First Thoughts: New Draw Steel Classes

The October Draw Steel Patreon packet is out, and we have four new classes and three levels for all classes to talk about. I want to focus on the Censor (Paladin), Null (anti-magic Monk), Talent (psionic/psychic Wizard), and Troubadour (Bard). 

Specifically, I cover my first thoughts on the classes and how I might fit them into the Skies of Mor-ladron (SoM)—or, if I haven't figured it out, what I'm struggling with. 

All the classes are pretty dope and very evocative, just like the other classes (which I now realize I haven't talked much about yet—if you want something like this for the other five classes, let me know in the comments!). I’m not going to say how awesome they are each time I talk about their abilities—just know I'm thinking it!

Censor 

The Censor is MCDM’s version of the Paladin, a holy warrior with divine power. They can brand their enemies with Judgments, and they have special powers tied to their godly domain. The Censor has three different subclasses. 

• The Exorcist is a Censor who focuses on rooting out enemies of their faith; they can see through any lie.  
• The Oracle peers into the past and future to help defeat the slow, insidious threats that creep in when we grow complacent. 
• The Paragon, the true holy knight, leads from the front and sets a shining example for others to follow. 

Of all the new classes, the Censor is my main problem class. I love it, but it’s closely tied to the divine, which is a problem for SoM’s setting. Although I have some celestials in the world, there are no gods anymore. In the D&D version of SoM, I allowed the Paladin (though I’m not sure it was ever played) because it only went up to level five spells. I could account for it by saying there was some divine energy left in the world, but that was as powerful as a divine user could get without the gods. 

I’m not sure if I want to go that route with this game, especially because it looks like every one of these classes will be powerful in its own right. My D&D strategy won’t work quite as well. I have thought about turning Censors into Champions or Rune Knights and reworking them so that their power comes from a different place and might not always be divine. I could always say a Censor gets their power from a celestial and call it a day, but that seems like it might be too restrictive. I don’t know yet. At this point, I think I’ll wait until we have all ten levels so I can see the whole picture before I decide. (I’m hoping we will see those levels in December or January.)

Null

The Null is a warrior who has trained and refined both their body and their mind. They use this perfect mind-body alignment to counter the magic and psionics they interact with. Not reliant on anything but themselves, they even forsake weapons. In short, they are a psionic Monk-type class. The Null has three subclasses.

• The Chronokinetics use their discipline to untether their body from time and move quicker than the eye can track. 
• The Cryokinetics use their minds to lower temperatures to absolute zero, causing extreme cold to others while remaining free of its effects.
• The Metakinetics master the art of perfecting how the body moves, making themselves stronger and more athletic than their size might suggest. 

In a world where those in power also control the use of magic (for the most part), I think it makes a lot of sense for there to be a group of people trained to take down rogue magic users. Those in power would be better able to keep the magically trained in check. A renegade group that wishes to upset the balance of power would also find a Null useful. 

Now, I think the Cryokinetic subclass is a bit odd compared to the others. The ability to control absolute cold seems different from the other null subclasses, which focus more on their physical bodies. Sure, untethering yourself from time also sounds unrealistic, but at least at these lower levels, it just makes you super fast, like the Flash. The Cryokinetic Null seems a little harder to fit into SoM. Maybe something happened to you on Mount Acora, or you were stranded on one of the cold lower islands, and something awoke these cold-related powers in you? I’m not sure yet.

Talent 

The Talent is the class with the biggest brain. They are the psionics caster. The Talent can accept strain and go into debt when using an ability, giving them more flexibility to manipulate the battlefield and its combatants. The Talent has three subclasses.

• Chronopathy. This Talent can control time itself to help allies or harm enemies. 
• Telekinesis. This Talent masters moving objects with their mind, throwing creatures and objects around like leaves in the wind. 
• Telepathy. This Talent communicates across vast distances and manipulates others' minds. 

I like the Talent and none of its subclasses cause specific issues for SoM. I do have a narrative question about the Talent, though. Is their psionic power a taught ability, like some of the arcane specializations already mentioned, or is it an innate trait they develop independently or with a mentor? 

Draw Steel’s lore says an incident awakens this power in a person, and they are only limited by the strength of their mind. As written, this seems like an ability those in control of SoM would fear. That is a great concept, but I already had that uncontrollable magic-user vibe with the storm-scarred. So, do I have multiple types of renegade psionic/magic-users, or do I devise a way to make Talents more entrenched in society? 

I also want to avoid making too many stringent paths for classes, as I don’t want to restrict a player's perception of how they acquired these powers. I will think about this more and see where my mind takes me. (Haha, get it? Get it?)

Troubadour 

The Troubadour is MCDM’s answer to the Bard, but it is so much more than that. As Troubadours grow in power, they gain routines that act as auras, boosting themselves and others around them in various ways. They also thrive off drama (their heroic resource) and can gain bonus drama at crucial moments—like allies or enemies critting or when a hero (including themselves) dies. They have three subclasses.

• The Duelist focuses on performing a dance with their blade and making witty remarks while doing so. 
• The Virtuoso is the master of music and gains extra routines to perform with their instrument, bolstering their companions and foiling enemies.  
• The Skald is the master of the story. They use their magic to change the narrative by influencing NPCs, changing the terrain, or making a foe a friend.

The Troubadour offers a lot of possibilities for engaging playstyles and storylines. I like that it’s not 100% based on music. The Duelist could be a witty swordsman or someone who has learned a little magic. The musical option is present in the Virtuoso subclass, but one doesn't have to go that route. The abilities with the most significant in-world effect are Skald-themed: changing the narrative to create a better story is unique and seems almost god-like. A person who can do something like that might be a deity in disguise. 

The Troubadour will be unique in SoM. Only Troubadour characters will have narrative or music-based power. Maybe it’s something taught and passed down in their family, but it won’t be widely available knowledge. At least, that’s my plan at the moment. Those are my thoughts on these new classes and their place in SoM. What do you think? Do any of these classes stand out to you? How would you try to fit them into SoM or your own world? Let me know in the comments!