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Xeric Badlands: Bestiary & Ancestries for Draw Steel

Created by Royal Highness Games

Bring the badlands to your table with 2+ new player ancestries, 20+ new monsters, 3+ digital battlemaps, 5+ dynamic terrain objects & arenas, and original art by Kian Reglos. A third-party digital supplement for MCDM's Draw Steel.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Surveys & Pledge Manager
about 1 month ago – Mon, Jul 13, 2026 at 04:25:44 AM

Hi everyone,

Quick update here. The backerkit "smoke test" is complete, so surveys are being sent out. You should be getting an email about completing this. The survey contains a question about some ideas for our next product. I am eager to hear what everyone might want for that.

Most of the core content design is complete. The remaining work consists of a few final illustrations and playtesting for the stretch goal content, specifically the Harpy and Talus monster bands and the Dynamic Arenas Circling Harpy Flock and Cruorglass Field. Lore and Director advice blurbs are nearing completion as well.

If you have any questions please email [email protected]. May your next power roll be a critical hit,

-Shane (Bee King)

Project Update: 🌄Stretch Goal 2 Unlocked & Campaign Complete!
3 months ago – Wed, May 20, 2026 at 12:49:56 PM

Hello again everyone,

The project has ended its crowdfunding campaign, and it was a huge success! Due to your generosity, 29 community copies of the project will be donated to the Draw Steel community at the conclusion of the project! We reached 2 stretch goals and now have funds to commission a lot of beautiful art. Speaking of art, we have brought on fantasy illustrator Luís Bento, who is going to help bring the badlands to life. He is excited to create a spread of the Bonesinger Wyrm in particular. Also, we reached out to Jonas Tintenseher, a prolific designer and layout specialist in the Draw Steel community, for layout development. They will be a great help!

The Talus have been awakened in our second stretch goal, so the project now includes the Talus player ancestry, a Talus monster band, and a Talus Quarry battlemap, with a dynamic arena in development. The goal of the Talus is to capture the fantasy of rock golems—but since this is Draw Steel we have to spice it up a bit with some mystical Flux Crystal mechanics!

Backers at a Survivor or higher tier, look out soon for the first playtesting packet.
For the Artful Apiarists, in the future I will reach out regarding which art piece you would like to be a credited patron of.

Thanks again for your support!

-Shane (Bee King)

🌄Stretch Goal 1: Harpies Soar is Unlocked!
4 months ago – Sun, May 03, 2026 at 06:29:59 PM

Hello everyone,

We reached a stretch goal! That means I am happily at work making the new Harpy monster band - the goal is to create an annoying flock of flying foes that will cackle and curse the heroes as they swoop about the encounter. I also have started on an encounter map tailor-made for them; the Harpy Cliffs battlemap, a crag of many different heights and elevation changes to emphasize their flight and capabilities.

Meanwhile, the amazing illustrator Kian Reglos is back at work making more art, thanks to all of you. The Siltweaver spider's art is particularly spooky (we will need an arachnophobia warning!), and early sketches of the harpies are looking great!

The next stretch goal at $2000 features the Talus - this goal is more ambitious, not only is there another battlemap and monster band, but also a player ancestry. Draw Steel, being a younger game, needs more ancestries and the Talus are one I am particularly keen on. Regardless, I am thrilled we hit the first stretch goal.
Thanks again for your generosity and support!

-Shane (Bee King)

🌄 Xeric Badlands is Funded 🎉
4 months ago – Thu, Apr 23, 2026 at 12:16:51 PM

Hi everyone,

I am thrilled the project funded in less than 24 hours, which was quite unexpected. Thanks for the support, it means a lot!

On my end, my next priority is finishing up the next two battlemaps so they are ready for testing. Then, the next round of playtesting will integrate the DTOs, monsters, ancestries, and battlemap encounters all at once to ensure a balanced and thematic final product. Meanwhile, once my artist is back from vacation I will let him know we are good to commission some more art. Fingers crossed we reach a stretch goal or two. I would love to design some Harpies and Talus.

Thanks again for your generosity and support!

-Shane (Bee King)