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My players have just secured their first sailing ship in Skull and Shackles and are now plotting ways to improve it.
Currently, they want to make the ship into a "virtual paradise that no pirate will ever want to leave." There's even talk of trying to grow a garden on board for food (which I believe to be impractical).
I'm hoping to get help brainstorming ways to accomplish this. What kinds of improvements/enhancements can you think of that would make shipboard life easier?
Personally, I'm thinking magic. Lots of magic. Things like a teleportation circle to a decanter of endless water to something that generates a heroes' feast every day. Looking for both cheap short term options and expensive long term options.
How might you upgrade your boat?
Create a pocket dimension to keep things cold, another for comphy sleeping quarters.
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the garden bit might be a shoutout to one piece, since they started a... tangerine? orchard on the upper deck, iirc.
they'd need plants that dont have a problem with lots and lots of salt water (from the sea spray and whatnot), or be able to grow belowdecks.
personally i'd want an array of immovable rods set into the ship's frame for sudden stops and "dropping anchor" in places i usually couldn't, like up in the air.
get it set up with overland flight, rope trick (or any proper extradimensional space), and food/water and we're golden.
actually , weaponry would interesting to think about--preferably stuff that doesnt appear to be weaponry (like the crows nest can fire lightning bolts or someting). keep an orb of storms belowdecks or mounted to the steering thingy to make lots of problems for enemies.
Item creation work shop. Get a smithy in there. It was tough but I've seen it done and done well.
oh, i've been holding this one in since the thread first got started (though not everyone's going to get it):
canon.
A garden is possible. I believe Francis Drake at one point grew tomatoes and such by distilling Sea Water into Fresh Water.
My PCs are turning their pirate ship into a luxury cruise ship, albeit mostly non-magically. They have eight different types of alcohol available, from grog to Chelaxian brandy. Each crew member has a masterwork chain shirt, an underwater crossbow, and a silk hammock of their own. Fishguts is still on board as a five-star chef. They also usually travel with three times the crew required, so any given crew member only needs to be on duty four hours a day. Their most recent addition is a "ship's tail", consisting of five prostitutes from Quent who have signed a three-month contract to travel aboard the ship in return for gaining access to a captive audience with disposable income - crew members still have to pay for the services of these talented individuals. In addition to the single point of plunder paid to the crew every time they stop to sell their accumulated treasure, all the proceeds of every fourth or fifth ship they take are distributed amongst the crew.
They haven't talked about a garden onboard for fresh food, but they have discussed commissioning a custom wondrous item - a chest of gentle repose, that will keep anything stored in it (fruit, vegetables, meat, etc) fresh indefinitely.
Decanters of endless water is where I would start...
not only does the endless fresh water help ensure the health of the crew and assist in growing crops on board.
But, when the wind dies down, 3 of these on "geyser" mode could be placed against the hull to make a rudimentary propulsion system. (the rowboat -> jetski conversion has happened before in my games)
One scroll of create greater pocket dimension (or whatever it's called. Its early. Don't judge me.) will solve most of your problems. Just have the portal tied to some door and you've got a ship thats bigger on the inside, lush, provides plenty of food, and all that virtual paradise stuff.
Then you'll just need something for propulsion.
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Some sort of longer-term magnificent mansion might be a cheap alternative to create demiplane. Open the door to below-decks and it's just a cargo hold. Knock three times and then open the door and it leads to the magnificent mansion / crew quarters.
Permanant image might also cover the ship, making it appear a place of fantastic opulence, and something as minor as items of purify food & drink or prestidigitation could alter the flavor and apparent quality of food or drink consumed on the ship, allowing the crewmen to drink seawater and taste sweet nectar (purified to be safe by purify food & drink, flavored and made to appear like shimmering golden honey-mead by prestidigitation) and eat whatever beetle-infested hardtack rations are stowed below decks and perceive them as bacon-wrapped scallops and savory hot meat-and-cheese pastries.
A magical enhancement on the mast, or some other large and significant part of the ship, could cast these two cantrips on all food and drink brought aboard, and perhaps cast silent image spells to make the rest of the ship look opulent and decadent, without a ton of cost, since the spells are very low level, and there's no real combat advantage to such luxuries.
