Draw Steel Roll resolution cheat sheet
A 1-page summary of how to resolve rolls. At-the-table reference for Draw Steel.
Draw Steel resolves everything with a power roll: 2d10 + characteristic, read against three tiers. A single edge or bane shifts the total by +2/-2; a net two (double edge or bane) shifts the tier instead of adding further.
Core mechanic
- Formula
- 2d10 + characteristic + net edge (+2) or bane (-2); a net two shifts the tier instead of stacking further
- Tier 1
- ≤ 11
- Tier 2
- 12-16
- Tier 3
- 17+
- Critical
- Natural 19-20 on the 2d10 = automatic tier 3 + extra
Edges and banes
- A single edge adds +2 to the total; a single bane subtracts 2.
- They cancel 1:1 first (2 edges + 1 bane = net 1 edge = +2). A double edge or bane (net two) shifts the result one tier instead of adding further.
- Sources: terrain, abilities, conditions, flanking, etc.
Tests (non-combat)
- The Director sets a test difficulty, easy, medium, or hard, before you roll; the same tier lands differently depending on which one applies.
- Easy test: every tier succeeds. Tier 1 succeeds with a consequence, tier 2 is a plain success, tier 3 succeeds with a bonus.
- Medium test: tier 1 fails, tier 2 succeeds with a consequence, tier 3 is a plain success.
- Hard test: tier 1 fails with a consequence, tier 2 fails, tier 3 is a plain success.
- The Director sets which characteristic applies.
- Group tests: each hero rolls; majority tier determines the result.
Common mistakes
- The 'even a low tier does something' rule is for ability power rolls (attacks and abilities), not Tests: a Test's easy/medium/hard difficulty decides whether tier 1 succeeds, and on a medium or hard Test tier 1 is a real failure.
- A single edge or bane is a flat +2/-2, not dice manipulation; a net two (double edge or bane) shifts the tier instead of stacking further.
- A crit is a 2d10 total of 19-20, not a natural 20 on a single die.