Size of ship determines amount man-days of air it carries and how powerful of a spelljamming helm that will be need to move the ship, plus many other variables.
Shipbuilding Sequence
- Design ships deckplans
- From deckplans figure out internal volume of ship
- Ship volume determines size and bonus hit points (if any) and hualing weight
- Multiply ship tonnage by cost of material (material determines hardness)
- Cost of ram and material to build ship combined determines Hit Dice of ship
- Assign the amount of natural armor a ship has (this cost not increase HD)
- Tonnage determines man-days of air ship carries into space
- Determine Cargo tonnage by the amount of space dedicated to such
- Determine ship-mounted weaponry
- Customize as desired
Building (or repairing) a ship in a major shipyard facility can be done at a rate of 500 gp worth of ship built per day, so that a ship valued at 26,000 gp will take 52 days to build. A minor shipyard can build/repair at a rate of 250 gp worth of ship per day. A work crew can built/repair at a rate of 125 gp per day.
For repair of ships at someplace other then a shipyard facility the cost of determing just how much a crew can repair is determed by cost of ship divided by it hit points. Example: An angelfish ship cost 32,625 gp and divides this by 173 (the total hit points the ship has). This gives a value of 189 gp per hit point the ship has. A work crew repairs at a rate of 125 gp per day thus it would take three days to repair 2 hit points of damage. A work crew needs a minimum of one crew member per point of hardness of material the ship is made of so a ship made of wood would require a work crew of five. Also needed in the work crew is at least one member with the relevant Craft Skill (carpentry from wood, armor-smithing from metal, sculpting for stone, or sailmaking for rigging). The person with the Craft skill only need to make a skill check at DC 10. In wildspace repairs can be done for all portions of the ship except for the keel (the keels hit points are represented by it bonus hit points) which can only be done at a shipyard facility.
Vehicle Type: A vehicle is ship or other contraption that can be used for transportation of goods and people.
Features: A vehicle has the following features.
— Size: Vehicle's size is determined by its cubic feet (or cubic inches for really small vessels) of internal volume. A deck plan or vehicle schematics should be fully drawn out to best determine the ships cubic feet of volume.
Table: Determining Vehicle's Size
| Vehicles Size | Air Capacity (SJ) | |||
| 1 cubic inch | to | 10 cubic inches | Fine | — |
| 10 cubic inches | to | 84 cubic inches | Diminutive | — |
| 84 cubic inches | to | 675 cubic inches | Tiny | — |
| 675 cubic inches | to | 3.125 cubic feet | Small | — |
| 3.125 cubic feet | to | 25 cubic feet | Medium | 1 man-day |
| 25 cubic feet | to | 200 cubic feet | Large | 8 man-days |
| 200 cubic feet | to | 1,600 cubic feet | Huge | 64 man-days |
| 1,600 cubic feet | to | 13,500 cubic feet | Gargantuan | 512 man-days |
| 13,500 cubic feet | to | 108,000 cubic feet | Colossal | 4,096 man-days |
| 108,000 cubic feet | to | 864,000 cubic feet | Awesome | 32,768 man-days |
| 864,000 cubic feet | to | 256,000 cubic yards | Titanic | 262,144 man-days |
— 10-sided Hit Dice. Use the vehicles tonnage (measured at 2,700 cubic feet of internal space) and multiply that by cost of material ship is made of and then adds the cost of a ram (if applicable). Compare that cost to the table below to get the Hit Dice of the ship.
