PDA

View Full Version : Help me make a good Airship Captain please.



Thorosofmyr
2007-09-02, 07:27 PM
A friend of mine is running a 12th level campaign, and I've signed on to be one of my favorite classes, the Artificer.

Upon his direct permission and the entire party spending a sizable amount of cash, the DM has allowed us to have an airship. Most specifically an Eberron style of airship. Our party talked it over, and it was decided I was going to be the Captain of the ship, stocked with a crew via the leadership feat.

We are not playing in the Eberron world, nor do I know a whole lot about the homebrew world he created. What I'm here posting about is that I'd like some suggestions on being a flavorful and interesting Captain. I want to shy away from the Jack Sparrow or Barbosa types, preferring to be more of a team player and trustworthy kind of fellow.

It's not even the functionality of the airship that I'm worried about. I know there's much more effective and faster ways of transportation at 12th level via some spell or another. I simply want some suggestions on how to make it flavorful and fun, as opposed to "ok, we use this big flying thing as a tool and never mention it again."

As far as source books, most anything from Eberron, Draconomicon, Dragon Magic, Magic Item Compendium, and core is allowed.

I'd really appreciate it :smallcool:

Gralamin
2007-09-02, 07:31 PM
Step 1: Be a Half-elf
Step 2: Be a d'Lyrander, take Lesser Dragonmark (Mark of storm: Winds Favor)
Step 3: Take levels in Windwright Captain
Step 4: Have at least two levels, and there you have a free air ship, with you as the master.

This is of course, assuming this can fit into his world.

Windwright Captain is in Explorer's Handbook.

AlterForm
2007-09-02, 07:34 PM
Step 1: Be a Half-elf
Step 2: Be a d'Lyrander, take Lesser Dragonmark (Mark of storm: Winds Favor)
Step 3: Take levels in Windwright Captain
Step 4: Have at least two levels, and there you have a free air ship, with you as the master.

This is of course, assuming this can fit into his world.

Windwright Captain is in Explorer's Handbook.

Step 5: Make your name "Cid"
Step 6: ???
Step 7: Profit!

Thorosofmyr
2007-09-02, 07:39 PM
Thanks for the tip, but I don't think it'll fit in the world my DM has planned. Having Dragonmarks and being part of a house is something my DM didn't really OK. I'd also like to be a full artificer if I could.

Thorosofmyr
2007-09-02, 07:40 PM
Quote: AlterForm

Step 5: Make your name "Cid"
Step 6: ???
Step 7: Profit!

I've already been threatened under pain of death to not even think about being called Cid :smallbiggrin:

AlterForm
2007-09-02, 07:49 PM
Hehe.

Seriousness:

I'm unfamiliar with much outside of core (I have the SRD and a DMG), but...what if you tried to turn your airship into a death machine? Aim for getting lots of object-repairing spells, and look into getting some blasty cannons. Just have the rest of your party stay onboard in case someone decides to board you. I'm not sure how you'd pull this off, though. :smallconfused: Maybe harness more elementals? Or have your rogue man wand-turrets? :smallamused:

BRC
2007-09-02, 07:50 PM
Quote: AlterForm

Step 5: Make your name "Cid"
Step 6: ???
Step 7: Profit!

I've already been threatened under pain of death to not even think about being called Cid :smallbiggrin:

All airship capitans are named Cid, its a law of the universe.

Tengu
2007-09-02, 07:50 PM
I've already been threatened under pain of death to not even think about being called Cid :smallbiggrin:

But you can always be Setzer!

PaladinBoy
2007-09-02, 07:52 PM
Step 1: Be a Half-elf
Step 2: Be a d'Lyrander, take Lesser Dragonmark (Mark of storm: Winds Favor)
Step 3: Take levels in Windwright Captain
Step 4: Have at least two levels, and there you have a free air ship, with you as the master.

This is of course, assuming this can fit into his world.

Windwright Captain is in Explorer's Handbook.

You missed
Step 5: Gain five levels in said prestige class; command your airship from miles away.

That prestige class is awesome. I'm planning to take my character into it, and we have plenty of plans for how we're going to modify the airship. Problem is, none of the ideas are based on RAW, so we'd have to houserule a lot. If you want to know, we're planning things like binding extra elementals into the ship to allow thrust vectoring and increase maneuverability, adding ballista w/ Khyber dragonshards that can temporarily lauch a concentrated beam of fire elemental at a target, and some type of enhanced invisibility sphere that turns the ship and everything within 10 feet of it invisible.

