Rules reference
Equipment in Draw Steel
Gear basics and how equipment impacts play. Draw Steel is a heroic tactical RPG by MCDM Productions that uses a 2d10 Power Roll system with tier-based results. Characters are defined by their ancestry, culture, career, class, and kit. The game emphasizes cinematic combat, meaningful character choices, and a world where heroes stand against overwhelming darkness.
Key points
Equipment changes what’s possible in the fiction: access, leverage, and risk management. This page focuses on the gear that matters most.
- 2d10 Power Roll with 3 tiers: Tier 1 (≤11), Tier 2 (12-16), Tier 3 (17+)
- 9 classes: Censor, Conduit, Elementalist, Fury, Null, Shadow, Tactician, Talent, Troubadour
- 12 ancestries: Devil, Dragon Knight, Dwarf, Hakaan, High Elf, Human, Wode Elf, and more
- 5 characteristics: Might, Agility, Reason, Intuition, Presence
- Edge & bane system: one edge is +2, one bane is -2; a double edge or bane shifts the tier instead of stacking further
- Kit system: Equipment loadouts that define your combat style
Draw Steel resolves actions with power rolls: 2d10 plus a characteristic, read against outcome tiers rather than pass/fail, tier 1 (11 or less), tier 2 (12-16), and tier 3 (17+). Even low tiers usually do something; higher tiers do it better.
- Roll 2d10 and add the relevant characteristic (plus edges/banes adjusting the roll).
- Find your tier: ≤11 is tier 1, 12-16 is tier 2, 17+ is tier 3.
- Apply the tiered outcome from the ability, heroes rarely whiff outright; the tier sets how well it lands.
The best gear changes what’s possible: access, safety, speed, and options. Track what lets you do something you couldn’t do before.
If a roll is dangerous, gear can change position: better tools, better cover, better information.
- Mistake: Tracking too many tiny items. Fix: Track gear that changes options, safety, speed, or access.
- Mistake: Buying gear without a use case. Fix: Ask: what scene does this gear make easier or safer?