Daggerheart

Daggerheart is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game by Darrington Press, designed for long-term campaign play with a focus on shared storytelling and character progression. It utilizes a unique Hope and Fear dice mechanic, along with a card-based system for character development.

Theme and Setting

While offering deep customization and player agency, some critiques point to a potential imbalance in GM empowerment and a lack of specificity in certain rules. Daggerheart is envisioned as a fantasy RPG centered around brave heroics in vibrant worlds collaboratively built by the gaming group.

How Play Feels

Long-term campaign play is a core design principle, with player choices directly shaping the world and overarching narrative. The setting is designed to encourage shared storytelling, where the game master asks questions of the players and builds the world, maps, adventures, and stories around their ideas and character backgrounds.

What Makes It Distinct

The core mechanic revolves around the Hope and Fear dice system, using two 12-sided dice. Players roll both dice to determine the outcome of actions.

Where It May Not Fit

You want ultra-light rules with almost no subsystem overhead You want highly rigid combat procedure and strict initiative structure.