SEAFARING ROLES

Depending on a ship’s size and its purpose or mission, a variety of individuals can serve as
members of a ship’s crew. The functions of various crew members are discussed below.

Artillerist: If a ship carries any large weapons for use against other ships or shore targets, the crew
includes one or more artillerists. An artillerist is usually an Expert with at least 2 to 4 ranks in
Profession (siege engineer). Usually only one or two members of a weapon crew are artillerists; the
rest are deckhands who simply assist by winching or handling heavy projectiles.
Depending on the ship’s armament, an artillerist might be called a bombardier, cannoneer, or
gunner’s mate.

Boatswain: A boatswain is an experienced sailor who supervises the deckhands in performing their
duties. He is also skilled in deck rigging and handling cargo – setting up cargo booms, rigging
hoists to raise heavy loads over the side, lashing ships together, and other such tasks. A boatswain is
usually a Commoner or Expert with at least 4 to 6 ranks in Profession (sailor) as well as several
ranks in Climb. However, some Barbarians from seafaring societies make excellent boatswains.
Large ships often have a chief boatswain and a number of junior boatswains who answer to him.
Boatswain is often abbreviated (and pronounced) bos’n or bosun.

Captain: A ship’s captain is usually an experienced sailor, navigator, and commander. There is a
good deal of overlap between captain and master; generally, a master is someone who owns the ship
she commands, while a captain is someone who does not. A ship might sail with both a captain and
a master, in which case the master generally permits the captain to exercise command and only
intercedes if she feels her vessel is at risk.
A captain is usually an Expert (or multiclass Expert), Bard, Fighter, Paladin, or Rogue with at least
7 to 10 ranks in Profession (sailor), 4 to 7 ranks in Knowledge (geography), 2 to 4 ranks in
Knowledge (nature) or Survival, and 2 to 4 ranks in an interaction skill such as Bluff, Diplomacy, or
Intimidate.

Deckhand: Most of the sailors on a large ship are deckhands – that is, able-bodied seamen who
handle the ship’s sails, lines, small boats, and deck maintenance as directed by their boatswains or
officers. Deckhands generally are Commoners, Experts, or even Warriors with 1 to 3 ranks in
Profession (sailor) and 1 to 2 ranks in Climb.

Helmsman: Ships usually don’t carry dedicated steersmen. Instead, deckhands who are on watch
handle the helm as directed by the conning officer (whichever officer is currently in charge of
keeping the ship on its course).
Skill checks for the handling of the ship are generally made by the person commanding the
helmsman, not the helmsman himself – although if the conning officer takes the helm himself, or if
the helmsman ignores the orders of the conning officer, the person with his hands on the ship’s
wheel makes any skill checks associated with shiphandling.

Mage: Any vessel with a crew of more than a dozen or so is likely to carry a ship’s mage – an
arcane spellcaster who can help defend the ship from various natural or unnatural hazards, ranging
from pirate attack to doldrums.
Useful magic for making quick repairs or speeding a ship’s voyage with a favorable wind is highly
sought after, even in peaceful areas. A ship’s mage is usually a Sorcerer or Wizard of 3rd to 6th
level; warships with large crews could carry as many as half a dozen mages and apprentices.

Master: The term master can overlap with the term captain in some degree. In general, a master
owns her vessel, while a captain doesn’t but typically exercises complete authority over all matters
of sailing, navigation, discipline, and administration of the crew.
A master is usually an Expert (or multiclass Expert) or Rogue with at least 7 to 10 ranks in
Profession (sailor), 4 to 7 ranks in Knowledge (geography), 2 to 4 ranks in Knowledge (nature) or
Survival, 2 to 4 ranks in an interaction skill such as Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate, and 2 to 4
ranks in Profession (merchant).

Master-at-Arms: The ship’s master-at-arms is the petty officer charged with keeping order among
the crew and supervising the ship’s armory. If a ship carries soldiers, then officers and sergeants
among the soldiers fulfill these functions. A master-at-arms is usually a Warrior, Barbarian, or
Fighter with with 1 to 2 ranks in skills useful to his job, such as Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or
Sense Motive.

Officer: Officers supervise the crew, navigate, and function as an extension of the captain. Small
merchant ships might have no officers at all – only a master, a pilot, and a chief bosun. Larger
merchants ships and most warships have officers who stand watch in the captain’s stead, making
sure that the ship keeps its course and avoids various hazards. The first officer is the ship’s second-
in-command; large ships might have a second or even a third officer, and very large ships might
have even more than that.
An officer is usually an Expert (or multiclass Expert) with at least 4 to 7 ranks in Profession
(sailor), 2 to 5 ranks in Knowledge (geography), 1 to 3 ranks in Knowledge (nature) or Survival,
and 1 to 3 ranks in an interaction skill such as Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate. A Cleric or a Ranger
can also serve as an officer.

Pilot: The pilot is the ship’s officer in charge of navigation. On smaller vessels, the ship’s captain or
master serves as its pilot, but on larger ships the pilot is one of the officers who performs her duties
under the captain’s supervision. A pilot is usually an Expert or Wizard with 4 to 7 ranks in
Profession (sailor) and 4 to 7 ranks in Knowledge (geography).
It’s quite common for knowledge of navigation to be a secret deliberately held only by a ship’s
captain and officers. Without the ability to find their way home across the seas, crews are much less
likely to mount a successful mutiny.

Prelate: The ship’s prelate (or ship’s chaplain, or priest) is a divine spellcaster who advises the
captain, lends his healing skills to the crew, and uses divine magic to protect the ship from hazards
and assist in battle. Prelates are normally carried only on ships of moderate or greater size; small
ships might have a speaker or acolyte who represents the most prevalent faith on board, but that
person might or might not actually have a level in a divine spellcasting class. Warships often carry
more prelates because of their usefulness in battle. A typical prelate is a Cleric of 2nd to 5th level.

Surgeon: The officer who treats injuries and wounds. Small ships rarely carry a surgeon, but even a
small crew has at least one or two members who have a couple of ranks in the Heal skill. A ship’s
surgeon is usually an Expert with 4 to 7 ranks in Heal, but it’s not uncommon for Clerics, Oracles,
or even Druids to fill this billet.

Windsinger: In some seafaring societies, a ship’s crew is not complete without a windsinger – a
character whose spells can soothe or command the winds. A windsinger is usually a Bard or a
Druid, but Sorcerers and Wizards can fill this job as well, provided they know the right spells. The
windsinger’s duties are generally not as militant or officious as a ship’s mage or ship’s prelate; few
ships carry all three. Windsingers help ships avoid battles, not win them, and they often serve as
spokesmen for the crew. A windsinger is usually a Bard or Druid of 3rd to 6th level with several
ranks in Profession (sailor) and Knowledge (nature).