Table: Determining Vehicle Hit Dice
| Cost of Vehicle | Hit Dice | Cost of Vehicle | Hit Dice | Cost of Vehicle | Hit Dice | |||
| 50 gp | 1d10 | 46,500 gp | 31d10 | 183,000 gp | 61d10 | |||
| 100 gp | 2d10 | 49,600 gp | 32d10 | 189,100 gp | 62d10 | |||
| 300 gp | 3d10 | 52,800 gp | 33d10 | 195,300 gp | 63d10 | |||
| 600 gp | 4d10 | 56,100 gp | 34d10 | 201,600 gp | 64d10 | |||
| 1,000 gp | 5d10 | 59,500 gp | 35d10 | 208,000 gp | 65d10 | |||
| 1,500 gp | 6d10 | 63,000 gp | 36d10 | 214,500 gp | 66d10 | |||
| 2,100 gp | 7d10 | 66,600 gp | 37d10 | 221,100 gp | 67d10 | |||
| 2,800 gp | 8d10 | 70,300 gp | 38d10 | 227,800 gp | 68d10 | |||
| 3,600 gp | 9d10 | 74,100 gp | 39d10 | 234,600 gp | 69d10 | |||
| 4,500 gp | 10d10 | 78,000 gp | 40d10 | 241,500 gp | 70d10 | |||
| 5,500 gp | 11d10 | 82,000 gp | 41d10 | 248,500 gp | 71d10 | |||
| 6,600 gp | 12d10 | 86,100 gp | 42d10 | 255,600 gp | 72d10 | |||
| 7,800 gp | 13d10 | 90,300 gp | 43d10 | 262,800 gp | 73d10 | |||
| 9,100 gp | 14d10 | 94,600 gp | 44d10 | 270,100 gp | 74d10 | |||
| 10,500 gp | 15d10 | 99,000 gp | 45d10 | 277,500 gp | 75d10 | |||
| 12,000 gp | 16d10 | 103,500 gp | 46d10 | 285,500 gp | 76d10 | |||
| 13,600 gp | 17d10 | 108,100 gp | 47d10 | 292,600 gp | 77d10 | |||
| 15,300 gp | 18d10 | 112,800 gp | 48d10 | 300,300 gp | 78d10 | |||
| 17,100 gp | 19d10 | 117,600 gp | 49d10 | 308,100 gp | 79d10 | |||
| 19,000 gp | 20d10 | 122,500 gp | 50d10 | 316,000 gp | 80d10 | |||
| 21,000 gp | 21d10 | 127,500 gp | 51d10 | 324,000 gp | 81d10 | |||
| 23,100 gp | 22d10 | 132,600 gp | 52d10 | 332,100 gp | 82d10 | |||
| 25,300 gp | 23d10 | 137,800 gp | 53d10 | 340,300 gp | 83d10 | |||
| 27,600 gp | 24d10 | 143,100 gp | 54d10 | 348,600 gp | 84d10 | |||
| 30,000 gp | 25d10 | 148,500 gp | 55d10 | 357,000 gp | 85d10 | |||
| 32,500 gp | 26d10 | 154,000 gp | 56d10 | 365,500 gp | 86d10 | |||
| 35,100 gp | 27d10 | 159,600 gp | 57d10 | 374,100 gp | 87d10 | |||
| 37,800 gp | 28d10 | 165,300 gp | 58d10 | 382,800 gp | 88d10 | |||
| 40,600 gp | 29d10 | 171,100 gp | 59d10 | 391,600 gp | 89d10 | |||
| 43,500 gp | 30d10 | 177,000 gp | 60d10 | 400,500 gp | 90d10 |
— Speed and maneuverability of vehicle is dependent on its construction and method of propulsion. In case of spelljamming ships, its speed is derived from its helm, but its maneuverability is dependent on its design. All ships are considered initially Clumsy and then apply the following formula to determine the ships cost after upgrading its maneuverability (H + R + A) · M = total cost of vehicle. H = cost of Hull, R = cost of Ram, A = cost of Natural Armor, and M = desired Maneuverability Rating Modifier. Maneuverability rating modifier for a ship of poor maneuverability is 1.25, average modifier is 1.50, good modifier is 1.75, and perfect is 2.00.
— Ship's natural armor class is determined by its construction. Cost and the natural armor associated with with that cost is given in the table below.
