Travel at Sea

D&D 2024 rule: Travel at Sea. Source: Ghosts of Saltmarsh. rule type Rule It's not just pirates and sea monsters that make journeys on the sea so treacherous. Foul weather, nautical accidents, infested food, illness, and worse all conspire to send even the most capable crews to watery graves. The following rules help adjudicate travel at sea, specifically voyages of an hour or more. This material builds on the travel rules in the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master's Guide. Travel Pace Ships travel at a speed given in their stat blocks. Unlike with land travel, ships can't choose to move at a faster pace, though they can choose to go slower. If a ship's mode of movement takes damage, it might be slowed. For every decrease of 10 feet in speed, reduce the ship's travel pace by 1 mile per hour and 24 miles per day. Activity While Traveling The activities available to a ship's crew and passengers are a bit different from the options available to a group traveling by land. Refer to "Activity While Traveling" in chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook for more information on some of the topics discussed below. A number of activities are restricted to certain officers, unless the DM rules otherwise. For example, a DM might allow a bard to engage in the Raise Morale activity by playing bawdy songs on deck to lift the crew's spirits. The party's pace has no effect on the activities they can engage in while traveling by ship. Draw a Map A ship's captain often undertakes this activity, producing a map of the ship's progress and helps the crew get back on course if they get lost. No ability check is required. Forage The character casts fishing lines, keeping an eye out for sources of food, making a Wisdom (Survival) check when the DM calls for it. Raise Morale (First Mate Only) The first mate can manage the crew's time to grant extended breaks, provide instruction, and generally improve the quality of life on the ship. Once every 24 hours, if the crew's quality score is 3 or...