Draw Steel — tactical heroic fantasy RPG

"Every strike is cinematic. Misses don't exist. The only question is — how awesome are you."

Dice2d10

Players3–5

Prep~25 min

Foundry VTTCommunity

Complexity

What is this system

Heroic fantasy of a new kind. Not Tolkien-esque, not D&D-esque. The world of the Order is a place where heroes truly change history. Demons, knights, politics, and hope. Tone: optimistically heroic. Every action ALWAYS does something — dice determine HOW MUCH, not YES/NO. There are no misses.

Setting

A new kind of heroic fantasy. Not Tolkien, not D&D. The world of the Order is a place where heroes truly shape history. Demons, knights, politics, and hope. Tone: optimistically heroic.

What it looks like at the table

Battle with a necromancer. Your Tactician commands an ally to reposition — free movement. The Shadow slips behind the enemy. 2d10: 15, tier 2 success! Critical hit + 'Blinded' effect. The necromancer staggers. Your Fury's rage builds — every victory unlocks new abilities. The next strike will be EVEN more powerful.

Playstyle

Combat Narrative Narrative Fantasy

Key mechanics

No wasted turns

Every action ALWAYS does something. Dice determine HOW MUCH, not YES/NO. There are no misses.

Victories

Accumulate in and out of combat. More victories means more powerful abilities. A snowball of heroism.

Tactical combat

Positioning, zones of control, reactions. Every class plays differently.

Negotiation as mechanic

Not just a 'Persuasion roll' but a structured system with rounds, arguments, and stakes.

What people say

Draw Steel is what D&D 4e wanted to be but couldn't. Every class feels unique, every turn matters, and the "no null results" philosophy means combat never drags.— r/rpg

Matt Colville spent $4.6M and years of design to answer one question: what if every single thing you do in combat felt awesome? He nailed it.— r/mattcolville

Art & materials