Spelljammer is coming to 5e

Published on April 22, 2022, last updated on August 16, 2022

The highly anticipated space-based Spelljammer setting is coming to D&D 5e. Here’s what’s been confirmed and how it may impact Spelljammer 5th Edition.

What is Spelljammer in D&D?

UPDATE: Spelljammer: Adventures in Space is out now! Read the full review here.

Spelljammer is a D&D setting released with the second edition of D&D that offers a unique take on sci-fi and fantasy crossover. Fans fell in love with Spelljammer because of its space-faring seagoing ships (named Spelljammers) and the unique creatures that can be encountered during your journey into Wild Space.

A fifth edition Spelljammer has long been requested by fans who enjoyed the second edition setting and those looking for a more sci-fi take on D&D. With The Unearthed Arcana, Travelers of the Multiverse on October 25, 2021, it was all but confirmed that Spelljammer would be appearing in fifth edition, the only question was when.

During Wizards of the Coasts D&D Direct on April 21, 2022, it was confirmed that the Spelljammer setting will be launching on August 16, 2022. But there’s a lot more to this announcement, which we’ll cover below.

Spelljammer confirmed!

There are a few layers to the Spelljammer announcement, and below we’ll summarize everything that was announced in the D&D Direct and other official sources.

Spelljammer: A Space Adventure

On August 16th, 2022, Wildspace will be flying Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. This product is very unique compared to the 5th edition products Wizards has offered so far. Spelljammer: Adventures in Space will consist of three 64-page books, a DM screen, and a double-sided poster map. Books included in this collection include:

Astral Adventure Guide

This book contains all the character options for players and setting information for DMs. Currently, this book contains:

Everything a DM needs to know to run a campaign in Wild Space Six new playable race options Astral Elves Autognomes Hadjies Gyphs Plasmoids Thri-Kreen Spelljamming ship deck plans and descriptions Magic items and spells

Boo’s Astral Zoo

A bestiary of 60 new space-dwelling monsters for the Spelljammer setting:

Astral Elves, Space Horrors, Space Clowns, Vampires, Killer Comets, Giant Space Hamsters, Sun and Moon Dragons

The Light of Zarixis

A Spelljammer adventure for players levels 5 to 8. The adventure takes place in Wildspace and the Astral Sea. The inclusion of the Astral Sea as part of this setting is interesting, and appears to replace phlogiston in the 5th edition of Spelljammer.

While this announcement came with a huge sigh of relief from fans of the setting, there’s one thing that might ruin the joy: the collection will be priced at $69.99 USD / $91.99 CAD, making it the setting’s most expensive to date. That’s about $20 more than a similar product, Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos. And to further curb the hype, despite three books being released as part of the project, the final page count will be 192 pages, 32 pages less than a comparable product, Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos.

That said, the inclusion of a poster map and DM screen would make the game more appealing. Unfortunately, for fans who don’t want the map or screen, there’s no opportunity to purchase the collection without those perks. There’s also a free prequel Spelljammer adventure, but given the price of Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, it’s not completely free.

Spelljammer Academy

This free prequel adventure will be released in July and will be free to everyone with a Wizards or D&D Beyond account. No information has been released yet about the content of this adventure, but it’s definitely a Wizards first and seems like a surefire way to build anticipation for next month’s release of Spelljammer: Adventures in Space.

Wizkid Miniatures

The Wizkid miniatures announcement for Spelljammer also revealed the following monsters:

Zodar Grimzoid Flapjack Dower & Space Pig Giant Space Hamster Void Scabbard Prince Zeles Astral Dreadnought

Monster Encyclopedia

Wizards of the Coast is bringing back the Monstrous Compendium series! Titled Monstrous Compendium Volume One: Spelljammer Creatures, the first edition features ten new monsters and is available for free to anyone with a D&D Beyond or Wizards account. There are five new monsters and five returning monsters, listed below:

new:

Eldrich Lich Puppeteer Parasite Starlancer Yggdrasti Goon Balloon

Returns:

10-legged asteroid spider clockwork terror fractin wanderer nightmare beast

Ready to launch!

What are you most looking forward to about Spelljammer going into 5th edition? Let us know in the comments!