Ditch the D20: MCDM’s Draw Steel RPG Fixes D&D’s Biggest Combat Frustrations
MCDM Productions, known for its popular Dungeons & Dragons 5E supplements, has officially launched its own tactical RPG—Draw Steel. Designed to fix common D&D frustrations like “missing turns,” the game promises fast-paced, cinematic combat with a fresh twist on classic fantasy mechanics.
Quick Facts:
- What’s New: Replaces D&D’s d20 with 2d10 for fewer wasted turns.
- Classes & Powers: Every hero gets unique abilities, inspired by D&D 4E’s tactical depth.
- Heroic Resources: Combat escalates as players earn more powers mid-fight.
- Launch Content: 9 classes, 12 ancestries, and a starter adventure—The Delian Tomb.
Why Draw Steel Feels Different
Instead of rolling a d20 and hoping to hit, players roll 2d10 paired with one of five stats (Might, Agility, etc.). Even low rolls matter: “A minimal result still deals damage or triggers an effect,” says lead designer James Introcaso. The goal? No more “lost turns.”
Classes like the teleporting Null or backstabbing Shadow have flashy powers from level one. Directors (aka GMs) counter with Malice, a resource that makes villains deadlier as fights progress—think “John Wick” meets “Conservation of Ninjutsu.”
A Nod to D&D 4E—But Faster
Draw Steel’s class design echoes D&D 4E’s much-debated tactical system, but with a twist: Heroic Resources replace spell slots. “You build up to big moves like in Street Fighter,” Introcaso explains. Early backers loved it—“Some told us they can’t go back to D&D,” adds MCDM founder Matt Colville.
What’s Next?
More content is already in the works, including:
- New classes (Summoner, Beast Heart) and ancestries (gnomes, goblins).
- A Suicide Squad-style adventure featuring death-row PCs.
- A virtual tabletop and December crowdfunding for an encounter book.
Draw Steel’s core books (Heroes and Monsters) are available now at MCDM’s website. For updates, check their YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@helloMCDM
“We love D&D,” Colville says, “but players deserve a better game.” If you crave tactical fights without the frustration, Draw Steel might be your next obsession.
