Vehicles

Vehicles can come in all shapes and sizes, from the massive galleons that prowl through the waves to small chariots pulled by a single horse to even a balloon pulling a basket into the skies. An individual typically specializes in one of three vehicle types, though they may learn additional vehicles thanks to their background or training. Those vehicle options are Air, Land, or Water vehicles.

Air. Many worlds may not have access to the newest forms of transportation. Airships are the newest techno-magical marvels created by ingenious tinkerers and wizards. From hot air balloons to massive ships kept afloat by captured air elementals, taking to the skies brings with it many dangers.

Land. Probably the most common type of vehicle, land vehicles are wagons, chariots, howdahs, and more. Those who have mastered these types of vehicles are often merchants, caravan leaders, or trained athletes.

Water. From ships with sails billowing in the wind to small rowboats and more, those with training in water vehicles lead a dangerous life. Drowning is the least of their worries as they know what horrors lurk beneath the surface and how the seemingly gentle waves can suddenly turn.

Most of the time, there is no action or check required in order to guide a vehicle you are proficient with. When a vehicle is required to make a saving throw or ability check, and you are in control of the vehicle meaning that you are at the helm, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to the vehicle's total. If you are not at the helm, the vehicle does not gain the benefits of your experience and does not add your bonus to its total.

In addition, while you are at the helm and in control of the vehicle, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to the vehicle's Armor Class. If a vehicle requires multiple creatures at its helm, only one creature can add their bonus to the AC of the vehicle.

If you are at a component on the vehicle other than the Helm, you might be able to add your Proficiency Bonus to that component's Armor Class, saving throws, or ability checks, based on the DM's discretion.

A wide variety of situations might rise up over the course of gameplay that may relate to your experience on a vehicle. Some of these situations could include:

• Tying Knots.
• Recalling information about locations you've been.
• Recalling rumors and myths.
• Finding possible smuggling locations.
• Determining what a vehicle is transporting.

In the normal process of controlling a vehicle, no check is required by the operator at the helm. There are rare circumstances where a vehicle is forced to make a saving throw or ability check or suffer damage, being destroyed or any other circumstance. Typical DCs, and examples for each type of vehicle, can be found below.

When a vehicle suffers damage, the amount of damage it suffers is based on the threat or the size of the object, creature, or structure that is interacting with it. See the chart below for typical damage based on the severity of the threat.

If a vehicle crashes into a creature or object, the vehicle must immediately make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes damage to its hull (for water and air vehicles) or its frame (land vehicles) based on the size of the creature or object it crashed into.

If a creature is struck by a vehicle, it must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + the vehicle's Strength modifier, taking damage based on the vehicle's size on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

If an object is struck by a vehicle, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + the ship's Strength modifier, taking damage based on the vehicle's size on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save. An object has an amount of hit points as determined by the DM. The chart below offers suggested hit points based on size.

The DC for crashing into a creature or object may increase if the winds are pushing the vehicle to move faster, if they are made of a special material like adamantine, or other circumstances as determined by the DM.

The following are examples of dangerous situations that a vehicle may be placed in. Each example specifies what type of vehicle is used in the example, though many can be adjusted to fit a different vehicle.

• Vehicle Type Air or Water
• Severity Moderate
• DC 15

Sudden powerful gusts of winds are sweeping through the air. The sails, balloons, or other fabric-based components of the vehicle are blown and tossed about. The pilot can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Vehicle) check; on a success they have enough time to order the sails drawn up or to navigate the vehicle out of harm.

On a failure, the vehicle is struck by heavy winds and the sails, balloons, or other fabric components of the vehicle suffer 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage for every minute they are subjected to the wind. The wind lasts for 1d4 x 10 minutes. In order to put away the sails, it requires a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check from the crew hoisting the sails. To navigate out of the wind, it requires a DC 15 Dexterity (Vehicle) check to safely navigate the winds and move out of their path. The check can be made once per minute.

• Vehicle Type Air or Water
• Severity Minor
• DC 10

A leak has formed on the hull or balloon of the vehicle. In order to be seen, the pilot can make a DC 10 Wisdom (Vehicle) check, on a success they notice the leak either by walking the ship and noticing it, or the crew has successfully seen it.

While the leak is there, the vehicle either starts taking on water or it begins descending from the sky. For every hour that the leak is present, the vehicle begins sinking 1d10 feet. In order to repair the leak, a creature must repair it with a DC 10 ability check using an appropriate tool, like Carpenter's Tools or Woodcarver's Tools (for wood), or Leatherworker's Tools or Weaver's Tools (for cloth). If those tools are not available, the pilot can attempt a DC 10 Intelligence (Vehicles) check to staunch the leak until it can be taken into port and fixed. The ship will be unable to ascend higher than it currently is at. A creature can attempt the check once per hour.

• Vehicle Type Air, Land, Water
• Severity Serious
• DC 20

The helm of the vehicle has stopped functioning and the pilot is immediately aware of it. The danger is not the helm malfunctioning but the danger that the vehicle is now in. The pilot can make a DC 20 Intelligence or Wisdom (Vehicles) check to realize that they are about to crash into a huge object. This object could be a mountain top, a floating mote of earth, an underwater rock, a massive pothole in the road filled with water, or a huge creature.

