Your Character’s Turn. On your turn, you can take Forced Movement.

Movement. There are effects that allow you to

The Draw Steel Cheat Sheet 1 Action, 1 Maneuver, and move your character. You move a character that isn’t your own, including:
You’re gonna do just fine! Take your time! can do these things in any order. ✦ Push X: The target moves straight away from you.
✦ Pull X: The target moves straight towards you.
Movement.Your speed determines the maximum
BASICS number of squares your character can move on the
✦ Slide X: The target moves in any flat direction.
✦ Vertical: The above types include up and down.
Role Playing. The Director is going to set the scene battle map.
and describe what your characters are currently Stability. Your character’s value to reduce any forced
Shifting. Whenever an effect allows your character to
witnessing. You can ask the Director questions clarifying movement by.
move, you can use up to half the maximum squares the
elements in the scene and the Director can respond
effect allows. If you do, creatures can’t take free strikes Escaping a Grab. Escaping is a Might or Agility
based on your character’s perspective. Likewise, the
Director will ask you questions about your character and against your character. resistance roll. Compare the result to these tiers of
what they’re currently doing, and you can respond with effects:
Maneuver. In addition to the maneuvers listed on your
anything that makes sense to you. It’s a conversation! ✸ 11 or lower: Your character can’t escape the grab.
character sheet, there is a list of maneuvers all heroes
Tests and Power Rolls. When the Director asks you to ★ 12-16: Your character can escape the grab. If you
can take, including:
make a [Characteristic] Test, or an ability asks you to choose to do so, the grabber can make a melee free
★ Aid Attack: An ally has an Edge on the next attack
make a power roll, roll 2d10 and add the appropriate strike against your character before the Grabbed
against 1 enemy within reach of your character.
characteristic from your character sheet. The result condition ends.
determines which tier of effects happens next. ★ Escape Grab: You attempt to escape being grabbed.
✦ 17+: You end the Grabbed condition.
★ Hide: You hide from creatures who aren't observing
Edge. If you have a situational advantage on a power your character while you have cover. Hiding. You can make an attack with an Edge on a
roll, the roll has an Edge and you add 2 to the result. If
★ Make a Test: The Director might ask you to make a creature your character is hidden from. This will reveal
you have two or more Edges, this is a Double Edge and
the result increases to the next highest tier of effects Test in combat if the thing you want your character to do you to them.
instead. is a more involved task or you could fail.
Searching. Searching is an Intuition test targeting all
★ Search: You search for creatures who are hidden
Bane. If you have a situational disadvantage on a power creatures hidden from your character within 10 squares.
roll, the roll has a Bane and you subtract 2 from the from your character.
Compare the result to these tiers of effects:
result. If you have two or more Banes, this is a Double ★ Stand Up: You end Prone for your character or 1 ally
✦ 11 or lower: You reveal any creatures with 0 or lower
Bane and the result decreases to the next lowest tier of within reach of your character.
Agility and no Hide skill.
effects instead.
Action. In addition to the actions listed on your ★ 12-16: You reveal any creatures without the Hide
Edges vs. Banes. Edges and Banes cancel each other character sheet, there is a list of actions all heroes can skill.
out. If you have 1 Edge and 1 Bane, or take, including: ✸ 17+: You reveal all hidden creatures.
a Double Edge and a Double Bane, the power roll is
★ Catch Breath: You spend 1 Recovery on your
made normally with 0 Edges and 0 Banes. Conditions. This is a list of common effects a creature
A Double Edge is reduced to 1 Edge if you have character sheet.
can inflict or be affected by:
1 Bane. ★ Charge: Your character moves up to your speed in a
✦ Bleeding: You can’t regain Stamina.
A Double Bane is reduced to 1 Bane if you have straight line and then makes a melee free strike against
✦ Dazed: You can only move your character, use a
1 Edge. 1 enemy within your reach. You can’t shift when you
maneuver, or use an action on your turn—just one of the
Add a Skill to a Test. If you have a Skill that would charge.
three. You also can’t use any triggered actions.
apply to a test, you can add 2 to the result of the power ★ Defend: All attacks against your character have a
✦ Frightened: Attacks you make against the source of
roll. Double Bane until the end of your next turn.
your fear have a Bane. The source of your fear makes
Easy Test Outcomes. Compare the result to these tiers ★ Heal: You let 1 ally within reach of your character
attacks against your character with an Edge. You can’t
of effects. immediately use the Catch Breath action..
willingly move closer to the source of your fear if you
✦ 11 or lower: You fail the task. ★ Free Strike: You use one of the free strikes on your
★ 12-16: You succeed in the task. know where they are.
character sheet.
✸ 17+: You succeed in the task with a reward. ✦ Grabbed: Your speed is 0, your character can’t be
Triggered Action. You can take 1 triggered action per force moved, and you have a Bane on attacks that don’t
Medium Test Outcomes. Compare the result to these
round when the trigger happens, even if it is not your include your grabber as a target. If your grabber moves,
tiers of effects.
✦ 11 or lower: You fail the task with a consequence. turn. In addition to the triggered action on your character they bring you with them.
★ 12-16: You succeed in the task with a consequence. sheet, all heroes have access to the following free ✦ Prone: Your attacks have a Bane and melee attacks
✸ 17+: You succeed in the task. triggered action that can be taken multiple times /round: made against your character have an Edge. You must
Hard Test Outcomes. Compare the result to these tiers ★ Opportunity Attack. When 1 creature within reach crawl to move, which costs you 1 extra square of
of effects. of your character either moves out of your reach without movement for every square you crawl.
✦ 11 or lower: You fail the task with a consequence. shifting or makes a ranged attack, you can use a free ✦ Restrained: Your speed is 0 and your character can’t
★ 12-16: You fail the task. triggered action to take a free strike against them. be force moved. You make attacks with a Bane and
✸ 17+: You succeed in the task. attacks and damaging area powers used against you
Critical Hit. If your power roll dice roll two 10s or one 9
Natural 20. If your power roll dice roll two 10s, the result have an Edge.
and one 10, you can immediately take another action.
will automatically be the highest tier of effects. ✦ Slowed: Your Speed is halved.
EoT. An effect lasts until the end of the affected ✦ Taunted: You have a Double Bane on attacks that
COMBAT character’s turn. don’t include the creature who taunted your character.
EoE. An effect lasts until the end of combat. ✦ Weakened: Your Power Rolls and Tests, excluding
Stamina. Enemies are trying to deplete each hero’s
Resistance Rolls, have a Bane.
Stamina value to stop them. Heroes will often need to [Characteristic] Resistance Roll. Instead of making a
do the same to the enemies to stop them. Power Roll to attack, the target makes a Power Roll to
Recovery. Recovers 1/3rd of your max Stamina. resist the ability’s effects.

