Spelljammer Modules

[Sir Robilar]

So last week I found out about Spelljammer and I have to tell you...

WHOA!

Based on the descriptions I read, I can´t really imagine how it all plays out though. So before I even think about shopping at ebay, I ´m asking the (always very helpful!) EnWorld community:

What are the best Spelljammer modules? The ones that manage to highlight the strengths of this odd setting?

 

[Krensky]

There are four boxed sets.
Adventures in Space is the main one.
Legend of the Spelljammer details the setting's titular location, but it's somewhat niche due to the closed nature of the setting.
The War Captain's Companion provides better ship construction and combat rules.
The Astromundi Cluster gives a highly detailed system with an associated campaign.

There were a few accessories.
Realmspace, Krynnspace, and Greyspace detail the systems of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, and Greyhawk settings.
The Rock of Bral details the asteroid city mentioned in the primary box set (and other places). It's an excellent home base for PCs.
Practical Planetology details a number of planets and expands the planet and system generation rules. Lost Ships adds a number of new ships.
The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook has kits, gear, spells, essays and other fun stuff.

There were two Monster Compendium add-ins. The first is somewhat down to earth (completely relative here) and the second is more gonzo, with Gamera (the giant turtle competitor to Godzilla), goblinoid weapons of mass destruction, elven undead insect mecha, and a Guyver pastiche. Personally, I find the second one much more fun.

Then there were the modules.
Space Lairs was made of short adventures. One or two encounter (in the modern style) pieces to throw in while the party travels between worlds.
Wild Space is a good way to get a party into space.
Skulls and Crossbows is less an adventure module, and more a rogue's gallery. It starts with the PCs getting letters of marque to go hunt pirates, and the resat of the book details the bounty heads on their list.
Crystal Spheres is a decent adventure involving saving a sphere from being plunged into darkness by a vampire.
Under the Dark Fist involves the PCs foiling the plans of a Empire of Lycanthropes.
Return of the Goblins is about the Second Unhuman War between the Elven Imperium and the Humanoids and revolves around the opening moves of the conflict with the emergence of the Scro (space orcs, Scro:Orcs::Hobgoblins:Goblins).
Heart of the Enemy can be used as a follow on to Return of the Goblins, and deals with the middle of the Second Unhuman War, and involves the PCs trying to destroy infiltrate a goblinoid based and destroy a WMD.

 

[Wik]

I've been wanting to use Spelljammer to run a Firefly-esque game. But when I try to convince my players, they shoot me down.

I don't know what it is I'm doing wrong. I mean, I tell them "It's D&D... in space." and they shake their heads.

Then I say "But, but... it's got hippo-folk that love guns!" And they shake their heads and say no.

So I bring out the big guns. "Flying space whales?" They grimace.

"Okay, what about Giant Space Hamsters!?" At this point, everyone is leaving the room.

"But, but, the game has crystal spheres... and wildspace... and elven mechs... and..."

And then a buddy comes up, puts a hand on my shoulder, and says "Dave... just... stop. Everyone's gone home."

*sigh*

 

[FreeXenon]

Wik: Honestly man, in all seriousness... get new players! =)

If any D&D players refuse to play Spelljammer in a Fireflyesque campaign need their geek card revoked! That is full of awesome sauce!

Please tell me you are near Madison, Wisconsin! Please! Lie to me if you have too! =)

Yea, Spelljammer has some campy stuff in it, but you can completely ignore it.

 

[Alzrius]

From what I've heard The Goblin's Return and Heart of the Enemy did a very good job showcasing what Spelljammer is all about. Which is as it should be, given that they were the setting's first adventures.

Personally, though, the best Spelljammer material I ever read was in Dragon Annual #1, with a truly excellent article by Roger E. Moore on the scro. Very, very good stuff there.

I also liked the Crystal Spheres adventure for its pace (chasing a vampire across worlds and spheres), but I don't know how it actually plays.

Finally, I really had a bone to pick with both The Astromundi Cluster and Under the Dark Fist. The former should have been a short supplement, and not a boxed set, whereas the latter should have been a boxed set, and not a short adventure.

Simply put, I didn't think that Clusterspace (the name of The Astromundi Cluster's sphere) was all that interesting, and it certainly seemed okay for setting a campaign in, but not that gripping. By contrast, Under the Dark Fist has an empire of twelve crystal spheres entering a war of conquest against the whole of known space, particularly the "Golden Triangle" of Realmspace, Greyspace, and Krynnspace. That should have been a massive, epic adventure that could barely fit into a single boxed set...not a 64-page module.

 

[Stoat]

I liked Skull & Crossbows and SJR1 Lost Ships. My Spelljammer campaign was a very episodic, adventure of the week affair. IMO, the setting really lends itself to this kind of play. Think of it as a kind of wahoo Star Trek. The PC's encounter a rogue asteroid/derelict ship/mystery planet/all-powerful energy being. They have an adventure related to same. They move on.

I was disappointed with the Legend of the Spelljammer boxed set. Since it only covers the legendary Spelljammer, its of limited utility. Worse, it was a fairly bland treatment of the subject.

 

[D'karr]

Dawn of the Overmind, part of The Illithiad, had some spelljamming sections.

 

[David Howery]

one of the coolest things about Spelljammer was to take the two big posters (one from the first boxed set, the second from War Captain's Companion), and put them up together on a wall; they match up perfectly. The posters show all the various ship types to scale, with the massive sihlouette of the Spelljammer behind them all...

 

[Krensky]

Of course, all this just makes me want to run a Spelljamer based Fantasy Craft game.

Darn you Robilar.

 

[TheYeti1775]

From what I've heard The Goblin's Return and Heart of the Enemy did a very good job showcasing what Spelljammer is all about. Which is as it should be, given that they were the setting's first adventures.

Personally, though, the best Spelljammer material I ever read was in Dragon Annual #1, with a truly excellent article by Roger E. Moore on the scro. Very, very good stuff there.

I also liked the Crystal Spheres adventure for its pace (chasing a vampire across worlds and spheres), but I don't know how it actually plays.

Finally, I really had a bone to pick with both The Astromundi Cluster and Under the Dark Fist. The former should have been a short supplement, and not a boxed set, whereas the latter should have been a boxed set, and not a short adventure.

Simply put, I didn't think that Clusterspace (the name of The Astromundi Cluster's sphere) was all that interesting, and it certainly seemed okay for setting a campaign in, but not that gripping. By contrast, Under the Dark Fist has an empire of twelve crystal spheres entering a war of conquest against the whole of known space, particularly the "Golden Triangle" of Realmspace, Greyspace, and Krynnspace. That should have been a massive, epic adventure that could barely fit into a single boxed set...not a 64-page module.

Fully agree that Under the Dark Fist should have been a boxed set. It was full of goodies for an interstellar war of spheres.

The Astromundi Cluster I found worthy of a box though. It gave a great fleshing out of a full sphere. I found the Roach Motel aspect of it a little hokey especially in how they explained the elves being able to get in and out. Living material I can see that, but they were able to take through crates and all with them. So I found it quite against the grain for a good explanation.

Really though if I was to choose an intro to run players through, I think
Alzrius hit it with Goblin's Return and Heart of the Enemy.

I love using Scro in Groundling campaigns to throw PC's off on the normal Orc abilities. I use them as my Commanders or Elite Guard if a large group of Orcs are around.