Ship Rules

The ocean is a vast and dangerous place, ripe with adventure both above and below the waves. This appendix provides further resources for waterborne adventures.

Ship Stat Blocks

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 fails any ability check or saving throw that uses that score.

Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities

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

Ships are typically 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.

Actions

This part of the stat block specifies what the ship can do on its turn, using its special actions rather than the actions used by creatures. It even relies on its actions to move; it doesn't have a move otherwise. The ship's captain decides which actions to use. A given action can be chosen only once during a turn.

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.

  • Siege Weapons. Some ships are armed with siege weapons, the descriptions of which are in the "Siege Equipment" section of chapter 8 in the Dungeon Master's Guide. In this appendix, the name of a piece of siege equipment appears in bold with a parenthetical note (DMG, ch. 8), reminding you where to find the object's description.

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

A ship component is destroyed and becomes unusable when it drops to 0 hit points. A ship is wrecked if its hull is destroyed.

A ship doesn't have Hit Dice.

Damage Threshold

If a ship component has a damage threshold, that threshold appears after its hit points. A component has immunity to all damage unless it takes an amount of damage that equals or exceeds its threshold, in which case it takes damage as normal. Damage that fails to bypass the threshold is considered superficial and doesn't reduce the component's hit points.

Sample Ships

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

Screaming Sails

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, the ship's captain 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.

Scything Oars

Sharpened, magically reinforced oars make a vessel dangerous to approach. When the ship takes an action that moves it with these oars, any creature or object in the water within 10 feet of it at any point of the move must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 slashing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.

Weapon Upgrades

The following upgrades can apply to any weapon mounted aboard a ship. A component can gain the benefits of one upgrade, or two upgrades if one of the upgrades is Arcane Artillery.

Arcane Artillery

Using methods similar to those used to produce magic weapons, a skilled spellcaster imbues a ship's weapon with destructive energy. This weapon gains a +2 bonus to its attack and damage rolls, and its attacks count as magical.

Concussive Rounds

Enhanced by abjuration magic, this weapon's attacks burst with raucous noise capable of momentarily distracting and disorienting enemy crews. If this weapon hits a vehicle's hull, that vehicle's speed decreases by 2d10 feet until the start of the attacker's next turn.

Explosive Rounds

Drawing on powerful evocation magic, this weapon's attacks are imbued with unstable energy that explodes in a fiery blast. When this weapon hits, it deals an extra 2d6 fire damage.

Grasping Rounds

This weapon creates spectral chains that trail after its shots, restraining enemy vessels in their grasp. When this weapon hits a ship, that vehicle must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or it can't move away from the attacker. As an action, the attacking ship can end this effect, and the target can end it by taking an action and succeeding on a DC 14 Strength check.

Figurehead Upgrades

While figureheads are usually purely decorative, they might be magically treated to produce extraordinary effects. A ship can receive one figurehead upgrade.

Guardian Figurehead

This figurehead depicts an armored knight. As an action, the ship can activate this item, causing it to animate as an iron golem. The golem acts on the ship's turn when the captain uses one of the ship's actions. The golem remains animated for 1 minute. At the end of that time, it teleports back to its position as a figurehead. Once a ship uses this action, it can't use it again for 24 hours.

Red Dragon Figurehead

This figurehead depicts a red dragon rearing to strike, its mouth open. As an action, the ship can activate this item to create a 60-foot cone of flame that originates from the figurehead. Each creature and object in the cone must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once a ship uses this action, it can't use it again for 1 minute.

Storm Giant Figurehead

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.

Miscellaneous Upgrades

The following upgrades don't apply to a specific element of the ship. A ship can use any number of them, but it can gain a specific upgrade only once.

Bones of Endless Toil

The bones of ancient, mysterious creatures festoon the ship. Potent runes crawl across these remains, emitting a sickly green radiance. When a humanoid dies aboard the ship, that creature must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, it dies as normal. If it fails, it immediately rises as a zombie obedient to the ship's captain. The zombie gains a working knowledge of the ship, allowing it to serve as a member of the crew. A number of creatures equal to the ship's creature capacity can be animated in this manner at any given time.

Smuggler's Banner

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.

Taskmaster's Drums

This 4-foot-tall bronze drum comes with a pair of iron mallets. A creature can activate the drums as an action, causing the hammers to float above the drum and strike it to produce a thundering rhythm. For the next minute, the ship gains one additional action, as long as it has at least one action. Once this item is used, it can't be activated again for 2d10 hours.

Ships in Combat

Whether sailing to war or hunting notorious pirates, ships make deadly weapons and dramatic battlefields. This section provides guidance on using ships in combat.

Ships and Initiative

A ship rolls initiative using its Dexterity, and it uses its crew's quality score as a modifier to that roll.

On a ship's turn, the captain decides which of the ship's actions to use.

Special Officer Actions

During an encounter, the captain, first mate, and bosun each have access to two special action options: Take Aim and Full Speed Ahead, both detailed below.

Take Aim

As an action, the captain, first mate, or bosun directs the crew's firing, aiding in aiming one of the ship's weapons. Select one of the ship's weapons that is within 10 feet of the officer. It gains advantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of the ship's next turn.

