Spelljamming
The preferred method of traveling through the Aether to get
from one island to the next, spelljammers use a combination of magic and the
mysterious qualities of incarnum to provide power and propulsion to ships
equipped to travel the void. In order
for a ship to travel through the aether, it must have the following core
components: aether, a spelljamming helm, incarnum fuel, and a magic-user that
has at least 1 first level or higher available to use. Spelljamming works by drawing the magical
power of incarnum through the spelljamming helm by a magic-user and converting
it into a reactive energy that interacts with the aether to provide a ship with
propulsion. Larger ships also use
radiant draws and aether sails to improve their speed and maneuverability, but
without the core components, a ship cannot ‘jam through the aether and will sit
float idly in the aether.
Distance
The void of the Aether is vast and distance is measured in
Aether Leagues, or just “leagues”. A
league is a distance that was measured based on the amount of time it took to
travel from one island to another in the days when aether travel was in its
infancy, but the measurement remains the standard. 1 AL is roughly 1000 miles.
Speed
Spelljammer speeds vary by the size of the ship, the number and
integrity of incarnum crystals in its spelljamming helm, the type of helm and
the level of the helmsman. The larger
the ship, the more incarnum crystals are needed to power the spelljamming
helm. A ship with a full complement of incarnum
crystals flies at its full rate and its speed declines as it loses incarnum
crystals. To determine the distance a
spelljammer travels in leagues per day, assuming a full complement of incarnum,
consult the chart below:
Movement
Rate
|
Spell Slot
Level Used
|
Major Helm Travel Speed per Day in leagues
|
Minor Helm Travel Speed per Day in leagues
|
|
Major Helm Combat Speed per Round in squares/hexes
|
Minor Helm Combat Speed per Round in squares/hexes
|
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
|
6
|
3
|
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
|
7
|
4
|
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
|
8
|
5
|
|
4
|
8
|
4
|
|
9
|
6
|
|
5
|
10
|
5
|
|
10
|
7
|
|
6
|
12
|
6
|
|
11
|
8
|
|
7
|
14
|
7
|
|
12
|
9
|
|
8
|
16
|
8
|
|
13
|
10
|
|
9
|
18
|
9
|
|
14
|
11
|
Maneuverability
Movement in the Aether is not like it is in the ocean. It is in three dimensions for one thing. For another, the aether is a much different
medium than water. Maneuvering in the
aether requires skill to prevent unwanted movement. Ships make turns according to their Maneuverability Rating, which indicates
the number of squares forward a ship must travel before it can change its
course. A successful Crew Agility Check
may reduce that number by one square.
ROLES ON
THE SPELLJAMMER
Spelljammer
The spelljamming helm causes the arcane reaction that causes
the ship to move and the person who operates the helm is called the “spelljammer”. The ship’s speed is based on the spelljammer’s
level and the type of helm the ship has.
The more powerful the helm, the faster the ship moves. The spelljammer may attempt to get a boost of
speed out of the spelljamming helm by making a Spelljamming Intelligence (Arcana) Check. A successful check doubles the Travel Speed
on per Day travel and may only be made once per day. A successful check during combat adds 1
square to the normal per round combat speed for the ship’s next move action.
·
- Special Action - Burning a Crystal: In some situations, it is critical to get an extra burst of speed. The spelljammer may choose to draw more power from one of the incarnum crystals in order to do so. Burning a crystal results in the destruction of one of the incarnum crystals in the spelljamming helm, but it provides an increase in speed equal to the level of the helmsman times the normal travel speed of the vessel. This immediate acceleration is reckless and dangerous, as it is nearly impossible to control once enacted. This ship travels in a straight line for one day at this new speed, then decelerates to the ship’s normal cruising speed (unless the loss of the crystal results in a slower cruising speed). If a ship is in combat when it burns a crystal, the sudden acceleration results in the ship instantly leaving the combat arena as if it disappeared. If the ship is held or locked to another vessel (such as in a boarding action) or to an aetherbeast (such as in the jaws of a beast), the acceleration results in a forceful removal from the held/locked state, resulting in damage to both the accelerating vessel and the object it was held/locked to equal to the normal combat speed in Hull/Health points.
- · Relieving a Spelljammer Magic User: Spelljammer helms require a constant connection to its incarnum crystals to continue functioning. Since ships typically travel for days or even weeks at a time without stopping over long distances, it’s important to continue a connection to the spelljammer helm in order to avoid paying the operating cost to the incarnum crystal payload. Magic users can take turns at the spelljamming helm, but it does require a careful transition in order to continue the spelljamming helm’s operation uninterrupted. The magic user replacing the one that is currently operating the helm must make a DC 10 check vs their primary spellcasting ability in order to make the transition smoothly. Failure means that the helm shuts down momentarily and the cost to the incarnum crystals is paid.
