Could they just get it to go up without any real control? This simple action might be possible in a pinch and then they can spend the next few hours learning how to actually fly it.
What about charming the spelljammer? Cast charm person and then ask them to transfer attunement?
If the charm person spell fails, they can always resort to threats and intimidation. The old "give me what I want or I'll hurt your favorite person" tactic.
Basically, it seems the only way to do it is to somehow convince the spelljammer to transfer attunement. That's the only way for a new person to instantly take control of the vessel.
-The adventurers are on a collapsing enemy base with monsters and explosion everywhere, there is a ship belonging to the villains they just defeated, they just have enough time to get onto the ship and take off before the entire base blows up. How the hell do I run this situation as a DM?
Given the rules, you're correct that it's not going to work.
So you either need to change the rules or change the scenario.
The simplest change is probably to change from "steal" to "hijack": the ships' pilots will also want to get out of there ASAP. Discussions/arguments/fights over the ship will likely take place, but after they're out of the immediate danger. (Just make sure that they know that they can't fly the ship on their own.)
Alternately, the enemies have some sort of magical object that lets them operate their ship without attunement.
Sounds like the whole attunment rule for handling the ship is broken.
Kill the guy attuned and the ship is helpless. One assassin or well placed arrow can ruin a whole ships day. Since the attuned character did not give it away willingly but instead died the next guy would have to spend an hour getting control of the ship.
Just toss out that rule and make it a simple 'He who holds the magic control crystal controls the ship. If they have the skill.' Make it more of a skill check than a magic check of some kind.
And as like military's everywhere there will be books on board explaining and instructing everything to do with the ship.
How do ships communicate with each other? What about if you do not know the other ship or captain? Simple sending spells might not work well over distance. Flags can be used for visual distance, just like on battle fields.
they're in a base? maybe the ship in question was docked for repair. maybe the maintenance staff left the intermediate signals interpretation junction box open along with a stack of differently colored psy crystals. ram a square peg in a square hole and twist for instant forward thrust. first two guesses only do the jammer equivalent of blinking the headlights and flicking the windshield wipers. might require an arcane check followed by a deception check if the previous pilot is atuned, alive, and uncooperative. bonus points if an npc calls this "hacking the gibson." steering will have to wait until after the smoke clears.
alternatively, if they don't trust their pilots to navigate a long, narrow tunnel then the dock might include powered launch assist. basically a magical rail gun if you turn it up to eleven. hit the lever with an arrow just before the last, biggest explosion.
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If its possible.
Could they just get it to go up without any real control? This simple action might be possible in a pinch and then they can spend the next few hours learning how to actually fly it.
Wind could simply move them away at first.
Pretty much an uncontrolled balloon.
What about charming the spelljammer? Cast charm person and then ask them to transfer attunement?
If the charm person spell fails, they can always resort to threats and intimidation. The old "give me what I want or I'll hurt your favorite person" tactic.
Basically, it seems the only way to do it is to somehow convince the spelljammer to transfer attunement. That's the only way for a new person to instantly take control of the vessel.
Given the rules, you're correct that it's not going to work.
So you either need to change the rules or change the scenario.
The simplest change is probably to change from "steal" to "hijack": the ships' pilots will also want to get out of there ASAP. Discussions/arguments/fights over the ship will likely take place, but after they're out of the immediate danger. (Just make sure that they know that they can't fly the ship on their own.)
Alternately, the enemies have some sort of magical object that lets them operate their ship without attunement.
The only real problem with this is with the scenario you're using it in: what happens if the players fail to get control?
Sounds like the whole attunment rule for handling the ship is broken.
Kill the guy attuned and the ship is helpless. One assassin or well placed arrow can ruin a whole ships day.
Since the attuned character did not give it away willingly but instead died the next guy would have to spend an hour getting control of the ship.
Just toss out that rule and make it a simple 'He who holds the magic control crystal controls the ship. If they have the skill.' Make it more of a skill check than a magic check of some kind.
And as like military's everywhere there will be books on board explaining and instructing everything to do with the ship.
How do ships communicate with each other? What about if you do not know the other ship or captain? Simple sending spells might not work well over distance. Flags can be used for visual distance, just like on battle fields.
they're in a base? maybe the ship in question was docked for repair. maybe the maintenance staff left the intermediate signals interpretation junction box open along with a stack of differently colored psy crystals. ram a square peg in a square hole and twist for instant forward thrust. first two guesses only do the jammer equivalent of blinking the headlights and flicking the windshield wipers. might require an arcane check followed by a deception check if the previous pilot is atuned, alive, and uncooperative. bonus points if an npc calls this "hacking the gibson." steering will have to wait until after the smoke clears.
alternatively, if they don't trust their pilots to navigate a long, narrow tunnel then the dock might include powered launch assist. basically a magical rail gun if you turn it up to eleven. hit the lever with an arrow just before the last, biggest explosion.
unhappy at the way in which we lost individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
tell them you don't like features disappeared quietly in the night: provide feedback!