I like the magnificent mansion idea. Though with that adventure series if they survive long enough they'll be getting their own lands/fleets/etc. So it might be prudent to focus on "Badass Asskicker Ship" than "Pimp my Ride"
In AD&D there was a "Hold of Holding" that worked pretty much how set describes it... Turn the door handle one way you get the normal cargo hold. turn it the other way and you get the extradimentional superhold.
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Put a little scally in your wag... Make it an airship, use a bag of holding as the latrine and empty it on the heads of your enemys... The HMS Poopoo Bombadier.
Classy I am not.
Item creation work shop. Get a smithy in there. It was tough but I've seen it done and done well.
I would like to go in this direction. Could you expand on the idea?
One of my players intends to take Leadership in 3 levels, so please assume the sky is the limit.
The basic problem is that by the time you have gotten the prefect ship you don't need one.
Teleport and a bunch of items of extra-dimensional storage do everything that you would use a ship for.
The basic problem is that by the time you have gotten the prefect ship you don't need one.
Teleport and a bunch of items of extra-dimensional storage do everything that you would use a ship for.
But it would look neet.
It's still nice to have a mobile base of operations that you can mount your flag onto and make attacks from, nothing quite beats the romantic feel of having your own ship, sailing the open seas, and--best of all--playing pirate.
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It's still nice to have a mobile base of operations that you can mount your flag onto and make attacks from, nothing quite beats the romantic feel of having your own ship, sailing the open seas, and--best of all--playing pirate.
^This is why I like Ravingdork.
That and Roshgog looks like he is about to either cast Fairy Law or fire a Kamehameha.
One option is to create a Magic Item(s)/Trap(s) that creates water and resets automatically for irrigation and such.
In that case Create a sub out of walls of force. Use decanters of endless water for propulsion. Use shrink items spells to make the sub lighter and heavier in order to descend and ascend. (levitation spell would work to)
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Heavy Metal Beams being shrunk or enlarged. Bottles of Air. Decanters of Endless Water.
Walls of Force or some form of bubble.
Control Water could work as well. Something like the Subs from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Walls of force are immobile in space. They wouldn't move with the ship. They'd be a good emergency mid-air dock though.
Variant Cube of Force from Classic Treasures Revisited can move.
That said you could always create a Magic Item that grants it a Force Field ala Star Trek or some such.
It's still nice to have a mobile base of operations that you can mount your flag onto and make attacks from, nothing quite beats the romantic feel of having your own ship, sailing the open seas, and--best of all--playing pirate.^This is why I like Ravingdork.
That and Roshgog looks like he is about to either cast Fairy Law or fire a Kamehameha.
One option is to create a Magic Item(s)/Trap(s) that creates water and resets automatically for irrigation and such.
looking at it, i'd def say fairy law.
looking at it, i'd def say fairy law.It's still nice to have a mobile base of operations that you can mount your flag onto and make attacks from, nothing quite beats the romantic feel of having your own ship, sailing the open seas, and--best of all--playing pirate.^This is why I like Ravingdork.
That and Roshgog looks like he is about to either cast Fairy Law or fire a Kamehameha.
One option is to create a Magic Item(s)/Trap(s) that creates water and resets automatically for irrigation and such.
It seems more like it... Or the Super Big Bang Kamehameha...
Permanent Animate Object on the ships boats, with extra movement for the construction points. You'd have speedboats, and never have to row.
Permanent Unseen Servants could do many of the most basic tasks, like swabbing the deck, collecting and washing dishes & clothing, etc. And, speaking of laundry, permanent Prestidigitation and Mending spells in one spot could operate as a kind of super-laundry.
Watchposts like the crow's nest, forecastle, etc. could have the ability to cast Keep Watch once per shift, and possibly some sense-enhancing spells as well.
It seems more like it... Or the Super Big Bang Kamehameha...looking at it, i'd def say fairy law.It's still nice to have a mobile base of operations that you can mount your flag onto and make attacks from, nothing quite beats the romantic feel of having your own ship, sailing the open seas, and--best of all--playing pirate.^This is why I like Ravingdork.
That and Roshgog looks like he is about to either cast Fairy Law or fire a Kamehameha.
One option is to create a Magic Item(s)/Trap(s) that creates water and resets automatically for irrigation and such.
I always thought of it as tau magic from Outlaw Star (conjured energy dragons and such).
Permanent Animate Object on the ships boats, with extra movement for the construction points. You'd have speedboats, and never have to row.
