Posted in: Critical Role, Darrington Press, Games, Role Playing Games, Tabletop | Tagged: Daggerheart

EXCLUSIVE: Daggerheart Reveals New Artwork With Artist Insight

Check out the latest piece of artwork that will be a part of the new TTRPG Daggerheart, as we briefly hear from the artist

Published Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:12:07 -0500

by Gavin Sheehan

Last updated Sat, 19 Apr 2025 03:56:38 -0500

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Article Summary

Discover the Daggerheart artwork, inspired by the artist's wife and son for personal and cultural representation.
The School of Knowledge Wizard highlights deep magic mastery through storytelling art in Daggerheart.
Artist Bear Frymire shares his journey of growth, working alongside long-admired peers in the art world.
Despite an injury, Frymire completed Daggerheart art, learning to adapt under challenging conditions.

Darrington Press and Critical Role released a new piece of Daggerheart artwork for Bleeding Cool to show off as an exclusive, along with a little insight into the piece. What you're seeing here is artwork for the Wizard of School and Knowledge, created by Bear Frymire, who has been working with the team for some time on a number of different projects. With this art, we got the chance to hear from the artist about the work that went into it, as the new TTRPG will launch globally on May 20, 2025.

EXCLISIVE: Daggerheart Reveals New Artwork With Artist Insight — Image provided courtesy of Darrington Press, art by Bear Frymire

BC: Which piece that you worked on for this project stands out the most to you, and why?

This would be a very tough question if there wasn't a very clear standout for me. The one that is closest to my heart is the School of Knowledge Wizard. In addition to having some fun easter eggs hidden throughout, it features my partner, who is the only reason I am able to make art today. I've never been great with words, but this piece started as a love letter to her. My partner and my son are Hispanic; the original piece was based on my wife, and it makes my heart so happy for my kid to be able to look at the art of this game and see himself and his mom represented in it! For me to be able to do that kind of art for a game like Daggerheart is amazing.

Is there a particular detail in your work that you hope people notice?

One of the things that I aspire to achieve in my art is a clear "why?" Why is the character here? Why are they wearing what they wear? Why is their story important? I hope people notice that my illustrations attempt to tell a cohesive enough story for viewers to connect the dots with their own story.

Was there a particular moment or milestone during Daggerheart that had a particularly meaningful impact on you?

When I started this project, I was already excited about being involved with Critical Role, and a lot of the names that were listed as artists on the project were names I've admired for years. There was a moment, while I was painting "Signature Move," where I realized "I'm at least 'keeping up' with my heroes," and that was a huge moment for me. But even more than that, some of these heroes are now my close friends.

How do you feel this piece fits into the world of Daggerheart?

The Wizard of the School of Knowledge represents a deep, intellectual approach to magic in Daggerheart, drawing power from an unrelenting pursuit of truth and understanding. As they grow, these spellcasters can substitute Hope with Stress to fuel their expertise, double their Experience modifiers, and even reduce the Recall cost of powerful Domain cards. With features that reward study, insight, and mastery of lore, the School of Knowledge embodies the belief that knowledge is not only power, it's a weapon, a shield, and a guiding light.

Any anecdotes you'd like to share that you think folks will get a kick out of?

I actually messed up my shoulder pretty badly during the project. And it wasn't even cool. I just grip my Wacom pen like someone is going to steal it from me, and it tensed my shoulder enough that I ended up in a shoulder sling for the last 3 weeks of painting. I ended up having to finish the final painting with my off-hand.

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