Features

DM Hero is packed with features to make your life as a Dungeon Master easier. Let's explore them all!

Fuzzy Search

The Problem

You're mid-session. A player asks "What was that NPC's name? The one in Baldur's Gate?" You know it's something like "Elminster" but you can't remember exactly...

The Solution

Press / and type "Elminstr" - DM Hero finds "Elminster" even with your typo!

How It Works

DM Hero uses FTS5 (Full-Text Search 5) combined with Levenshtein distance matching:

FTS5: Indexes all your content for instant retrieval
Levenshtein: Measures how "close" your search is to actual names
Cross-Entity: Searches NPCs, Locations, Items... everything!

Search Tips

What you type	What it finds
`gandlf`	Gandalf (typo tolerance)
`wizard elf`	All elven wizards
`"prancing pony"`	Exact phrase match
`tavern waterdeep`	Taverns in Waterdeep

Metadata Search

Search includes metadata fields too:

Search "elf wizard" to find NPCs with race=Elf AND class=Wizard
Search "legendary weapon" to find legendary rarity weapons
Search "lawful good" to find all Lawful Good NPCs

Type Search v1.3

Search NPCs by their type in any language:

You search	Finds NPCs with type
`Händler`	merchant
`Merchant`	merchant
`Diener`	servant
`Bauer`	farmer

Works in both global search and NPC page search!

Entity Linking

In-Text References

In any description field, create clickable links to other entities:

The {{npc:Gandalf}} met with {{npc:Frodo}} at {{location:Bag End}}.
He carried the {{item:Staff of Power}} and spoke of {{lore:The Ring}}.

How to Use

Type {{ in any description field
Select the entity type: npc, location, item, faction, lore, player
Type the entity name
Close with }}

What You Get

Clickable badges: Click to navigate directly
Hover previews: See entity details without leaving
Automatic updates: If you rename an entity, links update too
Bidirectional awareness: Linked entities know about each other

Example Workflow

Writing about a location:

## The Prancing Pony

A famous inn in {{location:Bree}}. The innkeeper {{npc:Barliman Butterbur}}
serves the best ale in the region.

Rumor has it that {{faction:The Rangers}} often meet here in secret,
and the {{item:Mysterious Map}} was last seen in the back room.

Campaign Maps

Overview

Upload your world maps and make them interactive!

Getting Started

Go to Maps in the sidebar
Click Upload Map
Select an image (PNG, JPG, WebP)
Give it a name and description

Placing Markers

Open a map
Click the + button → Add Marker
Click on the map where you want the marker
Select an entity to link it to
Save!

Markers are color-coded by entity type:

🟢 NPCs (Green)
🔵 Locations (Blue)
🟠 Items (Orange)
🟣 Factions (Purple)

Location Areas

Mark regions on your map:

Click + → Add Area
Click the center point
Adjust the radius
Link to a Location entity

Great for showing city districts, forest boundaries, or territory control!

Measurement Tool

Need to know distances?

Click the ruler icon
Click points on the map (A → B → C)
See total distance calculated!

Important: Set your map's scale in the edit dialog:

Map scale (e.g., "100 km across")
Unit type (km, miles, meters)

Map Features

Pan & Zoom: Smooth navigation
Drag markers: Reposition anytime
Filter by type: Show only NPCs, only Items, etc.
Entity labels: Names appear when zoomed in
Persistent zoom: Remembers your zoom level per map

Chaos Graph

What Is It?

A visual representation of an entity's connections. Click the graph icon on any entity to see it.

Reading the Graph

Center: Your selected entity (highlighted)
Surrounding nodes: Connected entities
Solid lines: Direct relationships
Dashed lines: Inter-connections (how surrounding entities relate to each other)

Interaction

Hover over a node: Highlights its connections
Click a node: Navigate to that entity's chaos graph
Filter chips: Show/hide entity types
View/Edit buttons: Quick actions on hover

Why "Chaos"?

Because a well-developed campaign world looks beautifully chaotic! All those interconnected NPCs, locations, items, and factions create a web of relationships.

