Whether you’re new or you’re coming from D&D 5e, GMing Daggerheart feels both familiar and very different. You’re the guide and worldbuilder, but instead of strict initiative orders and challenge rating (CR) math, Daggerheart gives you tools to keep the story moving and the tension rising. Think of yourself less as a referee and more as the person who keeps the spotlight moving and the drama flowing.
What does the GM do?
In Daggerheart, you act when the fiction or the dice call for it. Players roll two d12s (Hope and Fear dice) when attempting something risky. Success or failure always changes the story:
- Success with Hope → success + player gains Hope.
- Success with Fear → success + complication; you gain Fear.
- Failure with Hope → softer failure; player gains Hope.
- Failure with Fear → hard failure; you gain Fear.
Your moves are narrative consequences: describe setbacks, reveal threats, introduce new dangers, or shift the spotlight to adversaries.
Reaction Rolls are a key exception. These are narrative or “pass/fail” rolls intended for minor, fleeting actions rather than significant dilemmas.
What does the GM use Fear for?
Fear is your currency of tension. Every time the Fear die comes out on top, you earn a Fear token. You can hold up to 12, even between sessions. Think of Fear as chips you cash in to make the world more dangerous, unpredictable, and alive.
Here’s what you can spend Fear on:
- Interrupt – Cut into the players’ momentum and grab the spotlight.
- Take an extra GM move – Stack on another consequence right away.
- Spotlight another adversary – Let multiple enemies act at once for a dramatic beat.
- Trigger a Fear Feature – Unleash an adversary’s or the environment’s special power.
- Boost an adversary – Spend Fear to add an enemy’s Experience bonus to their roll.
Used wisely, Fear keeps encounters tense and makes the players feel like the world is actively pushing back. If they’re stacking Hope and charging forward, Fear is how you remind them the danger is still real.
How can the GM guide encounters?
Instead of fixed rounds, Daggerheart uses a spotlight system. Players act when it makes sense; you step in when:
- A roll fails or comes up Fear.
- A PC’s action naturally has consequences.
- Someone leaves you a “golden opportunity.”
- The table looks to you for “what happens next.”
When you seize the spotlight, you can spotlight adversaries to act. Each one can move, attack, or use an ability. You can even spend Fear to spotlight multiple enemies at once for dramatic ambushes.
How does the GM pick adversaries?
Adversaries are categorized by type (their combat role) and tier (their relative power). Here are the main types:
- Minions: 1 HP fodder, dangerous in groups.
- Standards: Baseline threats (soldiers, bandits).
- Skulks: Sneaky ambushers.
- Ranged: Fragile but deadly at a distance.
- Bruisers: Tough, heavy-hitting foes.
- Supports: Buff or debuff specialists.
- Leaders: Commanders who direct others.
- Hordes: Swarms acting as one.
- Solos: Boss-level threats meant to challenge the whole party.
- Socials: Non-combat NPCs who challenge players conversationally.
Each adversary also has Fear Features (special abilities you can trigger with Fear) and Experience tags (like “Soldier +2”) that make them feel distinct.
What can the GM use to design combat encounters?
Instead of CR and XP, Daggerheart uses Battle Points (BP). You start with a point budget based on party size and difficulty, then “buy” enemies with it:
| Adversary Type | Cost (BP) |
|---|---|
| Group of Minions | 1 |
| Social / Support | 1 |
| Standard / Skulk / Ranged / Horde | 2 |
| Leader | 3 |
| Bruiser | 4 |
| Solo | 5 |
Example: For a 4-player party, a balanced encounter might be ~14 BP. You could run a Solo boss (5 BP), a Leader (3 BP), and a group of minions (1 BP) for 9 BP total—a medium fight. Add a Skulk and a Ranged for +4 BP, and it becomes a tense boss battle.
Takeaways for 5e GMs
- Don’t track initiative: let the spotlight shift naturally.
- Every roll has a consequence: no “nothing happens.”
- Fear tokens are your tension dial: spend them to interrupt, spotlight, or power enemy abilities.
- Build fights with Battle Points, mixing roles for drama instead of CR math.
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