I'm aware this has probably been talked to death in TTRPG circles, but I do like that Daggerheart uses the terms "ancestry" and "heritage" rather than race. It's not groundbreaking by any means, obviously. But it's a recognition of how the term "race" has been used thoughtlessly in TTRPGs, both on a design level and in individual games. Stepping away from that is a good idea IMO.
Speedpainted my take on the characters of tonight’s Daggerheart one-shot of Critical Role before the stream started…
Fortunately, I was able to correct them to resemble Shaun's (Shmaba) incredible designs (my canon-obsessed brain wouldn’t have let me rest otherwise). This was a such a fun exercise! Also, the timelapses on the break were very insightful. (Pango not fitting into the frame is a hilarious coincidence 😂) Happy anniversary, Critical Role!
I need everyone to see the side car from the Daggerheart Quickstart. it's genuinely an INCREDIBLE piece of design for a game with scale and some crunch to it, and I personally think it's an immensely thoughtful and useful tool that improves player experience and facilitates learning the game and understanding one's character sheet in an easy, clear, and supportive way. it's shockingly simple but stunningly elegant. I hope to see similar player experience and learning aid concepts with other games of scale in the future.
tweet and video by Elise Rezendes, Senior RPG Producer of Daggerheart (source):