New Spelljammer Ships, Part II
More Spelljammer articles for your reading pleasure
Introduction to Spelljammer
New Spelljammer Races
Additional Spelljammer Races - The Forgotten Travelers of the Multiverse
New Spelljammer Ships Part I
Ships are the lifeblood of any Spelljammer campaign. This week, we’ll finish what we started, looking at the remaining eight ships found in the new sourcebook, Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. If you thought some of the first eight were strange, hold on because the ride is about to get much weirder.
The Scorpion
Armor Class: 19 (metal)
Hit Points: 250
Damage Threshold: 15
Speed: 30 ft. (3½ mph), fly 30 ft. (3½ mph)
Cargo: 12 tons
Crew: 12
Keel/Beam: 75 ft./25 ft.
Cost: 25,000 gp
Weapons: (1) Ballista (4) Crew 3, AC 15, HP 50, Cost 50 gp (ballista), 5 gp (bolt). Bolt - Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Mangonel (1) Crew 4, AC 15, HP 100, Cost: (cannon), 100 gp (mangonel), 0 gp (stone). Mangonel Stone - Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 200/800 ft. (can’t hit targets within 60 feet of it), one target. Hit: 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage.
Claws (2) (Crew: 1 Each), AC -, HP -, Cost: - (Included in ship cost).
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it is also grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the creature takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns.
History - The Scorpion ship was a ship created and used by orcs. It first appeared in the sourcebook, The War Captain's Companion (1992). It's not exactly the best ship out there, nor are the ones remaining after the Elven Armada destroyed most. Those who still cruise the Astral sea were ships that most others ran from.
Orcs created their Scorpion ships from the exoskeletons of giant scorpions, eventually figuring out a way to build their ships without them. The exoskeletons were incredibly solid, and the orcs attached iron plating to them to create the ship's hull. Repairs were done infrequently, and many of the vessels had more than just dents and bruises. It was easy to identify a ship that had been flying the Astral sea for some time by how beat up it was.
The main feature of the Scorpion was its two massive claws, and it also had a battering ram and a single ballista. Making two attacks each round, a hit with a claw resulted in be opposing ship taking significant damage. If both claws grabbed hold, the target ship was grappled, and things got much worse for them. The claw would rip a hole in the other ship, and the orcs would use the claws to start shredding the other vessel. Not that it mattered much because a raiding party would rush through the opening, killing all the crew members and taking anything that wasn't nailed down.
There were three Scorpion class ships: the Scorpion Scout, the Scorpion, and the King Scorpion. All three were warships, plain and simple. Sure, you can find an industrious gnome or human that may have converted one for their purposes, but the Scorpion was built to fight, something the 2nd edition orcs do pretty well.
5th Edition - A Scorpion ship one runs across nowadays will be old but will have many uses. The ship cannot sail in the water but can move across solid surfaces, thanks to its legs. Scorpion ships are archaic metal warships that have never lost popularity, mainly because of their versatility.
A Scorpion has four decks. The first deck is in the ship's tail section, which sits above the top deck. Attached to the top deck is a Jacob's ladder, the only way to access it. The mangonel is located here. Below the tail deck is the top deck, where one can find the ballista.
A ballista is mounted at the front, and a mangonel is perched on the end of the tail. The ship's two claws are relatively inefficient in combat, but a claw that grabs a creature can quickly take it out of action. The main deck is the largest and contains the bridge, claw controls, armory, crew quarters, and gallery. We can only assume this is where the spelljammer helm is located, as it is not listed on the ship's diagram. The last deck is the cargo hold. It is pretty small, only able to hold twelve tons. Also found here is the bilge.
The Shrikeship
Armor Class: 15 (wood)
Hit Points: 250
Damage Threshold: 15
Speed: fly 70 ft. (8 mph)
Cargo: 20 tons
Crew: 11
Keel/Beam: 100 ft./20 ft.
Cost: 20,000 gp
Weapons: Ballista (3) Crew 3, AC 15, HP 50, Cost 50 gp (ballista), 5 gp (bolt). Bolt - Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Piercing Ram: (The ship’s spelljammer can make the following attack when the ship runs into another object or into a Gargantuan creature).
Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 0 ft., one object or Gargantuan creature. Hit: 88 (16d10) piercing damage. The shrike ship takes half as much damage and comes to a dead stop. Miss: The attack deals no damage, the target moves into the nearest unoccupied space that isn’t in the shrike ship’s path, and the shrike ship can continue moving if it has any movement left.
