Stormwrack review (3.5e)

WotC's book on the environments of seafaring and underwater. $35US (c)2005, closed content
chapt1 - general terrain effects and minitures combat guide for all things wet
and a Narrative naval combat system - so that ship duels no longer need
a map to resolve, it's all about skill and distance (such had also
appeared in 2e Of Ships and the Sea, but this one is much smoother)
Weather tables and effects more extensive than ever before

chapt2 - new races - includes the Hadozee (a reasonably good conversion imo), and orca-men (Darfellan)

chapt3 - Classes
how base classes relate to the environment, appropriate choices for companians (even paladin's hippocampus)
When some class abilities are gained, option to swap them out for
equivalent abilities from the terrain (fast movement - swim, woodland
stride - underwater terrain, slow fall -> Water Step [distance of Water
Walking instead of reduced falling damage])
prestige classes:
water-tied: Kinight of the Pearl (paladinic) positive energy channeler
        Sea Witch (wiz/sor) summons creatures and storms, curses ships
        Wavekeeper (druidic) shaper of water
Ship-based: Legendary captain: very appropriate ship bonuses and leadership abilities
        Scarlet Corsair: feint, sneak attack and ability to intimidate whole ships
other: Leviathan hunter (kills big stuff)
        Stormcaster: sonic/electric specialist with wind abilities

Chapt 4 - skills and feats
Craft (boatbuiling) and Knowledge(architecture and engineering) DCs to build various ships
example climb, balance, jump, listen, ride, spot, swim, survival checks
new animal tricks
Knowledge(Geography) - how to plot and keep a course
       set course DCs from 5 to 35 depending on distance and familiarity
of destination, +0 - +20 certainty of start point, chart modifiers
        hold course DCs from 5 to 17 depending on landmarks, up to 40
for bad weather - lost only after three consecutive failures
Profession(Sailor) - control checks, seaworthiness checks

Useful feats: Great Captain (aid another the whole ship), Old
Salt(Prof(sailor) predicts weather, +1 balance, P(sail), use rope),
sailor's balance(+5 while shipboard), Scourge of the seas(intimidate
whole ship), Sea legs(+2 shipboard balance, tumble, +1 initiative),
Ship's mage(+1caster level, never hurt own ship)

chapt5 - Ships and equipment
uses Arms&Equipment vehicle stats, a Seaworthiness modifier, and a
Shiphandling modifier (for special manuevers and difficult terrain); a
few deckplans
shipboard weapons: explains the checks required to load & aim each weapon [very useful bit imo]
    Light ballista (3d8) 1 man, rof 1/4 - strength
    light bombard (3d10) 4men, rof 1/6 - P(siege engineer)&strength
    'ight catapult (4d6) 2men, rof 1/6 - strength&P(siege engineer)
davits for carrying launches

Chapt6 - spells, magic items
    spells that grant swim speeds at 2nd level (druid, paladin, sor/wiz)
    transformations to adapt to the environment - grant swim speeds,
scales, water breathing (drd8 become a megalodon (very dire shark))
    disguise and speed boosts for ships
    Detect ship (brd3, sor/wiz3) all day sense ships in mile/lvl,
P(sail) check to gain info about any ship can actually spot.
three new domains, but only air breathing as general cleric spell, and only steed of the seas as paladin spell
a few weapon/armour abilities {deep armour +22,500gp immune cold and
pressure of ocean, water breathing, darkvision 60'}
Rod of the legendary mariner - makes provisions, P(sailor) bonus, detect ships
Admiral's bicorne - fancy hat of persuaion, leadership, heoism aura, and megaphone
Captain's lantern - ship Alarm with passcoins 12k
Everfull sails 12k per mast, Oars of speed 2,500gp a pair, Sails of minor Displacement 120k
Animated figureheads - similar to Figurines of Wonderous Power, but
attached to front of ship and grant powers to the ship while active
Sea Steed's Bridle - on command make any trained mount into amphibious creature 28,800gp
Secure Lines - balance,climb bonus, will grab any crewmember that falls 10,800gp
Soverign Sealent - +2 hardness, watertight 8k per drum (covers 2 tons)

chapt7 - monsters
what can we expect

chapt8 - adevnture locales
premade adventures: a goblin pirate ship, hag's isle, and storm giant's territory
the hag's isle "Shatterhull isle" has some promise: lure in with deciet,
or force with storm, then draw into worst landing spot with illusion,
now loot.
the goblin pirates scenario uses rats well (captain is were-rat), but trap their ship like they were kobolds
some random encounter tables

Overall fits its task well, the new monsteres weren't spectacular (not that it could be expected)
Quite useful ship selection and weather/navigation rules
But.. uses the section-based hp scheme, and has no ship designing guidelines
However, many aspects of the ship stats fall into recognizable patterns.