Daggerheart: Sold Out on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

As I predicted, Daggerheart is now sold out most everywhere, and the eBay market is the last place you can pick up a copy. Amazon and Barnes & Noble are both sold out. I am happy for them, the hobby needed a huge hit this year, on the level of a Shadowdark.

You can still obtain this via PDF on DriveThruRPG, but you won't receive the physical cards. Still, if you really need it, this is a way to go:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/508832/daggerheart-corebook

There aren't many alternatives to this game if you are looking for a more story-oriented game with cards, trinkets, and other tangible assets. One of the closest alternatives I can think of is Savage Worlds. This fantastic game offers an excellent experience for players seeking a pulp-action game with a more narrative-focused approach. This is a solid suggestion for the genre, and many would be happy with this game as an alternative.

Another, even more narrative-focused game, is Cypher System. This one takes more effort to wrap your head around. Still, it does a fantastic job of abstracting everything, making every ability score, the XP system, and the trade between the referee and players a pool of resources that drives the narrative forward. Like Savage Worlds, this is a generic game, and it can handle any genre.

If you want to get away from D&D but want to stay with 5E? Tales of the Valiant is your best bet, mainly due to the high level of support from the publisher, which enables this game to be in the store and on crowdfunding. This isn't a narrative game any more than D&D is. Still, it comes from a solid, ethical company that has the resources to support the game at a higher level than even Wizards, in terms of frequency of core book and adventure releases. Oh, and they let you own your PDFs, too.

Another strong alternative is Dragonbane. If you are into trying new fantasy games, this is a great one. It uses a card system for initiative and treasure, and it has some of the best fantasy art in the hobby. This one is the high-fantasy style of action-combat you are used to, but with a roll-under d20 system, and plenty of iconic character types. This is an easier game than 5E, and is also a great choice for solo players.

Still, there is no replacing Daggerheart for the true fans of Critical Role. For others, we have some great alternatives if you want to take a break from D&D and play a more story-oriented game.