Daggerheart Combat cheat sheet
Turn order, actions, and reminders. At-the-table reference for Daggerheart.
Daggerheart combat: Duality Dice (2d12) + trait vs Difficulty. No fixed turn order; the GM moves the spotlight based on Hope and Fear momentum.
Initiative and spotlight
- No initiative roll. The GM moves the spotlight to players and enemies based on narrative flow.
- When a player rolls with Hope: they keep momentum and can act again or pass to an ally.
- When a player rolls with Fear: the GM gains a Fear token and can use it to activate enemies, introduce complications, or escalate the scene.
- Doubles on the Duality Dice = critical success (regardless of Hope/Fear).
Action economy
- On your turn: one Action (attack, cast, interact, etc.).
- Reactions: some abilities let you respond on another creature's turn (costs an action token or resource).
- Movement is narrative: describe where you go, the GM rules whether it is reasonable.
Attack roll
- Roll
- 2d12 (Hope + Fear) + trait modifier
- Success
- Total ≥ target's Evasion (or GM-set Difficulty)
- Critical
- Doubles on the 2d12 = critical success
- Melee: typically Agility or Strength + trait modifier (no Proficiency in the roll).
- Ranged: typically Finesse or Agility + trait modifier.
- Spellcast: typically Knowledge or Presence + trait modifier.
- Proficiency sets how many damage dice you roll on a hit, it isn't added to the attack roll.
Damage and thresholds
- Roll damage dice from your weapon or spell.
- Damage thresholds are per character: your Major and Severe thresholds come from your armor and level, not a fixed scale.
- Damage below your Major threshold marks 1 HP, at or above Major marks 2 HP, at or above Severe marks 3 HP.
- Marking an Armor Slot reduces incoming damage by one threshold step (a Severe hit becomes a Major hit, for example) instead of absorbing the hit outright.
Stress
- Certain abilities and situations cause Stress instead of (or in addition to) damage.
- Mark Stress on your character sheet. At certain thresholds, you must make choices or suffer consequences.
- Stress feeds into the Hope/Fear economy: some stress can be converted into Hope or Fear tokens.
HP and dying
- 0 HP
- Choose a death move: Blaze of Glory, Avoid Death, or Risk It All
- Blaze of Glory
- One final heroic act, then your character dies
- Avoid Death
- Fall unconscious; roll your Hope Die and gain a scar if the result is at or below your level
- Risk It All
- Roll your Duality Dice: Hope means you pull through, Fear means you die
- Allies can spend Hope or use healing abilities to bring you back before you have to choose a death move.
- Death is possible but rare: the system encourages dramatic survival with consequences.
Hope and Fear in combat
- Hope tokens: each character has their own Hope pool (max 6), spent to power abilities, assist allies, or activate class features.
- Fear tokens: a single pool that belongs to the GM, spent to activate enemy abilities, introduce reinforcements, change the environment, or make hard moves.
- The Hope/Fear balance drives pacing: a string of Fear rolls means the danger escalates.
Common mistakes
- There is no fixed initiative: the GM controls pacing with the spotlight. Do not default to 'going around the table.'
- Doubles are always a critical success, even if the total is below the Difficulty.
- Marking an Armor Slot reduces a hit by one damage threshold (Severe becomes Major, Major becomes Minor), it doesn't skip the hit entirely.
- Fear is not failure: you can succeed with Fear. The GM just also gets a Fear token.
- Hope is a per-character pool (max 6 each); Fear is a single shared pool that belongs to the GM.