Full Speed Ahead

As an action while on deck, the captain, first mate, or bosun can exhort the crew to work harder and drive the ship forward faster. Roll a d6 and multiply the result by 5. Apply the total as a bonus to the ship's speed until the end of the ship's next turn. If the ship is already benefiting from this action’s bonus, don't add the bonuses together; the higher bonus applies.

Crew in Combat

Managing a ship's entire crew in combat can prove cumbersome, especially as larger ships often host dozens of sailors. Typically the crew is too busy managing the ship to do anything else during combat. Don't worry about tracking their specific positions unless you want to add that complexity. You can assume that the crew is evenly divided among the upper two decks of a ship.

Crew Casualties

Slaying a ship's crew reduces the number of actions most s hips can take, making the crew a tempting target in combat. Resolve individual attacks as normal, using the guidelines for resolving many, identical attacks at once from the Dungeon Master's Guide as needed.

In the case of spells that cover an area, such as fireball or lightning bolt, you might track the exact location of the spell and crew to determine how many sailors it affects. Alternatively, you can roll 1d6 per level of the spell. The total of the dice is the number of crew members caught in the spells area.

Crashing a Ship

If a ship moves into the space occupied by a creature or an object, the ship might crash. A ship avoids crashing if the creature or object is at least two sizes smaller than it.

When a ship crashes, it must immediately make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes damage to its hull based on the size of the creature or object it crashed into, as shown on the Crash Damage table. It also stops moving if the object or creature is one size smaller than it or larger. Otherwise the ship continues moving and the creature or object collided with moves to the nearest unoccupied space that isn't in the ship's path. At the DM's discretion, an object that is forced to move but is fixed in place is instead destroyed.

A creature struck by a ship must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + the ship's Strength modifier, taking damage based on the ship's size (as shown on the Crash Damage table below) on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Travel at Sea

It's not just pirates and sea monsters that make journeys on the sea so treacherous. Foul weather, nautical accidents, infested food, illness, and worse all conspire to send even the most capable crews to watery graves. The following rules help adjudicate travel at sea, specifically voyages of an hour or more.

Travel Pace

Ships travel at a speed given in their stat blocks. Unlike with land travel, ships can't choose to move at a faster pace, though they can choose to go slower.

If a ship's mode of movement takes damage, it might be slowed. For every decrease of 10 feet in speed, r educe the ship's travel pace by 1 mile per hour and 24 miles per day.

Activity While Traveling

The activities available to a ship's crew and passengers are a bit different from the options available to a group traveling by land. Refer to "Activity While Traveling" in chapter 8 of the Players Handbook for more information on some of the topics discussed below.

A number of activities are restricted to certain officers, unless the DM rules otherwise. For example, a DM might allow a bard to engage in the Raise Morale activity by playing bawdy songs on deck to lift the crew's spirits.

The party's pace has no effect on the activities they can engage in while traveling by ship.

Draw a Map

A ship's captain often undertakes this activity, producing a map of the ship's progress and helps the crew get back on course if they get lost. No ability check is required.

Forage

The character casts fishing lines, keeping an eye out for sources of food, making a Survival check when the DM calls for it.

Raise Morale (First Mate Only)

The first mate can manage the crew's time to grant extended breaks, provide instruction, and generally improve the quality of life on the ship. Once every 24 hours, if the crew's quality score is 3 or lower, the first mate can make a DC 15 Persuasion check. On a successful check, the crew's quality score increases by 1.

Navigate (Quartermaster Only)

The quartermaster can try to prevent the ship from becoming lost, making a Survival check when the OM calls for it. (See "Becoming Lost" in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide for more information.)

Noticing Threats

Use the passive Perception score of the player characters or the crew to determine whether anyone on the ship notices a hidden threat. The crew has a passive Perception score equal to 10 + the crew's quality score. The DM might decide that a threat can be noticed only by characters in a specific area of the ship. For example, only characters below deck might have a chance to hear or spot a creature hiding on board.

Repair (Bosun Only)

At the end of the day, the ship's bosun can make a Strength check using carpenter's tools. On a 15 or higher. each damaged component regains hit points equal to 1d6 + the crew's quality score (minimum of 1 hit point). A component other than the hull that had 0 hit points becomes functional again.

Stealth (Captain Only)

The ship's captain can engage in this activity only if the weather conditions restrict visibility, such as in heavy fog. The ship makes a Dexterity check with a bonus equal to the crew's quality score to determine if it can hide.

Hazards

Sea travel is an innately dangerous proposition. A storm on land might bog down a caravan, delaying its trip by a few days, while at sea a storm can split a ship in two and send everyone aboard to their doom. The close quarters of life aboard a ship leads to short tempers and brawls, while a few rats that sneak aboard can spread disease and spoil supplies. This section presents a variety of common hazards sailors might face on the sea.

Group Checks

To determine how a ship fares against these hazards, each threat requires the ship's officers and crew to make a special group check. The description of a hazard specifies which officers can roll to contribute to the group check. That description also states what ability check an officer makes. Even if the officers make different ability checks, their successes and failures contribute to the one group check.

Additionally, all the non-officer members of the crew make a single check, a d20 roll modified by the crew's quality. The success or failure of all these checks - both the officers and the crew- determines the result of the group check.

