Years after Spelljammer: Confirmed became a meme, we’re getting an in-depth look at what Dungeons & Dragons has in store for the revitalized science-fantasy setting. At a recent press event, Chris Perkins (D&D’s principal story designer) and Greg Tito (D&D’s senior comms manager) introduced the updated setting and gave us a bunch of art to show off.
“Spelljammer has always been a bit of a weirdo,” Perkins said, while discussing the three books that are included in the revamped setting: an adventurer’s guide, a bestiary, an adventure, and a Dungeon Master’s screen alongside a massive map of the Rock of Bral. The Fifth Edition setting takes a lot of the lore from the 1989 setting, and translates it into modern stats and descriptions, but there are no really big departures from the space pirate aesthetic of the original. It has adjusted some of the world-building to suit the “cosmology” of Fifth Edition, and in doing so taken away some of the weirdness — and the uniqueness — of the original.
Still, the option to have a space-faring campaign in Fifth Edition is a fun addition, and while there are some gonzo elements (like space clowns and giant space hamsters) that feel just a little too bizarre for a book that is also attempting to balance out intergalactic political intrigue with the Light of Xaryxis adventure, the whole endeavour will appeal to people who were already interested in what Spelljammer has to offer.
The Deluxe Set
Astral Adventurer’s Guide
The Astral Adventurer’s Guide, a 64-page hardcover book for players and Dungeon Masters, presents the Astral Plane as a campaign setting and includes space-based character options, spells and magic items, deck plans and descriptions for spelljamming ships, and more.
Astral Adventurer’s Guide Alternative Cover
Featuring a portrait of a hippopotamus-inspired race called the Gif, this version of the guide will be exclusive to local game stores.
Boo’s Astral Menagerie
Boo’s Astral Menagerie, a 64-page hardcover book for Dungeon Masters, presents game statistics and descriptions for over 60 creatures found in Wildspace and the Astral Sea, including astral elves, cosmic horrors, lunar and solar dragons, murder comets, and space clowns.
Boo’s Astral Menagerie Alternate Cover
A very aggressive-looking Boo graces the alternate cover of the bestiary, similarly exclusive to game stores.
Light of Xaryxis
Rounding out the trio of Spelljammer books is Light of Xaryxis, a 64-page hardcover adventure for Dungeon Masters that is set in the Astral Plane, and designed for characters of levels 5–8.
Light of Xaryxis Alternate Cover
This game store-exclusive cover — all three of which are designed by Hydro74 — has Space Elves on it. Who doesn’t love a Space Elf?
DM’s Screen
The wrap-around artwork for the four-panel DM’s screen is suitably cosmic and trippy.
DM’s Screen
An alternate version of the four-panel DM’s screen features space whales and a very large, quite literal interstellar body.
Sea Eel
Also shown to press were a few of the creature designs players will encounter in Spelljammer’s setting. I see this eel and I’m turning the ship around, I don’t care where in Wildspace we are.
Space Hamster
“No other space setting has Giant Space Hamsters,” said Chris Perkins. Fair.
Kindori
This is the sort of whale watching I’ll play a whole campaign to get to.
Eyemonger
I don’t know what an Eyemonger is but he looks like a friend. Sort of?
Space Clowns
Nope nope nope. Not a ship I want to be on. Nope. Not for me. No, thank you.
Nightspider
Oh look, another ship I definitely do not want to be on, ever.
The Rock of Bral
A classic setting from the original Spelljammer — home to the city of Bral, one of the largest and greatest merchant spaceports in the multiverse — is being remade for Fifth Edition.
Air Bubble Spell
Taking “I can show you the stars” rather literally, here’s an example of one of the new spells included in the campaign set.
The Spelljammer campaign set will release August 16.
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