Helmsman: The person
who steers the ship does so from the helm, which is usually located either on
the deck or in the command box. The
helmsman is usually the captain or first mate, though it can be one of the crew
during standard travel time. The
helmsman may be called upon to make Helm
Agility(Athletics) Checks to steer the ship out of dangerous situations,
such as to avoid collision with incoming threats, make tactical maneuvers, etc.. A
helmsman must have Vehicle Proficiency with aether ships, otherwise he makes
all checks with Disadvantage.
Navigator
Other factors may determine how quickly a ship reaches her
destination. A good navigator can plot a
course through the Aether that provides the most direct route, whereas a poor
navigator can cause a ship to be delayed due to inefficient charts. Prior to departing for its destination, the
navigator plots a course and the ship’s pilot directs the ship along that
course using various instruments designed for Aether travel.
Making a Navigation Check: A navigator makes a Navigation Wisdom(Perception) Check (must have proficiency with Aether
Navigator’s Tools) and this determines how well they plot the course, which
is, of course, not known until the voyage is well underway. The DM sets the difficulty of the course and
the chart below identifies how good the navigation check is and the impact to
the duration of the voyage from point A to point B. A navigator may make adjustments to the
course each day after the initial launch.
D20 + Wis mod + 1d4 for Aether Navigation specialty skill
Navigation check is:
|
Up to +/-4 of
the DC
|
Ship is on a
good course and neither gains nor loses time.
|
|
-5 to -9 of
the DC
|
Ship is on
an inefficient course. Add 25% to
travel time.
|
|
-10 to -14 of
the DC
|
Ship is on a
very inefficient course. Add 50% to
travel time.
|
|
-15 or
greater of the DC
|
Ship is lost
in the Aether and must make a new navigation check to find its
destination. The new navigation check
is at a one-step disadvantage.
|
Crew
A ship’s crew is vital to the performance of the ship in
getting to her destination. Sails need
to be positioned correctly to capture ambient incarnum to prolong the life of
the incarnum crystals, repair damage from minor collisions, manage the parse
tubes that contain the radian draws, which control acceleration and
deceleration, etc. A crew’s skill in
handling these ship’s needs at key moments may make the difference between
success and failure. These checks are
called Crew Dexterity (Athletics) Checks. Since the crew is the First Mate’s
responsibility, the crew check is made on the First Mate’s turn. If the First Mate is not alive or present,
the crew goes on the Captain’s turn. If
the Captain is not available, the crew goes last in initiative. The chart below provides the crew’s modifier
to checks based on its experience and if the crew is at its minimum
numbers. If the number of available crew
fall below the minimum required to perform normally, the crew’s checks are made
at a Disadvantage. Should the number of
available crew fall below 25% of the minimum number, it automatically fails
crew checks made during combat situations and is at a Disadvantage out of
combat.
|
Crew Level
|
Level Modifier
|
# Attacks
|
|
0
|
-1
|
1
|
|
1
|
+0
|
1
|
|
2
|
+0
|
1
|
|
3
|
+1
|
1
|
|
4
|
+1
|
1
|
|
5
|
+1
|
1
|
|
6
|
+2
|
2
|
|
7
|
+2
|
2
|
|
8
|
+2
|
2
|
|
9
|
+3
|
3
|
|
10
|
+3
|
3
|
Crew Level: This is
not like class level for characters; the crew level measures the collective
experience and ability to work together under stress of all of the crew.
Level
Modifier: This modifier is used for various checks, saves and/or
attacks the crew may need to make.
# of
Attacks: The crew become better combatants as they gain levels,
which reflects in how many attacks they collectively make during combat.
Crew Statistics
HP: Equals
the number of (available) crew
AC: Equals 10 + Crew Level +1 for every crew over the ship’s minimum, or -1 for every crew under the ship’s minimum.
Speed: 30 ft.
Ability Scores (all ability scores are the same): 10 + Crew Level +1 for every crew over the ship’s minimum, or -1 for every crew under the ship’s minimum.
Actions:
AC: Equals 10 + Crew Level +1 for every crew over the ship’s minimum, or -1 for every crew under the ship’s minimum.
Speed: 30 ft.
Ability Scores (all ability scores are the same): 10 + Crew Level +1 for every crew over the ship’s minimum, or -1 for every crew under the ship’s minimum.
Actions:
·
Crew vs
Crew Attack: This is a combination of melee and ranged attacks made
during the combat round. They make
attacks using their level modifier + their ability modifier. If a hit is made, the target sustains damage
1 HP of damage.
·
Crew vs Monster
Attack: The crew fighting a large creature that is attacking the
ship, they make attacks using their level modifier + their ability
modifier. If a hit is made, the target
sustains damage equal to 1 +1 per crew level.
