Daggerheart General Thread [+]

[EricLazure]

Last chance to pledge for our 126-page Daggerheart supplement Hope Springs Eternal! Late pledges close next week! Why back now? The book will probably not be printed again and the PDF will cost more post-crowdfund. And we might just unlock the 300-backer stretch goal!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ericlazure/hope-springs-eternal

 

[zakael19]

Random thought I had: if you wanted to take DH's core resolution and game-running mechanics and build your own deep hack, are Domains really required? Like, I can conceive of just doing class-build type things where as long as you've got a decent selection at-level to create opportunity costs, you could build far more identity in to a class then they currently allow.

Like, DH's ability ethos is "go generic" to its benefit as re-skinnable heroic fantasy, but if you want to deviate away from that and be more opinionated with class design, I think the core system would support that really well still.

 

[Vael]

Has anyone tried running Colossi from the Colossus of the Drylands Campaign Frame? I'm gearing up for a short 3-shot campaign, and the plan is to run one as the final boss battle, curious what people have found out about designing or running them.

Random thought I had: if you wanted to take DH's core resolution and game-running mechanics and build your own deep hack, are Domains really required? Like, I can conceive of just doing class-build type things where as long as you've got a decent selection at-level to create opportunity costs, you could build far more identity in to a class then they currently allow.

Like, DH's ability ethos is "go generic" to its benefit as re-skinnable heroic fantasy, but if you want to deviate away from that and be more opinionated with class design, I think the core system would support that really well still.

I was toying with how to ... phase or limit access to a larger Domain. Mainly because I was thinking about a Mass Effect hack of Daggerheart. Mass Effect kinda has 3 domains: Combat, Biotics and Tech ... but you have specialists like the Adept that only uses Biotics ... so do you make divide Biotics into 2 domains or somehow make the domain larger but limit access for classes like the Sentinel that is Half-Biotics and Half-Tech?

 

[zakael19]

I was toying with how to ... phase or limit access to a larger Domain. Mainly because I was thinking about a Mass Effect hack of Daggerheart. Mass Effect kinda has 3 domains: Combat, Biotics and Tech ... but you have specialists like the Adept that only uses Biotics ... so do you make divide Biotics into 2 domains or somehow make the domain larger but limit access for classes like the Sentinel that is Half-Biotics and Half-Tech?

I ran into this trying to map the core domains to Warhammer's Psychic / Tech / physical split as well. I wound up thinking about how to rework most of them into slightly different fictional cast, but some domain powers need to be trimmed entirely.

I'm also tinkering with a total deviation of a hack built on the resolution core (Duality / resources / etc), but with far more traditional classes with a lot more 4e influence, because why not!

 

[zakael19]

Keeping the thread alive:

Sunday’s session the players did 4 tag team rolls over the course of just under 3 hours, 3 of them in the climactic combat alone. And they were spending Hope on Experiences & Aiding and abilities…

I also went into said fight with 11 fear.

I only call for rolls when things are at stake, but things are at stake a lot in my games! Don’t seem to ever have Hope or Fear economy issues.

 

[zakael19]

I have done a pretty total conversion of the 4e Neverwinter Campaign Setting to Daggerheart, since I'm having a tremendous time playing "D&D" the vibe/table culture/tropes with Daggerheart the rules:

• New and tweaked ancestries for 4e Forgotten Realms.
• A set of theme features for each background theme in that book using DH mechanics, with reference cards.
• A 4e cleric inspired Cleric class (Splendor + Arcana, link to class charsheet), quite distinct from the Seraph. Two subclasses, the Beacon of Light (healing focused) and the Warpriest (smiting / buffing focused).
• A lightly tweaked Seraph to be more D&D paladin.
• A Bladesinger subclass for the Wizard that melds usage of a sword with some extra melee survivability.
• A set of optional communities linked to various themes.
• Expanded situations to give some additional starting ideas for GMs.
• Converted adversaries for tiers 2&3.

 

[TheHand]

I have done a pretty total conversion of the 4e Neverwinter Campaign Setting to Daggerheart, since I'm having a tremendous time playing "D&D" the vibe/table culture/tropes with Daggerheart the rules:

• New and tweaked ancestries for 4e Forgotten Realms.
• A set of theme features for each background theme in that book using DH mechanics, with reference cards.
• A 4e cleric inspired Cleric class (Splendor + Arcana, link to class charsheet), quite distinct from the Seraph. Two subclasses, the Beacon of Light (healing focused) and the Warpriest (smiting / buffing focused).
• A lightly tweaked Seraph to be more D&D paladin.
• A Bladesinger subclass for the Wizard that melds usage of a sword with some extra melee survivability.
• A set of optional communities linked to various themes.
• Expanded situations to give some additional starting ideas for GMs.
• Converted adversaries for tiers 2&3.

Oh wow, that’s cool! How does your Bladesinger subclass work?

 

[zakael19]

Oh wow, that’s cool! How does your Bladesinger subclass work?

So the design intent was to take inspiration from the one in the 4e NCS (I know folks have said it was pretty lackluster in 4e, but this is on top of the DH Wizard which has tons of solid domain stuff):

• Meld bladework & magic in melee
• Bias towards wearing light armors, but have a way to boost survivability if hit
• Make primary weapon attacks desirable for single target damage, but keep the spells interesting for range/multi-target

Got some great feedback through iterations, especially from zedturtle elsewhere. Since most core Codex abilities dont actually consume hope, we can use that to power Bladesong & extra damage for swords. Adding Knowledge trait bonuses to Gambeson/Leather lets you conditionally hop up the thresholds, while keeping higher evasion (feels right for Bladesong). Specialization is a bit complex, but I tried to bring in a 4e mid-tier ability that furthers the "flashing blade and spell."

Mastery lets you have a perfected blade song for a tough encounter.

Play a Bladesinger if you want to meld graceful swordwork with skilled magic.

Foundation Features:

Instinctive Bladework: When your Primary Weapon is One-Handed and Melee range, you may use your Knowledge trait instead of the trait it normally calls for.

Bladesong: Once per rest, when your armor does not have the Heavy or Very Heavy feature and you use only a One-Handed weapon, spend a Hope to enter your Bladesong until you take Severe damage or the scene ends, with the following benefits:

• +1 to Evasion.
• On a successful primary weapon attack, spend a Hope to add a +1 bonus to your Proficiency.
• Mark a Stress to reduce incoming damage from within melee range by your Knowledge trait (minimum 1).

Specialization Features:

Graceful Deflection: Once per rest while your Bladesong is active, you can spend a Hope instead of marking an Armor Slot.
Arcane Strike: When you make a successful attack against a target in Melee range, mark a Stress to add one of the dice of your primary weapon to the damage against that target or use the attack roll against another target within Melee range. On a success, deal damage equal to one of your primary weapon dice.

Mastery Feature:

Choir of Swords: Once per long rest, you may enter a perfected version of your Bladesong. When you do, gain the +1 Proficiency bonus without spending a Hope and you double your Knowledge trait when reducing incoming damage (minimum 1).