Table: Determining Vehicle Natural Armor
| Natural Armor |  |
||
| Bonus | GP Cost | ||
| +1 | 500 gp | ||
| +2 | 2,000 gp | ||
| +3 | 4,500 gp | ||
| +4 | 8,000 gp | ||
| +5 | 12,500 gp | ||
| +6 | 18,000 gp | ||
| +7 | 24,500 gp | ||
| +8 | 32,000 gp | ||
| +9 | 40,500 gp | ||
| +10 | 50,000 gp | ||
| +11 | 60,500 gp | ||
| +12 | 72,000 gp | ||
| +13 | 84,500 gp | ||
| +14 | 98,000 gp | ||
| +15 | 112,500 gp | ||
| +16 | 128,000 gp | ||
| +17 | 144,500 gp | ||
| +18 | 162,000 gp | ||
| +19 | 180,500 gp | ||
| +20 | 200,000 gp | ||
— Saving throws, use the base saving throw of the pilot/driver, and modify it by vehicle's appropriate characteristic.
— Skill points: None.
— Feats: None
Traits: A vehicle possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a vehicle's entry).
— Vehicles have a Dexterity score of 1, unless DM determines it has superior 'responsive' to the driver/pilot ability to control it. In these special cases the vehicle in question can have a higher Dexterity score then 1.
— No Constitution score.
— Vehicles have no Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma score unless it is a living.
— Vehicle has a Strength based on its size and its strength and size determines just how much tonnage of cargo & creatures it can carry without being weighed down and unable to move (in case of waterborne vehicles the ship simple then sinks). Also because its body is mass of unliving matter, a vehicle is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size.
Table: Vehicle Strength and Tonnage Carrying Capacity
| Vehicle Size | Strength | Light Load | Medium Load | Heavy Load | Hit Points |
| Fine | 1 | 6 oz. or less | 7-12 oz. | 13-20 oz. | — |
| Diminutive | 2 | 26 oz. or less | 27-53 oz. | 54 oz.-5 lb. | — |
| Tiny | 4 | 6 lb. or less | 7-13 lb. | 14-20 lb. | — |
| Small | 7 | 17 lb. or less | 18-35 lb. | 36-52 lb. | 10 |
| Medium | 10 | 50 lb. or less | 51-100 lb. | 101-150 lb. | 20 |
| Large | 18 | 300 lb. or less | 301-600 lb. | 601-900 lb. | 30 |
| Huge | 26 | 1,840 lb. or less | 1,841-3,680 lb. | 3,681-5,520 lb. | 40 |
| Gargantuan | 34 | 5.6 tons or less | 5.7-11.2 tons | 11.3-16.8 tons | 60 |
| Colossal | 42 | 33.2 tons or less | 33.3-66.5 tons | 66.6-99.8 tons | 80 |
| Awesome | 50 | 204.8 tons or less | 204.9-409.6 tons | 409.7-614.4 tons | 120 |
| Titanic | 58 | 1,228 tons or less | 1,229-2,457 tons | 2,458-3,686 tons | 160 |
— Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
— Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects.
— Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain spells (see repair light damage for the Tome & Blood) or through the use of the Craft (shipwright) skill. Living vehicles will state within its description how much damage it heals in a day's time.
— Not subject to critical hits, non-lethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
— Subject to Collateral Damage.
— Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
— Not at risk of death from massive damage. If a vehicle is reduced to 0 hull points, its internal structure is destroyed and it begins to fall apart. Roll a six-sided die, the number of large (atmosphere-retaining) pieces of the ship that are left.
— Since it was never alive, a vehicle cannot be raised or resurrected.
— Vehicle has no proficiency with any of its weapons. The vehicle's crew load and fire the vehicle's weapon, except the ship's ram (if any). To hit with a ram the vehicle's driver/pilot uses his BAB modified by vehicles size and his Intelligence modifier.
— A vehicle with a blunt or piercing ram cost 300 gp per vehicle tonnage. Because huge and large size vehicles are less then one vehicle ton, the cost of rams is simplified to 40 gp for huge ships and 5 gp for large ships. Ships smaller then Large can have a ram set in for free (cost at this point being so negligible as to not be worth accounting for). Blunt and piercing rams get full strength mod to damage (i.e., a whale ship would get +20 to damage for its 50 strength when determining a ram), but ships with claws and grapple get only half the strength mod for damage (i.e, a scorpion ship would only get a +4 strength mod for damage per claw).
