Reference Pages
Additional GM Guidance
Session Preparation & Player Engagement
This section provides additional guidance for preparing and running a session of Daggerheart.
Story Beats
Understanding Story Beats
In storytelling, a beat is a moment that changes the trajectory of the narrative—a shift in the world, a significant action or reaction, an emotional revelation, or an important decision.
Collaborative Storytelling
Take turns with the players, narrating a beat and then letting them react and carry the scene forward with their own beats.
Session Preparation
When preparing for a session, plan in terms of the moments that give shape to each scene or sequence, rather than pre-scripting specific details or exchanges.
Preparing Combat Encounters
Story-Driven Combat
Build the hurdles the PCs face around the question of "What helps tell the story?" Enemies, environments, and hazards are the tools for heightening tension and creating drama.
Ensure that combat is being used to give players more information about the unfolding story, revealing the world, the plot, or the characters.
Battles and Narrative
Dynamic battles create suspense by forcing players to choose between their various objectives, engaging their character's motivations and weaknesses, and creating the crucible that the players use to forge their characters into legendary heroes.
When preparing combat encounters:
• Consider the narrative function of the battle
• Base adversaries' moves on their motives
• Use dynamic environments to bring the battleground to life
• Add enemies that can interact with the PCs' features and special abilities
Session Rewards
Reward Players at the End of a Session
Useful Information
Clues, secrets, or knowledge
Story Hooks
Future adventure opportunities
Loot
Items and magical equipment
Gold
Wealth and currency
Equipment Access
New gear or enhancements
Crafting Scenes
Scene Setting
Whenever you start a session, arrive at a new place, or change the situation, tell the players what they need to know by thinking with all of your senses and sharing something unique or unexpected about the fiction.
Engaging Your Players
Keep Your Players Engaged By:
Rotating the Focus
Ensure all PCs get spotlight time
Tying Together Story Elements
Connect plot threads and character arcs
Engaging Quiet Players
Draw in less vocal participants
Using Visual Aids
Enhance immersion with props and images
Encouraging Unguided Play
Let players drive their own stories
Confronting with Conflicts
Present internal and external challenges
Raise the Stakes
Spend Fear to increase tension
Layering Goals
Add objectives beyond simple attrition
Random Combat Objectives
Table of Random Objectives
Use this table to add variety and complexity to combat encounters beyond simple defeat-the-enemy scenarios.
Usage: Roll 1d12 to generate a random objective that adds tactical depth and narrative interest to combat encounters.
Additional Guidance Summary
Preparation
- • Plan in story beats, not scripts
- • Design combat to serve the narrative
- • Think with all senses when setting scenes
Execution
- • Rotate focus between all players
- • Reward sessions with meaningful gains
- • Layer objectives beyond simple combat