My table have recently started enjoying the fantastic campaign frame "The Ameraldi Coast" by @Stoneward13 available here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/daggerheart/s/4AMukDurtf

As a result, I have created a set of full ship sailing mechanics, including modular upgrades, crew maintenance mechanics, ship maintenance and repair, and most importantly; Naval combat. Including PC professions that the characters can train in, in game to give the vessel unique bonuses like targeting weak spots and

Seen as the amazing campaign frame had so much work, go into it for absolutely free, I thought I'd do the same with my ships, and post the "Work-in-progress" here, I hope you enjoy and please give me any feedback if you try them in your games!

DaggerHeart ship mechanics

Basic Ship Mechanics:

Brigantine

HP:

Evasion - 12

Hull - 10/15/20

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(The general health of the ship, once it hits 0 the ship is sunk.)

Crew stress -1 per Heavy damage etc

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(Otherwise known as Morale, when crew die or are injured, this can fill. But also during long journeys without food, gold or motivation, the crew could get more stress. If the crews Stress is full, they may fail to follow orders, making the ship almost impossible to man, or maybe even mutany)

Water level - On Major damage, start a D12 Countdown Die

(No prizes for guessing what happens what that runs out. Ship sinks.)

Speed: 5-8 Knots - 6 avg speed

(during chase scenes, instead of rolling players agility, the players will use their speed dice, apoased by their targets or Pursuers speed dice, in this case a D6, the winner of this role will tick up their chase dice. This happens at the beginning of every round of the action tracker)

(For example:

PC ship syarys chacing another ship, depending on how far away the shipmis when the chace wnsuse will determin how high or low tge chace die will staty or which dienyou will use. Thatbis to GMs discresion and uses thenusual chase mechanics (pg 163 in the Guide)

The PCs ship has as average speed of 6 (speed = 1D6, and they are chasing a ship that is slightly quicker, a Sloop with a avg speed of 8 knots = 1D8, at the top of each action tracker round (or spotlight/fear action, whatever you perfer) the two ships roll their speed, the higher roll ticks up their chase Die and the ship with the higher speed is more likely to get away, but still possible to be caught through crew intervention or luck, if the quicker ship keeps rolling badly maybe the wind changes direction, and their many masts make the vessle quick but difficult for the crew to adjust as quickly as the players, even though they are generally slower.)

Armourments: Port side - 4 Cannons (4D8)

Starboard side - 4 Cannons (4D8)

Bow - Swivel guns: Chainshots & Grapples (see Master of Arms)

Layout:

Stern / Deck / Bow

(Only really used for fire spreading mechanics, See Alchemic fire rules at the end)

Capacity manages most resources on the ship. you can upgrade the ship in any area, in any way you see fit. but it will come at the cost of space.

adding more cannons will raise your damage output, but you will have less space for crew mates. armour will let you receive more Hull damage, but at the cost of speed etc. This will mainly he to GMs discression as to what makes sense to trade out for, eventually of the PCs want more capacity to add more guns (its always more guns...) they will need to attack and board a larger vessle, and claim it as their own. (See SHIP UPGRADES)

Ship roles:

Helmsman - Steers the ship. Tanner

(Manoeuvre: on success +2 to hit with Cannons.

Evade: on success +2 to evasion.

BRACE! - As a reaction, mark a stress to lower incoming damage severity by 1)

Trimmer - Manages the sails - Alistair Finch

(Accelerate: on success +1 to speed

HOIST THE MAINS! - Mark a stress to gain a +3 to speed for 1D4 rounds)

Navigator - Navigates via maps and Crows nest - Timmy

(Long Arm - Target enemy crew with a long-armed rifle +1 enemy stress

WEAK SPOT! - Mark a stress to give the Cannons advantage to hit)

Powder Monkey - Reloads the guns - Issik

(Quick Reload - On a success Cannons roll an extra 1D8 of damage

BOOM! - Mark a stress to A: Double the damage bonus or B: drop a powder keg off the Stern to attack Pursuers)

Master of arms - Crowd control of enemy ships, uses Chain-shots and Grapples to control targets - Captain Merry

(Swivel guns;

Chain shots - On success -2 to enemy speed

Grapples - On success drag ship closer (Far-Close-Very Close-Mele)

BOARD! - Mark a stress to swing across to a ship in CLOSE range)

Cannoneer - Aims and fires the Cannons - Sialas Ward

(FIRE! On hit (+"Mauver" & "Weakspot" bonus) 1D8 for each cannon on firing side (+Powder Keg bonus

AGAIN! - Mark a stress to fire again with the same bonuses)

Bosun - Maintains the ship - Barnaby

(Repair the Hull - On success gain 1HP

Patch Holes - On success Pause Water Level Die

BAIL! - Mark a stress to reset the Water level)

Surgeon - Heals the crew - Doc

(Patch up - On success, heal one crew mate

NIP-O-Rum - Mark a stress to give the crew some rum to calm their nerves, + 2 crew mates and advantage on next board attempt)

SHIP UPGRADES:

Evasion - due to capacity rules, if one goes up another goes down as a trade off

Hull HP

Crew Capacity

Water Level

Speed

Range

Armament

Legendary Upgrades:

Rare and expensive upgrades. The party will have to come across blueprints, and/Master craftsmen to install them

- Rear Swivel Guns: same mechanics apply

- Ironclad Bulk: Reuce all incoming damage by 2.

