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Deluxe Gamemasters Guide PDF
Deluxe Gamemasters Guide PDF
DELUXE
DELUXE
Team Ronin: Joseph Carriker, Crystal Frasier, Jaym Gates, Kara Hamilton, Troy Hewitt, Steve Kenson,
Nicole Lindroos, Hal Mangold, Jack Norris, Chris Pramas, Evan Sass, Marc Schmalz, Malcolm Sheppard, Will Sobel,
Dylan Templar, Veronica Templar, and Barry Wilson
Mutants & MasterMinds deluxe GaMeMaster’s Guide is ©2019 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
References to other copyrighted material in no way constitute a challenge to the respective
copyright holders of that material. Mutants & Masterminds, Super-Powered by M&M, Green Ronin,
and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, Version
1.0a: hero points, power points. All character and their associated images, descriptions,
backgrounds, and related information are declared Product Identity.
The following text is Open Gaming Content: all game system rules and material
not previously declared Product Identity
INTRODUCTION..................... 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Magically Empowered..... 28 Superhumans......................40 Combat Actions
Just Like Magic................... 28 Prehistory............................ 40 and Modifiers.................. 57
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK.... 5 Creatures of Magic............ 28 Ancient History.................. 40 Singular Villains................. 57
Coming from the Magical Devices................. 29 Recent History.................... 40 Villainous Minions............. 58
Basic Hero’s Handbook?........ 6 Mystic Dimensions............ 29 Emerging Powers............... 40 Villains and
Complications................. 59
Sleight of Mind................... 29 Alternate History...................41
CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS........... 9 Character Concepts.......... 29 Picking Your Battles..............59
Time Travel..............................41 Creating Weaknesses....... 60
GENRE.................................. 9 Mutation...................................29 SOCIETY.............................42 Escape Plans...........................60
Golden Age............................... 9 Accidental Mutation......... 29
Pulp Heroes........................... 9 Genetic Mutation.............. 30 Technology..............................42 Escape Route...................... 60
Mystery Men......................... 9 Mutant Hysteria................. 30 Politics.......................................42 Distraction.......................... 60
World War II........................ 10 Character Concepts.......... 30 Political Influence.............. 42 Fake-Out.............................. 61
The Super-Gap................... 11 Super-Military.................... 42 Extortion.............................. 61
Psionics.....................................30
The Postmodern Super-Rights....................... 42 Hostage................................ 61
All in Your Mind.................. 30
Golden Age....................... 11 Law.............................................42 Teleport................................ 61
Mind Scare.......................... 30
Golden Age Gear...................12 Vigilantism and Mysterious Death.............. 61
Character Concepts.......... 31
The Golden Sanction............................ 42 Why the Villain Loses...........62
Age Arsenal...................... 12 Super-Science........................31 Legal Rights........................ 42 What if the
Heavy Weapons................. 13 They Called Me Mad!........ 31 Masks and Villain Wins?..................... 62
Golden Age Vehicles......... 15 Intentional Mutation........ 32 Secret Identities............... 43 What if the
Gadgets and Gear............. 32 Mental and Villain Can’t Escape?...... 62
Silver Age.................................17 Sensory Powers............... 43
Lightheartedness............... 17 Serums and Super-Pills.... 32 IN-DEPTH VILLAINS..........63
Battlesuits and Incarceration...................... 43
The Cold War...................... 17 Iron Men............................ 32 Interaction...............................63
The Atomic Age.................. 18 Popular Culture......................44
Man and Machine............. 32 Comic Books....................... 44 Information.............................63
Second-Generation Character Concepts.......... 32
Supers................................ 18 Entertainment.................... 44 Integration...............................64
Fantastic Frontiers............. 18 Training.....................................33 Fashion................................. 44 Infrequency.............................65
Going Ape!.......................... 19 More Human Religion................................ 44 VILLAIN TEAMS.................65
Gloating............................... 19 Than Human................... 33
ORGANIZATIONS..............44 Types of Villain Teams..........65
Esoteric Secrets.................. 33
Silver Age Gear......................19 Agency................................. 44 Follow-the-Leader............. 65
Character Concepts.......... 33
Bronze Age..............................20 Conspiracy.......................... 44 Alliance................................ 66
One Origin or Many?...........33 Cult........................................ 45
Human Heroes................... 20 Family Ties........................... 66
One Origin........................... 33 Institute................................ 45
Social Issues........................ 20 Rebels With a Cause......... 66
Multiple Origins................. 33 Space Patrol........................ 45
Fads and Fashions............. 20 The Revenge Squad.......... 67
Any Origin........................... 34 Syndicate............................. 45
Iron Age....................................21 The Villain Army................. 67
Prevalence of Powers..........34
Shades of Gray................... 21 Villain Team Motifs...............68
Black Ops............................. 21
Unique Powers................... 34 CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES...... 47 Common Origin................. 68
Rare Powers........................ 34 BRING ON
Guns, Guns, Guns!............. 21 Common Powers............... 68
Common Powers............... 35 THE BAD GUYS!...............47
Leather & Latex.................. 21 Common Style.................... 68
Universal Powers............... 35
Ninja!.................................... 21 Levels of Villains....................47 Villain Team Resources........69
Lone Wolves........................ 21 Powers and Society..............35 Henchmen........................... 47
Ordinary Citizens............... 35 VILLAIN
Realistic Powers................. 21 Lieutenants......................... 47
Special Talents.................... 35 ORGANIZATIONS............69
A New Generation............. 22 Master Villains.................... 48
Outcasts............................... 36 Omnipotent Villains.......... 49 Organization
Iron Age Gear.........................22 Goals & Motif.......................69
Overlords............................. 37
The Iron Age Armory......... 22 Types of Villains.....................49
Secrecy......................................37 Organization Structure.......70
Modern Age............................23 Brute..................................... 49
Secret.................................... 37 Leader................................... 70
Sense of History................. 23 Disaster................................ 49
Private.................................. 37 Lieutenants......................... 70
Sense of Wonder................ 24 Manipulator........................ 49
Open..................................... 37 Agents.................................. 71
Sense of Purpose................ 25 Schemer............................... 49
COSMOLOGY.....................38 Skulker.................................. 49 Organization Resources......71
ORIGINS.............................25
Space and Aliens...................38 Villain Roles.............................49
Aliens.........................................25
Humanoids......................... 38 Dark Reflection.................. 50
CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES.....73
Strange Visitors.................. 25 VILLAIN DESIGN................73
Invaders............................... 38 Estranged Family............... 50
Alien Technology............... 25
Monsters.............................. 38 Forbidden Love.................. 50 Concept....................................73
Aliens Among Us............... 26
Cosmic Beings.................... 38 Nemesis................................ 50 Power Level.............................73
The Progenitors.................. 26
Parallel Earths.........................38 Nuisance.............................. 50 Minion Power Level........... 74
Cosmic Power..................... 26
Other Dimensions................39 Opposite.............................. 51 Power Level X...................... 74
Character Concepts.......... 26
Astral Plane......................... 39 Turncoat.............................. 51
Gods...........................................27 Abilities.....................................75
Dream Dimension............. 39 Villain Motivations................51
One True God?.................... 27 Skills...........................................75
Magical Dimensions......... 39 Goals..................................... 51
Heaven, Hell, and Beyond.27 Advantages.............................75
Mythic Dimensions........... 39 Justifications....................... 54
Chariots of the Gods......... 27
Power Dimensions............ 39 Changes of Heart..................56 Powers.......................................76
Character Concepts.......... 27
Stunned Power
Magic & Mysticism................27 HISTORY.............................40 VILLAIN TACTICS...............56 Capabilities...................... 76
Magicians............................ 28 Emergence of Villains in Combat.................56 Power Range or Reach..... 76
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the new and improved Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide for the third edition of the Mutants & Masterminds
superhero roleplaying game! This is an updated and expanded version of the original Gamemaster’s Guide first
published in 2011, and includes text and art from that volume, along with new information on building your own
Mutants & Masterminds adventures, sample adventures to run right out-of-the-box, and an expanded selection of
villains and threats to throw at your players.
It’s no secret that being a Gamemaster (GM) is hard work. You fill the role of director, cheerleader, writer, teacher,
and occasionally babysitter to your friends. This guide aims to make that job a lot easier by not only providing tools,
but also tons of information about the superhero genre and its tropes. Much of this book focuses on the “why” of
superhero stories rather than the “how,” delving into motivations for villains, how to build an interesting world, and
the sorts of things superheroes do when they aren’t punching evil in the jaw. The expectation isn’t that you, the GM,
need to use everything in this book as soon as you begin, but rather that you know what those elements are and how
to find them when needed.
Odds are, if you’re reading this, you’ve already run a few games. You might be a veteran Gamemaster with years of
experience, or a new GM with the drive to learn and improve. Whatever your level of experience, you will find useful
tools and tips throughout this guide.
GENRE
Mutants & Masterminds series are naturally influenced by the genre of the comic books. The comics have several distinct
“ages” or genres to them you can use as a basis for your Mutants & Masterminds game. Note that while the different ages
discussed below are based on the superhero comic books, they’re not necessarily exact matches for the terms used by
comic book historians. For one thing, there’s no general agreement on things like the exact beginning or end of an age,
or even what some ages should be called. However, they’re similar enough to provide a framework to capture the genre
of a particular era.
from athletics and some skill in combat supplement- have greater concerns than mere mortals. They may
ed by their knowledge and experience to unusual deal with equally godlike foes while their fellow he-
abilities or devices they’ve picked up in their travels. roes tackle the more mundane problems. Generally,
godlike heroes are best kept as NPCs in a Golden Age
• Patriots are firm believers in their nation. Usually, game, unless all of the heroes are equally powerful
they’re average ordinary folk gifted with extraordi- (and face equally cosmic challenges). They’re often
nary abilities by fortunate circumstance (whether treated as plot devices.
by accident or design). Patriots tend to be either ex-
tremely humble or more than a little loud-mouthed
when it comes to their country being the best in the WORLD WAR II
world. Either way, their dedication can’t be ques-
tioned; they love their country and there’s nothing The central and defining event of the Golden Age of comics
they wouldn’t do for it. Patriots tend to go in for is the Second World War. Even before America’s entry into
costumes showing their patriotism (based on their the war, comic book heroes were fighting fascists and fifth
homeland’s flag, for example). columnists. Following the declaration of war, their prime
adversaries were Nazi and Japanese super-soldiers (as well
• Gimmicks have a particular unique device, trick, or
as the aforementioned fifth-columnists and saboteurs).
even origin that makes them what they are. Most
gimmicks tend to be fairly ordinary apart from the The presence of super-powered champions on both the
one thing that gives them their powers. For example, Axis and Allied sides of the war usually accounts for the
a gimmick might be a blue-collar workman who fact that the war follows much the same course as in our
found a magic lamp, or an ordinary kid able to trans- world. The usual assumption is Allied and Axis super-sol-
form into a powerful adult hero. Gimmicks tend to diers counter each other, so the war follows pretty close to
have a strong theme and stick with it, like the heroine the same course. You can always change this assumption
who can see in the dark, with gadgets for blacking in your own world, creating an alternate history (see page
out an area so she has the advantage. 41) or coming up with some other reason why superheroes
don’t change the course of the war.
• Godlike heroes possess tremendous power, usu-
ally magical or cosmic in nature. They may operate The span from the beginning to the end of World War II
under certain restrictions that keep them from ex- (usually starting around the time of the attack on Pearl
ercising their power freely, otherwise they tend to Harbor and the U.S. entry into the war) is an excellent pe-
overshadow their mortal allies. Often godlike heroes riod for a Golden Age Mutants & Masterminds series.
“ANTI-HEROES”
THE POSTMODERN GOLDEN AGE The ‘90s aesthetic dictated that anyone who puts on a cos-
The Golden Age of comic books, as with any “golden age,” tume to fight other people wearing costumes (whether
eventually reached its end. Yet even as it came to a close, ostensibly a hero or a professed villain) is to some degree
time drew both readers and creators ever nearer to its insane. In fact, the degree and intensity of their craziness
eventual rediscovery. When costumed superheroes reap- is often the only way to tell the putative good guys from
peared at the dawn of the Silver Age, so did most Golden the bad guys. The costumed protagonists are prone to
Age storytelling conventions, with many of the era’s most obsessive-compulsive manias, and putting on a mask and
popular characters following suit, albeit often as shiny a cape are just a manifestation of their particular type of
new Silver Age revamps. Science fiction was all the rage in craziness. By some degree of contrast, the antagonists are
comic books’ second great era, and the Golden Age greats brutal killers, rapists, pederasts, or a combination thereof.
re-emerged covered in sci-fi trappings: aliens, weird sci-
ence, mutants, and just generally more space-y all around. Creating characters for a postmodern Golden Age style
series is a matter of selecting classic costumed-character
The process of revisiting and revising comic books’ first archetypes and putting dark spins on them. In this fash-
great era repeated itself throughout the ages that fol- ion, flag-costumed characters become ultra-nationalist
lowed, as creators viewed the primal majesty (and magni- zealots, blind to the flaws of their home country as well as
tudes-greater sales) of the Golden Age with envious eyes. the virtues of any other nation.
Today’s comic books are no exception, as Modern Age
Similarly, masked avengers become bloodthirsty vigilan-
writers and artists interpret the kid-centered comic books
tes, executing scores of criminals as part of a bloody war
of the ‘40s for the adult audience of the 21st century.
on crime in which no target is off limits for either side.
These efforts have yielded some of the very best stories Other types of costumed characters cease to fight lawless-
and titles of the Modern Age, and have shaped our con- ness and tyranny out of a sense of justice or higher obliga-
Longarms
Sawed-off Shotgun Ranged Damage 6 20 12
Skeet Shotgun Ranged Damage 4 20 8
Carbine Ranged Damage 4 20 8
Light Service Rifle Ranged Damage 5 20 10
Service Rifle Ranged Damage 6 20 12
Light Submachine Gun Ranged Multiattack Damage 3 20 9
Machine Guns
Light Machine Gun Ranged Multiattack Damage 4 20 12
Medium Machine Gun Ranged Multiattack Damage 5 20 15
Heavy Machine Gun Ranged Multiattack Damage 6 20 18
HEAVY WEAPONS
NAME DAMAGE CRITICAL COST
protecting important positions, like field some cases it can bend history a little bit, denying real-
headquarters. Heavy machine guns were sometimes world soldiers weapons they got to use on a daily basis
deployed in multi-weapon mountings for use against during the various wars of the Golden Age era.
enemy aircraft.
