship, though some affects (such as Control Winds: The area of winds created by this spell
starting fires), could still apply, at the GM’s discretion. does not move with a ship.

Delayed Blast Fireball, Fireball, Flame Arrows, Flame
Blade, Flaming Sphere, Meteor Swarm, Produce Flame:
These spells can start fires on a ship.

Dimension Door, Teleport: Because ships are constantly
in motion, the caster of teleportation spells must have
line of sight to teleport onto a ship. Otherwise, a caster
must scry upon a particular ship first, then immediately
teleport to the scryed destination. Any delay in casting
means the ship has moved from its scryed location and
the spell fails.

Disintegrate: This spell deals normal damage to a ship
or fortification and ignores the damage threshold of the
target.

Earthquake: This spell has no effect in the deep
waters of the ocean.

Fabricate: The materials created by this spell can be
used to repair a ship.

Fire Storm, Flame Strike: These spells do not start
fires on a ship unless the ship rolls a natural 1 on its
saving throw against fire damage.

Forcecage, Wall of Force: The effects of these spells
move with a ship if they are anchored to it. Otherwise,
they do not move with a ship, and a ship running into
them makes a ramming maneuver.

Gaseous Form: A creature in gaseous form does not
move with a ship.

Globe of Invulnerability, Tiny Hut, Wall of Ice, Wall
of Thorns: The effects created by these spells move with
a ship.

Magnificent Mansion, Rope Trick: The entrances to
the extradimensional spaces created by these spells do
not move with a ship.

Magic Weapon: These spells also affect siege engines
and siege engine ammunition.

181

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Mirage Arcana: Ships are considered structures for streamlining the collection of riches, this system also of Ships and Sea
the purposes of this spell. allows characters to pay off crew members and spread
their wealth with more appealing dispensations of loot
Ice Storm, Sleet Storm: The sleet, snow, and ice created than whatever was aboard the last merchant ship or
by these spells do not move with a ship, but the deck is royal treasury they robbed.
considered icy. These spells also allow a ship to make an
additional saving throw to extinguish fires. It is largely up to you to decide what cargo your
characters receive when they capture a ship, conquer an
Incendiary Cloud: The cloud created by this spell does enemy’s hideout, or find a significant treasure, there’s
not move with a ship, but the caster can concentrate to the potential for a portion of that wealth to translate into
move the cloud along with a ship. This spell can start plunder. In this sense, cargo and plunder are basically
fires on a ship. synonymous and interchangeable terms. When you
buy it for yourself, it’s cargo; when you take it from
Passwall: A ship can make a Constitution save to someone else, it’s plunder. In either case, it means more
negate the effects of this spell. A ship affected by this than five wicker baskets, a barrel of pickled herring,
spell gains the sinking condition, but the ship is restored three short swords, and chest full of fine clothing; it’s a
to its normal condition when the spell ends (though a generalization of a much larger assortment of valuable
sunken ship remains sunk). but generally trade-focused goods, helping to avoid
bookkeeping on lists of random goods. A cargo ship
Prismatic Spray, Prismatic Wall: These spells do not carrying construction timber, dyed linens, crates of
start fires on a ship unless the ship passes through the sugar, animal furs, and various other goods is a ship
spell effect and rolls a natural 1 on its saving throw full of cargo. Plundering this cargo is not meant to serve
against fire damage. A prismatic wall moves with a ship as a replacement for more standard forms of treasure,
if it is anchored to the ship. Otherwise, it does not move such as potions or magical items. It is meant to serve as
with a ship. a useful shorthand for what varied mundane treasures
are discovered and can be sold for values in gold.
Reverse Gravity: A ship must fit entirely within the
spell’s area to be affected by this spell, though creatures Buying and Selling Cargo. A unit of cargo is large
and objects on a ship’s deck are affected normally. If an and bulky, but its exact size and weight can vary
entire ship is affected and falls back down more than according to its contents. A good rule of thumb is about
50 feet, the pilot must succeed at a DC 20 sailing check one heavy wagonload of goods constitutes one unit of
when the ship lands or it gains the sinking condition. cargo. One typical unit of cargo is worth 500 gp. The
characters must spend 1 day for each point of cargo they
Sunbeam, Sunburst: These spells deal only half want to buy or plunder they want to sell and convert
damage to ships. into its gold piece value. It is up to you to decide the
maximum amount of cargo that can be bought or sold at
Wall of Fire: A wall of fire cast on the deck of a any given settlement. A hamlet in the mountains might
ship moves with the ship and can start on-board fires. not have the resources to buy 5 units of cargo from the
Otherwise, the wall does not move with the ship, and characters. Likewise, that same hamlet might not be
does not start on-board fires. able to sell the characters more than 1 or 2 units of cargo
in the form of animal furs or lumber.
Whirlwind: Most ships are too large to be affected by
this spell, but loose objects and creatures on the ship’s
deck may still be affected.

Wind Wall: The effects of this spell move with a ship
if it is anchored to the ship.

Cargo and
Plunder
Ships are large vehicles and besides their crew can
carry large amounts of valuable cargo, but there’s a
difference between the value of that cargo and a simple
cache of gold pieces. Typically, there are trade goods,
foodstuffs, spices, and valuables of a more mundane
sort. Such takes can fetch significant prices, but when
capturing a ship and seizing its cargo characters may
be more interested in looting than the specifics of what
they loot, so assigning an abstract value to this plunder
provides a way for parties to track their plunder without
getting bogged down by lists of commonplace cargo
and their values down to the copper piece. Aside from

182

Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)

of Ships and Sea Crews and Plunder. If your PCs are engaged in piracy Base Save: The ship’s base saving throw modifier.
or privateering, pirate crews can be paid in shares of All of the ship’s saving throws have the same value. To
the ship’s plunder, rather than a daily wage of coin. To determine a ship’s actual saving throw modifiers, add
simplify the bookkeeping of wages for an entire crew, half the pilot’s sailing skill modifier (or half the pilot’s
characters should deduct 1 plunder from their total each Wisdom modifier) to the ship’s base saving throw. A
time they sell cargo to represent the shares of plunder ship is immune to most effects that require a mental
paid out to the crew. It is up to you to decide how a (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) saving throw
crew reacts if the characters decide not to pay them (though pilots, crew members, and passengers typically
plunder on a regular basis. Plunder can also be used as are not).
a simplified way to pay members of an organization in
campaigns that are not nautical, at your discretion. Maximum Speed: This is the fastest that a ship
can move. When a ship has more than one means of
Ship propulsion, it may also have more than one maximum
Statistics speed. If a ship has sails, it can move at double its
maximum wind propulsion speed when it moves in the
A vast variety of boats and ships exist in the real direction of the wind.
world, from small rafts and longboats to intimidating
galleons and swift galleys. To represent the numerous Acceleration: This is how fast a ship can increase
distinctions of shape and size that exist between water- its speed each round. It also determines the maximum
going vessels, the following stat blocks categorize amount a ship can safely decelerate each round.
several standard ship sizes and their respective
statistics, including all water vehicles that characters Ramming Damage: The base damage dealt by the
can purchase. GMs can use or alter the statistics below ship on a successful ramming attack (without a ram).
to create new ships for specific cultures or races to suit
the needs of their individual campaigns. All ships have Propulsion: The types of propulsion used by the ship.
the following traits.
Sailing Check: The skills typically used to make a
Name: The name or type of the ship. sailing check with this type of ship.

