Okay, so I recently proposed to a group of friends who have never played DnD before to ... play DnD. They were all onboard but one of them had no idea what he wanted to do with his character. As such, I suggested looking into some MTG lore as that almost always gives me some ideas, which he agreed to do. He later comes back to me wanting to know if his character can build something like the Weatherlight. For those who don't know, the Weatherlight is a plane-shifting, 300ft long airship created by an incredibly powerful wizard. Not something I expected him to think about at 1st level.
Now, although I don't have an issue with this being an over-arching plot point (since it will be the first of its kind in my world), all I know right now is that he needs somewhere to construct it (e.g. a base of operations) and someone who can enchant it with planar travel (e.g. a high-level wizard who knows the Gate spell). I should also mention that my world doesn't have airships at the moment, requiring I think of what power makes it fly (elementals? Fly spell?).
As such, I need help in what special parts/ingredients/materials might be required to build such a behemoth.
I would think that what they'll need to get it to fly is going to depend on the flavor/theme you're going for. If you want an evil-ish theme, then enslaved elementals would be the way to go. If you're going for a good theme, then definitely finding a way to permanently harness a fly spell would be the way to go. There's also levitate which you could work with. [Tooltip Not Found] and telekinesis which with some homebrew tweaking you could potentially make work. Ideally you'd want a spell that requires material components which would necessitate quests to find the appropriate materials (and potentially quests to earn enough coin to afford the enchantment and the build itself). For the planar shift aspect a spell like gate would probably need to be harnesses as part of the mechanics of the ship or the ship would need to be piloted by someone who could cast that spell.
Ideally, by the time they hit a level that crafting one is possible, rules will be available. For now, there is some 5e content from adventures. A spelljamming type ship is in Dungeon of the Mad Mage (with info on the magic helm that powers it) and a balloon style airship can be found in Storm King's Thunder. (Powered by trapped fire and air elementals). The details there might help with what is needed. With Ravnica and Eberron having pretty common air travel hopefully we'll see some more official content before too long.
The Lost Mines of Phandelver has an a magical forge at the end of it. Perhaps your party could follow that to its conclusion or you could borrow from it for a logical source of magic items that could power the thing. Then you would have to find someone with the engineering ability to teach him what would be needed to construct it. This could be a god, ancient plans, or just a dwarf or gnome who has been looking at ships and thinking about how they would fly. Then someone with the skill and knowledge to put them together would be needed. This could be a wizard, a sorcerer, some other being with strong magical ability, perhaps an artificer, or it could be character toward the end of the campaign. I wouldn't stress about all of the details right now, just have the arc in mind. This hook could inform most of the character's decisions: "I need lots of gold, patron A has lots of gold and needs activity X accomplished." "I need help with the design aspects, where can I find that help?" That should get you started and the party could help dream up the solutions.
Thanks for the suggestions, cosplaywrite. Thanks, Sigvard_Vigard, for letting me know about the spelljammer. This kinda of ship is exactly what I'm looking for. Jhfffan, I like that idea of the ancient plans, as that would kinda fit with the character's backstory.
Question though; Sigvard_Vigard...what did you mean when you said "Ideally, by the time they hit a level that crafting one is possible, rules will be available"? Is something coming out in the future that might cover this?
It's widely believed based on some recent unearthed arcana and some other teases we've had that an upcoming book thiw year will include detailed rules for ships, combat on and between ships, and various related topics. It's likely to be the spring book based on some clues I've seen floating around the interwebz.
As cosplaywrite posted, it's an educated guess based on what's come out so far, both playtest/UA and what's in official books. After introducing at least two flying ships, the rules shouldn't be too far behind on using them. The first will probably be water ship based, but hopefully a bit of air ship info as well. Either way, the water ship rules can most likely be easily converted to air.
Also, you could do some cross between the pirate ship in Goonies and the pirate cave from Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. That could give you the ship, but it needs to be repaired/updated. The party could attempt turn the cave into a base of operations, and employ workers to staff it and work on fixing the ship.
Astral Plane. The Gith and Githzerai have ships. Adjust that ship as you need it to be. Can create an interplanar traveling quest to learn how to craft ships and make them fly. Or have the players stumble across such a ship that got stranded on the material plane. But the Githzerai are trying to get it back and chase the players for a quest.
Astral Plane. The Gith and Githzerai have ships. Adjust that ship as you need it to be. Can create an interplanar traveling quest to learn how to craft ships and make them fly. Or have the players stumble across such a ship that got stranded on the material plane. But the Githzerai are trying to get it back and chase the players for a quest.
