Beginner quickstart
How to play Draw Steel
A fast, practical overview. 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.
Quick answer
You describe actions, the table uses the system's core resolution mechanic when the outcome is uncertain, and the GM applies outcomes to keep the story moving.
- Say what you do and what you want to happen (intent).
- Use the system's core roll mechanic to resolve uncertainty.
- Apply consequences quickly to keep scenes moving.
- Between sessions, record advancement so changes are consistent.
This system uses a dice pool approach in RPG Stack’s guides: build a pool from your character traits, roll, count successes, and apply consequences.
- Build your pool from the relevant traits.
- Roll and count successes according to the system’s thresholds.
- Apply consequences and record changes on the sheet.
- 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, Elf, Hakaan, Human, and more
- 5 characteristics: Might, Agility, Reason, Intuition, Presence
- Edge & bane system: Each edge adds +2, each bane subtracts -2
- Derived stats in this system: Stamina, Recoveries, Speed, Stability
Examples (success, failure, edge cases)
State what you want, roll only when the outcome is uncertain, and apply a consequence that changes the situation.
If you fail, don't spam attempts. Change position, get help, spend resources, or accept a cost to keep the scene moving.
Common mistakes (and the smallest fix)
- Mistake: Rolling too often. Fix: Roll when the outcome matters and uncertainty is real; otherwise just do the thing.
- Mistake: Stalling on failure. Fix: On failure, change the situation (cost, complication, new threat) and move forward.
Character creation (what to decide)
- Choose an Ancestry (determines innate traits and ancestry abilities)
- Choose a Culture (Environment, Organization, and Upbringing determine languages and skills)
- Choose a Career (your life before becoming a hero, grants a career skill)
- Choose a Class (your heroic role, determines abilities and features)
- Choose a Subclass (specialization within your class)
- Choose a Kit (combat loadout that provides bonuses to stats and damage)
- Set Characteristics (assign Might, Agility, Reason, Intuition, Presence)
- Choose Skills (select trained skills from the skill list)
- Calculate Derived Stats (Stamina, Recoveries, Speed, Stability)
What to track during play
- Your core resources (HP/conditions)
- The main roll mechanic trigger
- Advancement between sessions
What to open next
FAQ
Roll 2d10 and add the relevant characteristic (Might, Agility, Reason, Intuition, or Presence). The total determines the tier of your result: Tier 1 (11 or less) is the weakest outcome, Tier 2 (12–16) is a solid result, and Tier 3 (17+) is the strongest possible outcome. Each ability lists different effects for each tier, so even Tier 1 results usually do something.
Edges represent advantages — each edge adds +2 to your Power Roll. Banes represent disadvantages — each bane subtracts -2. They cancel each other out, so 2 edges and 1 bane gives you a net +2 bonus. Edges and banes come from positioning, teamwork, conditions, and other situational factors.
Draw Steel has nine classes: Censor (psychic enforcer), Conduit (divine channeler), Elementalist (elemental controller), Fury (berserker warrior), Null (anti-magic specialist), Shadow (stealth operative), Tactician (battlefield commander), Talent (psionic prodigy), and Troubadour (inspiring performer). Each class plays distinctly and has multiple subclasses.
Culture in Draw Steel has three components: your environment (where you grew up), your organization (the group that shaped you), and your upbringing (how you were raised). Each component grants different skill and language options, making every character's background unique even within the same ancestry.