At least, that's at first. For later, we're hoping for things like shields based on stoneskin or the cube of force magic item, a short-range variable target teleportation circle-type effect, and even a way to make the entire ship and everyone on it the target of a shadow walk spell. As you can see, we're rather ambitious about this. Not sure how useful it'll be without RAW ways to make it work, but there it is.

PsyBlade
2007-09-02, 07:56 PM
But you can always be Setzer!

Great Idea! Definately seconded. And I wonder how many of them will get the reference.

Thorosofmyr
2007-09-02, 07:58 PM
I like Redden Alt Merr though...


Terry Brooks reference. One of the best airship captains I've ever seen.

And don't worry, I most definitely plan on having cannons and such on the ship, once we get an idea for how the rules would go for them. I'll also have lots of skill in craft (airship building) and fabricate to make things easier. Was thinking about good old fashioned cannons or ballistas. Never understood why siege weapons aren't touch attacks. Yes, you do have natural armor, but you just got hit by a gorram cannonball .

In addition to making it battle ready, I was wondering how to make it fun for the party. What would my crew be like? What should I pay my crew? How should I hire new crew (as opposed to just demand more and point to my leadership feat). What rules should I enforce? Should my party members get special treatment, or should they follow the same rules? Should I ask some of my crew to keep an eye out for mutiny?

Bits of fluff like that will make the airship more of a part of the campaign than a mobile arsenal. Though a mobile arsenal sounds amazing.

Nerd-o-rama
2007-09-02, 08:15 PM
Possible PrC's besides Windwright Captain can be found in Stormwrack, particularly Legendary Captain. Works just as well in the air as on the sea. I'd stay away from Dread Pirate, as that's more about being a Jack Sparrowy commander/swordfighter.

Funkyodor
2007-09-02, 08:36 PM
Pirate ideas o' plenty with Cuthroat Island.

Or you could try to fashion your bunch after the A-Team and you could play the "Hannibal" master planner and disguise artist, and that could add some color to your crew with alot of B.A. Barracas', Faces, and Murdocks.

Machete
2007-09-02, 08:50 PM
Check Stormwrack and Stronghold Builder's Guide and Errata for ways to PIMP YOUR RIDE, er outifit your mode of transportation with appreciable defenses, offenses, and tools to make exploration of exotic environments less hazardous.

Levels in Marshall won't hurt either for flavor and helping your guys not die as much and just maybe even be useful.

Mewtarthio
2007-09-02, 08:51 PM
Step 1: Be a Half-elf
Step 2: Be a d'Lyrander, take Lesser Dragonmark (Mark of storm: Winds Favor)
Step 3: Take levels in Windwright Captain
Step 4: Have at least two levels, and there you have a free air ship, with you as the master.

But he already gets the free airship.

---

One important thing to do is cajole your DM into giving you extra loot for the airship. You'll need money for regular mantanence as well as wages for the crew (not to mention any... nonstandard upgrades you wish to acquire). Don't skimp on the decorations. If you want to avoid making your airship just a tool of transport, you'll want to make it your own mobile mansion.

Remember: Teleportation is safer, faster, more versatile, more readily available, and cheaper than an airship. If you don't want to be dragging everyone down with your insistence on riding that obsolete piece of junk, you have to play to the airship's strengths: Increased cargo capacity, guaranteed accomodations, a safe place to sleep, and the pride and prestige of owning your own residence (as a side note, if you become famous enough that VIPs are willing to pay for a ride, you've got employment that's far more guaranteed--not to mention safer--than killing dragons).

First off, you have to transport a lot of stuff. Get a crafting facility installed on the ship where you can do all your artificing. If you know someone with the Leadership feat, you've already got an advantage: Supply the followers with lodging (put 'em in a cheap barracks or something), and you'll already be transporting far more than one additional Medium-sized creature per caster level.

Failing that, use the extra space to make adventuring fun and relaxing. Acquire some chefs (or a party member with Craft (foodstuffs)) and have a kitchen installed. Build a rec room with some large, immobile games. Buy a soft bed for each party member. Remember, you won't be able to beat Teleport for efficiency (barring that Leadership trick), so give the players an in-character reason to want the airship.