Distances. Range, reach, and motion are all measured [Characteristic] Ends. The affected character can
in squares on the battle map. make a Resistance Roll at the end of each of their turns.
Compare the result to these tiers of effects:
Starting Combat. Combat alternates between the ✦ 11 or lower: The effect persists.
Heroes Side (the player characters) and the ★ 12-16: The effect ends at the end of their next turn..
Enemies Side (the director’s characters). The Director ✸ 17+: The effect ends.
will ask one of the heroes to roll 1d10 to determine
which side takes a turn first. Heroes go first on a 6+. Dying and Death. When your Stamina is 0 or lower,
your character is dying. In this state, you can’t Catch
Rounds. Each side gets to discuss which of their Breath, and you lose 1d6 Stamina whenever you make
characters should take their turn next. A character can a Test with Might or Agility, make an attack, use an
only take 1 turn per round. The round ends when every action, or use a triggered action. When <0 Stamina, if
character has taken 1 turn, and then the next round that negative value reaches your winded value, you die.
starts.
 For Hero Players
Here are some quick tips for using your premade class!

Conduit
As a conduit, you have abilities that allow you to heal and buff your allies and debuff your foes while smiting them with divine magic. Your spark of divinity gives
you a supercharged force of personality that can be used to awe or empathize with other creatures.

