One of the most-requested settings is finally coming to Dungeons & Dragons’ fifth edition, with three new Spelljammer books coming later this year, including a sourcebook, adventure book, and bestiary.
Spelljammer takes D&D and throws it deep into outer space. Rather than be “D&D, but Sci-fi” though, Spelljammer is still distinctly fantasy, with spaceships based on everything from nautical galleons to colossal living beings flying through the void. It’s by far one of the game’s most memorable settings, but has yet to appear in the current rules introduced in 2014.
Spelljammer will be launching on August 16, 2022 in three connected books, known collectively as Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. The books will be launching as a single slipcase product, complete with a complementary DM screen.
The first book is the Astral Adventurer’s Guide, the sourcebook for the Spelljammer setting. On top of explaining the many unique aspects of Spelljammer, it’s also introducing six playable races, brand new to fifth edition:
- Astral Elves. They’re elves, but in space.
- Auto-Gnomes, artificial gnomes build out of metal and steam.
- Hadozee, winged, monkey-like creatures.
- The Giff, Hippo-people inspired by 19th century explorers and naval officers. These are probably the best-known species to come out of Spelljammer.
- Plasmoids, the first playable Ooze race.
- The Thri-Kreen, insects who can change the colour of their chitin to blend into their surroundings.
The second book is the bestiary, Boo’s Astral Menagerie. Boo is best known as the hamster companion of Baldur’s Gate’s Minsc, but he’s actually a “miniature giant space Hamster”, fitting nicely into the Spelljammer setting. The book features monster stat blocks for all kinds of creatures found out among the stars, including evil Space Clowns, Vampirates, Murder Comets, Solar and Lunar Dragons, and even the Giant Space Hamsters themselves.
The final book is Light of Xaryxis, a 12-part adventure where, according to project lead Chris Perkins and graphic designer Trystan Falcone, “everything goes buck-wild”. No other details were given as to what will happen in the campaign, or for which level characters it is designed.
For those who don’t want to wait until August, there will be a free prequel adventure named Spelljammer Academy released through the usual digital D&D channels in July.
Spelljammer wasn’t the only big announcement to come out of the first-ever D&D Direct, of course. We also had confirmation that we’re heading back to another popular setting that has been notably absent from Fifth Edition, the dragon-war-ravaged world of Dragonlance.