You play the sword and the fighter is your minion! A fun and powerful fighter subclass. Plus: Death Save Devices!
PDFs may be ordered and pre-ordered at https://steveconley.com/shop
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Stabracadabra Production update!
5 months ago
– Thu, Feb 26, 2026 at 01:18:20 PM
I wanted to give a production update on Stabracdabra. I truly hoped to have the PDFs in everyones' hands by now but I went back to the drawing board on a few of the subclass' functions after feedback and playtesting.
What I learned...
I'd oversimplified the Sentient Swords
My instinct with all my 5E books is to simplify things. I start my projects with objectively way too many ideas and then whittle them down to something more manageable for players and DMs. The whittled-down rules were working... fine... but felt a little bland. I had whittled too much. I have now taken a step back and re-added some of that complexity.
As just one example: I decided early on that - for simplicity's sake - all the sentient swords would be largely the same (with level-based perks and customizations like the magic items in Intoximancy, Death Dealing, etc.) and any complexities in the sword's relationship with the fighter minion would be pure RP flavor. But I wasn't happy with it. IMO, the nature of the relationship should affect the sword's abilities. To solve this, I introduce the sword's Distinguising Characteristic - a typically higher-level perk for the magic items I cook up - to level 1 to truly change the flavor of the character from day one. Stabracdabra will include three distinguishing characteristics but there's no reason I couldn't dream up more in the future.
That re-added complexity meant reorganizing the book and creating a bespoke Sentient Sword character sheet
With 5E, designers can typically provide new subclass rules and players can plug the subclass in where the sourcebook and their table's 5E rules tell them to. Easy peasy.
With Stabracadabra, that wasn't working. The dual-character nature of the subclass needs instructions for first rolling up your sword and then rolling up their fighter minion. It also meant I had to switch gears away from crafting the sword-leveling guide and design a very different two-character character sheet.
For a few reasons:
For clarity and simplicity. If you think of character creation as an exercise in filling out forms, then it sure helps to see the form. Everything made more sense when players could see the character sheet.
To have the sheet showcase the two-character Pacific-Rim-"drift"-like nature of the subclass with both characters - the sword and the minion - on the same page.
To have the character sheet tell a story. To show how the sword gets top billing, who's in charge, and move the attack and damage up top alongside the sword's name! Other – lesser – weapons are relegated to the bottom.
All of this is to make sure that Stabracadabra delivers on the concept's promise. I really hope you like how it's coming together.
Here's a sneak peek...
The final PDFs will include a few changes ("standard of minion worthiness" language is out) and the PDF will be form-fillable. I like the sword nice-and-big up top and the minion's portrait in the lower corner - it shows who's boss!
I have to do something to spice up the second page. :)
As I mentioned, while I'm working on Stabracadabra, I'm taking part in Zinetopia on Backerkit with Wildest Shapewhich wraps up tomorrow at 4pm ET.
The Wildest Shape campaign is going great and those rewards will be delivered AFTER your Stabracadabra rewards go out!
To be clear:Stabracadabra supporters have dibs! :)
I was loathe to have these campaigns overlap but when I decided (for anti-A.I. reasons) to move my crowdfunding to Backerkit from Kickstarter, I found myself beholden to Backerkit's more rigid Zine Month launch schedule. I learned a lot but that's a whole other update to write.
I'll keep sharing pieces of Stabracadabra as they are ready for scrutinizing eyes!
Thank you again for your amazing support and your patience.
An update, Death Save Devices sneak peeks, and Wildest Shape
6 months ago
– Mon, Feb 02, 2026 at 01:39:23 PM
A quick Monday update…
Work on Stabracadabra and Death Save Devices is going really well! I have more illustrations to do and I’ll be sharing a bunch of updates this week. Starting with…
A look at a couple of Death Save Devices…
(I know it looks like a cat foot but rabbit/hare feet look like stretched tribbles and my cat was happy to pose for me.)
FWIW: In the latest edit, Luckiest Jackelope Foot requires 2 Death Saves to activate.
Wildest Shape has launched
I really really don’t like when a prior campaign’s production overlaps with the launch of a new campaign but I committed to taking part in Backerkit’s Zinetopia event and - unlike Kickstarter’s Zinequest - Backerkit’s collaborative campaigns all launch on the same day and time - which is today!
So, between paintings of cursed swords, I whipped up the Wildest Shape campaign page and put some polish on the cover I’d been working on. At 10AM PT today, Wildest Shape launched.