History - The Shrikeship appears in The Lost Ships (1990) sourcebook and again in The War Captain's Companion (1992). It's not a big ship, but it was very, very fast. Humans and halflings primarily used the Shrikeship as a trading vessel and light warship. Merchants loved these ships, which wasn't because of their small 10-ton cargo space. A Shrike ship could tow cargo barges simultaneously, making it perfect for short-haul trips.
As a light warship, a Shrikeship made a great patrol ship and a fast attack fighter. Humans have incorporated them into their planetary defenses. One of the ballistae could be replaced with a catapult, a transformation that was often made. Even the great Elven armadas use the Shrikeship, converting them to be able to land in the water.
5th Edition - The Shrikeship is one of the fastest ships we have encountered yet, traveling at eight mph. It is a graceful-looking ship, with two long wings on either side and a third in the back, which looks like a bird's tail. The vessel has a reinforced bow, giving it the appearance of a long bird's beak. The Shrikeship's legs allow it to land on the ground and in the water. It's incapable of traveling in the water, but being able to float is better than drowning.
The Shrikeship has a forecastle, sterncastle, top deck, and main deck. Both the fore and the stern deck have a ballista mounted there. The center of the top deck is where the third ballista is mounted. Also on the top deck are the bridge, crew quarters, and armory. The remaining rooms on the ships are located on the main deck, the lowest on the ship. Here you will find the Captain's quarters, mess hall, steerage, gallery, and cargo hold. The cargo hold can carry up to 20 tons. That, along with the Shrikeship's speed, has made it a popular ship amongst traders and pirates alike.
Space Galleon
Armor Class: 15 (wood)
Hit Points: 400
Damage Threshold: 15
Speed: fly 35 ft. (4 mph)
Cargo: 20 tons
Crew: 20
Keel/Beam: 130 ft./30 ft.
Cost: 30,000 gp
Weapons: Ballista (2) Crew 3, AC 15, HP 50, Cost 50 gp (ballista), 5 gp (bolt). Bolt - Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Mangonel (1) Crew 5, AC 15, HP 100, Cost: (cannon), 100 gp (mangonel), 0 gp (stone). Mangonel Stone - Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 200/800 ft. (can’t hit targets within 60 feet of it), one target. Hit: 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage.
History - The Galleon is one of the original ships found in the sourcebooks Concordance Of Arcane Space (1989) and Lorebook of the Void (1989). The Space Galleon was never meant for use in space. Usually a seafaring vessel, it was mainly used by those 'groundlings' who were beginning to travel the Astral sea. These individuals were industrious, reaching for the stars by slapping a Spelljammer helm on them and heading off to the stars.
Because of its massive cargo hold, the Galleon was used by merchants and traders. Some were converted into warships, but their bulk made the Galleon a slow and hard-to-maneuver craft. On the flip side, the ship's sheer size allowed it to add more weapons with some slight modifications. One could fit up to 10 bombards by swapping them out with the ballista. Needless to say, the Giff loved this style of the gunship.
5th Edition - The Space Galleon is fashioned after the great ships that sail a planet's seas. As you probably figured out already, these ships can easily land and travel on water, but landing on the ground results in you tipping over. They are pretty standard on both the sea and amongst the stars. The Space Galleon's massive size, three main masts, and bow spirit make it easily recognizable no matter where you might travel.
The Space Galleon has a foredeck, stern, main, cargo, and steerage deck. The forecastle has both ballistae mounted to it, and the sterncastle is where you'll find the mangonel. The main deck is where all the important stuff is, mainly the Spelljammer helm and the Captain's quarters. Some might say the mess hall is just as important, but that depends on the chef. The steerage deck has the officer's and crew quarters and the upper cargo space. The cargo space is 30 ft by 40 ft, making it larger than most ships' only cargo space, but the total cargo can only hold 20 tons. In the steerage deck are the larger cargo space and the brig. When you have an average crew of 20 men, you're bound to have a couple spend some time there.
Squid Ship
Armor Class: 15 (wood)
Hit Points: 300
Damage Threshold: 15
Speed: fly 30 ft. (3 1/2 mph)
Cargo: 20 tons
Crew: 13
Keel/Beam: 250 ft./25 ft.
Cost: 25,000 gp
Weapons: Ballista (2) Crew 3, AC 15, HP 50, Cost 50 gp (ballista), 5 gp (bolt). Bolt - Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Mangonel (1) Crew 5, AC 15, HP 100, Cost: (cannon), 100 gp (mangonel), 0 gp (stone). Mangonel Stone - Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 200/800 ft. (can’t hit targets within 60 feet of it), one target. Hit: 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage.