They want the ship back because that's how they get back to the astral plane. They age while on the material plane and are mad that they are aging unnecessarily, having just served their term watching over the new generation and just being relieved. That's a pretty cool angle.
Okay, I think between the Githyanki's base ships in MToF, MCDM's Strongholds & Followers for getting a crew, and the War Captain's Companion from 2e to create/modify ships in the future, I think I have all I need to provide my group with a sweet airship once everything they start building.
Okay, so I recently proposed to a group of friends who have never played DnD before to ... play DnD. They were all onboard but one of them had no idea what he wanted to do with his character. As such, I suggested looking into some MTG lore as that almost always gives me some ideas, which he agreed to do. He later comes back to me wanting to know if his character can build something like the Weatherlight. For those who don't know, the Weatherlight is a plane-shifting, 300ft long airship created by an incredibly powerful wizard. Not something I expected him to think about at 1st level.
Now, although I don't have an issue with this being an over-arching plot point (since it will be the first of its kind in my world), all I know right now is that he needs somewhere to construct it (e.g. a base of operations) and someone who can enchant it with planar travel (e.g. a high-level wizard who knows the Gate spell). I should also mention that my world doesn't have airships at the moment, requiring I think of what power makes it fly (elementals? Fly spell?).
As such, I need help in what special parts/ingredients/materials might be required to build such a behemoth.
Amelior Amanitas from forgotten realms has an airship powered by elementals. Just saying. I would explain to the PC that it's a long term idea, a goal he has to pursue for a long time, but nevertheless a great idea! It could be his master worked toward it before he passed away or he just read about it in books and decided to pursue the idea. But that is by all means a long term goal I would say. A level 1 wizard, the way I see it, only has a limited arcane reach. As you gain levels you can cast more spells and more powerful spells. I see it as you aren't ready nor capable of containing or handling such arcane power yet. So it could be his reason to go for treasure and riches beyond mundane wealth. A great idea, and one I might actually steal from your player! ^^ Just if he is going to eventually be so powerful that he can get it, make it awesome! Maybe a little over the top (but only just a bit) but then show him the dangers of an archmage. My mage PC is now level 4. When he gets to like lvl 10 (if they do. Sadly I doubt it). he is going to start noticing that other mages seek him out and "require him for experiments and assistance he only can help with" and political events that require wizards, etc. Because being a wizard of at least some power is filled with a burden of need from others. Also, he has to remember that the thing might fly faster than you can walk or a bird can fly but try to out run the ancient dragon that's flying straight towards you and is breathing fire down upon your nice strong oak wood. ^^
Hope this helps! ^^
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Okay, so I recently proposed to a group of friends who have never played DnD before to ... play DnD. They were all onboard but one of them had no idea what he wanted to do with his character. As such, I suggested looking into some MTG lore as that almost always gives me some ideas, which he agreed to do. He later comes back to me wanting to know if his character can build something like the Weatherlight. For those who don't know, the Weatherlight is a plane-shifting, 300ft long airship created by an incredibly powerful wizard. Not something I expected him to think about at 1st level.
Now, although I don't have an issue with this being an over-arching plot point (since it will be the first of its kind in my world), all I know right now is that he needs somewhere to construct it (e.g. a base of operations) and someone who can enchant it with planar travel (e.g. a high-level wizard who knows the Gate spell). I should also mention that my world doesn't have airships at the moment, requiring I think of what power makes it fly (elementals? Fly spell?).
As such, I need help in what special parts/ingredients/materials might be required to build such a behemoth.
I would think that what they'll need to get it to fly is going to depend on the flavor/theme you're going for. If you want an evil-ish theme, then enslaved elementals would be the way to go. If you're going for a good theme, then definitely finding a way to permanently harness a fly spell would be the way to go. There's also levitate which you could work with. [Tooltip Not Found] and telekinesis which with some homebrew tweaking you could potentially make work. Ideally you'd want a spell that requires material components which would necessitate quests to find the appropriate materials (and potentially quests to earn enough coin to afford the enchantment and the build itself). For the planar shift aspect a spell like gate would probably need to be harnesses as part of the mechanics of the ship or the ship would need to be piloted by someone who could cast that spell.
Just my .02
My Homebrew Backgrounds | Feats | Magic Items | Monsters | Races | Subclasses
Ideally, by the time they hit a level that crafting one is possible, rules will be available. For now, there is some 5e content from adventures. A spelljamming type ship is in Dungeon of the Mad Mage (with info on the magic helm that powers it) and a balloon style airship can be found in Storm King's Thunder. (Powered by trapped fire and air elementals). The details there might help with what is needed. With Ravnica and Eberron having pretty common air travel hopefully we'll see some more official content before too long.
