These are the rules for naval movement and combat.

Every ship requires a pilot to control the vehicle or a captain to coordinate the efforts of the crew, which controls the ship’s movement and performs other activities as instructed. Smaller vessels such as rowboats need only a pilot, while larger vessels such as triremes and galleons require a captain. To captain a ship, a character must have an appropriate profession (sailor, boatman, ferryman, pirate, fisher, whaler, or something similar).

A ship controlled by a pilot replaces its Agility with half the pilot’s Agility score. A ship controlled by a captain replaces its Agility with half the captain’s Intellect score or Will score. In both cases, the ship’s Defense when it is piloted equals its Agility score (minimum 5).

Ships move by being rowed with oars or by filling their sails with wind.

Ships that list oars in their Speed entries can move at the indicated Speed by being rowed. On smaller vessels, the pilot uses an action to pull the oars, while larger vessels require each member of the crew to use an action to pull the oars under the direction of the captain. A creature can typically row for a number of consecutive hours equal to 1 + its Strength modifier (minimum 1 hour). At the end of that time, and again after each additional hour of continuous rowing, the creature must make a Strength challenge roll. On a failure, the creature becomes fatigued until it completes a rest. If the creature was already fatigued, it takes a –1d6 penalty to Health. A fatigued creature adds 1d6 to this penalty for each subsequent failure. This penalty remains until the creature removes the fatigued affliction.

Current: The direction in which the water flows can make rowing harder or easier, depending on whether the vessel moves with or against the current. Rowing with a fast-flowing current can increase a ship’s maximum Speed by half, while rowing against the current might reduce or even halve the ship’s maximum Speed at your discretion.

Forced Rowing: A captain can goad the crew to push harder and thus move the vessel faster. The captain must make a Will attack roll against the crew’s Will. On a success, the captain increases the ship’s Speed by 1d6 for 1 hour. At the end of that hour, members of the crew make challenge rolls to resist the effects of continuous rowing with 1 bane. On a failure, the captain cannot try to goad the crew again until after the captain completes a rest.

Ships that list sails in their Speed entries can move at the indicated Speed by using wind for propulsion. While favorable winds can take days off a journey, unfavorable winds can add time and even strand a ship for days until the winds returns. Controlling a sailing vessel requires the pilot (for small sailboats) or the crew to use an action, or a triggered action, each round to tend to the vessel, which includes manipulating sails, checking rigging, and doing all the other tasks required to keep the ship heading in the right direction.

A ship with Speed given for both oars and sails can use one or the other propulsion method, but not both at the same time. Changing from one method to the other takes 1d6 minutes.

Inspiring the Crew: A captain can attempt to inspire the crew by shouting words of encouragement and taking part in the effort to direct the ship. If the captain gets a success on a Will challenge roll, increase the ship’s base Speed by 1d6 for 1 hour. On a failure, the captain cannot try again for 1 hour.

A sailing ship’s movement depends on wind strength and direction. The Sailing Speed by Wind table shows how much a ship’s Speed increases or decreases based on the wind strength and the direction the ship is moving relative to the direction the wind is blowing. A ship can move against the wind, at an angle across the wind’s path, or with the wind. For example, a galleon has Speed 9. If it sails against a moderate wind, its Speed is 3. If it sails with a moderate wind, its Speed becomes 15. If it sails across a moderate wind, its Speed is 12.

If a modifier would reduce the ship’s Speed to 0, the ship can move only if it is rowed

The following table shows the speed modifier for wind strength and what direction the ship is in regards to the wind.

Severe weather, spells, war machines, and monsters can damage a ship. A ship can take some amount of damage and remain seaworthy, but if it takes too much damage, it can be scuttled or even sink.

Crew: When a ship takes any damage, any creature within 1 yard of the spot where the ship was struck must get a success on an Agility challenge roll or take half the damage. To account for the effect of the attack against crewmembers, assume that 5 to 10 percent of the crew is in the affected area.

Scuttled Ships: A ship becomes scuttled when its damage total equals half its Health. A scuttled ship has its Speed halved and adds 2 banes to its seaworthiness and its maneuverability. If it is not repaired, the ship will sink in 1d6 + 3 days.

Destroying a Ship: If a ship’s damage total equals its Health or if a ship’s Health is reduced to 0, the ship begins to sink. The pilot or captain must make an Intellect challenge roll, applying boons or banes from the ship’s seaworthiness to the roll. On a success, the ship sinks at the end of a number of minutes equal to its Size. On a failure, the ship sinks immediately.

At the end of each minute while a ship is sinking, each creature on the ship must make an Agility challenge roll, applying boons or banes from seaworthiness to the roll. On a failure, the creature takes 1d6 damage from sliding debris.

Any creature on the ship when it sinks must get a success on an Agility challenge roll with 2 banes or be dragged under, tangled in debris, and take damage equal to its Health. A creature that gets a success on this roll still has to swim to escape the ship and might be forced to make Strength challenge rolls to do so.

A ship is at risk of running aground if it moves into water of a depth less than the ship’s draft, or if it is moored in a location close to shore when the tide goes out. A ship might be grounded intentionally or be run aground by severe weather. When a ship goes to ground for a reason beyond the control of its pilot or captain, the ship takes 3d6 damage and cannot be sailed or rowed until it is moved back into deeper waters. If a ship runs aground on rocks or a coral reef, the ship takes 1d6 damage each hour it remains there until it sinks.

Ship-to-Ship Combat Pirates, privateers, sailors from an enemy nation, or mad cultists wreaking havoc on the high seas can make an ordinary ocean voyage exciting and, most likely, dangerous. Distance, speed, and other factors can make ship-to-ship combat more complex than ordinary combat. Of course, ships and their occupants are vulnerable to the effects of spells, relics, and talents that could resolve an episode of ship-to-ship combat in short order. Especially powerful spells can effectively end a battle before it begins by utterly destroying enemy ships, summoning storms, or bringing forth creatures that feast on enemy crews. Assuming such resources are not brought to bear, use the following rules when ships come into conflict with one another. Starting Distance Before the first round of combat begins, you set the stage by establishing the starting positions of each ship to be involved in the combat. Refer to the Spotting Distances table to gauge suitable distances. Rounds and Turns Combat involving ships unfolds in rounds, as does any other combat. Ship-to-ship combat, however, makes no distinction between fast turns and slow turns. Instead, the player characters, along with the ship or ships they are on, go first. Then, creatures and ships you control go next. After that, you resolve the end of the round and proceed with the next round until the combat ends. On each ship, the captain or pilot along with any active crewmembers use their actions to control the ship. Creatures not involved in controlling the ship can move and use actions to perform other activities.