Table: Ram Damage by Type and Size of Vehicle
| Size of Ship | Blunt | Piercing | Claws | Grapple |
| Fine | 1d3 | 1d2 | 1d2 | — |
| Diminutive | 1d4 | 1d3 | 1d2 | — |
| Tiny | 1d6 | 1d4 | 1d3 | 1d2 |
| Small | 1d8 | 1d6 | 1d3 | 1d3 |
| Medium | 1d10 | 1d8 | 1d4 | 1d4 |
| Large | 2d8 | 2d6 | 1d8 | 1d6 |
| Huge | 2d10 | 2d8 | 1d10 | 1d8 |
| Gargantuan | 4d8 | 4d6 | 2d8 | 2d6 |
| Colossal | 4d10 | 4d8 | 2d10 | 2d8 |
| Awesome | 8d8 | 8d6 | 4d8 | 4d6 |
| Titanic | 8d10 | 8d8 | 4d10 | 4d8 |
— Proficient with no armor.
— Vehicles do not eat, sleep, or breathe.
— Standard Material Cost of Vehicles is critical to determining a vehicle's Hit Dice. Below is a table of most common materials a vehicle is likely to be made of and it cost per 2,700 cubic feet of area the vehicle takes up.
Table: Cost of Standard Materials & Hardness
| Cost | Cost | ||||
| Material | per Unit | Hardness | Material | per Unit | Hardness |
| Bone | 800 gp | 4 | Glass | 200 gp | 1 |
| Bronze/Bass | 1,800 gp | 9 | Glassteel* | 4,000 gp | 10 |
| Ceramic | 600 gp | 3 | Leather | 400 gp | 2 |
| Ceramic (alchemically treated) | 1,200 gp | 6 | Mercane Composite | 2,600 gp | 13 |
| Copper | 1,800 gp | 9 | Metal | 2,000 gp | 10 |
| Crystal* | 2,800 gp | 7 | Metal-Nephelium* | 4,000 gp | 10 |
| Earthen | 1,000 gp | 5 | Stone | 1,600 gp | 8 |
| Elven Living Ship | 1,800 gp | 6 | Wood | 1,000 gp | 5 |
Explanation of Uncommon Material for Vehicle Construction
Alchemically treated Ceramic: Races such as the Neogi first developed the ceramic ships, but such ships soon where found to be easy prey to siege weapons and soon the Neogi found a way to strengthen their ceramic ship construction by means of alchemically treating the ceramic plates of the ships.
Elven Living Ship: Elves have mastered the art of creating living plant ships, preening and shaping these living ships can take elves many decades to create. Ship made form this material refresh the air envelope 1 man-day per spelljammer tonnage of ship, and ship restores lost hit points at a rate of 1 hit point per HD the ship has per day.
Glassteel: Glassteel is a magical created 'glass' by means of the glassteel spell. This glass is as hard as steel and does not rust. In many magocracy this is a coin of the realm and holds a value of about 2 silver pieces. Unlike nephelium glassteel cannot be forged as one would any steel, but must be poured into a mold or blown like glass, so production of armor becomes very difficult.
Mercane Composite: The method of creating this material is known only to the mercane and is a closely guarded secret. It is much more harder then steel. The material appears much like ivory, but when touched seems to feel more like bone then ivory.
Nephelium: Found only in the rarest of veins of areas saturated with magics, nephelium has all the attributes of iron (it is ferrous), except that it is transparent. It does not add to the quality of a weapon or suit of armor, but alloys made from nephelium are transparent. Thus, nephelium plate appears glasslike, as does a nephelium battleaxe. Purposely adding mineral impurities to nephelium can produce shades of sapphire, emerald, and ruby. Nephelium can be enchanted just like standard iron. Weapons and armor fashioned from nephelium cost 5 gp per pound, this cost is added to the cost of the weapon or armor fashioned from unique metal.
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Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich baker, Andy Collins, David noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Mark's Vehicle Construction System Copyright 2003, Mark Doolan
Created by ©2003, Mark Doolan