Everything you need to know about the ancestries available for your next character in Daggerheart
Your ‘ancestry’ is essentially your species in Daggerheart, covering your character’s family lineage, physical traits and appearance. However, the game is pretty loose about how strictly you need to stick to the typical look for your chosen ancestry, most have a lot of variation.
There’s no ability score penalty or bonus tied to picking one over another either, but each ancestry grants two ancestry features. I’ve gone through all 18 currently available in the Core Set to summarise what each one looks like and what it brings to the table, along with the rules for building a Mixed Ancestry character if you want to combine two.
Ancestry traits summarised
If you’re after a specific kind of ability rather than a specific look, the table below rounds up which ancestries offer which kinds of traits, so you can find a good starting point for your character concept.
| Feature | Ancestries |
|---|---|
| Flight | Faerie |
| Damage reduction or resistance | Drakona, Dwarf, Galapa |
| Extra Hit Point or Stress slot | Giant, Human |
| Bonus to Evasion | Simiah, Faerie (while flying) |
| Natural weapon or bonus damage | Drakona, Faun, Firbolg, Orc, Ribbet, Katari |
| Rerolls | Faerie, Halfling, Human, Katari |
| Underwater movement or swimming | Ribbet |
| Climbing or leaping | Simiah, Faun |
| Danger sense or reaction bonus | Elf, Goblin |
| Rest or downtime bonus | Clank, Elf |
| Party wide Hope generation | Halfling |
| Intimidation or fear based traits | Infernis |
| Communication or knowledge based traits | Fungril |
List of all playable ancestries
Core ancestries
Clank
| Height | Varies on build |
| Lifespan | Effectively immortal (but mentally deteriorate over a long time) |
| Traits | Purposeful Design, Efficient |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Clanks are independently sentient mechanical beings built from metal, wood or stone, they don’t always look alike, since their construction means a clank’s body is built for whatever purpose it was made for. Play a Clank if you like the idea of a more bespoke character concept – this could include a built in weapon or unusual mobility tool, and a bit of extra rest efficiency.
Drakona
| Height | 5ft to 7ft |
| Lifespan | Around 350 years |
| Traits | Scales, Elemental Breath |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Drakona are a counterpart to D&D’s Dragonborn – wingless dragons in humanoid form. Thick scaled with visible fangs and an elemental breath attack. If you want a tough character with a built in ranged attack and armour, Drakona are a good pick.
Dwarves
| Height | 4ft to 5½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 250 years |
| Traits | Thick Skin, Increased Fortitude |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Dwarves are short, square-framed and dense in muscle. They have naturally resilient skin often decorated with embedded gemstones, tattoos or piercings. Dwarves are a solid choice if you want a character that can shrug off minor hits and even big ones too on occasion.
Elves
| Height | 6ft to 6½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 350 years |
| Traits | Quick Reactions, Celestial Trance |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Elves are tall, pointy eared and famous for their acute senses. They can even rest through a celestial trance rather than regular sleep. Some elves develop a kind of “mystic form” over their long lives, taking on more magical traits the deeper they commit to nature or study. Elves are a good fit if you want sharper reactions in the moment and a bit more out of every rest.
Faerie
| Height | 2ft to 5ft (rarely up to 7ft) |
| Lifespan | Around 50 years |
| Traits | Giant ancestry, large form, powerful build |
| Sourcebook | Core |
Description: Faeries are winged humanoids with some insectile features. They range from mostly humanoid to more bug-like, with extra arms, compound eyes or even a chitinous exoskeleton. Faeries have a notably shorter lifespan than most other ancestries, but are able to fly unaided and even bend luck to help themselves or an ally.
Faun
| Height | 4ft to 6½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 225 years |
| Traits | Caprine Leap, Kick |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Fauns look like humanoid goats, complete with curving horns, square pupils and cloven hooves. They are long-limbed, which makes them naturally good at swiftly covering ground. Between Caprine Leap for getting around the battlefield and a Kick that can send an enemy flying, a Faun suits a character who wants to be mobile.
Firbolg
| Height | 5ft to 7ft |
| Lifespan | Around 150 years |
| Traits | Charge, Unshakable |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Firbolgs are bovine humanoids. They range from fully cattle-headed “minotaurs,” and are built tall, strong and durable even into old age. The Charge ability rewards closing distance fast with a burst of damage, while Unshakable gives you a chance to simply ignore Stress altogether. This makes a Firbolg a good pick if you want to play the party’s battering ram.