During combat, your deity grants you a heroic resource to fuel your abilities. At the start of each round of combat, you gain 2 piety. You can also use the Prayer
ability to gain more piety from your Saint, but beware! The more you pray in combat, the more chances it could fail.

Be ready for when an ally makes an attack and can use help: Your Holy Infusion triggered action can give them an Edge or a Double Edge and deal more
damage.

Elementalist
As an elementalist, you can harm swaths of foes, put an enemy where you want them or debilitate them with harmful effects, ward yourself and allies, manipulate
terrain, and warp space. You channel the substance of creation. In times of great stress, you can focus your control on this substance, gathering and burning it to
cast and maintain spells.

When you use a persistent ability, decide if you maintain it. When you maintain a persistent ability in combat, you can reduce the amount of essence earned at
the start of your turn equal to the ability's persistent value to get a special effect. You can’t maintain any abilities that would make you earn a negative amount of
essence at the start of your turn.

Be ready for when an ally (or yourself!) uses an ability that moves a target. Your Explosive Assistance triggered action can increase the distance by 2 or 4
squares.

Fury
As a fury, you have abilities that deal a lot of damage, move you around the battlefield, and grow in strength as your rage increases.

As the battle rages, your determination and anger grow. At the start of each round of combat, gain 1d3 rage. You gain the benefits listed on your Primordial
Strength table based on the amount of rage you have. Your growing rage benefits last until the end of your turn, even if you spend rage on other abilities during
your turn.

Be ready for when a creature in reach gets forced moved. You can use your Relentless Toss triggered action to choose a different creature within reach to get
moved.

Shadow
As a shadow, you have abilities that deal a lot of damage, move you swiftly through the battlefield and passed hazards, and allow you to hide in the middle of a
heated combat encounter. You possess more skills than any other hero.

You have a Heroic Resource called insight. At the start of a combat encounter, you gain insight equal to your Victories. You gain 2 insight at the start of your
turn and 1 insight whenever you get a tier 3 result with an attack. Your insight disappears at the end of the encounter.

Be ready for when you take damage that comes with nasty side effects. You can use your In All This Confusion triggered action to teleport away and ignore the
effects.

Tactician
As a tactician, you have abilities that heal your allies and grant them extra damage, movement, and attacks. You can also taunt your enemies into attacking you
instead of targeting your allies. In combat, you support your allies and can take damage on their behalf.

You have a heroic resource called focus. At the start of each of your turns, you gain 2 focus. If an ally gets a tier 3 result on an attack against a target you have
marked, you gain 1 focus. Your focus disappears at the end of the encounter.

