Our unofficial Daggerheart GM emulator prompt available here in this guide is a fun way to play Daggerheart completely solo if you don’t have a group or GM. In this article I will show you how to play Daggerheart as a solo RPG—for free But before we get to that, we need to ask this question:
Can you play Daggerheart solo?
The answer is yes, and Daggerheart is one of the better systems for solo RPGs. But how? The reason is simple: Darrington Press has provided solo players with literally everything they need to play the game. The Daggerheart System Reference Document (SRD) contains all the rules (minus the setting), and you can also download all the cards and tools from their website—all for free.
Because of this incredible generosity from Darrington Press, the only remaining challenge is creating the right prompt for ChatGPT.
Learning Daggerheart
An easy and fun way to learn Daggerheart is to have ChatGPT teach it to you through gameplay examples. You can also ask the AI questions about the Core Rulebook, and it will answer them for you. ChatGPT can create scenarios and encounters to help you learn Daggerheart’s rules.
To activate this tutorial mode:
- Upload the Daggerheart Core Rulebook or SRD to ChatGPT.
- Enter the following prompt:
Act as a game master that’s an expert on the rules of Daggerheart on the document. Teach me the rules of Daggerheart accurately with gameplay examples.
The Unofficial Daggerheart GM Emulator prompt
The following prompt is based on our AI DM emulator for D&D 5e. Unlike the tutorial mode described earlier, the unofficial Daggerheart GM emulator prompt is designed to instruct ChatGPT to read the Daggerheart Core Rulebook or SRD. ChatGPT will then build a game around it.
During your game, ChatGPT will:
- Generate an adventure outline.
- Describe environments and create NPC dialogue.
- Call for Action Rolls—Daggerheart’s version of skill checks—when appropriate.
- Create encounters with suitable enemies.
- Run combat.
- Generate loot.
How to use the unofficial Daggerheart GM Emulator
- Create a character.
- Upload the Daggerheart Core Rulebook or System Reference Document to ChatGPT.
- Copy/paste the campaign prompt in the Unofficial Daggerheart GM Emulator into ChatGPT.
- Follow the instructions of the AI.
Example:
Our player uploads his copy of the Daggerheart SRD to try out the rulest. He copy/pasted the prompt from the Unofficial Daggerheart GM Emulator and got the following result.
ChatGPT: Choose your adventure:
- The Witherwild Bloom – A creeping corruption spreads from deep within the twisted Witherwilds. Brave the arcane wilderness to uncover the source of this unnatural growth before it devours nearby settlements.
- Ashes of Emberdeep – In the ruins of a once-mighty dwarven stronghold, ancient forges burn once again. Something stirs in the deep—old magic, older grudges, and a terrible hunger.
- The Silent Bell – The coastal town of Merehollow has lost the sound of its sacred bell. Without it, ghosts walk the harbor and storms never cease.
Which adventure shall we begin?
After choosing, please give me your:
- Class and Subclass
- Hit Points
- Evasion
- Armor Threshold (Major/Severe)
- Stress
Player: Rogue Nightwalker, human male, HP 6, Evasion 12, Armor 7/14, Stress 6
ChatGPT: Excellent. A Rogue of the Nightwalker subclass—shadowed, cunning, and dangerous. Stats confirmed:
- Hit Points: 6
- Evasion: 12
- Armor Threshold: Major 7 / Severe 14
- Stress: 6
- Heritage: Human
Now, let the adventure begin…
The Silent Bell
The town of Merehollow lies drenched in sea fog, the ever-present crash of waves echoing through its crooked streets. Once, its great harbor bell tolled with every high tide—warding off restless spirits said to rise from the deep. But three nights ago, the bell fell silent.
Now, spectral figures drift through the mist, mournful and half-seen. The harbor is abandoned. Ships rot in their moorings. Locals whisper that something came from the sea… something that climbed the tower and stole the bell’s voice.
You stand at the edge of town, just before dusk. A cloaked figure waits beneath the salt-bitten sign of the Salt Lick Inn.
“You’re the one sent for?” she asks, her voice low and hoarse. “If you’re to stop the dead from walking, you’ll need to see the tower for yourself… before nightfall.”
A chill wind blows. Somewhere far off, a bell should be ringing.
The adventure has begun.
