JM121 - Draw Steel: Our Messy Review of an Awesomely Bloated RPG

Jaunty Mantis here — and today we’re tackling a massive 96 oz steak of an RPG. We read the entire Draw Steel book so you don’t have to. Is it genius? Is it too much? Let’s find out.

Welcome back to The Jaunty Mantis — the show where insectoid fantasy creatures dissect tabletop RPGs with ungoverned cylinders and way too many analogies. In this episode, Jesse and Matty review MCDM’s Draw Steel, a massive tactical heroic fantasy RPG that does a lot — sometimes maybe too much.

We walk through ancestries, classes, kits, perks, complications, and the cinematic skill system, sharing what works, what overwhelms, and how this beefy tome stacks up against 4E D&D, Pathfinder, and modern playstyles.

Is Draw Steel is a masterpiece, a monster, or the 'Old 96er' steak you’ll never finish?.

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio