Nautical Rules of the DnT Seas

To aid in running adventures where ships engage in combat, undertake precise navigation, or face situations where their various capabilities become relevant, the following section presents new rules and stat blocks for a spectrum of vessels.

**Basic Statistics**

A ship stat block has three main parts: basic statistics, components, and action options. Ships can't take any actions on their own. Without effort from its crew, a ship might drift on the water, come to a stop, or careen out of control.

**Size**

Most ships are Large, Huge, or Gargantuan. A ship's size category is determined by its length or width, whichever is longer. For instance, a ship that is 10 feet long and 20 feet wide would use the size category that has a 20-foot width, which means the ship is Gargantuan.

**Space**

A ship doesn't have a square space unless its stat block specifies otherwise. For example, a ship that is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide occupies a 20-by-10-foot space.

A ship can't move into a space that is too small to accommodate it. If it tries to do so, it crashes, as described in the "Crashing a Ship" section (page 199).

**Capacity**

A ship's stat block indicates how many creatures and how much cargo it can carry. Creatures include both the crew of the vessel and any passengers who might ride along. Passengers don't generally engage in running a ship, but they also don't need to be mere bystanders.

Seasick merchants and marines thoroughly capable of facing menaces from the deep both count as passengers. Cargo capacity notes the maximum amount of cargo a ship can carry. A vessel can't move-or might even start taking on water- if its cargo exceeds this capacity.

**Travel Pace**

A ship's travel pace determines how far the vessel can move per hour and per day. A ship's movement-related components (described later in the stat block) determine

how far the vessel can move each round.

**Ability Scores**

A ship has the six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and the corresponding modifiers.

The Strength of a ship expresses its size and weight. Dexterity represents a ship's ease of handling. A ship's Constitution covers its durability and the quality of its

construction. Ships usually have a score of 0 in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

If a ship has a 0 in a score, it automatically passes any ability check or saving throw that uses that score.

**Vulnerabilities, Resistance, and immunities**

A ship's vulnerabilities, resistances, and immunities apply to all its components, unless otherwise noted in the stat block.

Ships are typically vulnerable to Fire damage, and immune to poison and psychic damage. Ships are also usually immune to the following conditions: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, and unconscious.

**Components**

A ship is composed of different components, each of which comprises multiple objects:

**Hull.** A ship's hull is its basic frame, on which the other components are mounted. Control. A control component is used to steer a ship.

**Movement.** A movement component is the element of the ship that enables it to move, such as a set of sails or oars, and has a specific speed.

**Weapon.** A ship capable of being used in combat has one or more weapon components, each of which is operated separately.

A ship's component might have special rules, as described in the stat block.

**Armor Class**

A component has an Armor Class. Its AC reflects the materials used to construct it and any defensive plating used to augment its toughness.

**Hit Points**

The ship is destroyed and begins to sink when it drops to 0 hit points. It takes 10 rounds for the ship to completely sink, but 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 ship doesn't have Hit Dice.

**Ship Actions**

This part of the stat block specifies what the ship can be used for during the rounds, because the ship is (not usually) alive it cannot take any type of action. Instead, on their turn a creature may use one of the Ship Action, at the cost of their own action and  a given action can be chosen only once during per round.

Under the Ship Action section on the Ship´s stat block, you will find the description of the special action, how many times the action can be used per round, and how many people are required to operate the equipment or activate the effect, as described under the “Siege Weapon Statistics” section.

### Sample Ships

This section provides stat blocks, deck plans, and other details for some of the most common ships.

A galley has the following features:
**Ceilings.** The ceiling of the galley's lower deck is 8 feet high.
**Light.** Hanging lanterns cast bright light throughout the ship.
 **Gallery**
 Price: 30,000 gp
Creature Capacity: 80 crew, 40 passengers
Cargo Capacity: 150 tons
**Travel Pace:** 6.5 km per hour (or 155 km per day)
**HP:** 600
 STR
24 (+7)
4 (- 3)
20 (+5)
0
0
 **Damage Vulnerabilities:** Fire
**Damage Immunities:** poison, psychic
Condition **immunities:** blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
 **Support: Helm/Anchor**
**Available:** (1)
**Crew:** 1
You may guide the direction the boat moves at the end of the round.
 Weapon: Cannon
**Available:** (4)
**Crew:** 2
 **Weapon: Balista**
**Available:** (2)
**Crew:** 3
 **Weapon: Naval Ram**
**Available:** 1
**Crew:** 1
The galley has advantage on all saving throws relating to crashing when it crashes into a creature or an object during this effect.