While each hazard lists the officers assigned to participate in a group check, anyone can attempt an officer's check in a pinch, with two exceptions: First, only the captain can make checks associated with the captain's role; no one else can take the captain's place. Second, only one character can attempt an officer's check; they can't receive help.

Once all the checks related to the group check have been rolled, the ship's success or failure is determined. Hazards offer four levels of success or failure determined by the results of the ship's group check. A total success or a total failure occurs when every roll in the group check is a success or a failure, respectively.

Determining Hazards

Traveling by sea is an innately dangerous proposition. When running an ocean adventure, you can select hazards based on the needs of your campaign or generate them randomly.

To determine hazards at random, roll a d20 at the start of each day of an ocean voyage. On a 20, the ship faces a hazard that day. Use the following two tables to determine the nature of the hazard and the DC of the threat it presents. Specifics corresponding to each of these DC levels are detailed along with each of the following hazards.

Crew Conflict

Sailors can be a rough-and-tumble bunch, and cramming them into a ship's confined quarters leads to inevitable rivalries, feuds, and petty crimes. If resentments among the crew grow too strong, the officers must step in and set things right, lest they risk mutiny or worse.

Each day a ship spends dealing with a crew conflict requires those aboard to make a group check. The check's DC is randomly determined or chosen from the Crew Conflicts DCs table. The captain, first mate, and cook each make an ability check, as shown on the Crew Conflict Checks table. This check takes the place of any other activities that the officer might undertake that day, representing their contribution lo placating the crew. If no one makes the check for a particular officer, a failure is contributed toward the group check.

Even though the crew is causing trouble, some members help the officers, and thus the crew still contributes a roll to the group check. Roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier lo the roll, and compare that check to the DC.

Determine how many of the group's checks succeeded - the officers· and the crew's then consult the Crew Conflict Check Results table.

Fire

A fire at sea can turn a ship into a burned-out hulk, its crew slain or forced overboard.

If a fire erupts aboard a ship, its officers and crew must make a group check to coordinate efforts to extinguish it. The check's DC is randomly determined or chosen from the Fire DCs table. The group check represents 5 minutes of work. The captain, first mate, bosun, and surgeon each make an ability check, as shown on the Fire Checks table. If no one makes the check for a particular officer, a failure is contributed toward the group check. Also, roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier to the roll, and compare that check to the DC.

Determine how many of the group's checks succeeded- the officers' and the crew's- then consult the Fire Check Results table.

Fog

Fog on land is usually an inconvenience, but at sea it can prove disastrous. Decreased visibility makes navigation more difficult and can cause a vessel to crash.

A group check determines how the officers and crew manage through one day of fog. The check's DC is randomly determined or chosen from the Fog DCs table. The captain and quartermaster each make an ability check, as shown on the Fog Checks table. If no one makes the check for a particular officer, a failure is contributed toward the group check. Also, roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier to the roll, and compare that check to the DC.

Determine how many of the group's checks succeeded - the officers' and the crew's - then consult the Fog Check Results table.

Infestation

Provisioning a sea journey is challenging, particularly when allocating what to pack for the voyage. A rat infestation or an outbreak of even a minor illness can spell disaster at sea. This type of hazard covers illnesses, infestations, spoiled supplies, and other troubles that wear away a crew's health.

Each day a ship spends dealing with an infestation requires those aboard to make a group check. The check's DC is randomly determined or chosen from the Infestation DCs table. The captain, first mate, surgeon, and cook each make an ability check, as shown on the Infestation Checks table. This check takes the place of any other activities that the officer might undertake that day. If no one makes the check for a particular officer, a failure is contributed toward the group check. Also, roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier to the roll, and compare that check to the DC.

Determine how many of the group's checks succeeded - the officers' and the crew's - then consult the Infestation Check Results table.

Storm

Winds and towering waves toss ships like bath toys. Snowstorms batter vessels venturing too far north. Hurricanes consume whole armadas. More common and deadlier than most sea monsters, storms claim more ships than any other threat on the high seas.

Each day a ship spends involved in a storm requires those aboard to make a group check. The check's DC is randomly determined or chosen from the Storm DCs table. The captain, first mate, bosun, and quartermaster each make an ability check, as shown on the Storm Checks table. This check takes the place of any other activities that the officer might undertake that day, representing their contribution to keeping the ship afloat. If no one makes the check for a particular officer, a failure is contributed toward the group check. Also, roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier to the roll, and compare that check to the DC.

Determine how many of the group's checks succeeded - the officers' and the crew's then consult the Storm Check Results table.

Ocean Environs

For those who dwell on land, the sea is an alien world filled with unpredictable hazards. Yet rare treasures hide in the depths, making such dangers well worth the risk for brave and brazen mariners. This section details a variety of environmental features one might encounter both on and beneath the waves.

Blue Holes

A blue hole is a circular sinkhole that forms on the bed of the sea in shallow water. The deep blue water of the hole creates a stark contrast with the lighter color of the shallow water that surrounds it. Blue holes have diameters of 1d10x100 feet and are 1d10x100 feet deep.

Blue holes are filled with secrets. Many blue holes hide monsters or treasure, as shown on the Hiding in Blue Holes table.