Captain /
First Mate
The captain and/or first mate may help any of the crew pass
crew pass their checks by making a Command
Charisma (Persuasion) Check. A
Command Check is a vs the difficulty of the DC that the crew is trying to pass
and is done as a Reaction to a failed check by any other member of the
crew. Only one Command Check may be made
per round. A successful Command Check
allows the crew to reroll a failed Crew, Helmsman, or Engineering Check or to
offset Disadvantage they may have acquired for whatever reason.
Engineer
Sometimes ships take damage which can impair movement and
functionality. The ship’s engineer can
help mitigate damage by making repairs and adjustments as needed. This is done by making an Engineering Check (the ability score
depends on the action being taken - must be proficient with Aether Ship
Engineer’s Tools) . Succeeding on
this check may repair Hit Point damage and/or Hull damage or fix a broken
spelljamming helm.
Chaplain
The chaplain’s duty is to keep the crew healthy. More powerful chaplains may also renew air
and create food and water. The chaplain
has no direct influence on ship’s operations during travel or combat other than
keeping the crew alive and healthy.
AETHER
SHIPS (SPELLJAMMERS)
There are many different types of spelljamming ships. The most common are those that are modified
vessels that were designed to sail on water.
But there are those ships that were designed only for traveling in the
aether, and they tend to have a more exotic appearance. All Spelljammers have the same
characteristics, as follow:
Type: Describes
the medium in which the ship was built for.
·
Ship of the
Void: May only travel through the aether
·
Hybrid: May
travel through water and aether.
Size: The
relative size of the ship in comparison to others.
·
Diminuative: Life boat
(1 incarnum crystal)
·
Tiny: Skiff (3 incarnum
crystals)
·
Small:
Exploration Ship (5 incarnum crystals)
·
Medium: Passenger
Ship (10 incarnum crystals)
·
Large: Cargo
Ship (15 incarnum crystals)
·
Huge: Warship
(20 incarnum crystals)
·
Gargantuan: Warship
(30 incarnum crystals)
Crew: Describes
how many people are required to run the ship.
Passengers: Describes
how many people, in addition to the crew, the ship may comfortably carry on a
voyage.
Cargo: The
amount of weight the ship may carry without impairing speed or function.
Hit Points: This
represents the amount of damage that skill and luck deflects from actually
harming the ship.
Hull Points: This
represents the amount of damage that actually damages the ship. Hull damage
actually impairs the ship’s functionality and/or speed. Hull damage is taken when the ship sustains a
critical hit. A critical hit does normal HP damage and 1 point of Hull damage.
Armor Class: This
represents the amount of damage the ship may shrug off or absorb due to its
protective covering.
Damage
Threshold: The ship ignores damage from an attack unless it exceeds this
number.
Helm: This
describes the type of helm the ship possesses, which is either a Minor or Major
helm. Some ships may have experimental
or completely alien helms, such as those used by the illithids.
Maneuverability
Rating: This represents how quickly a ship may execute a change of
direction.
Power
Requirements: This describes the type of power that a ship needs to move,
typically Incarnum crystals, and the number of crystals needed for proper
functionality and speed.
Incarnum
Consumption: Incarnum crystals are essentially the fuel of the spelljammer
helm and the lifetime of an incarnum crystal depends largely on how much power
it provides to the spelljammer and how often the helm is shut down. An incarnum crystal deteriorates when it
stops feeding magic to a spelljammer helm, so everytime an aethership’s magic
user stops feeding a spell slot to the spelljammer helm, the incarnum crystals
deteriorate at a rate that is based on the highest level of the spell slot that
was used during the spelljammer helm’s operation. A spelljammer can continue to have an active
helm, even if it is not moving, as long as the magic user that is manning the
spelljamming helm continues to feed a spell slot to it. This is referred to as an “active helm.” Once that connection is broken, the helm is
no longer considered to be active and that’s when the usage cost is paid to the
incarnum crystals. It doesn’t matter if
the helm changes speed various times during the course of its operation, the
cost is always the highest spell slot that was used during that active helm
time frame. The more incarnum crystals
that are used, the more the cost is split amongst them and the longer the
duration of the total incarnum payload. However,
the higher the spell slot used, the higher the consumption cost of the
crystals.