Nested Locations v1.3

When viewing a location's chaos graph, child locations are automatically included as nodes:

City → shows its districts, taverns, shops as connected nodes
Parent location appears with a "part of" label
Child locations appear with a "contains" label

Use Cases

Session Prep: See all connections before a session
Improvisation: Quickly find related NPCs mid-game
World Building: Discover gaps in your connections
Player Questions: "Who knows about the artifact?" - visualize it!

Multiple Campaigns

Switch Worlds Instantly

Run multiple campaigns? No problem! DM Hero supports unlimited campaigns with instant switching.

How It Works

Click your campaign name in the header
See all your campaigns
Click to switch - all entities update instantly
Create new campaigns with the + button

Completely Separated

Each campaign has its own:

NPCs, Locations, Items, Factions, Lore
Players and Sessions
Calendar settings
Maps and markers

Perfect for running different game systems or parallel campaigns!

Image Gallery

Multiple Images Per Entity

NPCs can have more than one face! Upload multiple images to any entity:

Different expressions (happy, angry, mysterious)
Different ages (young adventurer → grizzled veteran)
Different outfits (formal, combat, disguise)
Action scenes and portraits

Gallery View

Click any image to open the full gallery:

Swipe through all images
Fullscreen mode
Set primary image for cards
Delete unwanted images

AI-Generated Collections

Use the AI image generator multiple times to build a collection of portraits. Keep the best ones!

Documents & Notes

Attach Text Documents

Every entity can have attached documents - perfect for:

Detailed backstories
Secret DM notes
Handouts for players
Historical records
Letters and journals

Private Notes

Keep your DM secrets separate! Notes are hidden from the main description but always accessible to you.

Use Cases

Entity	Document Ideas
NPC	Secret motivations, voice notes, stat block
Location	Room descriptions, trap details, treasure
Item	Full magical properties, curse details
Faction	Internal politics, secret members

Audio Recordings

Session Audio

Record your sessions? Attach audio files to session entries:

MP3, WAV, OGG supported
Built-in audio player
Multiple recordings per session
Perfect for memorable moments

Use Cases

Record important NPC dialogue
Capture player reactions
Store ambient music references
Keep voice acting samples

Location Hierarchy

Nested Locations

Create hierarchical location structures:

The Kingdom of Valdris
├── Capital City Ironhold
│   ├── The Royal Quarter
│   │   ├── King's Palace
│   │   └── Noble Gardens
│   ├── Market District
│   │   ├── The Golden Goose (Tavern)
│   │   └── Blacksmith Row
│   └── The Undercity
└── Darkwood Forest
    ├── Elven Outpost
    └── The Witch's Hut

When viewing a location, see the full path above:

Kingdom of Valdris → Capital City Ironhold → Market District → The Golden Goose

Click any parent to jump up the hierarchy!

Benefits

Organize complex cities
Track dungeon levels
Manage regional territories
Find related locations instantly

Bidirectional Relations

Automatic Linking

When you create a relationship, both sides update automatically:

Add "Gandalf" as ally of "Frodo"
Open "Frodo" → shows "Gandalf" as ally
No duplicate work!

Relationship Types

Create any relationship you need:

ally, enemy, friend, rival, family
mentor, student, employer, servant
loves, hates, fears, respects
Or create your own!

Cross-Entity Relations

Link any entity type to any other:

NPC → Location (lives at)
NPC → Item (owns)
NPC → Faction (member of)
Item → Location (hidden at)
Faction → Faction (allied with)

Faction Memberships

NPCs in Organizations

Track which NPCs belong to which factions:

Open an NPC
Go to Memberships tab
Add faction membership
Set their rank (Initiate, Member, Leader, etc.)

View From Faction

Open any faction to see all members listed with their ranks. Perfect for:

Guild rosters
Cult hierarchies
Military units
Noble houses

Reference Data

Custom Values

Don't like the default options? Create your own:

Races: Add homebrew races
Classes: Custom classes and professions
Location Types: Your world's unique places
Item Types: Special categories
Faction Types: Organization styles

How to Access

Go to Settings → Reference Data
Select a category
Add, edit, or remove options
Available immediately in all dropdowns

Localized

Custom values support multiple languages - add German and English names!