Size and Type: The size and type of the ship. Control Device: The typical control device the pilot
uses to steer the ship.
Squares: The number of 30-foot squares the ship
takes up on the battle mat, followed by the ship’s actual Means of Propulsion: The actual means and amount
dimensions. A ship’s width is always considered to be of propulsion used to move the ship.
one square.
Crew: This is the minimum number of crew members
Cost: The ship’s cost in gp. Sometimes the description needed to move the ship, in addition to the pilot. If a
or the weapons section provides possible modifications ship uses muscle propulsion, the number and size of
for the ships. These are not included in the cost of the creatures providing the propulsion are listed here as
ship, nor are additions like rams or siege engines. well. Any crew required to operate a ship’s siege engines
is in addition to this number.
AC and Damage threshold: The ship’s base Armor
Class and damage threshold, based on its size, defenses, Decks: The usual number of decks on a ship and any
and its construction material (hardness 5 for most important information about those decks is given in
wooden ships). To calculate the ship’s actual AC, add this section.
the current pilot’s sailing skill modifier (or Wisdom
modifier, if she is using that ability to drive the ship) Cargo/Passengers: The amount of cargo (in tons)
to the ship’s base AC. If the ship is not in motion, it has a ship can hold, as well as the number of non-crew
an effective Dexterity of 0 (–5 penalty to AC), and an passengers it can carry. If using the abstract Cargo and
additional –2 penalty to its AC. Plunder rules above, one unit of typical cargo weighs
one ton.
hp: The ship’s total hit points. At 0 or fewer hit points,
a ship gains the sinking condition. A ship that sinks Galley
completely is considered destroyed. Ships do not have
ability scores and are immune to ability score damage Colossal ship
or drain. They are also immune to bleed damage. Unlike Squares 4 (20 ft. by 130 ft.)
other objects, ships do not take half damage from Cost 30,000 gp
energy attacks, but do take half damage from all ranged
weapons except siege engines. This line also lists the DEFENSE
total hit points for the ship’s oars and sails, if any. AC 2; Damage threshold 5
hp 1,560 (oars 1,400, sails 320)
183 Base Save +8

OFFENSE
Maximum Speed 60 ft. (muscle), 60 ft. (wind), or 120

ft. (muscle and wind); Acceleration 30 ft.
Ramming Damage 8d8

STATISTICS
Propulsion muscle, wind, or current

Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)

Sailing Check Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) STATISTICS of Ships and Sea
(when using muscle); Intelligence using ship’s helm Propulsion wind or current
(when using wind or current) Sailing Check Intelligence using ship’s helm
Control Device tiller
Control Device tiller Means of Propulsion 90 squares of sails (three masts)
Means of Propulsion 140 oars, 80 squares of sails (two Crew 10
Decks 2
masts) Cargo/Passengers 100 tons/100 passengers
Crew 200 (60+140 Medium rowers)
Decks 3 This flat-bottomed sailing ship has two or three masts
Cargo/Passengers 150 tons/250 passengers with junk-rigged sails, allowing it to be easily sailed by
a small crew. Junks typically have a high poop deck and
One of the largest sailing ships on the sea, a galley has 70 oars a flat bottom with no keel, and so rely on daggerboards,
on either side. A galley can be any large ship that primarily leeboards, or large rudders for stability. A junk’s hull is
relies on oars for propulsion, but also contains one to three divided into several watertight compartments, like a stalk
masts with sails. Galleys typically stick close to the coast, as of bamboo, which strengthen the hull and slow flooding.
long ocean voyages are risky in such vessels. This stat block Junks are capable of ocean travel and have a waterborne
can be used to represent a variety of historical galleys, from speed of 2 miles per hour or 48 miles per day.
biremes and triremes to galliots and dromonds.
Weapons: Up to 12 Large direct-fire or indirect-fire siege
Weapons: Up to 40 Large direct-fire siege engines in banks engines in banks of six positioned on the port and starboard
of 20 positioned on the port and starboard sides of the ship, sides of the ship, or up to four Huge direct-fire siege engines
or up to 12 Huge direct-fire siege engines in banks of six in banks of two on the port and starboard sides of the ship.
on the port and starboard sides of the ship. These siege These siege engines may only fire out the sides of the ship
engines may only fire out the sides of the ship that they are that they are positioned on and cannot fire toward the
positioned on and cannot fire toward. the forward or aft forward or aft sides of the ship. In addition, up to two Large
sides of the ship. These siege engines cannot be used while direct-fire or indirect-fire siege engines may be positioned
the galley is being rowed. one each on the forward and aft sides of the ship (one Huge
direct-fire or indirect-fire siege engine may be positioned
For an additional 8,000 gp, a galley can be fitted with a ram on the aft side of the ship instead, but the forward side can
and castles with firing platforms fore, aft, and amidships. only fit a Large siege weapon). These siege engines can be
Each of these firing platforms can hold a single Large or swiveled to fire out either side of the ship, or either forward
Huge direct-fire or indirect-fire siege engine. Siege engines or aft, depending on their position.
on the fore and aft firing platforms can be swiveled to fire
out the sides of the ship or either forward or aft, depending
on their position. A siege engine on the amidships can be
swiveled to fire out either side of the ship.

Junk Keelboat 184

Colossal ship Gargantuan ship
Squares 3 (20 ft. by 75 ft.) Squares 2 (15 ft. by 50 ft.)
Cost 15,000 gp Cost 3,000 gp
DEFENSE
AC 2; Damage threshold 5 DEFENSE
hp 900 (sails 360)
Base Save +6 AC 6; Damage threshold 5
OFFENSE hp 600 (oars 80, sails 80)
Maximum Speed 90 ft. (wind); Acceleration 30 ft. Base Save +4
Ramming Damage 8d8
OFFENSE
Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)
Maximum Speed 30 ft. (muscle), 30 ft. (wind), or 60 ft.
(muscle and wind); Acceleration 30 ft.

Ramming Damage 4d8

of Ships and Sea STATISTICS Raft

Propulsion muscle, wind, or current Large ship
Sailing Check Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) Squares 1 (10 ft. by 10 ft.)
Cost —
(when using muscle); Intelligence using ship’s helm
(when using wind or current) DEFENSE
Control Device tiller AC 9; Damage threshold 5
Means of Propulsion 8 oars, 20 squares of sails (one hp 30 (oars 20)
mast) Base Save +0
Crew 15 (7+8 Medium rowers)
Decks 1 OFFENSE
Cargo/Passengers 50 tons/100 passengers Maximum Speed 30 ft. (muscle); Acceleration 30 ft.
Ramming Damage 1d8
This flat-bottomed ship has a few oars to supplement its
single mast with a square sail. It can make both sea and river STATISTICS
voyages. Keelboats are designed to carry cargo, rather than Propulsion muscle or current
for fighting. Types of keelboats include the cog, hoy, hulk, Sailing Check Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation)
karve, and knarr.
(when using muscle); Intelligence using ship’s helm
Weapons: One Large direct-fire or indirect-fire siege engine (when using wind or current)
positioned on the forward or aft side of the ship. This siege Control Device oars
engine can be swiveled to fire out either side of the ship, or Means of Propulsion 2 oars
either forward or aft, depending on its position. Crew 1 (the pilot, who is also a rower, plus up to 3
additional Medium rowers)
Longship Decks 1
Cargo/Passengers 1,000 pounds/up to 3 passengers (a
Colossal ship raft can carry a total of 4 Medium creatures, either
Squares 3 (15 ft. by 75 ft.) as crew or passengers)
Cost 10,000 gp
The most basic and primitive type of ship, a raft is a simple,
DEFENSE flat boat with no hull, often made oflogs lashed together,
AC 2; Damage threshold 5 using two to four oars for propulsion. Rafts are not designed
hp 675 (oars 400, sails 120) for ocean travel. A raft cannot carry any siege engines.
Base Save +5
Rowboat
OFFENSE
Maximum Speed 30 ft. (muscle), 60 ft. (wind), or 90 ft. Large ship
Squares 1 (5 ft. by 10 ft.)
(muscle and wind); Acceleration 30 ft. Cost 50 gp
Ramming Damage 8d8
DEFENSE
STATISTICS AC 9; Damage threshold 5
Propulsion muscle, wind, or current hp 60 (oars 20)
Sailing Check Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) Base Save +1