|
# of Incarnum Crystals
under/over the minimum requirement*
|
Consumption Cost in Uses per
Spell Slot Used Per Activation
|
||||||||
|
|
1st Level
|
2nd Level
|
3rd Level
|
4th Level
|
5th Level
|
6th Level
|
7th Level
|
8th Level
|
9th level
|
|
-10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
-9
|
10
|
20
|
30
|
40
|
50
|
60
|
70
|
80
|
90
|
|
-8
|
9
|
18
|
27
|
36
|
45
|
54
|
63
|
72
|
81
|
|
-7
|
8
|
16
|
24
|
32
|
40
|
48
|
56
|
64
|
72
|
|
-6
|
7
|
14
|
21
|
28
|
35
|
42
|
49
|
56
|
63
|
|
-5
|
6
|
12
|
18
|
24
|
30
|
36
|
42
|
48
|
54
|
|
-4
|
5
|
10
|
15
|
20
|
25
|
30
|
35
|
40
|
45
|
|
-3
|
4
|
8
|
12
|
16
|
20
|
24
|
28
|
32
|
36
|
|
-2
|
3
|
6
|
9
|
12
|
15
|
18
|
21
|
24
|
27
|
|
-1
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
10
|
12
|
14
|
16
|
18
|
|
Minimum
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
|
+1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
+2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
|
+3
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
|
+4
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
+5
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
+6
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
+7
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
+8
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
*A minor spelljammer helm must have at least 1 incarnum
crystal to function and can have as many as 4 crystals over its minimum
operating requirement. A major helm must
have at least 2 incarnum crystals for unction and can have as many as 8 over
its minimum operating requirement.
Weaponry: This
describes the type of weaponry the ship carries.
Example: Kern’s
Folly
·
Type: Small (Converted*)
Exploration Ship
·
Minimum Crew
to Operate: 5
·
Maximum
Passenger Capacity: 30
·
Maximum
Cargo Capacity: 10 tons
·
Hit Points: 250
·
Hull Points:
10 (4 starboard, 4 port, 1 Fore, 1 Aft)
·
Armor Class:
10
·
Damage
Threshold: 20
·
Helm: Minor
·
Maneuverability
Rating: 3
·
Power
Requirements: 5 Incarnum Crystals
·
Weaponry: none
*Converted ships are those that were designed to travel
waterways and have been converted to aether ships. They are typically heavier and less
maneuverable than ships designed to be aether ships.
Spelljammer
Combat
These rules apply to combat involving the spelljammer and
another ship or an aether beast or some other creature that attacks the
spelljammer in the aether. This is not
the process used for combat involved in boarding actions; standard combat
procedures apply for that scenario. As
with normal combat encounters, moves and actions are taken in a specific order.
- 1Determine Surprise: If one side has surprise over the other, they automatically go first in the first round, then they fall into the initiative order they rolled.
- Roll Initiative – Moves and Actions proceed in order of highest to lowest.
a.
Ship’s Move: This
occurs on the Helmsman’s initiative turn.
The ship always moves, each round, unless the helmsman leaves the
spelljamming helm, then the ship moves one more round after and slows to a stop.
b. Individual Crew Actions: For ship
to ship or ship to creature combat, the crew are assumed to be taking evasive
action and scurrying about the decks performing various functions unless the
ship is in the midst of a boarding action.
If an individual crew member has been commanded to perform a specific
task, they do not participate in a Crew Check that round, reducing the number
of crew available to make the check, which may hinder them.
i.
Crew During
Boarding Actions: When in combat resulting from boarding actions, the
crew attack as a unit against the crew of the opposing ship, or against a
creature attacking the ship. When they
do so, they make attacks as a unit, using their Crew
c.
Command
Checks: These are actions and/or reactions made by the captain (or first
mate) to aid checks made by other members of the crew. A captain may only make one command check as
an action and one as a reaction (as applicable) per round.
d. Engineering Checks: These are made during the
Engineer’s turn in the initiative order.
e. Helmsman Checks (if applicable): These are made
during the helmsman’s turn.
f.
Crew Checks: These are
made during the Crew’s turn.
g.
Spelljammer
Check: These are made during the spelljammer’s turn. Usually, the spelljammer is ordered to remain
in the spelljamming helm during combat to a) protect them from harm, b) to make
a speedy getaway if necessary by burning a crystal.
i.
Burning a
Crystal: As an action, the spelljammer can draw all of the power
from one crystal to produce a burst of speed.
This destroys the crystal.
DOCKING AN
AETHER SHIP
Aether ships cannot fly in an air bubble of a living island,
but there is a transitory zone that is between the outer edge of the air bubble
and the land mass itself. This zone
allows an aether ship to remain aloft on the weaker aether, but it cannot via
spelljamming power, which requires that it unfurl its wind sails and sail in to
dock, or to be towed in. Some of the
more exotic aether ships use magical means of movement to get it to the
docks. An aether ship will remain aloft
provided it has at least one functional Incarnum crystal, otherwise it will
drop like a rock as soon as it penetrates an island’s air bubble.