Coral Reefs

Coral reefs grow all over the ocean floor, though most are found within depths of less than 150 feet near the shoreline. Reefs range from a few feet to over 1,000 miles in length and width. These colorful ecosystems house small fish, crustaceans,and mollusks. As a result, predators come to reefs looking for prey.

Uneven and sharp, coral reefs can harm those forced into them. A creature forcibly moved on the reef -without using the creature's action, bonus action, or reaction - takes 3 (1d6) slashing damage per 5 feet of reef that it is pushed over.

Currents

Ocean water is moved by wind and tides to create constant river-like flows called currents. Tidal currents are typically the strongest. They're usually found within 50 miles of shore and at depths of less than 300 feet. These currents have a speed of ld6 miles per hour that changes daily.

Currents become weaker farther out to sea and deeper in the ocean. These currents have a speed of 1d4-1 miles per hour that changes daily.

Currents and Travel

When a vessel or creature travels in the same direction as a current, that current's speed is added to the vessel or creature's travel pace. A creature or vessel traveling against a current has that currents speed subtracted from the vessel or creature's travel pace. If this results in a negative travel pace, the vessel or creature can let the current carry it. Alternatively, the crew of the vessel or the creature can fight against the current by rowing or swimming hard, moving at half the vessel or creature's normal pace. Vessels and creatures fighting against a current must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of every hour traveled, with a bonus equal to the crew's quality (if they have crew). Vessels that fail have their crew's quality score decreased by 1. Creatures that fail gain one level of exhaustion. The DC for this saving throw is 10 + 1 for every consecutive hour spent fighting the current.

Submerged in Currents

When a creature without a swimming speed is submerged in a current, the creature must succeed on a Athletics check at the end of its turn or get pulled 1d4x5 feet in the direction of the current. The DC for this check equals 10 + the number of miles per hour the current is moving.

Depth

The deeper a surface-dwelling creature travels into the sea, the more hostile the environment becomes. Those venturing into the depths must keep the following natural forces in mind.

Illumination

When it comes to light, the sea is divided into three layers:

• Sunlight Zone. The sunlight zone extends from the water's surface to a depth of 650 feet. This area of the sea has the same natural illumination conditions as above the water.

• Twilight Zone. The twilight zone is between the depths of 650 and 1,000 feet. When the sunlight zone above is bathed in natural bright light, the twilight zone is filled with dim light. If the sunlight zone is filled with dim light or darkness, the twilight zone is dark.

• Midnight Zone. Any depth below 1,000 feet is considered the midnight zone, since no natural light from the surface penetrates this deep.

Pressure and Temperature

Water pressure, or the weight of water on top of a creature or object, increases with depth. Conversely, temperature decreases as depth increases. The pressure and temperature's effects on creatures without a swimming speed at depths below 100 feet can be found in the "Unusual Environments".

Optional Rule: Pressure and Objects

With this optional rule, characters who dive deep in the ocean require specialized equipment that can withstand the ocean's pressure. Non-magical objects not made to withstand the water pressure are destroyed at various depths, as determined by the material used to create them. This destructive depth is presented for various materials on the Objects and Water Pressure table. Objects made of other materials break at the DM's discretion.

Eldritch Mist

While natural fog on the ocean can be a nuisance to ship crews, eldritch mist strikes fear into sailors everywhere. These rare, mysterious mists are almost indistinguishable from the naturally occurring variety until it's too late.

If a ship encounters eldritch mist, choose a type or roll for one on the Eldritch Mist Types table.

Mist Thickness

Mist lightly obscures the area it fills. Depending on its density, it heavily obscures an area beyond a certain distance from creatures within. Use the Mist Thickness table to determine a mist's thickness at random. The Mist Obfuscation table notes how far a creature in mist can see before the area beyond is heavily obscured.

Ghost Fog

Ghost fog contains the souls of murder victims whose bodies were thrown into the sea. A DC 15 Arcana check reveals that this mist is ghost fog.

The souls of the dead want the living to join them. Every hour a ship is immersed in ghost fog, roll any die. On an even number, 2d4 hostile specters appear and attack those on the ship. If a humanoid creature dies in ghost fog, its spirit rises as a specter that is hostile toward all creatures that aren't undead.

All non-undead creatures immersed in ghost fog are vulnerable to necrotic damage.

Shadowfell Fog

Shadowfell fog seeps into the Material Plane at thin points in the boundary between the two planes. A DC 15 Arcana check reveals that this mist is Shadowfell fog.

When a vessel travels through this oppressive, shadow-haunted miasma, its crew and passengers feel despair. Each hour a vessel is immersed in the fog, the crew must make a quality score check by rolling a d20 and adding their quality score to the number. The DC for this check is 10 + the number of hours the ship has been immersed in the Shadowfell fog. If the crew fails this check, their quality score decreases by 1 while within the Shadowfell fog and for 1 day afterward.

Wild Magic Fog

Few know the origins of wild magic fog, with some claiming it is the creation of capricious gods while others believe it is the result of magical experimentation gone wrong. A DC 15 Arcana check reveals that this mist is wild magic fog.

Whenever a creature in wild magic fog casts a spell of 1st level or higher,roll on the Wild Magic Surge table to create a magical effect.

Kelp Forests

Kelp grows in dense forests across the ocean floor. Most forests are found within depths of less than 100 feet near the shoreline, and range from 10 feet to over 100 miles in length and width. The kelp grows in vines up to 175 feet in length.

