Spelljammer is an intriguing setting that explains how it is
possible for characters on one D&D world like Krynn to travel to another
D&D world like Greyhawk. It is
possible for the characters to travel through outer space- spelljamming! The original Spelljammer boxed set was
written by Jeff Grubb and published in 1989.
The rules for how D&D space travel works are relatively
simple. Ships for making the journey can
be specially equipped ocean-going vessels or more exotic space-ship looking
ones. Each of the worlds- Krynn,
Greyhawk, and the Forgotten Realms are given a couple of cities that can serve
as spaceports.
Various supplements expand on other places that can be
visited while traveling in space, including Rock of Bral, (by Richard Baker) a
large asteroid that has a city on it.
Bral is like a classic cosmopolitan D&D city with some unique
features befitting a city that is a spaceport on an asteroid. Another place is the legendary ship “Spelljammer”
this unique ship travels through space and can also be part of a Spelljammer
campaign.
The two Spelljammer monstrous compendium products (MC7 and
MC9) provide lots of interesting alien-type monsters to throw at players who
are traveling through space. Players of
the Baldur’s Gate computer game series will be familiar with Minsc and Boo. Minsc is a ranger from Rashemen and his
companion Boo is a miniature giant space hamster from Spelljammer Monstrous
Compendium MC7. The space hamster entry
was written by long-time Dragon Magazine editor Roger E. Moore. MC7 is worth getting just to read the space
hamster entry. It is very funny!
Recommendation: If
you like the classic D&D rules and don’t mind mixing sci-fi and fantasy and
D&D together, you will really like the Spelljammer setting. I would give the Spelljammer setting 4 out of
5 stars.