Be ready for when an ally in reach (or yourself) gets attacked with a weapon. You can use your Parry triggered action to halve the damage or bring it down one
tier.
 Your Character’s Turn. On your turn, you can take Forced Movement. There are effects that allow you to
The Draw Steel Cheat Sheet 1 Action, 1 Maneuver, and move your character. You move a character that isn’t your own, including:
You’re gonna do just fine! Take your time! can do these things in any order. ✦ Push X: The target moves straight away from you.
✦ Pull X: The target moves straight towards you.
Movement.Your speed determines the maximum
BASICS number of squares your character can move on the
✦ Slide X: The target moves in any flat direction.
✦ Vertical: The above types include up and down.
Role Playing. The Director is going to set the scene battle map.
and describe what your characters are currently Stability. Your character’s value to reduce any forced
Shifting. Whenever an effect allows your character to
witnessing. You can ask the Director questions clarifying movement by.
move, you can use up to half the maximum squares the
elements in the scene and the Director can respond
effect allows. If you do, creatures can’t take free strikes Escaping a Grab. Escaping is a Might or Agility
based on your character’s perspective. Likewise, the
Director will ask you questions about your character and against your character. resistance roll. Compare the result to these tiers of
what they’re currently doing, and you can respond with effects:
Maneuver. In addition to the maneuvers listed on your
anything that makes sense to you. It’s a conversation! ✸ 11 or lower: Your character can’t escape the grab.
character sheet, there is a list of maneuvers all heroes
Tests and Power Rolls. When the Director asks you to ★ 12-16: Your character can escape the grab. If you
can take, including:
make a [Characteristic] Test, or an ability asks you to choose to do so, the grabber can make a melee free
★ Aid Attack: An ally has an Edge on the next attack
make a power roll, roll 2d10 and add the appropriate strike against your character before the Grabbed
against 1 enemy within reach of your character.
characteristic from your character sheet. The result condition ends.
determines which tier of effects happens next. ★ Escape Grab: You attempt to escape being grabbed.
✦ 17+: You end the Grabbed condition.
★ Hide: You hide from creatures who aren't observing
Edge. If you have a situational advantage on a power your character while you have cover. Hiding. You can make an attack with an Edge on a
roll, the roll has an Edge and you add 2 to the result. If
★ Make a Test: The Director might ask you to make a creature your character is hidden from. This will reveal
you have two or more Edges, this is a Double Edge and
the result increases to the next highest tier of effects Test in combat if the thing you want your character to do you to them.
instead. is a more involved task or you could fail.
Searching. Searching is an Intuition test targeting all
★ Search: You search for creatures who are hidden
Bane. If you have a situational disadvantage on a power creatures hidden from your character within 10 squares.
roll, the roll has a Bane and you subtract 2 from the from your character.
Compare the result to these tiers of effects:
result. If you have two or more Banes, this is a Double ★ Stand Up: You end Prone for your character or 1 ally
✦ 11 or lower: You reveal any creatures with 0 or lower
Bane and the result decreases to the next lowest tier of within reach of your character.
Agility and no Hide skill.
effects instead.
Action. In addition to the actions listed on your ★ 12-16: You reveal any creatures without the Hide
Edges vs. Banes. Edges and Banes cancel each other character sheet, there is a list of actions all heroes can skill.
out. If you have 1 Edge and 1 Bane, or take, including: ✸ 17+: You reveal all hidden creatures.
a Double Edge and a Double Bane, the power roll is
★ Catch Breath: You spend 1 Recovery on your
made normally with 0 Edges and 0 Banes. Conditions. This is a list of common effects a creature
A Double Edge is reduced to 1 Edge if you have character sheet.
can inflict or be affected by:
1 Bane. ★ Charge: Your character moves up to your speed in a
✦ Bleeding: You can’t regain Stamina.
A Double Bane is reduced to 1 Bane if you have straight line and then makes a melee free strike against
✦ Dazed: You can only move your character, use a
1 Edge. 1 enemy within your reach. You can’t shift when you
maneuver, or use an action on your turn—just one of the
Add a Skill to a Test. If you have a Skill that would charge.
three. You also can’t use any triggered actions.
apply to a test, you can add 2 to the result of the power ★ Defend: All attacks against your character have a
✦ Frightened: Attacks you make against the source of
roll. Double Bane until the end of your next turn.
your fear have a Bane. The source of your fear makes
Easy Test Outcomes. Compare the result to these tiers ★ Heal: You let 1 ally within reach of your character
attacks against your character with an Edge. You can’t
of effects. immediately use the Catch Breath action..
willingly move closer to the source of your fear if you
✦ 11 or lower: You fail the task. ★ Free Strike: You use one of the free strikes on your
★ 12-16: You succeed in the task. know where they are.
character sheet.
✸ 17+: You succeed in the task with a reward. ✦ Grabbed: Your speed is 0, your character can’t be
Triggered Action. You can take 1 triggered action per force moved, and you have a Bane on attacks that don’t
Medium Test Outcomes. Compare the result to these
round when the trigger happens, even if it is not your include your grabber as a target. If your grabber moves,
tiers of effects.
✦ 11 or lower: You fail the task with a consequence. turn. In addition to the triggered action on your character they bring you with them.
★ 12-16: You succeed in the task with a consequence. sheet, all heroes have access to the following free ✦ Prone: Your attacks have a Bane and melee attacks
✸ 17+: You succeed in the task. triggered action that can be taken multiple times /round: made against your character have an Edge. You must
Hard Test Outcomes. Compare the result to these tiers ★ Opportunity Attack. When 1 creature within reach crawl to move, which costs you 1 extra square of
of effects. of your character moves out of your reach without movement for every square you crawl.
✦ 11 or lower: You fail the task with a consequence. shifting, you can use a free triggered action to take a ✦ Restrained: Your speed is 0 and your character can’t
★ 12-16: You fail the task. free strike against them. be force moved. You make attacks with a Bane and
✸ 17+: You succeed in the task. attacks and damaging area powers used against you
Critical Hit. If your power roll dice roll two 10s or one 9
Natural 20. If your power roll dice roll two 10s, the result have an Edge.
and one 10, you can immediately take another action.
will automatically be the highest tier of effects. ✦ Slowed: Your Speed is halved.
EoT. An effect lasts until the end of the affected ✦ Taunted: You have a Double Bane on attacks that
COMBAT character’s turn. don’t include the creature who taunted your character.
EoE. An effect lasts until the end of combat. ✦ Weakened: Your Power Rolls and Tests, excluding
Stamina. Enemies are trying to deplete each hero’s
Resistance Rolls, have a Bane.
Stamina value to stop them. Heroes will often need to [Characteristic] Resistance Roll. Instead of making a
do the same to the enemies to stop them. Power Roll to attack, the target makes a Power Roll to
Recovery. Recovers 1/3rd of your max Stamina. resist the ability’s effects.

