Apocalypse World vs Daggerheart
Compare Apocalypse World and Daggerheart side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Apocalypse World | Daggerheart | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Post-Apocalyptic | Fantasy |
| Tags | Narrative, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Collaborative, Improvisation, Drama, Playbook-Driven, Gritty, Weird, Strong GM Support | Narrative, Collaborative, Fiction-First, Character Building, Character-Driven, Drama, Combat-Heavy, Resource Management, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | When the fiction triggers a move, roll 2d6 plus the specified stat. A 10+ is a strong hit, 7–9 is a weak hit, and 6 or less is a miss. The move defines its outcomes; a miss usually lets the MC introduce consequences. | Players roll two d12s, add a trait and modifiers, and meet or beat a Difficulty to succeed. The higher die grants the player Hope or gives the GM Fear, even when the action succeeds. Matching dice produce a critical success. Adversary attacks use d20 plus a modifier against Evasion. |
| Dice | 2d6 | 2d12, d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | Medium |
| Availability | Paid | Free core rules |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | Proprietary | Darrington Press Community Gaming License (DPCGL 2.0) |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Publisher policy for original inspired games | Commercial publishing allowed — Community gaming license |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | lumpley games | Darrington Press |
| Year | 2016 | 2025 |
| Languages | English, Italian, Portuguese | English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese |
| Best For | Groups who want an unfolding post-apocalyptic campaign built around unstable alliances and struggles over scarce resources. | Groups who want fantasy campaigns built around character relationships and changing ability loadouts. Battles suit tables that share the spotlight without a fixed initiative order. |
| Highlights | Shared-history ratings make changing relationships feed directly into assistance and advancement. Threat types and countdowns give the MC procedures for escalating pressures without scripting a plot. Battle moves let players weigh control of an objective against harm inflicted and suffered. | Hope can activate character abilities or add a backstory-based Experience to a roll. Players share the spotlight freely until a failure, a Fear result, or GM intervention shifts it. Each class combines two domains into a loadout of up to five active ability cards. |
| Considerations | The campaign is designed to develop over several sessions rather than conclude in one sitting. The MC must interpret fictional circumstances and turn move results into concrete consequences. Sex-triggered moves make intimacy a mechanical topic unless the group agrees to remove them. | The spotlight has no fixed turns or action allotment, requiring the group to share opportunities to act. Recalling inactive domain cards outside a rest can cost Stress. Resting restores resources but also gives the GM Fear to spend on further threats. |