Spelljammer Why Play Spelljammer Over a Regular Pirate Campaign?

[gamerprinter]

but asking why doing a regular seaborne pirate game instead of air pirates or space pirates is like asking why not just watch Excalibur instead of Star Wars. Set and dressing play a huge part, and it can affect tone.

My question too, and I could be evil and add, why not play a pirates in a space game instead of Spelljammer or on a standard pirate game. I've always preferred enclosed, typical starship decks, over open decked Spelljammer ships for my games, so probably would never play Spelljammer (the original or the New).

 

[Weiley31]

I believe there is a sailing based 5e product in KS at the moment

There's also Ghosts of Saltmarsh as well for 5E currently as well.

 

[Arilyn]

I assume for the over the top zaniness and ability to be as fantastical as your imagination will take you? The difference in tone between Spelljammer and a pirate campaign would be quite large.

 

[jgsugden]

I've used Spelljammer (heavily modified) in my homebrew since the 1990s. Here are a few ways it fits into my setting as a beneficial addition:

1.) Evolution of sailing: If you have a sea based campaign, Spelljammer gives you a way to evolve it to keep it interesting over the life of the campaign. As you reach higher levels, the change from 2D to 3D 'naval' combats opens up new considerations and options. In other words, it is not al alternative to sea based campaign - it is the second half of it.

2.) It fits better with moderate high level play: When you hit 9th to 11th level, the concerns of the PCs often start to tend more and more towards extraplanar activity. Your foes might be extraplanar, you might need to go to other planes to solve problems. You might explore other planes. Regardless, the Spelljamming mechanics give PCs another way to navigate to other places outside of spells and portals. Often, PCs will find that moving around the PMP becomes trivial around 9th level. However, being able to navigate and move large amounts of material around between planes does not become trivial - and that is where Spelljamming often comes into play. To me, the sweet spot for Spelljamming is between levels 9 and and 13 - after teleportation makes traveling the material plane mundane, and before plane shift makes planar travel easy.

3.) Spelljammer is more than ships: There are a lot of lore elements of Spelljammer that are unique and different. It feels like something unique when you really dig into it, or when you develop your own version like I have. There are major elements of my campaign that are highly influencd by the way I use Spelljamming, and they are amongst the most iconic elements of my homebrew. I have distinct factions, persaonlities, and long storylines that are based around Spelljamming and the influence it has on the setting.

If you're just running adventures or adventure paths, then Spelljammer probably is not that necessary unless you want to run a Spelljammer campaign. However, if ou develop a campaign world that is full of homebrew personality, Spelljamming is a great tool for mid to high level adventuring that can bring a distinct feel and isolate a 'new phase' of the game

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I've never really looked into Spelljammer (any version) but one thing I'd expect it to have would be sound and solid rules and guidelines for ship-vs-ship combat.

I can’t imagine any possible ship to ship combat system that works for a party of PCs that does not put all but one player (the one interested in ship battles) to sleep.

The iteration in 2e SJ, and added to with War Captains Compendium, were of the time. Warts and all, certain fans enjoyed them.

Myself, I checked out until the two players that loved Star Trek battles got done taking all the time. The rest of us twiddled our thumbs until we got to the boarding.

 

[Steampunkette]

'nuf sed.

 

[Leatherhead]

This is one of those questions that can only be answered if you ask the person asking it : "How exactly do you think they are the same?"

Because when I think of a "D&D pirate game", I think of mundane (even if they are quirky) pre-gunpowder pirates on wooden ships maybe featuring some Pirates of the Caribbean low magic thrown in.

Which, to me, is vastly different than a high fantasy setting with actual aliens on living bioships featuring 3d space combat with cannons.

 

[Steampunkette]

Having posted that trailer I was compelled to load up Disney+ and watch the movie.

It's shocking to realize that there are college students younger than Treasure Planet.

 

[TheSword]

This is one of those questions that can only be answered if you ask the person asking it : "How exactly do you think they are the same?"

Because when I think of a "D&D pirate game", I think of mundane (even if they are quirky) pre-gunpowder pirates on wooden ships maybe featuring some Pirates of the Caribbean low magic thrown in.

Which, to me, is vastly different than a high fantasy setting with actual aliens on living bioships featuring 3d space combat with cannons.

Okay, we’ll firearms can and have been a part of D&D for a long time, gunslingers are a thing.

D&D is very much high magic.

Aliens doesn’t really mean much in a world with monstrous races.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Having posted that trailer I was compelled to load up Disney+ and watch the movie.

It's shocking to realize that there are college students younger than Treasure Planet.

It really irritates me that they didn't let them keep the phatt loot like in the book!