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Late September Draw Steel Q&A! (Patreon)

Published:
2024-09-23 18:54:04
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

It's time for another live Draw Steel Q&A Matt, James, Djordi, and Willy! The stream will start at 4pm Pacific US Time on Thursday, September 26th! We'll post the link here on Patreon when we go live. It is for MDCM Plus Patrons only. We're all together LIVE and Matt is going to moderate.

Why are we all together? We're talking about future products and finishing up the Draw Steel core rules! That's what we're gonna focus the discussion on. Ask us about the FUTURE and the development of the game. If you want a little pre-Q&A discussion with other Patrons, come hang out in the Discord.

Post your burning questions about the future in comments below. Matt is going to go through them and summarize for us. We'll also take questions live!

See you Thursday (or on the VOD after)!

-James

Comments

Valentino Konjik

Which classes will come after the core rule book first?

Artificer54

Will there be advice or guidance in the rules of how to utilitize or create interesting battlemaps and environments, especially for folks who are used to playing in theater of the mind settings?

Wilzard

What tools are being considered for Directors? I'm wondering about things like GM screen, modular adventures, guidelines for homebrew & powering monsters up and down.

TheMartyr781

Are there any plans for reference sheets or other on-boarding guidance for players coming from other popular D20 fantasy systems (PF2e, 5e, etc.)?

Mendelll

I sometimes hear y'all say something like 'that would be for a different kinda of game we would also love to make in the future'. I'm intrigued, what kinds of games (both TTRPG and other) would you be excited to design?

Corey Knowler

When do you suspect the date of the finished game dropping will be? Assuming all progresses as it has been

Ben-Fisher

Do we think the monster book will come with a guide or tools for levelling up or down monsters if theyre not quite level appropriate for a party. i.e. the rules currently say to avoid including monsters +/- 3 levels from the players. What if I love the monster, but it's 3 levels away from the party?

Eli Feliciano

How much time is spent in each level? (This is probably off topic or already answered, sorry)

Micah Peltier

With the recent revelation from James that Caster/Psionic Kits may be going away, do you have any more information on what's replacing them? Or any more info on that front?

That black guy

Hi everyone , just a quick question is there plans on new or retooled classes from previous MCDM products such as the Beastheart in the future of draw steel? I know Baron Von Page count cut some legs off doing everything you all wanted to do but I'd love to see how you all tackle having a MCDM wrymling tacking it to the front lines.

JBR

What would actually come with a "Vasloria Box Set"? Is it just an Adventure? Does it have more Lineages or Classes or something crazy? And also what would come after Vasloria if anything, Capital or Timescape?

McKenzie Byrne

Firstly, what's the biggest monster? The earth shakiest, big roariest monster? Less important question, how much play testing did each class need before they were "good". Are there archetypes that take more fine tuning than others?

That black guy

Substitute question if that's a "not ready to talk about it: with the talk of Baron Von Page count and the Halloween season coming, have you all looked into a Gothic horror setting as a possible location for the future? Maybe one of your own verison of certain powers over darkness and counts of misty covered villages .

Joel

Are there mechanics you look forward to introducing at higher levels that you'd thought weren't suitable earlier, aside from things like higher damage or pushing farther? What kinds of complexity becomes easier to manage with practice (from player or director side), and what stays difficult? Have you found ways to introduce complex abilities/interactions to make them easier to understand? How do you decide if the game has changed enough to reintroduce prior ideas, and how do you choose which discarded ideas should be retried? In a previous stream, Matt has mentioned game designers needing a "theory of fun" so are you all operating from the same idea of what fun means in TTRPGs, and have you discussed each of your own theory (or theories) of fun?

Harmonic Hewell

how have the higher levels of the conduit and other casters changed following the rethinking of caster kits

Talroc

What sort of content can we expect to see in the setting boxed sets?

Benjamin Ford

There was talk in earlier MCDM lore of a Capitol supplement that you wanted to release for 5e that went unreleased. How much of that might we see in the future under the Draw Steel banner? Perhaps part of the box set?

Miranda Hawthorne

Can we expect classes like summoner and beast heart to be rolled out as stand alone products?

Friend & Fairy: Games by T. Ashley Jenkins

Aside from major releases like the hypothetical "Heroes 2: Starring Fairy Summoner", do you have any plans or ideas for smaller, more regular supplements more akin in scope to Arcadia?

Volition RPG

Looking back at the entire development process so far, which change that you made to Draw Steel is most surprising to you?

Val

Is MCDM planning on focusing exclusively on Draw Steel for the near future, or are you thinking of branching off into other projects?

Reformed Hillbilly

Do you think there could be a post-Ajax Orden setting down the road or will he always be the setting’s looming threat?