They're perfect for pleasure cruises, as they're easier and less expensive to operate than larger vessels.
A keelboat has the following features:
**Light.** A hanging lantern or two casts bright light across the ship.
**Rigging.** Rigging on the ship can be climbed without an ability check.
Sails. The keelboat has one 10-foot-tall mast with sails.
**Example Keelboat crew:**
 **Keelboat**
 Price: 3,000 gp
Creature Capacity: 3 crew, 4 passengers
Cargo Capacity: 0.5 tons
**Travel Pace:** 5 km per hour (or 115 km per day)
**HP:** 200
 STR
16 (+3)
7 (- 2)
13 (+1)
0
0
 **Damage Vulnerabilities:** Fire
**Damage Immunities:** poison, psychic
Condition **immunities:** blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
 **Support: Helm/Anchor**
**Available:** (1)
**Crew:** 1
You may guide the direction the boat moves at the end of the round.
 **Support: Oars**
**Available:** (6)
**Crew:** NA
 Weapon: Cannon
**Available:** (1)
**Crew:** 2
 **Weapon: Naval Ram**
**Available:** 1
**Crew:** 1
The keelboat has advantage on all saving throws relating to crashing when it crashes into a creature or an object during this effect.

A longship has the following features:
**Light.** Hanging lanterns cast bright light over the deck.
**Rigging.** Rigging on the ship can be climbed without an ability check.
**Rudder.** The s hip is steered by a rudder control on the aft of the deck.
**Sails.** The longship has one 20 -foot-tall mast with s ails
 **Longboat**
 Price: 10,000 gp
Creature Capacity: 40 crew, 100 passengers
Cargo Capacity: 10 tons
**Travel Pace:** 8 km per hour (or 195 km per day)
**HP:** 350
 STR
20 (+5)
6 (- 2)
17 (+3)
0
0
 **Damage Vulnerabilities:** Fire
**Damage Immunities:** poison, psychic
Condition **immunities:** blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
 **Support: Helm/Anchor**
**Available:** (1)
**Crew:** 1
You may guide the direction the boat moves at the end of the round.
 **Support: Oars**
**Available:** (6)
**Crew:** NA
 **Weapon: Naval Ram**
**Available:** 1
**Crew:** 1
The keelboat has advantage on all saving throws relating to crashing when it crashes into a creature or an object during this effect.

Warships are slower but more heavily armed vessels capable of taking on more cargo. They share many of the following areas, but, as their map tags reveal, they don't have the exact same facilities.
A sailing ship or warship has the following features:
**Ceilings.** The ceilings in the lower deck, holds, and cabins are 8 feet high with 6-foot-high doorways.
**Doors.** The ship's doors are made of wood and have AC 15. 18 hit points. and immunity to poison and psychic damage. A lock can be picked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check made using thieves' tools, or the door can be forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength
(Athletics) check.
**Footlockers.** Footlockers on the ship are iron and have AC 19, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
**Light.** Hanging lanterns cast bright light throughout the ship.
**Rigging.** Rigging on the ship can be climbed without an
ability check.
Sails. The ship has three 80-foot-tall masts with sails to catch the wind and oars on the lower deck for rowing.

 Price: 10,000 gp
Creature Capacity: 30 crew, 20 passengers
Cargo Capacity: 100 tons
**Travel Pace:** 8 km per hour (or 195 km per day)
**HP:** 400
 STR
16 (+3)
7 (- 2)
17 (+3)
0
0
 **Damage Vulnerabilities:** Fire
**Damage Immunities:** poison, psychic
Condition **immunities:** blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
 **Support: Helm/Anchor**
**Available:** (1)
**Crew:** 1
You may guide the direction the boat moves at the end of the round.
 **Support: Oars**
**Available:** (6)
**Crew:** NA
 Weapon: Cannon
**Available:** (1)
**Crew:** 2
 **Weapon: Naval Ram**
**Available:** 1
**Crew:** 1
The keelboat has advantage on all saving throws relating to crashing when it crashes into a creature or an object during this effect.

 Price: 25,000 gp
Creature Capacity: 40 crew, 60 passengers
Cargo Capacity: 200 tons
**Travel Pace:** 6.5 km per hour (or 155 km per day)
**HP:** 600
 STR
20 (+5)
4 (- 3)
20 (+5)
0
0
 **Damage Vulnerabilities:** Fire
**Damage Immunities:** poison, psychic
Condition **immunities:** blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
 **Support: Helm/Anchor**
**Available:** (1)
**Crew:** 1
You may guide the direction the boat moves at the end of the round.
 Weapon: Cannon
**Available:** (6)
**Crew:** 2
 **Weapon: Naval Ram**
**Available:** 1
**Crew:** 1
The galley has advantage on all saving throws relating to crashing when it crashes into a creature or an object during this effect.

