Daggerheart Post-Mortem

[Reynard]

Your story is a great example of why diversity in choices of TTRPGs is a thing to be celebrated. There are tons of people enjoying D&D 5e (both versions) or PF2e (and even PF1e!). But it wasn't working for you and Daggerheart revitalized things for you!

With the hope/fear - that's one of the things I've been worried about with my main table. But at my Cosmere table (cosmere TTRPG has a similar mechanic called Opportunities/Complications), my players often are pretty quite to jump in with suggestions, especially on the Opportunity side. I only occasionally need to negate an overpowered suggestion.

I am really looking forward to the Cosmere SRD. I have no interest in the settings but I want to know more about the system.

 

[Agamon]

I am really looking forward to the Cosmere SRD. I have no interest in the settings but I want to know more about the system.

I'm the opposite, the Cosmere books are amazing, but I'm not too big on the rpg.

 

[djotaku]

I am really looking forward to the Cosmere SRD. I have no interest in the settings but I want to know more about the system.

Just in case you're not tracking, it's called Plotweaver. They're either in alpha or beta, but it seems gearing up to be out later this year.

I'm the opposite, the Cosmere books are amazing, but I'm not too big on the rpg.

Zero judgement - can I ask what you don't like about it?

Also, if you didn't back it because you weren't interested in playing the game - I highly recommend picking up a copy of the worldbook books - Stormlight out now and Mistborn this fall. It's the closest you can get to a world encyclopedia with some very good (to my eyes, anyway) art. Even if you're not going to play, it collects the info in an organized way that's spread all over reddit and the coppermind wiki. I learned a bunch about Roshar that I hadn't picked up from reading the books.

 

[Retreater]

My group are also fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl and may want me to run that as a limited game when it's released. Also, Player C bought Cosmere and would like me to try running it.
I'm not a fan of any of those books. (Honestly, I don't like humor in my fantasy - and I barely read fiction at all. Or books in general. I'm a librarian who is burnt out on reading.)

 

[Reynard]

My group are also fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl and may want me to run that as a limited game when it's released.

People like what they like and I won't disparage, but I do not get the popularity of DCC.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I went to a neighborhood party, and Player B was talking to a person who used to be in our gaming group before moving away to college. He was talking about how much he loved Daggerheart, how it was the best RPG he’s played in 40+ years of the hobby. Player B is the most “casual” player in our group, and to witness him get passionate about a rules system was something I never thought I’d see.

It's always fascinating to see this from a player who you didn't expect. I remember with 4E, my then most-casual seeming player suddenly became like, actually engaged with the rules and mechanics and making his character good (something he never really seemed to care about before beyond acquiring magic items) and to this day goes on about how great 4E was.

 

[Agamon]

I am really looking forward to the Cosmere SRD. I have no interest in the settings but I want to know more about the system.

I'm the opposite, the Cosmere books are amazing, but I'm not too big on the rpg.

Just in case you're not tracking, it's called Plotweaver. They're either in alpha or beta, but it seems gearing up to be out later this year.


Zero judgement - can I ask what you don't like about it?

Also, if you didn't back it because you weren't interested in playing the game - I highly recommend picking up a copy of the worldbook books - Stormlight out now and Mistborn this fall. It's the closest you can get to a world encyclopedia with some very good (to my eyes, anyway) art. Even if you're not going to play, it collects the info in an organized way that's spread all over reddit and the coppermind wiki. I learned a bunch about Roshar that I hadn't picked up from reading the books.

I did back it, in fact. And I'm being literal, I don't hate it, but there are at least 6-7 other RPGs I'm more excited about. Maybe I'll get around to trying it some day.

 

[FrozenNorth]

I’m happy that you are enjoying Daggerheart and that while running it, you don’t feel like you are at risk of burning out. It feels like an element that causes you stress in other systems is tuning the battles so they are tense but don’t result in a TPK. I agree that the Daggerheart rules do a good job of removing this source of stress.

Specifically, I’ve had fights where a player turned the tide of a battle through Blaze of Glory or Risk it All, averting the possibility of a TPK.

For me, the greatest challenge as a GM is finding appropriate complications when players succeed with Fear or fail with hope.

 

[FrozenNorth]

Well 5E 2014 is also the best example of horrible/not working encounter rules. 5.24 has in average low level encounters a 2x as big encounter budget. (And in higher levels even more).


Thing is 5E is not the only D&D clone/version existing. 4E, 13th age and even PF2 (and Beacon to a lesser degree) all have way easier encounter building rules than daggerheart.


Also the enemy types do influence the number of enemies taking away some freedom.

Personally, I find Daggerheart’s encounter rules very easy to use. Plus, since combat is quick, it is less of an issue if you undershoot.

 

[Reynard]

For me, the greatest challenge as a GM is finding appropriate complications when players succeed with Fear or fail with hope.

The nice thing about DH is you can literally just grab your Hope or Fear and move on if a good narrative result is not obvious. The game does not suffer for it.