Themes v1.4

Eight Themes to Suit Your Table

DM Hero ships with 8 color themes — pick the mood that fits your world:

Dark (default): warm gold on deep slate, easy on the eyes for late-night sessions
Light: bright parchment, great for printing
Vivid palettes: forest green, ocean blue, arcane purple, ember orange, and an Ubuntu-inspired one
Emily "Deep Lagoon": a cyan-teal community tribute theme

How to Switch

Open the theme picker in the navigation drawer and pick a color swatch. Your choice is saved automatically — no flash of the wrong theme on reload.

Every theme gives the dashboard its own ambient animation in the background — rising embers, drifting dust, fireflies, twinkling sparkles, bubbles… and the Emily theme even brews a distant lightning storm ⚡. It's purely decorative, stays behind your cards, can be switched off in Settings → Playful Extras, and respects "reduce motion".

Release Codenames v1.4

Every minor release now carries a codename, shown right in the title bar. This one: The Summoning.

Session Participants

Track Attendance

Every session records who played:

Create or edit a session
Select participating players
View attendance history

Player Statistics

See at a glance:

Sessions attended per player
Last session played
Characters used

Perfect for tracking group dynamics and rewarding consistent attendance!

Rich Markdown Editor

Supported Features

DM Hero descriptions support full GitHub-flavored Markdown:

Text Formatting

**Bold text**
*Italic text*
~~Strikethrough~~
`inline code`

Headers

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Lists

- Bullet point
- Another point
  - Nested point

1. Numbered
2. List
3. Items

Tables

| Name | Race | Class |
|------|------|-------|
| Gandalf | Maiar | Wizard |
| Aragorn | Human | Ranger |

Code Blocks

```python
def roll_dice(sides):
    return random.randint(1, sides)
```

Blockquotes

> "Not all those who wander are lost."
> — Gandalf

Live Preview

As you type, see your formatted text instantly!

In-Game Calendar

The Problem

"Wait, how many days have passed since we left Waterdeep?"

The Solution

DM Hero tracks your campaign's internal timeline.

Setting Up

Go to Settings → Calendar
Define your calendar:
- Month names
- Days per month
- Starting date

Using the Calendar

When creating Sessions, set the in-game date. DM Hero tracks:

How many days have passed
What happened on which day
Time between events

Session Timeline

View sessions on a timeline showing:

Real-world dates (when you played)
In-game dates (when it happened in the story)
Duration of in-game time

AI Integration (Optional)

Requirements

OpenAI API key (get one at openai.com)
Enter it in Settings → AI

Name Generation

Stuck on a name? Click the magic wand icon:

NPCs: Generate names filtered by race
Locations: Generate names by type (city, tavern, etc.)
Items: Generate fantasy item names
Factions: Generate organization names

Image Generation

Create portraits and scenes with DALL-E:

Open an entity
Click Generate Image
Optionally add a custom prompt
Wait for magic! ✨

Tips for better images:

Be specific: "elderly dwarven blacksmith with a braided beard"
Include setting: "in a dimly lit forge"
Mention style: "fantasy art style, detailed"

Privacy Note

When using AI features:

Your prompt is sent to OpenAI
Generated content is stored locally
No other data is shared

Campaign Export & Import

Full Campaign Backup

Export your entire campaign as a .dmhero file:

Go to Dashboard
Click Export Campaign
Select Full Export or choose specific entities
Save the .dmhero file

The export includes:

All entities (NPCs, Locations, Items, Factions, Lore, Players)
Sessions and session history
Relations between entities
Calendar configuration and weather
Maps with markers and areas
Currencies
All uploaded images and files

Partial Export

Export only selected entities:

Click Export Campaign
Uncheck "Full Export"
Select the entities you want
Linked entities are automatically suggested

Perfect for sharing specific adventures or storylines!

Import Modes

When importing a .dmhero file:

New Campaign: Creates a fresh campaign with all imported content
Merge into Current: Adds entities to your active campaign (partial exports only)

Duplicate handling options:

Skip: Keep existing, don't import duplicates
Update: Overwrite existing with imported data
Duplicate: Import as new entities

Copy to Campaign

Move or copy entities between your campaigns:

Go to Dashboard
Click Copy to Campaign
Select source entities
Choose target campaign
Handle duplicates as needed

All relations are preserved when copying!

