High-chromium (9–12% Cr) CrMo and CrW ferritic steels are favored as candidates for fusion applications. In early work to develop reduced-activation steels, an Fe2.25Cr2W-0.25V-O.1C steel (designated 2.25Cr-2WV) had better strength than an Fe9Cr2W-0.25V-0.07Tra-0.1C (9Cr-2WVTa) steel (compositions are in weight percent). However, the 2.25Cr-2WV had poor impact properties, as determined by the ductile-brittle transition temperature and upper-shelf energy of subsize Charpy impact specimens. Because low-chromium steels have some advantages over high-chromium steels, a program to develop low-chromium steels is in progress. Microstructural analysis indicated that the reason for the inferior impact toughness of the 2.25Cr-2WV was the granular bainite obtained when the steel was normalized. Properties can be improved by developing an acicular bainite microstructure by increasing the cooling rate after austenitization. Alternatively, acicular bainite can be promoted by increasing the hardenability. Hardenability was changed by adding small amounts of boron and additional chromium to the 2.250-2WV composition. A combination of B, Cr, and Ta additions resulted in low-chromium reduced-activation steels with mechanical properties comparable to those of 9Cr-2WVTa.