Bridge Crew Roles

BOATSWAIN ▱▱▱▱▱▱

While in the Boatswain role, at the start of your turn, your wildjammer heals a number of bulwark points equal to half its maximum, rounded up.

BRACE FOR IMPACT  ▱▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you ready the crew for an attack. Choose one 90° side of your ship. Until the start of your next turn, your ship has resistance to non-magical physical damage dealt to that side of the ship.

FIX IT UP  ▰▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you can repair a ship weapon, module, or sail that has been disabled. Make a DC 15 Intelligence (Carpenter's Tools) check. On a success, it is repaired for 1 hull point and resumes functioning as normal.

WORK THE SAILS  ▰▰▱▱▱▱

As an action, you can command the crew to adjust your ship’s sails to change how it controls. You must change these one step at a time, such as from furled to course-sail, then course-sail to full-sail.

Furled. Your ship loses 500 ft. speed, but gains 45°  maneuverability to a maximum of 180° .

Course-sail. Your ship moves at its standard speed and maneuverability.

Full-sail. Your ship gains 500 ft. speed, but loses 45°  maneuverability to a minimum of 0° .

HURRY IT UP!  ▰▰▰▱▱▱

As an action, you push the crew to work harder. Your ship's bulwark points are restored to full and any Gunner that takes the Open Fire action before the start of your next turn can make one additional attack. Once you use this action, you can't use it again for 1 minute.

EXPERT BOATSWAIN ▰▰▰▰▱▱

When you take the Brace for Impact action, you choose a 180°  side instead.

HARD TURN  ▰▰▰▰▰▱

As an action, you command the crew into a dangerous maneuver. The first time your ship moves before the start of your next turn, its maneuverability increases by 90° , up to a maximum of 360°. 

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

MASTER BOATSWAIN  ▰▰▰▰▰▰

While in the Boatswain role, your wildjammer has a number of extra bulwark points equal to your proficiency bonus.

CAPTAIN ▱▱▱▱▱▱

While in the Captain role, all bridge crew members take their turn at your initiative. The entire party acts on that turn in the initiative order, and you can choose in which order the crew members take their turns. Any effects that occur at the start of end of turn for one bridge member occur at the start or end of the collective turn. If you leave this role, bridge crew members resume using their own initiative roll.

FIRE AT WILL ▱▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you call out an order to fire. One Gunner of your choice may use their reaction to make one ship weapon attack against a target in range.

SHIP GRAPPLE ▰▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you ready the crew to throw grappling hooks and chains on another ship. The next time before the start of your next turn that your ship enters the same space as another ship, you may make a Charisma (Water Vehicles) check contested by the opposing ship’s Captain. If the opposing ship has no captain, the DC to grapple is 10. On a success, both ships are tied up in a ship grapple.

BOARDING PARTY ▰▰▱▱▱▱

While in a ship grapple with a ship that is schooner-sized (1x1) or larger, as an action you can call for a boarding party. Any number of player characters or eligible crew that have not yet used their action this turn can join you. Each creature that chooses to join you readies their action at the same time to swing across to the other ship at the same time. Player characters who join the boarding party are no longer in their bridge crew role, if any. Crew that join the boarding party can no longer assist in operating the sails or using the ship weapons. 

At the start of the next round of combat, every creature in the boarding party simultaneously swings, leaps, or climbs across to the other ship.

FULL SPEED AHEAD ▰▰▰▱▱▱

As an action, you call out an order to the Helmsman. The Helmsman may use their reaction to immediately move up to half the ship's movement speed (rounded down) within its cone of movement. The ship doesn't turn after moving.

EXPERT CAPTAIN ▰▰▰▰▱▱

When you take the Boarding Party action, members of your boarding party (other than you) now only use a bonus action to board the other ship, allowing them to attack as soon as they swing over.

BARRAGE ▰▰▰▰▰▱

When you use the Fire At Will action, you may choose an additional Gunner to make an attack with their reaction. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

MASTER CAPTAIN ▰▰▰▰▰▰

While in the Captain role, you have advantage on initiative rolls when entering combat.

FIGHTER HELMSMAN ▱▱▱▱▱▱

While in the Fighter Helmsman role, you can use your action to deploy a fighter-sized ship from your wildjammer. When you do, your token is placed directly adjacent to the wildjammer. Until you return to the same space as a friendly wildjammer with a fighter bay, you cannot change roles. Once per turn, you may move like a Helmsman's move action,but without spending an action. In addition, the crew requirement of ship mounted weapons is reduced by 1.

EJECT ▱▱▱▱▱▱

As a reaction to your fighter-sized ship being destroyed, you may eject. You remain lingering in space in your square until you either run out or air and suffocate or are picked up by a ship or mega creature.

ATTACK ▰▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you make a Ship Weapon Attack using your ship mounted weapon. If your fighter-sized ship has the Frame feature, you instead make a melee or ranged weapon attack using your ship's weapon. 

You can use class features which apply to weapon attacks (such as Extra Attack) while taking the Attack action. Some class features that don’t translate well to the Gunner role (like Reckless Attack) may work better as a Fighter Helmsman. Consult with your DM about whether a feature is appropriate for use.

TARGETED ATTACK ▰▰▱▱▱▱

While you are within range to attack a ship, you can attempt to disable one of its ship weapons, modules, or sails. Make an attack at disadvantage against one of these targets. On hit, you first deal damage to the target’s bulwark points, then to the weapon, module, or sails. If the weapon, module, or sails are reduced to 0 hull points, it is disabled. All damage dealt to ship weapons, modules, or sails this way is also dealt to the ship's hull points. If you use this feature to attack a mega creature, you can target one of its natural weapons. On hit, the mega creature has disadvantage on attack rolls with that natural weapon until the start of your next turn.

