Naval Combat
Ibland hamnar skepp i strid mot en eller flera fiender, då övergår man till naval combat. Nedan finns reglerna för hur det fungerar med Pathfinder-reglerna.
Basics
Naval combat abstracts many of the mechanics of Pathinder to encourage a faster and more stream lined combat from a larger perspective. Thus some of the following changes are assumed.
Distances
When using a combat grid each square represents 100 feet instead of the usual 5 feet.
Time, Actions & Reactions
Time and combat rounds functions much the same as in normal Pathfinder. One round is six seconds long and anything that could be accomplished in a normal round can be done during a round during naval combat.
During naval combat only players roll initiative to decide order. Enemies do not roll initiative and do not have dedicated rounds of their own. Instead enemy reactions are triggered when player attempt to perform their own actions, although in some cases this may be negated.
Possible player actions
- Ship Maneuver actions
- Turn ship
- Move ship
- Force enemy movement
- Ram ship
- Board ship
- Other actions
- Fire/reload cannons
- Repair ship
- Regular Pathfinder actions
Possible enemy reactions
- Ship Maneuver actions
- Turn ship
- Move ship
- Ram ship
- Board ship
- Other actions
- Fire/reload cannons
- Repair ship
- NPC Officer actions
Maneuver Actions
A ship can be steered and maneuvered to gain a strategic advantage. By performing various skill checks and other feats of heroism players can turn the battle in their favor, but failure to perform may lead the enemy to sieze the opportunity for themselves.
While the check required is situationally dependant the DC remains the same for all of them. Failure either means forfeiting the action while the enemy gets to act or damaging the ship while perfoming the maneuver.
- Check: Depending on what maneuver the player wishes to take they can use a corresponding skill, ability score or other check to see if they succeed versus the DC listed below. If more than one action is allowed the second action always succeeds.
- Action: 1 full-round action. Even if no or 2 maneuvers are performed it still takes the same amount of time.
- Triggers reaction: Possibly; depends on check, se table below.
| DC | Grade | Standard Outcome | Alternate Outcome | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maneuvers | Enemy Reactions | Maneuvers | Enemy Reactions | ||
| — | Failure | 0 | 1 | 1* | 1 |
| 15 | Success | 1 | 1 | — | |
| 25 | Great Success | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | Outstanding success | 2 | 0 | — | |
*If this option is chosen the vehicle takes ramming damage to area of GM's choice (normally 8d8).
Turn ship
Attempt to turn the ship 45°.
- Common checks used: Acrobatics, Athletics, Engineering, Profession (Sailor)
Move ship
Move ship forwards up to full speed.
- Common checks used: Engineering, Knowledge (Nature), Profession (Sailor), Strength, Wisdom
Force enemy movement
Use tactics, superior seamanship and the environment to force an enemy to move forwards up to full speed or turn 45°.
- Common checks used: Bluff, Intelligence, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Geography), Profession (Sailor), Wisdom
Ram
Ram a nearby enemy inflicting your ship's ramming damage. The nearby ship must be within range of the current vessel's top speed.
- Common checks used: BAB, Navigation, Profession (Sailor), Wisdom
- Special: Ramming an enemy ship makes it vulnerable for boarding, giving opponents a +10 on boarding checks for 1 round made against that particular enemy.
Board ship
Lock down a nearby ship and begin boarding it. The nearby ship must be within range of the current vessel's top speed.
- Common checks used: Melee attack, Intimidate, Navigation, Profession (Sailor), Wisdom