Ancestries, Communities, and Transformations¶
Source
Daggerheart System Reference Document 2.0, PDF pages 32–45. Public Game Content under the Darrington Press Community Gaming License; see Daggerheart SRD for the notice and how to cite. Text is machine-extracted; tables lost their columns. When it matters, the PDF wins.
SRD p. 32
Ancestries¶
Ancestries represent your character's lineage, which affects
their physical appearance and access to certain special
abilities. The following section describes each ancestry in
Daggerheart and the characteristics generally shared by
members of that ancestry, however, each player decides how
much their character aligns with the "standard" or "average"
expression of their ancestry.
In Daggerheart, the term "people" is used to refer to all
ancestries, as individuals from all lineages possess unique
characteristics and cultures, as well as personhood.
Some ancestries are described using the term "humanoid."
This does not imply any genetic relation to "humans," which
is a distinct ancestry within Daggerheart. Instead, it refers
to the set of physical characteristics humans will recognize
from their own anatomy, such as bipedal movement, upright
posture, facial layout, and more. These traits vary by ancestry
and individual, though "humanoid" should still provide a useful
frame of reference.
The Daggerheart Core Set includes only the following
ancestries: Clank, Drakona, Dwarf, Elf, Faerie, Faun, Firbolg,
Fungril, Galapa, Giant, Goblin, Halfling, Human, Infernis,
Katari, Orc, Ribbet, Simiah, and Mixed Ancestry.
Ancestry Features¶
Each ancestry grants two ancestry features. While some
features (such as the ability to fly) are implicitly tied to an
ancestry's anatomy, players determine their characters'
physical form. Work with the GM to re-flavor any implied traits
that don't align with your character concept.
If you'd like to make a character who combines more than one
ancestry, see "Mixed Ancestry."
Aetheris¶
Aetheris are humanoids most easily recognized by their wings
and sacred markings. They are the descendants of angels from
the Hallows Above. Aetheris are typically 5 to 7 feet tall, and
some may have elongated limbs. They often have vibrantly
colored eyes, hair, and skin, though their coloring can include
earth tones and pastels. Many members of this ancestry are
born with sacred markings - such as glowing sigils or intricate
patterns of lines and symbols - but all aetheris develop them
as they mature. These symbols change as they age, often
because of prophecies, revelations, and divine guidance from
the Hallows Above.
All aetheris have a "hallowed aura" that can manifest
voluntarily, such as when they invoke their power, or
involuntarily, such as when they feel elation or other strong
emotions. When they call forth this radiance, their eyes
and bodies might glow, their markings might become more
prominent or shift across their skin, or they might have a halo
appear atop or around their head. These halos are as unique
as a fingerprint and may share similarities with other family
members. Perhaps due to their angelic lineage, aetheris
usually live for 350 years, and they retain a youthful glow even
as they age.
Ancestry Features¶
Hallowed Aura: Once per long rest when an ally within Close
range rolls with Fear, you can change it into a roll with Hope
instead.
Celestial Wings: You have wings that allow you to fly. Once per
scene while flying, you can spend a Hope instead of marking
an Armor Slot.
Clank¶
Clanks are sentient mechanical beings built from a variety
of materials, including metal, wood, and stone. They can
resemble humanoids, animals, or even inanimate objects. Like
organic beings, their bodies come in a wide array of sizes.
Because of their bespoke construction, many clanks have
highly specialized physical configurations. Examples include
clawed hands for grasping, wheels for movement, or built-in
weaponry.
Many clanks embrace body modifications for style as well as
function, and members of other ancestries often turn to clank
artisans to construct customized mobility aids and physical
adornments. Other ancestries can create clanks, even using
their own physical characteristics as inspiration, but it's also
common for clanks to build one another. Aclank's lifespan
extends as long as they're able to acquire or craft new parts,
making their physical form effectively immortal. That said,
their minds are subject to the effects of time, and deteriorate
as the magic that powers them loses potency.
Ancestry Features¶
Purposeful Design: Decide who made you and for what
purpose. At character creation, choose one of your
Experiences that best aligns with this purpose and gain a
permanent +1 bonus to it.
Efficient: When you take a short rest, you can choose a long
rest move instead of a short rest move.
Drakona¶
Drakona resemble wingless dragons in humanoid form
and possess a powerful elemental breath. All drakona have
thick scales that provide excellent natural armor against
both attacks and the forces of nature. They are large in size,
ranging from 5 feet to 7 feet on average, with long sharp
teeth. New teeth grow throughout a Drakona's approximately
350-year lifespan, so they are never in danger of permanently
losing an incisor. Unlike their dragon ancestors, drakona don't
have wings and can't fly without magical aid. Members of
this ancestry pass down the element of their breath through
generations, though in rare cases, a drakona's elemental
power will differ from the rest of their family's.
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Ancestry Features¶
Scales: Your scales act as natural protection. When you would
take Severe damage, you can mark a Stress to mark 1 fewer
Hit Points.
Elemental Breath: Choose an element for your breath (such
as electricity, fire, or ice). You can use this breath against a
target or group of targets within Very Close range, treating it
as an Instinct weapon that deals d8 magic damage using your
Proficiency.
Dwarf¶
Dwarves are most easily recognized as short humanoids
with square frames, dense musculature, and thick hair.
Their average height ranges from 4 to 5 ½ feet, and they
are often broad in proportion to their stature. Their skin and
nails contain a high amount of keratin, making them naturally
resilient. This allows dwarves to embed gemstones into their
bodies and decorate themselves with tattoos or piercings.
Their hair grows thickly - usually on their heads, but some
dwarves have thick hair across their bodies as well. Dwarves
of all genders can grow facial hair, which they often style in
elaborate arrangements. Typically, dwarves live up to 250
years of age, maintaining their muscle mass well into later life.
Ancestry Features¶
Thick Skin: When you take Minor damage, you can mark 2
Stress instead of marking a Hit Point.
Increased Fortitude: Spend 3 Hope to halve incoming physical
damage.
Elemental Kin¶
Elemental kin are humanoid mortals descended from powerful
supernatural entities known as elementals - embodiments
of the fundamental forces that shape the Mortal Realm (such
as earth, air, fire, and water). These "kin" manifest forces
differently, with some appearing more or less humanoid than
others, but they all have a lineage that grants them unique
ways to harness and influence their elemental heritage.
At birth, elemental kin closely resemble the element they
embody, then become increasingly humanoid as they mature
through early childhood. As they grow, their appearance
manifests unique characteristics that identify them as
elemental kin, such as crystal formations across a stonekin's
shoulders or a skykin's ever-present breeze tousling their
hair. While adult elemental kin are predominantly flesh and
blood, small portions of their bodies momentarily shift into an
elemental state in times of great emotion. Elemental kin with
limb differences, or who lost a limb at some point in their life,
can also manipulate a small amount of their element to help
them accomplish a variety of tasks.
