Daggerheart, the hot new Dungeons and Dragons rival on the block, shared new playtests on June 24 that are stuffed with additional character options. This includes upgrades to its two previous playtest classes, two brand-new classes for testing, six ancestries, and six community options.
Daggerheart only released in May of this year, but it and publisher Darrington Press have scarcely stopped for breath since the launch. Just one day after release, Darrington Press had launched a playtest portal and two new class options, The Warlock and the Fighter (now apparently called the Brawler).
Darrington Press made headlines again in June when it announced that Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins, senior Wizards of the Coast designers who had recently left the D&D publisher, would be joining Daggerheart's design team. It's unlikely that either played a significant role in June 24's playtest, but they'll certainly be influencing future content for the tabletop RPG.
The first of Daggerheart's new character options is the Witch, a utility and defense-focused spellcaster that has no direct equivalent in the list of DnD classes. Instinct is their spellcasting ability, and their unique Hope ability allows them to spend three Hope and change their or a nearby ally's failure into a success with Fear.
All Witches can Hex a creature when they cause the Witch or a close-range ally to mark hit points. The power costs the Witch a Stress, but it also hits the target with a penalty to their damage thresholds and their difficulty rating. Additionally, all Witches can commune with a mystic entity during a long rest, gaining answers whose clarity depends on a rolled pool of d6s.
The playtest document presents two possible subclasses, the Hedge Witch and the Moon Witch. The first can offer small doses of healing, speak to the dead, and create buff-heavy magic circles. Meanwhile, the latter can force enemies to mark extra Stress or disguise themselves with a glamour that, eventually, offers its own combat buffs.
After this comes the Assassin, which appears to be Daggerheart's answer to the Rogue 5e. Spending three Hope lets them clear Stress with ease, and spending just one Hope grants the Assassin information on the best way in or out of a building. Assassins also start out with the Ambush feature, which, in exchange for marking a Stress, lets the character deal additional damage if a target fails a reaction roll.
The Assassin is a melee-focused combatant that prioritizes Finesse above all else. Its first subclass, the Executioners Guild, is designed to maximize the damage this class can deal. The first successful attack an Executioner Assasin makes during a scene deals double damage, and their Ambush damage die is a d8 rather than a d6. At higher levels, dealing Severe damage marks an extra hit point, an Ambush gets harder to avoid, and the Assassin more consistently avoids damage and failure.
Alternatively, an Assassin can join the Poisoners Guild. The playtest document says that these killers mark Stress to brew toxic concoctions, which debuff a target or increase the damage dealt to them. As the Assassin evolves, they'll learn more poison recipes with even more brutal results.
Beyond classes, Daggerheart shared a Heritage playtest featuring new options for bulking out backstories. The new ancestries include the Gnome, a fantasy staple that, in the YouTube video above, Daggerheart's designers claim was an ultra-popular fan request. Gnomes can spend two Hope to reroll Hope Die on a Finesse roll, and they have advantage on rolls to track magical creatures.
This playtest document also introduces the Aetheris, which appears to be Daggerheart's take on fifth edition's Aasimar. They are the descendants of celestials who are easily spotted when they call forth Divine Wings to fly or intimidate targets with.
The remaining ancestries are all descendants of elementals, and their abilities change depending on what type of elemental they're related to. Earthkin are as hard as stone and can restrain enemies by striking the ground and opening fissures. Tidekin can use water to heal or deal magic damage, while Skykin can make wind attacks or whizz through the air to travel long distances. Lastly, the Emberkin can set themself on fire to stress out foes, or they can shoot fiery projectiles to deal damage.
Of the six new community options, the most unique is the Reborne. This backstory dictates that you can't actually remember the community you originate from. Instead, you've got a Found Family feature that, once per session, lets you use someone else's unique community ability.
Want to share your Daggerheart playtest results? We're all ears in the Wargamer Discord. Or, for more TTRPG character content, here's all you need to know about DnD races and DnD 2024 backgrounds.