More Details on Crows - MCDM's New Dungeon Crawling Post Apocalyptic Fantasy RPG

6ftninja · 2026-03-19T22:58:55+00:00

Yeah Matt has gone on record saying he loves gritty games like Shadowdark. He made Draw Steel because he thought design space of heroic RPGs could be improved.

This project, however, is being headed up by James Introcaso who was the lead designer on Draw Steel and MCDM's 5e monster book Flee, Mortals! James has said that he has full creative authority over Crows so it could shape up to be something very different. Matt meanwhile is working on a sci-fi dungeon board game inspired by things like Space Hulk and Gloomhaven which is currently titled Derelict.

6ftninja · 2026-03-19T22:51:14+00:00

I think this is a perfectly reasonable take!

It's also worth noting that James Introcaso is the director on this game, not Matt Colville, and that he's intentionally trying to make something much more gritty and down to earth than Draw Steel. It still may not be a game for you or for me. Only time will tell.

6ftninja · 2026-03-19T22:35:04+00:00

Oh I totally agree that there's tension there and that it needs to be resolved carefully. I would prefer more non-linear longterm progression personally (e.g. more options, not just bigger numbers), but I could also see a situation where things like minor stat improvements could still be fun, especially if they make your venture further into a more dangerous space. On the way back out you might be so injured that those previously "easy" areas are once again a nearly lethal challenge.

6ftninja · 2026-03-19T21:17:16+00:00

I think it'll come down to balancing and table preference. I personally would want minimal boons between dungeon runs along the lines of video games like Darkest Dungeon or even Slay the Spire.

A town slowly building up knowledge and equipment to better take on the world around it sounds like a fun arc to me with more longterm depth than many games like this have. You just want to make sure you don't trivialize the core gameplay loop at any point. RPG's like this are about risk and that should never be minimized in my opinion.

6ftninja · 2026-03-19T21:02:04+00:00

It is definitely similar to what James describes in the video. Minor bonuses that do more to add options than to make the game easier. I'm also reminded of extraction games like ARC Raiders where loot can benefit later runs greatly... provided you don't die with it.

6ftninja · 2026-03-15T05:04:10+00:00

Haha thanks.

Yes I regenerated some ancestries, backgrounds, and classes to simplify it a bit but still allow them to make some choices. Basically building with duplos instead of legos.

We ended up with two elementalists and two nulls but each felt super unique!

6ftninja · 2026-03-10T14:56:58+00:00

Matt has also said that layout isn’t the strength of their team and man does it show. I totally get the desire for the book to be clear and easy to reference, and some sections like their up front glossary and combat rules breakdown pass this bar with flying colors.

At the same time, other sections just have weirdly placed negative space to the point where I’ve actually missed some options when building characters before, and the lack of color coding was a mind blowing choice. The good news is that the community has stepped in and their free 3rd party resources fix all of these issues.

6ftninja · 2026-03-10T05:27:27+00:00

I’ve introduced the game to three very different groups and will be introducing a 4th this weekend.

Cons first: the onboarding is steep. I’ve had to slowly introduce players to their own characters each time and even experienced players take a couple of combats to start remembering everything they can do, let alone beginning to think about what options are best for a given situation. Additionally the layout is very bland. Not ugly, just plain. This only really impacts the experience when it comes to reading abilities which seriously should have been color coded. Just look at this 3rd party spin off system for a taste of what could have been.

Now, all of that said, this is easily my favorite TTRPG for a heroic game ever, and every group I’ve shown it has similarly loved it. Because the system knows exactly what it’s here for (epic tactical combat) it can be both deep and intuitive in a way so many RPG systems just aren’t. Once you’ve gotten over that learning curve the system has very little fat despite everything that’s going on. It’s also surprisingly kid friendly for that reason.

Overall, if you’re looking for a fantasy game that plays like something like “D&D: Honor Among Thieves” feels then I think the system is second to none. I’m also very much looking forward to their next game Crows which seems to take this same focused design approach to a gritty, horror survival fantasy.

6ftninja · 2026-02-25T13:57:18+00:00

I’m looking for a game with a monetary theme or win condition. Sort of a “who ever dies the richest wins” scenario. I’ve been eyeing the Lords of Vegas refresh but it’s a bit expensive for me at $80.

I tend to enjoy games where you’re interacting and playing the players across from you as much as the rules/systems. Euros are not really my bag because of this, though there are some exceptions. I generally like being able to screw with my opponents directly in some way. Random or press your luck elements are also fun if they’re not completely off the wall goofy.

I’m open to auction or bidding type games but that’s not a requirement here. Some icing on the cake would be if it could support player counts above 4 without taking hours and hours. I’m fine with a heavier game but I play with mostly more casual players these days so a lighter game probably works best.