Some elemental kins' physical characteristics are passed down
through families, such as one family of earthkin bearing shifting
skin with the texture of sand, while another bears marble
patterns. Additionally, families often develop their own unique
communication styles that use their elemental influence. For
example, emberkin might express excitement with flares of fire
from their eyes, while tidekin might use currents of color over
their bodies to communicate subtle messages.
Though their lifespans vary, all elemental kin return to their
element upon their death.
Earthkin¶
Earthkin are humanoids whose bodies are made of flesh and
earth. Descended from earth elementals, members of this
ancestry are formed of flesh and rock, crystal, clay, soil, sand,
or a mixture of these materials. Some are primarily flesh and
blood with just one earthen feature, such as skin the color or
texture of stone or crystal formations that adorn their heads
like hair. Others are a combination, often asymmetrical unions
of muscle and natural minerals. Still others are almost entirely
soil and stone. Earthkin might choose to mold and decorate the
mineral portions of their form by carving designs, embedding
gems or metals, or even planting seeds that bloom into
adorning foliage. Their coloring comes from their elemental
lineage, as even those who are more flesh than earth come in
hues reminiscent of marble, gemstones, sand, soil, and more.
These kin begin their lives as small lumps of earth, such as
a boulder, a ball of clay, or a crystal cluster. Though they'll
develop their more humanoid features fairly quickly, earthkin
age slowly for most of their approximately 300-year lifespan.
Their average height at adulthood ranges from 5 to 6½ feet
tall, and the shape of their body is strongly influenced by the
primary material it's composed of. Many earthkin's injuries
appear like fissures in stone; even long after the initial damage
has healed, these cracks continue to slowly repair. When they
die, earthkin eventually crumble into piles of earth.
Ancestry Features¶
Stoneskin: Gain a permanent +1 bonus to your Armor Score
and damage thresholds at character creation.
Immovable: While you're touching the ground, you can't be
lifted or moved against your will.
Emberkin¶
Emberkin are humanoids whose bodies are made of flesh and
fire. Descended from fire elementals, emberkin might manifest
their fiery heritage through flaming hair, eyes like embers,
luminous streams that dance across their skin, a smoking
exterior, or a glow flickering through their muscles, veins,
organs, or fingertips. All these features are known to shift or
flare with their emotions, and some individuals' characteristics
might be more changeable than another's. The coloring of their
skin and hair resembles the hues of fire: bright red, orange,
yellow, charcoal, or even hints of blue. Their ears curve and
point like a tongue of fire, and they tend to be warmer in
temperature, either purposefully or innately, with some even
being hot to the touch.
Infant emberkin resemble small balls of fire or cinders, and
because they lack the skill to control their temperature,
they often need to be placed in fireproof containment such
as dragon eggs, hearths, and cookware. Their humanoid
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characteristics develop throughout adolescence until they
solidify into their adult form. Emberkin range from 5 to 7 feet
tall and live about 250 years, their light and heat dimming as
they age. When they pass, they blaze brightly for a moment,
then burn to ash.
Ancestry Features¶
Fireproof: You are immune to damage from magical or
mundane flame.
Ignition: Mark a Stress to wreathe your primary weapon in
flame until the end of the scene. While the weapon is ablaze,
it gives off a bright light, and you gain a 1d6 bonus to damage
rolls with that weapon.
Skykin¶
Skykin are humanoids whose bodies are made of flesh and
air. Descended from air elementals, skykin have color-shifting
skin that reflects the pale grays and blues of a clear morning
sky, the smoldering oranges and fuchsias of the setting sun, or
the deep sables and purples of a star-dappled night. These kin
often have semitranslucent skin, floating hair of wispy smoke
or clouds, or small breezes constantly fluttering their clothing.
The intensity of these characteristics heightens or lessens
based on the strength of their emotions. Skykin grow to be
5½ to 7 feet on average, and some have elongated features,
including their pointed ears, necks, hands, feet, or limbs.
Skykin are born as wisps of air or small clouds, often hard
to see and hold. Until they mature and become more solid,
they're contained in jars and other such vessels. Though
skykin become more humanoid throughout adolescence, their
bodies remain flexible, and some adults can adjust their shape
throughout their lives, though it takes time and effort. Skykin
live for approximately 300 years, and when they breathe their
last, they disappear into the air.
Ancestry Features¶
Gale Force: Mark a Stress to conjure a gust of wind that
carries you or a Very Close ally up to Very Far range.
Additionally, you can always control the speed at which you
fall.
Eye of the Storm: Spend 2 Hope to grant you or an ally within
Melee range a +1 bonus to Evasion until you take Severe
damage or you use this feature again.
Tidekin¶
Tidekin are humanoids whose bodies are made of flesh and
water. Descended from water elementals, tidekin possess
finlike ears and webbing between their digits. The color of their
skin, hair, and eyes reflects that of water's many forms, with
some exhibiting bright shades of aquas, greens, and seafoams
like shallow rivers or tropical oceans, while others display dark
blues and purples from the deepest oceans. For some, these
colors shift beneath semitranslucent skin like waves. Tidekin
might have water formations that adorn their heads like hair
or waves that shift and move across their body. Instead of
expressing emotions through tears, their water formations
change with their emotional state, and they can purposefully or
accidentally use their shifting colors or water formations as a
method of nonverbal communication.
Tidekin are born as a small amount of water, such as a puddle
or liquid orb. As children, they're often kept in watertight
containers such as bowls and bottles, and they tend to have a
fluid appearance throughout their childhood until they gain a
more solid humanoid form around adolescence. Adult tidekin
range from 5 to 6½ feet in height, though their general body
shape is influenced by the fluidity of water and might change,
with some effort, over their approximately 300-year lifespan.
When members of this ancestry die, they dissolve into water
and flow away.
Ancestry Features¶
Amphibious: You can breathe and move naturally underwater.
Lifespring: Once per rest when you have access to a small
amount of water, you can mark a Stress to clear a Hit Point on
yourself or an ally within Very Close range.
Elf¶
Elves are typically tall humanoids with pointed ears and
acutely attuned senses. Their ears vary in size and pointed
shape, and as they age, the tips begin to droop. While elves
come in a wide range of body types, they are all fairly tall, with
heights ranging from about 6 to 6 ½ feet. All elves have the
ability to drop into a celestial trance, rather than sleep. This
allows them to rest effectively in a short amount of time.
Some elves possess what is known as a "mystic form," which
occurs when an elf has dedicated themself to the study or
protection of the natural world so deeply that their physical
form changes. These characteristics can include celestial
freckles, the presence of leaves, vines, or flowers in their
hair, eyes that flicker like fire, and more. Sometimes these
traits are inherited from parents, but if an elf changes their
environment or magical focus, their appearance changes over
time. Because elves live for about 350 years, these traits can
shift more than once throughout their lifespan.
Ancestry Features¶
Quick Reactions: Mark a Stress to gain advantage on a
reaction roll.
Celestial Trance: During a rest, you can drop into a trance to
choose an additional downtime move.
Faerie¶
Faeries are winged humanoid creatures with insectile features.