(when using muscle); Intelligence using ship’s helm OFFENSE
(when using wind or current) Maximum Speed 30 ft. (muscle); Acceleration 30 ft.
Control Device tiller Ramming Damage 1d8
Means of Propulsion 40 oars, 30 squares of sails (one
mast) STATISTICS
Crew 50 (10+40 Medium rowers) Propulsion muscle or current
Decks 1 (with small cargo area under the deck) Sailing Check Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation)
Cargo/Passengers 50 tons/100 passengers
(when using muscle); Intelligence using ship’s helm
This long and relatively narrow boat has a single mast with (when using wind or current)
a square sail and 40 oars. It can traverse lakes, oceans, and Control Device oars
deep rivers. This stat block can be used to represent Norse Means of Propulsion 2 to 4 oars
longships such as the karvi, snekkja, and skei, as well as the Crew 1 (the pilot, who is also a rower, plus up to 1
balinger and birlinn. additional Medium rower)
Decks 1
Weapons: Up to two Large direct-fire or indirect-fire siege Cargo/Passengers 1,000 pounds/up to 3 passengers
engines positioned one each on the forward and aft sides (a rowboat can carry a total of 4 Medium creatures,
of the ship. These siege engines can be swiveled to fire out either as crew or passengers)
either side of the ship, or either forward or aft, depending
on their position. This small boat has two to four oars and is primarily used
to ferry a few passengers across small areas of water such
as a harbor, stream, or small lake. Larger ships use rowboats
as tenders or lifeboats. A rowboat cannot carry any siege
engines. This stat block can be used to represent any
of a number small open boats propelled by oars, such as
dinghies, dories, skiffs, and wherries.

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Sailing Ship Ship’s Boat of Ships and Sea

Colossal ship Large ship
Squares 3 (30 ft. by 90 ft.) Squares 1 (10 ft. by 20 ft.)
Cost 10,000 gp Cost 500 gp
DEFENSE
DEFENSE AC 9; Damage threshold 5
AC 2; Damage threshold 5 hp 120 (oars 60, sails 40)
hp 1,620 (sails 360) Base Save +2
Base Save +6 OFFENSE
Maximum Speed 30 ft. (muscle or wind);
OFFENSE
Maximum Speed 90 ft. (wind); Acceleration 30 ft. Acceleration 30 ft.
Ramming Damage 8d8 Ramming Damage 1d8
STATISTICS
STATISTICS Propulsion muscle, wind, or current
Propulsion wind or current Sailing Check Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation)
Sailing Check Intelligence with ship’s helm
Control Device steering wheel (when using muscle); Intelligence using ship’s helm
Means of Propulsion 90 squares of sails (three masts) (when using wind or current)
Crew 20 Control Device oars
Decks 2 or 3 Means of Propulsion 6 oars, 10 squares of sails (one
Cargo/Passengers 150 tons/120 passengers mast)
Crew 4 to 10 Medium rowers
This massive sailing ship has one to four masts (usually Decks 1
two or three) with either square or lateen sails. Often they Cargo/Passengers 2 tons/up to 12 passengers
have raised forecastles and sterncastles. Sailing ships are (depending on size, a ship’s boat can carry up to
primarily used for ocean travel. Most merchant ships, and a total of 16 Medium creatures, either as crew or
many military and pirate vessels are sailing ships of one passengers)
type or another. Sailing ships come in a variety of different Ship’s boats are usually carried on the decks of larger ships
designs, including barques, brigantines, caravels, carracks, to use as tenders to ferry passengers and cargo from ship to
larger cogs, frigates, galleons, schooners, sloops, and shore or between ships. Some ship’s boats are reserved for
xebecs. A sailing ship with four masts and outfitted with the use of officers, while others are used as landing craft or
siege engines is often known as a man-o’-war. to carry boarding parties. An average ship’s boat is 16 to 24
feet long (though the largest ship’s boats can be upward of
Weapons: Up to 20 Large direct-fire siege engines in banks 30 feet long) and has anywhere from four to 10 oars as well
of 10 positioned on the port and starboard sides of the ship, as a single mast with a square or lateen sail. A ship’s boat
or up to six Huge direct-fire siege engines in banks of three has a waterborne speed of 2 miles per hour or 20 miles per
on the port and starboard sides of the ship. These siege day. A ship’s boat cannot carry any siege engines. This stat
engines may only fire out the sides of the ship that they block can be used to represent any of several types of ship’s
are positioned on and cannot fire toward the forward or aft boats, such as cutters, gigs, jolly boats, launches, longboats,
sides of the ship. In addition, up to two Large or one Huge or pinnaces, as well as other small, open boats such as
direct-fire or indirect-fire siege engine may be positioned faerings, sampans, and whaleboats.
on both the forecastle and sterncastle of the ship. These
siege engines can be swiveled to fire out the sides of the Warship
ship or either forward or aft, depending on their position.
Colossal ship
Squares 4 (20 ft. by 100 ft.)
Cost 25,000 gp

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of Ships and Sea DEFENSE deployment, as it does not have cargo space to carry supplies
AC 2; Damage threshold 10 for large numbers of passengers over a long distance. Like
hp 1,200 (oars 600, sails 320) galleys, warships are not designed for sea voyages and tend
Base Save +7 to stick close to the coast. A warship is not used for cargo.
The largest Norse longships, called drekar or drakkar, as well
OFFENSE as very large galleys such as galleasses and lantern galleys,
Maximum Speed 60 ft. (muscle), 30 ft. (wind), or 90 ft. are all considered warships.

