Good Sailing/Seafaring Sourcebooks?

[iwarrior-poet]

My DM is trying to incorporate a lot of sailing and seafaring in his campaign, and would like more material than is included in the DMG and the Weapons and Equipment Guide. Does anyone have any good ideas?

 

[Ranger REG]

You have several options:

Seafarer's Handbook (Fantasy Flight Games)
Broadside! Naval Adventuring (Living Imagination, Inc.)
Skull & Bones (Green Ronin Publishing)
Swashbuckling Adventures and Ships and Sea Battles (AEG)

 

[~Johnny~]

While we're on the subject, what's the best way to represent that a character's nautically-inclined? Some Rope Use, Swim, and Profession (Sailor)?

I've never had anyone need to make a "sailing" check, but I assume the only relevant skill is Profession (Sailor). Do any of the books above use systems where navigation and the actual act of sailing (staying on course, knowing how low to bring the sails in different levels of wind, etc.) are divided into separate skills?

 

[Ranger REG]

Other than providing synergy bonuses to Rope Use and Swim, even Climb (on mast and riggings)? Profession (sailor) can also be used for navigation and helm.

 

[Mytholder]

My Book of the Sea should be out from Mongoose at some point in the next few weeks. It replaces the old Seas of Blood book and adds a lot more support for sea-based campaigns.

 

[iwarrior-poet]

You have several options:

Seafarer's Handbook (Fantasy Flight Games)
Broadside! Naval Adventuring (Living Imagination, Inc.)
Skull & Bones (Green Ronin Publishing)
Swashbuckling Adventures and Ships and Sea Battles (AEG)

Thanks Ranger REG.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

The best book in terms of flavor I have read is Savage Seas for Exalted.

Nothing else I've seen is even 1/4 as good for pre-cannon sailing, much less for stuff before oars fell out of favor.

Sadly, it is out of print, but if you find it used or can borrow it I highly recommend it.

 

[Aeolius]

My Book of the Sea should be out from Mongoose at some point in the next few weeks. It replaces the old Seas of Blood book and adds a lot more support for sea-based campaigns.

I already have it on order. How does it compare to MEG's "The Deep", for undersea content?

 

[Calico_Jack73]

One little critique about Seafarer's Handbook.
Overall it is a great book with a lot of information that you could use to run a whole campaign on or below the high seas. The bad news is that the Ship-to-Ship combat system is more or less a variation of D&D's combat system in that you really need to use graph paper or a battlemat. For some people that is good because they really get into the tactical elements of ship combat but I prefer a quick abstract system that I can use to resolve combat without having to resort to minis and battlemats. Also, I don't believe they changed the personal combat system any so you still have to wear armor if you don't want to die. Not too good for swashbuckling campaigns.

I personally like Skull & Bones best of all though it will take just a little work if you are wanting to run a campaign based on a fantasy medieval europe since the Skull & Bones setting is the Carribbean in the late 1600's and Cannon are the most common weapons on board a ship. If you want to do a steampunk type of game it would be perfectly feasable to have ships with cannon on board. Overall Skull & Bones is my favorite Swashbuckling/Pirate/Seafaring game to date because the rules have been tweeked to make the setting work. It is published by Green Ronin and I highly reccommend checking it out.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

While we're on the subject, what's the best way to represent that a character's nautically-inclined? Some Rope Use, Swim, and Profession (Sailor)?

I've never had anyone need to make a "sailing" check, but I assume the only relevant skill is Profession (Sailor). Do any of the books above use systems where navigation and the actual act of sailing (staying on course, knowing how low to bring the sails in different levels of wind, etc.) are divided into separate skills?

I believe Skull & Bones might but I don't have the book with me to check.