5e Spelljamming

[JoeJ]

I'm creating a space travel campaign for 5e, and thinking about how the spelljamming mechanic should work. One of the things I never liked about the original was that operating a helm completely knocked out a character's ability to cast spells, which makes it hard for them to contribute to the adventure. I therefore came up with the following, that I'd like to get some feedback on:

A spelljamming vessel can be operated by any character who casts spells using spell slots. To do so, you must first use an action to take control of the helm by touching it and expending a spell slot. You can then cause the ship to maneuver and to travel through space with a spelljammer rating (SR) equal to the level of the spell slot expended. You do not have to remain in contact with the helm to maintain control, but the ship can only be moved or turned while you are touching the helm. Moving the ship does not require an action, but turning it does. You can not cast spells while touching a helm that you control.

Once control is established, it continues for up to 8 hours, or until you relinquish control (no action required), become incapacitated, assume control of a different helm, or control is taken by another caster winning a contest, as described below. If you take control of a different helm, the total time you may control all helms is still 8 hours, which resets when you complete a long rest. If you wish to increase the speed of the ship, and have a higher level slot available, you can use an action and expend that higher level slot to raise the SR. When you do so, you do not regain the slot originally expended. Increasing the SR in this way does not affect long distance travel time, but it does increase tactical movement during combat.

To take control of a ship that another character is already controlling you must be touching the helm. As an action, you expend a spell slot and roll using your spellcasting ability in a contest against the spellcasting ability of the character currently controlling the ship. Each character can add the level of the spell slot they expended to their roll. (For the character currently in control, use the level of the spell slot they expended to take control initially.) If you win, you immediately gain control of the ship. The level of the spell slot expended becomes the new SR.

Does this reduce the cost too much? And are there any other problems with it that I might be overlooking?

[DracoKnight]

I'm creating a space travel campaign for 5e, and thinking about how the spelljamming mechanic should work. One of the things I never liked about the original was that operating a helm completely knocked out a character's ability to cast spells, which makes it hard for them to contribute to the adventure. I therefore came up with the following, that I'd like to get some feedback on:

A spelljamming vessel can be operated by any character who casts spells using spell slots. To do so, you must first use an action to take control of the helm by touching it and expending a spell slot. You can then cause the ship to maneuver and to travel through space with a spelljammer rating (SR) equal to the level of the spell slot expended. You do not have to remain in contact with the helm to maintain control, but the ship can only be moved or turned while you are touching the helm. Moving the ship does not require an action, but turning it does. You can not cast spells while touching a helm that you control.

Once control is established, it continues for up to 8 hours, or until you relinquish control (no action required), become incapacitated, assume control of a different helm, or control is taken by another caster winning a contest, as described below. If you take control of a different helm, the total time you may control all helms is still 8 hours, which resets when you complete a long rest. If you wish to increase the speed of the ship, and have a higher level slot available, you can use an action and expend that higher level slot to raise the SR. When you do so, you do not regain the slot originally expended. Increasing the SR in this way does not affect long distance travel time, but it does increase tactical movement during combat.

To take control of a ship that another character is already controlling you must be touching the helm. As an action, you expend a spell slot and roll using your spellcasting ability in a contest against the spellcasting ability of the character currently controlling the ship. Each character can add the level of the spell slot they expended to their roll. (For the character currently in control, use the level of the spell slot they expended to take control initially.) If you win, you immediately gain control of the ship. The level of the spell slot expended becomes the new SR.

Does this reduce the cost too much? And are there any other problems with it that I might be overlooking?

I like how this works. I was wondering how to run Spelljammer in 5e, and this gives me a good idea of how to do it. :smallbiggrin:

[JoeJ]

I like how this works. I was wondering how to run Spelljammer in 5e, and this gives me a good idea of how to do it. :smallbiggrin:

Thanks. :)

Adding on, a major helm works as described. A minor helm gives you SR equal to the level of the spell slot expended divided by two (round up).