These characteristics cover a broad spectrum from humanoid
to insectoid - some possess additional arms, compound eyes,
lantern organs, chitinous exoskeletons, or stingers. Because
of their close ties to the natural world, they also frequently
possess attributes that allow them to blend in with various
plants. The average height of a faerie ranges from about
2 feet to 5 feet, but some faeries grow up to 7 feet tall. All
faeries possess membranous wings and they each go through
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a process of metamorphosis. The process and changes differ
from faerie to faerie, but during this transformation each
individual manifests the unique appearance they will carry
throughout the rest of their approximately 50-year lifespan.
Ancestry Feature¶
Luckbender: Once per session, after you or a willing ally within
Close range makes an action roll, you can spend 3 Hope to
reroll the Duality Dice.
Wings: You can fly. While flying, you can mark a Stress after
an adversary makes an attack against you to gain a +2 bonus
to your Evasion against that attack.
Faun¶
Fauns resemble humanoid goats with curving horns, square
pupils, and cloven hooves. Though their appearances may
vary, most fauns have a humanoid torso and a goatlike lower
body covered in dense fur. Faun faces can be more caprine or
more humanlike, and they have a wide variety of ear and horn
shapes. Faun horns range from short with minimal curvature
to much larger with a distinct curl. The average faun ranges
from 4 feet to 6 ½ feet tall, but their height can change
dramatically from one moment to the next based on their
stance. The majority of fauns have proportionately long limbs,
no matter their size or shape, and are known for their ability
to deliver powerful blows with their split hooves. Fauns live
for roughly 225 years, and as they age, their appearance can
become increasingly goatlike.
Ancestry Features¶
Caprine Leap: You can leap anywhere within Close range as
though you were using normal movement, allowing you to
vault obstacles, jump across gaps, or scale barriers with ease.
Kick: When you succeed on an attack against a target within
Melee range, you can mark a Stress to kick yourself off
them, dealing an extra 2d6 damage and knocking back either
yourself or the target to Very Close range.
Firbolg¶
Firbolgs are bovine humanoids typically recognized by their
broad noses and long, drooping ears. Some have faces that
are a blend of humanoid and bison, ox, cow, or other bovine
creatures. Others, often referred to as minotaurs, have heads
that entirely resemble cattle. They are tall and muscular
creatures, with heights ranging from around 5 feet to
7 feet, and possess remarkable strength no matter their age.
Some firbolgs are known to use this strength to charge their
adversaries, an action that is particuarly effective for those
who have one of the many varieties of horn styles commonly
found in this ancestry. Though their unique characteristics can
vary, all firbolgs are covered in fur, which can be muted and
earth-toned in color, or come in a variety of pastels, such as
soft pinks and blues. On average, firbolgs live for about 150
years.
Ancestry Features¶
Charge: When you succeed on an Agility Roll to move from Far
or Very Far range into Melee range with one or more targets,
you can mark a Stress to deal 1d12 physical damage to all
targets within Melee range.
Unshakable: When you would mark a Stress, roll a d6. On a
result of 6, don't mark it.
Fungril¶
Fungril resemble humanoid mushrooms. They can be
either more humanoid or more fungal in appearance, and
they come in an assortment of colors, from earth tones to
bright reds, yellows, purples, and blues. Fungril display an
incredible variety of bodies, faces, and limbs, as there's no
single common shape among them. Even their heights range
from a tiny 2 feet tall to a staggering 7 feet tall. While the
common lifespan of a fungril is about 300 years, some have
been reported to live much longer. They can communicate
nonverbally, and many members of this ancestry use a
mycelial array to chemically exchange information with other
fungril across long distances.
Ancestry Features¶
Fungril Network: Make an Instinct Roll (12) to use your
mycelial array to speak with others of your ancestry. On a
success, you can communicate across any distance.
Death Connection: While touching a corpse that died recently,
you can mark a Stress to extract one memory from the corpse
related to a specific emotion or sensation of your choice.
Galapa¶
Galapa resemble anthropomorphic turtles with large, domed
shells into which they can retract. On average, they range from
4 feet to 6 feet in height, and their head and body shapes can
resemble any type of turtle. Galapa come in a variety of earth
tones - most often shades of green and brown - and possess
unique patterns on their shells. Members of this ancestry can
draw their head, arms, and legs into their shell for protection
to use it as a natural shield when defensive measures are
needed. Some supplement their shell's strength or appearance
by attaching armor or carving unique designs, but the process
is exceedingly painful. Most galapa move slowly no matter
their age, and they can live approximately 150 years.
Ancestry Features¶
Shell: Gain a bonus to your damage thresholds equal to your
Proficiency.
Retract: Mark a Stress to retract into your shell. While in
your shell, you have resistance to physical damage, you have
disadvantage on action rolls, and you can't move.
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Giant¶
Giants are towering humanoids with broad shoulders, long
arms, and one to three eyes. Adult giants range from 6 ½ to
8 ½ feet tall and are naturally muscular, regardless of body
type. They are easily recognized by their wide frames and
elongated arms and necks. Though they can have up to three
eyes, all giants are born with none and remain sightless for
their first year of life. Until a giant reaches the age of 10 and
their features fully develop, the formation of their eyes may
fluctuate. Those with a single eye are commonly known as
cyclops. The average giant lifespan is about 75 years.
Ancestry Features¶
Endurance: Gain an additional Hit Point slot at character
creation.
Reach: Treat any weapon, ability, spell, or other feature that
has a Melee range as though it has a Very Close range instead.
Gnome¶
Gnomes are typically small humanoids with conical heads
and the ability to teleport short distances. While the average
gnome is about 3 feet in height, their proportionately long arms
and large hands give them an extended reach for their size.
In contrast, their square frames have shorter torsos and legs.
Alongside these characteristics, gnomes are easily identified
by their softly pointed ears and wide eyes. Their heads are
large, and the conical shape varies by family. Gnomes also
inherit their minor teleportation ability from their parents, with
families exhibiting their own manifestations when disappearing
and reappearing. These effects can include small clouds of
smoke, motes of light, or simply appearing to evaporate into
thin air. Gnomes are known to begin grasping and holding
objects from a very young age, and their hands remain
dextrous over their 200-year lifespan even when their bodies
have slowed from age.
Ancestry Features¶
Nimble Fingers: When you make a Finesse Roll, you can spend
2 Hope to reroll your Hope Die.
Flicker Step: Once per scene, you can teleport to another point
you can see within Far range.
Goblin¶
Goblins are small humanoids easily recognizable by their large
eyes and massive membranous ears. With keen hearing and
sharp eyesight, they perceive details both at great distances
and in darkness, allowing them to move through less-optimal
environments with ease. Their skin and eye colors are
incredibly varied, with no one hue, either vibrant or subdued,
more dominant than another. Atypical goblin stands between
3 feet and 4 feet tall, and each of their ears is about the size
of their head. Goblins are known to use ear positions to very
specific effect when communicating nonverbally. Agoblin's
lifespan is roughly 100 years, and many maintain their keen
hearing and sight well into advanced age.
Ancestry Features¶
Surefooted: You ignore disadvantage on Agility Rolls.