The vehicle will crash into the object in a matter of seconds and the pilot must make a DC 20 Intelligence (Vehicles) check in order to realize the problem and fix it. This could be the chain has jumped off its tracks on a ship, the horses are not listening to your commands, the elemental powering the airship is weakening, or something else that is affecting the ship. On a failed check, the vehicle crashes into the huge object and must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or the hull or frame takes 8d10 bludgeoning damage.

All vehicles share the same types of components and are used for the same basic purposes. A component represents many different things but are for a singular purpose.

Hull/Frame. A hull (Air/Water) or frame (Land) is the basic form of the vehicle and is what supports all other components. If the hull/frame is ever reduced to 0 hit points, the vehicle is destroyed.

Control. How the vehicle is controlled, this is where the helm is located.

Movement. How the vehicle moves, the helm controls this component. If this is destroyed, the vehicle's speed is reduced to 0 unless it is what is holding the vehicle aloft. In which case, the vehicle begins falling towards the ground.

Weapon. The combat capability of a vehicle, not all vehicles carry weapons.

A vehicle might have special components not listed here, if so it will be described in the vehicle's stat block.

The following are a few examples of different vehicles, more vehicles can be found in the Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus (2019) by Wizards of the Coast, Ghosts of Saltmarsh (2019) by Wizards of the Coast, or Unearthed Arcana - Of Ships and Seas (2018) by Wizards of the Coast.

When creating your own vehicle, there are few things to keep in mind. Land vehicles will often rely on beasts of burdens in order to move them, in which case the Armor Class, Hit Points, and speed of those components will be determined by that beast as well as if it has any barding. A land vehicle relying on a beast can only travel for 8 hours a day, attempting to push the beast to travel for longer may require a Constitution saving throw or become exhausted per the DM's discretion.

In addition, to determine how many hit points the hull or frame has, refer to the chart below:

If you wish to remove the vehicle's damage threshold, increase it's hit points by 200.

Large vehicle (10 ft. x 15 ft.) Creature Capacity 1 crew, 5 passengers Cargo Capacity .5 tons Travel Pace 3 miles per hour (24 miles per day) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 0 0 0 Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious Actions On its turn, the cart can take the move action below. It can't take this action if it has no crew. Move. The cart can use its helm (reigns) to move with its horse. Frame Armor Class 8 Hit Points 100 (damage threshold 10) Control: Helm (Reigns) Armor Class 15 Hit Points 20 Movement Move up to the speed of the vehicle's horse, with one 90-degree turn. If the helm is destroyed the cart can't turn. Movement: Draft Horse Armor Class 10 Hit Points 19 Speed (land) 40 ft. (requires at least 1 crew) Movement: Wheels (2) Armor Class 15 Hit Points 20; -5 ft. to speed per 5 damage taken Speed (land) see Movement: Draft Horse

A cart has the following features: Frame. The vehicle has a open, wooden frame that can carry heavy creates. Helm. The vehicle uses reigns for its helm, and they must be used to move the cart. Cart Storage The storage of the vehicle has the following features: Railing. The cart has a 2-foot-high rail covered in wood around its perimeter that provides half cover for Medium creatures and three-quarters cover for Small creatures behind it.

Huge vehicle (15 ft. x 15 ft.) Creature Capacity 1 crew, 9 passengers Cargo Capacity .5 tons Travel Pace 5 miles per hour (120 miles per day), only with the wind STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 0 0 0 Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious Actions On its turn, the vehicle can take the move action below. It can't take this action if it has no crew. Move. The vehicle can use its helm to move with its balloon. Hull: Basket Armor Class 15 Hit Points 100 (damage threshold 5); if reduced to 0 hit points, all occupants and supplies plummet to the ground unless they hang on to the ropes connected to the balloon. Control: Helm Armor Class 15 Hit Points 50 Movement Move up to the speed of the vehicle's movement component. If the helm is destroyed, the vehicle can't ascend. Movement: Balloon Armor Class 12 Hit Points 100; -5 ft. speed per 25 damage taken; if reduced to 0 hit points, the vehicle plummets to the ground. Speed (hover) 20 ft. ascend or descend; the wind controls where it goes

A hot air balloon has the following features: Balloon. The vehicle has a balloon that is 50 feet wide and 70 feet tall. Helm. The vehicles uses a burner for its helm, and must have fuel to power the flame or it can not rise and begins to descend. Rigging. Rigging on the vehicle can be climbed without an ability check. Hot Air Balloon Basket The basket of the vehicle has the following features: Sand Bags. Twelve sandbags line the hot air balloon, one sand bag can be dropped from the balloon as an action which causes the hot air balloon to immediately rise 20 feet. Railing. The deck has a 3-foot-high rail covered in wood around its perimeter that provides half cover for Medium creatures and three-quarters cover for Small creatures behind it.