Beadle & Grimm’s Launches Skullduggery On Kickstarter

The latest D&D 5E supplement has hit Kickstarter. 

TTRPG Supplement Company Beadle & Grimm’s Pandemonium Warehouse launched their newest Kickstarter project, Skullduggery. They describe the project as a: 

“5E urban fantasy companion, filled with new city-inspired subclasses, backgrounds, species, feats, spells, and equipment—all balanced for the 2024 5E ruleset. In addition, it comes with city establishment and organization ideas and 4 chapters of an all-new urban-themed Adventure that can be dropped into any campaign: The Oppression of Blood.” 

So Many Player Options

Now, this project has so much content in it, and that really starts with the subclasses. There are 15 new subclasses in this book, and those include:

• Path Of Metamorphosis Barbarian: Use experimental alchemy to release your primal self
• College Of Knives Bard: Dazzle with a quick blade and a quick wit
• College Of Poison Bard: Poison enemies with toxic words and toxic substances
• Swiftness Domain Cleric: Accelerate movement and protect freedom
• Circle Of Vermin Druid: Find natural power in the heart of cities
• Duelist Fighter: Join a fighting school and master combat
• Warrior Of Ink Monk: Etch manifestations of your focus onto your skin
• Highwayman / Highwaywoman Ranger: Commit crimes and defy the law for the greater good
• Acrobat Rogue: Practice acrobatics with a quarterstaff and achieve perfect balance
• Cryptblade Rogue: Stalk the crypts of the under city
• Deadeye Rogue: Take aim at what you want
• Enforcer Rogue: Threaten enemies with violence
• Sovereign Blood Sorcerer: Carry the weight of the kingdom in your magic
• Grim Reaper Patron Warlock: Balance the scale of death
• Spiritologist Wizard: Practice necromancy with the aid of spirits

There are going to also be 15 brand-new Backgrounds for your character to have, including:

• Chimney Sweep: You’re a magic-using guild member that sees all from the city rooftops 
• Cultist Initiate (Former): Is there really any way out of your past life?
• Cultist Thug (Former): Time to make up for your past sins
• Fence: Do you still deal in exclusive and rare items?
• Gambler: You always seem to bluff or luck you way out of a tight spot
• Grave Digger: You learned to move about unseen to avoid disturbing mourners, but what did you dig up?
• Guild Muscle: You’re a “heavy” for an organization that works outside the law. Or maybe you used to be
• Guild Operative: Are you still on good terms? You’d better hope so
• House Servant: You worked in a large estate, serving an important family. What did you learn?
• House Valet: What happened to the powerful house you once served?
• Hunted: You’re the target of a powerful organization, always on the run
• Lamplighter: You keep the darkness at bay
• Mortician: You aided in the passing from life into death, until the incident. 
• Soothsayer: Skeptics initially called you a charlatan, but somehow, real power has emerged
• Sword for Hire: You turned your knack for violence into a profession

2 New Species were revealed, including:

• The Forsaken: Tainted by necrotic energies, the Forsaken are creatures that dwell between life and undeath. There are four strains of Forsaken, all with their own special traits: Ghoulish, Revenant, Spectral, and Vampiric. 
• Mycelium: From somewhere deep in the earth, these plant creatures are drawn to the city in search of their wayward god.

Also included will be a lot of armor choices:

• 10 Martial Melee Weapons: Arming Sword, Bladed Boot, Bladed Fan, Bladed Spear, Falchion, Gothic Sword, Saber, Spiked Chain (Heavy & Light), And Wind Glaive
• 3 Martial Ranged Weapons: Composite Long Bow And Repeating Crossbows (Hand & Heavy)
• 3 Armors: Armored Longcoat And Armored Greatcoat (When Wearing Visible Armor To A Social Gathering Is Definitely Frowned Upon) As Well As The Great Vambrace
• 8 Equipment: Air Bladder, Alchemical Smoke, Alchemist’s Adhesive, Bolt Harness, Climbing Claws, Crossbow Sling, Light Crystal, And Survival Kit
• 14 Talisman Magic Items (One-Shot Items Consumed Upon Use): Blindsight, Bodily Health, Concentration (Lesser, Moderate, And Greater), Freedom, Free Will, Healing (Lesser, Moderate, And Greater), Ogre Strength, Potent Cantrips, Regeneration, And Travel
• 10 Poisons: 6 Blade Venoms, 3 Contact Poisons, And 1 Ingested Poison

There are also 15 Feats in this book:

• 5 Origin Feats: Equestrian, Lucid Mind, Rank And File, Signature Weapon, And Vindictive
• 10 General Feats: Battlefield Healer, Daring Escape, Electrocutioner, Expert Fletcher, Frostbite, Heel To Toe, Lightning Quick, Plays With Knives, Pyromania, And Vanguard

Lots Of GM Content

As for the GM content in this book, all of that is attached to the book’s adventure, The Oppression Of Blood. Beadle & Grimm’s description for the adventure reads: 

“A nefarious Sovereign Blood Sorcerer noble has the City under a powerful Infernal influence. The party must undergo a series of quests to discover the source of the power and break it.” 

Just some of the quests were revealed, and they include:

• Escorting a visiting acolyte across the city while the sorcerer’s formidable forces try to stop them
• Being framed for murder and retrieving a key cipher from a guild lair
• Attending an exclusive masquerade ball to uncover clues and retrieve an artifact
• Breaking into a magical academy to defeat a major villain and announce their arrival as heroes to be reckoned with

We also got descriptions for at least 2 of the 16 Establishments in the book:

• The Burnt Haze, Tavern
  • More a private club than a tavern, The Burnt Haze caters to some of the most dangerous of the City’s movers and shakers. Located in the Undercity, one must first prove membership, or present a special invite, to the doorperson. Once inside, the haze of incense smoke and the blindfolded employees are likely the only things most patrons will witness.
• Blade & Book, Adventurer’s Guild And Spy Network
  • Founded just five years ago in response to rampant corruption, magical abuse, and unchecked aristocratic power, this adventurer’s guild is a rare beacon of conviction in a place ruled by masks and misdirection. They operate out of an old bathhouse repurposed into a fortified hall. Its exterior is plain, even rundown, but its interior is protected by enchantments, illusions, and a rotating network of guards and spies.

Some of the other Establishments that are in the book include:

• The Crooked End, Tavern
• Wyrm & Ward: Arcane Outfitters, Magic Item Shop
• Stonehook Supply Co., General Store
• A Better Sip, Apothecary / Potion Shop
• Sweet Sting Vinegars & Honeys, Poison Distributor
• The Night Market, Market
• Lost and Drowned, Antiques Shop
• Black Dragon Fighting Center, Fighter Training
• Rachmanoff Learning Academy, Wizard Training 
• The Swift Scarves, Chimney Sweep Guild
• The Lamplighter’s Guild, Lamplighter’s Guild
• The Verdant Coil, Order of Druids
• The Glimmering Veil, Performer’s Union
• The Umbral End, Cultist Organization

Stretch Goals Galore

So far in Stretch Goals, all that has been unlocked is:

• Book Ribbon & Spot Glass (Will Be Added To The Hardcover Book) 
• Additional Subclass (Bounty Hunter Ranger) & 1 New NPC 
• Additional Species (Watcher)

The Stretch Goals that have yet to be unlocked include:

• Eldritch Foundry Pack (40% Off Discount Code & 1 Month Free Subscription) 
• Additional Species (Cassaco) 
• 2 Additional Battle Maps 
• Additional Subclass (To Be Announced)

This project is already funded, but if you want to back it to help get more content added, you have until September 19th to do so.