Daggerheart vs Queen by Midnight: Which RPG to Play First?
By Critical Role Store | Published: 2026-10-30
Category: Comparisons
Compare two tabletop games from Critical Role: Daggerheart's cooperative RPG and Queen by Midnight's competitive deck-builder. Find your perfect fit.
Quick answer
If your group loves cooperative storytelling and flexible genre-hopping, start with Daggerheart: Hope & Fear. If you prefer competitive strategy and deck-building with a battle-royale twist, start with Queen by Midnight.
Cooperative vs. competitive play
The biggest difference between these two games is the core experience. Daggerheart is a cooperative tabletop RPG where everyone works together to tell a story and overcome challenges. Queen by Midnight is a competitive deck-building board game where players scheme against each other to be the last princess standing.
Your group's preferred dynamic will heavily influence which game feels right. If you enjoy shared victories and character-driven narratives, Daggerheart is the natural choice. If you thrive on outsmarting friends and enjoy direct conflict, Queen by Midnight will deliver that tension.
Learning curve and setup
Both games have a learning curve, but they're different kinds. Queen by Midnight is a self-contained board game with a rulebook and cards—you can learn the rules in one session and play a full game in a few hours. Daggerheart: Hope & Fear expands an existing RPG system, so it's best if you already have the core Daggerheart rulebook. The expansion adds new classes and options, making it ideal for groups ready to deepen their campaign.
If you're brand new to tabletop RPGs, Queen by Midnight may feel more approachable because it has a defined start and end. Daggerheart requires more upfront investment in character creation and world-building, but it offers long-term campaign play.
Trade-offs at a glance
- Cooperative vs. competitive: Daggerheart is a cooperative RPG; Queen by Midnight is a competitive deck-builder. Choose based on whether your group prefers shared storytelling or head-to-head strategy.
- Self-contained vs. expansion: Queen by Midnight is a complete game in one box. Daggerheart: Hope & Fear is an expansion that requires the core Daggerheart rulebook to play. If you don't own the core Daggerheart game, start with Queen by Midnight or the base Daggerheart set first.
- Session length and commitment: Queen by Midnight plays in a few hours with a clear winner. Daggerheart supports ongoing campaigns that can last many sessions. For a one-shot game night, pick Queen by Midnight. For a long-term campaign, pick Daggerheart.
Game highlights at a glance
- Queen by Midnight: Best Board Game Nominee for 2023 Tabletop Awards; Best Art Nominee for 2023 Tabletop Awards Queen by Midnight has award-recognized design and artwork, so you can expect a polished competitive experience with high production value.
Queen by Midnight - Daggerheart: Hope & Fear: Expansion for Daggerheart offering new character options including 4 new classes, adversary sheets, and genre-spanning content Hope & Fear adds significant replayability and variety for existing Daggerheart groups, but requires the core game to use.
Daggerheart: Hope & Fear
Which game fits your group?
Best for
- Groups that enjoy cooperative storytelling and character progression: start with Daggerheart (and consider Hope & Fear once you have the core book).
- Players who love competitive strategy and deck-building in a self-contained box: start with Queen by Midnight.
Not for
- Solo players who don't have a regular group: neither game is designed for solo play.
- Groups that want a cooperative experience but only have time for a single session: Daggerheart's campaign format may not satisfy in one sitting.