Kelp roots are shallow, and a whole forest can be uprooted by a strong storm. But it grows at a rapid pace, sometimes as much as 18 inches a day, meaning that a kelp forest can spring up quickly. Such forests can hide thousands of small fish and other prey animals, which attract predators. The forest is so dense that anything within it is heavily obscured to an observer more than 10 feet away, and the whole area is difficult terrain.

Kraken's Grave

When krakens die, their bodies often rot on the seafloor. ln such cases, the ground absorbs the decaying kraken’s supernatural energy, marking the area with a dark stain in the shape of the kraken's body. This stain is called a kraken's grave.

When a creature moves within 30 feet of a kraken's grave or starts its turn there, that creature must succeed on a DC 14 Stealth check or it disturbs the grave. If a creature disturbs the grave, a tendril made of lightning stretches from the ground and attacks the creature with a +7 bonus to hit. On a hit, the target takes 10 (3d6) lightning damage, and it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become blinded for the next 2d4 hours.

Lure Lights

When aboleths die, their souls sometimes gather in clusters called lure lights. These 100-foot-diameter collections of pale, yellow lights are found in the deep ocean below depths of 1,000 feet. They glow with bright light in a 100-foot radius and dim light for another 100 feet.

Any creature that can see the lure lights must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the lights for 24 hours or until the lights are destroyed. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the effect of the lure lights for 24 hours.

While charmed by the lights, a creature can't willingly move out of line of sight of them and defends them to the death. If forcibly moved away from the lights, the creature tries to find its way back to them. The creature can't take a short or long rest while under this effect. After 24 hours, the charmed creature gains one level of exhaustion and must repeat the saving throw if it is within line of sight of the lights, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the lights aren’t within line of sight at this time, the creature succeeds automatically.

Each cluster of lure lights has AC 17, 100 hit points, and immunity to necrotic and poison damage.

Magical Storms

Even worse than the threat of storms is the menace of weather imbued with magic. When a ship enters a storm, roll a d20. On a 20, the storm churns with magical energy. Pick or randomly determine the type of magical energy brimming within the storm, consulting the Magical Storm Type table.

Abjuration

A storm infused with abjuration magic repels ships, as if protecting something in the sea. Right before the storm ends, a ship within it is teleported Sd20 miles in a random direction.

Conjuration

When conjuration magic churns within a storm’s heart, creatures of wind and rain emerge from distant realms to attack anything they encounter. The ship encounters 1d3 hostile air elementals.

Divination

When divination magic seeps into a storm, howling winds and residual whispers temporarily scramble the knowledge of a ship's crew; for 1d3 days, the ship's crew suffers disadvantage on all quality checks.

Enchantment

Storms infused with enchantment magic disarm a creature's sense of danger, enthralling mariners and causing them to speed into danger. During the storm, any checks made to resolve hazards or manage the ship are made with disadvantage.

Evocation

These ferocious storms are wracked with thunderbolts, driving sheets of acid rain, exploding meteors, and other dangers. After each day of the storm, every component aboard the ship takes 1d10 fire, 1d10 acid, and 1d10 lightning damage. In addition, roll a d20 and add the crew's quality. On a 1 or less, the crew's quality decreases by 1, and 1d6 members of the crew are killed.

Illusion

A storm brimming with illusions poses little direct harm to a ship, but experienced navigators know it poses an insidious threat. During the storm, the ship travels in a random direction that isn't its intended course.

Necromancy

Ghosts howl and whirl in this storm's wind, while the remains of long-dead mariners stir in their watery graves. During the storm, 1d4 specters, 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6 zombies emerge from the waves to attack the ship.

Transmutation

These violently unpredictable storms cause the waves to warp and twist. The storm transforms the water around the ship into an amalgamation of ice, stone, and stranger materials, making travel difficult and damaging the ship. The ship's hull takes 4d10 bludgeoning damage, and the ship's speed decreases by half during the storm.

Sandbars

Waves and currents deposit sand in shallow water near the shoreline. These sandbars form a line that can be between 10 feet and 3 miles in length and width. During high tide, sandbars are below the ocean's surface, while they peek above the water during low tide.

Navigating Sandbars

Sandbars make dangerous obstacles for vessels, particularly at high tide when they are less noticeable. The crew of a ship moving toward a sandbar beneath the waves must have a passive Perception score of 12 or higher or fail to see the sandbar in the way (see "Noticing Threats”). When a ship passes over a submerged sandbar, the sandbar counts as difficult terrain, and the ship must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. The DC of this save corresponds with the depth of the sandbar, as listed on the Sandbar DCs table. If the ship fails this save, it gets stuck on the sandbar. A ship can become unstuck by using an action to make a Strength check, with a bonus equal to the crew's quality, against the sandbar's DC.

Sapping Snow

Sapping snow - that's what aquatic explorers call the powdery remains of dead organisms that cover the ocean floor. When this substance is imbued with necromantic magic, it becomes a life-leeching detritus.

Whenever a creature starts its turn touching sapping snow, that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The creature's hit point maximum decreases by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. If this effect reduces the creature's bit point maximum to 0, the creature dies, and its body immediately crumbles into sapping snow.