(muscle and wind); Acceleration 30 ft. Weapons: Up to 20 Large direct-fire siege engines in banks
Ramming Damage 8d8 of 10 are positioned on the port and starboard sides of the
ship, or up to six Huge direct-fire siege engines in banks
STATISTICS of three on the ship’s port and starboard sides. These siege
Propulsion muscle, wind, or current engines may only fire out the sides of the ship that they
Sailing Check Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) are positioned on and cannot fire toward the forward or aft
sides of the ship. These siege engines cannot be used while
(when using muscle); Intelligence using ship’s helm the warship is being rowed.
(when using wind or current)
Control Device tiller For an additional 8,000 gp, a warship can be fitted with a ram
Means of Propulsion 60 oars, 40 squares of magically and castles with firing platforms fore, aft, and amidships.
treated sails (one mast) Each of these firing platforms can hold a single Large or
Crew 80 (20+60 Medium rowers) Huge direct-fire or indirect-fire siege engine. Siege engines
Decks 2 on the fore and aft firing platforms can be swiveled to fire
Cargo/Passengers 50 tons/160 passengers out the sides of the ship or either forward or aft, depending
on their position. A siege engine on the amidships can be
This ship is crafted of reinforced wood with a single mast swiveled to fire out either side of the ship.
and magically treated sails, although oars can also propel
it. A warship is used for short-distance forays and troop

Ship Modifications

Not all ships are created equally. Players looking for a ship that is faster, tougher, or more agile might consider
adding modifications to their vessels. Each of the following ship improvements must be planned, built, or installed
(as appropriate) by someone an Intelligence check using appropriate artisan’s tools (carpenters for woodwork,
smiths for metalwork and so forth). In order to alter a ship with one of the following modifications, the shipwright
must make a skill check, with the final DC dependent upon the overall complexity of the desired modification. A
failed check means that this particular shipbuilder is unable to install that feature, though 1/2 of the cost of the
feature is nonetheless expended on wasted parts. Another shipwright must be consulted to complete the work, but
the DC for his check is increased by 2 if any previous modifications were made by another shipwright (different
builders have different techniques).

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ISmhpiprovements Requirements: Intelligence DC 9; Cost: 10% of base of Ships and Sea
ship cost
The following ship improvements can be added to
a ship. Figurehead

Additional Crew Quarters Some ships sport fanciful carvings on their bowsprits.

The ship’s sailors have more space to sleep and eat. Benefit: This modification is strictly cosmetic, with
no real impact on game play. Players are encouraged to
Benefit: The ship may support 10% more passengers, design their own custom figureheads, such as dolphins,
but its cargo capacity is decreased by 10%. mermaids, and other such creatures of myth.

Requirements: Intelligence DC 12; Cost: 20% of base Requirements: Intelligence DC 8; Cost: 100–1,000 gp,
ship cost depending on the port and the craftsman

Armor Plating Glass Bottom

Your hull is reinforced so that attacks may bounce The bottom of the ship is inset with wide windows,
right off. permitting those inside to gaze into the ocean.

Benefit: By attaching metal plates to the ship, the Benefit: This has no effect on ship performance, other
hull’s hit points are increased by +15% and its damage than making the ship’s bottom only as strong as thick glass
threshold is increased by +4. This modification reduces
a ship’s cargo capacity by 15%. The armor plating slows Requirements: Intelligence DC 12; Cost: 5% of base
the ship, imposing a –1 penalty on all sailing checks. ship cost
The ship’s tactical speed in ship-to-ship combat is not
affected, but its waterborne speed is reduced by 20%. Increased Cargo Capacity

Requirements: Intelligence DC 18; Cost: 30% of base An efficient remodeling of the ship’s layout means more
ship cost room for the ship’s stores.

Broad Rudder Benefit: The ship’s cargo capacity is increased by 10%.

Your wide rudder makes your ship more maneuverable. Requirements: Intelligence DC 13; Cost: 15% of base
ship cost
Benefit: A wide rudder makes a ship nimbler, granting
a +1 bonus on all sailing checks. Magically Treated Control Device

Requirements: Intelligence DC 8; Cost: 500 gp Your tiller or other control mechanism is resilient and
hard to damage.
Concealed Weapon Port
Benefit: The ship’s steering wheel or tiller is magically
Your ship hides the danger it poses with cleverly treated, doubling its hit points and damage threshold.
disguised weapons. This improvement can only be added by a spellcaster
capable of ritual casting.
Benefit: The ship’s belowdecks area undergoes major
reconstruction in order to house Large direct-fire siege Requirements: Ritual spellcaster, Intelligence DC 15;
engines, such as light ballistae or cannons, if they are in Cost: 1,000 gp
use in the campaign. A concealed weapon port can only
be recognized on a successful DC 15 Perception check. Magically Treated Hull
Each concealed port reduces a ship’s cargo capacity by
5 tons, in addition to the space required by the weapon Your hull is enchanted to be incredibly strong.
itself.
Benefit: The ship’s hull is magically treated, doubling
Requirements: Intelligence DC 8; Cost: 100 gp per the ship’s hit points and damage threshold. This
port (in addition to the cost of the weapons) improvement can only be added by a spellcaster capable
of ritual casting.
Extended Keel
Requirements: Ritual spellcaster, Intelligence DC 18;
The ship’s keel is longer than usual for a vessel of its type. Cost: 4,500 gp per square of ship

Benefit: The ship’s measurements from bow to stern Magically Treated Oars
are 10% longer than normal, though cargo capacity is not
appreciably affected. The ship is more stable and grants Your oars are enchanted to be nearly unbreakable.
a +1 bonus on all sailing checks. This improvement must
be installed at the time of the ship’s construction and Benefit: The ship’s oars are magically treated,
cannot be added later. doubling their hit points and damage threshold.
This improvement can only be added by a spellcaster
capable of ritual casting.

Requirements: Ritual spellcaster, Intelligence DC 8;
Cost: 100 gp per oar

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of Ships and Sea Magically Treated Sails Silk Sails

Your sails are enchanted to be especially durable. Few ship improvements are as beautiful as the addition
of silk sails. These sails can be designed in whatever
Benefit: The ship’s sails are magically treated, doubling color the player desires; they are often embroidered
their hit points and threshold. This improvement can with striking images of the sea. Such sails are usually
only be added by a spellcaster capable of ritual casting. imported from faraway lands. Silk sails give the ship
superior rates of movement, as they capture and displace
Requirements: Ritual spellcaster, Intelligence DC 15; the wind more efficiently.
Cost: 500 gp per 5-foot-square of sails
Benefit: A ship with silk sails gains a +1 bonus on
Movable Deck opposed sailing checks to gain the upper hand. The
ship’s tactical speed in ship-to-ship combat is not
The features of the ship’s decks are designed to be affected, but its waterborne speed is increased by 10%.
moved in order to disguise the ship as an altogether
different vessel. Requirements: Intelligence DC 10; Cost: 15% of base
ship cost
Benefit: After pulling up dozens of kingpins, the
crew can slide the sterncastle forward on hidden rails, Smuggling Compartments
rearrange the position of the masts, extend the gunwales,
lower the poop deck, transfer the ship’s wheel, and The ship’s bulkheads are modified so that gaps between
make other cosmetic changes such as a new figurehead them can serve as hidden cargo storage areas.
and different-colored sails. The secret pins, levers, and
tracks can only be found with a DC 20 Perception check Benefit: This does not change a ship’s cargo capacity.
during a close examination of the ship. A smuggling compartment can hold anything that fits
within a 5-foot cubic space. If you are using the plunder
Requirements: Intelligence DC 18; Cost: 40% of base rules, in general, two smuggling compartments are
ship cost required to hold 1 point of plunder. A DC 20 Perception
check is required to locate smuggling compartments in
Narrow Hull a search of the ship.

