Dragonstar d20 vs Spelljammer d20

[Randolpho]

Ok, so I've managed to read Spelljammer d20 in Dungeon #92, and so far, I like the rules set out. Other than the missing ones (navigation, spelljammer helm use -- see the Spelljamer d20 thread).

So, I was wondering if all you Dragonstar fans who may happen to have also read Spelljammer would care to make a quick comparison. Please, I'm more interested in the rules-set than the setting, as I plan to adopt one of them for my *own* setting.

Still, if you wish you may compare the settings as well, just as long as you give me *some* rules information.

So, what's the diff? Which is better? Should I pick up Dragonstar, and why?

 

[drnuncheon]

There's really not that much in common between the two. Yeah, they're both "D&D in space", but they handle it so differently that comparing the two is of necessity pretty generic, and it's hard to imagine a situation where either one would be appropriate.

Spelljammer is pure fantasy. It's got flying sailing ships, everything is powered by magic, and the physics of the universe are nothing like the ones that we know (well, they weren't in the old one - phlogiston, gravity planes - dunno about the new version). It's far closer to D&D.

Dragonstar is science-fantasy. It's more like Shadowrun than D&D, in that it mixes high technology into the picture. It uses something akin to the modern-day conceptions of space and physics. Spaceships in Dragonstar are more akin to the ones in Star Wars than they are to the ships of Spelljammer.

So, it's all in what you're looking for. If Spelljammer looks close to what you want, and you're expecting something similar from Dragonstar, you will definitely not get it. If, on the other hand, you would like to play 'Star Wars with Orcs and Elves' (or 'Shadowrun in Space' for that matter), then Dragonstar is perfect.

Really, I do Dragonstar a disservice with that comparison, because it's an excellent game - but it is a quick way to outline the differences.

J

 

[UD]

I think Im going to use the ships as 'organic' ships, for the elves and other races till they publish the Guide to the Galaxy and Imperial Supply. If they do....

 

[Morrus]

For me, Dragonstar is more to my taste than Spelljammer. It's also better supported which makes a big difference.

Admittedly, I haven't actually played it yet, but it makes for a great read. I haven't even seen d20 Spelljammer.

As has been mentioned, Spelljammer is all magic. Dragonstar is technology with magic used to do the things that technology can't.

The other difference - not that it's a major one, is that Dragonstar is a D&D setting, while Spelljammer is a d20 game. That makes regular D&D stuff easily portable to Dragonstar; I don't know how far Spelljammer is from the core to make any comment on that, though.

 

[qstor]

I'm going to use some of the Spelljammer conversions from the Shattered Fractine web site for my game. When I finally get to run it I'm also using FFG games mythic races and parts of the Forgotten Realms CS book.

Its a great setting. I'd pick up the Starfarers handbook now. The Galaxy Guide comes out in a few weeks.

Mike

 

[Voneth]

From what I have heard -- not read -- the new Spelljamer rules only detail one system and avoid touching on the actualy cosmology of the universe in an attempt to give newbies a new setting without revising the old SJ cosmology setting (which some peolple loved and others hated.)

In that comparsion, the two settings took two radicaly different approaches to the idea of allowing a GM to throw in as many different game worlds with different gods and rules as possible.

SJ solution was that every "solar system" was a cyrstal sphere hanging in a flamable soup of "phlostegn" Within the sphere, any rules that system's gods set down worked. SJ had some cool stuff about flat worlds, round worlds, ring worlds. I don't know how much of it acutaly got used in a setting though.

Dragonstar's setting is that there are really only 12 gods with a million names and that there are a lot of low-tech worlds that are undiscovered (read world that haven't been introduced to Dragonstar) Radicaly different magic rules or strange world shapes would have to have either a sceintific or magical explaination for their existance. It just occured to me, it seems that when a "rule" is broken, the explination comes from the opposing school of thought, i.e. new magic rules are a result of mutation (magic rule bent by science explantion) or a diamond shaped world was made by magic (science rule bent by magic explantion).

 

[Randolpho]

Excellent, thank you for the comments.

Another question: How "portable" are the Dragonstar rules? I plan to introduce space travel into my own campaign, and want a set of rules that will work with my campaign. Will Dragonstar help in that regard?

 

[drnuncheon]

Excellent, thank you for the comments.
Another question: How "portable" are the Dragonstar rules? I plan to introduce space travel into my own campaign, and want a set of rules that will work with my campaign. Will Dragonstar help in that regard?

If you have big, metal, Star Wars-type spaceships they should work just fine. The interstellar travel is accomplished by starcasters - basically huge magic items that teleport the ship and all its contents.

If you have big, metal, Star Wars stle ships, you probably have other high-tech stuff too, so the Dragonstar rules ought to help with those things as well.

If you want a purely magical method of interstellar travel, Dragonstar will be a lot less helpful.

J

 

[Voneth]

Excellent, thank you for the comments.

Another question: How "portable" are the Dragonstar rules? I plan to introduce space travel into my own campaign, and want a set of rules that will work with my campaign. Will Dragonstar help in that regard?

My impression is that the closer your campaign is plane jane 3e, then the easier it will be to include Dragnostar. The fiction I read seems to sum it up fine. "I was a lord and uncontested warrior in my land, until they came from the sky."

From what I saw, the majority of Dragonstar are things that adapt a characters who start as part of the setting. Well, every game does that, but you know what I mean.

 

[tensen]

The other difference - not that it's a major one, is that Dragonstar is a D&D setting, while Spelljammer is a d20 game. That makes regular D&D stuff easily portable to Dragonstar; I don't know how far Spelljammer is from the core to make any comment on that, though.

Shouldn't that be Dragonstar is a d20 setting, while Spelljammer is a d20 game?