D&D: Every Spelljammer in ‘Spelljammer’ – We Really Mean it This Time
We’re back with the rest of the Spelljammers in Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. Big and small, we’ve got ’em all.
Captain Kirk once asked for a tall ship and a star to steer her by.
That line comes from John Masefield’s poem, Sea-Fever. Kirk uses it to describe the rush of captaining a ship. And in Spelljammer, the wind and the sails and everything are there, alongside the stars. Even fish.
So whether you want a tall ship or a small one, or one shaped like a moth, we’re going through the rest of every Spelljammer in Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. Did you miss the first batch? Check out part one here.
There are eight more, all in all, for a total of 16 Spelljammers.
Scorpion Ship
Scorpion ships are archaic vessels, but popular ones. And it’s not hard to see why. They’re incredibly versatile, because they’re heavily armed and armored, and can carry a crew of 12. At AC 19 and 250 hit points, they’ll last a while.
But two things give the ship its notoriety. The first is its claws, which can be used to grapple — but unlike most Spelljamming ships, whose grapple attacks only latch on to other Gargantuan vessels and creatures, the Scorpion Ship’s claws are meant to grab Huge and smaller creatures. That’s right, these massive pincers will pluck a Spelljammer right off of their Spelljammer.
The other thing that makes it noteworthy is the fact that it has the ability to walk on land. Something no other ship has.
It’s not necessarily the most effective thing, but if you can’t fly, or want to intimidate your enemies from the back of a giant metal scorpion, this is the way to do it. Also, its tail, unimaginatively, carries only a mangonel.
Shrike Ship
The Shrike Ship is among the fastest Spelljammers. It outpaces all but the Damselfly. And it has legs for landing on the ground, and can technically float. As long as the seas aren’t rough. Shrike ships are fragile. They only have AC 15 and 250 hit points.
But they do pack a significant punch to the tune of three ballistae, capable of dealing out 9d10 if all shots hit. And a piercing ram, which allows them to crash into another Gargantuan creature or another object. This massive hit deals 16d10 points of damage.
Unfortunately, the Shrike takes half of the damage and comes to a dead stop. So best use it only in dire need.
Space Galleon
The Space Galleon is the most common Spelljammer in Spelljammer. Its design has been copied and modified by civilizations throughout the Astral Sea. Wildspace pirates, merchants, Giff, and even Plasmoids use them.
These galleons are built like normal seafaring galleons. They can land in the water and sail like a regular ship. So they can travel to distant Wildspace systems where they don’t know about Spelljamming and blend in if need be.
These ships aren’t fast. But they can haul 20 tons of cargo, have 400 hit points, and carry two ballistae and a mangonel, so they can dish out a decent punch if they need to.
Squid Ship
A classic. The Squid Ship is among the oldest types of Spelljammer. It may well be the oldest Spelljammer in Spelljammer. But as an older design, it lacks some of the flexibility more modern ships offer.
It’s not as swift, at a speed of only 30 (before exiting Wildspace). But it’s hardier than the Shrike, at 300 hit points. And like the Shrike, it carries a piercing ram at its bow and boasts two ballistae and a mangonel beside.
Star Moth
An elven ship, to be sure. Star Moths, out of every Spelljammer in Spelljammer, are the most prized possessions of the Astral Elves. They guard these ships preciously and don’t like it when they end up outside of astral elf hands.
That’s because a Star Moth’s hull is fashioned from a grown and sculpted organic substance. Its wings are made of shimmering crystal. And while it can land on the ground or sea, it’s at its best in the air. With a speed of 50 ft and 400 hit points, it’s tough. But also easy to hit. At AC 13, this ship has the lowest AC of any Spelljammer. But it can haul 30 tons, and boasts the standard two ballistae and a mangonel.
Turtle Ship
The Turtle Ship is an armored bulwark. It is one of the few entirely closed-off vessels. In fact, a Turtle Ship is encased in a protective metal shell, making it hard to hit, and tough besides. At AC 19 with 300 hit points, they can take a beating, for sure.
But Turtle Ships are also roomy. Their quarters are among the most comfortable out of every Spelljammer in Spelljammer. And they can close the openings in the ship, allowing it to travel underwater safely, even at great depth.
On top of that, the Turtle Ship boasts three ballistae and a single mangonel, but none of that can be used while the ship is submerged.
Tyrant Ship
The deadly Beholder ship. Tyrant Ships are carved out of solid stone by Beholder artisans who use their disintegration rays to hollow out their designs. Each is subtly unique, reflecting the individual perfection of a particular Beholder.
And Tyrant Ships typically serve as a Beholder’s vessel of conquest, as they sail the Astral Plane looking for worlds to conquer and rival Beholders to destroy.
These ships have an AC of 17, one of the rare stone ships. But Tyrant Ships also boast advanced weaponry: the fearsome eyestalk cannon. It has three eyestalk cannons, in fact, each hits for 10d6 force damage at a considerable range.
Wasp Ship
The lithe Wasp Ship is a lightweight, multipurpose vessel. They’re swift, at 50 ft., and are surprisingly affordable for most. This is because the materials that make them are fairly common.
They’re wooden ships, which gives them an AC of only 15, and they only have 250 hit points backed by a damage threshold of 15. But they make for a perfect entry-level Spelljammer. Many a crew of budding Spelljammers has got their start on an affordable Wasp with its 3 ballistae.
That’s officially every Spelljammer in ‘Spelljammer’! Which ones are your favorites?