Back to work on Stabracadabra and Death Save Devices!
Look for more updates throughout the week!
I hope you’re all staying safe and warm! I can’t thank you enough for your support!
— Steve
Bladeborne Subclass Preview, Locking Orders, and Zinetopia
6 months ago
– Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 05:12:05 PM
As I was editing Stabracadabra, I was writing an example of one of the Bladeborne Fighter features when I realized it might be easier to explain as a comic (I have made a lot of educational comics). I decided to draw it as a medieval manuscript illustration, you know, the kind where everyone has small hands and obvious neck pain...
I think it works really well and I laugh every time I look at it. Here it is in context...
As I mentioned during one of the live streams, the focus of the subclass is using Reactions. IMO, the 2024 subclasses are juggernauts and the Bladeborne Fighter is definitely designed in the shadow of them. Instead of just hitting harder and attacking more often, I wanted to offer something "responsive" - and deliver on the promise of the book's cover where the fighter is blocking those attacks but not all of them. I see Bladeborn Fighters as charging headlong into enemies while deflecting enemy arrows and firebolts - succeeding brilliantly like a Jedi or failing amazingly like Deadpool.
What's surprising to me is that most radical thing about this subclass might not be expending Death Saves, but that Bladeborne Fighters get two Reactions. I welcome your comments. :)
The next preview will include the Sentient Sword leveling guide and perks.
Last call before locking orders in Backerkit
Keep an eye out for an email from Backerkit which will give you a heads-up before orders are locked. It will also give you a last chance to add anything to your pledge.
Zinetopia is around the corner...
While my focus is on production of Stabracadabra and Death Save Devices, the 2026 Zinetopia event starts on February 2!
My hope is for all of you to be receiving your Stabracadabra rewards while that campaign is under way. You can check out the coming-soon page here...
The next update will include a preview of the Sentient Sword leveling guide. And I'll be sharing the rules for replacing your fighter if they wear out, or wear out their welcome. :)
Thanks again for your amazing support!
-- Steve
A bonus PDF "Plotz Devices" and more updates
7 months ago
– Wed, Jan 21, 2026 at 01:05:08 PM
One of the stretch goals we unlocked was the Plotz Devices bonus PDF. This includes six curious contraptions crafted my magical mercantile maestro Odious Plotz. You know his slogan: Uncommon Items, Legendary Prices
You can download the PDF for free over my Patreon page...
I'm working to share the Bladeborne subclass preview and am finishing two important bits. One big recent change was an edit where the book is rewritten not addressing the Fighter but addressing you, the sword. It's weird but it's working. :)
In the Plotz Devices PDF, you'll see reference to my next 5E subclass book - this one for druids - called Wildest Shape. The subclass lets a druid use their Wild Shape ability to become one of their selves from a different timeline - perhaps one where they studied to be a rogue or a cleric or are a giant sentient crab. It's bonkers and I'll explain more later but my focus is on Stabracadabra and Death Save Devices!
If you want to sign up to follow that one over on Backerkit, here's the link... https://wildestshape.com
Thanks again for your amazing support!
-- Steve
Subclass Update, Backer Surveys, and Pre-Orders are now open!
7 months ago
– Fri, Jan 09, 2026 at 11:26:42 AM
A quick progress report...
I hope your holidays were warm, safe, and full of games! I snuck away from family events to squeeze in some paintings of a jackelope foot and some magic hats. I returned to my desk this week energized to wrap up Stabracadabra and plan some more fun projects for 2026!
I'm really happy with how the two books are coming together and I hope you will be too!
Subclass preview coming!
I’ll be sharing a preview ahead of the final Stabracadabra PDF featuring just the Bladeborne subclass rules and the leveling guide for your sentient swords. I want everyone to be able to play with the subclass while I'm adding gems to magic items and fur to monsters. I have a few more edits to complete. I expect this will be the subject of my next project update.
Backerkit Surveys on their way!
I have just sent out a "smoke test" of the Backer Surveys. A small selection of random backers of different tiers will receive the survey link to help confirm that everything is set up properly. Presuming this goes well, the remaining surveys will go out on Monday.
The surveys will give you a chance to add items to your pledge including the unlocked stretch goal of the Edgelord mini kit...
Pre-orders are now open!
If you know someone who missed this Kickstarter campaign, they can check out the link below.
This was my first D&D/RPG crowdfunding which wasn't part of a Zinequest/Zinemo event (and my first one around the holidays) and the response was wonderful! I can't thank you enough!
