"Bestest" D20 Rules for Naval Combat

[Melkor]

I know there are a number of D20 supplements out there that cover ship to ship naval combat (Masted ships - old school style) - what I am wondering is: Which one does it the best ? Which set of ship to ship rules "feel" like the core rules instead of some rules system that was "bolted on" to D20, but feels like a different game ?

I've seen one supplement, "Broadsides" I believe, which uses a Hex map instead of a grid - I'm looking for something that keeps the same conventions as D&D (more precisely D&D 3.5 if any supplement has come out for 3.5).

I ask because I am going to see Master and Commander this afternoon, and I am sure that the movie is going to give me some great ideas for my current campaign.

Thanks.

 

[diaglo]

do you want mass combat?

do you want realistic combat?

do you want story off the screen combat?

do you want pc driven combat?


i have heard good things about broadsides.

i would avoid the Mini handbook from WotC.

maybe try Cry Havoc.

 

[johnsemlak]

I remember someone posting a link to a great site that provided free (d20 i believe) materail for role playing 16th-17th century ships. Lost the link, though.

 

[storyguide3]

i would avoid the Mini handbook from WotC.

maybe try Cry Havoc.

Do either of these even have naval combat?

 

[Melkor]

do you want mass combat?

do you want realistic combat?

do you want story off the screen combat?

do you want pc driven combat?


i have heard good things about broadsides.

i would avoid the Mini handbook from WotC.

maybe try Cry Havoc.

I'm looking for ship to ship combat between a few vessels (maybe 2 to 3 ships per side).

 

[takyris]

"Claw and corpuscle" has a pretty good section on detailing what kind of navels different creature types have (Constructs have none, undead have old dried up withered ones, and most aberrations have kind of an anterior nozzle). They've also got rules for combat that takes place in the navels of Gargantuan or larger creatures -- a duel in the bellybutton of a great wyrm is a dangerous thing all by itself -- and some feats and PrC's that allow the navel to improve as a natural weapon, starting with "Outie" and progressing all the way to "Flaming Venomous Fiendish Navel".

Oh, wait... naval... My bad.

 

[diaglo]

sounds like Broadsides then.

i haven't seen it but i also heard there is a

Wooden SHips and Iron Men product coming out which might be interesting.

edit: go here: http://www.kjkoster.org/wsim/

 

[jgsugden]

Before you go into detail, consider whether it will be worth the effort.

In my experience, a marginally intelligent party of 5th level or above PCs can destroy a massive number of enemy ships in rather short order. I personally spent quite a bit of time figuring out how to run ship battles only to find that most of my effort was wasted as all ships involved in the combat were sinking very fast within 2 rounds.

 

[Ranger REG]

I'm looking for something that keeps the same conventions as D&D (more precisely D&D 3.5 if any supplement has come out for 3.5).

I ask because I am going to see Master and Commander this afternoon, and I am sure that the movie is going to give me some great ideas for my current campaign.

Try the Seafarer's Handbook by Fantasy Flight Games, or Skull & Bones by Green Ronin.

 

[Arnwyn]

I didn't mind Seas of Blood.