Roll with Hope, Roll with Fear: Handmade Daggerheart Duality Dice from The Griffon's Nest

Roll with Hope, Roll with Fear: Handmade Daggerheart Duality Dice from The Griffon's Nest

Roll with Hope, Roll with Fear: Handmade Daggerheart Duality Dice from The Griffon's Nest

Hark, brave adventurers! Gather 'round the hearth, for The Griffon's Nest has hatched something new: handmade Daggerheart dice, crafted at my own workbench and ready roll.

I'm Katie, the owner of The Griffon's Nest, and I make every die in our shop by hand. When Critical Role/Darrington Press announced the Daggerheart ttrpg (and gave the rpg world a brand-new pair of D12s to obsess over), I did what any dice-crafting goblin dragon hoarder would do. I cleared my desk, grabbed my resin, and got to work.

The result is Daggerheart duality dice sets with a story built right in: a Hope die marked with a heart and a Fear die marked with a dagger (get it, Daggerheart). Whether you're a seasoned game master, a first-time player, or shopping for the Critical Role fan in your life, this is your map to the treasure.

Let's start with the basics.

What Is Daggerheart, and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

If you've been living in a cozy little cave (no judgement, caves have great acoustics - perfect for spooky game nights), here's the quick version. Daggerheart is a tabletop role-playing game (often shortened to just TTRPG) from Darrington Press, Critical Role's publishing company. It's a fantasy role-playing game that leans into cinematic storytelling, heroic moments, and dramatic twists.

Fans of Critical Role know that the cast has spent years weaving unforgettable tales around the table. Daggerheart is their invitation for you to do the same, with a system designed to make every roll feel more dynamic. If you're newer to the rpg world (welcome!), it's a friendly way to enter. If you're a veteran (nice to see you again), it's a fresh take worth trying out.

And at the very heart of it all sits a clever pair of D12s.

Duality Dice: Two D12s, One Dramatic Dilemma

Two transparent black, glittery d12 dice with red and pink cutout numbers and one pink heart cutout for the Daggerheart Duality Hope die and one red dagger cutout for the Daggerheart Duality Fear die, displayed on a wooden table.

Try saying that title five times fast. 

Here's where the magic happens. Daggerheart uses a two-D12 rolling system called duality dice. Instead of one lonely D20 and the supporting cast of dice deciding your fate, you roll a pair of twelve-sided dice together for your skill checks. The bite-size breakdown is this:

  • One D12 symbolizes Hope, it speaks for your hero's courage, determination, and grit.
  • One D12 is for Fear, whispering doubt through dangers and darkness.
  • Whichever die rolls higher decides what you roll with. If Hope is higher (boo-yah), you've rolled with Hope. If it's Fear, then oopsies, your lantern was snuffed out and you're scared of the dark; you've now rolled with Fear.

This is where the twist comes in. When you roll with Hope, your character gains a boost they can spend later. When you roll with Fear, the Game Master gains a Fear point to use against the party down the road. A scrappy success can still feed into the villain's schemes, and a heartbreaking miss can still leave your party glowing with hope. Every roll helps tell the story and set the tone.

That's why having a clear, readable pair of Hope and Fear duality dice matters so much. You'll glance at those two D12s dozens of times a session, and you'll want to know instantly which one is whispering sweet nothings and which one is plotting your downfall (and subsequently goes in dice jail).

Meet the Sets: A Heart for Hope, A Dagger for Fear

Two d12 polyhedral dice with blue, green, and purple watercolor-style patterns and a gold heart for the Daggerheart Hope dice and a silver dagger for the Daggerheart Fear dice, held in a hand.

My Daggerheart D12 dice sets come as a matched pair of duality dice, and each one carries a little symbol of its own personality on the 12 face.

The Hope die features a heart on the 12 face. Roll it high and your whole table gets to feel the warm, fuzzy rush of your hero's winning moment. 

The Fear die has a dagger on the 12 face. Spot it on top and a little shiver runs down the spine. That's why it'll be your GM's favorite (cue their dramatic villain monologue here).

The best part is the moment of truth. Every time a heart or dagger lands face up, the whole story tilts a little. It's a tiny bit of theater, built right into the dice.

Handmade at The Griffon's Nest: Painted, Sanded, and Polished

Every die in these sets passes through my hands, quite literally. No factory line, no mystery mold, just a workbench, a lot of patience, and a whole lot of love for the game.

All of The Griffon's Nest dice are crafted by me, one at a time. I design, pour, paint, sand, and polish each and every die by hand, every single time (and yes, before you ask, my hands do hurt). 

But the payoff of all that handiwork is worth it. These dice feel and roll just as good as they look. Handmade, hand-finished resin dice tend to be more balanced than your standard manufactured acrylic or plastic dice, which means a more satisfying roll and a more trustworthy one. When your campaign hangs on a single roll, you deserve a die you can believe in. 

Curious about what else comes out of my little workshop? Browse The Griffon's Nest's full handmade dice collection, or take a peek at our other tabletop gaming treasures.

The Perfect Gift for Critical Role Fans

Two translucent teal resin d12 duality dice for Critical Role and Darrington Press' new ttrpg Daggerheart, held in a person's hand, decorated with lily flowers, glitter, koi fish, and a pale blue dagger on the d12 12 face for the Fear die and a gold heart on the Hope die.

The holidays are galloping toward us like a particularly eager unicorn, and if there's a Critter in your life, you already know how hard they are to shop for. They already have the books, the posters, the pins, and every other Critical Role gift known to the ttrpg world.

Handmade Critical Role dice might be the perfect gift (and their newest obsession). If you're hunting for Critical Role gifts that feel personal rather than mass-produced, a set of Daggerheart dice is the perfect new token for a treasure hoard. 

Have a Daggerheart GM who wants a little extra drama? A new player rolling their first-ever duality dice? The longtime Critical Role fan whose dice bag is already overflowing (see: the Laura Bailey effect)? 

Buy The Griffon's Nest Daggerheart Hope and Fear duality dice, and you've given them the whole story in their hands.

Ready to shop? Visit our Daggerheart dice collection and pick your pair.

Daggerheart Dice FAQs

  • What dice does Daggerheart use?
    • Daggerheart uses two twelve-sided dice, called duality dice, for its main skill checks. One die represents Hope and the other represents Fear.
  • What are Hope and Fear dice in the Daggerheart ttrpg?
    • They are the two D12s you roll together. The higher die decides whether you rolled with Hope or with Fear. Rolling with Fear gives your Game Master a Fear point to use later.
  • Who makes Daggerheart?
    • Daggerheart is a tabletop role-playing game from Darrington Press and Critical Role.
  • How are these Daggerheart dice made?
    • Every set is handmade, painted, sanded, and polished at The Griffon's Nest (TGN) - more specifically, TGN's in-house artist, Katie. Due to the careful crafting and attention to detail, they're more balanced than typical acrylic or plastic dice.
  • Can I use these dice for other role-playing games (rpgs)?
    • Absolutely. A D12 is a D12, and these dice will happily roll for any game that calls for one.

Roll Boldly, Brave Adventurers

So there you have it: two D12s, one heart, one dagger, and a whole lot of story waiting to be told. Will you roll with Hope and bask in glory, or roll with Fear and brace for the GM's wicked grin? The dice will decide, and now you can roll in style. 

Shop the Daggerheart dice collection, explore more of my handmade dice (like the original teacup dice), or come say hello at our next event. Until our next adventure, may your rolls run high, and your campaigns run long.

With heart (and a little dagger),

Katie - Owner and dice-maker | The Griffon's Nest

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