Ancestries

Ancestries represent your character's lineage, which affects their physical appearance and access to certain special abilities. The following section describes each ancestry in Daggerheart and the characteristics generally shared by members of that ancestry, however, each player decides how much their character aligns with the "standard" or "average" expression of their ancestry.

In Daggerheart, the term "people" is used to refer to all ancestries, as individuals from all lineages possess unique characteristics and cultures, as well as personhood.

Some ancestries are described using the term "humanoid." This does not imply any genetic relation to "humans," which is a distinct ancestry within Daggerheart. Instead, it refers to the set of physical characteristics humans will recognize from their own anatomy, such as bipedal movement, upright posture, facial layout, and more. These traits vary by ancestry and individual, though "humanoid" should still provide a useful frame of reference.

The core ruleset includes the following ancestries: Clank, Drakona, Dwarf, Elf, Faerie, Faun, Firbolg, Fungril, Galapa, Giant, Goblin, Halfling, Human, Infernis, Katari, Orc, Ribbet, Simiah, and Mixed Ancestry.

ANCESTRY FEATURES

Each ancestry grants two ancestry features. While some features (such as the ability to fly) are implicitly tied to an ancestry's anatomy, players determine their characters' physical form. Work with the GM to re-flavor any implied traits that don't align with your character concept.

If you'd like to make a character who combines more than one ancestry, see "Mixed Ancestry."

MIXED ANCESTRY

Families within the world of Daggerheart are as unique as the peoples and cultures that inhabit it. Anyone's appearance and abilities can be shaped by blood, magic, proximity, or a variety of other factors.

If you decide that your character is a descendant of multiple ancestries and you want to mechanically represent that in the game, use the steps below:

1. Determine Ancestry Combination. When you choose an ancestry at character creation, write down how your character identifies themself in the Heritage section of your character sheet. For example, if your character is descended from both goblins and orcs, you could use a hybridized term, such as "goblin-orc," to describe your ancestry, list only the ancestry you more closely identify with (e.g., just "goblin" or just "orc"), or invent a new term, such as "toothling."
2. Choose Ancestry Features. Work with your GM to choose two features from the ancestries in your character's lineage. You must choose the first feature from one ancestry and the second from another. Write both down on a notecard you can keep with your other cards or next to your character sheet.

For example, if you are making a goblin-orc, you might take the "Surefooted" and "Tusks" features or the "Sturdy" and "Danger Sense" features. You can't take both the "Surefooted" and "Sturdy" features, because these are both the first features listed on their respective ancestry cards.

Your character's heritage might include more than two ancestries, but you still only choose features from two. You can represent additional ancestries through their appearance or backstory.