Ships and Crew for Sea Encounters of D&D 5e

"A Rowing Boat with novice adventurers. 1 acolyte, 1 kenku, 1 scout, 1 lizardfolk and 1d3 bandits. Their first adventure is going badly. "

Ships and crew for sea encounters.

[Photo by Caitlyn Wilson Webb on Unsplash]

Ships and Crew for Sea Encounters

Ships might be a longship with bandits, a fishing boat, a rowed hobgoblin vessel or an airship crewed by adventurers.

There is a 5e random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Sea Encounters.

Ship details found in Dungeon Master's Guide page 119

1d4+1d6	Ship Encounters (Levels 1-4)
2	1 Sailing Ship 1 Galley with Ship Crew level 1-4
3	1 Keelboat crewed by 2d6 goblins and 1 goblin boss
4	A Rowing Boat with novice adventurers. 1 acolyte, 1 kenku, 1 scout, 1 lizardfolk and 1d3 bandits. Their first adventure is going badly.
5	1 Longship with Ship Crew level 1-4
6	1 Keelboat with Ship Crew level 1-4
7	A raft adrift in the sea, containing 1d6 bandit sailors
8	1d2 Keelboats 1 Galley with Ship Crew level 1-4
9	A folding boat in ship form, with Ship Crew level 1-4
10	An unreliable clockwork submarine (or Keelboat) crewed by 1 gnome spy. Try bluffing that they have a dangerous weapon or golem crew.

1d4+1d6	Ship Encounters (Levels 5-10)
2	1 Airship with Ship Crew level 5-10
3	1d3 Keelboats with Ship Crew level 5-10
4	A floating wrecked warship home to 1d4+1 ghosts (or roll on Sea Spirits lvl 5-10)
5	1 Galley with Ship Crew level 5-10
6	1 Sailing Ship with Ship Crew level 5-10
7	A bulky Longship crewed by 2d6 ogres and 1 oni captain
8	1 Warship with Ship Crew level 5-10
9	1d2 Longships with Ship Crew level 5-10
10	1 Airship carrying 1d2 mages and a few servants (Ship Crew lvl 1-4)

If extra crew are needed use commoner or bandit stats

1d4+1d6	Ship Crew (Levels 1-4)
2	2d4 scouts or 3d6 skeletons
3	2d6 bandits (pirates) with 1d3 thugs or 2d4 tribal warriors* with 1d2 archers (VGtM)*
4	3d6 cultists led by 1 cult fanatic or 2d4+2 tortles* (MToF)*
5	2d6 bandits (pirates) led by 1 bandit captain
6	4d6 commoners led by 1 Scout or 2d6 pirates (bandits) led by 1 swashbuckler* (VGtM)*
7	2d6 tribal warriors led by 1 berserker
8	2d4 commoners with 1d4 acolytes and 1 priest or 3d6 kobolds
9	2d6 guards led by 1d3 Nobles or 2d4 hobgoblins
10	3d6 tribal warriors led by 1 druid or 1 merrenoloth* (MToF)*

If extra crew are needed use commoner, bandit or thug stats

1d4+1d6	Ship Crew (Levels 5-10)
2	2d4 specters and 1d2 ghosts or 3d6 tribal warriors* and 1d4 berserkers led by 1 bard (VGtM)*
3	2d6 guards led by 1d4+1 Veterans or 2d6 scouts* led by 1d3 swashbucklers (VGtM)*
4	2d6+6 cultists and 1d4 cult fanatics led by 1 cambion or 2d6+6 hobgoblins led by 1 hobgoblin captain
5	2d6+12 tribal warriors led by 1d4 berserkers or 2d6+3 tortles* (MToF) led by 1 tortle druid (MToF)*
6	4d6 bandits (pirates) led by 1d3 bandit captains or 2d4 giff* (MToF)*
7	3d6 thugs or 1 kraken priest* (VGtM) with 3d6 cultists and 1d3 sea spawn (MToF)*
8	2d6 bandits and 2d4 thugs led by 1 gladiator or 4d6 bandits* (pirates) led by 1 swashbuckler (VGtM)*
9	2d6 scouts and 1d3 spies or 4d6 kobolds* with 1d4+1 kobold dragonshields (VGtM) and 1d2 kobold scale sorcerers (VGtM)*
10	1d3+1 wights with 2d6+12 zombies or 1 necromancer (VGtM) with 2d6+12 skeletons

d8+d12	Ship Cargo
2	A zoo of stuffed beasts and monsters
3	Tapestries depicting religious or fiendish scenes
4	Coins
5	A noble and their entourage who have hired the ship for a special event
6	A mix of herbs, spices, wine and perfume
7	Barrels of elven wine
8	Bolts of silk or satin
9	Livestock or slaves
10	Barrels of ale
11	Fruit or grain
12	A party of adventurers and... (roll again)
13	Spices
14	Healing supplies and potions
15	Books and scrolls about one or two subjects
16	Artwork from many different artists
17	Exotic or outlawed pets
18	1d20 bodies in coffins with a priest to look after the spirits
19	Pelts, ivory and other animal parts
20	Pottery

There is a 5e random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Sea Encounters.