Making Moves¶

Just like the players have moves they can make during the game, you also have GM moves that change the story in general to build on the action the player just attempted.

Unlike the PCs, you aren't bound by specific spells you can cast or certain effects you can do—when you make GM moves, you are setting up to shape and facilitate the story, whatever that requires. When you begin a GM move, you are starting your GM turn. When you are done making your GM move (or moves) and pass passes back to the PCs, your GM turn is over.

At its most simple, a GM move is anything you do that guides the story. These moves can heighten the danger, often by introducing conflict or increasing the Difficulty, or they can offer ease and support, often by revealing new information or relieving a burden. This ebb and flow of opposition and cooperation facilitates dynamic play and invites opportunities for both GMs and players to surprise one another with exciting choices.

If moves are your chance to make things happen in the scene, what should you do? The upcoming sections provide suggestions (and examples in the "Example GM Moves" section), but these decisions are hard to make in a vacuum. The best tool you have at your disposal is listening to your players as they add to the narrative, then weaving your moves into theirs.

When to Make a Move¶

Knowing when to make moves (and what kind of moves to make) is a significant part of learning to GM Daggerheart. The frequency and severity of these moves depends on the type of story you're telling, the actions your players take, and the tone of the session you're running, but the general rule of thumb is this: you can make a GM move whenever you want. That's right! You're the GM—your job is not to crunch the PCs or always act adversarially. It's to help tell a story. You should be making moves whenever you see an opportunity to do so.

Consider making a GM move when a player does one of the following things:

Rolls with Fear on an action roll.
Fails an action roll.
Does something that would have consequences.
Gives you a golden opportunity.
Looks to you for what happens next.

Note that making a big move isn't always necessary! When you can't see an opening for a narratively impactful move, remember the other tools in your toolkit: make a PC mark a Stress, progress an event happening outside the current scene, or even defer the consequence for later. For example, perhaps nothing happens when you break the cursed object now, but its rightful owner might come to collect their due down the line.

They Roll with Fear on an Action Roll¶

If a PC rolls with Fear, play returns to you to make a GM move. Whether their roll failed or succeeded, your move should generally build on the action the player just attempted.

They Fail an Action Roll¶

If a PC fails an action roll, play returns to you to describe the failure and what comes next in the story because of it. If it's a failure with Fear, consider choosing a harsher consequence or complication than you would otherwise.

They Do Something That Would Have Consequences¶

Sometimes a PC makes a move that, regardless of whether they succeed or fail, has inevitable consequences. In these situations, you can make a move to reflect that outcome. For example, if a PC wants to save someone from a burning building, the player declares they want to run inside. You can explain to that player that no matter how high they roll, a consequence will occur: the character takes damage from the fire, the building collapses around them to prevent easy escape, or something they're carrying is damaged in the flames.

They Give You a Golden Opportunity¶

Sometimes a PC's decision gives you the perfect opportunity for a dramatic move—perhaps they move too close to a waiting predator or get distracted while watching for intruders. In these cases, a roll doesn't prompt your move, but you can still seize the opportunity for a powerful dramatic beat. For example, if the PCs are hiding from a group of thieves while discussing the bandit leader's plans, a PC might say with dramatic irony: "But surely they won't look in the attic of every barn in the district!" In response, you might describe the barn door loudly swinging open as a bandit walks inside, a lit torch in one hand and a sword in the other as they peer into the rafters where the characters are hiding.

They Look to You for What Happens Next¶

Your job is to keep the story moving, so when the players aren't sure what to do, they'll look to you to find out. This is usually a sign that you should make a move. For example, if the PCs are conversing with each other during a dinner party then reach a lull in the conversation, the players might glance at you to see if it's time for an NPC to speak or take action.

Similarly, you should make a move when the players are stumped about what to do or when they seem frustrated about a lack of information. When you need to get the scene moving again, a softer move might do the trick (see the upcoming "Softer and Harder Moves" section), but sometimes a harder move is needed to provoke the PCs to action.

How to Choose a Move¶

When a player makes an action roll, the result influences how the scene changes—but those changes depend on your chosen GM move. Consider the following examples of phrases you might say to the player after an action roll, and the moves you might make:

Critical Success¶

"That's a critical success! You get what you want and a little extra. Gain a Hope and clear a Stress. Tell me how this happens..."

Let the player describe their success, then give the party an additional opportunity or advantage in the scene because of it.

Success with Hope¶

"That's a success with Hope, so you get what you want. Gain a Hope. Tell me how this happens..."

Let the player describe their success, then show how the world reacts to it.

Success with Fear¶

"That's a success with Fear, so you get what you want, but it comes at a cost. I gain a Fear and here's what happens..."