Hero Basar (Adventure Store)

Discover Community Adventures

Browse adventures created by the community at dm-hero.com/store:

Filter by tags, rating, or search
Preview adventure details before downloading
See download counts and ratings

Download Adventures

Find an adventure you like
Click Download
Save the .dmhero file
Import into DM Hero (see above)

Upload your own adventures to share with the community:

Export your campaign (full or partial)
Go to dm-hero.com/store/upload
Fill in title, description, and tags
Upload your .dmhero file
Wait for automatic validation
Published!

Requirements:

Free account on dm-hero.com
Accept Terms of Service
Content must pass automated validation

Version Updates

When you update an adventure in the store:

Version number increases automatically
Users can re-download to get the latest version
Import detects if you already have an older version

Data & Privacy

Local-First

All your data stays on your machine:

Desktop App: %APPDATA%/dm-hero/
Docker: In your mounted volume
No cloud sync: Your data never leaves your computer

Database

DM Hero uses SQLite - a robust, battle-tested database:

Single file: dm-hero.db
Easy to backup: Just copy the file
No server needed
Works offline

Soft Delete

When you delete something, it's not truly gone:

Marked as deleted (recoverable)
Hidden from view
Can be restored if needed

Export/Backup

Regular backups recommended:

# Find your database
# Windows: %APPDATA%/dm-hero/data/dm-hero.db
# Docker: your-volume/dm-hero.db

# Copy to backup location
cp dm-hero.db dm-hero-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).db

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
`/`	Open global search
`Esc`	Close dialog/modal
`Ctrl+S`	Save current entity
`?`	Show keyboard shortcuts

Tips & Tricks

1. Use Templates

Create a "Template NPC" with common fields filled in. Copy it when creating new NPCs.

2. Consistent Naming

Use consistent naming conventions:

Locations: "The Name" or just "Name"
NPCs: "Firstname Lastname" or "Nickname"
Items: "The Adjective Item" for legendary items

3. Tag with Relations

Instead of tagging, use relations:

Create a faction "Quest Givers"
Add all quest-giving NPCs as members
Now you can find them all easily!

4. Session Prep Workflow

Check the Chaos Graph for key NPCs
Review related locations
Note important items
Prepare faction movements

5. Post-Session Routine

Create a Session entry
Update NPC statuses (dead? moved?)
Update item locations (who has what now?)
Add new NPCs/locations encountered

Dashboard

Overview

The dashboard gives you a quick overview of your active campaign at a glance.

Widgets

Stats Card: Total playtime, session count, entity count, pinned entities
Calendar Widget: Current in-game date, days since first session, today's weather
Notes Widget: Recent DM notes with pending count
Pinboard Widget: Pinned entities with quick preview on click
Maps Widget: Map preview image with marker count
Category Cards: Quick links to entity type pages with counts

3D Dice v1.2

The dashboard features an interactive 3D dice roller:

Automatically rolls 2d20 on page load
Click to re-roll anytime
Rust theme with DM Hero gold color
Responsive sizing

Encounter Tracker v1.2

Combat Management

Run your combat encounters directly in DM Hero!

3 Phases

Setup: Add participants from your campaign (NPCs and Players with stat blocks). Duplicate NPCs allowed (e.g., 4x Goblin → Goblin (1), Goblin (2), etc.)
Initiative: Enter initiative values for each participant. Use the built-in 3D dice roller for NPC rolls.
Combat: Run the fight with turn management, HP tracking, and conditions.

Combat Features

Turn Management: Next/Back buttons, automatic round counter
HP Tracking: Current/max HP with quick +/- buttons, KO state at 0 HP
Effects & Conditions: Add conditions with duration (X rounds, concentration, permanent). Auto-countdown on "Next". Alerts when effects expire.
DM Dice Roller: Integrated 3D dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, d100) with custom expressions (2d6+3)
Entity Preview: Click any participant to see their full stat block

Stat Block Templates v1.2

Custom Stat Blocks

Create reusable stat block templates for different RPG systems:

Presets: D&D 5e, Pathfinder 2e, DSA 5, Splittermond, or blank
Custom Groups: Organize fields into groups (Attributes, Resources, Combat, Skills, Custom)
Field Types: Number (with optional modifier), String, Boolean, Resource (current/max with bar), Textarea v1.3

Textarea Fields v1.3

The new Textarea field type is perfect for:

Abilities and special traits
Attack descriptions
Legendary actions
Spell lists
Any multi-line notes you need in your stat block

Full width, auto-growing, with scrollable readonly view.