-Armoured Hull: Water Level Die starts on Severe damage rather than Major

- Offensive Training: Boarding rolls have advantage.

- Defensive Training: Boarding defence rolls have advantage.

- Battle Horn: Nearby allied ships gain +1 Evasion.

- Intimidating Figurehead: Enemys must make a Fear save when combat begins or gain stress.

- Oarsmen Surge: Once per encounter, double speed for 1 round.

- Alchemical Fire Barrels: MKI/ MKII/ MKIII/ MKIV/ MKV

(See achemic fire rules at the end)

- Gilded Hull: +1 to social rolls at sea.

- Silent Cutting Hull: Enemy ships suffer +2 Difficulty to detect you at night or in fog.

- Shock‑Ram: When ramming, deal +2 Heavy Damage and force a Crew Stress check on the enemy.

Tradeoff: Your ship takes 1 Heavy Damage automatically.

- Fog‑Emitter Crucible: Once per encounter, create a d4‑round fog cloud around your ship (you gain +2 Evasion; ranged attacks suffer +2 Difficulty).

- Siren’s Song Bell: Once per encounter, force an enemy ship to make a Fear save or lose its action.

SHIPS:

⚔️ Iron Clans of Varunkel – *Longship*

*Fast, brutal, and built for boarding. Their goal is to get close, hook on, and overwhelm.*

Varunkel Longship (Raider – Level 1–2 Threat)

HP:

- Evasion: 14

- Hull: 8 / 12 / 16

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- Crew Stress: –1 per Major damage

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- Water Level: On Major damage, start a d6 Countdown Die

Layout:

Main deck

Speed: 6–10 knots (very fast under oars)

Armament:

- Ranged: 2 Light Ballistae (2d8)

- Boarding: Grapple Hooks (advantage on boarding attempts)

Special Traits:

- Oarsmen Surge: Once per encounter, ise a D10 instead of the D6 speed Die, for 1 round.

- Berserker Crew: When boarding, deal +2 damage on the first round. (To crew stress directly, and to any PCs in combat, +2 to all damage)

- Shallow Draft: Can navigate waters other ships cannot.

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🐉 Celestial Dynasty – *Alchemical Fire Barge*

*Trade vessel first, weapons platform second. Designed to keep pirates far away.*

Kaien‑Zuru Fire Barge (Trade Barge – Level 2–3 Threat)

HP:

- Evasion: 13

- Hull: 12 / 18 / 24

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- Crew Stress: –1 per Major damage

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- Water Level: On SEVERE damage, start a d10 Countdown Die

Speed: 6–8 knots

Layout:

Stern / Poop deck / Main Deck / Bow

Armament:

- Deck Throwers: 3 Alchemical Barrel Launchers

- Repeating Crossbows: 6 Light Crossbow Nests (6d6)

Special Traits:

- Alchemical Fire: On a crit, fire spreads to adjacent ship sections.

- Protected Cargo: Water Level countdown begins on SEVERE damage not MAJOR

- Trade Priority: Will attempt to flee before fighting.

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🌤️ Sovereign Frigates – *White‑and‑Gold Aristocrat Ships*

*Fastest ships in the world. Not built for war, but can outrun anything.*

Sovereign Pleasure Frigate (Luxury Frigate – Level 1 Threat)

HP:

- Evasion: 16

- Hull: 6 / 10 / 14

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- Crew Stress: –1 per Major damage

□ □

- Water Level: On Major damage, start a d8 Countdown Die

Speed: 10–14 knots (fastest on the seas)

(D8+2 - D12+2 speed die)

Layout:

Fore Deck / Main Deck

Armament:

- Minimal Guns: 2 Decorative Cannons (2d8)

- Signal Rockets: Used for calling help, not combat

Special Traits:

- Gilded Hull: Intimidating to common sailors; +1 to social rolls at sea.

- Crew of Servants: Poor at combat; disadvantage on boarding defence.

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⚓ The Crown of Adharon's Flagship Galleon.