It is imperative that you check with the DM to figure out how you're gonna park this thing. If you can only stop at a select few air docks, you're not going to be very popular. You need to clear a way to stop the airship wherever you need it stopped. Ideally, the airship will serve as a mobile camp. A mobile camp swarming with sentries and equipped with all the comfortable accomodations I mentioned in the paragraph above.

The last thing you need to do is show the airship off. Get to the cocktail parties and boast of your fine craft. Build some guest accomodations and invite people to stay. Participate in whatever famous battles you can find (you're an adventurer, so fame's pretty much automatic). If you're fighting for Good, bombard the fortresses of darkness; if you're fighting for evil, pilliage and burn the towns of your enemies; if you're fighting for Law, hunt down the deadliest pirates; if you're fighting for Chaos, raid the fat nobles and soar away with their jewels. In short, do whatever you can to make your campaign an airship campaign.

Remember, the most important rule of a game is to have fun. In general, people don't find burning money for no benefit to be fun, nor do they find pointless travel fun. Consequentially, you'll have to make the airship as fun as possible. See to it that your airship is not just a glorified car. It should be a symbol of opulence, showing the world just how cool the PCs are. Make your airship memorable, so that years from now you and your friends will talk about that cool airship campaign you did.

Gralamin
2007-09-02, 08:53 PM
(as a side note, if you become famous enough that VIPs are willing to pay for a ride, you've got employment that's far more guaranteed--not to mention safer--than killing dragons).


However, The mere fact he has this airship, and that he's an adventurer means that Dragons will be after it.

Vonriel
2007-09-02, 09:07 PM
Heh, can you picture him on an airship, with about ten nobles on board, watching as he unleashed all hell on a BBEG's fortress? To complete the scene, picture the nobles having afternoon tea on the main deck, talking business, with a fireball or two flying up into the clouds above the ship :smalltongue:

PaladinBoy
2007-09-02, 09:11 PM
I like Redden Alt Mer too.


It is imperative that you check with the DM to figure out how you're gonna park this thing. If you can only stop at a select few air docks, you're not going to be very popular. You need to clear a way to stop the airship wherever you need it stopped. Ideally, the airship will serve as a mobile camp. A mobile camp swarming with sentries and equipped with all the comfortable accomodations I mentioned in the paragraph above.

Even if airships normally have to rely on docking towers (in the homebrew world), you can get around that by building an extendable ramp or clamshell doors into the cargo hold. Just as a suggestion as to how to get it to land anywhere.

Pokemaster
2007-09-02, 09:15 PM
Teleport is more efficient than airships. However, nobody has ever looked at a wizard casting teleport and screamed 'IT'S DEATH FROM ABOVE!'. Keeping that in mind:

1- Wands of Fireball will be a drain on your experience until the 4th Edition rules come around, but they have a range of 600 feet and weigh less than cannons. If your leadership score is high enough, you could probably have half a dozen level 1 wizards/sorcerers as cannoneers.

2- Wands of Lightning Bolt don't have the same range, but if you throw use an item that can cast Control Weather, you can give yourself some cloud cover and wipe out your enemies while making it look like an act of God.

3- You will need enough Rings of Feather Falling for everybody.

Can't think of anything else right now.

PaladinBoy
2007-09-02, 09:24 PM
3- You will need enough Rings of Feather Falling for everybody.

Explorer's Handbook covers that. There's a sidebar somewhere with an item called a life ring, which is a one-time use item that can grant feather fall to the people holding on to it. It's cheaper than the rings of feather falling, too, so unless you're thinking that crashing is going to be a major problem (and it usually isn't since the airship floats on its own), it's probably more efficient.

EDIT: For that matter, you may want to invest in some type of rope/harnesses for everyone so that if you have to engage in evasive maneuvers or get hit really hard, nobody flies over the side.

Thorosofmyr
2007-09-02, 09:28 PM
Wow, thanks Mewtarthio, it's something along those lines that I was looking for.

You brought forth a few things I had prepared for, and a few things I hadn't. I hadn't thought of moonlighting the ship as a cruise liner. Lugging around VIPs for boatloads of cash gives the party more employment opportunities as well as new plot hooks for the DM. It's rather undeniable that at least one Dragon or two is going to attack the airship, but the rest of the party has prepared for things along those lines.

As far as docking it goes, I have an idea to throw at the DM. I don't know everything about the Eberron airship, but I'm pretty sure I read that the hull is made out of a specially treated kind of soarwood, which will allow the ship to float, and the elemental is there for propulsion. I can talk the DM into allowing certain spells to make the elemental "go dormant", to prevent it getting a mind of its own and just wandering off. One strategically placed wall of force later, and we have an instant anchor.

