| name | dh-frame |
| description | This skill should be used when creating a new Daggerheart campaign, establishing world tone and themes, selecting or building a campaign frame, or reframing an existing adventure. Campaign frames provide pitch, tone, themes, community/ancestry/class guidance, principles, distinctions, inciting incidents, and special mechanics for a particular type of story. |
| version | 1.0.0 |
Campaign Frame Skill
Guide GMs through selecting, customizing, or creating campaign frames that shape the tone, themes, and mechanics of a Daggerheart adventure.
Authoritative Source: For official frame content, reference the SRD frames in references/srd/.
What is a Campaign Frame?
A campaign frame is a template that provides inspiration, tools, and mechanics to support a particular type of story. Frames establish the narrative foundation before character creation begins, ensuring all players share expectations about tone, themes, and the world they'll inhabit.
Every campaign frame has a complexity rating (● to ●●●) indicating how much its mechanics deviate from core Daggerheart rules.
When to Use This Skill
Initial World Creation (Primary Use)
Invoke this skill when starting a new Daggerheart campaign to:
- Select an existing SRD frame or create a custom one
- Establish tone, themes, and touchstones
- Prepare session zero questions
- Identify special mechanics that will apply
Player-Initiated Reframing
Players may request reframing when:
- The campaign's direction has shifted significantly
- The group wants to explore different themes
- A major narrative turning point demands new framing
When reframing, preserve continuity while adjusting:
- Tone and feel (can shift based on story events)
- Active principles (which ones are most relevant now)
- Distinctions (new world elements revealed)
GM-Initiated Mid-Adventure Reframing (Rare)
GMs might reframe when:
- A major world-changing event occurs
- The campaign pivots to a new arc with different themes
- Players have outgrown the original frame's scope
Caution: Mid-adventure reframing should be discussed with players. Sudden tonal shifts without buy-in can feel jarring.
Frame Structure
Each campaign frame includes these sections:
| Section | Purpose |
|---|
| Pitch | 2-3 sentence hook to present to players |
| Tone & Feel | Adjectives describing the emotional atmosphere |
| Themes | Core narrative tensions and questions explored |
| Touchstones | Media references that capture the vibe |
| Overview | Background lore and setting context |
| Communities | How SRD communities fit this setting |
| Ancestries | Ancestry-specific adaptations |
| Classes | Class-specific setting connections |
| Player Principles | Guidelines for player roleplay |
| GM Principles | Guidelines for GM narration |
| Distinctions | Unique setting elements and rules |
| Inciting Incident | Campaign-starting scenario |
| Campaign Mechanics | Special rules unique to this frame |
| Session Zero Questions | Discussion prompts for character creation |
For detailed explanations, see references/frame-structure.md.
Using an SRD Frame
The Daggerheart SRD includes official campaign frames. To use one:
- Read the frame from
references/srd/
- Present the pitch to players before session zero
- Share tone, themes, and touchstones so players understand expectations
- During session zero, use the community/ancestry/class guidance and questions
- Record frame elements in your world's documentation
- Apply campaign mechanics as specified in the frame
- Initialize resources - GM starts with 5 Fear tokens
Campaign Resource Initialization
When a new campaign begins:
| Resource | Starting Value |
|---|
| GM Fear tokens | 5 |
| Player Hope tokens | 2 each (per character creation) |
The GM's starting Fear provides immediate narrative options for the opening session without requiring player failures first.
Recording Frame Selection
When using a frame, document it in worlds/{slug}/world_state.md:
## Campaign Frame
**Frame**: [Frame Name]
**Complexity**: [● to ●●●]
### Active Themes
- [Theme 1]
- [Theme 2]
### Session Zero Answers
> [Question from frame]
[Player/group answer]
### Special Mechanics
[Any frame-specific rules in effect]
Creating a Custom Frame
Use references/frame-template.md as a starting point. Fill in each section thoughtfully:
Step 1: Define the Core Concept
Start with:
- Pitch: What's the elevator pitch? (2-3 sentences max)
- Tone & Feel: List 5-7 adjectives
- Themes: What tensions will the campaign explore?
- Touchstones: What media captures the vibe?
Step 2: Establish the World
Write the Overview section covering:
- Recent history leading to current tensions
- Major factions or forces in conflict
- What the world was like before and what changed
- Stakes for the characters
Step 3: Adapt Character Options
For each community, ancestry, and class:
- How does it fit this setting?
- What unique aspects exist here?
- What session zero questions connect characters to the frame?
Step 4: Define Principles
Player Principles should encourage:
- Engagement with frame themes
- Character vulnerability appropriate to tone
- Roleplay that reinforces the setting
GM Principles should guide:
- How to portray NPCs and factions
- What kinds of challenges to present
- How to maintain tonal consistency
Step 5: Create Distinctions
Distinctions are unique setting elements:
- Geography, time, or cosmological differences
- Social structures or customs
- Supernatural elements or unique dangers
Each distinction should have narrative and potentially mechanical implications.
Step 6: Design the Inciting Incident
The inciting incident should:
- Thrust characters into the central conflict
- Connect to frame themes
- Provide clear initial direction
- Leave room for player agency
Step 7: Add Campaign Mechanics (Optional)
If your frame requires special rules:
- Keep complexity appropriate to the rating
- Clearly explain triggers and effects
- Consider how mechanics reinforce themes
Step 8: Prepare Session Zero Questions
Questions should:
- Connect characters to the world
- Establish relationships and stakes
- Reveal backstory relevant to themes
- Vary by community/ancestry/class where appropriate
Complexity Ratings
| Rating | Meaning |
|---|
| ● | Minimal mechanical changes; mostly narrative framing |
| ●● | Some new mechanics or modified rules |
| ●●● | Significant mechanical additions; requires familiarity with core rules |
Integration with World Building
Frame elements should flow into your world documentation:
| Frame Section | Maps To |
|---|
| Overview | worlds/{slug}/world_state.md |
| Communities/Ancestries/Classes | Character creation guidance |
| Distinctions | worlds/{slug}/locations.md, custom rules |
| Inciting Incident | Opening session prep |
| NPCs from frame | worlds/{slug}/characters.md |
| Session Zero Answers | Player backstory integration |
Reframing an Existing Campaign
When reframing mid-campaign:
- Discuss with players - Get buy-in for the tonal/thematic shift
- Identify what persists - Core relationships, ongoing plots, character arcs
- Define what changes - New themes, adjusted tone, revealed distinctions
- Update documentation - Revise world_state.md to reflect new frame
- Introduce narratively - The reframe should feel earned, not arbitrary
Partial Reframing
Sometimes only parts of the frame need adjustment:
- Tone shift: The story grows darker or lighter
- New themes emerge: Original themes resolve, new ones arise
- Distinctions revealed: Hidden world elements come to light
Document changes as "Frame Evolution" in world_state.md.
References
references/frame-template.md - Blank template for custom framesreferences/frame-structure.md - Detailed explanation of each sectionreferences/srd/ - Official Daggerheart SRD frames