Talking to NPCs
When talking to NPCs, use quotation marks (“ ”). This tells the AI that you’re speaking to a character in the game. I strongly recommend getting into the habit of using quotation marks when addressing NPCs and leaving them out when speaking out of character to the AI. This prevents confusion about whether you’re addressing an NPC or the AI itself.
Action Rolls
Action Rolls are Daggerheart’s version of skill checks. The prompt in the unofficial Daggerheart GM emulator is designed to account for the Duality Dice mechanic when calling for Action Rolls. As you play your adventure, the AI will prompt you for Action Rolls—you just need to follow the instructions and tell the AI what you rolled.
However, this system makes one small adjustment to the rules of Daggerheart. The reason is simple: ChatGPT struggles to interpret Fear tokens and how to use them during play.
To compensate for this, I made the following change:
- Whenever you succeed or fail with Fear, the GM doesn’t gain a Fear token. Instead, you lose one Hope token and immediately face the negative consequences of the Action Roll.
Example:
Our player introduces himself to the villager, the villager then takes our player to a missing bell that wards off the undead.
Player: “My name is Arcturus.”
ChatGPT: The woman flinches slightly at the sound of your name, as though it echoes with meaning.
“Arcturus…” she repeats, eyes narrowing. “Right. Come then.”
She turns sharply, leading you down a sloping lane of rain-slick cobblestone toward the harbor. Along the way, boarded windows shudder in the breeze. One door is marked in charcoal: a crude eye with a line through it.
As you near the Bell Tower, the fog thickens. The wooden stairs up its side creak like groaning bones.
Suddenly—crack. A plank splinters near the top. Something shifts above.
Make an Instinct Action Roll using your Duality Dice to determine whether you notice the source of the sound before it sees you.
The Difficulty is 10.
Player: I roll 10 on hope and 1 on fear.
ChatGPT: Success with Hope. You gain 1 Hope.
The sound sharpens in your ears—a breath, wet and ragged, not your own. You spot it crouched in the shadows of the bell platform above: a Hollow Mariner, flesh shriveled by seawater, salt-crusted blade in hand. Its eye sockets glow dim blue.
You caught it unawares.
It hasn’t moved yet. It will if you make a sound or step wrong. The tower groans again beneath the weight of the dead.
Player: I attempt to hide to become Cloaked.
ChatGPT: To become Cloaked, you must hide without detection. The slick boards and open stairwell make this tricky, but your rogue’s reflexes and the fog’s embrace work in your favor.
Make a Finesse Action Roll using your Duality Dice.
Difficulty: 11 (due to open space and alertness of the Hollow Mariner).
Player: I fail with hope.
ChatGPT: Failure with Hope. You don’t become Cloaked, and the attempt carries
consequences—but you gain 1 Hope.
Your foot slips on a wet board. Creak. The Hollow Mariner jerks its head toward the sound.
Its shriveled jaw snaps open with a hiss like boiling kelp. It rushes downward, jagged blade raised.
Combat begins.
The Hollow Mariner (HP 6, Evasion 11, Armor 5/10) is charging down the tower toward you.
It’s your turn. You may act.
Using the unofficial Daggerheart GM emulator for encounters and Combat
ChatGPT will automatically create encounters as necessary—there’s no need to roll on tables or reference the document. The AI will generate its own monsters as needed while basing them on the Daggerheart Core Rulebook or SRD. This eliminates the need for extensive monster tables. Furthermore, you don’t need entire books filled with creatures to have varied combat encounters.
ChatGPT can also run combat and call for rolls as needed. As you succeed or fail in your combat rolls, the AI will narrate the results and the unfolding scene. It will automatically roll for all opponents and act on their behalf during combat.
Example:
After failing an Action Roll, our player has to do battle with a Hollow Mariner.
Player: I attack him with my dagger
ChatGPT: Roll an attack with your dagger.
To hit the Hollow Mariner, your attack roll must meet or exceed its Evasion of 11.
Roll your Finesse Duality Dice and add your Finesse modifier to each.
Player: I roll 11 on hope and 7 on fear.
ChatGPT: Success with Hope. You hit! Gain 1 Hope.
The Hollow Mariner lunges—and your dagger strikes true, slipping between rusted ribs.