Danger Sense: Once per rest, mark a Stress to force an
adversary to reroll an attack against you or an ally within Very
Close range.
Halfling¶
Halflings are small humanoids with large hairy feet and
prominent rounded ears. On average, halflings are 3 to 4
feet in height, and their ears, nose, and feet are larger in
proportion to the rest of their body. Members of this ancestry
live for around 150 years, and a halfling's appearance is likely
to remain youthful even as they progress from adulthood into
old age. Halflings are naturally attuned to the magnetic fields
of the Mortal Realm, granting them a strong internal compass.
They also possess acute senses of hearing and smell, and can
often detect those who are familiar to them by the sound of
their movements.
Ancestry Features¶
Luckbringer: At the start of each session, everyone in your
party gains a Hope.
Internal Compass: When you roll a 1 on your Hope Die, you
can reroll it.
Human¶
Humans are most easily recognized by their dexterous hands,
rounded ears, and bodies built for endurance. Their average
height ranges from just under 5 feet to about 6 ½ feet. They
have a wide variety of builds, with some being quite broad,
others lithe, and many inhabiting the spectrum in between.
Humans are physically adaptable and adjust to harsh climates
with relative ease. In general, humans live to an age of about
100, with their bodies changing dramatically between their
youngest and oldest years.
Ancestry Features¶
High Stamina: Gain an additional Stress slot at character
creation.
Adaptability: When you fail a roll that utilized one of your
Experiences, you can mark a Stress to reroll.
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Infernis¶
Infernis are humanoids who possess sharp canine teeth,
pointed ears, and horns. They are the descendants of demons
from the Circles Below. On average, infernis range in height
from 5 feet to 7 feet and are known to have long fingers and
pointed nails. Some have long, thin, and smooth tails that end
in points, forks, or arrowheads. It's common for infernis to
have two or four horns - though some have crowns of many
horns, or only one. These horns can also grow asymmetrically,
forming unique, often curving, shapes that infernis enhance
with carving and ornamentation. Their skin, hair, and horns
come in an assortment of colors that can include soft pastels,
stark tones, or vibrant hues, such as rosy scarlet, deep purple,
and pitch black.
Infernis possess a "dread visage" that manifests both
involuntarily, such as when they experience fear or other
strong emotions, or purposefully, such as when they wish to
intimidate an adversary. This visage can briefly modify their
appearance in a variety of ways, including lengthening their
teeth and nails, changing the colors of their eyes, twisting
their horns, or enhancing their height. On average, infernis live
up to 350 years, with some attributing this lifespan to their
demonic lineage.
Ancestry Features¶
Fearless: When you roll with Fear, you can mark 2 Stress to
change it into a roll with Hope instead.
Dread Visage: You have advantage on rolls to intimidate hostile
creatures.
Katari¶
Katari are feline humanoids with retractable claws, vertically
slit pupils, and high, triangular ears. They can also have small,
pointed canine teeth, soft fur, and long whiskers that assist
their perception and navigation. Their ears can swivel nearly
180 degrees to detect sound, adding to their heightened
senses. Katari may look more or less feline or humanoid, with
catlike attributes in the form of hair, whiskers, and a muzzle.
About half of the katari population have tails. Their skin and
fur come in a wide range of hues and patterns, including solid
colors, calico tones, tabby stripes, and an array of spots,
patches, marbling, or bands. Their height ranges from about 3
feet to 6 ½ feet, and they live to around 150 years.
Ancestry Features¶
Feline Instincts: When you make an Agility Roll, you can spend
2 Hope to reroll your Hope Die.
Retracting Claws: Make an Agility Roll to scratch a target
within Melee range. On a success, they become temporarily
Vulnerable.
Orc¶
Orcs are humanoids most easily recognized by their square
features and boar-like tusks that protrude from their lower
jaw. Tusks come in various sizes, and though they extend from
the mouth, they aren't used for consuming food. Instead,
many orcs choose to decorate their tusks with significant
ornamentation. Orcs typically live for 125 years, and unless
altered, their tusks continue to grow throughout the course
of their lives. Their ears are pointed, and their hair and skin
typically have green, blue, pink, or gray tones. Orcs tend
toward a muscular build, and their average height ranges from
5 feet to 6 ½ feet.
Ancestry Features¶
Sturdy: When you have 1 Hit Point remaining, attacks against
you have disadvantage.
Tusks: When you succeed on an attack against a target within
Melee range, you can spend a Hope to gore the target with
your tusks, dealing an extra 1d6 damage.
Ribbet¶
Ribbets resemble anthropomorphic frogs with protruding
eyes and webbed hands and feet. They have smooth (though
sometimes warty) moist skin and eyes positioned on either
side of their head. Some ribbets have hind legs more than
twice the length of their torso, while others have short limbs.
No matter their size (which ranges from about 3 feet to 4
½ feet), ribbets primarily move by hopping. All ribbets have
webbed appendages, allowing them to swim with ease. Some
ribbets possess a natural green-and-brown camouflage, while
others are vibrantly colored with bold patterns. No matter
their appearance, all ribbets are born from eggs laid in the
water, hatch into tadpoles, and after about 6 to 7 years, grow
into amphibians that can move around on land. Ribbets live for
approximately 100 years.
Ancestry Features¶
Amphibious: You can breathe and move naturally underwater.
Long Tongue: You can use your long tongue to grab onto things
within Close range. Mark a Stress to use your tongue as a
Finesse Close weapon that deals d12 physical damage using
your Proficiency.
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Simiah¶
Simiah resemble anthropomorphic monkeys and apes with
long limbs and prehensile feet. While their appearance
reflects all simian creatures, from the largest gorilla to the
smallest marmoset, their size does not align with their animal
counterparts, and they can be anywhere from 2 to 6 feet
tall. All simiah can use their dexterous feet for nonverbal
communication, work, and combat. Additionally, some
also have prehensile tails that can grasp objects or help
with balance during difficult maneuvers. These traits grant
members of this ancestry unique agility that aids them in
a variety of physical tasks. In particular, simiah are skilled
climbers and can easily transition from bipedal movement to
knuckle-walking and climbing, and back again. On average,
simiah live for about 100 years.
Ancestry Features¶
Natural Climber: You have advantage on Agility Rolls that
involve balancing and climbing.
Nimble: Gain a permanent +1 bonus to your Evasion at
character creation.
Mixed Ancestry¶
Families within the world of Daggerheart are as unique as the
peoples and cultures that inhabit it. Anyone's appearance and
abilities can be shaped by blood, magic, proximity, or a variety
of other factors.
If you decide that your character is a descendant of multiple
ancestries and you want to mechanically represent that in the
game, use the steps below:
1. Determine Ancestry Combination
When you choose an ancestry at character creation,
write down how your character identifies themself in the
Heritage section of your character sheet. For example, if
your character is descended from both goblins and orcs,
you could use a hybridized term, such as "goblin-orc," to
describe your ancestry, list only the ancestry you more
closely identify with (e.g., just "goblin" or just "orc"), or
invent a new term, such as "toothling."