EMERGENCY REPAIR ▰▰▰▱▱▱

As an action, you turn your attention to patching up damage on your fighter. Your fighter regains twice your class level in hull points. Once you've used this ability, you can't use it again for 1 minute.

EXPERT FIGHTER HELMSMAN ▰▰▰▰▱▱

All fighters you fly count as having the Quick Eject feature. If your fighter already has the Quick Eject feature, you move at double speed. 

In addition, your fighter gains 8 bulwark points while you are piloting it.

DODGE & STRIKE ▰▰▰▰▰▱

When a ship or mega creature hits you with an attack, you may use your reaction to negate the attack, move up to half of your movement speed, and make a single ship weapon attack against the creature. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

MASTER FIGHTER HELMSMAN ▰▰▰▰▰▰

When you take the Targeted Attack action, you don't make your attack at disadvantage. 

In addition, your fighter now gains 16 bulwark points while you are piloting it.

GUNNER ▱▱▱▱▱▱

While in the Gunner role, you command the crew of a single ship mounted weapon on your wildjammer. During your turn, you can use a bonus action to switch to another weapon that isn't currently being used by another Gunner. You can do this between attacks with the Open Fire action.

OPEN FIRE ▱▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you make a Ship Weapon Attack using your ship mounted weapon.

TRAINED GUNNER ▰▱▱▱▱▱

You can use class features which apply to weapon attacks (such as Extra Attack) while taking the Open Fire action. Some class features may be inappropriate for use. Consult with your DM. 

In addition, the backfire score of any ship weapon you attack with is reduced by 1.

READIED ATTACK ▰▰▱▱▱▱

As an action, you ready the Open Fire action. When your readied action criteria is met, you may use your reaction to take the Open Fire bridge crew action.

PRECISE SHOT ▰▰▰▱▱▱

Once per turn when you hit with a ship weapon attack, you add your ability score modifier used for the attack to the damage roll.

EXPERT GUNNER ▰▰▰▰▱▱

The crew and backfire score of ship weapons you use is reduced by 1.

DISTRACTING SHOT ▰▰▰▰▰▱

When you hit with a ship weapon attack, you can create an opportunity for another attacker. You add your proficiency bonus to the damage of the attack and the next attack made against that target is at advantage.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

MASTER GUNNER ▰▰▰▰▰▰

While in the Gunner role, your Precise Shot feature applies to all ship weapon attacks you make.

HELMSMAN ▱▱▱▱▱▱

To occupy the role of Helmsman, you must meet all requirements to attune to the helm installed on the ship and spend 30 minutes to attune. Some helms have a Quick Attunement option to quicken this process. To switch out of this role, you must break attunement. You must spend the same amount of time to safely leave the helm as well, otherwise you may suffer an Unattunement Backlash effect (if any) as described in the helm’s description.

While you are in the Helmsman role, you gain control over the wildjammer like it is an extension of your body and can extend your senses to any spot aboard the wildjammer (no action required).

Each wildjammer and mega creatures faces one of 8 directions, corresponding to 45-degree intervals. To give the feeling of momentum to wildjammers, each wildjammer has a maneuverability score that limits them to a cone of movement. This cone extends forward and is as wide as the ship’s maneuverability.

MOVE ▱▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you move your ship up to its speed within its cone of movement. Once you have finished moving, you can turn your ship up to its maneuverability.

MATCH SPEED ▱▱▱▱▱▱

As an action, you attempt to match speed with another ship. Until the start of your next turn, when the target ship would move, you mimic their movements and maintain the same distance as when you took this action. If the other ship moves in a way your ship can't, this effect ends.

JAMMING ▱▱▱▱▱▱

As a bonus action, you start charging your ship's helm to accelerate to jamming speed. Charging the helm takes 1 minute. If you start your turn in the same space as another ship, mega creature, or object at mega scale, the charging is paused until the start of your next turn.

EVASIVE MANEUVERS ▰▱▱▱▱▱

If your ship is a Frigate (2x2) or smaller, as an action you may focus on evading attacks. Until the start of your next turn, you add your Dexterity modifier to your ship’s AC and you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws made on behalf of the ship.

COLLIDE ▰▰▱▱▱▱

If your ship is Heavy Frigate-sized (3x3) or smaller, as an action you can move up to your speed within your cone of movement and enter the space of a ship or mega creature. If you move at least 1,000 feet, you may make an attack using your spell attack bonus against the target ship or mega creature. You are considered proficient with this attack. On hit, both your ship and the target take 1d10 mega bludgeoning damage. Larger ships deal and take more damage. The damage increases to 2d10 for Sloops (1x1), to 3d10 for Frigates (2x2), and to 4d10 for Heavy Frigates (3x3).

DOGFIGHTING ▰▰▰▱▱▱

If your ship is Frigate-size (2x2) or smaller and a ship of your size or smaller is behind you within 1,000 feet, as an action you can perform a complex maneuver. Make a Dexterity(Water Vehicles) check contested by the Helmsman of the other ship. On a success, following several tight turns, you switch places with that ship. The direction that each ship is facing doesn’t change after their places are switched.

EXPERT HELMSMAN ▰▰▰▰▱▱

You can use the Evasive Maneuvers and Dogfighting actions with Heavy Frigate-size (3x3) ships.

SPELL SURGE ▰▰▰▰▰▱

As an action, you may expend a spell slot of any level up to your proficiency bonus. When you do, you move in a straight line up to the ship's movement speed plus 500 feet per level of the expended spell slot. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

MASTER HELMSMAN ▰▰▰▰▰▰

While you are in the Helmsman role, your wildjammer has 500 feet of additional movement.