I suppose I should specifically prepare the airship to suit different needs. Maybe talk my druid friend into making flowers bloom all over the airship for parties, or talk my sorcerer friend into crafting minor illusions for centerpieces. I can just see the awakened panda monk finding all of this immensely unappealing, but it's going to be his loss.

Good thing I saved a lot of starting cash. I'm going to need provisions for all of my crew, stocking and furnishing a lot of rooms, buying weaponry and accessories for nearly every room. I may just talk to my DM, throw a bunch of money at him, and let tell him what I want the place to look like.

PaladinBoy
2007-09-02, 09:35 PM
As far as docking it goes, I have an idea to throw at the DM. I don't know everything about the Eberron airship, but I'm pretty sure I read that the hull is made out of a specially treated kind of soarwood, which will allow the ship to float, and the elemental is there for propulsion. I can talk the DM into allowing certain spells to make the elemental "go dormant", to prevent it getting a mind of its own and just wandering off. One strategically placed wall of force later, and we have an instant anchor.

You're correct about the soarwood. Explorer's Handbook has this covered again. A dragonmarked heir can suppress the elemental just as easily as he/she can control any other aspect of the ship. Anyone else needs a Charisma check. On top of that, banishment or dismissal can do it as well, I believe.

Thorosofmyr
2007-09-02, 09:39 PM
oh, btw, can anyone please tell me the price of the life ring from explorer's handbook? I planned on making a bunch of those actually.

PaladinBoy
2007-09-02, 09:50 PM
oh, btw, can anyone please tell me the price of the life ring from explorer's handbook? I planned on making a bunch of those actually.

It's 400 gp to buy, 200 gp and 16 XP to make.

Thorosofmyr
2007-09-02, 09:54 PM
Appreciate it.

Any name suggestions for airship? It'll be powered by a wind elemental, so I was thinking about Kaze or something along those lines. Wind is also a big element for my character.

illyrus
2007-09-02, 10:51 PM
1. As an artificer, use craft wonderous item to make various parts of the ship have different abilities. Such as a mess hall that creates food, a sickbay that heals wounds, a performance hall that plays music (yay ghostsound), etc. Heck depending upon the feel the GM is going for with the campaign you could have a Star Trek style teleporter room(this would be a bit too Sci-Fi for me personally but just throwing it out there).
2. HALO(High Altitude-Low Opening) drop the party/crew at some point. The airship is hovering 1000 feet over a structure and the party leaps out, using feather fall 10 feet off the ground to land "safely" and quickly.
3. Drop ropes. Similiar to idea 1 but from a much shorter distance, good for a quick entrance or escape. Install 200 foot long ropes that can be dropped off the side of the airship.
4. Lyre of Building - Yay limited invunerability if your DM rules the airship frame as a structure. *drums sound* "Ramming Speed!"
5. Casino on board.
6. Large well decorated meeting room. Your airship could be "neutral ground" for warring factions.

RTGoodman
2007-09-02, 11:11 PM
Or you could try to fashion your bunch after the A-Team and you could play the "Hannibal" master planner and disguise artist, and that could add some color to your crew with alot of B.A. Barracas', Faces, and Murdocks.

I pity the foo' who try to put Mr. T in Eberron! He got no time fo' the jibba jabba!

BRC
2007-09-03, 12:16 AM
Appreciate it.

Any name suggestions for airship? It'll be powered by a wind elemental, so I was thinking about Kaze or something along those lines. Wind is also a big element for my character.
Freedom's Breeze?.
Dunno, just thought of it

Bryn
2007-09-03, 05:09 AM
As it happens, I'm designing an airship for an Eberron campaign right now... :smallcool:

So, as a suggestions for features, use magical traps. However, not the harmful sort of traps that adventurers normally deal with - instead, I suggest using the magical trap rules to create automatic beneficial effects. For example, put automatically resetting Feather Fall traps around the edge of the airship. Cure Light Wounds traps can be placed on deck for wounded crewmembers. A trap that casts some sort of foodmaking spell in the canteen would also be useful.

PlatinumJester
2007-09-03, 08:28 AM
If I was a Windwright captain I would just steal the Airship and get someone in the party or yourself to use hold person on the crew to work for free.