The much-anticipated Spelljammer announcement has flown in from Wildspace! This new collection, titled Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, will contain three books and will be available on August 16th, 2022. If you're looking for a taste of Spelljammer before then, the prequel adventure series, Spelljammer Academy, will be available at no cost to all D&D Beyond users until the book's release.

The contents of the Spelljammer: Adventures in Space collection will include:

• Astral Adventurer’s Guide will give players and Dungeon Masters everything they need to use the Astral Plane as a campaign setting. This includes backgrounds and races for player characters, spells, magic items, information on spelljamming ships, and more!
• Boo’s Astral Menagerie provides Dungeon Masters a bestiary of over 60 spelljamming friends and foes, including space clowns, “vampirates,” murder comets, giant space hamsters, solar and lunar dragons, and much more!
• Light of Xaryxis contains an adventure designed for characters of levels 5–8 that will allow Dungeon Masters to take their players into the realm of the Astral Plane and beyond!

What Is Spelljammer?

Spelljammer is a setting that has garnered a lot of hype over the years. It was initially introduced as a campaign setting in the second edition of D&D, where it got a name for itself as a fun, quirky, and downright bizarre sci-fi/fantasy crossover.

There hasn’t been any official content released for the Spelljammer setting in the third and fourth editions of D&D, so this announcement is huge because it means that the current generation of D&D players will get to take their adventures into the beloved realm of Wildspace.

One of the biggest draws for Spelljammer is its unique and accessible take on interstellar travel. Adventurers seeking treasures and glory in Wildspace use “spelljamming” vessels—which closely resemble nautical ships—to set sail out of their planet’s atmosphere and across the Astral Sea. This open-air approach is certainly an interesting take on spacefaring vehicles but allows for magnificent views, interesting mechanics, and the potential for swashbuckling battles against space pirates. 

Speaking of space pirates, Spelljammer is also known for its colorful cast of creatures that you’ll meet in your adventures across the cosmos. We’ve seen a number of these creatures teased in the upcoming Spelljammer: Adventures in Space collection, like the giant space hamsters.

Play With Spelljammer Creatures Today!

You can access 10 new Spelljammer monsters today by checking out Monstrous Compendium Volume One: Spelljammer Creatures, which is now available on D&D Beyond! This compendium contains five new and five returning creatures, including the asteroid spider and the eldritch lich. These creatures won't appear in Boo’s Astral Menagerie and are available to all D&D Beyond users. Sign up today to start using them in your combat encounters! 

The Multiverse at Your Fingertips

A key focus for Spelljammer is the ability for players to travel to other D&D worlds. Supposedly, every D&D world exists out in the ether of the Astral Plane. Those who brave Wildspace and beyond can journey to lands outside the boundaries of their universe that were inaccessible prior to the mechanics of Spelljammer. 

This can open up endless opportunities for groups looking to get a fresh take on their campaign. Has your party completed the events of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist? Perhaps they are given a spelljamming vessel as a reward (Easter egg alert: there is a spelljammer somewhere in Waterdeep) and plans to blast off for the techno-magical setting of Eberron.

Maybe you want to live out some of your favorite sci-fi movies with a fantasy twist? A Prometheus-style adventure can pit your party against puppeteer parasites in a horrifying psychological thriller. Or, you could lean into a nautical-inspired treasure hunt à la Treasure Planet. The boundaries of what Spelljammer can provide are about as vast as the multiverse itself; the only limit is your imagination!

If you’re looking to dip your toes into Spelljammer, definitely pick up your copy of Spelljammer Academy, a free introductory adventure series available on D&D Beyond.

Preorder Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Spelljammer: Adventures in Space will allow your players to journey beyond the stars to visit alien worlds, encounter unique creatures, and plunder loot from across the cosmos. You can preorder Spelljammer: Adventures in Space before it lands on August 16th, 2022, to receive exclusive perks, including digital dice, when the book releases.

What is D&D Beyond?

D&D Beyond is the official digital toolset for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. Players who join D&D Beyond can quickly create characters and take them on the go with the D&D Beyond App. You can even roll dice directly from your character sheet using the app or from your browser. The toolset handles all of the math to make playing the game easy. DMs will find tools to build and run combat encounters, manage their campaigns, and create and discover homebrew content.

D&D Beyond is free to join, but if you sign up for a subscription, you'll be able to create unlimited characters and even share books you've purchased with players in your campaigns (Master-tier only).

Mike Bernier (@arcane_eye) is the founder of Arcane Eye, a site focused on providing useful tips and tricks to all those involved in the world of D&D. Outside of writing for Arcane Eye, Mike spends most of his time playing games, hiking with his girlfriend, and tending the veritable jungle of houseplants that have invaded his house.