Ok so I have seen people chatting that there is a possible "Spelljammer" book coming. What even is that? Is it an artifact, or like a world or something? Everyone seems really excited.
It's a setting and a vehicle. A spelljammer is a magic ship helmed by a wizard, who can fly it through outer space.
A spelljammer setting is any setting constructed to make use of such space travel capabilities. They have kind of a planescape vibe because there's travel between diverse worlds, but those worlds are all on the material plane, just in different pockets.
By the Spelljammer [setting] cosmology, every different world/campaign setting (like Forgotten Realms/Faerun, Dragonlance/Toril, Greyhawk, Darksun, Ravenloft, etc) exists as it's own solar system. Each of those solar systems is encompassed by a giant magical bubble called a crystal sphere. Spelljammers [ships] can fly around space within those crystal spheres like Peter Pan style flying pirate ships sailing around through the sky and the void beyond (they have a bubble that contains enough air to last for a while, a few weeks iitc). Each crystal sphere generally has one or more portals in it's edge that a spelljammer can pass through to enter the phlogiston, a giant three dimensional "sea" of explosive gas, and the various crystal spheres "float" within the phlogiston on waves, tides, and currents.
The setting serves two main purposes. The first is to allow a mechanism for characters (PCs, NPCs, or both) in one campaign setting to travel to another aside from plane shift spells or travel via Sigil in the Planescape cosmology or whatever other means that a DM may or may not want to include for whatever reasons. The second is, basically, to have fantasy swashbuckling pirate campaigns IN SPAAAAAAACE! Which, if you ask me, is plenty reason for it to exist. I've never actually played a Spelljammer game but it's up there "on the list."
I’ll add that there’s a ship-to-ship zero gravity “naval” combat game as well. I think there are better ones of those out there, but they had to give you some such options with a sci-fi setting.
It's like a setting in space that involves several settings.
As Greyhawk, Dragonlance, and dozens of the other original core settings of Spelljammer are not around yet in 5E, I highly doubt this mythical Spelljammer book will happen. Also, as 5E mechanics and stories seem heavily opposite to the technicolor sci-fi nonsense that is Spelljammer, I highly hope that it never comes around as an official setting for 5E and highly doubt its credibility (while consistently referenced, it'd be worse than the mess that was the Mystic revisions and Psionics for WotC, which has been controversial throughout history by the vocal minority, despite the fact I believe both Mystic and Tasha's are fine personally) as a future sight of interest.
That being said, I disagreed with people who called WBtW early, and never expected Strixhaven and Fizban's or even Candlekeep or Icewind Dale, so I have a highly sketchy track record.
It has been made known through official sources and interviews that at least some of the WotC D&D core staff are old school Spelljammer fans, and they have managed to insert a few Spelljammer signatures into other official content. That being said, there has been no official statement about any plans to actually produce a Spelljammer-specific book that I am aware of. But if they do, I'll almost definitely buy it.
Imagine Original Star Wars set in dungeons and dragons except if you run this you get to create your own Empire to act as the bad guy!
Much of spelljammer can be explained as very similar to Edge of the Empire or mercenary science fiction stories set on places like Tatooine, Endor or Naboo.
I'd be more worried if you asked about Sigil to be honest.
Ok so I have seen people chatting that there is a possible "Spelljammer" book coming. What even is that? Is it an artifact, or like a world or something? Everyone seems really excited.
A New DM up against the World
It's a setting and a vehicle. A spelljammer is a magic ship helmed by a wizard, who can fly it through outer space.
A spelljammer setting is any setting constructed to make use of such space travel capabilities. They have kind of a planescape vibe because there's travel between diverse worlds, but those worlds are all on the material plane, just in different pockets.
By the Spelljammer [setting] cosmology, every different world/campaign setting (like Forgotten Realms/Faerun, Dragonlance/Toril, Greyhawk, Darksun, Ravenloft, etc) exists as it's own solar system. Each of those solar systems is encompassed by a giant magical bubble called a crystal sphere. Spelljammers [ships] can fly around space within those crystal spheres like Peter Pan style flying pirate ships sailing around through the sky and the void beyond (they have a bubble that contains enough air to last for a while, a few weeks iitc). Each crystal sphere generally has one or more portals in it's edge that a spelljammer can pass through to enter the phlogiston, a giant three dimensional "sea" of explosive gas, and the various crystal spheres "float" within the phlogiston on waves, tides, and currents.
The setting serves two main purposes. The first is to allow a mechanism for characters (PCs, NPCs, or both) in one campaign setting to travel to another aside from plane shift spells or travel via Sigil in the Planescape cosmology or whatever other means that a DM may or may not want to include for whatever reasons. The second is, basically, to have fantasy swashbuckling pirate campaigns IN SPAAAAAAACE! Which, if you ask me, is plenty reason for it to exist. I've never actually played a Spelljammer game but it's up there "on the list."
I’ll add that there’s a ship-to-ship zero gravity “naval” combat game as well. I think there are better ones of those out there, but they had to give you some such options with a sci-fi setting.
It's like a setting in space that involves several settings.
As Greyhawk, Dragonlance, and dozens of the other original core settings of Spelljammer are not around yet in 5E, I highly doubt this mythical Spelljammer book will happen. Also, as 5E mechanics and stories seem heavily opposite to the technicolor sci-fi nonsense that is Spelljammer, I highly hope that it never comes around as an official setting for 5E and highly doubt its credibility (while consistently referenced, it'd be worse than the mess that was the Mystic revisions and Psionics for WotC, which has been controversial throughout history by the vocal minority, despite the fact I believe both Mystic and Tasha's are fine personally) as a future sight of interest.
That being said, I disagreed with people who called WBtW early, and never expected Strixhaven and Fizban's or even Candlekeep or Icewind Dale, so I have a highly sketchy track record.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
It has been made known through official sources and interviews that at least some of the WotC D&D core staff are old school Spelljammer fans, and they have managed to insert a few Spelljammer signatures into other official content. That being said, there has been no official statement about any plans to actually produce a Spelljammer-specific book that I am aware of. But if they do, I'll almost definitely buy it.
Here let me try.
Imagine Original Star Wars set in dungeons and dragons except if you run this you get to create your own Empire to act as the bad guy!
Much of spelljammer can be explained as very similar to Edge of the Empire or mercenary science fiction stories set on places like Tatooine, Endor or Naboo.
I'd be more worried if you asked about Sigil to be honest.
Salutations,
There are a few ways to learn of spelljammer. You could get the comics off Amazon, just type in Spelljammer Comics.
or you could visit: http://www.spelljammer.org
It has tons of information.
Welcome to the stars…..where no one can hear you scream.
Known in other realms as Ranxaeroth.
“Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and good with bar-b-que sauce.” ~Cheshire Dragon
”You can fool most of the people most of the time, but a Sphinx….never.” ~Torwyn Vantalion.
“When the DM smiles, its already to late.” ~many a player.