The ship has been intentionally designed with a Requirements: Intelligence DC 11; Cost: 500 gp per
slenderer hull, enabling it to slip through smaller spaces. 5-foot-square compartment

Benefit: The ship’s beam (width) is decreased by Sturdy Hull
20%, and cargo capacity is reduced by 10%. However,
the ship gains a +2 bonus on all sailing checks. This The ship’s body has had additional supports and layers
improvement must be installed at the time of the ship’s of wood added to it, making it thicker and more resilient.
construction and cannot be added later.
Benefit: The hull’s damage threshold is increased
Requirements: Intelligence DC 22; Cost: 15% of base by 2, but the ship’s cargo capacity is reduced by 10%.
ship cost
Requirements: Intelligence DC 8; Cost: 10% of base
Ram ship cost

The ship bears a standard ram, usually sheathed in Wooden Plating
bronze or iron, mounted on its bow.
For protection during naval combat, this ship has
Benefit: A ship equipped with a ram deals an received additional wooden planks nailed to its hull.
additional 2d8 points of damage with a ramming
maneuver and ignores the damage for the first square Benefit: The hull’s hit points are increased by 5% and
it enters of a solid object, and all damage from ramming its damage threshold is increased by 2. However, this
creatures or other objects (such as other ships). reduces cargo capacity by 10% as extra room must be
made inside for beams to support the reinforcements.
Requirements: Intelligence DC 8; Cost: 50 gp (Large The ship’s tactical speed in ship-to-ship combat is not
ship), 100 gp (Huge ship), 300 gp (Gargantuan ship), or affected, but its waterborne speed is reduced by 10%.
1,000 gp (Colossal ship)
Requirements: Intelligence DC 15; Cost: 20% of base
Rapid-Deploy Sails ship cost

The ship’s rigging undergoes a wholesale change as
improvements in engineering enable the sails to be
raised and lowered much faster than normal.

Benefit: Any sail adjustments can be made in half the
normal time, granting a +1 bonus on all sailing checks.

Requirements: Intelligence DC 15; Cost: 10% of base
ship cost

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Sample EQUIPMENT
Modified Armaments 6 light ballistae (port and starboard) with
Sailing Ship
200 light ballista bolts; 4 light catapults (fore and aft)
Pirate brig (sailing ship) with 50 light catapult stones and 10 alchemist’s fire
canisters
Colossal ship Modifications ram, rapid-deploy sails, silk sails, 2
Squares 3 (30 ft. by 100 ft.) smuggling compartments
Cost 14,500 gp Cargo 4 units of cargo
Initiative +8
DEFENSE Fleet
AC 16; Damage threshold 5 Battles
hp 1,620 (sails 240) Historically speaking, battles at sea were nearly as
Base Save +13 important as battles on land just because of the outsized of Ships and Sea
OFFENSE importance that control of the waterways has always
Maximum Speed 90 ft. (wind); Acceleration 30 ft. had on commerce, communication, and transport.
Ranged 6 light ballistae +10 (3d8), 4 light catapults +15 Cities and fortifications sprang up around water both
to take advantage of the natural barriers they provide
(4d6) but also to deny free passage to their rivals. Control of
Ramming Damage 10d8 the waters, whether on rivers, lakes, or ocean sea-lanes,
is a critically important element in a holistic view of
STATISTICS warfare.
Propulsion wind or current
Sailing Check Intelligence using ship’s helm Naval engagements are a much closer approximation
Control Device steering wheel in a fantasy RPG to their real-world equivalents, with the
Means of Propulsion 60 squares of sails (two masts) primary anachronisms being the decision of whether to
Decks 3 incorporate gunpowder weapons and how to integrate
Cargo/Passengers 150 tons/120 passengers magical artillery alongside weapons powered by tension
CREW and torsion. More tellingly, of course, naval combat
Captain NE female human rogue 11 requires the integration of traditional ships under oar
Other Crew CN female dwarf bard 5 and sail and the crews and soldiers that inhabit their
First Mate CN male human sorcerer 8 decks with savage sea monsters of every description.
CN male human rogue 2 The presence of water-breathing sentient races and
NE female half-orc barbarian 6 monsters also brings the realities of submarine warfare
N male human rogue 6 into play in an RPG campaign in an analogous way to
45 pirate cutthroats (CE human fighter 6) the elevation of aerial combat through various elevation
levels. A battle at sea may take place primarily at the
Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307) surface, but it may be joined on multiple levels by battles
in the heavens above and the deeps below.

For players and GMs who wish to integrate fleet battles

and naval combat into a broader uniform system for

building and managing kingdoms of their own, building

up their militaries, and engaging in large-scale warfare,

the rules presented in Chapter 3 deal specifically with

naval combat above and below the waves, integrating it

with mass combat on land and in the air and with siege

warfare; however, the rules presented there depend on

the use for the other products in that line. While those

rules are engaging and exciting in their own right, not

all GMs and players want that level of detail. The fleet

rules here occupy a middle space, between fully detailed

military expeditions between rival nations using the

Kingdoms rules and its expansions, but that are larger

than a skirmish between just a few ships, which are

best handled with the ship-to-ship combat rules in the

previous section. If you want to be able to pull together

a short series of fleet battles without a ton of prep time,

these rules are for you. 190

of Ships and Sea Fleet Basics Command Checks: A Command Check is determined
by rolling 1d20 and adding the Command Bonus, plus
A fleet consists of multiple ships organized under a any other relevant modifiers based on flagship boons or
single admiral. A fleet is made up of squadrons, each led other factors determined by the GM.
by a commodore. Each individual ship in a fleet is crewed
by a captain and her crew. For the sake of simplicity, all Fleets
ships in a squadron should be of the same ship type,
such as a longship, junk, sailing ship, or warship. Each A fleet is represented in text as a stat block, as follows:
squadron must have at least one ship, with a maximum
number of ships equal to 3 + the commodore’s Charisma Name: This lists the fleet’s name.
modifier. Likewise, the fleet as a whole must have at
least one squadron and can have a maximum number of XP: This lists the number of experience points earned
squadrons equal to 3 + the admiral’s Charisma modifier. by the PCs for defeating the fleet. Experience point
A character with a Charisma modifier of -3 or worse awards for defeating a fleet should be tailored to match
cannot serve as a commodore or admiral. If using rules a Challenge roughly equal to the party’s average level at
such as Fame or Infamy for PCs in a nautical campaign, the time the battle took place. For particularly tough or
as described in the Pirate Campaign Compendium easy battles, the GM can adjust this award upward or
from Legendary Games, the PCs (or specific NPCs with downward as she sees fit.
a Fame or Infamy score) can use this score divided by 10
plus their chosen admiral’s Charisma modifier. Admiral: This lists the name of the fleet’s admiral,
followed by the admiral’s proficiency bonus for driving
Command Bonus: Many rolls in fleet combat use water vehicles and the fleet’s initiative modifier.
a simple statistic for admirals or commodores called
their Command Bonus, which has a base equal to the Flagship: This lists the name of the fleet’s flagship.
commander’s proficiency bonus (if any) with water
vehicles, or a base of 1 for every 5 Hit Dice or levels if Significant Characters and Boons: This lists the
the commander is not proficient with them. To this base fleet’s significant characters, their location in the fleet,
the command bonus is increased by 1 for each of the and the boons they provide to the fleet.
following that apply: Intelligence modifier +2 or greater,
Wisdom modifier +2 or greater, Charisma modifier +2 Squadrons
or higher, or each background, feat, class feature, or
similar characteristic that is relevant to ships, sailing, or The second half of a fleet stat block lists the fleet’s
the ocean, at the GM’s discretion. individual squadrons. The entries below are repeated
for each of the fleet’s squadrons. Some fleets may
have all unique squadrons (this is likely to be the case
for the PCs’ fleet) while others might simply have

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multiple essentially identical squadrons (as far as game Morale: Every squadron has a morale score ranging of Ships and Sea
statistics go). from 1 to a maximum of 10. When a squadron’s morale
score drops to 0, that squadron mutinies and is lost.
Configuration: This lists the number and type of
ships in the squadron. Morale Check: This check is made during the rout
phase of a fleet battle and requires rolling a d20 and
Commodore: This lists the name of that squadron’s adding the squadron’s morale check modifier. This
commodore, the commodore’s Charisma modifier, and check determines whether a squadron mutinies and is
her proficiency bonus for driving water vehicles. removed from play.

