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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 9680768" data-attributes="member: 87792">To me this says your knowledge of modern systems stops in about 2010. Because there was a vast leap forward in using mechanics to encourage characterisation starting in about 2010 with games like Fate Core, Apocalypse World, the Cortex Plus games, and others. And Daggerheart has basically collected a whole lot of these factors into one game that "fails" into D&D. (It's at this point worth noting that I'm pretty sure Matt Mercer learned his trade on AD&D 2e where you had to use a whole lot of DM force to beat the system into shape if you wanted heroic fantasy).Off the top of my head things that Daggerheart does that D&D doesn't (many of which can be adapted into D&D) include:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Much faster combat (a big problem with 5e is that combat is slooow with nothing much going on as you grind hit points to zero)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An initiative system that keeps people engaged rather than able to look up things on their phones.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Background questions and connections questions so you can establish in Session Zero how the characters know each other and have a clear idea of the foundation of the relationships. (Easy and worthwhile to steal!). Below comes from the Guardian character class; each class has a different set.</li> </ul>[ATTACH=full]408066[/ATTACH]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">"Death moves" when you hit 0hp so something consequential happens rather than faffing about with death saves and Revivify (incredibly worth stealing or adapting)</li> </ul>[ATTACH=full]408069[/ATTACH]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metacurrency; Hope (Mana) and Stress (Stamina) for characters to spend to be able to add focus to their actions and say they are important rather than being relatively robotic and untiring</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Success/Failure with Hope/Fear being separate actions. This is the only one that really takes improv experience and takes the DM being on the ball. Or you can just have it collapse into taking hope and fear points for the same emotional hit but less opportunity to narrate</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">More meaningful abilities, fewer ribbon abilities. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fewer trivial numbers (You don't e.g. have a stat, a stat modifier, and a stat saving throw, and potentially multiple skills based off it, just a single trait (and a total of two freeform Experiences replacing skills))<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You do have hope, stress, and armour to track - but none of these reach double digits.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Levelling up offers choices. The Daggerheart equivalent Life Clerics with the same stats are not going to be mechanically almost indistinguishable other than equipment (and feats) at the same level.</li> </ul>To me that appears backwards; Daggerheart looks like it is designed to work really well to build rapport between characters. It looks to me like an ideal system for people who want to get closer to doing what the Critical Role cast do but the group starts off at a standing start.</blockquote>

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