The Grimdark Pamphlet (5e)

The Grimdark Pamphlet suggests rules additions and changes for the fifth edition ruleset to allow you to play grimmer adventures with morally ambiguous characters in a fantasy world beset on all sides by dire powers. In this world, life is brutal and short, victory is never assured, and madness and corruption threaten even the most resolute and steadfast.

Be forewarned. Characters will face greater challenges and are more likely to die. Immortality in this world is a distracting fallacy held tight by those too cowardly to truly live.

Inside You'll Find:

1. New Abilities and an Ability-focused Alignment system
2. New Skills for gritty games
3. Madness and Injuries, and how to cure them
4. Rules for Active AC
5. Suggestions for making magic rarer in your games
6. New Melee Weapons and Firearms
7. Grimmer Feats
8. And a growing sense of impending doom!

Design Goals and Format

Our design goals for The Grimdark Pamphlet were straightforward: provide quality, playable, yet simple rules for playing darker stories with the fifth edition ruleset.

Second to this was that the rules should be packaged in a modest format that could easily grow. We’re not going to get too fancy with artwork and flashy layout here.

Lastly, The Grimdark Sourcebook is intended to test the water for a potential grimdark sourcebook and will grow with feedback from the community—your feedback. We’d love your input.