Hits: The amount of damage a squadron can take Round: A round consists of a battle phase and a rout
before all of its ships sink. phase. A single round of mass naval conflict generally
accounts for 10 minutes of open warfare in game time.
Morale: This lists the squadron’s morale score.
Rout Phase: Period after a battle phase when each
Defense Value: This lists the squadron’s Defense squadron must make a morale check to avoid mutiny.
Value (DV)—essentially, the DC of any attack against
the squadron in order to cause significant damage. Ship: A single ship in a fleet, which is commanded by
A squadron’s Defense Value is equal to 10 + the a single captain.
commodore’s command bonus + any miscellaneous
modifiers granted by flagship boons. Significant Character: A PC (in the case of a player
fleet) or a named unique NPC (in the case of a GM-
Attack Value: This lists the squadron’s attack roll controlled fleet) whose presence in a fleet grants
modifier. additional boons and bonuses.

Damage: This lists the damage the squadron deals on Squadron: A number of similar ships commanded by
a successful hit. a single commodore.

Morale Check: This lists the squadron’s morale check Sunken: When a ship sinks, it is removed entirely
modifier. from a fleet. A new ship must be purchased or recruited
to replace it. Survival of any characters on a sunken
Terminology ship is subject to the GM’s discretion and how quickly
and successfully the PCs undertake rescue attempts (in
Listed below are key terms for describing fleet battles. the case of a player fleet).

Admiral: Commander of a single fleet. An admiral Building a
influences a fleet’s morale score and determines the Fleet
fleet’s maximum size.
The point of these rules is not to create multiple small
Battle Phase: Period during which each squadron fleets under PC control, but rather to create one single
attacks the enemy fleet. large fleet—as such, any one party might only ever
control a single fleet at a time in a typical nautical
Captain: Commander of a single ship. or pirate campaign, though if desired you could
create a number of squadrons which might operate
Commodore: Commander of a single squadron. A independently if the campaign demanded it. In this
commodore primarily influences a squadron’s Attack way, the heroes might fight a rival pirate lord’s fleet in
Value and Defense Value. one area of the campaign while their allies fought off
an invading flotilla sent by a hostile nation or merchant
Disabled: A ship that has taken an amount of damage consortium, with those squadrons recombining into a
equal to its hits is disabled. A disabled ship does large fleet or trading squadrons between them for later
not count toward its squadron’s damage rolls or the actions. Generally speaking, though, much as a party
squadron’s number of hits. A ship that takes further of heroes tends to stick together during the course of
damage while it is disabled sinks. an adventure rather than separating and pursuing their
own subplots independently, so too should they stick
Flagship: The ship in a fleet on which that fleet’s together when running fleet battles. Regardless of how
admiral is located. you organize fleets, use the following steps to get the
fleet organized.
Fleet: A number of squadrons that are commanded by
a single admiral. Step 1—Fleet Name, Home Port, and Flagship: The
name the PCs choose for their fleet and the names of
Hits: Every ship in a squadron takes up a certain their home port and the fleet’s flagship have no effect on
number of squares—this number represents the number the fleet’s statistics—these are purely flavor elements.
of times the ship can be damaged during fleet combat
before becoming disabled and is referred to as its hits. 192

As long as the amount of damage a ship has taken does
not equal its number of hits, the damage is automatically
repaired at the end of the fleet battle. A squadron has a
number of hits equal to the sum of its ships’ hits.

Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)

of Ships and Sea Step 2—Select an Admiral: A fleet can have only one and its statistics is listed in its fleet’s stat block under a
admiral. Whether this is a PC or an NPC ally is in large separate subheading.
part irrelevant, but you should explain to the PCs that a
fleet admiral should have a strong mental ability scores Step 1—Name the Squadron: Record the squadron’s
(especially Charisma) and should possess skills, talents, name at the top of the box—this name can be whatever
or knowledge about ships and the sea. Note that non- you want.
admiral PCs can still bolster a fleet by granting flagship
boons (see Step 4). Record the admiral’s name and his or Step 2—Determine the Configuration: Record the
her command bonus on the sheet. number of ships in the squadron, along with the type
of ships in the squadron. Record how many hits each
Step 3—Determine Maximum Squadrons: A single ship contributes to that squadron’s total hits. Ship type
fleet can consist of a maximum number of squadrons determines how many hits each ship contributes. All
equal to the party’s Fame or Infamy score divided by ships in a squadron must be the same type of ship. The
10 (rounded down)—this initial value is increased or types of ships available for use in a fleet are listed in
decreased by the admiral’s Charisma modifier. For NPC the sidebar, including the hits for each ship of that type.
fleets, this maximum is 3 + the admiral’s Charisma
modifier. Step 3—Select Commodore: List the name of the
squadron’s commodore, along with her Charisma
Step 4—Assign Significant Characters: Each fleet modifier and Profession (sailor) skill modifier.
possesses a number of significant characters—either An admiral can never serve as a commodore. If a
PCs (in the case of a player-controlled fleet) or unique, commodore is also a significant character (either a PC
named NPCs (in the case of a GM-controlled fleet). or a significant named NPC), that squadron gains a
Record the names of the significant characters here, as +2 bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and morale
well as their location in the fleet (either on the fleet’s checks. (As a general rule, most NPC fleets should have
flagship, or in a squadron). If a significant character 2–4 significant named NPCs serving as commodores.)
is an admiral, he must be located on the flagship—if
a significant character is a commodore, she must be Step 4—Determine Hits: A squadron’s hits equals
located in the squadron she commands. Finally, each the number of ships in the squadron multiplied by the
significant character grants the fleet a boon—record number of hits each ship contributes. For example,
that significant character’s boon here. See Flagship a squadron of five rafts would have only 5 hits (since
Boons on below for more details. a raft is only a 1-hit ship), whereas a squadron of five
warships would have 20 hits (since a warship is a 4-hit
Step 5—Begin Recruiting Squadrons: Each squadron ship). This number is temporarily reduced by disabled
recruited has its own statistics to go along with it, but ships and permanently reduced by sunken ships.
if the PCs wish to build up their own squadrons from
scratch, they can do that as well (although this is Step 5—Determine Morale: Morale for each squadron
fantastically expensive—it’s generally faster and easier to fluctuates during a battle. A newly created or recruited
recruit existing squadrons of allies or hired mercenaries). squadron has a starting morale score of 3. A typical
NPC fleet’s squadron has a starting morale score of 3
Ship Types points. Inexperienced crews or sailors press-ganged or
enslaved into service might have a lower starting morale
A ship possesses a number of hits equal to the of 2 or even 1, while veteran or elite crews might have
number of squares it takes up based on its size. a morale score of 4 or 5. If a squadron’s morale score is
Those totals are reprinted here for sake of ease in ever reduced to 0, the squadron mutinies and is lost—
determining a squadron’s hits. it cannot be “repaired” in this case and can only be
replaced by a new squadron. A single squadron’s morale
1 Hit per Ship: Raft, rowboat, ship’s boat score can never be higher than 10.