Permanent Unseen Servants could do many of the most basic tasks, like swabbing the deck, collecting and washing dishes & clothing, etc. And, speaking of laundry, permanent Prestidigitation and Mending spells in one spot could operate as a kind of super-laundry.
Watchposts like the crow's nest, forecastle, etc. could have the ability to cast Keep Watch once per shift, and possibly some sense-enhancing spells as well.
Where are we going to find a caster with a CL of 32 for animate object? Also, unseen servants can't be made permanent.
I don't think the ship's boats are colossal - you wouldn't need CL 32. At most, they're probably huge, so a CL 8 casting should suffice. That would be a fantastic addition to small boats... as long as an enemy doesn't cast control construct.
How about animated, transformative ships boats - they race toward land, at which point they transform to animated wagons!
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- Magically treated walls for the hull (one can argue that this is the players' "dungeon")
- Folding Boats for lifeboats (save space and dual purpose)
- Decanter of Endless Water and Campfire Bead (Make your own hot tub)
- Iron Bands of Binding/Permanent Forcecage/Lantern of Revealing (Brig)
- Necklaces of Adaptation with Endure Elements secondary (Crew members)
- Portable Holes (toilets)
- Wind Fans or Permanant Gust of Wind (sails)
- Rope Trick/Animate Rope (riggings)
- Glamer on the Hull (make it appear either awesome at sea or a wreck in port so no one wants to steal it)
- Sustaining spoons with Prestidigitation (Make the gruel look/taste great)
- Specially triggered/shaped Cone of Cold Trap in a room with Gentle Repose (walk-in freezer/icebox/meat locker)
- Vorpal butcher knives/meathooks with Restore Corpse (Chop easily, regenerate meat on bones)
- Grapeshot ballista, Heavy repeating ballista with Abundant Ammunition cast on the clips, fireball cannons with alchemist's fire, etc...
- Ring gates for the Captain/First Officer (get to the helm quickly)
I always thought of it as tau magic from Outlaw Star (conjured energy dragons and such).
You know I have been wondering how hard it would be to make something based off of the Caster Gun from OS...
Say the "Cartridges" are made as Wands(but can't be used as wands) and allow you to fire Ray spells, force missiles(using Magic Missile), and other spells.
Maybe make them Minor Artifacts or some special firearm similar to the Pistol of the Infinite Sky...
And is the CL 32 a requirement for making the Ship a permanent AO?
@barry armstrong: tack on purify food/drink on any and all countertops in the kitchens, and detect poison on all the tables (or just mass-enchanted on the plates/bowls/cups) in the mess hall. something to allow telepathic communication with everyone on-board would be a lifesaver for loud conditions (storms, roaring dragons off the port side, etc.)
@azaelas fayth: isnt there a magus spell (and the myrmidarch archetype itself pairs well with the gun-mage idea--with a 1-5 level investment in gunslinger) to store a wand in a weapon and use it while inside it?
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Permanent Animate Object on the ships boats, with extra movement for the construction points. You'd have speedboats, and never have to row.
Permanent Unseen Servants could do many of the most basic tasks, like swabbing the deck, collecting and washing dishes & clothing, etc. And, speaking of laundry, permanent Prestidigitation and Mending spells in one spot could operate as a kind of super-laundry.
Watchposts like the crow's nest, forecastle, etc. could have the ability to cast Keep Watch once per shift, and possibly some sense-enhancing spells as well.
Ditto... great ideas. simple and awesome on a ship. could animate object the ropes and sails as well.
I would have a magic workshop. all the items they would want to add to the ship would definitely give you a major source for creating new adventures as they hunt down components and money for all the spells.
Make all the cannons a type of wand sounds like a great idea.
@barry armstrong: tack on purify food/drink on any and all countertops in the kitchens, and detect poison on all the tables (or just mass-enchanted on the plates/bowls/cups) in the mess hall. something to allow telepathic communication with everyone on-board would be a lifesaver for loud conditions (storms, roaring dragons off the port side, etc.)
@azaelas fayth: isnt there a magus spell (and the myrmidarch archetype itself pairs well with the gun-mage idea--with a 1-5 level investment in gunslinger) to store a wand in a weapon and use it while inside it?
Indeed. Deck guns/magical cannon all over the place is possible, as long as people can create wands. I foresee not only an onboard forge, but also an alchemical laboratory and a magic items workshop.
