Maps, Range, and Movement

Positioning & Distance

Core Mechanics

You can play Daggerheart using "theater of the mind" or maps and miniatures. The conversions below from abstract ranges to physical measurements assume 1 inch of map represents about 5 feet of fictional space.

Range Categories

Daggerheart uses the following ranges to translate fictional positioning into relative distance for the purposes of targeting, movement, and other game mechanics:

Melee

Close enough to touch, up to a few feet away.

VC

Very Close

Close enough to see fine details, about 5–10 feet away. While in danger, a character can move from Very Close range into Melee range as part of their action.

On a map: anything within the shortest length of a game card (2-3 inches).

C

Close

Close enough to see prominent details, about 10–30 feet away. While in danger, a character can move from Close range into Melee range as part of their action.

On a map: anything within the length of a pencil (5-6 inches).

F

Far

Close enough to see very little detail, about 30–100 feet away. While in danger, a character must make an Agility Roll to safely move from Far range into Melee range.

On a map: anything within the length of the long edge of a piece of copy paper (11–12 inches).

VF

Very Far

Too far to make out any details, about 100–300 feet away. While in danger, a character must make an Agility Roll to safely move from Very Far range into Melee range.

On a map: anything beyond Far range, but still within the bounds of the conflict or scene.

Out of Range

Anything beyond a character's Very Far range is Out of Range and usually can't be targeted.

Range Rules

Range is measured from the source of an effect, such as the attacker or spellcaster, to the target or object of an effect.

A weapon, spell, ability, item, or other effect's stated range is a maximum range; unless otherwise noted, it can be used at closer distances.

Optional Rule: Defined Ranges

If your table would rather operate with more precise range rules, you can use a 1-inch grid battle map during combat. If you do, use the following guidelines for play:

Melee
1 square
Very Close
3 squares
Close
6 squares
Far
12 squares
Very Far
13+ squares
Out of Range
Off the battlemap

Movement Under Pressure

  • Move to Close range as part of an action roll
  • Agility Roll required for longer movement
  • Adversaries move Close range free with actions

Area Effects & Line of Sight

  • Group effects: targets within Very Close of origin
  • Line of sight required for ranged attacks
  • Cover grants disadvantage to attacks