As it happens, most of the higher-cost weapons are also
crew-served weapons that don’t work (or at least, don’t
HEAVY WEAPONS work well) unless they’re fired as a group effort. Therefore,
as an optional rule Gamemasters can allow characters
Sometimes even a machine gun isn’t enough to get the acting as a dedicated crew for a certain weapon to acquire
job done. Maybe the enemy’s too far away, too well dug- it using equipment points contributed by each of them.
in, or there’s just too many of them. Maybe the enemy’s
skin is bulletproof, and a bigger bang is the only hope of For example, the two GIs responsible for the unit’s Light
stopping him. Mortar can split up the 15 equipment point cost to account
for the fact that without one of them loading and the other
Whatever the cause, here are the statistics for some of the aiming, the weapon is pretty much useless. Likewise, a
most common heavy weapons found in the armies of the Heavy Field Artillery Gun isn’t as much of a point burden if
Korean and Second World Wars. For obvious reasons (just all ten guys in its crew chip in 3-4 equipment points each.
glance at their game statistics), the Gamemaster should
incorporate these truly big guns into their games with As an option, the Gamemaster can simply choose not
care, lest their perfectly crafted adventures be ruined by charge military characters for equipment issued to them
a hail of shells fired from a mile away. by their government as part of their assigned duties. In a
series centered around the crew of a tank haunted by the
HEAVY WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT POINTS ghost of a Confederate general, for instance, the player
characters receive the tank itself for zero equipment
Many of the weapons listed here are pricey equipment points (though they may have to pay for the ghost,
point-wise. This is for reasons of game balance, but in depending on how much help he is to the crew).
GROUND VEHICLES
NAME SIZE STRENGTH SPEED DEFENSE TOUGHNESS COST
Jeep* H 8 5 7 9 8
Army Truck H 9 5 6 10 9
Halftrack* H 10 4 6 10 Impervious 31
Light Tank* H 9 5 6 11 Impervious 58
Medium Tank* H 10 4 6 12 Impervious 63
Heavy Tank* H 11 4 6 13 Impervious 69
WATER VEHICLES
NAME SIZE STRENGTH SPEED DEFENSE TOUGHNESS COST
Freighter G 20 3 4 13 16
Patrol Boat* G 12 5 4 11 50
Cruiser* A 20 5 0 15 Impervious 65
Battle Cruiser* A 20 4 0 16 Impervious 66
Escort Carrier* A 20 4 0 15 Impervious 51
Aircraft Carrier* A 24 4 0 18 Impervious 61
AIR VEHICLES
NAME SIZE STRENGTH SPEED DEFENSE TOUGHNESS COST
Airship A 20 4 0 15 13
Autogyro* H 8 6 8 9 16
Military Transport Plane G 13 6 4 12 17
Flying Boat* G 12 6/7 4 11 34
Prop Fighter* H 8 6 6 9 32+
Jet Fighter (WWII)* G 12 7 4 11 35+
Jet Fighter (Korean War)* G 12 7 4 12 36+
The Silver Age comics are characterized by a certain Communist villains (communists were never heroes) were
lighthearted tone and innocent sense of fun. The heroes are just as much caricatures as the fascists of the 1940s. They
not the grim and angry avengers of the early and war-era were either mindlessly loyal to the State, even brainwashed
Golden Age, but shining examples of the best in humanity. by their Party handlers, or thoroughly corrupt and willing to
The Silver Age sees the development of things like heroic serve the Communist Party so long as it furthered their own
codes against killing and support for the law, justice, and ends. Communist emblems like the red star (or the Chinese
American values. In part this is due to the Comics Code (see yellow stars on a red field) and the Russian hammer and
The Comics Code sidebar), which prohibits some of the sickle were all but required for the costumes of Red villains.
darker elements of older comics. In the Silver Age, heroes
are heroes, villains are villains, and that’s all there is to it. As the Silver Age progressed, attitudes toward
communist characters (or at least those from communist
Silver Age comics also don’t take themselves too seriously. nations) softened somewhat, although they remained
They’re not satires—although they are often campy—but stereotypical. Some characters chose to defect to the
they don’t focus on the realism of a world of costumed West, rejecting communism and showing their heroic
heroes and villains. Generally, the consequences of super- side. Their former “comrades” from home typically hunted
powers are cheerfully ignored to make for better stories. them for their betrayal.
THE ATOMIC AGE Golden Age predecessors. Some comic publishers created
updated versions of their Golden Age characters for an all-
new comic book audience, while other Silver Age heroes
The Silver Age is also the beginning of the atomic age,
were completely new. The explosion in comic publishing
with the proliferation of both nuclear power and nuclear
in the 1960s certainly meant there were more of them
weapons. The looming specter of the Bomb during the
than the handful of surviving heroes from the Golden Age.
Cold War only increased the mystique of “atomic power,”
which became the origin for many Silver Age characters. Like the postwar generation of the time, Silver Age heroes
Uncontrolled exposure to radiation—whether cosmic often held different attitudes from the previous genera-
rays, gamma bombs, or bites from radioactive animals— tion. Their Golden Age mentors, if they showed up at all,
figured into many origins. Comics also speculated that were often seen as “old fashioned.” Golden Age heroes
rising levels of background radiation (due to atomic tests who made the transition to the Silver Age sometimes felt
and such) were causing widespread genetic mutations, they belonged to a bygone era, and wondered what they
leading to a new generation of super-powered mutants. had to offer this new generation.
In many ways, these “children of the atom” embodied fears You can incorporate these elements into your series in
about nuclear power. They also served as proxies for the two ways. First, you can create Golden Age heroes for the
social upheavals of the 1960s and ‘70s, especially the civil new generation to follow, perhaps even having some of
rights movement. They were the strange children their them take up the mantles (and names) of their predeces-
parents couldn’t understand. People hated and feared sors, just as many Silver Age heroes did in the comics.
them for being who and what they were. Yet some mutants Second, you can provide opportunities for the heroes to
took the high road, using their powers to protect a world interact with the previous generation, perhaps emphasiz-
that wanted to destroy them. This analogy appealed ing the “generation gap” in terms of attitudes. This is es-
to many comic readers (often alienated teenagers pecially effective if one of the player’s heroes was around
themselves), leading to the popularity of mutant heroes. during the Golden Age and is now adjusting (or not!) to a
The Mutation origin (see page 29) has more information new generation.
on incorporating this theme into your series.
FANTASTIC FRONTIERS
SECOND-GENERATION SUPERS
More so than the Golden Age, the Silver Age of comics is
The heroes of the Silver Age made up a new generation one of wonder. In the era when humanity first went into
of superheroes, often following in the footsteps of their space and reached for the Moon, the comics featured an
HEAVY WEAPONS
WEAPON EFFECT CRITICAL COST
• Recoilless Rifles are direct-fire artillery weapons serve solely as “secretaries” to hero teams and they
designed to take out armored vehicles. Light mod- were just as capable as any male hero, if not more
els are fairly portable and can be fired from the so. Female villains often had enough of male-dom-
shoulder like a bazooka. Heavier and less mobile ination and were prepared to serve it up in spades.
models were better able to defeat newer, heavier- Stories ranged from serious issues of discrimination
armored tanks. The rifle’s antitank rounds have the to campy “battles of the sexes” where empowered
Penetrating extra on their damage, while anti-per- heroines who’d had enough fought it out with their
sonnel rounds have the Burst Area extra. Recoilless male counterparts (usually under some sort of vil-
rifles need a crew of three to five to operate normal- lainous influence).
ly. Heavier models were also mounted on jeeps. The
light (57mm), medium (75mm), and heavy (90mm • Black Power: Minority heroes—notably black he-
or 106mm) rifles were all phased out during the roes—become more common in the Bronze Age,
Vietnam War in favor of light anti-tank weapons although it was all but required for such heroes to
(LAWs, equivalent to the rocket launcher, see the have the word “Black” in their names. Such heroes
M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 167). were often angry crusaders for equal rights as well
as justice for all.
BRONZE AGE • Substance Abuse: Drug and alcohol abuse, previ-
The Bronze Age of comics follows on the tail end of the ously forbidden by the Comics Code, became issues
Silver Age, sometime in the 1970s and into the 1980s. It’s in the Bronze Age. Heroes fell victim to the “demon
characterized by an increasing sophistication in terms of in a bottle”—alcohol—and were forced to deal with
characterization and story, particularly a willingness to the consequences, or discovered their young wards
tackle more complex and mature issues skirting the limits were addicts, much as unsuspecting parents were
of the Comics Code. Bronze Age comics also feature par- forced to deal with children on drugs. In later years,
ticular fads and social trends of the time. the “War on Drugs” became a common theme, and
drug-dealers common foes for street-level heroes.
HUMAN HEROES Some heroes even gained their powers from acci-
dents involving designer drugs, echoing some of the
The heroes of the Bronze Age have feet of clay. While deliberate “super-serum” heroes of the Golden Age,
many Silver Age heroes were given foibles, they truly some of whom discovered they had a drug problem
come to the fore in the Bronze Age. Rather than just he- stemming from the source of their powers.
roes who bicker amongst themselves, for example, there • Youth Empowerment: From the flower children of
are heroes dealing with serious problems like alcoholism, the 1960s to the “Me Generation” of the 1980s, the
drug use, and racism. Heroes are portrayed as people, who
Bronze Age of comics featured more young people
sometimes make mistakes or have flaws they need to
who weren’t just loyal sidekicks of older mentors,
overcome.
but full-fledged heroes in their own right. Often, the
This creates plenty of opportunities for complications younger generation had a new way of doing things,
in Bronze Age style games. Heroes can have marital and and they were looking for independence from their
relationship problems, dark personal secrets, struggles elders.
between their heroic and super identities, and battles be-
tween conscience and duty. A particular issue for patriotic • Multinationalism: Following the trends of minority-
heroes in the Bronze Age is increasing cynicism toward rights, comics in the later years of the Bronze Age
patriotism and national loyalty in general. began to introduce more heroes and villains from na-
tions outside North America. Often they were simply
guest-stars, but some comics included regular for-
SOCIAL ISSUES eign characters, with different cultural backgrounds.
Comics also took place outside of North American
Bronze Age comics began to deal with some of the issues
cities and went to other places on Earth.
forbidden by the Comics Code by handling them in what
was considered a helpful way, offering positive role-mod-
els for young readers. For example, the comics addressed FADS AND FASHIONS
the issue of drug abuse by clearly portraying it as some-
thing bad. So long as it wasn’t glorified, the Code didn’t Bronze Age comics gleefully incorporated fads and
pose any problems (particularly since it was largely self- fashion-trends of the day, even more than Golden and
enforced anyway). Silver Age comics. So characters based on things like
disco, breakdancing, skateboarding, roller-blading, video
The major social issues of the 1970s and ‘80s all showed
games, heavy metal music, and similar trends were com-
up in the comics to one degree or another. Among the
mon (albeit mostly short-lived). Gamemasters looking to
most popular were:
capture the feel of the Bronze Age should consider some
• Women’s Rights: Feminist heroines and empowered of the fads and fashions of the time and base some non-
women became more common in the Bronze Age. player characters on them, encouraging players to do the
Female heroes made it clear they weren’t going to same.
IRON AGE weapons, but guns firing live ammo (preferably armor-
piercing and at full-auto).
The Iron Age or “Dark Age” of comics began sometime in In addition to guns, other lethal weapons are common, in-
the 1980s. It’s characterized by a shift away from the bright cluding swords, knives, and various martial arts weapons,
colors and simple themes of the Silver Age toward more especially shuriken, sais, katana, and nunchaku. Some
mature, often violent and explicit, stories and characters. characters have high-tech or magical versions of these
In particular, the Iron Age features a rise in vigilante he- weapons, but more often they are simply mundane tools
roes far more willing (if not eager) to kill their opponents. of bloody violence wielded by expert hands.
It finds echoes in Hollywood action-adventure films fea-
turing exaggerated gunplay, violence, and sexuality.
LEATHER & LATEX
SHADES OF GRAY Just as guns became fashion accessories for the well-
dressed hero or villain, costumes in the Iron Age took on
A key element of the Iron Age is the often morally am- a more “mature” appearance. Tight-fitting leather, with as
biguous nature of heroes and villains. Sometimes it’s dif- many straps and buckles as possible, or form-fitting la-
ficult to draw a clear line between the two. For example, in tex or spandex became common. Various sorts of body
the Silver Age, a hero whose family is murdered devotes armor showed up (to protect against all those guns) and
himself to bringing criminals to justice, and is sworn never costumes had a paramilitary style to them: jumpsuits,
to kill, since that makes him no better than the scum he bandoliers, web-belts, combat boots, and so forth, were
fights. In the Iron Age, the same origin creates a vigilante common elements. Sunglasses, goggles, and helmets of-
hero who swears to wreck bloody vengeance against all ten replaced masks, and heroes as well as villains sport
criminals. He does what the law cannot, because the sys- tattoos, piercings, and other body-art.
tem is flawed and corrupt, gunning down criminals and
fighting villains to the death. NINJA!
The moral ambiguity of the Iron Age extends beyond
The Iron Age of comics saw a fascination with martial arts,
just violence. It touches upon other issues like drug use,
ninja in particular: dark clad assassins wielding almost
sexuality, personal problems, and heroes making money
mystical powers of stealth. Rogue ninjas became vigilante
off their powers. Some Iron Age heroes are mercenaries,
heroes while villains often sent ninja minions or lieutenants
doing their job for pay. Others are ruthless businesspeo-
against the heroes. A common archetype was the westerner
ple, cashing in on their costumed identities with licens-
trained in the secret ninja arts (who then almost always
ing deals and personal appearances. An Iron Age setting
turns against ninja tradition to become a hero). Rivalries
should reflect these more complex and adult issues.
between student and teacher or former fellow students
provided conflict for heroes and villains. Any Iron Age team
BLACK OPS worth its salt had at least one ninja-like member (if not
several). See the ninja archetype (page 150).
