# Daggerheart This page collects my thoughts and critiques of [Daggerheart](https://www.daggerheart.com). **Note**: These impressions are based on the available documentation and what I have watched of Critical Role's Age of Umbra live play—I have not yet played the game myself. ## The Good ### Heritage (Ancestries & Communities) - The **Ancestry** system is elegant: each ancestry grants **two features**, making it simple and manageable. - **Communities** each provide **one feature**, which adds thematic depth without overcomplication. This strikes a great balance between character variety and ease of use. ### Experiences Conceptually, Experiences are a **strong idea**. They offer players the chance to define past events that shape their character. **Concerns**: - May be **underutilized** or **misunderstood** by new players. - Some players might **dismiss them** due to the relatively small mechanical bonus (especially since activating them costs a **Hope** resource). Still, it’s a meaningful narrative mechanic with good potential—if well supported by play culture and GM facilitation. ### Domains The Domain system is **very promising**. - Could have **replaced classes entirely**, allowing players to define archetypes by selecting two Domains. - Would have made **multiclassing** intuitive—just add another Domain at level-up. This modularity supports creativity and could solve many issues inherent in rigid class-based systems. ### Duality Dice (Hope & Fear) The **Hope and Fear** system is compelling: - Offers meaningful **risk/reward tension**. - Integrates into many gameplay layers for a **cohesive thematic experience**. **Eliminating initiative** and using a **freeform turn structure** promotes narrative flow. However: - Can be **challenging for shy or inexperienced players**. - Risk of **spotlight hogging** by more extroverted players. The mechanic is bold and innovative—but will require good table etiquette and GM awareness to work well. ## The Bad ### Classes The presence of classes introduces known limitations: 1. You **can’t predefine every archetype** that players want. 2. Class **names and expectations** can be unclear. For instance: - "Rogue" is familiar. - "Seraph"? Not so much. Attempting to label every possible character concept is a losing battle. ### Heritage While the Ancestry/Community structure is solid, the **default ancestries are overly fantastical** for many settings. What would help: - A **DIY ancestry builder**, where GMs can assemble ancestry feature pairs from a curated list. - Official support for custom ancestries and world-specific variants. Also, I would prefer **bringing back Backgrounds**—each with a feature or two of their own. ### Traits Renaming core attributes feels unnecessary and potentially confusing: | Daggerheart | Traditional D&D | |------------------|------------------| | Instinct | Wisdom | | Presence | Charisma | | Knowledge | Intelligence | | Finesse/Agility | Dexterity | | Strength (w/Con) | Strength + Constitution | Issues: - **Dex split** into Finesse and Agility is arbitrary and unclear. - **Con folded into Strength** undermines mechanical clarity. - Naming changes seem like change for change’s sake. Using traditional **D&D stats (even just the modifiers)** would have made the system more intuitive. ### Skills Skills are removed. While this can simplify things, it **shifts decision-making** to open-ended player/GM negotiation. That’s not always a positive for newer players. ### Domain Naming The **Domain names** try too hard to sound cool, but often miss the mark. Suggestions: - `Sage` → `Nature` - `Splendor` → `Life` or `Health` - `Valor` → `Protector` Names should **clearly reflect their mechanical and thematic focus**. ### Mechanics & Resources Some mechanical quirks feel off: - **"Once per rest" features** that also cost Hope/Stress: pick one. Having both is redundant. - Features like **"reroll 1s and 2s on damage dice"** are too mechanical to integrate naturally into narrative action. These break immersion. Mechanics should be narratively justifiable—especially in a game that emphasizes storytelling. ## Pronouns This part feels forced: > The game rules include **mandatory pronoun fields** on character sheets. While players should absolutely be free to include their pronouns, **making it a mechanical rule** is unnecessary. It feels like **virtue signaling**, rather than a genuine aid to gameplay. Pronouns, like names and personality traits, should be a **player choice**, not a system mandate.