The Lost Mines of Phandelver has an a magical forge at the end of it. Perhaps your party could follow that to its conclusion or you could borrow from it for a logical source of magic items that could power the thing. Then you would have to find someone with the engineering ability to teach him what would be needed to construct it. This could be a god, ancient plans, or just a dwarf or gnome who has been looking at ships and thinking about how they would fly. Then someone with the skill and knowledge to put them together would be needed. This could be a wizard, a sorcerer, some other being with strong magical ability, perhaps an artificer, or it could be character toward the end of the campaign. I wouldn't stress about all of the details right now, just have the arc in mind. This hook could inform most of the character's decisions: "I need lots of gold, patron A has lots of gold and needs activity X accomplished." "I need help with the design aspects, where can I find that help?" That should get you started and the party could help dream up the solutions.
Thanks for the suggestions, cosplaywrite. Thanks, Sigvard_Vigard, for letting me know about the spelljammer. This kinda of ship is exactly what I'm looking for. Jhfffan, I like that idea of the ancient plans, as that would kinda fit with the character's backstory.
Question though; Sigvard_Vigard...what did you mean when you said "Ideally, by the time they hit a level that crafting one is possible, rules will be available"? Is something coming out in the future that might cover this?
Matthew colville's "Strongholds and Followers" book might help with what you are looking for.
It's widely believed based on some recent unearthed arcana and some other teases we've had that an upcoming book thiw year will include detailed rules for ships, combat on and between ships, and various related topics. It's likely to be the spring book based on some clues I've seen floating around the interwebz.
My Homebrew Backgrounds | Feats | Magic Items | Monsters | Races | Subclasses
As cosplaywrite posted, it's an educated guess based on what's come out so far, both playtest/UA and what's in official books. After introducing at least two flying ships, the rules shouldn't be too far behind on using them. The first will probably be water ship based, but hopefully a bit of air ship info as well. Either way, the water ship rules can most likely be easily converted to air.
If those guess are accurate, then that would just solve everything. Thanks for the heads-up, I'll be on the lookout.
Also, josh24777, thanks for the reminder about MCDM's S&F. The Pirate Ship base will prove to be very useful to me.
Also, you could do some cross between the pirate ship in Goonies and the pirate cave from Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. That could give you the ship, but it needs to be repaired/updated. The party could attempt turn the cave into a base of operations, and employ workers to staff it and work on fixing the ship.
Astral Plane. The Gith and Githzerai have ships. Adjust that ship as you need it to be. Can create an interplanar traveling quest to learn how to craft ships and make them fly. Or have the players stumble across such a ship that got stranded on the material plane. But the Githzerai are trying to get it back and chase the players for a quest.
They want the ship back because that's how they get back to the astral plane. They age while on the material plane and are mad that they are aging unnecessarily, having just served their term watching over the new generation and just being relieved. That's a pretty cool angle.
Okay, I think between the Githyanki's base ships in MToF, MCDM's Strongholds & Followers for getting a crew, and the War Captain's Companion from 2e to create/modify ships in the future, I think I have all I need to provide my group with a sweet airship once everything they start building.
Thanks for everyone's help and assistance!
Amelior Amanitas from forgotten realms has an airship powered by elementals. Just saying.
I would explain to the PC that it's a long term idea, a goal he has to pursue for a long time, but nevertheless a great idea!
It could be his master worked toward it before he passed away or he just read about it in books and decided to pursue the idea.
But that is by all means a long term goal I would say. A level 1 wizard, the way I see it, only has a limited arcane reach. As you gain levels you can cast more spells and more powerful spells. I see it as you aren't ready nor capable of containing or handling such arcane power yet. So it could be his reason to go for treasure and riches beyond mundane wealth.
A great idea, and one I might actually steal from your player! ^^ Just if he is going to eventually be so powerful that he can get it, make it awesome!
Maybe a little over the top (but only just a bit) but then show him the dangers of an archmage. My mage PC is now level 4. When he gets to like lvl 10 (if they do. Sadly I doubt it).
he is going to start noticing that other mages seek him out and "require him for experiments and assistance he only can help with" and political events that require wizards, etc.
Because being a wizard of at least some power is filled with a burden of need from others. Also, he has to remember that the thing might fly faster than you can walk or a bird can fly but try to out run the ancient dragon that's flying straight towards you and is breathing fire down upon your nice strong oak wood. ^^
Hope this helps! ^^