Many Iron Age characters and stories adopted a paramili-
tary style. Instead of superheroes, characters were “special
operatives” often working for a government, corporation,
LONE WOLVES
or organization. Elements of the espionage and action- The heroes of the Iron Age were often solo acts, lone
adventure genres seeped into the comics. Code-names avengers on a personal quest. Since most Mutants & Mas-
were used as much for secrecy and covert operations as terminds games are group experiences, you may need to
for splashing across the headlines. Costumes tended to play down this aspect of the Iron Age. Fortunately, Iron
be less flashy, more body armor and camouflage, military- Age heroes did occasionally band together into teams,
style jumpsuits. Characters often adopted military atti- albeit more loosely organized than the superhero teams
tudes, ranks, and backgrounds. of the Silver Age. Iron Age teams were often modeled on
Iron Age villains also took on a more practical and political police or military special operations units rather than a
tone. Terrorists of various stripes became common, along crime-fighting “league.” Team members still occasionally
struck out on their own, especially when dealing with per-
with gangsters and drug-lords (reflecting the 1980s “War
sonal matters they preferred to keep to themselves.
on Drugs”). Villains were more likely to be found in board-
rooms than secret volcano lairs, and they controlled inter-
national networks of influence. Solo Iron Age villains were REALISTIC POWERS
often psychotic serial killers and similar monsters.
Super-powers in the Iron Age were often treated more
realistically than before. Writers sought to power-down
GUNS, GUNS, GUNS! many characters and offer at least somewhat reasonable
explanations for the fantastic powers of others. More im-
Iron Age heroes like guns, and lots of them. Even some portantly, they explored many of the consequences of
heroes who didn’t particularly need guns carried and used such powers, beyond using them to fight crime and injus-
them. These were real guns, too, not Silver Age “blasters,” tice. What did it really mean to be a god among mortals,
guns loaded with “mercy bullets,” or similar science-fiction an alien among humans?
A NEW GENERATION
Part of the Iron Age revolution in comic books was the
appearance of new publishers (and characters) for the
first time in decades. Often, these new publishers were
creating their own superhero “universes,” independent
from established superhero mythologies. That meant
their new heroes were the first of their kind in their re-
spective worlds. There was no back-story, no previous
generations of heroes or villains (or, if there was, it sim-
ply wasn’t mentioned or important). One very effective
means of setting an Iron Age genre world apart from the
rest is to simply start things off that way from the very
first appearance of super-powers in the world, creating
a setting that never had a Golden or Silver Age for com-
parison.
LONGARMS
• Pump shotguns are commonly used both as mili-
tary and sporting weapons. Models modified for use
by soldiers or the police, sometimes called “combat
shotguns,” have increased ammunition capacity via a
tube or box magazine. Shotguns can fire shot, which
does the listed damage with Accurate 1 due to the
spread, but Limited to Damage 3 against targets with
Protection. It can also load solid slugs, which inflict
the same damage, but without the Accurate bonus
or the Limit on Damage.
WEAPONS
WEAPON EFFECT CRITICAL COST
Longarms
Pump shotgun Ranged Damage 5* 20 11
Land Mines
Anti-Personnel Triggered Burst Area Damage 5, Penetrating 2 - 13
Anti-Tank (m-kill) Triggered Burst Area Damage 10, Penetrating 6 - 27
Anti-Tank (k-kill) Triggered Burst Area Damage 15, Penetrating 8 - 39
LETHAL DAMAGE
The lethal damage options from Chapter 7 make the whole application of Damage effects more realistic and dangerous.
MODIFY POWERS
You can require that certain abilities, like a high Strength rank, work more realistically than they do in the current rules. For
example, you may say that Strength over rank 6 always does lethal damage when used in combat, and that characters must
have a certain amount of leverage to use their strength. A super-strong character can’t stop a car without damaging it, or pick
up a structure without having it collapse under its own weight. Other powers and abilities can be modified in a similar way.
SLOW RECOVERY
Characters in Mutants & Masterminds recover from damage and injury fairly quickly. In a more realistic game, characters
may recover slower. This means damage conditions put characters out of action for longer and players will likely go to
greater lengths to avoid them.
have a setting the players have been enjoying for years You can also create a sense of familiarity in your series
(which is certainly possible). Fortunately, there are some by playing off many of the standard comic book
things you can do to achieve the same sense of history in archetypes. Create characters in your setting’s history
your own series. that are familiar in style, if not identical, to published
comic book characters. Perhaps a well-known hero is
The first is to give the series a rich and detailed history. a strange visitor from another world, or there is a dark
It’s more difficult to run a Modern Age series in a setting avenger active in the Golden or Silver Age (perhaps
where superhumans have only just appeared, for with a modern heir). Model hero teams on existing ones
example. There’s no historical context for them. The more from the comics, and they’ll seem familiar to the players,
context you provide, the more alive the setting becomes. even if they have totally different characters. Set most
Be careful not to overwhelm the players with too much of these characters in the past, and you give the setting
information right off, but create the history and use it as a context while allowing the players to take things in new
source of ideas for adventures in the present day. directions in the present. You can even take the Golden
and Silver Ages of published comics and use them as the
One particularly good use of a heroic history is the “legacy history and backdrop of your series, creating a totally
character,” a hero or villain based on a previous character new and different Modern Age based on them.
in the setting. For example, a modern-day hero might be
the second or third in a line of heroes with the same name
(and perhaps similar powers and costumes). Heroic (and SENSE OF WONDER
villainous) identities are passed on across generations,
creating characters with built-in histories, enemies, and Many Modern Age comics tried to restore the “sense of
story hooks. wonder” found in the Silver Age, although a trifle more se-
ORIGINS
What is the origin of superhumans and their powers? In most comic books, it’s more accurate to say, “What are the
origins of super-powers?” There are usually several, creating worlds where mutants, aliens, robots, sorcerers, and gods
may all be members of the same team. This section looks at the various superhuman origins and how to use them in
your Mutants & Masterminds series.
ALIENS AMONG US (see Gods, following). These beings often draw upon
“the power cosmic,” also known as the power primordial,
A common comic book theme involves shape-shifting or primal power, cosmic energy, and so forth. This cosmic
mind-controlling aliens infiltrating and influencing human power may be the source for various super-powers, giv-
society. (This was particularly common during the Commu- ing them the “cosmic” descriptor. In the comics, cosmic
nist scares of the Cold War era.) You may wish to introduce power ranges in versatility from a form of energy control
a race of alien shape-changers, mind-controlling slugs, or to a force limited solely by the imagination of its wielder.
disembodied “psychic parasites,” as adversaries for the he-
roes. Such foes stir up fear and mistrust by imitating or co-
opting authority figures or other heroes. They may also set CHARACTER CONCEPTS
off a wave of xenophobia among humans, perhaps in addi-
tion to (or substituting for) a fear of mutants and mutation • An alien police officer sent to track down a criminal
(see Mutation, later in this chapter). hiding out on Earth. After apprehending his quarry,
the officer might be assigned to safeguard Earth full-
THE PROGENITORS time. Alternately, the officer might be killed, pass-
ing on his uniform and weapons (and perhaps even
powers) to a worthy human.
Many comics include the idea of ancient alien races visiting
Earth in the distant past (often based on the “ancient • The last survivor of an alien race finds a new home
astronaut” theories of aliens interacting with civilizations on Earth and tries to blend in with humanity, while
like the Egyptians and the Mayans). These “Progenitors” may using the powers granted by Earth’s environment to
be a single race or many different races over the millennia. fight crime.
They influence human evolution and development in
different ways, providing technology, performing genetic • Aliens abduct an otherwise ordinary human and use
modifications, even interbreeding with Earth creatures. advanced technology to give their subject super-
Alien intervention is one means of explaining the powers. They may intend the subject to become one
development of superhumans on Earth. It may also explain of Earth’s protectors or the aliens might have a more
various mythological or historical oddities. sinister purpose in mind. Perhaps they’re simply curi-
ous and testing the limits of human potential.
COSMIC POWER • An alien energy being merges with a human host to
experience corporeal life, granting its host various
Aliens may include various “cosmic” beings, forces of great powers while in turn learning about human compas-
age and power in the universe, essentially alien gods sion and goodness.
The comics tend to be (deliberately) vague about the • The divine spirit or essence of a god possesses a
theological implications of mythological gods co-existing, mortal host.
and of the existence or nature of the Judeo-Christian God.
• One or more gods invest a mortal with portions of
Generally, the question of contradictory creation myths
their power to create a superhuman champion.
and similar things is simply ignored, or treated with some
vague hand waving about how the cosmos actually came • A guardian angel volunteers to accept mortality and
into being in many ways (that is, all mythologies are true, life on Earth in order to actively defend humanity
even the contradictory ones). The creator God (associated from the forces of evil.
with the Judeo-Christian Jehovah) is a distant, largely un-
involved and unknowable figure, although He may have
various angels, saints, and other agents, usually on par MAGIC & MYSTICISM
with the power of other mythic gods. Magic is a real and active force in most comic book
universes, although it may operate behind the scenes.
HEAVEN, HELL, AND BEYOND The average person probably doesn’t believe in magic as
such, attributing the abilities of sorcerers and wizards to
The existence of a god or gods also implies the existence more “mundane” super-powers, the same with magical
of various mythic dimensions, including (but not limited creatures and dimensions. Even in a world with caped
to) Heaven, Hell, Asgard, Olympus, Heliopolis, Nirvana, the people who fly and bend steel in their bare hands, magic
Dreamtime, and so forth. These and many other celestial is a strange and barely understood force.
Magic tends to produce three types of super-powered Someone or something may deliberately endow a charac-
characters: magicians, the magically empowered, and ter with magical powers. A deity is one example (see Gods,
magical creatures. earlier in this chapter). Others include ancient wizards,
witches, angels, demons, spirits, and other magical entities,
MAGICIANS along with sentient magic items. A classical example is the
ancient Greek hero Achilles. His mother dipped him in the
Magicians—also known as sorcerers, mages, wizards, waters of the underworld to make him invulnerable, but
witches, and so forth—are people (not necessarily human) since she held him by his heel, it becomes his only weak
who have learned to harness and control magical forces, spot. Magical empowerment may be intended as a curse
allowing them to cast various sorts of spells. In most set- rather than a gift. Examples include the curse of lycanthro-
tings, the ability to use magic is py (turning someone into a werewolf or similar creature)
a learned ability, although not or transforming someone into an undead creature.
everyone has the will, talent, or
dedication to learn it. Indeed, Characters empowered by magic have traits and
magicians tend to be a rare and powers much like any other, except their powers
select group, although there are typically have a magic or mystic descriptor applied
often many minor dabblers and to them.
adepts compared to true masters
of the mystic arts. JUST LIKE MAGIC
Magicians are a secretive lot, for the
One option for a setting is to assume all su-
most part. They deal with forces
and beings few others under- per-powers are actually magical in nature,
stand, so they tend to keep to even those with other apparent causes,
themselves, even as members like accidents of birth or science. Essen-
of a team. The control and tially, the forces of magic bend
discipline magical training or ignore scientific laws, much
requires may make them like most comic book super-
seem distant, even cold, powers. So when a child is
and villainous magicians born a “mutant” with the
tend to have tremen- potential for superhu-
dous egos. man powers, it’s not
because of some
Comic book genetic anomaly,
magicians may but the position
cast spells of the stars, the
by invoking force of fate, or
names and some other mystic
entities of tide in the universe.
power (often Likewise, magic allows
alliterative ones, like
otherwise ordinary people
the “Mystic Mists of
to not only survive oth-
Malador” or the “Silent
erwise fatal accidents,
Serpents of Set”). Players
but to transform into
should feel free to come up with
something more than
suitably atmospheric spells and
human. They may think
incantations for their charac-
it was radiation or toxic
ters, and GMs should reward
players who belt out spells waste, but it was actu-
with aplomb by giving them ally magic! This approach
minor bonuses to attack rolls, power checks, or saving has the advantage of being unified and simple. It also ex-
throws involving those spells. Note many magicians are plains away all the improbabilities by chalking them up
deprived of their powers if they cannot speak or gesture to magical forces. However, it can create a certain feeling
to cast their spells, a complication for the Magic power. of sameness in the series, and may affect the use of some
powers if every character has a “magic” descriptor.
MUTANT HYSTERIA While the terms “psionic” and “mental power” are often
used interchangeably, they are actually two distinct cate-
More than any other origin, mutation, particularly genetic gories. While psionic powers are all mental in nature, men-
mutants, tend to frighten ordinary people. The possibility tal effects like Mind Reading are not necessarily psionic.
of anyone being a latent mutant, combined with the idea They might just as easily exist through magic, divine pow-
of mutants as a “Homo superior” evolution of humanity, er, or super-science.
destined to make normal Homo sapiens extinct, is enough
to stir up fear and paranoia against them. In some set-
tings, the same feelings may be directed against all su-
ALL IN YOUR MIND
perhumans (particularly if all superhumans are mutants), It’s quite possible all super-powers are ultimately
while in other settings, they may be reserved solely for psionic! Since psi is such a broad category and virtually
mutants, who are easily categorized as a separate “race” any super-power can be rationalized as a function of the
with designs on humanity’s future. Still other settings may user’s mind, will, or imagination, psionics are sometimes
treat mutants as no different than any other superhuman used as a catch-all explanation for super-powers,
origin, provoking no more or less prejudice. especially in settings featuring a single, unified origin
for superhumans (see One Origin later in this chapter).
CHARACTER CONCEPTS Characters may believe their powers are actually magic
or reliant on super-science gadgets, and effectively they
• A teenager discovers a newfound “gift” or “talent,” might be. After all, if a character has to speak spells or use
which is initially confusing and frightening, and may a device to make things happen, then those powers are
be as much as curse as a gift. functionally the same as magic and super-science. The
only difference is the real power source (and therefore
• An otherwise ordinary person is exposed to a muta- descriptor) is psionic.
gen and gains superhuman powers. Was it an acci-
dent or a staged experiment? Can the mutagen give
similar powers to others?