Mitchell Stevenson

I remember either Matt or James mentioning that y'all wanted to look into making a Scfi game in a similar vein to Gloomhaven. That sounds awesome, and I would love to here more on what kind of ideas you would have to that interesting setting/game!

Stephen

Has there been any thought given to card decks for the various class powers, or other similar utility accessories?

DirectorZarroph

If each designer were pitching their idea for Draw Steel's first big book adventure, what kind of big bad guy or world-ending event would each designer pitch? (Excluding Ajax)

Jonathan Rowan

I’m especially interested to hear from Djordi and Willy on this one! As far as “pet projects” go, Matt has Dead World Under A Black Star, James has Crows. Jason won’t be on stream, but signed on to make a sci-fi game eventually. What of the new folks?

Haezan

How do you envision modifying a monster? Will it be easy to change a high level one into a lower level if your players aren’t powerful enough yet?

Jonny

What is your process for planning the progression for classes through higher levels? Have you needed to adjust the relative power of any 1st level classes? How would you make that determination?

BoutsofInsanity

Hello! My question is "As you design the game, how are you accounting for how abilities would affect the world they reside in?" Or is that even something this specific TRPG cares about? For example, long distance teleport magic has potentially large implications on a setting. Excited about the game and am looking forward to it.

Daniel Dias

Two questions: 1 - Will the kits be only for martials? 2 - The new captain benefits feel a bit... Meh?!what iterations have you tried and will this be the state moving forward?

Antonio Padilha

I remember vague talks about making Orden a "living setting", where what happens in actual games (maybe in specific events?) would inform the canon in future products. Could you talk more about that idea?

Pedroig

Will there be another playtest packet with the "tightening up/polishing off" of the rules, both to see some of the "new shinies" as well as the tweaks/clarity to LoS, LoE, AoE point of origins, falling height v effective height, etc. rules/examples/diagrams? Will miss Dael's "outsider enthusiasm" moderating vibes, but understand schedules can be hard to coordinate.

Antonio Padilha

Also, what are your plans regarding adventures at launch? Will there be more, besides the blackbottom duology? How about post-launch?

Hayden Kelley

Are there going to be any more conditions added to the game? Additionally, are there going to be more damage types or core rules like immunities and weakness types, maneuvers, or other global rule additions/changes?

wyatt wustrau

Do you guys want to make more materials for draw steel! Aka more classes, or a monster book, or additional rules, or additional ancestories or whatever you can think of. Or do you think you guys will take to space (or some other area) and make a different game system next?

GubDM

Is every class designed to hit complexity spikes in their leveling at the same levels, or is spiking at different levels part of the class identity? Assuming there even are spikes, maybe there are none?

Callahan Johnson

There are so many classes/subclasses that I'm excited for that are being saved for a second Hero book (Beastheart, Operator, more elements for Elementalist, Summoner). Any idea how long it would be after the release of the core books before we could get our hands on these awesome classes that won't be included in the core rules?

GubDM

If Ajax is a world-tier threat, what are some continent-tier threats for the 8 continents of Orden? What is a threat to Vanigar that isn't necessarily a threat to anywhere else yet? What's threatening Phaedros right now since Ajax has already conquered it?

Drew Nelson

Excited for the Hero book, but what additional rules would you like to see outside of the core book? Or anything you immediately would want to homebrew since it can't make the page count?

Eric McClain

What are the indications that a mechanic of the game is no longer worthy of development or polish? Is it just the project manager saying "you got 2 weeks"? Some feeling of comfort? Lack of negative feedback?

Antan Karmola

Am I allowed to asked about a swordmage class?! (And by this, I mean a class that melds magic with martial abilty rather than one that does both separately.) I'm curious how you would approach such a design. Do you still imagine that it would be tackled through kits or do you have other ideas?

Dave the Effable

How much has the game changed since the release of the latest backer packet?

Relevant Audience

Hopefully I'm not taking the wind out of their sails, but I THINK the idea is that you would take a primarily magic class, and pair it with a martial kit like shining armor.

Ben Milne

With the core rules coming closer to being finalised, are there specific elements of design that the team is particularly excited to tackle? Personally I’m keen to see the how animal companions will function in the game. Love me a familiar.

Ben Milne

With page count constricting the hero book’s contents, are there any mechanics other than classes that the team has thought of and said “we’ll put a pin in that, that’s hero book 2 stuff?”

Ben Milne

In regards to the character sheets, the current ones made available are fantastic, but also clearly built to fit enough for a level 1 character. What design challenges does the team face as features expand and you need more room to fit them? Do you see multi-page character sheets as an option, or does it mean you rework the sheets layout to accomodate features?