Work together to describe the PC's success, then introduce a complication or cost as a GM move—but don't negate their success with this consequence. Maybe an adversary attacks them in response or they mark a Stress from the toll it took to succeed. Perhaps they realise their ally is in imminent danger or get new information that raises the stakes.

Failure with Hope¶

"That's a failure with Hope, so things don't go according to plan, but you gain a Hope. Here's what happens..."

Describe how the PC fails to get what they want, and how the situation gets worse as a result, by introducing a minor complication or consequence as a GM move. Maybe they spot a new danger they must now contend with, face an attack or a Stress from an enemy they're engaged with, or face collateral damage that puts them in a more difficult position.

Failure with Fear¶

"That's a failure with Fear, so it doesn't go well! I gain a Fear and here's what happens..."

Describe how things go wrong by introducing a major complication or consequence as a GM move. Maybe they receive bad news and the information puts them in immediate danger, they become the focus of multiple adversaries, they are separated from their party, or an important opportunity is lost for good.

Quick Reference: Resolving Action Rolls¶

If you're unsure how to resolve a roll, think about these quick phrases:

Success with Hope: Yes, and... (You get what you want and gain a Hope.)
Success with Fear: Yes, but... (You get what you want, but there is a consequence, and the GM gains a Fear.)
Failure with Hope: No, but... (Things don't go as planned, but you gain a Hope.)
Failure with Fear: No, and... (Things don't go as planned and it gets worse. The GM gains a Fear.)

Obvious Moves¶

Sometimes, you'll know without hesitation how to make a move in a scene. A PC just rolled a success with Fear on a melee attack against a powerful adversary? They get what they want, but it comes at a cost. In response, your move might have the adversary strike back or throw the PC across the battlefield. Maybe you've set up the scene so that they're fighting on a precarious ledge, and the attack from the PC was successful, but momentum carries them dangerously close to the cliff's edge and they must make an Agility Roll to see if they can keep from falling off.

Other times, the move might not be immediately obvious. In that case, you can draw inspiration from the upcoming "Example GM Moves" section. If all else fails, either have the PC mark a Stress, or tell them "Everything's a fine... for now" and think about how you can bring more danger their way in a later scenario.

Player-Driven Moves¶

If you're still not sure what to do, you might turn the decision over to the player, giving them a choice of two different things or simply asking them what happens next. They sometimes put themselves in a more interesting or dangerous situation than you ever would've!

Keep in mind that GM moves are applicable in any situation. While combat mechanics naturally lend themselves to moves about dealing damage—how much damage they deal, and so on, the concept of "making moves" applies across all scenarios within Daggerheart. A tense dinner between rivals, an important negotiation, an emotional confrontation—all of these scenes have a back-and-forth between the PCs and the GM. You can use moves to accomplish the single most important part of GMing: listening and responding to your players.

Avoid Undermining Success¶

On a success with Fear, one pitfall GMs can run into is undermining their players' success when making a GM move as the consequence. For example, if a PC makes a Finesse roll in an attempt to move stealthily through a hallway, and they succeed but roll with Fear, don't use your move to sound an alarm bell or make someone bump into them, spoiling their cover. The PC succeeded on the roll, and that success should be honoured, even if it comes with a consequence. Instead, consider options such as introducing a new obstacle at their target destination or adding a new enemy approaching from behind to complicate their situation.

Similarly, if a PC does something cool—such as cleverly casting a spell—let them enjoy it instead of immediately foiling their schemes and let the scene play out for a while, using moves to change and escalate the scenario rather than end the effect. For example, a PC might encounter a trap you laid; rather than immediately use a GM move to spring the trap into working, let the PC feel smart as you instead use your next GM move to summon more foes or telegraph what other dangers might be on the path ahead. Use your GM moves to immediately shut down an effect when it involves a climactic moment or a powerful adversary—when you need to show that the situation is dire.

Keep this principle in mind as you make GM moves. The following sections provide advice on what kind of moves you can make and how to implement harder moves with care. After all, not every move will be enjoyed in every circumstance. If the PCs are delivering a powerful artifact to a wizard to be destroyed, having a minor adversary steal the artifact can spark an exciting story arc—or it can throw icy water on the party's excitement and make them feel all their work to retrieve it was pointless. As always, communication and collaboration are key, and hard actions shouldn't negate player agency or feel punishing.

Softer and Harder Moves¶

When play turns to you, you have many options for how to respond. Some are soft moves that are generally easier on the players—they give the party new information about the scene and offer them an opportunity to react to it. Others are hard moves that are usually harsher, bigger, or more direct—the fiction happens without allowing PCs to intercede. Consider using softer moves on failures with Hope and harder moves on any roll with Fear. Additionally, you might start off a session using softer moves and progress into harder moves as the story comes to a climax. Remember that your moves set the tone for a challenge or threat.

The next section contains example moves in approximate order of severity.