Archive Function v1.3

The Problem

Long-running campaigns accumulate many entities. Not all remain relevant, but you don't want to delete them.

The Solution

Archive entities to hide them from default views without deleting:

Click the archive button (orange) on any entity card
Archived entities disappear from lists and search
Toggle "Show archived" to see them again (faded, with "Archived" badge)
Click restore (green) to bring them back

Features

Works on all entity types (NPCs, Items, Locations, Factions, Lore, Players)
Cascading: Archiving a location archives all child locations (recursive)
Preserved in relations: Archived entities still appear in existing links
Search toggle: Global search and per-page search have archive toggle
Visual distinction: Archived cards show outlined style, 60% opacity, orange badge
Date tracking: archived_at timestamp shows when it was archived
Export/Import: Archive status is preserved in .dmhero exports

Multi-Class & Multi-Type v1.3

Multiple Classes

NPCs can now have multiple classes assigned:

Multi-select dropdown in the NPC edit dialog
Displayed as comma-separated list on cards and in views
Fully searchable — search for any single class to find multi-class NPCs
Backwards compatible with existing single-class NPCs

Multiple Types

Same for NPC types:

Assign multiple types (e.g., Merchant + Spy)
Each type shown as individual chip with icon
Searchable in both German and English (e.g., "Händler" finds "merchant")

NPC Notes v1.3

Separate Notes Field

NPCs now have a dedicated notes field in the details tab, separate from the description:

Description: General NPC info (appearance, personality, background)
Notes: Campaign-specific events, plot developments, DM secrets

Shown in the NPC View Dialog with scroll support for long notes.

Auto-Update v1.2

Desktop App Updates

The Electron desktop app checks for updates automatically:

Banner appears in the navigation when an update is available
Download button starts the update download
Database backup is created automatically before each update v1.3
Windows and macOS: Auto-install after download
Linux: Download link to GitHub releases

Version Check on Import v1.3

When importing a .dmhero file created with a newer app version, DM Hero warns you to update first — preventing silent data loss.

Connect Your AI v1.4

Let an AI Fill Your Campaign

The headline feature of 1.4 "The Summoning": connect an AI assistant (Claude, Cursor, …) and let it create content directly in DM Hero.

How It Works

On the Dashboard, click "Connect your AI" and copy the setup for your assistant (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or Cursor).
Start a fresh AI session and say, for example: "Read this PDF and add the NPCs, locations and items to my campaign."
The AI reads your material and creates everything — NPCs, locations, items, factions and lore — with relations, tags and folders included.

Safe by Design

The AI first shows a dry-run preview of exactly what it would create or change — nothing is written until you confirm.
It can link to entities that already exist (no duplicates) and even edit existing ones when you ask.
Every request is strictly validated; a bad one is rejected, never half-imported.
When the AI adds or changes something, DM Hero shows a notification and refreshes — so you watch your world fill up live.

Under the hood it's a tiny local MCP server bundled with the app. The AI only talks to DM Hero's local API — your data stays on your machine.

Folders v1.4

Group your NPCs, items, factions and lore into folders to tame big campaigns. Drag entities in and out, open a folder to focus on its contents, and the folders travel with your campaign on export/import. (Hover a folder for a little surprise 😉 — toggle it in Settings.)

Tags v1.4

Add colored tags to any entity and find them instantly by typing #tag in search. Tag by theme — #villain, #sidequest, #act-2 — and pull up everything related in one go. Tags are preserved on export/import.

Climate Zones v1.4

Different Weather, Same Day

Your world isn't one big weather blob. With climate zones you define multiple regions — each with its own temperature range and seasonal weather profile. Generate weather and the desert bakes in the sun while the boreal forest gets snow — on the very same day.

On the Map

Draw zones as circles directly on your campaign maps. Each circle can be locked, and hovering it shows that zone's current weather. Zones, profiles, per-zone weather and map circles are all carried through export/import — older backups still import perfectly.

Getting Help

GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
Documentation: You're reading it!
Community: Share your tips with other DMs

Happy DMing! 🎲✨

Documentation

Features