The Spelljammer campaign setting is returning to Dungeons & Dragons in 2022 and it will allow groups to explore the farthest reaches of the universe. Spelljammer is returning in Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, which will include three books, a poster map, and a DM screen. One of these books is Astral Adventurer's Guide, and it will provide rules for the spelljammer ships, including how they explore space, and how they operate in battle.
The Spelljammer setting involves magic items known as spelljamming helms. These resemble ornate chairs, but they are actually incredibly powerful items and they are necessary for space travel in the D&D multiverse. If a spelljamming helm is placed inside a vessel and a spellcaster sits in the seat, then they can use the helm to grant the ship anti-gravity powers, allowing it to fly, and provide a hospitable environment for the crew, including mimicking gravity. All of these elements combined meant that a spelljamming helm could turn a standard seafaring ship into a spaceship.
It's unclear how the spelljammer ships will operate in D&D 5e, though there have been books released that included vehicle rules, such as the infernal war machines from Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, or the sailing ships in Ghosts of Saltmarsh. Wizards of the Coast has also yet to reveal exactly which classic spelljammer ships will be returning in Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, or whether new ones will be added. The initial trailer and highlight video shown during the first D&D Direct revealed that some of the classic ships will be returning and that players will encounter them in wildspace.
The Mind Flayer Nautiloid Ship Returns To D&D With Spelljammer
It should come as no surprise that the Nautiloid is on the cover of the Astral Adventurer's Guide, with its tentacles reaching out to grab at creatures swimming through the sea of stars, as this isn't the first time players have seen one. The Nautiloid ships used by mind flayers were already a part of D&D 5e ahead of the Spelljammer announcement, as one could be encountered in one of the official D&D campaigns. The people who have played Baldur's Gate 3 in Early Access have also seen one of these ships up close, as the protagonist starts out as a prisoner aboard a Nautiloid, and they must escape during the chaos brought on by a demonic attack on the vessel.
The shell of the Nautiloid exists to both protect the crew from physical harm and to protect them from the rays of any solar bodies that it passes. The main crew of the ship consists of slaves that are under the psionic thrall of the mind flayers and they perform most of the day-to-day operations. There are some mind flayers on board, with one manning the spelljamming helm. The main purpose of such a ship is piracy, allowing the mind flayers to acquire magic items and new slaves. Baldur's Gate 3 reveal trailer has also shown a Nautiloid attacking a city in the Forgotten Realms, in order to capture as many people as possible and turn some of them into new mind flayers.
D&D's Spelljammer Will Have The Neogi Deathspider Ship
The Spelljammer universe is home to terrifying monsters, some of which will be familiar to players, such as beholders and mind flayers. There is one monstrous race that originated in Spelljammer that has made occasional appearances in other D&D books over the years, and they are the neogi. Like the beholders and mind flayers in the D&D multiverse, the neogi despise everyone that is not like them, and they use their psionic abilities to enslave other beings. The neogi resemble monstrous spiders with wormlike necks, and they use their ships to attack enemy vessels and capture the crew.
The Neogi Deathspider ship appeared in Spelljammer: Adventures in Space's first trailer and it's not surprising to see it return, as the neogi are some of the most important villains in the setting. The average Neogi Deathspider is a massive vessel, with a shell that can peel back to reveal a heavily-armed citadel. The prongs on the front of the ship can act as battering rams, while still being pliable enough to smash into specific parts of an enemy ship. Any group that manages to bypass the defenses of the Neogi Deathspider will still have a tough battle ahead of them, as the neogi use massive umber hulks as slaves, which can act as a defensive line for the vile beasts, as they bring their psionic weapons to bear against the party.
Spelljammer Will Feature A Classic D&D Galleon Ship
The Galleon is easily the simplest ship in the Spelljammer setting, as it's literally just a regular sailing ship with a spelljamming helm attached. These vessels are fairly common among Spelljammer's humans from the other campaign settings, while the demihuman races tend to have more unique ships. The Galleon class of ships isn't a battleship, nor is it particularly fast, but it's a great starter vessel for a group of new adventurers who want to explore wildspace. A Galleon appeared during the initial trailer for Spelljammer: Adventures in Space and it was shown visiting the Rock of Bral, so there's a good chance that players will get one for free as part of the Light of Xaryxis campaign book, which is included in the boxset.
The Squid Ship Will Show Up In D&D's Spelljammer
A D&D player who is unfamiliar with the Spelljammer setting might see the Squid Ship and assume it's a mind flayer vessel, due to its squid theme and tentacles. The Squid Ships of wildspace were actually created by humans. It's believed that the Squid Ship design comes from former human slaves, who stole design elements from mind flayer vessels and used them to craft a new type of ship. The Squid Ship is prized for its speed and maneuverability, and it makes for a great upgrade from the Galleon. The lizardfolk of Spelljammer also use Squid Ships, as it's also a great aquatic vessel for instances when a crew needs to travel to a planet with large bodies of water.
The Spelljammer: Adventures in Space campaign set for Dungeons & Dragons will launch on August 16, 2022.