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 frames
references/frame-structure.md - Detailed explanation of each section
references/srd/ - Official Daggerheart SRD frames