MIND SCARE
• An astronaut is bombarded by strange radiation, or ex- Powers like Mind Reading and Remote Sensing have
posed to the power of an alien artifact. Perhaps the en- frightening potential for abuse. Some settings may feature
tire crew is exposed, each acquiring different powers. restrictive laws about violating the privacy of others and
reading thoughts without consent. They may also see
• An extended family of mutants, with a history stretch- some prejudice toward mind-readers and clairvoyants,
ing back for generations, has hidden from ordinary out of fear of what they could do. If technology for
humanity. Now the latest generation has decided it’s defeating Mind Reading and Remote Sensing exists, odds
time to “go public” with their abilities (if not their en- are people like government officials and law-enforcement
tire family history). will use it. The GM may also want to address the legality of
information obtained through mind reading.
• A mutant “preview” of humanity’s future, born with
the capabilities of a human 10,000 years (or more) in In a more four-color series, the GM can largely ignore these
the future. Is the next stage in human evolution hu- issues, especially if Mind Reading and Remote Sensing are
manity’s protector or conqueror? relatively rare effects.
SUPER-SCIENCE
The line between science fiction and comic
books has been blurry since the very beginning.
Many early science fiction writers also wrote
comic books, and superhero comics have always
included science fiction elements, although
they became especially prevalent in the Silver
Age of comics. Many comic book heroes (and
especially villains) feature science and technology
far beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN A unified origin provides a degree of predictability to the
setting. It is also more plausible, better suited for more re-
alistic settings. On the other hand, a single origin limits
It’s up to the Gamemaster to define the limits of training
or prohibits certain character types. It may create a cer-
as a power source. Generally, the more realistic the setting,
tain sameness among the superhuman characters in the
the more limited training becomes. In four-color comics,
series.
otherwise normal human beings train to superhuman lev-
els of competence. While high ability scores are considered A single origin also limits the descriptors applied to su-
“superhuman” they’re still available through training, if the per-powers. Keep in mind this may affect how some de-
GM sees fit. Other effects are left to GM interpretation. Usu- scriptor-based effects work. For example, having an effect
ally any effect suitable as an advantage (even an advantage work against only one descriptor (such as “psionic pow-
with multiple levels) is suitable as a training effect. ers”) doesn’t qualify as a flaw if every effect in the setting
has that descriptor.
ESOTERIC SECRETS
MULTIPLE ORIGINS
While training can and does develop things like psychic
abilities and esoteric martial arts, these effects usually re- You may allow more than one origin in the series, but set
quire additional descriptors, such as “psychic” or “chi,” to specific limits in terms of suitable powers, effects, and
properly define them. As always, the GM decides which modifiers for any given origin. For example, in a series
descriptors are appropriate for a particular effect. about super-powered mutants in the near future, you
decide to allow the mutation and super-science origins,
CHARACTER CONCEPTS along with the alien origin (although the existence of
aliens is not widely known). You might also limit super-
• A foundling left at the doorstep of an isolated mon- science powers, disallowing effects like Dimension Travel
astery in Asia, raised by the monks there and trained and Mind Reading, for example, although they are avail-
in every aspect of physical and mental discipline, able to the other power sources.
perfect in mind and body as well as being taught a
Multiple origins allow for some variety in the series, but
rigorous moral code and a duty to justice.
also require more work on the Gamemaster’s part to define
• The child of a Westerner and one of the last scions and limit the options available for each power source. You
of a fabled Japanese ninja clan. Trained in the secret may want to do this on a character-by-character basis or
arts of invisibility, stealth, and assassination, but just establish guidelines for the entire series.
choosing to use them to bring down the clan and all
it represents.
POWERS AND SOCIETY Some mental powers may be effective in providing edu-
cation and monitoring the progress of students.
How does society at large react to super-powers and
those who wield them? Do people with powers hold a
ENTERTAINMENT
special place in society, or are they treated just like every-
A wide range of powers have entertainment value, rang-
one else? If the latter, then why? (They’re definitely not
ing from putting on shows to using powers to provide
“just like everyone else!”)
special effects. Some powers even create entirely new
Society can react in a number of different ways to powers, forms of entertainment, or addictions, for that matter.
and these are not all mutually exclusive. Some segments
of society and particular individuals react differently, and EXPLORATION
there may be different attitudes toward different powers.
A culture regarding divine power as a sign of great favor Super-explorers can reach places others cannot, at least
may at the same time see magical powers as a mark of not easily. Movement effects like Flight or Teleport ex-
evil. Some powers may be lauded as “natural” while others pand the bounds of exploration. Effects like Dimension
are seen as “unnatural” or “perverse.” The classic example and Time Travel expand it even further. Sensory effects
is mutant powers, often looked upon with suspicion com- allow explorers to perceive entirely new things about the
pared to other sorts of super-powers. places and things they explore.
The existence of powers may be kept secret for a number Of course, just because the general public knows of
of reasons. Supers may fear society’s reaction to their exis- powers doesn’t mean they know everything about them.
tence (and rightly so). Keeping powers secret provides the They may not know how they work, for example (in fact,
element of surprise. Powers may be inherently dangerous it’s possible nobody knows). Public beliefs about powers
or corrupting, things best kept out of the wrong hands. A may even be entirely wrong. For example, a conspiracy
higher power or powers may forbid revealing their exis- may have convinced the general populace supers are the
tence to anyone; secrecy may even be a requirement to chosen of divine forces, when in fact their powers come
keep powers functioning! from an entirely different source. In some cases even
supers might not know that public beliefs about their
Whatever the case, a secret powers series has two “worlds”: powers are incorrect. Superstition, folk-beliefs, and urban
the mundane world where everyone is ignorant of the legends may color the perception of powers.
COSMOLOGY
Once you have tackled Earth, there’s the rest of the universe to consider! Superhero comics rarely confine themselves to
one world, and there’s no reason you have to, either. Give some thought to the cosmology of your setting, of the infinite
possibilities of worlds beyond Earth, and the adventures waiting there.
SPACE AND ALIENS ally every type of alien monster has shown up at some
point. Alien monsters are like homegrown menaces, ex-
cept sometimes they turn out to be something other than
Is there alien life in your setting? If not, then you’re over-
what they appear. The classic example is the alien “mon-
looking a lot of potential stories and origins. Aliens of all
ster” that’s actually a child or infant of its species; it doesn’t
kinds are common in the comics, and alien worlds make
intend harm, but it doesn’t know any better! Similar ex-
great settings for adventures, either for a change of pace or
amples include abandoned alien war-machines, genetic
an entire series. Some of the typical aliens include the fol-
experiments from long-dead worlds, and alien parents
lowing (see the Alien origin earlier in this chapter for more).
come looking for those rambunctious youngsters.
Alien worlds are sources of various monsters in the com- • Nazi-World: The Axis won World War II and now
ics, from the giant, rampaging types capable of flattening rules the world. Parallel versions of the heroes may
cities to cunning hunters lurking in the shadows. Virtu- be freedom fighters or Nazi super-soldiers!
• Normal-World: This is a parallel world where there are by the various figments of the imagination, which are ef-
no super-powers! Essentially, Normal-Earth is like our fectively “real” there. The dream dimension is well suited
world: no costumed heroes or villains, no aliens, no for fantastic adventures in various dreamscapes, where
super-science or other comic book elements to it at all. nearly anything can happen.
may be a “dark dimension” filled with nothing but an infinity from point A to point B, while other dimensions serve as
of inky black force, which certain superhumans tap into to “pockets” for storing weapons and other devices. Power
produce darkness-based effects. Another dimension could dimensions are rarely places to visit, although they can
contain nothing but proto-matter which powers like Cre- provide story hooks and ideas, and a visit to one can be a
ate or Growth draw upon for their effects. Teleporters might change-of-pace adventure, especially if the power dimen-
actually move through a “pocket” dimension on their way sion isn’t entirely what the heroes expected.
HISTORY
The history of your setting provides a context for the present-day. Is there a long history of costumed heroes and
villains, with the player characters as the next generation, or are they the first superhumans the world has ever seen?
How has the presence of super-powers changed things, if it has changed them at all?
The first, and most likely, thing to affect history in the set-
ting is the presence of superhumans. Have they always
RECENT HISTORY
been around, or are they a fairly recent innovation? If peo- Established comic book settings usually place the major
ple with super-powers have existed for a while, then how emergence of superhumans around the same time as
long, and what effect has their presence had on history? the appearance of superhero comics as a genre: in the
late 1930s and early 1940s, the “Golden Age” of comics
PREHISTORY (see Golden Age earlier in this chapter). This is when
superhumans go from mythic heroes and mysterious
In most comic book universes, super-powers of one sort forces to costumed champions of truth and justice with
or another have been around from the very beginning, super-criminals as their foes.
even before recorded human history. Of course, most of
these super-beings are known in the modern world only Some settings start back as early as the Victorian era and
as legends or myths, and their existence throughout his- the Wild West in America (the late 1800s) or the “pulp”
tory hasn’t changed things much from the world we know. era of early “mystery men” and masked adventurers (in
the 1920s and ‘30s). The first true modern “superheroes,”
A common prehistoric source for superhumans is a mythic however, don’t show up until the Golden Age.
civilization like Atlantis, Lemuria, or Mu (or all of them and
then some, in many worlds). These fantastic places may Did your setting progress through Golden, Silver, and
possess super-science, magical power, or any number of Iron Ages to the modern day? Maybe superhumans
other origins. Remnants of their civilizations often still ex- didn’t appear until the Silver or Iron Age and there were
ist in the modern world, usually as sunken cities or under- no earlier ages. On the other hand, maybe the Golden
ground domains (see Fantastic Frontiers, see page 16). or Silver Age never ended and are still going on in the
You can run a prehistoric Mutants & Masterminds series set modern day. It’s easy to imagine a modern setting with
in an earlier age of the world, or just make it a place for a Golden Age aesthetic, looking something like visions of
modern heroes to visit via time or dimensional travel. the future from the 1939 World’s Fair, for example.
SOCIETY
Consider what impact (if any) the existence of superhumans has had on society in your setting. Four-color superhero
settings tend to have fewer societal changes, while gritty or realistic settings have the most changes, based on the
power and prevalence of superhumans. The more powerful they are and the longer they’ve been around, the more
society has had to adapt to their presence.
MASKS AND
SECRET IDENTITIES
Does the law recognize the right of su-
perheroes (or villains, for that matter) to
wear masks and conceal their identities?
The American justice system, for exam-
ple, says a defendant has the right to face
his accuser, and allowing the accuser to
wear a mask might violate that right. If
the law bends the rules to allow masked
heroes to testify in criminal cases, what
about other situations? If a costumed
criminal is arrested, can the police un-
mask him immediately? This might not
seem important to the heroes, until they
get arrested for something!
ORGANIZATIONS
Various organizations play roles in the setting. The Gamemaster may want to include some or all of the types of
organizations in this section, or at least take them into consideration when creating the setting.
This chapter looks at villains and what makes them tick. We start off with a look at the different categories of villains:
levels of power, types of wrongdoing, and relationships between villain and hero. The chapter moves on to what
motivates villains, their goals, and how they justify their actions to themselves and others. A series of detailed supervillain
archetypes provide examples and ready-made bad guys Gamemasters can use or build upon. Then come supervillain
teams and villainous organizations, followed by a discussion of villain tactics (from combat to traps and escape plans).
The villain section concludes with some advice to Gamemasters on creating villains M&M players will truly enjoy hating
and defeating time and again.
In their own way, supervillains are just as iconic as their heroic counterparts. They have different levels of power and
ability, and individual goals and motifs. Villains also play particular roles in the lives of the heroes they bedevil, from
bothersome nuisances to hated archfoes locked in a struggle to the death. This section looks at the various ways of clas-
sifying villains and how they apply to a Mutants & Masterminds game.
MASTER VILLAINS
The master villain is what many people think of when they
think “supervillain”: the evil mastermind with the hidden
lair, army of minions, and the fiendish plan for world-dom-
ination. Master villains are the prime-movers of the super-
villain hierarchy. They are the ones who come up with
the plans lieutenants and henchmen execute, the ones
heroes look to track down, confront, and finally—at long
last—bring to justice. Even then, however, no prison
can truly hold them, and they will inevitably
escape—or return from seemingly certain
death—to menace the world anew.
A disaster villain is similar to a brute; however, where These roles give villains depth and character and, by
brutes just want to fight, disaster villains just want to definition, make them important to the heroes. Consider
destroy. They are like personified natural disasters rather assigning at least one (if not more) of these roles to the
than simple sparring partners, and heroes often focus major villains in your series, and keep them in mind when
more on containing them and the tremendous damage you are filling out your roster of bad guys. Have you over-
they cause than fighting them directly. Disaster villains looked any major role opportunities? Now might be a
may be almost mindless (or at least impossible to reason good time to bring in a new foe to fill that niche.
The classic nuisance villain is incredibly powerful, even to by a villainous mentor who chooses to use his powers for
the level of being omnipotent, but uses that power to do good, earning his former master’s disfavor. There are also
petty and childish things that bedevil the heroes. The he- situations where heroes turn against their government,
roes cannot simply overcome their foe in a fair fight; they sometimes with a legitimate disagreement over what is
have to play by the villain’s rules or use cunning and trick- fair and just, leading to government-employed villains or
ery to win. shadowy criminal conspiracies working against the he-
roes and ostensibly for the authorities.
OPPOSITE
A common idea in the comics is to make a villain the he-
VILLAIN MOTIVATIONS
ro’s opposite, a natural enemy. It can be a simple theme, Comic book villains are often the prime movers of the
such as a brawny hero opposed by a brainy (but physically world: they are the ones who come up with new schemes,
weak) villain, or fire versus ice, light versus darkness, snake take action, and shake things up. They are looking to
versus mongoose, and so forth. A single hero can have change the world the heroes are content to merely de-
many potential antitheses, depending on which way the fend.
lens of interpretation is turned.
