The Basics

The flow of playing Draw Steel is like playing any other tabletop roleplaying game with a Director (also called a Game Master or GM in other games). Play is a conversation between the Director and the heroes that describes the story. The Director sets the scene, describing the important elements of the environment that the heroes would notice.

Director (Willy): You stand in the doorway of the top level of the ruined necromancer's tower. The air is stale and reeks of death. A pale full moon shines through a broken ceiling, illuminating six sarcophagi upon a raised dais, each with a lid carved in the likeness of a devil. Broken flasks, beakers, and other laboratory glass covers the floor.

After the Director sets the scene, each player describes how their character interacts with the area. The Director then describes how the environment and any creatures in it respond to the heroes' actions.

Alyssa (playing Jorn, a tactician): I'm going to hang out at the back of the group with my warhammer drawn. I want to be ready in case any of those skeletons we snuck by on the lower levels make their way up the stairs.

Matt (playing Linn, a talent): Linn uses her Minor Telekinesis ability to sweep up the glass on the floor and form a path free of glass that goes from the door to the dais.

James (playing Korvo, a shadow): I'll light a torch as I step into the room. Is there anything new we can see now?

Director: With the glass cleared away and brighter light glowing in the room, you can see that the floor is covered in faded sigils.

At some point, a player will have their hero attempt a task that has a risk of failing in a way that is narratively interesting. In such cases, the Director calls for some dice to be rolled! Don't worry—the rules outline when and how to do this.

Grace (playing Val, a conduit): Before anyone steps on them, I want to examine the symbols and figure out what they mean.

Director: Okay, well for that, I need you to make an easy Reason test.

Grace: I got a 12! What do I know?

Director: You can tell these old sigils are part of a necromancy spell that has been woven into the stone floor. Also, Jorn can hear something coming up the steps. It's the clicking and clacking of bone on stone.

Alyssa: Uh, let's make a decision here, folks. We got boneheads incoming!

Matt: Linn has had enough of this dillydallying. She moves to the dais and ushers everyone inside the room so we can shut and barricade the door.

Grace: Uh-oh.

Director: Before anyone else can move, Linn's foot connects with one of the sigils. A burst of red lightning cracks from the place where her foot touched the floor, running to the walls and up to the ceiling.

Matt: Oh, right. Necromancy.

Grace: Yeah. Should have warned you.

Director: The whole tower starts to sway as the sarcophagus lids crash to the floor and clawed undead hands emerge from within. Six decaying devils, each tattooed with glowing green runes, rise. They're eager for violence.

James: I think we found the Rotting Lords of Hell.

Director: Draw steel!

When combat starts, it's time to use a square-gridded map and miniatures to represent the position of the heroes relative to their enemies and the environment. The rules become a little more granular during combat to keep things interesting and fair, but the idea that the game is a conversation between the Director and the other players remains the same.