🎲 DAGGERHEART GM SCREEN

Quick Reference for Running Games

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🎲 CORE MECHANICS

Action Rolls

Formula: 2d12 (Hope + Fear) + Trait Modifier + bonuses vs Difficulty

Advantage / Disadvantage

• Advantage: Roll 3d12, drop lowest
• Disadvantage: Roll 3d12, drop highest
• Still compare Hope/Fear from the two kept dice

Traits

🎯 DIFFICULTIES

Difficulty	Target
Easy	12
Moderate	15
Hard	18
Very Hard	21
Nearly Impossible	24+

⚔️ COMBAT FLOW

Spotlight System

• No strict initiative - narrative flow
• GM decides who acts based on fiction and fairness
• Rotate between PCs and adversaries
• No "rounds" - flow naturally

On Your Turn

• Move within Close range and attack
• Move within Close range and use action
• End a temporary condition
• Sprint somewhere else on battlefield

💥 DAMAGE & THRESHOLDS

Damage Thresholds

Threshold	HP Marked
Below Minor	0 HP (no damage)
Minor	1 HP
Major	2 HP
Severe	3 HP

Armor

Damage Types

• phy - Physical damage
• mag - Magic damage
• Direct - Bypasses armor, marks HP directly

📏 RANGE BANDS

Range	Description
Melee	Adjacent, touching
Very Close	A few steps
Close	Throwing distance
Far	Shouting distance, bow range
Very Far	Extreme range, barely visible

Note: Not grid-based! Narrative positioning.

😱 FEAR MECHANICS

Gaining Fear

• Players roll with Fear die higher
• Adversary features (e.g., Momentum)
• GM decides narratively

Spending Fear

Cost	Effect
1	Make a GM move, spotlight additional adversary
2	Activate adversary feature, summon reinforcements
3+	Major complications, powerful effects

🎭 GM MOVES

Use when players roll with Fear or give golden opportunity:

• Reveal an unwelcome truth
• Put someone in a spot
• Deal damage
• Use an adversary/environment move
• Take away one of their things
• Make them mark Stress
• Show collateral damage
• Signal imminent threat
• Force the group to split up
• Capture someone/something important

👹 ADVERSARY TYPES

Type	HP	Description
Minion	1	Defeated by any damage. Minion (3): Every 3 damage defeats another
Standard	3-5	Regular enemies, 1-2 features
Bruiser	6-7	Tough, high damage, crowd control
Ranged	3-4	Far attacks, mobile, lower durability
Support	4-5	Buffs/debuffs, utility
Leader	6-7	Commands allies, often has Momentum
Solo	8-9	Boss-tier, Relentless, multiple actions
Horde	6+	Many creatures, HP = groups. Damage reduced when half HP

⚡ COMMON ADVERSARY FEATURES

• Relentless (X) - Can be spotlighted X times per GM turn (spend Fear each time)
• Momentum - Gain Fear when successful attack vs PC
• Minion (X) - For every X damage, defeat additional minion in range
• Horde (die) - When half+ HP marked, damage reduced to specified die
• Group Attack - Spend Fear to spotlight all nearby, make shared attack roll
• Flying - +2 Difficulty while flying
• Climber - Climbs as easily as runs
• Direct Damage - Bypasses armor, marks HP directly
• Countdown (X) - Starts at X, ticks down on trigger, activates at 0

🩹 CONDITIONS

• Restrained - Can't move freely
• Hidden - Can't be directly targeted
• Vulnerable - Take extra damage
• Weakened - Deal less damage
• Frightened - Disadvantage against source of fear
• Down - Unconscious (HP full). Taking damage = death move
• Stressed - Disadvantage on all rolls (Stress full)

💖 HOPE SPENDING (Player)

Players can spend Hope to:

• Help an Ally - Give advantage on their roll
• Utilize an Experience - Add bonus even if not directly applicable
• Initiate Tag Team Roll - Collaborate with ally
• Activate Hope Features - Class abilities that cost Hope

🛌 RESTS

💀 DEATH & DYING

When HP Full

• Character is Down (unconscious)
• Can't act or move
• Vulnerable to finishing blows

Taking Damage While Down

Stabilizing

• Allies can attempt to stabilize
• Magic or healing can revive
• Narrative means (e.g., battlefield medic)

🎲 PROFICIENCY & DAMAGE

Proficiency Scaling

Levels	Dice
1-2	1 die
3-5	2 dice
6-8	3 dice
9-10	4 dice

Damage Formula

📊 QUICK REFERENCE

Starting Resources

• 2 Hope (max 6)
• 6 Stress (all classes)
• Starting HP (varies by class)
• Starting weapons and armor
• Basic adventuring gear

Trait Modifiers (Character Creation)

Assign: +2, +1, +1, 0, 0, -1 across six traits

Experiences

• Start with 2 Experiences at +2 each
• Words/phrases from backstory
• Add modifier when applicable to rolls

🎬 RUNNING COMBAT

Starting Combat

1. Set the scene (environment, adversaries, positioning)
2. Establish stakes (what happens if they fail?)
3. Ask "What do you do?"
4. Start spotlight rotation

During Combat

• Narrate vividly - make successes awesome, failures dramatic
• Use Hope/Fear results - Hope builds momentum, Fear complicates
• Vary adversary tactics - make them interesting
• Check in on fiction - "Where are you? How do you feel?"

Ending Combat

• Describe the aftermath
• Check for injuries and healing needs
• Ask about loot/search
• Move to next scene

🧠 MAKING RULINGS

Fiction-First Philosophy

• If it makes narrative sense, allow it (with appropriate roll)
• Rulings over rules - prioritize story flow
• "Yes, and..." or "Yes, but..." - favor agency with consequences

When Rules Are Unclear

1. Make a quick ruling that fits the narrative
2. Tell the table "We'll play it this way for now"
3. Note to look up exact rule later
4. Keep the game moving

🗣️ COMMON QUESTIONS

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