School transmutation; Level bard 1, cleric 1, inquisitor 1, magus 1
CASTING
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S, F (a magic wand)
EFFECT
Range touch
Target one weapon
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless, object)
DESCRIPTION
When you cast this spell on a weapon, you cause a portion of the weapon to open like the skin of a partially peeled apple, revealing a space large enough to insert a single wand within. As part of the spell’s casting, you can insert a single wand into the weapon, at which point the weapon returns to its original form with the wand held inside of it without negatively impacting the weapon’s integrity. For the spell’s duration, a character who wields the transmuted weapon is also considered to be wielding the wand as well. You can attack normally with the weapon or use the weapon as if it were the encased wand. If the effect created by the wand requires an attack roll to successfully strike a foe, you may make the attack roll as if you were making an attack with the weapon at its highest bonus (including any bonuses the weapon would normally receive) rather than just a normal attack with the wand—doing so does not allow you to add the weapon’s damage to the wand’s attack roll, but instead allows you to use your skill with the weapon to boost your chance of hitting with the spell.
I don't think the ship's boats are colossal - you wouldn't need CL 32. At most, they're probably huge, so a CL 8 casting should suffice. That would be a fantastic addition to small boats... as long as an enemy doesn't cast control construct.
How about animated, transformative ships boats - they race toward land, at which point they transform to animated wagons!
Sorry, I thought you meant to whole ship. The jolly boats are another matter altogether.
Where are we going to find a caster with a CL of 32 for animate object?
As mentioned, "The ship's boats" are they jollyboats, lifeboats, skiffs, whatever you want to call them.
Also, unseen servants can't be made permanent.
As a 1st level spell with a 1 hour/level duration, crafting an item of Unseen Servant is pretty cheap. I didn't mean to imply the use of the Permanency spell, so I should have used a different word.
CL 32 for animate object can be done. I helped someone else figure it out on a thread a few months back. Too lazy to link. Search it yourself...but it's possible by level 20 with the right builds.
cant you also go on a superhunt quest/research (with GM approval, of course) for an artifact scroll of that CL?
A quest for a Scroll or Item that makes the Boat an Animated Object. Maybe even intelligent.
On The Side Bar: I was thinking more of a special Revolver that you can use. Make it a Minor Artifact or a specific Revolver which holds 5 cartridges each crafted as a wand that would allow a non-caster to fire off the spells. All of which would require a ranged touch attack. With the exception of Magic Missile which fires a single force bullet as ammunition for the firearm in place of the basic metal cartridges.
Walls of force are immobile in space. They wouldn't move with the ship. They'd be a good emergency mid-air dock though.
I cast thread resurrection to quote the Skull & Shackles Player's Guide:
The effects of this spell do not move with a ship unless specifically anchored to the ship. Otherwise, a ship running into the effects makes a ramming maneuver.
What about downtime rules for buildings and the like, all you should need to do is map out the space available. Then maybe later spells could help expand the space.
This give me some ideas of my own.
Air Bubble. Alarm. Alter Winds. Grease. Hold Portal. Hydrolic Push. Illusion of Calm. Longshot. Memory Lapse. Obscuring Mist. Peacebond. Snapdragon Fireworks. Theft Ward. Touch of the Sea. ...and that's just Wizard List, First Level!
Seriously, if you wanna pimp out a pirate ship, give 'em all two-barrel pistols and brooms of flying. Have a Summoner with an Aquatic Eidolon for a Kracken. How about the Crow's Nest giving someone a Perception boost? or an evermug of Polypurpose Panacea? A Figurine of Wonderous Power, either Monkey or Parrot? Trident of Water Control? Feather Token of Sharks with Lasers in their frickin' forehead?
Maybe have a "Bed of Repose" that heals someone to full when they sleep in it with an 8-hour sleep. Sux to be an elf, but they can fake it.
Prestidigitation to make all drinks taste rum-infused, and all meat like bacon.
Bandanas of Message for walkie-talkies. Eyepatches of true sight. Gaff Hooks of Combat Maneuver Badassery. Ropes of Entanglement. Gloves of Sleight of Hand. Spyglasses of Clairvoyance. Boots of Water Walking for those that can't swim. Give the Captain a hat with Command x/day.
...I like the Gentle Repose Chest idea.
One balistae with a grappling hook and rope, so you can drag your target towards you. a Potions Closet for special occasions. and a single zombie in the bilges for "cleanup".