Naval Combat Rules

As I foresee a sea-bearing future for our would-be heroes, I'm preparing for the inevitable.

Unsatisfied with the rules set for Ocean Warfare in D&D, I went about making my own (borrowed and compiled from sources online).

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Roles:

Captain/First Mate -

Rally: Intimidate/Inspire(Persuade) DC10 grant Advantage on next attack roll (1/battle)

Weak Spot: Investigation DC15, grants advantage to attack the weakness (1/battle)

Order Broadside: Fire all one side at once, use 1 attack roll, miss = half damage (1/battle)

Pilot - (If proficient in sailing: add DEX to ship AC, use pilot’s Initiative modifier)

DEX for steering (DC5-15 depending on weather), STR if stormy/rammed

Fail: lose speed and/or turning

Ramming: +(prof+dex/or +6) attack roll, (speed of boat x 1d4) damage, own ship takes 1/2

(Built in Battering Ram: speed x 1d6, take 1/3 damage)

Boarding: Grapple w/Advantage, must make DC10 check vs enemy (enemy has DA)

Crow's Nest -  Scan: Perception DC10 to spot  (10 miles perfect weather, 5 if colder than normal, 1 light rain; 300 ft heavy rain light/no wind, 100 ft heavy rain strong wind)

During Battle: Perception DC15 to negate cannon Disadvantage at long range (DC20 Light Rain, DC30 Strong Rain)

Navigator - Proficiency with Navigator's Tools, can use tools to give Advantage to Hide/Scan

25% faster travel speed when not in combat, can't get lost at sea

Crew - ranged/spell attacks, repairs, put out fires, hook/board enemy ships for melee battle, man the bilge pumps, etc

Cannoneers - attacks, damage (2 needed per cannon, can use NPC to assist)

Medic - DC10 to revive 1 crew per round, if NPC has healing spells as cleric level ½ of captain

Boarding - Acrobatics DC10-20, depending on weather

Movement:

·         Wind power only provides forward movement; to go backwards, the crew must row.

·         Rowing requires at least ½ of the max crew for a vessel to obtain full speed; else, speed is relative to number of rowers divided by half of max crew.
(For example, with a max crew of 40, full speed requires 20, and half speed requires 10.)

·         Turning under wind power requires forward movement of ½ move speed for every 45 degrees.
(For example, if the ship move speed is 30 feet, then to turn 45 degrees requires at least 15 feet of forward movement, and 90 degrees requires 30 feet of forward movement.)

·         Turning under rowing power slows movement speed by ½ per 45 degrees.
(For example, if the ship move speed is 30 feet, then to turn 45 degrees uses 15 feet of movement; to turn 90 degrees in one turn, no forward or backward movement occurs.)

·         Weather affects wind power:
no wind, no speed; strong head wind, half speed; strong tail wind, 1.5 x speed.

Weapon	Value	Damage	Range	Special
Pistol	250 gp	1d10 piercing	30/90	Takes an action to reload
Musket	500 gp	1d12 piercing	40/120	Takes an action to reload, 2-handed
Bullets (10)	3 gp	-	-	Purchase includes powder per shot
Gunpowder keg	250 gp	-	-	Use 1/4 to 1/2 of weight of cannon ball per shot

Weapon	AC	HP	Hit/Damage	Range	Special
Ballista	15	50	+6/3d10	120/480	can attach rope, for boarding and stopping ships
Medium Cannon	19	60	+6/6d10	500/2000	requires 2 operators, fire every other round
Large Cannon	19	75	+6/8d10	600/2400	requires 2 operators, fire every other round
Swivel Cannon	17	35	+6/4d8	250/500	cannot fire special ammunition

Medium/Large Cannon Ammunition Options:

Round Shot: regular cannon damage, used against ship/crew

Chain Shot: 2 balls connected by chain, used against rigging/sails

Explosive Shell: shrapnel (2d10 damage, but area effect on impact)

Grape Shot: used against crew, 30' cone (3d8 damage to crew DEX for half damage; 1d8 damage to ship)

Canister Shot: used against crew, hits 10' space (2d8 regular round shot damage to crew, 1d8 to ship)

Note: Can use INT + Proficiency for cannons instead of +6

Ship Damage:

·         Sails:

o   If sails reduced to under 50% HP, wind power speed reduced 25%.

o   If sails reduced to 0 HP, wind power speed reduced to 0.

·         Sinking:

o   When ship is under 50% HP, all bilge pumps must be manned or start taking on water.

§  (taking on water causes, ship speed to slow 25%, reduces crew movement on lower deck by 50%)

o   When ship is under 0 HP, bilge pumps must be used to reduce sinking speed.

§  DC10 Athletics checks at the pumps to maintain bouyancy.  Advantage if 2 crew per pump.  All pumps must be manned.

§  Each hit above Damage Threshold when sinking counts as a failed bilge pump round.

§  Sinking takes 3 failed rounds

Repair:

·         Manually patching holes takes (ship max HP divided by 10) minutes, and restores ship to 1 HP.

o   Work can be divided by number of crew working on patching.

o   For example, 300 HP ship would take 30 minutes to patch; with 10 crew working on patching, it takes 3.  The ship is then restored to 1 HP.

o   Manual repair beyond patching requires dry dock.

·         Fabricate heals ship to full and patches all holes, but takes 10 minutes, requires material.

·         Wood Shape patches holes and stops sinking, but does not restore ship HP.  [Homebrew Spell]

·         Steelbeard can be healed by normal healing spells, but will continue to sink until patched.

Inspired by:

https://www.tribality.com/2014/12/26/naval-combat-rules-dd-5th-edition-part-1/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A19q7rysLs