Piercing Ram: (The ship’s spelljammer can make the following attack when the ship runs into another object or into a Gargantuan creature).
Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 0 ft., one object or Gargantuan creature. Hit: 88 (16d10) piercing damage. The squid ship takes half as much damage and comes to a dead stop. Miss: The attack deals no damage, the target moves into the nearest unoccupied space that isn’t in the shrike ship’s path, and the squid ship can continue moving if it has any movement left.
History - One of the first Spelljammers, the Squid ship appears in the sourcebooks Concordance Of Arcane Space (1989) and Lorebook of the Void (1989). Its official name is a cephalopod-class brig, but that's a mouthful, so people call it the Squid ship. The origins of the ships are one of speculation, but most scholars agree that mind flayers were somehow involved. It was a popular vessel with good size and excellent maneuverability, allowing it to be used in several ways.
The most popular style of the ship was a trader's ship, usually for pricey cargo such as gems and magical items. It made the Squid ship a target for pirates, and if a captain knew they were traveling through dangerous space, they would add crew to defend the ship. Speaking of pirates, they, too, loved the Squid ship. Passing themselves off as trading vessels, pirates could hide in plain sight, picking off ships when the time was right. A gripping ram was often added, allowing its crew to board the target ship quickly.
If they could afford one, adventurers would purchase a Squid ship for its flexibility. Traveling through the Astral sea and a planet's oceans were great for exploring both areas. The Squid ship's design allows it to sail on the water and land on the ground. Navies will use these ships as fast attack ships and carrier vehicles. As a military vehicle, the Squid was used in human space navies as an attack ship and carrier ship. If necessary, the Squid could cram in a large number of troops and fight off potential attack forces
5th Edition - The Squid ship is one of the oldest Spelljamming vessels you can find cruising the Astral sea. You've got to think that mind flayer came up with the ship's design, the tentacles being a dead giveaway. Independent pirates will use these ships if they can, and the military will utilize them as patrol ships. Standard weapons on a squid ship include a forward-mounted mangonel, two aft-mounted ballistae, and a reinforced bow for ramming. The tentacles that extend from the bow account for nearly half the ship's keel length. A large fin extends out from the back of the vessel. The Squid ship appears to fly backward compared to how an actual squid swims.
A Squid has long tentacles protruding from its bow, a forecastle and sterncastle, the main deck, and a cargo deck. The ship's mangonel is located on the forecastle, and both ballistae are found in the stern castle, each one aimed at a 45-degree angle, allowing it to cover a wide range. The main deck held small storage in the bow, captain's quarters, gallery, and the bridge located by the stern. The cargo deck was where you find the crew, spelljammer's and officer's quarters, another small storage area, storage space, and cargo hold.
Star Moth
Armor Class: 13 (ceramic)
Hit Points: 400
Damage Threshold: 15
Speed: fly 50 ft. (5½ mph)
Cargo: 30 tons
Crew: 13
Keel/Beam: 200 ft./20 ft.
Cost: 40,000 gp
Weapons: Ballista (2) Crew 3, AC 15, HP 50, Cost 50 gp (ballista), 5 gp (bolt). Bolt - Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Mangonel (1) Crew 5, AC 15, HP 100, Cost: (cannon), 100 gp (mangonel), 0 gp (stone). Mangonel Stone - Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 200/800 ft. (can’t hit targets within 60 feet of it), one target. Hit: 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage.
History - There is no Star Moth in the 2nd edition, but there are two butterfly-shaped ships. The Flitter is a single person ship used as a short-distance messenger. The Armada is a massive ship created and used by the mighty elven navy as a military flying base, on which up to 40 Flitters may land!
5th Edition - The Star Moth is a ship solely used by the Astral Elves. Unless someone takes one by force, the elves do not allow other races to own these ships. While it's not meant for anything other than space travel, the Star Moth can float on water and land on the ground.
The Star Moth is one of the most beautiful ships in existence. The hull is made from an unknown organic substance, but whatever it is, the Astral elves aren't telling. It also has enormous wings of shimmer crystal extending out from the battle deck. It also has a large, curved nose-like structure in the front. Strangely, the Astral elves haven't fashioned this into some type of ram. They probably don't want to sully the ship's beauty by crashing into another vehicle.