Given this role as motive force and raison d’être for the
Perhaps the most potent opposite is one of philosophy heroes, it is important to consider exactly why villains do
or outlook. So a patriotic American hero devoted to the what they do, since that influences things like how they
ideals of liberty and freedom might face a foe who is the go about it, and what happens when those bothersome
embodiment of tyranny and fascism, for example. A hero heroes choose to get in the way once again. This section
who represents control and order could be archenemies looks at what motivates villains: what they want, and how
with a villain representing chaos and madness. This makes they justify trying to get it.
the villain especially offensive to the hero, beyond just a
motif. GOALS
TURNCOAT Conflict happens in a story because one character wants
something, and one or more other characters want some-
Superheroes are not necessarily above pursuing vendet- thing else, putting them in conflict. In the case of the clas-
tas and personal grudges, especially when it comes to sic superhero story, the heroes want safety and stability
their costumed foes. A hero’s personal enmity towards a for the world, while the villain wants something that up-
villain may be due to not just antisocial behavior, but a sets those things. The exact goal varies but, by definition,
personal betrayal. it is something the heroes will most likely want to oppose.
In some rare cases it is the hero who is seen as the betray- Whatever the case, the heroes should be aware of the po-
er, most often a hero who started out on the wrong side of tential threat and of their foe’s ability to carry it out, given
the law and reformed, leaving former criminal associates the opportunity. The focus of the struggle against the vil-
with a desire for revenge. One example is the hero trained lain is preventing terrible destruction, or at least contain-
ing it. Most such villains do not succeed, obviously. If they choices and futures. Some do this because it feeds their
do, either the heroes need a means of undoing the de- power or egos; others want to prove everyone is corrupt-
struction or the series will take a very significant turn (see ible, given the right circumstances, justifying the villain’s
What if the Villain Wins?, later in this chapter). cynical attitudes and beliefs.
CHAOS FAME
The villain wants to sow chaos and confusion, flouting The limelight is a powerful draw, and villains may commit
the laws of the land and the conventions of society. This crimes simply for the attention it brings them, believing
might be out of an ideological devotion to chaos or anar- “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Other criminals
chy and a desire to overthrow lawful institutions, or sim- want acknowledgement and fame for some achievement,
ply a childish desire to break the law and get away with often the fame they feel has been unjustly denied them.
it. Some villains want to riot simply to watch things burn. This may come with a competitive streak in the villain’s
area of expertise, such as a mad scientist who wants the
Chaotic villains are dangerous due to their unpredictable acclaim of the scientific community for a particular discov-
nature and their willingness to upset the status quo just ery or invention, or a martial artist looking to claim the
for the sake of it. They sometimes try to enlist heroes in title of world’s greatest fighter.
their efforts, or at least put them in the difficult position
of having to choose the lesser of several evils in order to Famous heroes serve to inspire jealousy, and they cannot
prove the criminals’ devotion to chaos and randomness is win; heroes who bask in the adoration of their fans are
the only thing that makes sense in a disordered universe. vain and arrogant and need to be taken down a notch,
while those who humbly demure are putting on a show
CONTROL of false humility the villain wants to expose to the world.
In either case, the adversary’s dislike for the heroes may
Some villains seek to control people and things, from their approach a need for revenge (see that motivation, follow-
immediate lives to everyone in the world! A villain’s de- ing).
sire for control may stem from a simple lust for power or
a sincere belief that everyone involved would be better
off. Control may be a means to an end (such as acquiring
FORTUNE
power) or the end in and of itself.
Greed is a powerful motivation, and many villains simply
One particular type of control villains seek is to corrupt want to “cash in” on their abilities with some get-rich-
the innocent and heroic, to exert influence over their quick scheme or another. It may be as simple as knock-
ing over banks and jewelry stores or as complicated as a More than any other type of villain, the misguided bad
massive extortion or fraud scheme to make millions or guy feels and appears justified, and may place the heroes
even billions. It might not even be strictly cash, but other in a quandary about dealing with such a sympathetic foe.
sorts of assets, like stock or valuable commodities; the Sometimes, a misguided villain sees the light and reforms,
key point is control of considerable wealth, and all that perhaps even becoming a true hero, while others stub-
comes with it. bornly cling to their own views and never change.
In some cases, pursuit of fortune is simply a means to Misguided villains might even start out appearing to be
achieve another goal. This one assumes the wealth is the heroes, until the main characters discover their true moti-
ultimate end unto itself; obviously, the villain also has to vations or witness them about to step over the line. Han-
ensure the means to actually spend all that new-gotten dling a misguided superhuman poorly can also lead to
wealth, or it is worthless. them becoming true villains, embittered by their defeats
and those who could not understand what they were try-
Of course, using amazing superhuman powers (or worse, ing to do. They may easily change their motive to revenge
super-scientific inventions) simply to knock-over banks (see the following)... against the heroes!
is largely a trope of the four-color comics. More realistic
super-powered settings may focus on other ways super-
humans can use their powers to make money, some legal
POWER
and some illegal (complete with new laws to deal with
For some it is all about power: having it and using it. No
some of the new things supers can do). If the idea that a
matter how powerful they may be already, many villains
guy capable of inventing a working freeze-ray would use
lust after more power and will go to great lengths to
it to rob jewelry stores snaps your suspenders of disbelief,
achieve it. True master villains often seek ultimate power,
you’re probably better off with a more realistic approach
apotheosis—to become like unto a god. Obviously, the
to supervillainy in your game.
heroes are going to have objections on that score, even
MISGUIDED if the steps their foe need to take to get there are benign,
and that is rarely the case.
A misguided villain is one who does the right thing in the
Usually, acquiring greater power takes ruthlessness and
wrong way, or the wrong thing for the right reasons, who
a willingness to steal, murder, and do whatever is neces-
could almost be a hero under different circumstances.
sary. Some attempt to rationalize this as a sacrifice for the
THREE-DIMENSIONAL VILLAINY
Giving some thought to a villain’s role, motivation, and justifications can add considerable depth to otherwise stereo-
typed or limited characters. Sometimes all you need to liven up an old villain concept or archetype is to change around
one of those elements normally associated with them, substituting something fresh and new. For example, the Overlord
archetype is often motivated by a desire for control or power, justified by nobility or pride. What about an Overlord villain
who is seeking the thrills and challenge of brinksmanship against worthy adversaries, or one who must conquer in order
to continue to exist, being an avatar of a god or spirit of war?
Even archetypal villains can have some amount of character and personality to them. Consider a villain’s motives when
you are creating an adventure and chances are you will come up with a better story than simply having a bad guy doing
bad things for their own sake. Take a look at the In-Depth Villains section at the end of this chapter for more ideas.
NOBILITY REBELLION
Noble villains certainly do not consider themselves “vil- In every society there are those who cannot, or will not,
lains” at all; indeed, they do what they consider right and follow the rules. “I will not do as I am told,” they say. Like
just, with such dedication they will not be swayed, even Lucifer’s fall from grace, they feel it is better to rule as a
if the rest of the world decides they are wrong and labels free outsider than it is to conform. They reject society’s
them “evil” because of it. laws and become a law unto themselves, resisting any at-
tempt to stop or restrain them.
Although they are almost admirable, villains justifying
their actions as “noble” are really driven by ego: the idea Some rebels are looking to reform the system in some
that they and only they can possibly do what needs to be way. They defy what they see as unfair or unjust laws, hop-
done for the good of the ing to demonstrate to oth-
world (or at least the good ers and inspire them to do
of those the villain thinks to “Pain? Pain is like love, like compassion! It is a the same. They don’t reject
benefit). Some have mar- thing only for lesser men. What is pain to Doom?” the concept of following
tyr complexes, considering rules altogether, but often
themselves persecuted and - Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four #5 go too far to make their
willing to sacrifice for “the point. Examples include
greater good” (although it is not always self-sacrifice). Oth- the mad scientist “oppressed” by regulations on research
ers have a true messiah complex and believe they have and experimentation in dangerous areas, or the fanatic
been “chosen” (by destiny or divine providence) to change opposed to a particular law of the land, seeking to ad-
the world. vance a political cause.
There are even those noble foes who seem almost heroic: Other rebels are true anarchists, obeying no law but their
they claim they do not want to oppose the law and the he- own. They might be philosophically devoted to the ide-
roes upholding it, but circumstances give them no choice. als of anarchy and self-determination, or so egotistical as
They will fight for what they believe, regardless of the cost. to place themselves “above” or “beyond” the laws of lesser
Of course, it is the heroes’ job to prove there is always a beings.
choice, and the very assumption that they “must do what
must be done” is often the antagonist’s ego speaking, a SURVIVAL
blind spot they cannot easily overcome.
Remember this phrase: “Does the lion concern himself
PRIDE with the fate of his prey?” It is one you will get a lot of use
out of when it comes to foes who justify their actions as
They say “pride goeth before a fall,” and this is certainly part of their right to survive. Many villains have powers or
true in the world of supervillainy. Whatever their other unusual needs requiring them to prey upon others: vam-
justifications, a great many adversaries are driven by pires must feed on human blood, fear-demons feast on
the simple motivation of pride. They have something to terror, radioactive mutants must consume nuclear waste
prove to the whole world because they were rejected or products, zombies eat brains, and so forth. To the bad
abused. They want revenge to soothe a wounded ego, or guys’ view, they are just doing what comes naturally to
they have to prove they are the better of some rival, usu- them, no different than ordinary humans killing animals
ally a hero who gets all of the accolades and attention of or plants to feed and clothe themselves.
an adoring public.
Of course, this justification is often just that, an excuse
Proud villains come with sizeable egos to match and a for the villain doing what he wants to do. Still, there
tendency to pontificate and show off. They are some of are cases where it is valid, and a villain’s survival means
the easiest to get talking about their successes and their death and destruction to others. Imagine the foe who is
brilliant plans, and to anger with taunts and disdain. a living black hole, consuming matter in an annihilating
About the worst thing you can do to a proud villain is vortex. Without the constant stream of matter, the villain
ignore him, perhaps even worse than denigrating his ac- will collapse into himself, so he must “feed,” even if it dev-
complishments. astates the city, world, or the whole universe! A vampire
VILLAIN TACTICS
Sooner or later, even the subtlest mastermind will come into direct confrontation with the heroes, while other villains
practically live to fight. Super-foes use a variety of tactics, depending on their abilities, goals, and personal styles. From a
gamemastering perspective, villainous tactics help to make for challenging encounters for the heroes (and the players)
without being so overwhelming as to be completely unfair (and un-fun).
This section looks at some tactics used by supervillains (including one-on-one combat and one villain versus a team
of heroes), sinister plans to give the bad guys an advantage, and escape plans for when things start to go badly. It also
discusses the pacing of hero versus villain combats and the constructive and creative use of complications to help make
such conflicts exciting and fun without being either too easy or overwhelming.
VILLAINS IN COMBAT fined by their traits, including whatever powers and advan-
tages they possess. The main differences between villains
Generally speaking, villains follow the same combat rules and heroes are that villains (like all non-player characters)
as all characters in Mutants & Masterminds, as detailed in do not have hero points. Any “luck” a villain may have is due
the M&M Hero’s Handbook. Their combat capabilities are de- to instances of complications created by the GM. The he-
roes also often outnumber villains; unless a group of bad ACTION LIMITS
guys band together, the villain is typically a singular char-
acter, sometimes assisted by various minions. Perhaps the biggest limitation faced by one villain fighting
a group of heroes is the villain only gets one set of actions
(standard, move, and free) per round, while the heroes each
COMBAT ACTIONS AND MODIFIERS get a set, allowing them to make many more attacks and
giving them more tactical options than their opponent.
What combat actions a villain chooses from round to Some of the following maneuvers and ideas discuss coun-
round depends greatly on the style and abilities of the teracting this effect using area attacks and limiting how
villain; some are extremely aggressive, always on the at- much the heroes can gang up on their opponent.
tack and using actions such as charge and maneuvers like
all-out attack and power attack, perhaps combined with One possibility is to give your solo villains more actions;
attempts to demoralize or startle opponents with Intimi- provide the villain with powers that are free actions or
dation. Other foes fight more conservatively, using nor- reactions, essentially “triggering” certain responses from
mal attacks, occasionally balanced with block or defend the villain when the heroes act. This allows you to scale
actions, whereas villains simply trying to escape from the the villain’s responsiveness to the heroes. An example is
heroes might go entirely defensive, using move and de- a counterattack; perhaps the villain has a reactive energy
fend to focus on avoiding attacks long enough to make field and when a hero attempts to grab the villain, a surge
their getaway. of power rushes back at the attacker. This is basically a
Reaction Damage effect. You can do similar things with
SINGULAR VILLAINS Reaction level defensive or even movement effects that
allow the villain to “act” without taking an action. Consider
a villain who turns Insubstantial or Teleports as a Reaction
Quite often, it is one bad guy versus a team of heroes,
to being grabbed or targeted, for example.
since M&M is a group-oriented game. Singular supervil-
lains can be more powerful than the good guys (some- AREA EFFECTS
times quite a bit more powerful), but they also suffer
from certain limitations in game terms, and Gamemas- One way villains can deal with many heroes at once is by
ters may wish to use different tactics when setting up using area effects to hit all of them at the same time! This
a confrontation between one villain and a whole group is particularly effective with Close Range Burst Areas, since
of heroes. they fill the space all around the user, sure to catch any
heroes closing or engaged in close combat. Such an at- Rather than having the villain’s defense tied up in a sin-
tack may encourage heroes to keep their distance and not gle sustained power, consider “layering” defenses, such
group together too closely, giving the villain some breath- as a combination of Protection and Force Field, so if the
ing space. villain loses the latter, the drop in Toughness won’t be as
massive.
