Ancestry

Ancestries represent your character’s lineage, which affects their physical appearance. The following section describes each ancestry in Daggerheart and the physical characteristics shared by members of that ancestry. That said, you can decide that your character possesses characteristics that aren’t “standard” or “average” for that ancestry. We encourage you to look to the art for inspiration and explore the diversity within individual ancestries as you craft your character’s appearance.

We hope this section provides a window into the various physicalities of the creatures that populate Daggerheart. As you play and meet members of each ancestry, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the nuances and unique qualities among them. You’ll also notice that within the world of 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 refer to that specific ancestry having any relation to “humans”, the distinct ancestry within Daggerheart. Specifically, it refers to the set of physical characteristics readers 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.

Each ancestry has two ancestry features. While some features (such as the ability to fly) are directly tied to an ancestry’s anatomy, you ultimately get to determine your character’s physical form. If you decide that your faerie character never had wings or lost theirs, you can work with the GM to replace the “Wings” feature that grants faeries flight. It’s likewise up to you to decide how important your character’s appearance is to their story.

If you’d like to make a character who combines more than one ancestry, see the “Mixed Ancestry” section.