By Joe G. Kushner, (repost from ENWorld), September 27, 2003.

Aether & Flux takes your campaign away from the land and into the Traverse. Some people have claimed that this product is Spelljammer for d20 but what exactly does that mean?

It starts off with ideas on how to get into space using Aether & Flux. Aether is a convenient way to get people into space as it's invisible and intangible for the most part and is the 'wind that fills the expanse of the Traverse.' Is also reacts to flux and arcane magic. Using those two things, allowing the GM to use magic or science, ships can be propelled by having a thin covering on one side of a magical or flux object, leaving the other side exposed to the push of Aether.

It provides details on how Aether works as far as celestial bodies and where it's thickest and thinnest. It provides details on the Pale Aether, the mists that collect at the edge of a star system, much like in the old days of Spelljammer's Crystal Spheres. It's a short but workable system that allows a GM to use either magic or technology, for those who say, are playing a steampunk style campaign.

Also introduced in the first chapter are the Ravin. These insects are the main enemy of the campaign and come in several styles, mostly workers with different sizes but also warriors and elitist. While they make an interesting foe, there isn't enough down with them when first introduced. For example, illustrations. One picture of the head of a Ravin isn't enough to portray their style, size, power and presence to me.

The book provides a quick port of call for those new to the space lands in the form of Maythorne's Wheel which includes several detailed but unmapped locations. This is a good stopping point and starting point for those GMs who just want to see how the feel of a campaign using these rules could work out. It allows a wide variety of personas to be placed in one location without sending the players all over the Traverse.

Several pages are devoted to the stats of the various ships include small kellboats through common tallships. Each one is detailed with size, hull, sails, crew, weapons, cargo and other details so that with a glance, you can see what each ship is capable of. Some of the more unique ships include the Elven Ormralest, living ships that were created from "a unique ormralest nut" that grew into a living plant, named Lady Liaenestre. The Ravin ships aren't made of wood or steel, but other Ravin who get hollowed out and turned into ships. That I thought was very well done and original for the d20 system as it provides a new ship type without getting into some chaos theory or other really weird material.

Maps are included, featuring a visual overview of the elf and ravin ships, as well as tactical maps and side panel overviews making the unique ships more than just words as you can see what they now look like. Other ships include the caravel, cog, gryphon, and fantail. Maps are good quality and easy to use.

Those wondering what types of crews you'll use will find Chapter Three, Signing Aboard, useful. It reminded me of spelljammer with different crew ratings and various titles and stations. It allows a GM who is unfamiliar with ship terms to quickly catch up to speed on the differences between a deckhand and a petty officer.

Aethership Equipment is also included as are the various items that such ships crews would carrying like boarding axes, gaff hooks, belaying pins and other mundane equipment. The specialized and magical equipment tends to focus on keeping the crew alive or providing direction for the crew who go through the Traverse.

The part on sailing includes how quick Traversal Speed can get and how best to power Aetherships. Star system travel is calculated with beginning and final destinations, as well as rules on tactical maneuvering, hull material, rules for insufficient crew and how ship combat works. The classics, like ramming are covered, as well as critical hits for internal damage to ships.

Those wanting to know what types of weapons such ships carry won't be disappointed as we have the standards, including various types of ballistae like the scorpions (medium ballista), and catapuls and even, yes, cannons. Some new weapons, like lightning canons, and magical weapons, are included to augment standard battles. This section includes the stats as well as information like cost, range, reload, crew, hardness, hit points, and other important game factors.

Chapter Five, The Sea of Stars, provides the reader with information on gravity, celestial navigation, star charts and other means of getting around and not getting lost while moving through the Traverse. In addition, a sample star system, The Maelstrom, is included with several planets, each with a vital planet statistics (type, girth, temperature, gravity, atmosphere, dominant life, hydrographics) and a short paragraph about the world. It's an okay section but because it's so short, doesn't really stand out in memory or strike me as immediately useful.

The last chapter, Captain's Cabin, provides the reader with information on refits for space purposes like adding turrets to weapons, common repair information, ideas on running a campaign using Aether and Flux through three different stages, Emergence, Exploration and Empire, and includes a few heroes and villains to add to the campaign as well as general ideas on what makes a good hero or villain during these time frames.

The book does a good job of introducing an alternative to helms and the entire Spelljammer feel but as a new book, might not go far enough for the player's side of things, which is where the buy in has to come. For example, while there are new spells and feats, there aren't a lot of them and they're not flashy. I know that there are people out there today who claim that art doesn't matter, but to the vast majority, it does and there isn't enough art here, and no art is distinctive. There's nothing here to say, "This is the Aether & Flux style" as opposed to a swashbuckling style or a pirate style. What's worse from a player's perspective is that there are no new races or prestige classes, limiting the majority of the use here to GM's.

For GM's who want to take their campaigns in a new direction, Aether & Flux offers intriguing possibilities but for players, the revised Spelljammer in Polyhedron offers more options.

Joe G. Kushner

The original post can be found HERE.