The P-class ships were long at the waterline, and overall. The ships had a beam of and a designed draft of ; the maximum draft was . They were to have incorporated longitudinal frame stringer steel construction, and would have been primarily welded. The ships would have had thirteen watertight compartments and a transom stern. The ships were equipped with two catapults and two Arado 196 seaplanes. The armor layout was to have used Krupp cemented steel, but the design was not complete; only broad requirements are known. The main armored deck was thick, with –thick sloping deck armor. The upper deck was thick. The two main-battery barbettes had armor protection that ranged between and thick, and had a depth of . The armored belt was thick over the vital areas of the ship, and tapered down to in less critical areas.