2. Choose Ancestry Features
Work with your GM to choose two features from the
ancestries in your character's lineage. You must choose
the first feature from one ancestry and the second from
another. Write both down on a notecard you can keep with
your other cards or next to your character sheet.
For example, if you are making a goblin-orc, you might take
the "Surefooted" and "Tusks" features or the "Sturdy" and
"Danger Sense" features. You can't take both the "Surefooted"
and "Sturdy" features, because these are both the first
features listed on their respective ancestry cards.
Your character's heritage might include more than two
ancestries, but you still only choose features from two. You
can represent additional ancestries through their appearance
or backstory.
Communities¶
Communities represent a key aspect of the culture, class, or
environment of origin that has had the most influence over
your character's upbringing.
Your character's community grants them a community
feature. Each community card also lists six adjectives you
can use as inspiration to create your character's personality,
their relationship to their peers, their attitude toward their
upbringing, or the demeanor with which they interact with
the rest of the party. Please note the Daggerheart Core
Set includes only the following communities: Highborne,
Loreborne, Orderborne, Ridgeborne, Seaborne, Slyborne,
Underborne, Wanderborne, Wildborne.
Duneborne¶
Being part of a duneborne community means you've made
a home among the shifting sands and arid climate of the
desert. Each duneborne enclave develops specific methods
of protecting themselves from the blazing sun, moving across
the scorching sands, and acquiring and storing precious
resources. Some duneborne travel their desert homes,
maneuvering through the dunes herding livestock, while
others cluster around oases, collaborating with one another
to maintain and share a rare area of abundant resources.
Duneborne settlements are known for architecture that
captures wind to cool their homes and irrigation systems that
tap into underground reservoirs and tend to crops even amidst
the harshest conditions. Many duneborne put added emphasis
on familial bonds and the need for everyone to contribute to
the well-being of the collective.
Duneborne are often adaptable, centered, collaborative, devoted,
cheerful, and observant.
Community Feature¶
Oasis: During a short rest, you or an ally can reroll a die used
for a downtime move and take the higher result.
Freeborne¶
Being part of a freeborne community means you're from a
collective that once lived under tyrannical rule but is now
liberated. Though no two freeborne enclaves are the same,
all are unified by the experience of fighting to preserve their
culture while others tried to eradicate it. Whether due to their
religion, resources, location, or culture, freeborne groups
were once subjugated by another community. For some, this
subjugation might have only recently ended; for others, even
if their freedom has been long-won, the scars of tyranny can
last, bonding together families and neighbors for decades
or even generations. Many freeborne collectives unify in
and rebuild the lands reclaimed from their oppressors or in
a homeland they were taken from. Others see "home" as
a collection of people who care for one another, no matter
where they reside.
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Many freeborne passionately celebrate their unique holidays,
art, food, decor, and other customs, whether they're
enjoying long-held traditions or new practices born from
liberation. Their past experiences often forge in them a fierce
protectiveness of their community and an equally strong
fervor to celebrate their culture.
Freeborne are often optimistic, guarded, courageous, joyful,
subversive, and traumatized.
Community Feature¶
Unbound: Once per session when you roll with Fear, you can
change it into a roll with Hope instead.
Frostborne¶
Being part of a frostborne community means you come from
a place of snow and ice. Forged in bitter and unrelenting
cold, frostborne communities are accustomed to surviving
in the harshest conditions. The glaciers and tundras they call
home usually lack wood, so these collectives use more readily
available materials such as ice, stone, bone, and animal pelts
to make shelter and conserve heat. They are adept at ensuring
their supplies go a long way and that all their people have
access to the essentials needed to survive. As part of their
systems of survival, many frostborne closely track weather
patterns, the rising and setting of the sun, and the needs of
local flora and fauna. Because of the howling wind and biting
snow, some frostborne communities develop nonverbal
means of communication so they can cover their faces for
safety during dangerous weather.
Frostborne are often cunning, gregarious, intrepid, purposeful,
quiet, and warm.
Community Feature¶
Hardy: When you take a rest, you clear a Hit Point.
Hearthborne¶
Being part of a hearthborne community means you come
from humble origins, having lived in a modest village or quaint
countryside. These communities are often small groups that
live in resource-rich, peaceful areas that allow families and
neighbors the time to develop close-knit relationships rather
than compete over scarce supplies. Hearthborne communities
are largely agrarian and pastoral, focusing the layout of their
villages around their plants and animals. The town centers
typically feature a collection of locally owned shops with
skilled artisans such as blacksmiths, cobblers, alchemists,
and the like. Sometimes, hearthborne communities have
distant but powerful rulers who own the land the villagers
work and live on - in those cases, resources are controlled
by the wealthy even though the labor is performed by locals,
and workers might struggle to afford the basics they need
to survive. While some hearthborne individuals can be
mistrustful of outsiders, most are known for being welcoming,
peaceful, and hospitable.
Hearthborne are often careful, generous, insular, loquacious,
smiley, and traditional.
Community Feature¶
Close-Knit: Once per long rest, you can spend any number
of Hope to grant an ally within Far range an equal number of
Hope.
Highborne¶
Being part of a highborne community means you're
accustomed to a life of elegance, opulence, and prestige
within the upper echelons of society. Traditionally, members
of a highborne community possess incredible material
wealth. While this can take a variety of forms depending on
the community - including gold and other minerals, land,
or controlling the means of production - this status always
comes with power and influence. Highborne place great value
on titles and possessions, and there is little social mobility
within their ranks. Members of a highborne community often
control the political and economic status of the areas in
which they live due to their ability to influence people and the
economy with their substantial wealth. The health and safety
of the less affluent people who live in these locations often
hinges on the ability of this highborne ruling class to prioritize
the well-being of their subjects over profit.
Highborne are often amiable, candid, conniving, enterprising,
ostentatious, and unflappable.
Community Feature¶
Privilege: You have advantage on rolls to consort with nobles,
negotiate prices, or leverage your reputation to get what you
want.
Loreborne¶
Being part of a loreborne community means you're from a
society that favors strong academic or political prowess.
Loreborne communities highly value knowledge, frequently
in the form of historical preservation, political advancement,
scientific study, skill development, or lore and mythology
compilation. Most members of these communities research in
institutions built in bastions of civilization, while some eclectic
few thrive in gathering information from the natural world.
Some may be isolationists, operating in smaller enclaves,
schools, or guilds and following their own unique ethos.
Others still wield their knowledge on a larger scale, making
deft political maneuvers across governmental landscapes.
Loreborne are often direct, eloquent, inquisitive, patient,
rhapsodic, and witty.
Community Feature¶
Well-Read: You have advantage on rolls that involve the
history, culture, or politics of a prominent person or place.
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Orderborne¶
Being part of an orderborne community means you're from
a collective that focuses on discipline or faith, and you
uphold a set of principles that reflect your experience there.
Orderborne are frequently some of the most powerful among
the surrounding communities. By aligning the members of
their society around a common value or goal, such as a god,
doctrine, ethos, or even a shared business or trade, the ruling
bodies of these enclaves can mobilize larger populations with
less effort. While orderborne communities take a variety of
forms - some even profoundly pacifistic - perhaps the most
feared are those that structure themselves around military
prowess. In such a case, it's not uncommon for orderborne to
provide soldiers for hire to other cities or countries.
