dh-frame

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:

1. Read the frame from references/srd/
2. Present the pitch to players before session zero
3. Share tone, themes, and touchstones so players understand expectations
4. During session zero, use the community/ancestry/class guidance and questions
5. Record frame elements in your world's documentation
6. Apply campaign mechanics as specified in the frame
7. 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:

1. Discuss with players - Get buy-in for the tonal/thematic shift
2. Identify what persists - Core relationships, ongoing plots, character arcs
3. Define what changes - New themes, adjusted tone, revealed distinctions
4. Update documentation - Revise world_state.md to reflect new frame
5. 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 frames
• references/frame-structure.md - Detailed explanation of each section
• references/srd/ - Official Daggerheart SRD frames