Skyship Mechanics

The following rules are adaptated from an unpublished 5E conversion. They can be used for ship-to-ship combat in the Astral Reach, or adapted for use in ship-to-ship combat in other scenarios.

## Ship Statblock

Ships have the following attributes, similar to player characters.

### Speed

This is the ship's maximum speed. A ship's speed is represented in squares, since the speed of the ship and the scale of the battlefield differ wildly from scenario to scenario. Character abilities cannot be measured using the same scale.

On their turn, ships must use their full movement. A pilot and/or crew can use a bonus action to accelerate or decelerate, changing the ship's movement speed by a number of squares up to half their current speed (rounding up). This cannot increase the ship's speed past its maximum, or decrease it below zero.

### Hit Points

Every ship has a finite amount of damage it can take. In most scenarios, Large or smaller creatures cannot significantly harm a ship. Ships take damage as normal from siege weapons, ship-mounted weapons, and similar armaments, as well as from Huge or larger creatures. If a ship is vulnerable to a certain type of damage, then Large or Smaller creatures can harm the ship using that damage type, at half effectiveness.

* *Ex. A mage casts Fireball at a ship, while next to him a gunner fires an arcane cannon at the same ship. The ship they are targeting is vulnerable to Fire damage. The arcane cannon, as a siege weapon, rolls 21 damage and deals double that to the ship's hit points. The mage rolls 26 damage, but only deals 13.*

### Strength

The navigator makes a Strength check using the ship's Strength modifier when the ship is being used to tow or lift an object, or perform a similar task.

### Constitution

The navigator makes a Constitution check using the ship’s Constitution modifier when the ship is under a test of its endurance, such as navigating through a strong gravitational field or whirlpool, acting as an icebreaker, or being battered by high winds.

### Dexterity

The navigator adds a ships Dexterity modifier to checks and saving throws made to navigate the ship through narrow spaces, dodge area of effect attacks, and perform other maneuvers.

A ship’s Dexterity modifier is also used to determine how quickly a ship can change direction while moving. A ship can turn in a radius equal to a number of squares equal to its current speed minus its Dexterity modifier.

For example, if a ship has a Dexterity modifier of 4 and is sailing at 6 squares per round, it has a turning radius of 2 squares. So the navigator must count 2 squares from the center of the ship in any direction and move as normal using that square as a pivot point.

### Crew

Represents the minimum number of characters required to operate the ship under normal circumstances. If there are not enough creatures on board, or not enough with the necessary abilities, then any checks made to navigate the ship and any checks the ship itself makes are made at disadvantage.

### Gunners

Most shipboard armaments require a gunner to fire them. This number refers to the number of weapons available to be operated by passengers aboard the ship. A gunner can use their action to make an attack targeting a point within range with the weapon they are operating. This uses the gunner's own Dexterity modifier for the attack roll and damage roll. If the gunner is proficient with skyships, siege weapons, or vehicles (water), then they may add their Proficiency bonus to the attack roll as well.

### Passengers

Many ships have room for passengers other than those required to crew the ship or “non-essential personnel”, such as marines, dignitaries, or other travelers paying for passage. Some ships even offer extensive living quarters for passengers. This number represents the number of passengers the ship can comfortably maintain for their range.

While there may not be enough weapons for each crew member to operate in a combat situation, there are still ways passengers can assist, such as repairing ship systems, tending to wounded, or helping system operators when making skill checks.

### Cargo

In addition to passengers, most ships have the capacity to carry an amount of additional cargo. A ship can only hold cargo up to its cargo capacity weight.

### Weapons

Most ships have at least one weapon. During combat, each weapon must be operated by a gunner as indicated. Some weapons have features such as Extra Attack or Homing which are described in the weapon’s description. Additional weapons beyond the number listed cannot be added to a ship unless otherwise stated.

### Ship Systems

Most ships are able to perform at least one function that can be operated by a character as indicated. The system operation and its details are described in the ship system’s description.

## Sinking

#### Sinking Effects

 2-3
 4-5
 6

After the ship has lost half its hit points, it has taken enough damage that the issue begins to compound. At the start of each of the ship's turns, it must make a Sinking saving throw, which is a d20 roll. On a result of 10 or higher, no further effects happen that turn. On a 9 or lower, the ship must roll on the Sinking Effects table.

The penalties a ship gains by rolling on this table are permanent, until a creature spends 1 hour repairing them. A creature can spend their full turn to negate one instance of a penalty until the start of their next turn.