Hearts & Dice

Hearts & Dice: a Game Master's Guide to Romance in TTRPGs

Romance at the table can be awkward. It can also create the most memorable moments in your campaign, if you know how to run it.

Hearts & Dice is a practical, 69-page guide to running romance in tabletop RPGs. No "water". No fluff. Just proven techniques for handling romance at any maturity level, from PG hand-holding to explicit content.

WHAT'S INSIDE

Foundations Session Zero scripts that work. Safety tools you'll actually use. Six concrete signs of player interest. Managing different comfort levels at the same table.

Building NPCs The 5-question framework for believable love interests. Development stages from acquaintance to established relationship. When and how NPCs should say no. The roster system for multiple potential romances.

Running Scenes Roleplay vs. description — when to use each. The montage technique for compressing time. Managing spotlight balance. Conversation structures that flow naturally. Keeping romance fresh across 20+ sessions.

Active Relationships Twenty-plus activities for established couples. Integrating romance with your main plot. Daily routines that show depth. Handling multiple simultaneous romances.

Creating Conflict Internal obstacles (fear, duty, incompatible goals) and external obstacles (opposing factions, danger, separation). The 3-act obstacle structure. Handling breakups. D20 complication generator.

Advanced Scenarios PC-to-PC romance facilitation techniques. Eight major romance archetypes: Star-Crossed Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Reunited After Years, Forbidden Love, Protector and Protected, Found Family to Romance, Arranged Marriage, Second Chances. Twenty ready-to-use scenario seeds.

Non-Traditional Relationships Friends with benefits and when feelings develop. Situationships and their inherent tensions. One-night stands with consequences. Unrequited love as character development. Manipulative and toxic relationships handled with safety and nuance.

Mature Content Three levels of intimacy detail for different tables. Player-driven approach to intimate scenes. What to detail versus what to skip. Making mature content serve story and character. Optional mechanical frameworks. Common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Avoiding Pitfalls Working through the cringe factor. When romance dominates the campaign. The self-insert NPC problem. Harmful tropes to avoid. Managing spotlight fairly. Handling rejection in-character and out-of-character.

Practical Tools Romance tracking sheets, NPC relationship cards, spotlight balance trackers, session prep checklists, obstacle planning worksheets, quick scene generators, ready-to-use Session Zero script.

SYSTEM-NEUTRAL | 69 PAGES | ADULT CONTENT | FORMAT: PDF

Please note: While all text content in this book is entirely handmade, some of the illustrations were created with AI. We want to be transparent about this.

Written for game masters who want actionable techniques, not philosophical discussions. Every chapter includes specific examples, frameworks you can implement immediately, and tools designed for actual table use.

Whether you're running your first romantic subplot or your twentieth, Hearts & Dice gives you the confidence to make romance compelling instead of uncomfortable.