Daggerheart General Thread [+]

[Reynard]

I'm not sure why there isn't a straightforward NPC Ally rule:

Any player may choose to spend a Hope in order to spotlight an NPC ally at any time the spotlight remains with the PCs. NPCs roll 1d20 instead of Dd12, and do not generate hope or fear. If the NPC fails, the spotlight shifts to the GM.

Seems easy.

 

[zakael19]

I'm not sure why there isn't a straightforward NPC Ally rule:

Any player may choose to spend a Hope in order to spotlight an NPC ally at any time the spotlight remains with the PCs. NPCs roll 1d20 instead of Dd12, and do not generate hope or fear. If the NPC fails, the spotlight shifts to the GM.

Seems easy.

There’s just no intent or interest in statting non-adversaries out in this system. You just show what they do in the fiction, or give a Feature. Some of the sample features are somewhat similar to this, but more discreet so you’re not tracking more stuff. They also serve to like shine the spotlight back on the PC vs the other way around. I think the goal here is to activate a NPC for drama or narrative beats (“cool, so seeing you being pummeled Jorin leaps forward shoving the beast off balance and yelling ‘Nooo, get off her!’”).

You can always improvise something based on an Adversary stat block if you wanted, or improvised damage or whatever. But I wouldn’t tie it to PC Hope - just make a GM move (“ask” as the NPC per their motives would be a good one).

 

[Reynard]

There’s just no intent or interest in statting non-adversaries out in this system. You just show what they do in the fiction, or give a Feature. Some of the sample features are somewhat similar to this, but more discreet so you’re not tracking more stuff. They also serve to like shine the spotlight back on the PC vs the other way around. I think the goal here is to activate a NPC for drama or narrative beats (“cool, so seeing you being pummeled Jorin leaps forward shoving the beast off balance and yelling ‘Nooo, get off her!’”).

You can always improvise something based on an Adversary stat block if you wanted, or improvised damage or whatever. But I wouldn’t tie it to PC Hope - just make a GM move (“ask” as the NPC per their motives would be a good one).

I don't really buy that. I mean, I get the designers think that, but the genre itself often uses what could be called "NPCs". There should be a mechanism. It's not a huge deal, but it's an oversight.

 

[zakael19]

I don't really buy that. I mean, I get the designers think that, but the genre itself often uses what could be called "NPCs". There should be a mechanism. It's not a huge deal, but it's an oversight.

They clearly intend that the default is “the NPC helps you in accordance with their motives” and if the PC takes advantage giving Adv is the reward.

if you really want to go all the way to mechanical actions, the stuff is on 167 inclusive of “set conditions for when they’ll activate & roll a d20 if you want to add chance.” You could build a trigger that’s “PC spends a hope to order Sebah, the King’s Ranger to strike a target” if you wanted.

 

[overgeeked]

166/167, as noted. That also has suggested NPC abilities and such.

Yeah, absolutely. I’m just giving extra options.

 

[Reynard]

They clearly intend that the default is “the NPC helps you in accordance with their motives” and if the PC takes advantage giving Adv is the reward.

if you really want to go all the way to mechanical actions, the stuff is on 167 inclusive of “set conditions for when they’ll activate & roll a d20 if you want to add chance.” You could build a trigger that’s “PC spends a hope to order Sebah, the King’s Ranger to strike a target” if you wanted.

Yeah, absolutely. I’m just giving extra options.

I don't think there is anything in the actual design of DH that would prohibit NPCs that act like adversaries under player control. I know that isn't the direction they went for, but it doesn't appear to be a problem.

 

[overgeeked]

They clearly intend that the default is “the NPC helps you in accordance with their motives” and if the PC takes advantage giving Adv is the reward.

If you really want to go all the way to mechanical actions, the stuff is on 167 inclusive of “set conditions for when they’ll activate & roll a d20 if you want to add chance.” You could build a trigger that’s “PC spends a hope to order Sebah, the King’s Ranger to strike a target” if you wanted.

Yeah, there’s a page-and-half about how to deal with NPCs. So to say it’s missing or an oversight is just factually wrong. People might not like what’s there. But there are rules in place. If nothing else, fall back on fiction first and the PC focus of the game.

 

[Seramus]

I don't think there is anything in the actual design of DH that would prohibit NPCs that act like adversaries under player control. I know that isn't the direction they went for, but it doesn't appear to be a problem.

Yeah, I ran into the issue because I didn't want to take actions away from the player, but the NPC was clearly being asked to do far more than "chipping in now and then", and I was uncertain (as someone new to DH) if I should be spending DM moves on him since the NPC is actively supporting the players.

I also have a personal bias involved, which is that I prefer to let the dice decide if highly invested NPCs live or die. It's all an illusion of course, because any threat that might kill them was put there by me anyway, but introducing chance makes it feel more fair to me.

 

[aramis erak]

One two stage with a rest after (and maybe a long rest at the settlement? I forget), and the final multi-stage fight with a Countdown that summons enemies in as some are defeated until the countdown is reached.

It's worth noting as well that the final fight's baddies are in two flavors, decidedly not equal threat (and called out by the tags on them: Bruisers vs Standards, both tier 1) and the area pops in more standards, not more bruisers. My players ran the clock down mowing the standards.

Neither fight ran my party of 3 terribly near death; the worst off was the guardian at 4/7 taken; it did burn most of their armor slots, so the short rest was essential. No one got out unscathed, either, tho' one was only down hope.

And I concur that the state of HP, Stress, Armor, and Hope is indeed worth tracking... but we played VOIP, so I wasn't really aware until they mentioned things... but the numbers were low enough that I could have. I do track the adversary damage and stress in the open... but I don't tell them the maxima

it looks like this:

Countdown Die 0
GM Fear 7
Damage
AS1 2 dest
AS2 2 Dest
AS3 2 dest
AS4 2 Dest
AS5 2 Dest
AS6 2 Dest
FW1 6 Dest
FW2 7 Dest

Those familiar with the adventure can figure out the codes easily enough.

The smaller numbers also made it easier to keep track of the bad guys.

We had the human sorcerer, giant guardian, and ribbet rogue... The choice of characters made for some excellent synergies.

 

[aramis erak]

Correct.

The major hurdle for soloists is combat. If you have to roll initiative, both sides' attacks and damages, it can become tedious, unless you are in a war gaming mood. Removing initiative and linking it instead to success is a good idea*. I often use average (fixed) damage instead of rolling to speed things up.

* I could use that with any RPG system come to think of it.

Given that DH has no initiative, and only on PC fear rolls or fear spends can spotlights happen to have the adversaries act, it's pretty straightforward to handle it.

My gut instinct is to put it at "If the PC has acted twice without fear, interrupt for a spotlight"