Orderborne are often ambitious, benevolent, pensive, prudent,
sardonic, and stoic.
Community Feature¶
Dedicated: Record three sayings or values your upbringing
instilled in you. Once per rest, when you describe how you're
embodying one of these principles through your current
action, you can roll a d20 as your Hope Die.
Reborne¶
You were once a member of a different community that you're
no longer part of. Unlike members of collectives who are allied
by familiarity, shared location, history, and culture, reborne
are individuals who might never meet and are unified only
by their shared experience of solitude. Whether they left by
choice or were ripped from their community, all reborne are
disconnected from the place where they once belonged, and
they carry that wound with them.
Some reborne are isolated from their community because they
chose to reject or renounce it, or they could have been forcibly
expelled by other members. These instances are often due to
a conflict, such as clashing ideological differences, a falling out
with their people, or an incident that forced them to depart.
Other reborne have no knowledge of their culture, either
due to their upbringing or perhaps because they lost their
memory through injury or magic. Some have even returned
from beyond the veil after death with no recollection of their
previous life - or the culture that shaped it.
Often, reborne individuals tirelessly search for their past or
feel that they'll never belong in a collective, but all are afforded
the opportunity to turn toward the future and redefine
themselves while building new bonds with those they come to
know and love.
Reborne are often curious, hopeful, innocent, isolated, mournful,
and uncanny.
Community Feature¶
Found Family: Once per rest, you can spend a Hope to use
an ally's Experience as if it were your own. When you do so,
describe how your time with that ally prepared you for this
moment.
When you join a new community or rediscover your old one,
you can permanently trade this card for that one instead.
Ridgeborne¶
Being part of a ridgeborne community means you've
called the rocky peaks and sharp cliffs of the mountainside
home. Those who've lived in the mountains often consider
themselves hardier than most because they've thrived
among the most dangerous terrain many continents have
to offer. These groups are adept at adaptation, developing
unique technologies and equipment to move both people
and products across difficult terrain. As such, ridgeborne
grow up scrambling and climbing, making them sturdy
and strong-willed. Ridgeborne localities appear in a variety
of forms - some cities carve out entire cliff faces, others
construct castles of stone, and still more live in small homes
on windblown peaks. Outside forces often struggle to attack
ridgeborne groups, as the small militias and large military
forces of the mountains are adept at utilizing their high-ground
advantage.
Ridgeborne are often bold, hardy, indomitable, loyal, reserved,
and stubborn.
Community Feature¶
Steady: You have advantage on rolls to traverse dangerous
cliffs and ledges, navigate harsh environments, and use your
survival knowledge.
Seaborne¶
Being part of a seaborne community means you lived on or
near a large body of water. Seaborne communities are built,
both physically and culturally, around the specific waters
they call home. Some of these groups live along the shore,
constructing ports for locals and travelers alike. These harbors
function as centers of commerce, tourist attractions, or
even just a safe place to lay down one's head after weeks of
travel. Other seaborne live on the water in small boats or large
ships, with the idea of "home" comprising a ship and its crew,
rather than any one landmass. No matter their exact location,
seaborne communities are closely tied to the ocean tides
and the creatures who inhabit them. Seaborne learn to fish
at a young age, and train from birth to hold their breath and
swim in even the most tumultuous waters. Individuals from
these groups are highly sought after for their sailing skills,
and many become captains of vessels, whether within their
own community, working for another, or even at the helm of a
powerful naval operation.
Seaborne are often candid, cooperative, exuberant, fierce,
resolute, and weathered.
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Community Feature¶
Know the Tide: You can sense the ebb and flow of life. When
you roll with Fear, place a token on your community card. You
can hold a number of tokens equal to your level. Before you
make an action roll, you can spend any number of these tokens
to gain a +1 bonus to the roll for each token spent. At the end
of each session, clear all unspent tokens.
Slyborne¶
Being part of a slyborne community means you come from
a group that operates outside the law, including all manner
of criminals, grifters, and con artists. Members of slyborne
communities are brought together by their disreputable
goals and their clever means of achieving them. Many people
in these communities have an array of unscrupulous skills:
forging, thievery, smuggling, and violence. People of any social
class can be slyborne, from those who have garnered vast
wealth and influence to those without a coin to their name. T o
the outside eye, slyborne might appear to be ruffians with no
loyalty, but these communities possess some of the strictest
codes of honor which, when broken, can result in a terrifying
end for the transgressor.
Slyborne are often calculating, clever, formidable, perceptive,
shrewd, and tenacious.
Community Feature¶
Scoundrel: You have advantage on rolls to negotiate with
criminals, detect lies, or find a safe place to hide.
Underborne¶
Being part of an underborne community means you're from a
subterranean society. Many underborne live right beneath the
cities and villages of other collectives, while some live much
deeper. These communities range from small family groups
in burrows to massive metropolises in caverns of stone. In
many locales, underborne are recognized for their incredible
boldness and skill that enable great feats of architecture
and engineering. Underborne are regularly hired for their
bravery, as even the least daring among them has likely
encountered formidable belowground beasts, and learning to
dispatch such creatures is common practice amongst these
societies. Because of the dangers of their environment, many
underborne communities develop unique nonverbal languages
that prove equally useful on the surface.
Underborne are often composed, elusive, indomitable,
innovative, resourceful, and unpretentious.
Community Feature¶
Low-Light Living: When you're in an area with low light
or heavy shadow, you have advantage on rolls to hide,
investigate, or perceive details within that area.
Wanderborne¶
Being part of a wanderborne community means you've lived as
a nomad, forgoing a permanent home and experiencing a wide
variety of cultures. Unlike many communities that are defined
by their locale, wanderborne are defined by their traveling
lifestyle. Because of their frequent migration, wanderborne
put less value on the accumulation of material possessions in
favor of acquiring information, skills, and connections. While
some wanderborne are allied by a common ethos, such as a
religion or a set of political or economic values, others come
together after shared tragedy, such as the loss of their home
or land. No matter the reason, the dangers posed by life on the
road and the choice to continue down that road together mean
that wanderborne are known for their unwavering loyalty.
Wanderborne are often inscrutable, magnanimous, mirthful,
reliable, savvy, and unorthodox.
Community Feature¶
Nomadic Pack: Add a Nomadic Pack to your inventory. Once
per session, you can spend a Hope to reach into this pack and
pull out a mundane item that's useful to your situation. Work
with the GM to figure out what item you take out.
Warborne¶
Being part of a warborne community means you come from a
place that is, or was, ravaged by war. These groups might be
composed of civilians who live in an active warzone, soldiers
who served together in the armed forces, or citizens of nations
that have been in conflict for decades. Whether civilian or
military, warborne are typically skilled in self-defense, even if
their tactics are focused on avoidance rather than offensive
action.
