Daggerheart

Daggerheart is a fantasy roleplaying game from Darrington Press, the publishing side of Critical Role. It covers the same ground as D&D (heroes, monsters, magic and a story the group tells together), but it’s built to be easier to pick up and more focused on the story.

How it works

Instead of one d20, you roll two twelve-sided dice: a Hope die and a Fear die. Whichever comes up higher shapes what happens next. Roll with Hope and you build up Hope you can spend later to help yourself or a friend. Roll with Fear and the Game Master gains Fear, which means trouble is on the way, even if you succeeded.

Characters are built from cards: your heritage, where you grew up, your specialism, and the abilities you pick up as you go. Each one is a card on the table in front of you with what it does printed on it, so you don’t need to learn a rulebook to know what your character can do.

There’s no strict turn order in a fight either. The action moves around the table to whoever it makes sense for, which keeps everyone involved.

Why it works for new players

The cards do a lot of the work. A new player can look down, see their options, and pick one. The Hope and Fear dice also mean a roll is never just pass or fail. Something interesting happens either way, which takes the sting out of bad luck.

Best for

Groups who want a fantasy adventure with fewer rules to learn than D&D, including younger players and anyone who likes having their options laid out in front of them. Works as a one-shot or as an ongoing campaign.