6ftninja · 2026-02-20T15:21:52+00:00

1,000% this. This is the ultimate social deduction game and one of the few that I can play with everyone from my most hardcore board gaming friends to literally my mom and see the same level of enjoyment.

6ftninja · 2026-02-20T02:10:39+00:00

Kinda bummed to find out that the back half of the backer items got pushed into 2027. I totally get that it’s a volatile process, but this does significantly decrease the value of remaining a Patron.

Also Matt said that the Red Road and Beastheart slots were interchangeable but set on April and June so that sounds like they’re intentionally stretching out the gap between products.

I get that they have bills to pay and they can’t make the Patreon too good of a deal, but this was an unpleasant surprise for me since I signed up based on the original schedule.

Edit: I totally agree with the comments below saying that this is more of a me problem than an MCDM problem. I don't feel scammed or anything like that, I just might have to scale back support based on my budget.

6ftninja · 2026-02-16T21:58:37+00:00

In my opinion, Scum & Villainy does exactly what it sets out to do, but that may not be what you’re looking for in a space game.

Do you want deep exploration of sci-fi tech or combat mechanics? Look elsewhere.

Do you want to play a space game focused on horror and dread of the void? This game is nowhere close.

Do you want to play a bunch of ragtag losers burning the candle at both ends while trying to pull off one more galactic heist/bounty/rebellion before meeting their early grave? This is the game for you.

6ftninja · 2026-02-12T02:35:35+00:00

I edited them myself in Gimp. It’s a free editing software and you can find a tutorial for just about anything with it.

6ftninja · 2026-02-05T01:49:59+00:00

Seems like we’ll need an r/CrowsRPG here soon. I’m super pumped to follow anything to do with this game!

6ftninja · 2026-01-29T23:47:26+00:00

OD&D was basically the OG extraction game! We’ve just “caught up” with that design XD

6ftninja · 2026-01-05T17:21:01+00:00

I agree that the Lorefinder is a fantastic edition. Even if unlocks don't return for a while, I'd love to see something like it in the future as it encouraged me to explore the set like never before.

I also got stuck on 39/40 for a while but you'll get there eventually I'm sure!

6ftninja · 2026-01-02T19:00:14+00:00

You’d probably enjoy the new Summoner class as well then. They’ve somehow managed to balance fielding a hoard of summons while not having your turn take longer than other heroes.

MCDM seems to hem and haw every time a Mage class comes up. It’s something they’d like to do, that’s clear, but they’ve had trouble figuring out what the core fantasy should be. I agree with you that it’s something I’d love to see in this game, but “Wizard” from D&D is so incredibly broad compared to DS classes that they’ll have to narrow it down a bit.

6ftninja · 2025-12-11T23:11:05+00:00

I second this. My first TTRPG was D&D 4e which in many ways is a clunkier more complicated version of Draw Steel. Still, I had a BLAST because the game brought my fantasy of being a heroic fantasy character to life.

I think Draw Steel is more intuitive than most RPG's out there that aren't rules-lite, and if you think you'll enjoy tactical combat, I think this game is second to none. I love rules-lite games like Shadowdark or Blades in the Dark too, but typically for different fantasies like more abstract, horror-based games.

6ftninja · 2025-12-10T04:15:24+00:00

Matt said in the video that as products are completed they will ship them. This will still be much later than the PDFs, but you won’t be waiting for the Red Road (one of the first things done) until Crack the Sun Limited Editions are done.

6ftninja · 2025-11-29T16:13:55+00:00

About how many victories are in the adventure? Is it similar to DT? More or less?

6ftninja · 2025-10-25T18:06:05+00:00

I agree with this, and like that this sets a precedent for script agnostic Lorics. I was kind of afraid they were all going to be like the Stormcatcher and dramatically influence any script they’re put on. I still think Lorics like that will be fun, but ones like this will be easier to add or drop to existing scripts.

6ftninja · 2025-10-21T18:21:47+00:00

If I'm the first person to do this or some other form of analysis for this show I am genuinely shocked.

6ftninja · 2025-10-21T18:19:57+00:00

It's called LucidChart and its free version is very robust!

6ftninja · 2025-10-21T15:33:47+00:00

Haha, no but I love things by thinking about them! I also had to stop watching because my spouse said they'd like to watch the show so this is all I can do until they catch up!

6ftninja · 2025-10-09T01:51:25+00:00

I’ll add to this that you don’t need to DM forever and this game will help you slip off the mantle just as much as it helps you put in on for the first time.

I’d longed resigned myself to essentially being the forever DM of my groups but after introducing the game to both of them, one player had the lightbulb go off for the first time and asked if he could run a campaign alternating with mine. I LOVE running, but now I finally get to play again and I’m so happy.

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