2 Hits per Ship: Keelboat Special: If using the Infamy rules in the Pirate
Campaign Compendium, a newly consigned squadron’s
3 Hits per Ship: Junk, longship, sailing ship morale is equal to the party’s Infamy score divided by
10 (round down), with a minimum morale score of 1 and
4 Hits per Ship: Galley, warshipx a maximum score of 10.

CSqrueaadtirnogna Step 6—Determine Defense Value: A squadron’s
Defense Value (DV) is equal to 10 + the commodore’s
A squadron consists of a number of individual ships, Command Bonus, further increased by some flagship
each commanded by a captain. The squadron (and boons.
its captains) are in turn commanded by a single
commodore. A squadron can have no more ships than Step 7—Determine Attack Value: A squadron’s
its commodore’s Charisma modifier + 3. Each squadron Attack Value is equal to its commodore’s Command
Bonus. This value can be increased by flagship boons or
193 the presence of a significant commodore.

Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)

Step 8—Determine Damage: A squadron deals 1d6 Advanced Tactics: At the start of a battle phase, of Ships and Sea
points of damage to a fleet on a successful attack, plus select a squadron. That squadron gains a +2 bonus to
an additional point of damage per ship in the squadron. its Attack Value. Whenever that squadron deals damage
This damage can be further modified by flagship boons during that battle phase, you can determine which
and the presence of significant commodores. enemy ships take the damage, rather than the damaged
fleet doing so. Requirement: Significant character with
Step 9—Determine Morale Check: A squadron’s a proficiency bonus of at least +5 with water vehicles and
base morale check is equal to its commodore’s Charisma at least 4 of the following: siege weapons, Intelligence
modifier, further modified by flagship boons and the (History), Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Insight),
presence of significant commodores. Each time that Wisdom (Perception), Wisdom (Survival), Charisma
squadron has a ship become disabled, add +1 to its loss (Deception), or Charisma (Intimidation).
count. Each time a squadron has a ship sink, add +1 to
its loss count. Each time an entire squadron is destroyed Defensive Tactics: At the start of a battle phase,
or mutinies, add +1 to each surviving squadron’s loss select a squadron. That squadron gains a +2 bonus to its
count. A squadron’s total morale check is equal to its Defense Value for that battle phase. Requirement: None.
base check minus its loss count. Special: This boon may be taken multiple times. Each
time it is taken, you may add a +2 bonus to a different
SFilgangsifhiicpasnatnd squadron at the start of the battle phase. (This bonus
Characters does not stack if it is placed on the same squadron.)

A flagship is the ship on which the fleet’s admiral is Divine Protection: At the start of a battle phase,
located. A flagship moves around during a fleet battle, select a squadron in the fleet. That squadron takes 1
issuing orders and providing support as needed, but fewer point of damage than it normally would when
does not itself belong to a specific squadron. A flagship attacked by a squadron in the other fleet. Requirement:
cannot be damaged or sunk during a fleet battle and is Significant character with the channel divinity or lay
generally regarded as a prize or trophy of any conflict. on hands class feature. Special: This boon may be taken
See the Victory section for more details on the fate of a multiple times. Each time it is taken, it must be applied
flagship once a fleet battle is resolved. to a different squadron at the start of the battle phase.
(This bonus does not stack if it is placed on the same
A flagship’s primary purpose in a fleet is to grant boons squadron multiple times.)
to the fleet. Boons are advantages granted by the fleet’s
significant characters. For a party-controlled fleet, each Loyalty: Whenever you recruit a new squadron, all
PC counts as a significant character. A GM-controlled squadrons gain a +2 bonus on morale checks (this bonus
fleet’s significant characters are unique NPCs—a GM- does not stack if multiple squadrons are recruited).
controlled fleet generally has four significant characters. Requirement: Significant character with a Charisma
score of 15 or higher.
A fleet gains one boon for each significant character
who travels with the fleet. If the significant character Magical Artillery: All squadrons gain a +1 bonus
associated with a particular boon is not present in the on damage rolls and a +1 bonus on morale checks.
fleet (either because that character was elsewhere at the Requirement: Significant character capable of casting
time of the battle or because that character’s squadron at least one 6th-level spell.
was destroyed), the fleet does not gain that boon.
Overwhelming: The fleet’s maximum number of
Flagship Boons squadrons increases by 1. If this boon is lost, the squadron
with the lowest morale (determined randomly if multiple
Flagship boons must be chosen when the fleet is squadrons have equally low morale) immediately
created, and once chosen, they cannot generally be mutinies. Requirement: Significant character with
changed. Adding a new significant character to the Charisma score of 15 or higher. Special: This boon may
group allows a new boon to be selected, but otherwise, be taken multiple times—its effects stack.
you must decommission the current flagship and
place a new flagship in command of the fleet in order Reckless Maneuver: At the start of a battle phase,
to be able to pick different boons. Decommissioning a select a squadron in the fleet. That squadron gains a +4
flagship in this way deals 1d4 points of damage to each to its Attack Value for that round, but these maneuvers
squadron’s morale score—which can result in the need leave it open to attacks. The selected squadron takes a
to replace squadrons if mutinies result from this morale –2 penalty to its Defense Value until it acts in the next
damage. The available flagship boons are as follows. A battle phase. Requirement: None. Special: This boon
boon cannot be taken more than once for a fleet unless may be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, it
otherwise noted. must be applied to a different squadron at the start
of the battle phase. (This bonus does not stack if it is
placed on the same squadron multiple times.)

Remorseless Advance: At the start of a battle phase,
select a squadron. That squadron gains a +2 bonus on attack
rolls and damage rolls for the duration of that battle phase.