Warborne defending their homeland are known for using their
environment to their advantage, while invading warborne
might rely entirely on their military might. No matter their
origin, the life of a warborne is defined at least in part by
resourcefulness. Those who live in an occupied territory might
need to undertake massive reconstruction efforts to repair and
preserve homes, farms, workplaces, or cultural monuments -
the remnants of one building often become the materials
to repair another. Meanwhile, warborne who are part of an
invading army typically carry few personal possessions and
must rely on scavenging the warzones they occupy. Whether
they find themselves on the winning or losing side of a conflict,
those from warborne communities are likely to bear trauma
for the rest of their lives, their sense of safety and mortality
forever marred by the mass casualties and destruction of war.
Warborne are often strategic, devastated, determined,
calculating, unwavering, and devoted.
Community Feature¶
Brave Face: Once per session when you would be forced to
mark a Stress, you can spend a Hope instead..
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Wildborne¶
Being part of a wildborne community means you lived deep
within the forest. Wildborne communities are defined by their
dedication to the conservation of their homelands, and many
have strong religious or cultural ties to the fauna they live
among. This results in unique architectural and technological
advancements that favor sustainability over short-term,
high-yield results. It is a hallmark of wildborne societies to
integrate their villages and cities with the natural environment
and avoid disturbing the lives of the plants and animals. While
some construct their lodgings high in the branches of trees,
others establish their homes on the ground beneath the forest
canopy. It's not uncommon for wildborne to remain reclusive
and hidden within their woodland homes.
Wildborne are often hardy, loyal, nurturing, reclusive, sagacious,
and vibrant.
Community Feature¶
Lightfoot: Your movement is naturally silent. You have
advantage on rolls to move without being heard.
Transformations¶
Transformations represent a fundamental shift in your
character and how they interact with the world. These are
optional aspects of a character's identity that the GM can
give out during a campaign as part of the narrative or, at their
discretion, present as an option during character creation.
Transformations provide both a mechanical benefit and
a drawback. Taking a transformation card requires you to
buy into the concept of the exchange, taking on the burden
to reap the benefit. Because of this, we recommend that
players remind GMs of their transformations' negative effects
whenever they're relevant to help fulfill and reinforce the
fiction of the transformation.
Transformation cards do not count toward your loadout
maximum. When your character gains a transformation, add
the card to your loadout as if it were part of your character's
heritage. Consider how this transformation changes your
character physically and psychologically - if you need
inspiration, each transformation includes questions to help
you.
If there are details you'd like to incorporate into your character
that go beyond the features on a transformation card, work
with your GM to explore how they might manifest in your
campaign's narrative.
A PC can't have more than one transformation.
Granting Transformations¶
GMs should discuss transformations with their players before
incorporating them into their campaigns. Atransformation can
deeply impact a PC's narrative journey, so it's best to ensure
this aspect of the game supports the story your players want
to tell and is something they'll enjoy.
Some of the transformations presented here are easy to
introduce during a campaign as a narrative development.
For example, the vampire or werewolf transformation could
be gained when the campaign's major villain targets a PC
with a significant attack. A PC who gains the reanimated
or ghost transformation might have died in a place of great
magic or made a story-altering bargain in exchange for their
resurrection. These transformations can also be part of
character creation. Maybe a PC was born a werewolf and
seeks to control this aspect of their lineage, or a PC is a long-
dead ghost who haunts the party to protect the living.
Some transformations are more likely to be taken at character
creation, such as the shapeshifter or demigod. However, they
can still be introduced as a character twist during a campaign.
It's ultimately up to you which transformations are available at
character creation and how they become available throughout
play - decide what works best for you, your players, and the
story you're telling together.
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Demigod¶
Demigods are mortal creatures whose veins flow with the
blood of the gods. They typically gain their power from divine
parentage, accomplishing an incredible feat, or receiving a gift
from a god. Many demigods appear as a typical member of
their mortal ancestry, but all possess a subtle luminosity and
a gleam in their eyes. They're also known to have pearlescent
or metallic skin, and they might grow in size or gain physical
features related to their power when it reveals itself. Because
they share the blood of a Faint Divinity, a Forgotten God, a
New God, or any other deity, no two demigods look the same.
Demigods are bestowed with a fragment of deific power, but
not everything a demigod inherits is a blessing. Though they
often excel at tasks they're well suited for, the expectations
set upon them are often difficult and costly to live up to.
Transformation Features¶
Gifted: You gain a +1 bonus to action, reaction, and damage
rolls.
Weight of Divinity: When you fail a roll, you must mark a
Stress or the GM gains a Fear.
Transformation Questions¶
- Your divinity has affected an aspect of your
appearance. In what way do you look different from
others? - Who bestowed demigod status upon you, and what
trial did you complete to earn this gift? - You were made fun of as a child for your divine
parentage. Why? - Why was the knowledge that you are a demigod kept
from you for many years? Who kept this secret? - You have an obligation you must fulfill due to the
immortal blood that runs in your veins. What is this
duty? - In what way did your divinity initially manifest? Why
did it surprise you?
Ghost¶
Ghosts are the spirits of the once-living who are bound to
the Mortal Realm. They could be called forth after passing
through the veil of death with necromantic rites, alchemical
experimentation, the desperation of a loved one - or they
may never have passed through the veil at all. Those who met
a horrific end, were killed with a cursed weapon, or died in
a place of power might have become trapped in the Mortal
Realm instead of passing on.
Because they occupy the space between life and death, a ghost
can shift between the physical and the spectral and, at times,
pass through solid objects. While some ghosts are almost
indistinguishable from the living, others emanate spectral
auras, appear desaturated in color, or bear physical evidence
of their cause of death. When a ghost becomes incorporeal -
which can occur at will, due to heightened emotions, or
seemingly at random - they might appear semitranslucent,
like a breath of fog that could dissipate in the wind.
Some ghosts return for revenge, some to save a loved one, and
others to meet a goal or discover hidden knowledge. Their drive
to accomplish this goal is the force that allows them to exist in
the Mortal Realm. When they complete that goal, their work is
done, and they immediately pass beyond the veil of death.
Transformation Features¶
Unfinished Business: Work with your GM to decide what
purpose or desire keeps you bound to the Mortal Realm. When
you fulfill it, you cross through the veil of death.
Ephemeral: Your body wavers in and out of being corporeal.
You are resistant to physical damage, take double magic
damage, and can mark 2 Stress to momentarily pass through
a solid object.
Transformation Questions¶
- How did you die, and what fear has your death
instilled in you? - What brought you back from beyond the veil of
death? - In life, you loved someone dearly. Why do you need
to find them again? - What must you accomplish now that you've returned
to the Mortal Realm? How will you meet your goal? - Who harmed you in your first life? How do you plan
to deal with them now that you've returned? - You had to sacrifice something dear to you in order
to come back to the Mortal Realm. What did you give
up, and who did you give it to?
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Reanimated¶
Reanimated are corpses who have been brought back to life.