Fungril
| Height | 2ft to 7ft |
| Size | Lifespan |
| Traits | Fungril Network, Death Connection |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Fungril resemble humanoid mushrooms, that vary massively from earthy tones to bright reds and purples. Their mycelial network lets them communicate with other Fungril across any distance. Death Connection gives them a unique and unsettling way to pull information from a corpse, which is great roleplay material if you want your character to grant some investigative capabilities.
Galapa
| Height | 4ft to 6ft |
| Lifespan | Around 150 years |
| Traits | Shell, Retract |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Galapa are humanoid turtles with a large domed shell they can shelter in, and they tend to move slowly no matter their age. The Shell ability gives a straightforward bonus to your damage thresholds, while Retract turns you into an immobile tank when things get dicey, trading mobility and offence for a defensive boost.
Giant
| Height | 6½ft to 8½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 75 years |
| Traits | Endurance, Reach |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Giants are huge, broad shouldered humanoids with one to three eyes and a lifespan a bit shorter than most other ancestries. An extra Hit Point slot and the ability to treat your Melee range features as Very Close makes Giant a strong option if you want to hit from a bit further out, and absorb a hit or two along the way.
Goblin
| Height | 3ft to 4ft |
| Lifespan | Around 100 years |
| Traits | Surefooted, Danger Sense |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Goblins are small, green and large-eared. They have keen hearing and sharp eyesight makes them a strong scout or spy. The Surefooted trait removes disadvantage on Agility Rolls and Danger Sense gives you a way to force a bad attack roll to be rerolled. These features make Goblins a good choice if you want to be nimble and a little bit lucky.
Halfling
| Height | 3ft to 4ft |
| Lifespan | Around 150 years |
| Traits | Luckbringer, Internal Compass |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Halflings look like small humans with hairy feet. They age slowly enough that they tend to keep a youthful look well into old age. Luckbringer benefits the whole party at the start of a session, (giving every party member 1 hope) which makes a Halfling a valuable party member.
Human
| Height | 5ft to 6½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 100 years |
| Traits | High Stamina, Adaptability |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Humans are a varied ancestry and adapt well to harsh climates, which lends to their reputation as the most flexible option on the list. An extra Stress slot plus a reroll on failed Experience rolls makes Humans a very solid choice if you are less concerned with a fancier choice of ancestry.
Infernis
| Height | 5ft to 7ft |
| Lifespan | Around 350 years |
| Traits | Fearless, Dread Visage |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Infernis are descendants of demons from the Circles Below. They are recognisable through a variety of devilish features, ranging from sharp teeth, horns and a “dread visage” that can shift their appearance when they’re afraid or trying to look intimidating. Fearless gives you a way to turn a roll with Fear into a roll with Hope, and Dread Visage backs that up with advantage on intimidation, making Infernis a natural fit for a character who leans into being intimidating.
Katari
| Height | 3ft to 6½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 150 years |
| Source Book | Feline Instincts, Retracting Claws |
Description: Katari are feline-like humanoids with retractable claws, slit pupils and pointed ears, giving them some of the sharpest senses of any ancestry. Feline Instincts lets you spend Hope for a reroll on Agility, while Retracting Claws gives you a built in way to make a target Vulnerable. As such the Katari suits a character who wants to be quick and dangerous.
Orc
| Height | 5ft to 6½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 125 years |
| Traits | Sturdy, Tusks |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Orcs are broad-shouldered, muscular and easily identified by their tusks, which many decorate rather than just use for eating. Sturdy makes an orc tough to finish off at 1 Hit Point remaining, while Tusks gives you a built in bit of bonus damage in melee. This makes an Orc a strong, straightforward pick for a character who wants to be one of the toughest in the party.
Ribbet
| Height | 3ft to 4½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 100 years |
| Traits | Amphibious, Long Tongue |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Ribbets are anthropomorphic frogs, starting life as tadpoles before growing into amphibious adults, with webbed hands and feet that make them natural swimmers. Amphibious gives a Ribbet the ability to move and breathe underwater, and Long Tongue turns your tongue
Simiah
| Height | 2ft to 6ft |
| Lifespan | Around 100 years |
| Traits | Natural Climber, Nimble |
| Source Book | Core |
Description: Simiah resemble monkeys or apes, with prehensile feet (and sometimes tails) that make them excellent climbers no matter their size. Natural Climber gives them advantage on balancing or climbing, and Nimble grants a permanent bonus to your Evasion, making Simiah a great option if you want a character that’s tricky to pin down.