194

Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)

of Ships and Sea Its morale increases by +1 at the start of the battle phase. at the start of each battle phase. Each fleet then takes
Requirement: Significant character with a proficiency turns making attacks with their squadrons. The winner
bonus of +4 or greater with all martial weapons. of the initiative roll gets to make the first attack, using
any one of his squadrons. The other fleet then makes its
Swift Repairs: At the end of a battle phase, roll 1d6. first attack, using any one of its squadrons. Attacks with
You may remove this amount of damage from any squadrons go back and forth during the battle phase
combination of non-sunken ships from any single until all squadrons able to attack have done so—a single
squadron, including disabled ships. Requirement: squadron can only attack once per battle phase. If one
Significant character capable of casting at least one 4th- fleet has more squadrons than the other, the additional
level spell. squadrons attack at the end of the battle phase after the
other fleet has used up all of its attacks for that round.
Swift to Battle: The admiral gains a +4 bonus on
Command Bonus checks made to determine initiative. Attacking: When you attack with a squadron, pick
Requirement: None. Special: This boon may be taken one of the enemy fleet’s squadrons as your target. Roll
multiple times—its effects stack. 1d20 and add that squadron’s attack value. If the result
equals or exceeds the enemy squadron’s Defense Value,
Vengeance: The first time one of the fleet’s ships you deal damage as appropriate for your squadron. If
sinks in a battle phase, all allied squadrons become you miss, you still deal 1d4–1 points of damage (damage
overwhelmed with a need for vengeance and gain a +2 from a miss can never be increased by any other
bonus on attack rolls and morale checks for the rest of effect). This damage is an abstract combination of siege
that battle phase. Requirement: None. weapons, ramming, spellcasting, missile fire, and even
boarding actions against enemy crews.
Running
Fleet Battles Assigning Damage: The damaged fleet normally gets
to assign its damage by marking (either by crossing out
A fleet battle begins as a result of two fleets encountering of by placing a marker such as a die, penny, or some
each other on the high seas. During a mass naval conflict, other counter) the amount of damage on the targeted
players do not draw upon their characters’ abilities— squadron. This damage doesn’t all have to be on the
instead, they use their fleet’s squadrons to make attacks same ship—you can spread it out in any way you wish
against the enemy, with their characters serving as among all of the non-sunken ships in your squadron.
commanders on the ships. A mass naval combat plays
out over the course of multiple rounds, with each round Critical Hits and Fumbles: A natural 20 on an attack
consisting of a battle phase and a rout phase. At the roll always hits and allows you to assign damage to the
start of a combat, place each fleet’s ships on the table enemy as you wish, rather than allowing the defender to
as representations for the attack, using any tokens, allocate it (you do not deal double damage with a critical
miniature ships, or other similar markers you wish. For hit, though). A natural 1 always misses entirely (and
each squadron, place a number of appropriately sized results in no damage at all to the enemy fleet). Every
ship counters on the table so that they are adjacent to time a squadron scores a critical hit, its morale score
each other. For ease of reference, you can use a card (of increases by 1; each time it rolls a fumble, its morale
any kind) to indicate each squadron, with a number of score decreases by 1.
counters on that card equal to the number of ships in the
squadron. Alternately, a square of graph paper with the Effects of Damage: Each point of damage reduces a
name of the squadron at its top and a number of rows squadron’s total hits. When a particular ship takes an
marked to indicate the ships in the squadron, so that amount of damage equal to its hits, it becomes disabled.
squares of the graph paper or tally marks can be used to A disabled ship does not count toward its squadron’s
indicate damage to the ships in battle (see below). Actual damage rolls when it attacks, and it increases that
placement on the table is irrelevant as the placement of squadron’s loss count by +1. A ship that takes damage
ships in the battle is purely abstract using these rules. The while it is disabled sinks and is removed entirely from
allocation of damage represents the ships maneuvering the fleet, increasing that squadron’s loss count by an
and shifting position during the battle. additional +1.

Battle Phase Losing a Squadron: Each time you lose an entire
squadron (as a result of either damage or mutiny),
At the start of a battle phase, each fleet’s admiral makes increase the loss count for each surviving squadron
a Command check to determine initiative. The admiral by +1.
whose result is higher gains the upper hand in that
battle phase, which grants all of his squadrons a +1 Abandoning Ship: For simplicity’s sake, you can
bonus on attack rolls. This Command check is repeated assume that a commodore’s ship is the last to sink in
any squadron. Note that not all characters on a sinking
195 ship automatically perish. Typically, a ship sinks slowly
enough that officers and crew can abandon ship, and
there’s usually ship’s boats and other pieces of wreckage
to grab onto. Once a battle is over, you can assume that
any significant characters who were on a sinking ship

Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)

survive, either by escaping in a boat, by clinging to
flotsam, or by fleeing via magical means. The ultimate
fate of a significant character on a sunken ship depends
more on the results of the actual battle itself. If the
imperiled character’s fleet wins, she can be rescued
after the battle, but if her fleet loses, the best she may
be able to look forward to is capture by the enemy—
more often, such victims are merely left to perish via the
countless methods the sea presents for death.

Rout Phase
A rout phase occurs after each battle phase. At this
point, each surviving squadron must succeed at a DC 10 of Ships and Sea
morale check by rolling 1d20 and adding its morale check
modifier. Failure indicates that the squadron takes 1d4 Shore Fortifications: Fleet combat assumes an
points of damage to its morale score. A squadron whose engagement on the high seas, but if one fleet is
morale score is reduced to 0 immediately mutinies and is defending a port, you could allow a portion of the fleet
removed from play. Mutinied squadrons that have fled to remain sheltered within the harbor. Possession of
can be brought back into the fleet later if the admiral of the harbor could grant one squadron the benefits of the
the fleet survives and can persuade them to rejoin. defensive tactics or swift repairs boon (or even both,
for a dedicated naval base). A squadron in the harbor,
Fleeing a Battle: At the end of a rout phase, an however, may be either unable to attack or may have
admiral can attempt to flee the battle entirely. When he disadvantage on Command rolls made to attack.
does so, the other fleet immediately gets one free attack
using any one of its squadrons and can target any one of In addition, for a battle near shore you could designate
the fleeing fleet’s squadrons. The fleeing admiral makes shore fortifications as a special type of squadron.
Command check with a –4 penalty, opposed by the Wooden forts can take 2 hits (with a +1 bonus to DV),
other admiral’s Command check. If the fleeing admiral’s while stone forts can take 6 hits (with a +3 bonus to
check result is higher, his fleet escapes; otherwise, DV). Forts may be purely defensive, offering shelter and
every squadron in the fleeing admiral’s fleet takes 1 forcing their destruction before the harbor or city they
point of morale damage and the battle continues into a protect can be attacked directly. However, most shore
new round. forts are armed with siege weapons and soldiers. Still,
their range is limited and they are unable to move, so a
Special Rules short fort squadron cannot attack a squadron of ships
unless that squadron attacks the forts first, indicating
These fleet battle rules are intentionally abstract, so a that they have come close enough that the forts can
great many special cases and unusual situations are not return fire.
addressed in the interest of simplicity and playability.
However, if you wish to incorporate some additional Time: The amount of time each turn of a fleet battle
rules, you can include the following. takes is abstract, but if tracking time is important due
to other events occurring at the same time, including
Creatures as Ships: In most cases, you should use the a fleet action going on in the background so to speak
ship-to-ship combat rules to deal with sea creatures while PCs are adventuring nearby, each turn (including
attacking ships and vice versa. However, in an exotic both rout and battle phase) can be treated as taking
scenario with large numbers of large aquatic creatures that 1d4 hours.
were either intelligent enough to behave tactically or could
be controlled by magic or other means, you could treat Wind and Weather: The effects of high winds or
Huge or larger creatures as if they were ships, with each severe weather generally are not addressed by these
creature being able to take a number of hits equal to its hit
points divided by 100 (rounding down; hence, creatures 196
with fewer than 100 hit points should not be treated as
ships. Squadrons made up of creatures with strong attack
abilities, such as a dragon turtle’s breath weapon, are
treated as if you had the magical artillery boon. You can
assign other boons that fit the theme and abilities of such
creatures, such as granting a squadron of krakens the
advanced tactics boon due to both their high Intelligence
and their siege monster ability that makes their attacks
especially devastating to ships and similar objects.

Fahad Al-Dabbas (Order #34600307)