Explore The New Character Classes In Critical Role's Daggerheart

Critical Role has officially launched its fantasy TTRPG ruleset Daggerheart into open beta playtesting, meaning prospective players and game masters can finally take the system for a spin. This exciting development opens the door to a fresh array of adventures and storytelling opportunities for fans of tabletop role-playing games. In this article, we will explore the character classes and subclasses currently available in Daggerheart, showcasing the unique features that set them apart from traditional systems.

While Critical Role has made a significant mark in the realms of Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons, it is important to note that Daggerheart is influenced by various TTRPG systems and narrative elements. Each class in Daggerheart merges two thematic Domains, offering players specific spells and abilities that evolve as they progress. This multifaceted approach to character creation allows for a more personalized experience compared to other systems, reflecting the creativity and innovation that Critical Role is known for.

As we delve into the character classes of Daggerheart, you will discover how each one is designed to fit into a collaborative storytelling framework. With subclasses that provide distinct paths for development, players can choose to specialize in different aspects of gameplay, ensuring that every session is unique and engaging. Here’s a closer look at the character classes currently available for players to explore in the open beta form of Daggerheart.

All Character Classes (and Subclasses) Currently Available in Daggerheart

Though Critical Role has an established foothold in both Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons, a plethora of additional TTRPG systems have shaped the channel’s voice over the years through one-shots and continued ambassadorship of tabletop storytelling. So, while Daggerheart’s initial classes have plenty of overlap with the popular classes of Dungeons & Dragons, Critical Role‘s new system is born from a panoply of TTRPG and narrative fantasy influences.

Each Daggerheart class represents the meeting of two thematic Domains, with Domains granting player characters certain spells and abilities depending on their level. In addition to Domain-related moves, Daggerheart character sheets boast a specialized class feature (or features) and currently offer two subclass options that start at the foundation level for level one characters. Here’s a brief snapshot of the character classes currently available in the open beta form of Daggerheart:

Bard

Domains: Grace and Codex
Subclasses: Wordsmith and Troubadour
Spellcast Trait: Presence
Class Feature(s): Rally

As in Dungeons & Dragons and other fantasy stories, Daggerheart‘s Bards fulfill a “face” role within an adventuring party’s dynamic. The Wordsmith and Troubadour subclasses offer the opportunity to specialize in speechcraft or music, respectively. Bards remain a spellcasting class in Daggerheart, and their class feature Rally is one of several mechanics that allows them to support their fellow adventurers through their charisma and artistry.

Druid

Domains: Sage and Arcana
Subclasses: Warden of the Elements and Warden of Renewal
Spellcast Trait: Instinct
Class Feature(s): Beastform and Wildtouch

Another spellcasting class reminiscent of its Dungeons & Dragons counterpart, Druids possess an affinity for the natural world. Transforming into different creatures remains central to the class in Daggerheart through Beastform. In Daggerheart, a Druid’s transformation options are divided into subcategories, with level one’s groupings including Agile Scouts, Aquatic Scouts, and Pack Predators. Each Beastform subgroup has specific traits and feats associated with it. For example, a hyena has the potential to deal extra damage to a creature an ally has just hit, thanks to the Pack Predator’s Pack Hunting ability. The Druid’s other feature, Wildtouch, is similar to Dungeons & Dragons’s Druidcraft and allows for the creation of a subtle natural effect.

Guardian

Domains: Valor and Blade
Subclasses: Stalwart & Vengeance
Class Feature(s): Unstoppable

Bolstered by their Unstoppable feature and various other Domain abilities, Guardians act as tank-like characters who throw themselves into the heart of danger. Sam Riegel played a Stalwart Guardian named Pango in Critical Role’s Daggerheart one-shot, flexing the class’s ability to take a decent walloping throughout the game’s initiative-less combat.

Ranger

Domains: Bone and Sage
Subclasses: Beastbound and Wayfinder
Spellcast Trait: Agility
Class Feature(s): Ranger’s Focus

The entire animal kingdom is the oyster of the Beastbound Ranger, who can work with their Daggerheart GM to select a fitting companion for their character. While the Wayfinder Ranger does not get a companion, their path offers other boons for tracking and combat scenarios. Both subclasses of Ranger have the feature Ranger’s Focus, which is Daggerheart‘s variation on Hunter’s Mark.

Rogue

Domains: Midnight and Grace
Subclasses: Syndicate and Nightwalker
Spellcast Trait: Finesse
Class Feature(s): Hide and Sneak Attack

Sneaky and slippery, Rogues know their way around the shadows. One of the main perks to playing a Rogue in Dungeons & Dragons comes from dealing Sneak Attack damage, an ability Daggerheart has maintained and adjusted to fit into its distinct mechanics. In addition to Sneak Attack, Daggerheart Rogues have the Hide feature, which can make them particularly slippery and evasive in combat scenarios.

Seraph

Domains: Splendor and Valor
Subclasses: Divine Wielder and Winged Sentinel
Spellcast Trait: Strength
Class Feature(s): Prayer Dice

Much like their Dungeons & Dragons counterparts, Clerics, Seraphs wield healing abilities and divine magic. Daggerheart’s mechanic of Hope and Fear presents another outlet in which Seraphs can support their party, as gifting a stored d4 amount of Hope is one of the capabilities of their versatile Prayer Dice feat.

Sorcerer

Domains: Arcana & Midnight
Subclasses: Elemental Origin and Primal Origin
Spellcast Trait: Instinct
Class Feature(s): Arcane Sense, Minor Illusion, and Channel Raw Power

Critical Role has already done its spin on an Avatar: The Last Airbender-inspired narrative with Vox Machina’s Keyleth. However, for players perpetually attracted to wielding elemental power, Daggerheart’s Elemental Origin Sorcerer might be the perfect fit. The alternative subclass, Primal Origin, allows inherently magical Sorcerers to “modify the essence of magic itself.”

Warrior

Domains: Blade and Bone
Subclasses: Call of the Brave and Call of the Slayer
Class Feature(s): Battle Strategist and Combat Training

Much like Guardian, Warrior is a non-spellcasting, combat-focused Daggerheart class. Those

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