*A floating fortress. Anyone should think twice before fighting this head‑on.*

Imperial Galleon (Man-O-War – Tier 4 Threat)

HP:

-Evasion: 10

- Hull: 30 / 40 / 50

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- Crew Stress: –2 per Major damage

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- Water Level: On SEVERE damage, start a d20 countdown Die (it sinks slower due to compartmentalisation)

Layout:

Stern / Poop deck / Main deck / Fore deck / Bow

Speed: 4–6 knots (slow but unstoppable)

Armament:

- Port: 12 Heavy Cannons (12d8)

- Starboard: 12 Heavy Cannons (12d8)

- Bow: 4 Chasers (4d10 piercing)

- Stern: 2 Chasers (2d10)

Special Traits:

- Ironclad Bulk: Reduce all incoming damage by 2.

-Armoured Hull: Water Level countdown starts on Severe damage not Major.

- Admiralty Marines: im combat boarding rolls have disadvantage.

- Command Ship: Nearby allied ships gain +1 Evasion.

- Terrifying Presence: PCs must make a Fear save when combat begins or Mark a stress, crew marks a stress automatically.

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⚓ Standard Ships of the World

Useful for merchants, pirates, NPC encounters, or environmental flavour.

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Sloop (Light Scout Vessel – Level 1 Threat)

HP:

- Evasion: 15

- Hull: 6 / 8 / 12

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- Crew Stress: –1 per Major damage

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Water level - On Major damage start a D8 Countdown Die

- Speed: 8–12 knots

- Weapons: 2 Light Cannons (2d8), 1 Swivel Gun (1d6)

Traits:

- Excellent for scouting

- High manoeuvrability (+2 to Evasion when Manouvering)

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Galleon (Merchant Galleon – Level 3 Threat)

(Not as terrifying as the Grand Navy’s war galleon.)

HP:

- Evasion: 11

- Hull: 20 / 30 / 40

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- Crew Stress: –1 per Major damage

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Water level - On Major damage, start a D12 Countdown Die

- Speed: 4–6 knots

- Weapons: 6 Cannons per side (6d8)

Traits:

- Slow to turn

- Huge cargo capacity

- Often escorted

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Skiff (Tiny Boat – Level 0 Threat)

HP:

- Evasion: 14

- Hull: 10

○

- Speed: 4–6 knots (rowing)

Traits:

- Cannot mount cannons

- Used for landing parties, fishing, or sneaking

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Cutter (Fast Courier – Level 1–2 Threat)

HP:

- Evasion:15

- Hull: 8 / 12 / 16

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- Crew Stress: –1 per Major damage

□ □ □ □

Water level - On Major damage, start a D8 Countdown Die

- Speed: 10–12 knots

- Weapons: 2 Light Cannons (2d8)

Traits:

- Used for messages, smuggling, and scouting

- Hard to hit at long range

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Brig (Mid‑Size Warship – Level 2 Threat)

HP:

- Evasion: 13

- Hull: 12 / 18 / 24

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Crew stress -1 per Major damage etc

□ □ □ □ □ □

Water level - On Major damage, start a D12 Countdown Die

- Speed: 7–9 knots

- Weapons: 4 Cannons per side (4d8)

Traits:

- Common pirate ship

- Balanced speed and firepower

🔥 Alchemic Fire Cask (Dynasty Weapon Block)

A volatile cask of sticky, alchemical gel that ignites on impact. Designed for ship‑to‑ship combat, or ocean zoning to place barriers between persuers. Terrifying and a closely guarded secret by the Dynasty.

Weapon Profile

- Range: Close–Medium

- Attack Bonus: +2

- On Hit: Target ship gains Burning (Countdown d4 = 4) and immediately takes 1 direct Damage.

- Reload: 1 round

- Crew Required: Cannoneer or Master of Arms

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🔥 Burning (Countdown d4 = 4)

The level of the alchemic fire barrel depends on the amount of damage it will do, ie a MKI barrel is a D4, a MKII is D6, MKIII D8, MKIV D10, MKV D12.

A ship set ablaze by alchemic fire begins a countdown that ticks down each round.

At the start of each round of the action tracker:

- The ship takes 1 direct Damage.

- The ship suffers +1 Crew Stress.

- Reduce the countdown by 1.

When the countdown goes from 1 to 0:

The fire burns out and the condition ends.

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🪣 Extinguish Action

Any PC or NPC crew member may attempt to reduce the countdown.

- Action: Attempt to extinguish the flames (throw water, smother, beat down the fire).

- Difficulty: 2

- Success: Reduce the countdown by 1.

- Failure: No reduction; the acting character suffers 1 Stress from heat and smoke.

This allows multiple characters to meaningfully contribute in the same round at the cost of ship progress or preparation.

💥 Mishap (Natural 1 on Attack)

Dynasty alchemic fire is dangerous to handle.

- The firing ship takes 1 direct Damage.

- The firing ship gains Burning (Countdown d4 = 4) on its own deck.