Hope and Fear roll onto tabletops today as Daggerheart, the new fantasy TTRPG from Critical Role’s publishing arm Darrington Press, officially releases worldwide. Rooted in Critical Role’s legacy of collaborative storytelling and shaped with the help of over 150,000 open-beta playtesters, Daggerheart invites players into heroic, emotionally charged adventures where every roll of the signature dual-d12 “Duality Dice” shifts the balance between triumph and consequence.
Blending the depth of traditional role-playing games with streamlined, narrative-first mechanics, Daggerheart is designed for long-form campaigns and episodic play alike. Built to support immersive worldbuilding and responsive gameplay, it offers a flexible, character-driven experience welcoming to both newcomers and veteran players.
Blending the depth of traditional role-playing games with streamlined, narrative-first mechanics, Daggerheart is designed for long-form campaigns and episodic play alike. Built to support immersive worldbuilding and responsive gameplay, it offers a flexible, character-driven experience welcoming to both newcomers and veteran players.
Daggerheart Key Features:
- Hope & Fear Mechanics: At the heart of the system are the Duality Dice; two twelve-sided dice representing Hope and Fear. Players roll both to resolve actions, creating emotional stakes in every moment.
- Collaborative Worldbuilding Tools: Explore mythic landscapes, face dangerous foes, and uncover ancient secrets in campaigns shaped by both players and the GM.
- Ready-Made Campaign Frames: Dive into six ready-made campaign frames that provide inspiration, tools, and mechanics to support a specific story your table can tell, from the cozy cooking and dungeoneering of “Beast Feast” to the post-apocalyptic world of technological marvels in “Motherboard.”
- Asymmetrical Play: Players roll d12s to resolve actions while game masters use d20s for adversaries, keeping gameplay dynamic and unpredictable.
- Card-Based Character Creation: Easily build characters using beautifully illustrated Ancestry, Community, Subclass, and Domain cards, bringing core abilities to the table without constant page-flipping.
The Daggerheart Core Set (MSRP $59.99 USD) packages
everything a group needs to begin adventuring:
- A 366-page, lavishly illustrated hardcover rulebook that covers character creation, worldbuilding, and game master tools, alongside examples of play and tutorials.
- 279 illustrated cards featuring Ancestry, Community, Subclass, and Domain cards.
Where to Buy
- Order now at Darrington Press Guild stores, friendly local game stores, or via Critical Role’s online storefronts (US, UK, CA, AU, and EU).
- Beginning June 3, 2025, the Daggerheart Core Set will be available everywhere else that books and games are sold, thanks to the recent Darrington Press partnership with Macmillan Publishers.
- Digital versions of the game and additional tools are available through DriveThruRPG and Demiplane.
Catch Daggerheart in Action in Critical Role’s Age of Umbra
Guided by game master Matthew Mercer, Critical Role’s Age of Umbra mini-series, premiering May 22 with a Session Zero character and worldbuilding, lifts the “Age of Umbra” campaign frame straight from the Daggerheart Core Set, so every Hope-vs-Fear roll, narrative twist, and fast-paced combat beat you see on screen is exactly what you’ll find at your own table. Tune in each Thursday to watch the cast battle for flickers of hope in a grim, souls-like world, then crack open the Daggerheart Core Set to continue the story with your group.
Experience Daggerheart Firsthand
Daggerheart games will be available to play this year at UK Games Expo (Birmingham, May 30 – June 1), Gen Con (Indianapolis, July 31 – August 3), and PAX Unplugged (Philadelphia, November 21 – 23), with more to come.
For more updates, including previews, new releases, event announcements, and more, visit Daggerheart.com.
