Daggerheart: Hope & Fear significantly expands character creation options. In Daggerheart, players select abilities from cards, with each class having access to two decks tied to specific domains such as Arcana or Grace. The Hope & Fear expansion introduces a new Dread domain, focused on macabre magic and designed for the new Witch and Warlock classes. Additionally, it adds the Brawler and Assassin classes, which are expected to create fresh combinations with existing domains like Midnight and Blade. Each of these new choices also comes with two unique subclasses.

Figure 1. Daggerheart’s First Expansion Brings Werewolves and Vampires to the Game.

The expansion also introduces transformation cards, allowing players to broaden heritage options in a way similar to Pathfinder’s versatile heritages. This means you can now play a halfling or orc who is also a werewolf, vampire, ghost, or demigod. Hope & Fear further expands character options with new community choices, such as Frostborne and Reborne, and adds six new ancestries, including gnomes and elemental-touched races like Tidekin and Emberkin. To strengthen one of the base game’s weaker areas, the expansion also adds 100 new gear items, including weapons, armor, and consumables. Figure 1 shows Daggerheart’s First Expansion Brings Werewolves and Vampires to the Game.

Game Masters will receive four new campaign ideas, each featuring unique mechanics and themes, along with over 130 adversaries to challenge their players. Attendees at PAX Unplugged can preview the expansion, which is now available for pre-order and is scheduled for release in summer 2026. The standard edition, priced at $39.99, includes a 200-page book, the ability cards, and a blank pad for creating adversaries. A deluxe edition, priced at $119.99, adds dice, a GM screen, tokens, and a gold foil box.

Expansion Overview

Daggerheart, the popular tabletop RPG, is getting its first expansion, Hope & Fear. This update significantly broadens gameplay options, introducing new classes, abilities, and domains to enrich character creation.

New Supernatural Features

The expansion brings supernatural elements to the forefront, allowing players to explore characters as werewolves, vampires, ghosts, or demigods. A new Dread domain and transformation cards add macabre magic and versatile heritage options.

Gameplay Enhancements and Release

Hope & Fear also strengthens other aspects of the game with new equipment, ancestries, communities, and campaign ideas for Game Masters. The expansion is available for pre-order now, with a planned release in summer 2026.

Source: Polygon

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), Daggerheart Expands with First Expansion, Introducing Werewolves and Vampires, AnaTechMaz, pp.340