Starships in D&D

[Someonelse]

I'm running a sort of sci-fi D&D game right now. It's D&D but with equipment and technology from D20 Modern Future. So far I haven't run into any difficulties, but now we're going to be flying starships and having space battles. I'm reading over the starship rules in D20 Future and I see that they add their class defense bonus to the starship's defense. But we're playing D&D and there are no class bonuses. So I'm trying to think of a way to make this work.

Would it be fair because no one has class defense bonuses? So the AC of every ship is less? The class mechanic allows a more skilled pilot to avoid hits, without that bonus there is no difference between a first level pilot and a 20th level pilot.

I thought maybe doubling their dex? Maybe with the starship operations feat they could double their dex (or add their HD to their ship's AC)?

Or should I allow a pilot's magic items (like bracers of armor or a ring of shielding for example) to apply to the ship? The problem I foresee with that is the players will certainly find a way of abusing it.

I came here hoping one of the many geniuses on this board could make a helpful suggestion.
Any ideas?

[Flickerdart]

There is an alternate rule that provides defense bonuses (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/defenseBonus.htm) determined by the class.

[Theodred theOld]

I'm actually experiencing a similar problem in a game that I run. It seems like this variant defense system combined with the preexisting rules for BAB may be a good fit, although I may use some form of caster level check instead of BAB as our campaign is based on Spelljammer tech.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I'm actually experiencing a similar problem in a game that I run. It seems like this variant defense system combined with the preexisting rules for BAB may be a good fit, although I may use some form of caster level check instead of BAB as our campaign is based on Spelljammer tech.
Or maybe base it off Profession: Sailor or some such?

[Someonelse]

Cool!
Thanks!

[Elandris Kajar]

Or maybe base it off Profession: Sailor or some such?

Make it a new skill. Profession (Spaceor)

That sounds like a name for something, but I cannot think of what.

[atemu1234]

Make it a new skill. Profession (Spaceor)

That sounds like a name for something, but I cannot think of what.

Astronavigator?

[Someonelse]

Make it a new skill. Profession (Spaceor)

That sounds like a name for something, but I cannot think of what.

The term Spacer comes from Isaac Asimov. In his novels the Spacers were the people who left the earth to go colonize outer space. Is that what you meant?

[BWR]

Get hold of the Dragonstar campaign, which is D&D in space. All the normal D&D conventions along with starships, lasers, blasters, computers, robots, cybertech, dangerous alien menaces and an awesome setting where dragons rule everything. The setting is broad enough to handle just about any type of game you want to run, be it Shadowrun, Traveller/Firefly, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, mind flayer conquest, high-end military action, political intrigue and more. Oh and it has some unique PC races which are awesome (my favorite is the ulb, a sentient giant amoeba).
"The Starfarer's Handbook" is the place to start.

Oh, and there are complete rules for starships and other vehicles and how to handle them without having to convert from anything more obscure than 3.0.

[Bronk]

There's also the Spelljammer update in Dungeon 92 / Polyhedron 151, which includes ship stats and new classes, including the Spelljammer Ace, which works in a similar way to how you want your ship pilots to work with AC and saves.

[gooddragon1]

The piloting skill exists in modern (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/MSRD:Pilot_%28Skill%29). As for armor class, maybe you could allow a piloting check to add a dodge bonus to armor class of the ship based on the result of the check (+1 per X points of the check rounded down/up). Check on a round by round basis or once per combat :/

[Telonius]

Stormwrack has rules for maritime combat. I suppose spaceship combat could be handled in a similar way, except that it's in three dimensions.

[frogglesmash]

I'm going to put in a third vote for using unearthed arcana's defense bonus variant.

[frost890]

While it is not a true gestalt build you might try letting them take ship specific classes for piloting the ship. The typical tank might focus on weapons/targeting and the rouge could have something related to jamming there sensors. I know star wars had a few piloting related classes. The good part about a crew is that they can all be doing things to help. The pilot can not also man the guns sensors engine repair and call for backup at the same time.

[HurinTheCursed]

My group and I can't stand this "d20 setting" (as opposed to d6 2nd revised) so I'm no expert but wouldn't Star Wars d20 have plenty of useful ideas for you ?