Speaking of decks, the Star Moth has three of them; the castle, battle, and main decks. The castle deck sits atop the ship and is used as a lookout station. It also provided access to the mangonel, which is only a flight of stairs away. First up is the forward deck, and as we move toward the aft of the ship, we'll see the bridge, a small storage area, and the captain's and officer's quarters. The main deck has both ballistae in the forward battle station, and they shoot their bolts out two portholes at 45-degree angles. Moving backward is the mess hall, gallery, and crew quarters. A sixty-foot hallway splits the cargo hold down the middle, providing access to the jettison.
Turtle Ship
Armor Class: 19 (metal)
Hit Points: 300
Damage Threshold: 15
Speed: fly 25 ft. (3 mph), swim 25 ft. (3 mph)
Cargo: 30 tons
Crew: 16
Keel/Beam: 95 ft./70 ft.
Cost: 40,000 gp
Weapons: Ballista (3) Crew 3, AC 15, HP 50, Cost 50 gp (ballista), 5 gp (bolt). Bolt - Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Mangonel (1) Crew 5, AC 15, HP 100, Cost: (cannon), 100 gp (mangonel), 0 gp (stone). Mangonel Stone - Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 200/800 ft. (can’t hit targets within 60 feet of it), one target. Hit: 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage.
History - The Turtle ship, found in the sourcebook The Lost Ships (1990), was created by and primarily used by Lizardfolk as trader ships. Lizardfolk designed these ships to their needs, with a large pool on the cargo deck. The remainder of the ship was dark, and the air was thick and humid.
As the ships became more commonplace, humans and mind flayers started using them more and more, but for entirely different reasons. Humans found the ships suitable as trader ships, as they had good cargo space and the hard metal shell protected against pirates. On the other hand, mind flayers used the ships as slave ships. They kept their prisoners in the pool as the mind flayers converted it into a giant prison cell. They would also strip the ship of all its military armaments to provide more room for their victims.
5th Edition - I've got to admit, this is probably my favorite ship, and if I ever play in a Spelljammer campaign, I will do whatever I can to have one. With an Armor Class of 19, it is built like a tank. The Turtle ship can land on the ground and float on the water. Unlike the other ships we've discussed, the Turtle ship can become airtight and travel underwater. Cool.
The Turtle ship has three decks: a top deck, the main deck, and cargo hold. The top deck is split into two parts. The bow top deck sits at the edge of the Turtle's shell, and all three ballistae are here, able to provide cover for the entire front of the ship. On the stern top deck is the mangonel. None of the abovementioned weapons can be used when the Turtle is submerged.
The main deck contains every room found on a Turtle ship. These include the bridge, the spelljammer's quarters and helm, crew quarters, galley, mess hall, captains quarters, stateroom, and a sick bay. It's the first ship we've seen with medical facilities, which seems odd since it is also one of the most formidable ships on the Astral sea. The bottom deck is the cargo hold. This space runs almost the ship's entire length, and gravity is reversed.
Tyrant Ship
Armor Class: 17 (stone)
Hit Points: 300
Damage Threshold: 20
Speed: fly 40 ft. (4½ mph)
Cargo: 0 tons
Crew: 10 (beholders)
Keel/Beam: 100 ft./100 ft.
Cost: -
Weapons: Eyestalk Cannons (3) Crew 1, AC -, HP -, Cost -,
This weapon looks like an eye mounted on an eyestalk. A beholder stationed in one of the tyrant ship’s meditation pods can see through the eye by concentrating on it (as if concentrating on a spell) and use an action to make the following attack.
Destructive Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 35 (10d6) force damage.
History - Introduced in the Concordance Of Arcane Space (1989) and Lorebook of the Void (1989), the tyrant ships were the most varied and eclectic type of ships in the Astral sea. Manned solely by beholders, these ships reflected the captain's idea of perfection. Ships appeared as giant gaping maws with eye stalk tentacles, snail-like creatures with a single bulging eye, or whatever bizarre interpretation the beholder had of perfection. All other creatures, including other beholders, were inferior.
While every Tyrant was different, they each had a common makeup. All Tyrants had a concave 'shell' covered in small pockets where the beholder crew rested. In the center of the shell was the eye mother, surrounded by several orbs.
One would not find a ballista or mangonel on a Tyrant ship, as they did not carry any traditional weaponry. Instead, the beholders on the vessel formed a collective circuit. This circuit would then be channeled by the eye mother, who could release a bolt of magical energy that extended 400 yards and up to 100 yards across at the base. The beam's ability was based on the beholder's natural magical ability. A few examples of the beam's power included the following (as found in the Lorebook of Space):
Charm Person: One target-if within range-per common beholder in the circuit. Targets do not need to be grouped together, though all must be within the area of effect. Anyone target needs only save once against this spell.