Distances. Range, reach, and motion are all measured [Characteristic] Ends. The affected character can
in squares on the battle map. make a Resistance Roll at the end of each of their turns.
Compare the result to these tiers of effects:
Starting Combat. Combat alternates between the ✦ 11 or lower: The effect persists.
Heroes Side (the player characters) and the ★ 12-16: The effect ends at the end of their next turn..
Enemies Side (the director’s characters). The Director ✸ 17+: The effect ends.
will ask one of the heroes to roll 1d10 to determine
which side takes a turn first. Heroes go first on a 6+. Dying and Death. When your Stamina is 0 or lower,
your character is dying. In this state, you can’t Catch
Rounds. Each side gets to discuss which of their Breath, and you lose 1d6 Stamina whenever you make
characters should take their turn next. A character can a Test with Might or Agility, make an attack, use an
only take 1 turn per round. The round ends when every action, or use a triggered action. When <0 Stamina, if
character has taken 1 turn, and then the next round that negative value reaches your winded value, you die.
starts.
 For Director Players
You’ve got cool things you can do in combat, too!

Minions
Minions are weaker enemies who are made to die fast and to be threatening in large squads. Each squad of minions shares a Stamina pool. Whenever a minion
takes damage, the pool is reduced by a number equal to the damage taken. When a minion squad’s Stamina pool is reduced by an amount equal to an
individual minion’s Stamina, a minion dies or otherwise gets taken out of the fight.

When minions act, each minion in a squad must use their action together. They can take only a move action and an action on their turn, a move action and a
maneuver, or two move actions on their turn. Each minion has a signature action that is an attack ability that targets 1 creature. When multiple minions in a
squad use their signature attack on a turn, make one roll for the whole squad and use that roll. Each minion must target a different creature.

Captains
Captains are a special role that are applied to other creatures who can be attached to a minion squad. Captains don’t have to be attached to a minion group to
be used in combat. Likewise, minion squads don’t require a captain to function. A squad can only have one captain at a time. A captain can only have one squad
at a time.

A captain takes their turn at the same time as their squad, but they can use their action and maneuver in any order. A captain’s Stamina gets tracked separately.

Villain Power
Villain Power (or VP) is how the enemies activate their most powerful abilities and throw surprises at the heroes during combat. At the start of each round of
combat, the Director gains VP equal to twice the number of heroes still alive in the battle. Each monster has a way to earn VP in addition to the normal
generation at the start of each round. These rules are found in the creature descriptions and encourage you to run the monsters in a way that matches their lore.

Non-minion monsters can spend VP the way the heroes spend their heroic resources, activating and enhancing abilities. The costs for these abilities are listed in
a creature’s stat block. Many bands of monsters have other ways they can spend VP, also found in the creature descriptions.