Spelljammer What classic Spelljammer sources are worth getting?

[Alzrius]

I'll go ahead and add that I've long thought that SJA4 Under the Dark Fist (affiliate link) had untapped potential.

The setup is truly epic. The Vodoni Empire, which rules twelve crystal spheres (i.e. solar systems) is sending an invasion fleet of werewolf berserkers to conquer the Radiant Triangle (i.e. Greyspace, Realmspace, and Krynnspace). Your PCs are chosen by a council representing the various free spacefaring people to form a strike team to go and slay the Vodoni Emperor, Vulkaran the Dark, before the invasion can be launched!

It was an excellent premise which should have gotten more than sixty-four pages of development, though it includes a decent amount of details for the various spheres the Empire controls.

 

[Ath-kethin]

I'll kick in more votes for the Rock of Bral and the Astromundi Cluster. Both are top-notch.

The original set is a given, but likely to be of limited actual use with the 5e version coming.

While I have the other two box sets as well, I've never used them in 30+ years. If that says anything.

The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook is cool too, but I put it a lower priority than Astromundi and Rock of Bral.

The only supplement made of completely new material - that is, stuff that isn't mentioned or developed in any way in an earlier product - is the Astromundi Cluster.

 

[Micah Sweet]

More votes for the Monstrous Compendia, Practical Planetology, the main box, Lost Ships, and the complete Spacefarer's Handbook. I would also recommend I, Tyrant and its Mind Flayer equivalent. A couple years ago I ran a 5e space game featuring all the crazy beholder variants introduced in Spelljammer, and it was a blast!

 

[Weiley31]

Well on my wishlist for older Spelljammer stuff I have, as per everybody's advice in helping the OP:

Rock of Bral
Lost Ships
Complete Spacefarer's Handbook
Spelljammer
SJA4: Under the Dark Fist(serioiusly that is one Baator of a set up.)
Legend of the Spelljammer
Krynnspace
Greyspace

Along with the stuff I mentioned in my posts. That should truly cover Spelljammer for me in regard to material/stuff.

 

[Stormonu]

If you've watched the Expanse or Stargate SG-1/Atlantis, you have a good idea with what to do with Astromundi Cluster.

I'd stay away from the Legend of the Spelljammer. It demystifies the big ship in a disappointing manner. It's better to define the Spelljammer yourself, and I would personally model it along the lines of the ship Destiny from Stargate Universe (though I'm not a fan of the show, the ship is really, really interesting).

 

[Micah Sweet]

If you've watched the Expanse or Stargate SG-1/Atlantis, you have a good idea with what to do with Astromundi Cluster.

I'd stay away from the Legend of the Spelljammer. It demystifies the big ship in a disappointing manner. It's better to define the Spelljammer yourself, and I would personally model it along the lines of the ship Destiny from Stargate Universe (though I'm not a fan of the show, the ship is really, really interesting).

While I agree with this, the Legend of Spelljammer does provide a lot more information about the setting, including a bundle of new ship designs.

 

[Mercurius]

Though I haven't looked at it in years, Practical Planetology is a fun product - it sketches out a bunch of different planets as examples, or to use in your game. If nothing else, good for inspiration.

 

[Weiley31]

You know what, I just found out Realmspace is epic simply because it has a sweet as heck Spelljammer vessel called The Batship.

Batship

The Batship was an enormous cursed bat-shaped spelljammer that roamed the Tears of Selûne.[1] The Batship could assume two configurations: a flight mode, in which it looked like a regular ship, and a battle mode, in which it curled into an attack posture, feet first. The ship could attack with...

forgottenrealms.fandom.com

And instead of a Minor/Major Helm to pilot it, your pretty much in a box and you control the actual thing with your own movements ala how they pilot the Gundams in G-Gundam.

 

[Alzrius]

Spelljammer cribbed a lot of stuff from classic anime. Check out this article (and the comments) for more on that:

Lakshu and their Shaktis « AuldDragon's AD&D Blog

blog.aulddragon.com

 

[James Gasik]

Spelljammer cribbed a lot of stuff from classic anime. Check out this article (and the comments) for more on that:

Lakshu and their Shaktis « AuldDragon's AD&D Blog

blog.aulddragon.com

Heck yeah, you can also face Gamera or Elf-created Guyvers!