Whether through a spell, a holy ritual, arcane experimentation,
or other unnatural methods, these mortals have returned
from beyond the veil of death as undead and are bound to
their decaying bodies. Newly reanimated are more likely to
look like a typical member of their ancestry, but as they go on,
they must patch and repair their bodies with bones, flesh, and
other materials harvested from the recently deceased. While
some repair their wounds and decay with needle, thread, and
herbs, others use magic to incorporate these materials into
themselves.
Many stories of the reanimated describe them as possessing
increased durability or, in some cases, immunity to pain.
This may be true for some reanimated, but many experience
prolonged agony - whether from the physical echoes of their
own demise, the discomfort of moving a decomposing body,
the trouble controlling their amalgamated parts, or the mental
anguish of being forcibly pulled back from death into a second
life.
Transformation Features¶
Corpse: During a rest, you can clear Hit Points only if you
have access to remains from a recently deceased creature.
Describe how you use these materials to maintain your corpse.
Won't Stay Dead: When you choose the Risk It All death move
and fail, you can permanently mark a Hit Point to succeed
instead. When you do, you still use the Hope Die's value to
clear Hit Points and Stress. When you permanently mark your
last Hit Point, you pass through the veil of death.
Transformation Questions¶
- How did you first die, and how has that death
affected your view on life? - Afragment of memory from your first life haunts
you. What is the memory, and why do you think it's
important? - You had a dream for your life that you now believe
you can never reach. What was your dream, and why
do you think being reanimated makes it impossible to
fulfill? - How were you brought back from the dead, and how
did the process change your body? - Someone brought you back from death. Who were
they, and how do you feel about this person and what
they did to you? - In the brief time you passed through the veil of death,
you saw something that changed you forever. What
was it?
Shapeshifter¶
Shapeshifters are creatures who can change their physical
form. Whether they were born with this ability, gained it as
a result of magical craft or a curse, or received this power
from an otherworldly entity, shapeshifters have a unique
relationship with their identity. Because shapeshifters can
transform into any ancestry - one moment living as a small
and nimble faerie and the next as a large and tough galapa -
their experiences with the outside world can vary greatly from
day to day.
While a shapeshifter is typically indistinguishable from another
member of the ancestry they transform into, each shapeshifter
has one characteristic that doesn't change no matter their
form, such as their eyes, their coloring, or a unique birthmark.
They also can't mimic a specific person's appearance, as they
become a different version of themselves in a new body.
Taking on a new form also doesn't allow them to immediately
have or use all the new form's characteristics - they must
focus their efforts on the physical characteristics they most
want to use. Shapeshifters might need time to learn how
to embody a new form, sometimes leading to an uncanny
appearance or behavior until they're accustomed to their body.
Transformation Features¶
Change Shape: During a rest, you can use a downtime move
to swap your current ancestry with another. When you do,
describe how your appearance changes.
Only Skin Deep: You gain the benefit of only one of your
chosen ancestry's features, which you select when you choose
the ancestry. You can use a downtime move to choose a
different feature from that ancestry.
Transformation Questions¶
- You believe you have a "true form," but you haven't
seen it. What do you think it is, and how do you know
it's there? - What trick have you developed to identify other
shapeshifters? - Someone you loved dearly abandoned you when they
found out about your ability to change shape. Who
was it, and what happened? - What is one form you've vowed to never take, and
why? - Which ancestry do you live as more than others? Why
do you spend so much time in this form? - Someone you know can instantly recognize you, no
matter your form. How do they claim to identify you
and what does their familiarity mean to you?
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Vampire¶
Vampires are undead creatures with sharp fangs who feed on
the blood of the living. They aren't born, but created - sired
by another vampire through a bite and exchange of blood,
transformed through an occult ritual, or changed through
other mysterious methods. Because those who become
vampires die and come back as supernatural entities, they
must consume the blood - the life essence - of others to
survive.
At first glance, many vampires are indistinguishable from
typical members of their ancestry. Beyond their telltale fangs,
they can be affected by their vampirism in myriad subtle or
conspicuous ways, displaying traits such as sallow skin, visible
veins, eyes that shine in the dark, or, in some cases, enhanced
beauty. Depending on the nature of their vampiric origin,
individuals may stop aging at the time of their transformation
and remain vibrant and powerful long after their cohorts
have succumbed to the ravages of time. No matter their
appearance, all vampires possess enhanced abilities that can
result in a terrifying end for their targets.
Transformation Features¶
Fangs: Make an attack using a trait of your choice to bite a
target within Melee range. On a success, deal d6 physical
damage using your Proficiency.
Feed: On a successful "Fangs" attack against a creature that
can bleed, you can mark a Stress to feed. Place a number
of tokens on this card equal to the number of Hit Points the
target marks. You can hold up to 6 tokens at a time. Before
you make an action roll, you can spend a token to make your
Fear Die a d20. When you take a long rest, remove a token.
While there are no tokens on this card, you make action and
reaction rolls with disadvantage.
Transformation Questions¶
- Who did you have to leave behind when you became
a vampire, and why was it so hard to let them go? - You once killed an innocent for their blood. What
characteristic of theirs do you notice most in others? - What does your vampirisim make you particularly
vulnerable to? - Who were you able to save using your vampiric
power? What happened, and how do they feel about
you now? - How does your hunger for blood change you?
- The vampire who sired you still has a hold over you.
What's their name, and what do they want you to do
for them?
Werewolf¶
Werewolves are creatures who transform into large
supernatural wolves. While some are born werewolves, others
undergo this transformation because of a curse, an infection
through another werewolf's bite, or another unnatural cause.
Werewolves look like typical members of their ancestry
until they shift, whereupon they transform into a massive
otherworldly wolf. Some might even take on a shape that is an
amalgamation of their ancestry and their wolf form. Stories
describe werewolves shifting with the phases of the moon,
though an individual's experience with this change varies based
on the cause of their transformation.
Werewolves often struggle to control their hunting instinct and
violence while in their wolf form, and they must have immense
self-discipline, use significant energy, or resort to fleeing or
locking themselves away to avoid harming their loved ones.
The longer a werewolf has experience with their condition, the
more likely they are to have developed methods of controlling
themselves.
Transformation Features¶
Wolf Form: When you mark 1 or more Hit Points, you can
mark a Stress to enter your Wolf Form. While in this form, you
gain a 1d10 bonus to attack and damage rolls. When you roll
with Hope while in Wolf Form, you must mark a Stress. Your
Wolf Form lasts until you go into your "Howling Rampage" or
take a rest.
Howling Rampage: When you mark your last Stress while in
Wolf Form, you go into a rampage. Roll a number of d20s
equal to your tier and deal that much physical damage to all
creatures within Very Close range, then drop out of Wolf Form.
Transformation Questions¶
- Someone is hunting you. Who is it, and why do they
want you dead? - What were you afraid of before you became a
werewolf, and how has your new power changed that
fear? - You hear your wolf form in your head as if it were
another entity. What lie does it tell you about
yourself, and why are you beginning to believe it? - What led you to kill someone you love during your
rampage? - Who cursed you to become a werewolf?
- You were once entreated to join a pack of other
werewolves. How did you respond?
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Daggerheart SRD