Daggerheart General Thread [+]

[zakael19]

As I’m throwing together stuff for my games, I’m having a lot of fun messing with the dice. Splitting the roll and giving each a context makes for interesting vibes: roll your hope dice twice and take the higher has a fun ring; or roll the fear dice twice and take the lower. I know there’s some abilities that let you roll a bigger die for one, but also like “Overwhelming Dread: While within Close range of the the blah roll a d10 for your hope die” matches core mechanic to encounter in a really cool way.

 

[aramis erak]

Not sure if this was posted, I couldnt find it, or if anyone has issues with it but some math.

The Math of Daggerheart's 2d12 Duality Dice Roll - Delve With Hope

Daggerheart has a unique 2d12 dice system to resolve actions. This post breaks down the math on what to expect.

blog.delvewithhope.com

They have not accounted for the several 1st level abilities that allow totals up to +6 at level 1...
They haven't explicated their numerical ranges.
And the "+4" in best area? Requires spending a hope on the experience.
Also fails to mention that the GM rolls d20's, instead of the Duality Dice... so all those D&D comparisons are also DH GM comparisons.

Starting Trait (=Attribute) range is -1 to +2, -1 to +5 for Trait at 8+
Experiences are +2 to +5, +3 to +6 instead for clank.
Reroll the DD: Human, Katari Goblin
a couple level 1 cards also allow increasing bonuses.
Orderborne can swap a d20 for the light d12 in some circumstances...
So it's just a first order approximation of the game as played.
Also, doesn't show the curve shift and reshape for player advantage of disadvantage...

I need to redo it with the d20 Orderborne die, too...

 

[aramis erak]

As I’m throwing together stuff for my games, I’m having a lot of fun messing with the dice.

Yeah, it's a great temptation.

“Overwhelming Dread: While within Close range of the the blah roll a d10 for your hope die” matches core mechanic to encounter in a really cool way.

In an irony, it leaves the crit rate stll 1/12... 10/120 vs 12/144.
But it also ups the odds of fear. but it's also only a net -1 to the average and -2 max.

 

[zakael19]

Yeah, it's a great temptation.

In an irony, it leaves the crit rate stll 1/12... 10/120 vs 12/144.
But it also ups the odds of fear. but it's also only a net -1 to the average and -2 max.

Sure, but I generally don't really care nearly as much about the mechanical bit (within bounds of not breaking things) as the effect of signaling something narrative via mechanical effect. Saying "your hope die is smaller" just feels totally different then "roll with disadvantage" or "take -2" or whatever.

_____

Added a 4th player tonight in the most perfect way possible - we'd finished last session with an ogre bursting through the wall of the old halls under the Moathouse-ish thing. Replaced one of the prisoners with the new PC who jumped all over reasons why he'd been captured to fit into our little world. Let him share some details of what lay ahead, and of course a bard is always welcome.

After the usual slightly too long to solve a light puzzle hall ("surely the ancient wizard who built this place wasn't so egotistical as to actually use his name as the passcode...."), they faced off against the evil cleric who had caused all the troubles in this area (and who mocked them for taking so long to get in, warning him they were coming).

Built him as a 2 phase boss with Horde allies. Worked really well, adding in a couple of Environmental effects (a rug that I could spend a Fear to animate and restraint/vuln a PC if they failed an Agil reaction roll; a smoking brazier that used the dizzied effect on PCs who were close). Everybody was beaten up hard, including two death moves. But this gave the amazing moment for the bard to use his song that restores an HP and rally them up - really dramatic turn, some cool actions, and then a final Smite to end the cleric's spider demon form.

4 sessions and we're done with Arc 1/Tier 1. Now to pick which of many threads to follow.

 

[SteveC]

Knights of Last Call just started a series of short videos about DaggerHeart. Originally, Derrik did this as one loooooong video, but he's splitting them up, along with doing some editing. I think this first video, on what DaggerHeart is not, is really interesting for people who are considering the game. I think it might also be controversial, because it's saying it's something really different from 5E or PF2. I suggest taking a look if you're interested or new to the game.

Edited to add: this is part one of 12, and is 15 minutes long.