The Spelljammer campaign setting is returning to Dungeons & Dragons in August, but fans will have a chance to visit outer space a little sooner, as a Spelljammer prequel adventure is launching in July 2022. Spelljammeer is returning in the Spelljammer: Adventures in Space campaign set, which will contain three books that outline the setting.
In the D&D multiverse, the easiest way to travel between campaign worlds and planes is through the use of spells or magic portals. There is another way to travel the universe, though it's a tad slower, as there are seafaring ships that can sail the stars. A spelljammer is a type of ship that is powered by magic and could be piloted by a spellcaster. The spelljammer ships were protected by magical barriers that allowed the ship to survive in the vacuum of space, as well as provide breathable atmospheres for the crews that needed them. These ships allowed adventures to explore the galaxy, as well as for pirates to take up the black flag among a sea of stars.
Wizards of the Coast revealed during the first-ever D&D Direct online showcase that the Spelljammer campaign setting is returning, with Spelljammer: Adventures in Space launching on August 16, 2022. Fans will have a chance to explore wild space before then, as it was also announced that there will be a Spelljammer prequel adventure released in July.
The adventure was referred to as "Spelljammer Academy" during the D&D Direct, though this could just be the name of the service used to house it. The new Spelljammer prequel adventure will be free and it only requires a Wizards of the Coast account to download. The fact that it's referred to as a prequel adventure suggests it's set before Light of Xaryxis, which is the adventure book that comes with Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. The Spelljammer races in D&D have already been revealed in an Unearthed Arcana article, but they may have updated versions released before then, to tie in with the adventure.
Spelljammer is one of the most highly-anticipated classic D&D campaign settings, and it's amazing to see it return in the D&D 5e era, especially as it's skipped ahead of popular settings like Dark Sun and Greyhawk. Players will soon have a chance to create their own spacefaring D&D hero, as well as build their own spelljammer ship, and use it to sail the cosmos in search of adventure. Spelljammer: Adventures in Space won't ship until August, but fans will have a chance to visit outer space before then when the prequel adventure launches in July. The people who have wanted to run a D&D campaign starring alien pirates will finally have their chance in the Spelljammer campaign setting.
The Spelljammer: Adventures in Space campaign set for Dungeons & Dragons will launch on August 16, 2022.