Villains with minions rarely concern themselves with their
underlings’ fates when it comes to making area attacks If all else fails, and the heroes take down the villain’s de-
that can hit the heroes. On occasions when it matters, fenses too quickly, you can always fall back on compli-
the villain might have the Selective extra to exclude the cations. Hand the player(s) responsible a hero point, say
minions, or use abilities to which the minions are immune, “nice try,” and just have the villain knocked back into a
such as biological (Fortitude) attacks that do not affect ro- building or smashed spectacularly through a wall, slight-
bots or the undead, for example. ly shaken, but otherwise unharmed and ready to rejoin
the fray. This is best reserved to avoid real game-spoilers
Even if a villain does not normally have an area attack, you that turn your climatic encounter into anti-climax, how-
can provide one using extra effort for a power stunt: chan- ever.
neling electricity through metal flooring or a puddle of
water, creating a powerful burst of flame in all directions,
and so forth. You can counteract the fatigue the villain VILLAINOUS MINIONS
would normally suffer as a complication for the heroes,
or leave it to give the heroes a slight edge once they re- Solo villains may have the assistance of various minions:
bound from the bad guy’s surprise attack! hired goons, loyal followers, summoned creatures, robot
legions, and so forth. Minions can go a long way toward
COUNTERING THE VILLAIN evening the odds between a hero team and a singular
villain, since they can run interference for the villain and
A group of heroes might make liberal use of the rules for give the heroes other things requiring their actions.
Countering Effects (see the M&M Hero’s Handbook, page
95) having one member of the team focus on counter- Minions can even turn the tables on heroes to a degree,
ing everything the villain does, while the rest of the team using some of the same “ganging up” tactics heroes might
goes on the offensive. If the heroes have the means to pull use on solo villains. In particular, large groups of minions
it off, this can become a frustrating game of waiting for often try to grab heroes, or make team attacks (see the
the countering hero to fail a roll so the villain can actually M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 199) to overcome their de-
do something before the rest of the heroes knock him into fenses.
next week. Because they are relatively “fragile,” you can make minions
Fortunately, the GM is the one who decides if a particular more formidable in terms of power level or more numer-
power can counter another. If the heroes try to counter ous than you might otherwise. At fairly evenly matched
everything the villain does, try switching tactics. For ex- levels, each hero can expect to eliminate a minion every
ample, a super-strong water-controller, confronted with other round, perhaps more. With lower-level minions, the
a flame-using hero turning his water blasts to steam, rate goes up, and things like area attacks and the Take-
might simply grab something big and heavy to hit the down advantage can increase it even more, dealing with
hero with! This is one reason why it is a good idea for multiple minions each round. It would not be unreason-
solo villains to have some flexibility and options when able to challenge a group of PL 10 heroes with three to
it comes to attacks, so one hero won’t be easily able to four times their number in PL 5 minions.
counter them all.
ADVANTAGES AND MINIONS
Another way of dealing with this problem is having
some minions provide a distraction for the countering Certain advantages can enhance a villain’s use of min-
hero. (Perhaps the villain can summon some up, if there ions. The Sacrifice extra for Summon allows a villain to use
aren’t already some there.) Alternately, a power stunt summoned minions as “fall guys,” essentially letting one
can provide a novel attack or effect that is more difficult of them take the brunt of an attack rather than the villain.
for the heroes to counter. Again, you can counteract the This counts as a complication for the heroes and awards
fatigue the villain would normally suffer from the extra the successful attacker a hero point along with a “nice try,
effort as a complication for the heroes. Similarly, you can but...” from the GM. Indeed, the extra is so useful, you may
just impose a complication to have the villain’s opposed wish to allow a version of it as an advantage that works in
countering check break through the hero’s defense this conjunction with the Minions advantage.
time around.
Leadership, on the other hand, is largely useless to villains,
since it affects the spending of hero points, which they
SUSTAINED EFFECTS don’t have. You might want to require it for a villain able to
remove conditions from minions as a complication, but it
A particularly effective tactic is to have one hero stun the
isn’t really required, since you can simply do so as a com-
villain so he cannot sustain defensive powers, then have
plication anyway.
all the other heroes gang up and hit their foe with every-
thing they’ve got. It’s so effective, in fact, you might want Lastly, minions themselves can benefit from having vari-
to take it into account in your villain designs. ous advantages. In particular the Teamwork advantage
is useful for cannon fodder, since they usually work with ranks, usually less. By doing so, you’re essentially giving
others. It can reflect particularly well-trained or coordi- the villain “free” Complications for which the players do
nated minions. not earn hero points, which can make them understand-
ably disappointed. In general, you’re better off reserving
VILLAINS AND COMPLICATIONS luck solely for the heroes.
Complications are a vital game mechanic when it comes PLAYER CHARACTER VILLAINS
to dealing with villains in M&M. Only the player characters
have and use hero points, which are intended as a special The only exception to the previous guidelines is when the
resource for the players to influence the outcome of the player characters are villains! In this case, the GM may want
game beyond just the random roll of the die. to assign the players “villain points” (or whatever you’d like
to call them) that serve the same role in the game as hero
Gamemaster-controlled characters do not have hero points, with Complications awarding the players more of
points or some equivalent. Why not? Well, largely because them as things progress.
these characters can already have whatever traits the
GM sees fit to give them. A villain can easily be PL 20 or
more, even Power Level X with effectively infinite power! PICKING YOUR BATTLES
Compared to that, what are a few hero points? Besides, One way villains try and get the upper hand is by choos-
the flow of an M&M adventure is based on the idea ing where and when they will fight. Not all bad guys get
that the harder it gets for the heroes, the greater their this luxury, especially when the heroes catch them red-
determination and chances of succeeding. handed in the midst of committing their latest crime!
Complications function as the “villain points” of the game, Some, however, can plan for their next encounter with
with the caveat that whenever the Gamemaster falls back their foes and ensure they are prepared and able to fight
on this option to make things more challenging for the on their own turf, and their own terms.
players, or to brush off the result of a particular die roll An application of this principle is for the GM to set up
for the good of the story, the players (and their heroes) different places for the villains to battle heroes, with the
benefit. You can think of it like this: villains in M&M bad guys having the advantage of knowing the terrain
effectively all draw from an infinite pool of “villain points,” and preparing for the fight accordingly. There might be
but whenever they do so, the heroes also gain hero points! various traps awaiting the good guys, along with the
Thus the GM wants to measure the pace of “villain point” villain’s minions. A foe can choose a battleground that
spending (use of Complications) to fit the progress of the specifically limits opponents, taking advantage of their
story and the game. known flaws and complications. For example, a villain
dealing with a hero with a weakness to non-urban en-
THE LUCK ADVANTAGE vironments might seek out a lair far from the city, just
as a villain fighting an opponent with magnetic powers
The Luck advantage is a bit problematic where villains are could try to ensure the surroundings are relatively free of
concerned, since it grants one of the prime benefits of metal to manipulate.
hero points. Since villains do not have or use hero points,
you can interpret this advantage to only apply to player If the setting for the fight proves a true complication for a
characters, which is its primary intent. Giving Luck to vil- hero, award the player a hero point. However, if the villain
lains circumvents the way the hero point system of the is merely taking advantage of a known power flaw, you do
game is intended to work, and should be limited to at not have to give the player anything; the “payoff” is in the
most half the power level of the series (not the villain!) in form of the reduced cost for the flawed power.
gering a doomsday device or other threat, even when the As with extortion, there is a chance the heroes will
villain’s plan can no longer succeed. While the heroes are choose not to bargain with a villain holding hostages
dealing with it, the villain can make good his escape. or will otherwise try and rescue them and capture the
kidnapper. If so, you’ll either need to improvise or invoke a
FAKE-OUT Complication to ensure the bad guy’s escape.
The heroes appear to win, but it turns out the villain is TELEPORT
not really who or what they thought. Their defeated foe
might turn out to be a robot, android, clone, shapeshifter, The most foolproof escape is for the villain to simply vanish
or other proxy for real villain, who is safely hidden away into thin air, using a power like Teleport or Dimensional
(although perhaps capable of taunting the heroes a Travel. This might be an innate power (making the villain
bit through the proxy before signing-off ). A lieutenant quite difficult to capture in the first place) or part of some
or flunky could be dressed-up as the villain, either to fail-safe: a device, part of a vehicle or lair, or even an ability
provide a distraction or as the real bad guy behind it all of a minion or lieutenant charged with rescuing the boss
(the true villain was never involved). A villain might even from certain capture. For example, some villain teams
set-up an innocent victim in a duplicate costume or other have a “transporter” able to provide members, or at least
camouflage to trick the heroes into unleashing their full the leader, with a quick escape.
powers on the poor, defenseless soul.
Even a method as sure-fire as teleporting has its
EXTORTION countermeasures, of course. Some heroes may be capable
of nullifying the villain’s power or even countering the
Backed into a corner, the bad guy threatens the heroes teleport. Keep in mind that characters can often counter as
or offers them something they want in exchange for a power stunt, although instant countering is generally only
freedom. Threats might include knowledge of the hero’s available for powers used offensively against the character.
secret identity, loved ones, or some dark secret, while
bargaining chips include antidotes, vital clues the heroes MYSTERIOUS DEATH
want (“I can tell you where to find your father...”), the
return of valuable items, and so forth. The ultimate “escape” is when a villain apparently dies
during a conflict, but in such a way that no body is (or can
The trick with this approach is that the heroes might
be) found. The classic example is a massive explosion that
not be willing to bargain, or may try to call the villain’s
destroys the villain’s lair or escape vehicle, with no corpse
bluff (if indeed he is bluffing). This can lead to a tricky
found among the wreckage. Is the villain truly dead, or has
situation; see What If the Villain Can’t Escape? in the
he escaped somehow? Perhaps the heroes’ foe was never
following section.
truly there to begin with!
WHY THE VILLAIN LOSES happen, they’re temporary and the heroes find some way
to reverse them. They pull out a desperate save at the
last possible second and, even if a hero has to make the
There is a famous Internet document called the “Evil
ultimate sacrifice, they ensure the evil scheme is thwarted.
Overlord List” (also known as “If I Were An Evil Overlord”),
which is essentially a long collection of “to-do” reminders While a roleplaying game can have the same sort of built-
of all the dumb things fictional villains either do or allow, in assumption, for some the idea that a heroic win is a sure
which permit the heroes to eventually defeat them. thing can ruin their enjoyment of the story, so for many
Examples include: “I will never say, ‘I am invincible,’ because groups the question must be asked: what happens if the
no one is” and “No matter how much I desire vengeance, villain wins?
I’ll never issue the order ‘Leave him! He’s mine!’” The list—
and any list like it—is very tongue-in-cheek, and it can help The likelihood of an evil victory depends heavily on how
to point out some of the clichés of heroic and comic book the GM sets things up, particularly whether or not the
fiction. However, keep in mind that in a great many M&M heroes have any second (or third) chances. Hero points
series you do not want to avoid them! On the contrary, in a and the system of handing out more of them as the
four-color or Silver Age style game, you want to use them as complications pile up for the good guys are intended to
much as possible. help prevent heroic losses due to simple poor die-rolling.
They allow the players to have an ace in the hole for that
It is often all too easy to give villains airtight schemes and critical check. Still, hero points are a limited resource, and
such realistic expectations and reactions that the heroes even they do not always ensure success.
simply don’t stand a chance. After all, realistically speaking,
a truly good evil scheme would not even become known So, barring the intervention of some deus ex machina,
to the heroes until it was far too late for anyone to do such as NPC heroes swooping in to save the day, there
anything about it. The first warning they would get about has to exist some possibility of the bad guys winning. If
the villain’s plan to destroy the world would be the Earth this happens, let the chips fall where they may, and have
cracking in half! While it can sometimes be fun to confront events unfold according to the actions of the characters
the heroes with a fait accompli by a villain, such as having and the momentum of the plot. If the villain’s doomsday
them wake up to find the world transformed into their weapon isn’t stopped in time, then the world may suffer
enemy’s personal empire, it only works as a superhero greatly, although heroic action could still prevent its
story if they can then do something about it. complete destruction. Similarly, if the villain’s scheme for
world conquest is successful, the heroes might end up
Ultimately, that is why villains lose: they’re flawed, and prisoners or outlaws on the run from the new ruler of the
they slip up, giving the heroes a chance to take action. Earth! A villainous victory can entirely change the nature
Once that happens, it’s of an M&M series.
just a matter of time, since
true heroes are not going
“I’m not a Republic serial villain, Dan. Do you seri- The next question is, how
to give up until they’ve ously think I would explain my masterstroke to long will it last? In other
succeeded. The villain you if there were even the slightest possibility words, is the change to the
can put obstacles in their series permanent, or can
way, but the heroes will
you could affect the outcome?” the heroes potentially undo
fight on and, eventually, - Ozymandias, Watchmen what This is
the villain has done?
where you can offer
prevail. Even if it seems
the bad guys have won the players a second chance
the day, there will be another day, and another after that. and a way to get the series back on track, if you and they
prefer the old style to the new one. If everybody is having
So, unless you are specifically running a series intended a blast dealing with a post-apocalyptic world or playing
to turn the comic book standards on their heads and give the last superheroes, on the run from a world-controlling
players opportunities to make post-ironic comments mastermind, then run with it!
about how dumb they are in the first place, you’re
probably better off having your villains emulate the Evil On the other hand, if the novelty begins to wear off, it
Overlords of comics, films, and pulp novels rather than might be time to introduce a “reset” option the players
trying to have them improve on long-standing traditions can use. Fortunately, most comic book universes are full
of evil. On the other hand, if you are running a more of time travel, reality manipulation, magic, and other
realistic, postmodern game, then feel free to have a villain means of fixing just about anything short of the end of all
who captures the heroes decide to just shoot them in the existence (and maybe even that at times).
back of the head, mob execution style. Just be sure to tell
the players it’s a possibility they can expect up-front, or WHAT IF THE VILLAIN CAN’T ESCAPE?
you can end up with some serious clashes in styles!
The first question to ask yourself in this situation is:
WHAT IF THE VILLAIN WINS? does the villain really need to escape? If it is the middle
of the story and the answer is “yes,” then this is what
In comic book stories, it is generally assumed the villain complications were made for. Give the players a hero
is not going to win: the world won’t be destroyed, point they can use for the final confrontation with the bad
or conquered, or sold to aliens. If any of those things guy and arrange things so the escape is a fait accompli.