Shipwrecks

Shipwrecks at the bottom of the ocean make the perfect locations for monsters’ lairs and lost treasures. The Shipwreck Contents table provides ideas for the creatures and treasure within these wrecks.

Whirlpools

In areas where storms or opposed currents drive powerful waters together, violent maelstroms might form. Whirlpools are difficult terrain. Each whirlpool has a rank, which determines its size and strength, as shown on the Whirlpool Rank table. A whirlpool's depth equals half its diameter.

Rank Diameter Velocity DC

1 22 (4d10) ft. 5 ft. 5

2 55 (10d10) ft. 15 ft. 10

3 110 (20d10) ft. 25 ft. 15

4 165 (30d20) ft. 35 ft. 20

Creatures in Whirlpools

When a creature moves into a whirlpool or starts its turn there, it must make an Athletics check with a DC determined by the whirlpool's rank. On a success, the creature can move normally. On a failure, the creature is immediately moved toward the vortex's center at the whirlpool's velocity, and the creature is restrained by the whirlpool until the start of its next turn. If the creature reaches the whirlpool's center, the creature is pulled under the surface and either appears at a special location (see "Whirlpool Destinations" below) or plunges a number of feet underwater equal to the whirlpool's velocity.

Vessels in Whirlpools

If a vessel starts its turn in a whirlpool with a diameter greater than the vessel's length, the ship's officers and crew must make a group check to escape. This group check works like the special ones made against hazards.

The group check represents 5 minutes of work. The check's DC is chosen or randomly determined by rolling a d4 on the Whirlpool Rank table. The captain, first mate, bosun, and quartermaster each make an ability check, as shown on the Whirlpool Checks table. If no one makes the check for a particular officer, a failure is contributed toward the group check. Also, roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier to the roll, and compare that check to the DC.

Determine how many of the group's checks succeeded - the officers' and the crew's - then consult the Whirlpool Check Results table.

Officer Check 

Captain Intelligence (water vehicles)

First mate Intimidation

Bosun Strength (carpenter's tools)

Quartermaster Wisdom (Nature)

Result Effect

Total Success The vessel uses the whirlpool to its advantage and increases its speed by 20 ft. during its current turn.

Success The vessel can move normally on its turn.

Failure The vessel is immediately moved toward the vortex's center at the whirlpool's velocity, and the vessel is restrained by the whirlpool until the start of its next turn.

Total Failure As a failure. Additionally, if the vessel is in the whirlpool at the start of its next turn, all checks the vessel makes to determine the whirlpool's effects are made with dis· advantage on that turn.

Whirlpool Destinations

While a whirlpool might be a short-lived hazard that drags things into the depths, they might also serve as a violent passage to another realm. In such cases, things dragged into a whirlpool are deposited elsewhere, be it through a crack in the seafloor leading to an Underdark ocean or a portal to a different plane of existence. Use the Whirlpool Destinations table to choose or randomly determine where a whirlpool leads, usually to a body of water in that destination.

d10 Destination

1-3 Underdark

4 Elemental Plane of Water

5 Elemental Plane of Earth

6 Feywild

7 Shadowfell

8 Astral Plane

9 Outlands

10 Outer Plane of the DM's choice

Encounters at Sea

The open seas provide endless opportunities for adventure. This section supplies you with a variety of random tables, perfect for detailing the challenges awaiting your characters on and beneath the waves.

Random Encounters

For each day of a voyage, in addition to checking for hazards, roll a d20. On a 19 or 20, the ship has a random encounter. If you roll both a hazard and a random encounter, the ship experiences both. They might occur simultaneously or in an order of your choice.

The levels given on the following tables allow you to sculpt what dangers the characters face. The low-level table is useful for when a ship travels in safe waters, while the higher-level ones are suited for primeval waters, far from well-trafficked sea lanes. The tables also allow for encounters with other ships and the discovery of mysterious, uncharted islands. Additional tables for further detailing such encounters are included later in this appendix.

Open Water Encounters (Levels 1-4)

D100 Encounter

01-03 3d6 quippers

04-08 1 swarm of quippers

09-12 3d10 dolphins

13-14 1 giant octopus

15-16 1d4 killer whales

17-18 1d6 merfolk

19-20 1d6 giant sea horses

21-24 1d8 giant crabs

25-28 1d4 reef sharks

29 1 hunter shark

30-34 1d4 sahuagin

35-37 1d4 koalinth

38-40 A rank 1 whirlpool connected to the Elemental Plane of Water (see "Whirlpools")

41-45 1d4 locathahs

46-51 1d3 harpies

52-54 2 merrow

55-57 1 sahuagin priestess and 1d4 sahuagin

58-59 1 koalinth sergeant and 2d4 koalinth

60-62 1 plesiosaurus

63-64 1d3 sea hags

65-67 1d4 blood hawks

68-70 1 sahuagin champion

71-74 1 giant shark

75 1 young bronze dragon

76-00 A ship (generated at random)

Open Water Encounters (Levels 5-10)

