Mutants & Masterminds

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Mutants & Masterminds (often abbreviated as "M & M") is a superhero - RPG by Green Ronin Publishing . It is based on the d20 system introduced by Wizards of the Coast , but differs from it in key points. The basic rule book was first published in 2002 and was replaced by a second edition in 2005. A German translation does not yet exist.

M & M's rule system is tailored to create and play superhero characters modeled on American comics . By setting some basic parameters, in particular the power level and the available power points, equivalents of all known comic characters can be reproduced, from (almost) normal people in colorful costumes to cosmic forces that regularly affect the fate of entire solar systems decide. In the rule-mechanical implementation of superpowers, M&M shows clear similarities to other superhero systems such as Hero System and Aberrant , but pursues its own design philosophy, which is geared towards medium complexity, fast play and neglect of minor details.

The system itself is generic and not linked to a specific background world . However, there are several source books with different scenarios that use the M&M system.

Control mechanisms

The rule system from Mutants & Masterminds uses the Open Game License (OGL) and adopts many of the components known from Dungeons & Dragons and other d20 systems. Characters have the usual attributes , skills , talents, and saving throws, and all non-trivial actions are decided by rolling a twenty- sided die (D20) plus modifiers against a difficulty level . In order to meet the special requirements of a superhero game, the system also dispenses with some basic d20 mechanisms and introduces other solutions for them.

Power level and power points

M&M doesn't know any classes or levels, but uses a point-based system in which characters can essentially be freely selected from the available elements. There are two higher-level parameters that together form a rough framework for the skills of the player characters, namely the power level and the total number of available power points. The power level defines the upper limit for possible modifiers on dice rolls and is therefore a measure of the characters' maximum penetration power. The number of power points determines how many different powers and abilities a character can have and is therefore a measure of the possible flexibility of the characters. Both values ​​can be set independently by the game master and, in their combination, define the approximate degree of power of the player characters. For a campaign in the style of the X-Men, for example, the game master would presumably set a medium power level, but only distribute a few Power Points (since the powers of most X-Men are relatively powerful, but also very limited). A character based on Batman , on the other hand, only needs a low power level, but a lot of power points (he has no overpowering powers, but is extremely flexible). A Superman -Verschnitt would eventually after a good power, and many PowerPoints demand (many different and very powerful capabilities).

Superpowers

In order to map the multitude of possible superpowers of a character in terms of rules, these are mapped to a manageable number of generic effects, which can then be adapted to the desired concept using additional modifiers (extras, power feats, flaws and drawbacks). The special features of a specific force result from the combination of effect, modifiers and / or differences in the description by the player. One possible effect would be the "Flight" force, for example, which allows a character to move through the air at a certain speed (determined by the force level). This effect suits both a psyker with telekinesis powers, a wing-flapping birdman and a gadgeteer with a rocket backpack on his back, i. H. all of these characters have the same basic power to represent their ability to fly. The differences result from the description and the modifiers: the psyker may have to concentrate constantly in order to stay in the air (Flaw: Concentration), the bird man depends on the free movement of his wings (Drawback: Power Loss), and the Gadgeteer is helpless without his jetpack (technically no flaw, but he has the power "Device", with which he can get other powers cheaper).

As a special modifier, there is a Power Feat called Alternate Power, which allows a character to have a collection of thematically linked powers, but only one of which is available to him at any given time. For example, the above-mentioned psyker can presumably not only fly himself, but also lift other people and objects by telekinesis. Since he has to concentrate on his respective goal, he can only use one of the two powers (flying or telekinesis) at the same time. He only needs to pay the normal number of Power Points for one of the two powers and can take the other as a Power Feat at a much lower price.

Saving Throws Against Damage

Unlike most d20 systems, there are no hit points in M&M . Instead, damage effects are handled via an additional saving throw, the so-called toughness save. This is rolled against a level of difficulty that results from the strength of the harmful effect. A failed save means that the character is in a state of injury that is more severe the further the difficulty is missed. A narrowly missed throw does not result in more than a deduction on all further toughness saves (so that a character is brought closer to a worse state with each hit), while throws that go far wrong can temporarily stun the character, knock them unconscious or even fatally injure them . This mechanism is intended to depict the combat dramaturgy known from the comics, in which the luck of the fight can often and quickly turn and those involved can put away many hits seemingly harmless, only to be sent to the boards with a decisive blow.

Hero Points

Hero Points are a dramaturgical tool that allows player characters to go beyond their routinely used powers at crucial moments. A player can use a hero point, for example, to repeat a failed die roll (the maneuver has failed every test run, but of course it works when it comes down to it), to temporarily increase an existing force above its normal level (at the crucial moment the character grows beyond himself) or pulling a special trick, especially an Alternate Power, for a one-time use out of the sleeve (a character with wind forces lets sand or leaves stir up around his opponents so that they can no longer see anything - technically an application of the force "Obscure" as Alternate Power).

Characters normally only have one Hero Point at the beginning of an adventure, but gain additional Hero Points as the story progresses, for example if they are particularly heroic or have to accept failures and defeats. This should help to recreate typical plot schemes from the comics, such as the defeat of the heroes at the first encounter with the super villain, which then turns into a triumphant victory the second time (the player characters have in the meantime accumulated Hero Points through complications and heroic deeds, so that they are effectively more powerful in the second fight than in the first, although their permanent stats have not changed).

Scenarios

The basic rule book does not presuppose a specific scenario and can be used together with any background worlds; Advice on this can be found in a separate chapter. However, there are additional source volumes for different game worlds.

The oldest and best-known scenario for M&M is "Freedom City", a large city in the tradition of Metropolis or Gotham City , in which there is an analogue for pretty much every known comic phenomenon, of the "Freedom League" (corresponding to the Justice League ) up to the "Claremont Academy" (corresponding to the Xavier Institute ).

Other source books are "Crooks!", "Nocturnals", "Noir", "Lockdown" and "Golden Age".

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