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With Wizards of the Coast's release of the new Dungeons and Dragons: 5th Edition sourcebook, Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, fans are gearing up for their next science-fiction-inspired campaigns. Though Spelljammer retains its high-fantasy elements, Wildspace, the Astral Sea, and the horrors wandering about the universe are sure to add a sci-fi edge.
Many cool monsters appear in the new Spelljammer bestiary, Boo's Astral Menagerie. Some deal psychic damage and can call adventurers across the Astral Sea like sirens. Others are ancient foes born from the celestial bodies themselves. From the parasite-ridden eldritch lich to the radiantly-lit solar dragon, there are many foes for Dungeons Masters to run.
10 Eldritch Liches Are A New Terror On The Astral Sea
One of the most powerful D&D monsters is the lich, which enjoyed a sci-fi makeover in Spelljammer. The eldritch lich is born when a wizard or warlock heeds a Great Old One's call and allows themselves to get infected with a Far Realm parasite. On top of their usual undead aesthetic, they also sprout tentacles that evoke cosmic horror themes.
Eldritch liches can cast Planeshift, use their tentacles as weapons, and psychically damage their enemies. When the eldritch lich dies, it is reborn (unless killed while within Magic Circle).
9 Lunar And Solar Dragons Are Stunning Draconic Foes
All awesome D&D dragons require proper use, and now DMs have 5th Edition support for two more draconic foes. Lunar dragons have Cold Breath and can use the Phase ability as a bonus action, allowing it to become intangible for a time, thus giving it resistance to physical damage types. It can also tunnel through the ground.
Solar dragons, on the other hand, have the Flyby feature (protecting them from opportunity attacks), can blind creatures, and deals radiant damage with their Photonic Breath. It can also try to read minds using Nebulous Thought.
8 Cosmic Horrors Are The Perfect Deep-Space Villain
A harsh reality of being a D&D character is the constant threat of running into world-ending terrors. One such danger is the cosmic horror, a terrifying, tentacled monster hailing from the Far Realms. These creatures are Gargantuan, can use Teleport, and deal psychic damage in high amounts.
A cosmic horror's only goal is to feast on the minds of unwitting creatures. They follow starlight like moths to a flame, arrive in a Wildspace system, and eat everything in sight. They are one of the Far Realm's most awful villains.
7 Giant Space Hamsters Are An Iconic Creature
While not as hilarious as another of D&D's funniest monsters, the Vamster, giant space hamsters are famous for their absurdity and whimsy. Giant space hamsters are not particularly powerful (they only have a 1/4 challenge rating) but are cute and loyal companions.
Gnomes endeavor to utilize these creatures to power their ships. In building giant hamster wheels, the gnomes thought they could make their vessels more self-sufficient. Unfortunately, this scheme has yet to pan out. They can still be great mounts for the right-sized creatures.
6 Neh-Thalggu Are Out To Devour Minds
Neh-thalggu are the dreaded "brain collectors" who use humanoids to enhance their magical abilities. They were initially Far Realm denizens but quickly spread to plague other Wildspace systems and the Material Plane.
With only a challenge rating of four, these creatures have many abilities. They can use the Extract Brain attack to harvest a player's brain should they fall to zero hit points. Furthermore, they have the rechargeable Mind Blast attack and Psionic spell casting (which offers different spells depending on how many brains they've acquired).
5 Puppeteer Parasites Can Control Players
Puppeteer parasites are a great lower-level monster for adventurers starting in the Spelljammer setting. Not only are their terrifyingly grotesque creatures, but they also have tricky abilities to stump new players.
Puppeteer parasites employ Cling attacks to latch onto a player's body. From there, they Consume Life and can cast Suggestion, forcing players to do the monster's bidding if they don't roll high enough on their Intelligence saving throws. On top of that, they have a high Stealth modifier and Blindsight, making them a nightmare, especially for characters with low Intelligence.
4 Star Lancers Can Ambush From Seemingly Nowhere
Star lancers are strange and unique celestial beings that once worshiped a dead god (who now drifts about the Astral Sea as a lifeless rock). Within what was once the deity's heart, star lancers are born and reborn. When a star lancer dies, it returns to the cavernous heart and gets a new body.
Star lancers are winged-shark-like creatures that githyanki often use as mounts, as star lancers can turn invisible and are naturally good at Stealth checks. They can use their Invisibility Cloak up to three times per day, and their Flyby feature lets them flit about the map without provoking opportunity attacks.
3 Zodars Have The Wish Spell
Wish is among D&D's best wizard spells, and now there's a creature floating around Wildspace with this ability locked and loaded. Zodar are mysterious creatures that bend space. They're immune to being teleported or banished (unless they consent), and they can unwillingly teleport other creatures. They can also use an ability called Disembodied Voice, which functions like Sending but can only be used three times (ever).
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Zodar is that they have the Wish spell, though they can only use it once. After casting, they become a pile of dust.
2 Yggdrasti Have It Out For Spelljammer Ships
As 5e's newest publication, Spelljammer would make a great on-screen setting. There are tons of strange things floating around Wildspace and the Astral Sea, and one such creature is the Yggdrasti, a tree-like creature said to have broken off from the Yggdrasil itself.
Yggdrasti wander about until crossing paths with a Spelljammer ship, which it will immediately try to destroy. It's immune to lightning damage and has attacks of that type. Using Speak with Plants can help calm the creature down. Yggdrasti can also walk on land, though its ambulation is slow and awkward.
1 Eye Mongers Are Masquerading As Asteroids
Among the many things fans don't want to know about D&D's beholders is that they now come in space varieties. The eye monger is a large aberration mimicking asteroids in a bid to catch unaware adventurers.
They don't have the beholder's Antimagic Cone ability, but they possess a unique Antimagic Gullet, which nullifies spells and magical items within its maw. The eye monger's primary strategy is to Bite its foes and swallow them, thus landing them in their magic-resistant digestive tract. Once players find themselves there, they are in serious trouble.