### Siege Weapon Statistics

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

**Damage:** This entry gives the damage typically dealt by the siege weapon. Unlike normal ranged weapons, siege weapons deal full damage to objects, and do not benefit from any class ability or spell, unless stated otherwise.

**Range:** Any attack made closer than the first range number given suffers disadvantage. A siege engine cannot attack beyond the second range number. Type: Like weapons, siege engines are classified according to the type of damage they deal: B for bludgeoning, P for piercing, or S for slashing. Some siege engines deal energy damage. In those cases, the type of energy damage is listed instead.

**Crew:** This column gives the number of creatures needed to properly operate the siege engine.

**Aim:** This column gives the number of actions required to aim a siege engine. If the siege engine is being controlled by less than its normal crew complement, the number of actions it takes for the crew to aim the siege engine is doubled.

**Load:** This column gives the number of actions required to load a siege engine.

### Superior Ship Upgrades

Some vessels possess extraordinary abilities, whether due to magic or superior artisanship. The upgrades below can replace a ship’s existing components or provide a new element to augment a ship’s abilities.

Adding an upgrade costs 15,000 gp and requires 1d4 weeks of work. During that time, the ship must remain in port. If the ship leaves, the work must start over, but you don’t need to pay the gold piece cost a second time.

 **Churning Hull (Uncommon) (10,000 gp)**
A tempest rages within these rune-etched, iron chains. Raiders and pirates who operate under the blessings of a storm god sometimes make use of this upgrade.
 **Death Vessel (Rare) (12,500 gp)**
 **Frost-Locked Hull (Uncommon) (7,500)**
 **Living Vessel (Very Rare) (15,000)**
 **Reinforced Hull (Very Rare) (30,000)**
 **Vigilant Watch (Uncommon) (5,000)**
 **Dragon Scales (Very Rare) (20,000)**
This vessel’s hull was coated in the rare scales of a Dragon, or another mythical creature. The ship gains +5 AC and has resistance to all magic damage that is directed towards the Ship´s hull.

 **Clockwork Oars (Uncommon) (10,000)**
 **Ever-Full Sails (Rare) (15,000)**
 **Defiant Sails (Very Rare) (25,000)**
 **Screaming Sails (Very Rare) (17,500)**
Woven from the energy of captured wraiths and bound with the spirit of a banshee, these sails groan mournfully when they catch the wind. As an action, while within 5 feet of the sails, a crew member can cause the sails to unleash a howl. Every creature hostile to the ship who is on board or within 300 feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, or the creature takes 4d6 psychic damage and is then frightened for 1 minute. Once this ability has been used, it can’t be used again until 2d6 hours have passed.

 **Arcane Artillery (Rare) (10,000)**
 **Concussive Rounds (Uncommon) (5,000)**
 **Explosive Rounds (Rare) (15,000)**
 **Grasping Rounds (Very Rare) (20,000)**
 **Spell Blaster (Rare) (10,000)**
This magic cannon can’t be loaded with traditional cannon balls, instead a crew member must use an action to attune to the cannon by placing the arm inside a special compartment. And for the duration any spell cast using the cannon, has its range increased by 200 feet.

 **Guardian Figurehead (Very Rare) (25,000)**
 **Red Dragon Figurehead (Rare) (15,000)**
 **Storm Giant Figurehead (Uncommon) (7,500)**
This figurehead depicts a storm giant clutching a thunderbolt. As an action, the ship can activate this item to create a 60-foot cone that originates from the figurehead. Each creature in the cone must make DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails its saving throw is also pushed 10 feet away from the figurehead. Once a ship uses this action, it can’t use it again for 1 minute.

 **Bones of Endless Toil (Very Rare) (25,000)**
 **Smuggler’s Banner (Very Rare) (20,000)**
This flag is meant to be flown from a ship’s mast. Its powerful magic causes it to appear as a flag or banner displaying the symbol of a group, captain, or realm friendly to the viewer. Multiple viewers might see different flags or crests.
The banner’s true power is its ability to aid a ship in making rapid escapes. As an action, the ship and all friendly creatures aboard it teleport up to 3 miles to a known destination of the captain’s choice. Hostile creatures aboard the ship don’t move with the ship and fall into the water it once occupied. Once this item is used to teleport, it can’t teleport in this way again for 2d6 days.