Now roll for damage with your dagger.
A standard dagger deals 1d6 physical damage using your Proficiency (1).
Roll 1d6 and tell me the result.
Player: I deal 5 damage.
ChatGPT: You deal 5 damage—between the Hollow Mariner’s Major (5) and Severe (10) Armor Thresholds.
It takes 2 Hit Points of damage, reducing it from 6 HP to 4 HP.
The Hollow Mariner shrieks in its sea-choked voice, lashing out wildly with its jagged blade. It attacks you.
Attack Roll (Evasion 12):
It rolls a 10 — miss.
The blade whistles past your shoulder, splintering the railing behind you. It’s off balance now.
Your move.
Special Abilities and the Daggerheart GM emulator
ChatGPT has a rudimentary understanding of the skills and powers that it can read on the document. To use an ability, tell the AI exactly what you want to do, and then roll the appropriate Action Roll.
Example:
Our player is engaging a Holllow Mariner in combat and wants to finish it off quickly. To do this he wants to use his Shadow Stepper ability to appear in shadow behind the mariner and Sneak Attack it while Cloaked.
Player: Are there any shadows behind the mariner?
ChatGPT: Yes—behind the Hollow Mariner, the interior of the bell platform yawns open into deep shadow. The setting sun casts long, angular beams through the broken frame, but most of the space behind it is cloaked in dimness.
The shadows are sufficient for a Nightwalker like you to use your Shadowstep ability or gain advantage on attempts to become Cloaked again.
Player: I mark Stress and attempt to appear in the shadows of the bell.
ChatGPT: You mark 1 Stress to use Shadowstep, slipping instantly through shadow.
Make a Finesse Action Roll to appear undetected in the shadows behind the Hollow Mariner and become Cloaked.
Difficulty: 9 (lowered due to available cover and distraction). Roll your Duality Dice.
Player: I roll 7 with hope and 9 fear.
ChatGPT: Success with Fear. You vanish in a shimmer of shadow and reappear behind the Hollow Mariner—Cloaked—but not without consequence. Lose 1 Hope.
The shift pulls at your essence, your breath catching as if dragged briefly through deep water.
The Hollow Mariner snarls, searching wildly, unaware you now stand in striking range—unseen, dagger ready.
You have advantage on your next attack. It is your move.
Player: I fire my crossbow at the mariner using my sneak attack.
ChatGPT: From the shadows, you level your crossbow—Cloaked and unseen.
You gain advantage on the attack roll and may apply Sneak Attack if it hits.
Roll your Finesse Duality Dice twice (two Hope, two Fear) and choose the highest Hope and highest Fear.
Your attack must meet or exceed Evasion 11 to hit.
Player: I roll 12 with hope and deal 8 damage.
ChatGPT: Success with Hope. Your bolt thunks into the Hollow Mariner’s spine with a sickening snap. You gain 1 Hope.
Your 8 damage exceeds its Major Threshold (5) but not the Severe (10)—you deal 2 HP of damage.
That’s enough.
The Hollow Mariner stiffens, shudders, and collapses to the boards in a wet heap of bone and salt-stained rags. The spectral glow in its sockets flickers out.
Saving your game
Because ChatGPT can only reference a limited number of tokens in a conversation, it will gradually forget details about your adventure. This includes events and NPCs, and eventually, it will lose track of your name, heritage, gender, and other stats.
To prevent this from happening, you need to “save” your game at regular intervals. Doing so keeps the details of your character and world fresh in ChatGPT’s memory.
This is done by typing the following prompt:
/save
This command will generate a summary of your character’s name, known stats, NPCs, and events from your game. By creating this summary, you ensure that the tokens containing key details about your game and character remain in ChatGPT’s memory, effectively “saving” your progress. You should use this prompt after every hour or so of play time to keep the details of your game preserved.
Conclusion
Daggerheart is an excellent system for solo play, but it has one significant drawback: because the system is still new, ChatGPT sometimes makes mistakes when using it.
When you notice such a mistake, you have two options:
- You can accept it as a ruling by the AI and go along with it.
- You can ignore the ruling and follow the rules as written.
However, I firmly believe that ChatGPT will become more accurate over time. As more people play Daggerheart, more information about the system will be added to ChatGPT’s training data, improving its understanding.
