Critical Role’s new RPG Daggerheart announces open beta date

Daggerheart is an intriguing new project from some of the most famous RPG players in the business, and fans can try it out for themselves very soon.

Daggerheart is the next big swing from Critical Role’s Darrington Press, following the launch of the Candela Obscura rulebook.

While Candela took things in a spooky, esoteric direction, Daggerheart is a little closer to what fans of Critical Role will likely associate with the brand. This is a fantasy RPG first and foremost, using Critical Role’s own Illuminated Worlds system. Now, Daggerheart has announced its first open beta, giving fans a look behind the curtain at exactly what Darrington Press has been cooking up.

Critical Role Daggerheart open Beta details

Darrington Press

Open beta dates

The Daggerheart open beta is set to launch on Critical Role’s 9th anniversary. The beta will begin on March 12 2024.

All playtest materials and feedback surveys can be found directly on the Daggerheart website.

Daggerheart early details

Daggerheart differentiates itself from D&D 5e immediately with a simplified dice system, giving more roleplaying leeway than 5e’s encounter-first design. Fans of Critical Role’s RP-heavy campaigns will not be shocked by this, but there’s still plenty of mechanical depth on display.

Will Critical Role switch to Daggerheart?

Darrington Press

It’s too early to say what form Critical Role campaign 4 will take, as the third campaign focusing on the Bells Hells is still in full swing. While many players are suspecting that Critical Role is trying to distance itself from official Wizards of the Coast content as much as possible – for example, renaming Exandria’s gods and many playable races – fully switching to a new system would be a stretch.

While utilizing their own game system for future campaigns would grant Critical Role greater control over their content, it would also potentially alienate fans who closely associate Critical Role with D&D.

Daggerheart’s future and demos

For players curious to see how Daggerheart works before diving in for themselves, the Critical Role cast will be playing a live Daggerheart oneshot on March 12 at 7PM PT on the Critical Role Twitch and Youtube channels.

With Daggerheart’s final release planned for 2025, players have plenty of time to jump in, try the game out, and help the final product reach the best state it can be. Critical Role fans and TTRPG players as a whole will want to keep an eye on this intriguing new entry in the RPG canon.