Astral Sea Sailing Skills

[TarionzCousin]

Okay, I am a little bit perplexed about what it takes mechanically to sail a ship on the Astral Sea.

1. Per The Plane Above, Religion and Nature are the primary skills for navigating (without using a Color Strand). See page 26. But to me, "navigating" does definitely not include "piloting."

2. Per The Manual of the Planes, under "Vehicles" on page 159, the pilot must stand at a control wheel.

3. Per The Plane Below, there is a Skill Challenge called "Sailing the Sea of Fire" on page 27 that mentions using Arcana to "prepare a heading and keep the ship on course." This sounds like "Piloting" to me.



If you add this all up, does it equal "Piloting a planar vessel uses the 'Arcana' skill"?

 

[Piratecat]

I'll buy that, particularly for a planar vessel.

This is one of those occasions when I lament the lack of a profession skill.

 

[fba827]

My uneducated opinion concurs with your evaluation.

I summarize it in my head as follows:
Piloting (of any magical vehicle really) = arcana
Navigating planes = Religion (navigating terrain/overland = Nature; navigating below ground = dungeonerring)

 

[Cleverusername]

I'll buy that, particularly for a planar vessel.

This is one of those occasions when I lament the lack of a profession skill.

Profession (Astral Sailor)? Any reason why you lament it? Anyone sailing one of these ships is likely trained and therefore could be Arcana. I can imagine them also being able to detect magic being around it all the time.

 

[TarionzCousin]

below ground = dungeonerring

This is an awesome Freudian Slip.

 

[Dungeon Masta]

I would be inclined to just make up a skill called "Piloting". It could work for both regular ships and astral ships.

Have Piloting stack with Arcana, with above-average DCs, and I think you have the perfect system for piloting a ship. I'd probably also put out there the option for hiring a pilot, so adventurers don't have to sink a feat into a new skill.