Draw Steel has proven its mettle in the TTRPG space against titans such as DnD and Pathfinder. The big draw, pardon the pun, is its focus on making combat fast, deadly and never boring. There is no such thing as misses in Draw Steel. Every roll is a hit, what changes is how much that hit gets you closer to the end. Despite the focus on combat, homebrew for Draw Steel has been quite innovative.
Even when you're drawing steel against Lovecraftian horrors.
Whispers of Darkness and Power by Kormael is a Lovecraftian supplement for Draw Steel inspired by Bloodborne and Darkest Dungeon. If ever anything fits the mechanical tone of Draw Steel, these two hyperdeadly games are it. Just like how DnD homebrew adds new toys for DnD classes, so too does this supplement add an eldritch twist to the crunchy combat of Draw Steel.
The supplement revolves around three core mechanics: Corruption, Transformation and Madness. Corruption represents the toll that fighting horrors inflicts upon your party. Transformation represents the alterations that corruption causes to one's being. Finally, Madness is exactly what it sounds like, the shattering effects of Corruption upon one's sanity.
I love when characters must toe the line between power and oblivion. Just as so many Warhammer 40k factions must contend with Chaos corruption, your Draw Steel campaign gains an extra layer of tension and thrill. Transformations grant you powers beyond human ability, but can your mind take that toll?
Besides the mechanics, I also love how much sauce there is in the artstyle. There's a tarot quality to them, each Eldritch Heart evoking what the kids call "hype moments and aura." The overall offering here would look fantastic in any TTRPG collection, and Draw Steel's set to gain more real estate in many a player's shelf.
You can support Whispers of Darkness and Power on Backerkit here.
If you love talking shop about TTRPGs from all around the space, then the Wargamer Discord is a perfect hangout spot.