D100 Encounter

01-03 1 giant shark

04-07 1d4 swarms of quippers

08-11 1d10 killer whales

12-17 3d6 merfolk

18-25 1 sahuagin high priestess and 1 sahuagin wave shaper

26-30 2d8 giant crabs

31-35 2d4 reef sharks

36-38 1d4 hunter sharks

39-40 1d4 water elementals

41 A rank 2 whirlpool connected to the Elemental Plane of Water (see "Whirlpools")

42-45 2d4 locathahs

46-47 1 harpy matriarch and 1d4 harpies

48-49 2d4 merrow

50-52 1 sahuagin baron and 1d4 sahuagin

53-57 1 koalinth sergeant and 2d4 koalinth

58-59 2d8 giant crabs

60-61 1d4 plesiosauruses

62-63 A coven of 3 sea hags

64-65 1d4 sahuagin blademasters

66-69 1 hydra

70-71 1 marid

72 1 storm giant

73 1 adult bronze dragon

74 1 dragon turtle

75-90 A ship (generated at random)

91-00 A mysterious island (generated at random)

Open Water Encounters (Levels 11-20)

d100 Encounter

01-03 1 storm giant

04-07 2d6 giant sharks

08-11 1 marid

12-18 1 sahuagin high priestess and 2d4 sahuagin champions

19-25 1 sahuagin baron and ld4 sahuagin blademasters

26-28 3d6 reef sharks

29-32 2d6 hunter sharks

33-39 A rank 3 whirlpool connected to the Elemental Plane of Water (see "Whirlpools")

40-43 A rank 4 whirlpool connected to the Elemental Plane of Water (see "Whirlpools")

44-45 1d3 hydras

46-48 1d4 koalinth sergeant and 3d10 koalinth

49-50 2d4 plesiosauruses

51-53 3d6 merrow

54-57 1 harpy matriarch and 2d8 harpies

58-60 A coven of 3 sea hags

61-63 1 dragon turtle

64 1 ancient bronze dragon

65-75 A ship (generated at random)

76-00 A mysterious island (generated at random)

Random Ships

The characters aren't the only sailors traveling the high seas. Each new vessel they encounter presents an opportunity for adventure. The following rules can be used to generate other ships met on the open seas.

Ship Type

The type of ship the characters meet determines the vessel's statistics, along with how many creatures and how much cargo it can carry.

d100 Ship

01-09 Rowboat

10-25 Keel boat

26-38 Longship

39-60 Sailing ship

61-79 Galley

80-00 Warship

Ship Name

Every ship has a name, which you can create yourself or randomly generate using the Ship Names table. Roll on the table - once for an adjective and once for a noun - to create a ship name.

d20 Adjective Noun

1 Beautiful Adventure

2 Bilious Barnacle

3 Bold Brawler

4 Cold Devil

5 Dandy Dragon

6 Dawn Gem

7 Drunken Flower

8 Fiery jester

9 Furious Kraken

10 Grinning Leviathan

11 Intrepid Mermaid

12 jolly Prince

13 Misty Princess

14 Rambunctious Revenge

15 Red Saber

16 Royal Shark

17 Salty Tide

18 Sinful Treasure

19 Twilight Victory

20 Zealous Wanderer

Crew

Unless you decide otherwise, each ship encountered on the sea has its full crew and enough food and water to sustain that crew and any passengers for the duration of the ship's journey. You can generate a crew using the suggestions in the "Ship Purpose" section below or by using the suggested crew for a ship's type.

Crew Member Names

Should you need to quickly generate the name of a member of a ship's crew, the following table makes it easy to produce a two-part name that could apply to any member of a crew, regardless of gender or race.

d20 First Half Second Half

1 Salty Beard

2 Ol' Eye

3 Silver Copper

4 Golden Fish

s Black Whale

6 Blue Dog

7 Silky Cur

8 Heartless Fingers

9 Drizzly Patches

10 Thirsty Hook

11 Rum Salt

12 Gloomy Rat

13 Handsome Charm

14 Wee Beast

15 Clever Devil

16 Ugly Liar

17 Pretty Angel

18 Lost Blood

19 Mad Maps

20 Poor Mast

Ship Purpose

Every ship has a reason for its voyages, which can be rolled or chosen on the Ship Purpose table. Each purpose is described after the table.

d100 Purpose

01-17 Cargo

18-34 Passenger

35-51 Fishing

52-68 Military

69-85 Piracy

86-95 Mercenary

96-00 Ghost

Cargo

Cargo ships haul mercantile goods, emergency relief supplies, traveling carnivals, and any other materials that need to move across the seas. Let the ship's alignment, racial makeup, and disposition guide what a ship might carry as cargo.

Most crew members and officers on cargo ships are commoners. Vessels with valuable cargo may carry 2d10 guards with a veteran guard captain. Cargo ships that transport livestock may have goats, camels, draft horses, mules, and other beasts, in addition to their crews and passengers.

Passenger

Passenger ships carry travelers. Such vessels are chartered for journeys or pleasure cruises or carry refugees, religious missionaries , or some other peaceful group traveling to an important destination.

Most crew members and officers on passenger ships are commoners. Vessels carrying important people may carry 2d10 guards with a veteran guard captain. The passengers on a passenger s hip generally consist of commoners and nobles, though many creatures have the need to travel by ship.

Fishing

Fishing ships include commercial vessels that catch fish and crustaceans to sell at market, whaling boats, and trophy hunters stalking sharks, giant octopuses, and other sea monsters. Any vessel that hunts sea life for profit, survival, or sport has this purpose.

Most crew members and officers on commercial fishing ships are commoners, but whaling vessels and sport hunters often have scouts among their ranks.

Military

Military vessels carry soldiers to war and are equipped for battle on the sea. These vessels hunt pirates, defend and invade territory, carry important government cargo, escort officials, transport prisoners, and do anything else their commanders require.

Most crew members on military ships are guards or scouts. Officers are veterans. Many military ships carry extra guards as passengers for invasion, boarding, and operating siege weapons. A military ship may also carry 1d4 bandits or guards as prisoners.

Piracy

Pirates smuggle contraband goods and rob other ships, seaside towns, and outposts. They engage in criminal operations, but not all are evil. Many have an ethical code. Some serve governments as privateers, harming only these masters' adversaries, while others rob only the corrupt and give their ill-gotten gains to the needy.

Most crew members on pirate ships are bandits. Officers are bandit captains and could include a pirate captain and a pirate bosun. Many pirate ships carry extra bandits and at least one pirate deck wizard as passengers.

Mercenary

Mercenary crews travel the world in search of adventure and pay. They explore uncharted territories, fight wars, slay monsters, transport special cargo or people, and undertake any quest for the right cost.

Mercenary ships have crews and passengers similar to military ships.

Ghost

Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane. They sometimes serve necromancers, but more often these crews are beholden to no master.

A ghost ship has the same statistics as a normal ship of its ship type with the following changes:

• The ship has resistance to the following damage types: acid, fire, lightning, and thunder, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks.

• The ship is immune to cold, necrotic, poison, and psychic damage.

• The ship can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Crew members and officers on good and neutral ghost ships are ghosts. On evil ghost ships, the crew members are 90 percent skeletons and zombies (even mix of each). 10 percent are specters, and the officers are wraiths.

Attitude and Race

Each ship's crew and passengers have an attitude that guides how they interact with the characters. Friendly ships seek to trade or share news, neutral ones attack if they feel threatened and otherwise try to avoid contact, and hostile ones seek to attack and seize the characters' ship.

First, roll or choose an attitude on the Ship Attitude table, then roll on the appropriate table to determine the nature of the crew. The race chosen or rolled need not be the only one found on the ship, and you might use a cable multiple times to make a ship's crew and passengers more diverse. Feel free to substitute suggested statistics for other statistics if you feel they make more sense with the ship's race (for example. substituting the bandit statistics with orc statistics on a pirate ship crewed by orcs).

d6 Attitude

1-2 Friendly

3-4 Neutral

5-6 Hostile

d100 Friendly Race

01-05 Dragonborn

06-10 Dwarves

11-30 Elves

31-40 Gnomes

41-50 Tieflings

51-60 Halflings

61-00 Humans

d100 Neutral Race

01-05 Dragonborn

06-10 Dwarves

11-30 Lizardfolk

31-40 Hobgoblins

41-50 Orcs

51-60 Halflings

61-00 Humans

d100 Hostile Race

01-05 Frost giants

06-10 Kobolds

11-30 Orcs

31-40 Hobgoblins

41-50 Undead

51-60 Gnolls

61-00 Humans

Ship Disposition

Each ship has a disposition that determines events happening aboard the ship when the characters encounter it. Choose or roll for a ship's disposition on the Ship Disposition table. Each disposition is described after the table. If you roll no special disposition, the ship is under no unusual stress and reacts based on its attitude.

d10 Disposition

1 Diseased

2 Emergency

3 Help with purpose

4 Mutiny

5 Trading

6-10 No special disposition

Diseased

Roll percentile dice. The result reveals the percentage of the ship’s crew and passengers infected with a disease of your choice. This ship approaches the characters, begging for or demanding help with the infection.

Ghost ships can't be diseased; if you get this result for a ghost ship, ignore it and roll again.

Emergency

A ship experiencing an emergency is suffering some sort of crisis. The crew and passengers beg or demand the characters' help in getting out of the situation. Choose or roll for an emergency on the Ship Emergency table to determine the vessel's crisis.

d4 Emergency

1 The ship's crew is lost.

2 The ship is damaged and can't be steered as it drifts with the current.

3 The ship is stuck on a sandbar.

4 The ship is sinking.

Help with Purpose

Ship crews looking for help with their purpose approach the characters asking for direct aid in a task. For instance, mercenaries ask for help mapping an unexplored area while a cargo ship's crew asks the characters to serve as guards. Most crews offer compensation in return for the characters' services, though some might threaten or beg for charity to get help.

Mutiny

The crew of ships ready to mutiny are unhappy with the leadership of their officers and plan to overthrow them. The officers approach the characters, asking for or demanding help quelling the uprising, or the crew approaches, requesting aid with their uprising or attempting to trick the characters into killing the officers.

Trading

Ship crews and passengers looking to trade offer their cargo or services lo the characters in exchange for deeds, items, or coin. Use the ship's purpose to guide what they have to trade. For instance, commercial fishermen might offer a crate of valuable crabs in exchange for the head of a shark that keeps consuming their catches, while pirates might offer stolen potions in exchange for gems or gold. Most of the people offering trades are willing to haggle. If the characters refuse to trade, evil-aligned crews and passengers might attack to get what they want.

Source: Ghosts of Saltmarsh - Appendix A: Of Ships And The Sea pg. 187