Keelboat

One of the smallest sailing vessels, keelboats can be sailed or rowed by a single person. These ships often transport small amounts of cargo or passengers. They're perfect for pleasure cruises, as they're easier and less expensive to operate than larger vessels.

A keelboat has the following features:

  • Light. A hanging lantern or two casts bright light across the ship.
  • Rigging. Rigging on the ship can be climbed without an ability check.
  • Sails. The keelboat has one 10-foot-tall mast with sails.

Example Keelboat Crew

A keelboat requires a single crew member to operate smoothly. If the characters are guests on a keelboat, the crew consists of a single captain who has the statistics of a bandit captain with proficiency with water vehicles.

Keelboat Deck

The deck of the keelboat has the following features:

  • Weapon. A keelboat typically has space for a Large-sized siege weapon, typically a Ballista or Mangonel. Such boats typically have a small (10 or so shots) supply of ammunition stored nearby for easy reach during combat, and sometimes more in storage.
  • Oars. The deck of the ship holds twelve benches and four 15-foot-long oars. When the ship is rowed, crew members sit on these benches to work the oars.
  • Railing. The deck has a 3-foot-high rail around its perimeter that provides half cover for Medium creatures and three-quarters cover for Small creatures behind it.

Keelboat Cabin

The keelboat cabin has the following features:

  • Footlockers. Beneath each bed is a footlocker. The footlockers are iron and have AC 19, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
  • Furnishings. Two beds and a desk with a chair stand at the aft of the cabin.

Token

Keelboat

Gargantuan Vehicle (60 ft. by 20 ft.)

  • Creature Capacity 1 minimum/3 optimum crew, 4 passengers
  • Cargo Capacity 0.5 tons
  • Travel Pace 3 miles per hour (72 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 7 (-2) 13 (+1) 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 keelboat can take 2 actions, choosing from the options below. It can take only 1 action if it has only one crew. It can't take these actions if it has no crew.

Fire Ballistas. The keelboat can fire its ballistas (DMG, ch. 8).

Move. The keelboat can use its helm to move with its oars or sails.

Hull

  • Armor Class 15
  • Hit Points 100 (damage threshold 10)

Control: Helm

  • Armor Class 12
  • Hit Points 50

Move up to the speed of one of the ship's movement components, with one 90-degree turn. If the helm is destroyed, the keelboat can't turn.

Movement: Oars

  • Armor Class 12
  • Hit Points 100; -5ft speed per 20 damage taken
  • Speed (water) 20 ft.

Movement: Sails

  • Armor Class 12
  • Hit Points 50; -5ft speed per 20 damage taken
  • Speed (water) 25 ft.; 15 ft. while sialing into the wind; 35 ft. while sailing with the wind

Weapons: Ballista

  • Armor Class 15
  • Hit Points 50
  • Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.

Keelboats typically include a ballista only when they are equipped for combat.