IN-DEPTH VILLAINS
Some comic book villains are just flashes-in-the-pan, one-time foes destined to never appear again, or at least not to
play a major role in your series as a whole. Others are just obstacles, little more than bundles of powers with a name and
a theme attached to them to menace the heroes during adventures and provide them with a bit of a challenge.
Then there are those bad guys who seem to take on a life of their own, becoming the villains the heroes swear to bring
to justice, the ones the players truly love to hate. Creating these iconic foes for your M&M series involves just a few easy
to remember elements, the four “I’s”: interaction, information, integration, and infrequency. If you follow these steps,
you will soon have villains in your series every bit as intriguing and compelling as the heroes, and your players will want
them to show up over and over just so their heroes can get another shot at them!
some combination thereof). Another bad guy might target most characters have lives from before they embarked on
journalists. Initially, the heroes don’t know why, but they criminal careers. Consider a villain’s ties with your setting
learn the villain is actually a washed-up television personal- and how they might come into play, particularly how the
ity who feels his career was ruined by the paparazzi. players might learn about them during a game (providing
Information, previously).
You can also impart information to the players as their he-
roes investigate a new villain or series of crimes. The brief- For example, imagine a Crime Lord who masquerades as a
ing with the police chief or the government official can wealthy and beloved philanthropist with a long history of
impart some background. You can even print up a mock civic responsibility and charity. Although the heroes know
“dossier” on the villain as a handout for the players to read him as a dastardly and ruthless foe, the rest of the world
and learn the basics. However, it can be even more effec- thinks quite highly of him. There’s no escaping his pres-
tive if the heroes turn up the information themselves while ence for the heroes in the city—not when there are parks,
investigating. Allow them to crack the secret of the villain’s streets, and municipal projects named after him, news
identity and piece together the motive for a series of appar- stories of his latest works, photos in the society pages,
ently unrelated crimes, and they’re more likely to remem- and so forth. The extensive integration of the Crime Lord’s
ber it all because it is part of their accomplishments. innocent façade is a powerful motivation for the heroes to
finally expose him as the fraud he is.
Keep in mind that, unlike comic book readers, RPG players
generally do not get an “omniscient” view of a villain’s You can connect villains with the themes and background
thoughts and actions. They only know what their heroes of the setting. In a modern conspiracy series a villain could
have experienced, typically by interacting with the villain be part of the conspiracy, or even the founder of it. Con-
directly. versely, the villain might also be an enemy of the conspir-
acy, with different goals and motives than the heroes, but
VILLAIN TEAMS
While criminals are less prone to cooperating than heroes, sometimes villains find it advantageous to band together in groups
and form teams. Usually, it is because their archenemies tend to work in teams, making it difficult for a solo villain who isn’t
powerful enough to take on an entire group of heroes at once (see Villain Tactics, earlier this chapter, for more on this).
This section looks at the phenomenon of villain teams: their different types, how they are formed, their goals and
resources, and how to create and use them in your Mutants & Masterminds series.
A few villain teams are run as democracies or cooperatives Family teams tend to be extremely loyal to one another,
of a sort, with the members all having a roughly equal say although some members of the family might feel black-
in how the group is organized and run, at least ideally. The mailed into staying and helping with their relations’ crimi-
villains are all allies, typically out of a need for self-preser- nal schemes simply out of duty or guilt. Family teams are
vation and protection against hero teams, who are often also more likely to share a particular motif (see Villain
far too capable of dealing with the villains individually. Team Motifs later in this section). A family line that passes
criminal training and behavior down across the genera-
Even in the most democratic and loosely organized alli- tions qualifies as a legacy team, as described under A Leg-
ances, some villains are likely to rise to positions of leader- acy of Villainy, following.
ship, even if only as temporary “tactical tyrants” chosen to
coordinate the team’s actions in the midst of combat or
some other crisis. Villain alliances that do not follow this
REBELS WITH A CAUSE
approach end up soundly beaten by the heroes and their A common cause can bring people together, supervillains
superior teamwork, which may or may not teach the bad included, and some teams form around furthering
guys a lesson. Of course, such opportunities to lead result a particular cause or pursuit of a goal. This is usually
in villains who do not want to give up the reins of power, something beyond the kinds of mutual-self interest that
either resulting in a follow-the-leader type group (at least unites villain alliances, like profit or protection. Causes
temporarily) or a rift in the group as the would-be leader are often political or social including (but not limited to)
and any allies are ousted. political ideologies, ecology, religion, and advancing or
Unlike hero teams, which tend to focus on ideals (justice, retarding the agenda of a particular nation or social group.
fairness, progress, and the like), villain alliances tend to be So, for example, a villain team might form around the idea
brutally practical: protection, profit, mutual self-interest, that the western world is a threat to world peace, and
and so forth. If the reason the criminals are cooperating only the weakening of western governments can ensure
goes away, odds are the alliance will crumble as well. The freedom for other nations. Radical eco-activists might ally
team may find a new purpose, or morph into one of the to curtail pollution in the world—by force, if necessary.
other types described here, but is more likely to come Note that many, if not all, such “villain” groups do not
apart, either mutually and peacefully or—in all probabil- see themselves as villains, even if some nations’ laws
ity—in a big conflict. consider them criminals. They are doing what they be-
MIXED DOUBLES
In this section, a “team” of villains generally means a group similar in size to the heroes’ team, perhaps slightly larger or
smaller. Sometimes villains work in pairs rather than as a team of three or more—this is usually either a lead villain and a
loyal sidekick or lieutenant, or a true partnership between two bad guys who regularly work together.
Even more than teams, villainous pairs tend to follow a particular motif. Examples may include a pair of opposites (light
and dark, heat and cold, fire and water, and so forth) or a complementary or related pair, like the Gemini twins, Punch
and Judy, a King and Queen, or a daisho (paired Japanese swords, katana and wakizashi). The villains may just be criminal
partners, but more often they share a deeper relationship, such as spouse, lover, sibling, or even parent and child.
VILLAIN TEAM RESOURCES least. They are either egotistical and power-mad, or sy-
cophantic and willing to side with whomever they think
is winning. Unless the team’s leader is an iron-fisted ty-
One thing groups of super-criminals can do is share vari- rant completely invulnerable to attacks from underlings,
ous resources, much like hero teams do. This includes a schism or double-cross is almost inevitable (and even
things like team equipment, bases or lairs, and vehicles. then some villainous lieutenants can’t resist becoming
the iron-fisted leader, if the opportunity presents itself ).
Team equipment includes useful items such as commlinks
or tracking devices (handy for when they are carted off to You can use conflicts within a villain team to liven up
prison and the heroes are not around to escort them any an adventure, giving things an unexpected twist when
the bad guys turn on each other. It’s all well and good
longer). Equipment could also mean weapons and armor,
for the heroes until something vital gets damaged in the
although that sort of gear tends to be reserved for orga- scuffle, or the new leader of the group decides to alter
nizations and their agents (see Villain Organizations). the plan the good guys figured out, leaving the heroes
Members of villain teams tend to be more individualistic, back at square one.
preferring their own capabilities to any standard-issue
The crime-fighters can also sometimes take advantage
gear.
of mistrust and ambition among the villains. Cunning
A villain team might share a headquarters, which they uses of interaction skills (and related powers) can sow
either set up and use as a group, or which belongs to a seeds of dissent and betrayal, nurturing them to full
bloom. Insight can suss out a foe’s reasons for working
single member—usually the team’s leader or organizer.
with the team, allowing the hero to use Deception or
Thus, a master villain might house his super-powered fol- Persuasion to get the villain to do something rash. Hero
lowers at his secret lair, while an independent coopera- points spent for inspiration can yield valuable clues or
tive of villains could share a hideout, and a family group opportunities for interaction, such as a bad guy coming
might even have an inherited estate or the like as their to the hero’s containment cell to gloat.
shared property.
VILLAIN ORGANIZATIONS
A villainous organization is different from the gathering represented by a villain team in several ways. First, organizations
are usually hierarchical, with a clear leader, various lieutenants and sub-commanders, and so forth. Second, organizations
tend to have fewer actual super-villains, and indeed might not have any! Sometimes the leader of the organization is a
superhuman, or some of the leader’s lieutenants are, but the rest of the organization is made up of lower-powered or
non-powered minions: soldiers, technicians, support staff, and other followers. An organization might also have a villain
team associated with it, super-powered agents intended to carry out their agenda and deal with superheroes who try to
interfere. Lastly, organizations tend to have broader goals than individual villain teams, devoted to the multi-tentacled
schemes of the organization’s leader(s).
to confuse its enemies, using experimentation to create most given to creating and leading organizations, since it
super-powered agents. plays to their strengths. Note that the leader is not neces-
sarily the most powerful member of the organization in
Organizations with similar goals may come into conflict or terms of power level; he’s simply the most influential. A
(worse for the heroes) find common ground and cooper- criminal mastermind might have no real powers to speak
ate, at least for a time. Organizations with divergent goals of other than a keen intellect and a ruthless cunning, rely-
may try to step around each other, although they can still ing on super-powered lieutenants and large numbers of
come into conflict if their goals do. agents to accomplish his goals.
AGENTS
ORGANIZATION RESOURCES
One thing villain organizations usually have in abundance
is resources: secret lairs, armies of agents, military-level ve-
The lowermost, and broadest, level of the organization is
hicles, orbiting mind-control rays, giant laser cannons, and
made up of agents, the rank-and-file members who do
so forth. The largest organizations are as well equipped
the grunt-work and carry out the orders of their superiors.
as many nations, capable of challenging conventional
Agents are the textbook definition of minions in Mutants
armies. Most four-color settings don’t particularly worry
& Masterminds game terms, and are nearly always treated
about where the organization is getting the money for all
as such, with the exception of special “elite” units.
this stuff; at best they provide some hand-waving expla-
“Agents” can be almost any type of character, although nation about criminal cartels, front-companies, or caches
they are usually soldiers of some sort. In more four-color of Nazi gold. In more realistic settings, Gamemasters may
settings, a villain organization might call upon legions want to give heroes the option of “following the money”
of clones, robots, zombies, demons, or other nonhuman to track down a secret criminal organization by tracing
creatures to do their bidding. Such agents have the ad- their sources of funding, and perhaps even cutting them
vantages of being extremely loyal (often programmed or off to weaken the organization.
The chapter starts off with a look at how to design villains in M&M game terms, including design considerations like
balancing them against the game’s power level, the number and types of heroes, and the villain’s intended function in
the game. It looks at the various game traits—abilities, skills, advantages, and powers—from a villain-design perspective,
and provides some advice on how to design faster and smarter.
The bulk of the chapter offers a collection of villain archetypes with complete game stats and detailed information
about that type of villain, different themes and variants, tactics and adventure ideas, even suggested names. You’ll be
able to quickly choose an archetype, customize some details, and have a ready-to-run villain in minutes! With just these
archetypes, you can create entire rogues galleries of dozens of supervillains to fill out your series.
The chapter concludes with a selection of minion archetypes for a villain’s various followers and henchmen, as well as
different creatures a villain might summon or create to battle the heroes.
VILLAIN DESIGN
Designing a villain for Mutants & Masterminds is mechanically similar to creating a hero, but differs in some important
ways. First, villains are usually non-player characters, and therefore not subject to the limits of player character heroes.
Second, villains have a different intended purpose, especially bad guys designed as foes for entire teams of heroes.
This section looks at the different aspects of villain design, from concept to the assignment of game traits, and points
out the various considerations to keep in mind when creating your own villains for M&M games, as well as adapting or
including villains from published sources.
roes, although rarely much lower than PL 3 if they’re to be We call these characters “Power Level X” and refer to
much use as henchmen at all (since PL 0-2 encompasses similar game traits as “rank X.” In mathematics, X is often
fairly ordinary people). Superhuman henchmen are often used to designate an unknown variable. In M&M, it means
just 1-3 power levels lower than the heroes, maybe even the trait in question is as high as the Gamemaster wishes
closer, if they are minions (see the next section). or the adventure or situation requires. Essentially, a rank of
X in a trait means it is effectively unlimited in game terms,
Lieutenants should generally be close to the power level a plot device.
of the series, matching that of the heroes, maybe off by a
level or two. This makes a lieutenant a fairly even match Any foe that can be defined with the phrase “invincible ex-
for a single hero and a group of them a match for a team cept for...” is potentially a plot device character, although
of heroes. A powerful lieutenant might be a couple levels the heroes won’t necessarily know that until they try some
higher than the series PL. of the more conventional means and discover they’re not
working.
Master villains nearly always have a higher power level
than the heroes, from one or two levels to as many as five One of the key points of plot device characters is there
or more, depending on the villain and the design. Note should be some way for the heroes to “win”—which is to
that less combat-intensive villains should generally be say, to end the threat posed by the character. This may
closer to the series power level, to ensure aspects such as not necessarily include defeating their foe in a straight-
resistance difficulties against their powers are reasonable. up fight. Indeed, it probably does not include that op-
So, for example, a villain such as the Puppeteer (see page tion! Power Level X villains aren’t intended for fights, un-
118)—able to mind control victims from a distance and less it’s a fairly hopeless one where the heroes learn even
have them carry out his bidding—should be closer to the their vast powers are essentially useless, but soldier on
series PL to give the heroes a fair chance of resisting his regardless of the odds. Plot device villains are a Game-
Mind Control, whereas a Brute (see page 79)—intended to master’s prerogative, but completely unbeatable ones
fight a whole team of heroes—needs to be higher power are unfair and likely to make the players frustrated and
level, with trade-offs for commensurately large damage the game no fun.
attacks (but lowered attack bonus, giving nimble heroes
a chance to avoid getting hit altogether). See the Imp archetype (see page 92) for an example of
a plot device villain with virtually unlimited power and
Choose a power level for your villain suitable for the char- some ways of handling such a character in play.
acter’s role in the series as compared to the series power
level. PLOT DEVICES AND HERO POINTS
In some ways, a Power Level X villain is like a personified
MINION POWER LEVEL complication, where the GM is going to say “nice try, but
no,” a lot. Because of this, you’ll want to pay close attention
Villainous minions have a special consideration in terms to the awarding of hero points when dealing with a plot
of power level because minions are essentially one-shot device villain.
opponents; a single successful attack removes them
from a conflict, so a minion can potentially be higher First off, you do not have to hand out hero points every
powered than would otherwise be appropriate for a time the villain appears, or even every time he does some-
henchmen or lieutenant villain in the series. Master vil- thing. A lot of the challenges the foe raises are no different
lains are, by definition, never minions, although it is pos- than those posed by other villains. For example, if a PL X
sible to have minions with an even higher power level imp decides to bring a set of fictional or legendary histori-
than the heroes! cal villains to life, that’s just part of the plot, not necessar-
ily a setback for the heroes—especially if said villains are
If a “minion” is intended as a truly challenging fight, such as conventional characters the heroes can fight. Similarly, if
a team of heroes versus a mad scientist’s unleashed mon- a hero attacks a plot device character to no avail, that’s
ster or the like, then chances are the opponent should not not necessarily a setback, either. On the other hand, if the
be treated as a minion in game-terms. This ensures the vil- villain arbitrarily does something like remove the heroes’
lain can provide a sustained back-and-forth conflict rather powers, turn them into small animals, or transport them
than being taken out of the fight by the first successful to medieval times or the like, that counts as a complica-
attack. tion and should earn them a hero point.
