D&D 5E Naval Combat? :)

[Lanefan]

Given that the "Regeneration" spell has always been able to regrow lost limbs, I've never really had to think about this one very much as a DM. As player of the only character we've ever had manage to lose two different limbs in its career I also didn't have to worry about it. One was reattached during a drunken gonzo game where we met and destroyed some statues (don't even ask me why I was playing a 1-legged character!); during the combat we got hints that these statues somehow related to me so afterwards I picked up a stone leg and stuck it in place: voila! New leg. The arm I lost much later was regrown via the conventional Regeneration spell.

Lan-"who needs limbs anyway"-efan

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

NAVEL COMBAT!

[video=youtube;SRvglYvi7ok]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRvglYvi7ok&sns=em[/video]

 

[Zardnaar]

I have tried to make it work over the years and you usally have 2 problems.

1. Players like ranged combat. Firing cannons/ballistas, archery etc. This leaves melee PCs a bit out in the cold (2E Spelljammer did it a bit better)
2. The game often becomes more about the ship. Upgrading the thing or even just wanting to put a lot of cannons on it.

 

[Ahrimon]

Given that the "Regeneration" spell has always been able to regrow lost limbs, I've never really had to think about this one very much as a DM. As player of the only character we've ever had manage to lose two different limbs in its career I also didn't have to worry about it. One was reattached during a drunken gonzo game where we met and destroyed some statues (don't even ask me why I was playing a 1-legged character!); during the combat we got hints that these statues somehow related to me so afterwards I picked up a stone leg and stuck it in place: voila! New leg. The arm I lost much later was regrown via the conventional Regeneration spell.

Lan-"who needs limbs anyway"-efan

One method I've seen for those who don't have regeneration handy is petrification, a couple of stone blocks and the stone shape spell, and reverse petrification.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I think you mean naval combat....

Although a swashbuckler specializing in navel combat could be hilarious. I wonder what that would look like....

Definitely need an 'outie'.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Yeah I thought this was going to be a parody of the ego battles on these forums. Turns out it really was a typo.

 

[Corwin]

Hey, cut him some slack. And don't assume. Maybe the OP is looking to have a character that specializes in throwing oranges at his enemy...

 

[Guest 6801328]

Or a euphemism for intercourse I'd never heard before.

 

[Derren]

One thing you have to decide is what kind of ships there are. While there was some overlap most people have a very specific idea of naval combat which is also affected by the setting.

One method is galley combat with its different subtypes (Ramming combat like the Romans and Greeks did, the floating castle styles from the Japanese or a more modern approach with Venice, Ottomans or even the Barbary pirates).
Then of course there is the classic Age of Sail combat either with longbows or already with cannons. This is what is usually associated with medieval fantasy naval combat and also with swashbucklers.
I also want to list modern(is) naval combat (turrets instead of fixed cannons) but that is almost never used with medieval fantasy games.

Then you have to decide how realistic you want it to be, because frankly real naval combat had very little to do with "swashbuckler" naval combat.

Oh and one thing, most people vastly underestimate the crew size of old ships, so think about how many NPCs you are willing to have (and run).

 

[MNblockhead]

Hey, cut him some slack. And don't assume. Maybe the OP is looking to have a character that specializes in throwing oranges at his enemy...

Hey, don't laugh. Ever get orange juice squirted in your eye while peeling it?