Core Mechanics¶

This section explains the core mechanics of Daggerheart and how to use them.

The Spotlight¶

Any time a character becomes the focus of a scene, they're in the spotlight. Even if many characters are involved in a dramatic moment, there is often one character leading the action. This might be the PC pulling their ally to safety, the NPC haggling over the price of rare goods, or the adversary attacking with their foul weapon. The spotlight organically moves around the table as scenes unfold, but the mechanics of the game might also determine where the spotlight goes next. For example, if a player rolls with Fear on their Duality Dice during combat, the mechanics allow the GM to then spotlight an adversary to act against the heroes.

Making Moves¶

When you decide to do something in the story and the spotlight shifts to you, your PC makes a move, which you describe to the group. A move is an action a character takes to advance the story, such as talking to another character, interacting with the environment, using a class feature or spell, or anything else a character can do within the scene.

Some low-stakes moves automatically succeed—it's easy to open an unlocked door. Hence, high-stakes moves often require a roll to determine the outcome—it's hard to break down a barricaded door. When you make a move and the result of that action is in question, the fiction pauses while you make an action roll to see how things play out.

Moves in Combat¶

Since Daggerheart is a collaborative and conversational storytelling experience between the GM and players, combat has no initiative order, no rounds, and no distinct number of actions you can take while in the spotlight. Instead, fights play out narratively from moment to moment, just like noncombat scenes. This freeform combat gives players the freedom and opportunity to team up, respond on the fly to narrative changes in the scene, and follow the fiction. If they aren't mechanically locked into combat, players might find it easier to choose a solution other than violence, such as having their characters flee from their opponents or come to a temporary truce with their enemies.

GM Moves and Adversary Actions¶

PCs aren't the only ones who make moves—the GM can make a GM move (see the "Making Moves" section on page 149). GM moves can happen at nearly any time, but they most commonly occur when a PC rolls with Fear or fails an action roll. Typically, GM moves escalate the scene in an exciting and dangerous way. A new threat might emerge from the woods, the PCs could be separated by a sudden cave-in, or another similar action may significantly change the scene. When the GM is finished with their turn, play returns to the PCs. This creates a back-and-forth conversation as the story evolves organically between the GM and players.

Many GM moves don't require spending any resources, but the GM can spend Fear to make additional or more powerful moves, such as using an adversary or environment's Fear move (see the "Fear" section on page 154).

Tip: When the GM has the spotlight, PCs can't use features that require spending resources or making rolls unless those actions specifically allow for it, such as reaction rolls or features that interrupt attack or damage rolls.