Tools & Platforms
Forge Steel
Forge Steel is a community-developed, locally-hosted web application and digital utility designed for Draw Steel, the cinematic fantasy tabletop role-playing game created by MCDM Productions. Developed by independent community members during the game's playtest phase, the application functions as a lightweight encounter builder and combat manager. It is specifically built to assist Directors in organizing game data and tracking real-time combat statistics during a session.
Description
Forge Steel serves as a digital toolkit for preparing and executing combat encounters in Draw Steel. In contrast to cloud-based alternatives, Forge Steel relies on local browser storage. This means the application does not require users to create an account or rely on external servers to save their data. All created encounters, customized monsters, and campaign notes are stored directly within the cache of the user's web browser. This architecture prioritizes data privacy, offline accessibility, and fast load times, though it requires manual file exporting to transfer data between different devices.
System Overview & Key Features
Local Storage Architecture
The application operates entirely within the user's web browser without communicating with a backend database for everyday use. Because it utilizes local storage, no login credentials are required. This ensures the tool remains highly responsive and can continue to function even if the user loses their internet connection during a game session.
Encounter Construction
Directors can use the tool to design combat encounters by selecting monsters from an integrated database. The application automatically calculates the total Encounter Value, allowing the Director to balance the difficulty of the fight against the level and size of the player character party.
Active Combat Tracking
During gameplay, Forge Steel provides a dashboard to manage the flow of combat. It tracks essential Draw Steel mechanics, including monster Stamina, current initiative groups, temporary status effects, and the accumulation of Villain Power. This centralized view reduces the amount of physical bookkeeping required by the Director.
Integrated Bestiary
The application includes a searchable bestiary containing the official monsters released during the Draw Steel playtest and early access periods. Directors can quickly filter these creatures by role, level, or faction, and view their complete stat blocks, abilities, and passives directly within the app.
Import and Export Functionality
To mitigate the limitations of local-only storage, Forge Steel includes manual data management tools. Users can export their prepared encounters, custom bestiaries, and campaign data as JSON files. These files can then be saved as backups or imported into Forge Steel on a different computer or browser, allowing for manual cross-device syncing.
Homebrew Integration
Directors have the ability to manually input and modify monster statistics. This allows users to create custom adversaries or tweak existing official monsters to fit their specific campaign needs. These custom entries are saved locally alongside the official bestiary.
Additional links
forgesteel.net - Official toolkit website