Ben Milne

Draw Steel has its core pillars (tactical, cinematic, heroic, fantasy), as we’ve seen repeatedly. But players often find a system they like and graft on elements beyond its original design, such as crafting or monster harvesting rules in the Seattle game. What are the team’s thoughts regarding this when iterating on mechanics?

Ben Milne

Are there aspects from previous MCDM published works such as Arcadia or Strongholds & Followers that the team would like to see implemented into Draw Steel? Personally I’d love to see the Masterwork Artisan rules from Arcadia #16 brought into the upcoming crafting system somehow.

Bestest Fin

Previously, Matt has said that gnomes might exist, and that they would probably be about 1 inch tall. Does this make them vermin? Are they in the monsters book?

Patrick Boyle

So far we've seen a lot of focus on combat, will classes have out of combat mechanics too? more utility focused abilities, such as the Furies Mighty Leaps. Will we start to see more non-combat game systems other than crafting and research?

Guruguy

Will Draw Steel have rules for retainers like like in 'Strongholds and Followers'?

Ormus Erebus

Matt went on a pretty long rant about how no one knows the future, so my only question is what is on whatever roadmap the team has that hasn't been touched on in previous Q&A's that you can now share?

Lane Hillard

Some time ago, when discussing Draw Steel's genre, Matt mentioned wanting at some point to do a more hex crawly, survivaly, low-magicy type game. Mentioned maybe using his friend's setting called Vallengard. That sounds dope! Is that on anyone's radar at the moment?

Hans Masten

The rules in the playtest packet had a short section on wealth. What is the balancing act between making it too abstract and counting every coin? Money became meaningless and we ran into a question about "are you able to purchase all the rope in the store every time?" Perhaps a wealth level that can decrement or increment in game with the heroes' level being the floor reset after respite? Perhaps difficulty based on level: Easy, Medium, Hard?

Alexis

Are there plans to have rules for retainers (NPCs that can help in combat) as part of the core game? If not, maybe as an expansion?

Josh Rodell

Is the current thinking that the books on the three sub-settings (Vasloria, Capital, The Timescape) will have player options as well as lore, or will all of that be deliberately kept separate?

John

Can you speak to why negative stability was removed for most characters except the memonek? Was it to make the memonek feel even more unique from the other ancestries?

Dan Batchelor

I know you are focused on the corebook promised in the backerkit but I am sure everyone would be interested in a Flee, Mortals! Style monster manual. Have you guys given this any thought?

Eran Arbel

I would love to join but I just wish it wasn't in the middle of the night.

Arthur_OL

Is there any chance of some War Dogs minis from Trenchworx in the future?

Gogo M

What is the progress on the next patron packet? 50% Waiting on testers? I needs the precious!

Arthur_OL

I think the patrons have seen a couple different versions of Hakaan art. Do you know what the final/canonical Hakaan might look like yet?

Trey McLemore

What’s the method players will be able to distinguish their PCs from each other through adventure and not just choices you make at level up? Will Titles cover this area? For the Crusader holy avenger example, would you earn the title Crusader?

Sean Convery

I’m confused about the push your luck mechanic of character victories. If we are incentivizing the players to keep going rather than rest that seems exciting. But in a recent play-test adventure it instructed the director to add more creatures based on victory count. So if all the encounters are balanced this way, why wait to rest?

Brian Kirk

Obviously Orden is a dope setting and a lot of the cool stuff in Draw Steel is inspired by the setting, but for Directors who like to run in their own setting do you have any tips for integrating Draw Steel into a homebrew world? Out of a desire to not limit player options, what are the core things a setting should have to make a good home for a Draw Steel campaign?

keagan purtell

Aside from Wardogs are you working on any other custom monsters for the Monster book? If so what might they be?

atomicsorcery

How easy is it to convert one monsters ancestry to another species?

Jean-Paul Skeete

Any future surprises for Orden? Are we getting lore for all continents & regions, or might there be future "expansions" of the world / timescape? Bonus: You think dropping my homeworld as a little corner on Orden is a cool way to have my cake (homebrew) and eat it too (be aligned with Orden lore)?

Fluf Hoftis

Are there specific ideas/designs/mechanics any of you have had for draw steel that while they might not fit into this game you are ready to move mountains to implement in future games?

GubDM

Matt has said that iconic monsters can't be designed to be iconic, you just have to make a bunch of dope original monsters and one or may or may not "stick." Do you have any of those one-off, outside-a-faction, fucking radical monsters you could maybe tease/share?

GubDM

given Trenchworx's background, I have to imagine this would be a perfect match!

Mau

Weird question here: When roleplaying, how would you suggest that we refer to ( or mention ) another class? For example, in DnD classes like cleric or wizards are so iconic (old) that I don’t feel we are breaking immersion when we say or hear “I am a cleric” or “do we have a cleric in this town?”. Draw Steel is so new (with its negative months of life) that bringing the words Tactician, conduit or Shadow brings my imagination to a similar state as if we say IN CHARACTER “I have 5 hp left but I will be fine because I have AC 20.” Love the game so far, specially the tactician. Thank you

Drew Winters

I'm halfway through "The Elusive Shift", and Peterson is discussing how the hobby often views rules as nothing more than a "starting point." Y'all obviously take developing the rules seriously so I wonder how you feel about that attitude?

Tamwin

Even at level 1, I'm finding it pretty easy to "cap out" on edges as a Shadow. Do edges remain mostly constant through the levels, or do higher level abilities shift the math somehow?

MCDM Productions

This honestly depends on how well their crowdfunders do. I think their Goblins one did well enough! But next I *think* is MCDM Hobgoblins? I think those are killer designs and will make amazing minis. If they fund, and the minis are popular, they'll do MORE mcdm minis! War Dogs seem like a good candidate, but it's like everything else: there has to be demand to make it worth while. -MC

MCDM Productions

There are two core rulebooks. Heroes and Monsters. The Monsters book *is* "Flee Mortals, Basically." -MC

MCDM Productions

PDF and Hardcover come out at different times, PDF first by many months. We expect "next summer." But we'll update everyone as we learn more. -MC

MCDM Productions

That sounds like a good question for a James Livestream! Or you could ask in the Discord (the DS Patrons channel) and see if other folks know the answer. James streams most weeks on Twitch. www.twitch.tv/JamesIntrocaso

MCDM Productions

The Illrigger we don't know. It may be it's own class, or just More Subclasses for the Censor. The Talent will be core in Draw Steel! The Beastheart will be one of the first classes developed post-launch. -MC

MCDM Productions

Re: Gothic Horror setting, I dunno if we have anyone on staff for whom Gothic Horror is in their wheelhouse, so to speak, but I (Matt!) have been thinking about spinning up a new campaign in Rhole, which is Von Glauer Land.

MCDM Productions

Mmm...depends on what you mean! I think *everything* we do, RPG-wise, will go to Patrons automatically, as we use the Patreon as sort of our Alpha testing. Eventually we'll start working on the Summoner and Beastheart et al and they'll go to Patrons, then eventually in a real print product. -MC

MCDM Productions

Powers are like monsters. It would be NICE if they each fit on a single card, but that is not the form factor of this game. The rules are presented in books and PDFs and we don't want to go to our customers and say "Well, we HAD a bunch of super cool abilities but because they don't fit on cards you didn't buy, we cut them." Sure we could use more than one card per power, but that sort of defeats the whole point of cards. -MC

MCDM Productions

Oh gosh, I think there's whole patreon posts covering this! I recommend checking out "Decisions and Revisions" and just generally looking over the MCDM RPG posts from early 2023. Basically it's down to "does it seem to be working and, if not, why?" If it's working...good! :D If not, why not? Is it because the idea was bad? Then throw it out! End of story. Is it because the idea needs refinement? Ok, how long will that take? If we can revise it and test it in a few days? Keep going! If it will take many weeks of writing and design just to get it to a state where we can test it again? Probably not worth it. -MC

MCDM Productions

Alas no, we do not know. But I suspect we WILL know by, like...February. -MC

MCDM Productions

I think all classes spike in complexity at the same level and that is Level One. :D -MC

MCDM Productions

There will be more playtest packets, for patrons and backers, and lots of stuff will get revised to be clearer including everything everyone in the Discord is complaining about. :D -MC

MCDM Productions

Good question! We were also worried/thinking about this and very early in development we sat down and made a list of Powerful Things Fantasy Heroes Can Do That Annoy Us. As a general rule, if you can do it in most Fantasy RPGs, you'll probably be able to do it in Draw Steel. Teleport across the world? Sure! Move between worlds? Absolutely! It just shouldn't be *easy*. We assume there are lots of 1st level heroes in Orden but maybe only a handful of 10th level Furies, for instance. So it's reasonable in that context for a 10th elementalist to be able to teleport across the world *once in a while*. Basically, we don't think doing it is the problem, we think making it trivially easy is the problem. -MC

Roman Penna

Are there plans to add any other systems or to flesh out current systems? (Crafting, Renown, etc) Once levels 4-10 are designed for the classes what will the testing timeline look like for internal/alpha, beta, pateron and then backerpackets?

GubDM

If in some unknowable future, every continent in Orden got its own campaign setting product, which continent would each team member be most excited to work on?