Kobold Press, one of the most respected third-party publishers in the tabletop roleplaying game industry, is making a significant move into new territory. The company, which has built its reputation on high-quality Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks and its own Tales of the Valiant system, has announced its first-ever supplement for Daggerheart, the new fantasy roleplaying game developed by Critical Role. The upcoming release, titled Court and Shadow, was confirmed by Kobold Press art director Marc Radle on July 26 through an ENWorld forum post, generating immediate excitement within the tabletop gaming community.
Court and Shadow: A Fey Courts Campaign Frame
The new supplement, described as a “Fey courts campaign frame,” will transport players into the mysterious and often treacherous realm of the fey. In tabletop roleplaying terminology, a campaign frame provides game masters with a comprehensive setting, complete with locations, factions, plot hooks, and thematic elements that can serve as the foundation for extended campaigns. The fey courts have long been a beloved element of fantasy gaming, drawing inspiration from Celtic mythology, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and countless fairy tales featuring the capricious and powerful beings that inhabit the twilight realm between the mortal world and pure magic.
Court and Shadow will debut at Gen Con, North America’s largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention. Held annually in Indianapolis, Indiana, Gen Con attracts tens of thousands of gaming enthusiasts and serves as the premier venue for major game announcements and releases. The convention, which traces its origins back to 1968 when it was founded by Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax, has become the de facto launching pad for significant tabletop gaming products.
Daggerheart: Critical Role’s New Fantasy RPG
Daggerheart represents Critical Role’s ambitious entry into the roleplaying game design space. Developed by Darrington Press, Critical Role’s publishing arm, the game emerged from a desire to create a system specifically tailored to dramatic, narrative-driven play. The game features innovative mechanics including a dual-dice system using a “Hope” die and a “Fear” die, which creates dynamic tension in every roll. When Hope is higher, players succeed with positive momentum; when Fear dominates, success may come with complications or shift narrative control toward the game master.
The game officially launched in March 2025 after an extensive open playtest period that began in early 2023. Critical Role, the immensely popular web series featuring voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons, has cultivated a massive following that has fundamentally transformed the tabletop gaming industry. Their move to create an original system rather than continuing exclusively with D&D signaled a significant shift in the industry landscape, particularly as Wizards of the Coast faced controversy over proposed changes to its Open Gaming License in 2023.
Kobold Press: A History of Excellence
Kobold Press has established itself as one of the most trusted names in tabletop gaming over the past two decades. Founded by Wolfgang Baur, a veteran game designer who worked on numerous official Dungeons & Dragons products during his tenure at TSR and Wizards of the Coast, the company pioneered the “open design” concept where fans could participate in the creation of gaming products. Their Tome of Beasts series has become essential reading for countless dungeon masters seeking to expand their monster repertoires, while the Midgard campaign setting has earned critical acclaim for its unique blend of dark fantasy and Eastern European folklore.
The company’s decision to develop content for Daggerheart marks a strategic expansion beyond their traditional focus on D&D-compatible materials and their own Tales of the Valiant system, which itself emerged as a response to the OGL controversy. By supporting multiple game systems, Kobold Press is positioning itself as a system-agnostic content creator capable of serving the broader tabletop community regardless of which rules set players prefer. This move also suggests growing confidence in Daggerheart’s market viability and staying power as a mainstream alternative to Dungeons & Dragons.
Expert Opinion: Kobold Press’s entry into Daggerheart publishing signals a maturing ecosystem around Critical Role’s new game system and validates its long-term market potential. This partnership between an established third-party publisher and Darrington Press could establish a template for Daggerheart’s third-party content strategy, potentially creating a robust marketplace similar to what exists for D&D. Industry observers should watch Gen Con closely, as Court and Shadow’s reception will likely influence other publishers considering Daggerheart support.