Disintegrate: Each common beholder in the circuit after the first increases the area of effect of this spell as if an additional disintegrate was cast.
Death Ray: One target can be affected for every common beholder in the circuit, but all such targets must be within a 10-foot radius.
Anti-Magic Ray: The most deadly of the beholder's arsenal of attacks in space, this ray affects everything within the target area. Should it strike the spelljammer's helm, it will shut it down, rendering the ship helpless. A ship's upper decks usually provide adequate cover from this ray but used in conjunction with the disintegrate, the ray can easily and quickly immobilize an opponent. Note that the anti-magic ray can work against other anti-magic rays as well.
5th Edition - Remember this simple advice when encountering a Tyrant ship in the Astral sea. Run. Run as fast as you can and as far as you can. Any creature that creates its vessels by using its disintegration ray to carve stone, thereby making a ship, is not one you want to mess with. While each Tyrant may have unique features, the eyestalks they all have are a dead giveaway that you're in big trouble. Landing on the ground won't help because so can the Tyrant. They can float, but not travel, on water too, so hopefully, you got that Turtle ship you wanted.
The design of the Tyrant is unlike any we have seen so far. They all have four decks; Mediation, command, hollow, and cargo, and all the rooms are spherical. The meditation deck has three pods where the beholder can…well…meditate. The command deck has three large rooms. Two are crew quarters, while the third is the spelljamming helm. Any beholder on the ship can use the helm as long as they attune to it.
The hollow deck is empty but provides access to the cargo deck below. Gravity is reversed both on this deck and the cargo deck. The cargo deck has additional beholder quarters, and two large cargo holds. Travel between all the decks is through one of three access shafts that travel the ship's length.
The Wasp
Armor Class: 15 (wood)
Hit Points: 250
Damage Threshold: 15
Speed: fly 50 ft. (5½ mph)
Cargo: 10 tons
Crew: 5
Keel/Beam: 80 ft./20 ft.
Cost: 20,000 gp
Weapons: Ballista (4) Crew 3, AC 15, HP 50, Cost 50 gp (ballista), 5 gp (bolt). Bolt - Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
History - The Wasp first appears in the Concordance of Arcane Space (1989), with additional information found in the Lorebook of the Void (1989). Built and used by the lizardfolk, it is a unique ship, having features designed primarily for these humanoids. It wasn't the prettiest of ships but suited the needs of the lizardfolk well.
The lower deck served as a fish tank of a sort, completely filled with water. The flooded cargo area contained a variety of creatures known as crew mascots. It held everything from small fish to crocodiles and up to giant squid. The small fish were often eaten for dinner. The lizardfolk also used this area since, in this edition, they needed to be submerged in water regularly, and if they failed to do so, they would die. Their only weapon, a ballista, was located on the top deck.
There were three types of Wasp ships, along with three main uses for it. The bee class was a deep space vehicle, able to travel the distance needed to reach their colonies far from their home world. The bumble bee was the largest of the three and had the most cargo space (6 tons). There were no legs or ballista to accommodate the increased cargo deck. The fleet-footed Wasp was built for speed and was the fastest of the three.
Piracy was its primary use. It made not have been able to ram a ship, but its design made any attempt to board another vessel easy. On larger targets, a Wasp could even land on the opposing vehicle. Adventurers would buy these ships since they were cheap and cool looking. Finally, the rich purchased some Wasps and used them as luxury ships. The ambitious could redesign the flooded area into a pool. That's traveling in style!
5th Edition - One of the newer ships in this edition, you can land a Wasp on the ground, but don't try landing on the water. The Wasp is mainly used as a pirate and adventuring ship. Pirates love their speed, and adventurers new to the Astral seas appreciate how cheap they are. Once again, the wealthy will pay to transform the Wasp into a luxury car, I mean ship. There's no pool, but converting the cargo area into lavish living quarters is easy.
A Wasp has just three decks. The ship's ballista is the only item you'd find on the weapons deck, which was extremely small, just 15 ft long, and mostly. Five feet wide, the ship's four 'wings' were mounted on this deck. The fore deck was also tiny, containing just the spelljammer helm. The main deck was where you'd find most of the Wasp's rooms. They included the captain's quarters, crew's quarters, foredeck, gallery, and cargo hold.
Whew, that’s a lot of ships! While expensive, a ship is priceless in any Spelljammer campaign. Save those coppers, and maybe one day you can buy your very own Turtle ship.
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