Hope & Fear ancestries
Aetheris
| Height | 5ft to 7ft |
| Lifespan | Around 350 years |
| Traits | Hallowed Aura, Celestial Wings |
| Source Book | Hope & Fear |
Description: Aetheris are winged humanoids descended from angels, easily spotted by their wings and sacred sigils that manifest and shift across their skin as they age. They also excude a hallowed aura evidenced by a glow, shifting halo, or more prominent markings that shine in times of strong emotion.
Earthkin
| Height | 5ft to 6½ft |
| Lifespan | Around 300 years |
| Traits | Stoneskin, Immovable |
| Source Book | Hope & Fear |
Description: Earthkin are part flesh, part earth, ranging from humanoid with the odd stone or crystal feature to someone almost entirely made of rock. With a permanent bonus to Armor Score and damage thresholds from Stoneskin, Earthkin is a great pick if you want to play a character who is hard to move and harder to KO.
Emberkin
| Height | 5ft to 7ft |
| Lifespan | Around 250 years |
| Traits | Fireproof, Ignition |
| Source Book | Hope & Fear |
Description: Emberkin are part flesh and part fire. They are easily recognised through flaming hair, smouldering eyes or a glow that flickers depending on their mood. The Fireproof ability lends well to battle in intense heat, making you immune to flame damage, while Ignition lets you set your weapon ablaze for bonus damage. The Emberkin an easy choice if you want a character who’s got a unique look or fiery disposition.
Emberkin
| Height | 5ft to 7ft |
| Lifespan | Around 250 years |
| Traits | Fireproof, Ignition |
| Source Book | Hope & Fear |
Description: Emberkin are part flesh and part fire. They are easily recognised through flaming hair, smouldering eyes or a glow that flickers depending on their mood. The Fireproof ability lends well to battle in intense heat, making you immune to flame damage, while Ignition lets you set your weapon ablaze for bonus damage. The Emberkin an easy choice if you want a character who’s got a unique look or fiery disposition.
Gnome
| Height | Around 3ft |
| Lifespan | Around 200 years |
| Traits | Nimble Fingers, Flicker Step |
| Source Book | Hope & Fear |
Description: Gnomes are small humanoids with quite long arms and large hands for thier size. They also have some inhernat magic in the form of a minor teleportation ability that manifests a little differently in every family. Nimble Fingers rewards precision dexterity work with a reroll, and Flicker Step gives you a short range teleport once per scene, making Gnome a good fit for a character who wants to be a little magical without being a full spellcaster.
Skykin
| Height | 5½ft to 7ft |
| Lifespan | Around 300 years |
| Traits | Gale Force, Eye of the Storm |
| Source Book | Hope & Fear |
Description: Skykin are part flesh, part wind, with colour-shifting, semi-translucent skin and hair like wisps of cloud. Gale Force can carry you or an ally a long way in a hurry (and lets you control your fall speed), while Eye of the Storm offers a temporary Evasion boost for you or a friend. Skykin a strong pick for a character who wants mobility and a unique aesthetic.
Tidekin
| Height | 5½ft to 6ft |
| Lifespan | Around 300 years |
| Traits | Amphibious, Lifespring |
| Source Book | Hope & Fear |
Description: Tidekin are made of flesh and water, with finlike ears, webbed digits and colours that shift beneath thier skin. Amphibious lets you move and breathe underwater freely, and Lifespring gives you a reliable bit of healing for yourself or a nearby ally once per rest. This is the ideal choice of an aquatic, seafaring or coastal campaign.
Mixed ancestries
If want your character’s lineage drawn from multiple sources, Daggerheart has rules for that too.
You write down how your character identifies in the Heritage section of your character sheet, then pick one feature from one ancestry and one feature from another, working with your GM to make sure the combination makes sense. You can’t take both features from the same ancestry, and if your character’s heritage covers more than two ancestries, the extra ones are represented through appearance or backstory rather than mechanics.