Skills for villains come in two primary types: active and Fortune advantages that require spending a hero point
passive. Active skills are those you expect will see use dur- (such as Inspire, Leadership, and Ultimate Effort) can be
ing direct confrontations with the villain. They include in- treated as complications; when you activate the advantage
teraction skills, or combat-useful skills such as Acrobatics. for the villain, award the players of any characters affected
Passive skills are those more likely to come up “off panel” by it a hero point. Having the villain automatically gain
or when the heroes are not around, based mainly around initiative (Seize Initiative) or exhort a minion to shake off
routine check results. a condition (Leadership) is essentially a complication for
the heroes anyway.
For active skills, take the series power level into account
when you are assigning a bonus (and therefore skill ranks) Things get trickier in dealing with the Luck advantage.
to the villain: in a PL 10 series, a hero isn’t going to have Since this advantage grants die re-rolls like hero points,
an interaction skill bonus greater than +20, and it’ll prob- can villains (who have no access to hero points) take it at
ably be closer to +10-15 or so. Thus the villain’s skills in all? If they can, it’s potentially upsetting to the hero point
that area should be commensurate, unless you want the “economy” of the game, since it means villains can spend
bad guy to have extraordinary skill or resistance. those “points” without awarding any hero points to the
characters. This might be appropriate for some especially
Set passive skill bonuses at whatever amount fits the fortunate bad guys, with no more than a couple of ranks
concept of the villain and is sufficient to let the charac- to keep it from getting out of hand. Otherwise, it is best
ter accomplish appropriate routine checks. So a scien- not to assign Luck to villains; “lucky” foes tend to either
tific genius villain is most certainly going to have ranks have the benefit of GM-defined complications or powers
in Expertise and Technology. Assign these based on the like Probability Control.
sort of things you want the villain able to know and do.
VILLAIN POWER STUNTS By the same token, there’s nothing to stop you from add-
ing or subtracting details even in the midst of a game. If,
for example, it suits the flow of the story for the villain
Villains can make use of power stunts in the same way other to turn out to have membership in a particular exclusive
characters do. The primary difference comes in when looking club, then feel free to make it so, even if you didn’t think
to shake off the fatigue from the extra effort. Doing so for a to give the character the appropriate Benefit advantage
villain is a complication for the heroes, essentially granting in advance. If a particular retroactive change to a villain
the villain the benefit of a spent hero point. Of course, while constitutes a real complication for the heroes, throw a
creating the villain you can assign potentially any power hero point award their way. Otherwise, changing the vil-
stunt you can think up as a regular Alternate Effect of the ad- lain “behind the curtain” is entirely your prerogative. If
you do it deftly, your players don’t even have to know
versary’s powers, since the character does not have a limited
that it wasn’t always planned that way!
power point budget like a player character hero. However, it
is generally easier to assign only those Alternate Effects the
villain uses regularly, treating others that come up in play as
QUICK & EASY VILLAINS
powers stunts (and possibly complications). Given that power point totals and such really don’t
matter for villains. You can even quickly and easily “fake”
COMPLICATIONS a character in M&M using the following guidelines.
Choose a power level for your villain based on the char-
Why give a villain complications? As previously mentioned, acter’s role: within 1 level of the series PL for a lieuten-
villains in M&M don’t earn or use hero points, so what use ant, 1–5 levels higher for a master villain, and 3–5 levels
are complications to them? lower for a henchman. So for a PL10 series, aim for PL11-
15 for a master villain, PL9-11 for a lieutenant, and PL
The answer is: villainous complications aren’t useful to the 5–7 for a henchman.
villain, but they do provide the Gamemaster with some
Whenever you need to know one of the villain’s ranks,
handy references for handling the villain in play. They may
use the chosen power level if it is for an important trait
also provide heroes with a weakness they can exploit to like an attack bonus, defense, power rank or ability the
help defeat the villain. In the latter case, the villain’s com- character is known for, such as Strength for a strong vil-
plication provides the heroes with an advantage, much lain or Intellect for a smart one. If it’s a skill, use the cho-
like a circumstance modifier. Since the GM chooses the sen power level, plus 8. If it is a fairly unimportant trait,
complications for the villains, this advantage does not use either half the chosen power level, or a rank of 0.
have a “cost” in game terms; it’s just there for the heroes to Using this method (and some knowledge of the game’s
exploit, if they figure out how to do so. traits and basic effects) you can whip up characters out
of “thin air” on the spur of the moment. Need a quick
Even more than heroic complications, villainous
generic crook? Given him PL4 and a commensurate rank
complications are not set in stone. The ones provided with in all appropriate abilities, and you’re done! Sure, this
the archetypes in this chapter are merely suggestions. approach lacks fine detail, but chances are the players
Feel free to modify or add to them however you like to fit won’t know the different in the middle of a game.
the type of villain you have in mind for your game.
ASSASSIN
The Assassin is a professional killer, often for hire to pernatural powers due to their faith and training, while
the highest bidder. More than a mere “hit-man,” this ar- for others, it’s all just outward trappings.
chetype is a living weapon, “the best in
the world”—or at least so the Assassin HUNTER
frequently claims. Most Assassins are
loners, working for a particular cli- For the Hunter, it is not the kill that matters, but the
ent until their contract is completed thrill and challenge of the hunt. Hunters often start out
and then moving on. Some belong stalking and killing animals, for survival or for sport,
to an entire guild of assassins, then move on to hunting “the most dangerous game”:
although this archetype is humans, especially superhumans. Although they of-
generally an exemplary mem- ten justify themselves as “sportsmen,” villainous
ber of such a group—one of Hunters are typically sadists who get a thrill
their very best—unless they out of hunting and killing their prey. A Hunter
feature in a higher power level may have a primitive style, focusing on the
series (PL 13+). use of traditional hunting techniques and
tools used by an indigenous people, or may
Assassins typically have few, take a more modern approach, using things
if any, superhuman pow- like firearms (or tranq guns), night-vision
ers, although they are the scopes, and the like. Hunters are particu-
pinnacle of human athletic larly likely to take an interest in heroes
achievement and combat skill, with animal themes or powers as po-
with a ruthlessness to match. tential prey.
Some assassins have their abili-
ties heightened by special treatments or training
(drugs, chemicals, secret martial arts, and so forth),
REVENANT
while others are the products of intense conven-
A Revenant is an undead assassin
tional training and experience. The ability to pit
that targets the living for various
themselves against superhuman targets and win
reasons, most often vengeance
is a point of pride for most assassins.
for the Revenant’s own death.
A Revenant might also seek out
THEMES targets it hated in life, such as
an undead soldier who assas-
Unsurprisingly, most assassin themes re- sinates military and govern-
volve around death, choice of assassina- ment personnel from a nation
tion method, or choice of target. Assassins against which he fought a war,
tend to stick close to their theme, with any even if that war is long since
variation from their expected M.O. a big over. Alternately, a Revenant
clue that something strange is going on. Assassin might go after targets
he once cared about, feeling they
DEATH-CULTIST have betrayed him.
ASSASSIN PL10
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
3 3 4 4 8 1 2 3
EQUPMENT ADVANTAGES
Arsenal: Array (16 points) Accurate Attack, Assessment, Benefit (Alternate Identity),
• Flash-Bang Grenades: Ranged Burst Area Dazzle 4 • 16 points Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 8,
Evasion 2, Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Sniper Rifle),
• Assault Rifle: Ranged Multiattack Damage 5 • 1 point
Improved Grab, Improved Initiative 2, Power Attack, Precise
• Combat Knife: Strength-Based Damage 2, Improved Critical
Attack 4 (Close and Ranged; Cover and Concealment), Ranged
• 1 point
Attack 4, Takedown, Throwing Mastery 4, Ultimate Aim,
• Fragmentation Grenades: Ranged Burst Area Damage 5 Uncanny Dodge
• 1 point
• Heavy Pistol: Ranged Damage 4 • 1 point OFFENSE
• Sleep Gas Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Sleep 4 • 1 point
INITIATIVE +12
• Smoke Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Concealment Attack 4
• 1 point Assault Rifle +15 Ranged, Damage 5
• Sniper Rifle and Targeting Scope: Ranged Damage 5, Knife +12 Close, Damage 5, Crit. 19-20
Improved Aim, Improved Critical • 1 point
Pistol +15 Ranged, Damage 4
• Tear Gas Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Affliction 4 • 1 point
Sniper Rifle +15 Ranged, Damage 5, Crit. 18-20
Body Armor: Protection 2 • 2 points
Commlink: Feature 1 (Communication) • 1 point Unarmed +8 Close, Damage 3
A Vigilante walks a gray line between “hero” and “villain” WEAPON SPECIALIST
as he assassinates criminals, acting as judge, jury, and es-
pecially executioner. Some Vigilantes act out of a sense of For Weapon Specialists, the kill is simply an expression
duty and justice (at least justice as they see it). Others are of their mastery of a chosen weapon, their dedication
driven more by vengeance, ruthlessly eliminating anyone to a particular “art” of assassination. Choices for weapon
standing between them and their targets, making little specialists range from all kinds of archaic weapons like
distinction between the innocent and the guilty (or at swords, knives, shuriken, and garrotes to modern firearms,
least assuming anyone working against them is guilty by unique super-tech gadgets, or even particular unarmed
association). Vigilantes often serve as dark reflections of combat styles. A Weapon Specialist’s skill is so great as to
costumed heroes, who are also vigilantes of sorts. In the be almost superhuman, with advantages and even pow-
ers based around the things the Specialist can do with his various traps, ranging from rigged battlefields to kidnap-
chosen weapon. ping loved ones for use as bait. An Assassin is not above
setting up various feints to test the heroes’ capabilities:
In addition to conventional targets, Weapon Specialists sending disposable hirelings after them to gather infor-
are prone to going after any hero who also specializes mation, for example, or placing innocents in traps, forcing
in their chosen weapon, simply to prove their superior the heroes to rescue them and demonstrate their abilities
skill (or get revenge for past losses, as the case may be). (and limitations) for monitors and cameras. A cunning As-
A Weapon Specialist villain might have even trained with sassin might even infiltrate a hero team with an imposter
the same teacher as a hero, or could be the hero’s teacher! (like the Master of Disguise) to learn all about them before
Similarly, a Weapon Specialist Assassin might be a failed making a move.
student of a hero, gone over to the side of evil.
BRUTE
The Brute’s concept is as straightforward as the villain itself SMART
is: a physically powerful engine of destruction, capable of
plowing a swath of devastation through the city and sur- Although the classic brute is both big and dumb, there is
rounding countryside until the heroes manage to stop it. nothing that says this has to be the case. A smart brute is,
The archetypal Brute is large and clearly physically power- in many ways, far more dangerous, as he knows full well
ful, although still packing far more power than anything how (and where, and when) to use his physical might to
its size should. Brute origins range from alien beings and his advantage. A Smart Brute uses tactics and knows to
powerful robots to mystical creatures and atomic mutants, go after opponents who can potentially target his weak-
but all share similar physical traits: big, strong, tough, and nesses (such as mentalists or mystics).
not all that bright.
MINDLESS
THEMES The Mindless Brute makes the basic archetype look like
brilliant by comparison. It is a true “mindless engine of
Most Brute themes vary some element of the arche- destruction,” having no thoughts (or Intellect rank) at all,
type’s essential theme of “big, strong, and tough” so every only preprogrammed instructions or instincts. It might be
Brute the heroes encounter is not the same, even if their an animal or machine. Unfortunately for the heroes, this
Strength and Damage ranks are. Some of these themes tends to cover one of the Brute’s weak spots—namely,
can even combine for a particularly unusual Brute adver- its mind. Mindless Brutes are immune to interaction skills
sary, such as a Fast, Mindless Brute, or a Titanic, Sympa- and mental effects; characters may be able to trick the
thetic one. Brute if they understand what drives it, but they certainly
cannot reason with or control it.
TITANIC
The Brute is big, but some are truly gigantic, towering like
DRIVEN
the skyscrapers they walk amongst and threaten. The Ti-
While a Brute may just be out to wreck downtown (or the
tanic Brute trades off ranks of Strength and Stamina for
state, or the planet...) or pound the heroes into the pave-
Growth. Titanic Brutes tend to be rampaging monsters (and
ment, some are driven by other impulses. Knowing what
may also be Mindless, see the following), but they can also
drives a Brute can be a key to overcoming it, or at least
be foes able to change size. If so, the Brute’s Growth should
luring it away from the most densely populated areas to
not be Permanent, allowing him to shrink to normal human
deal with it.
size, either voluntarily or as a complication.
A Brute may be driven to attack a particular target: going
UNSTOPPABLE after things that enrage or annoy it, for example, or pre-
programmed to focus on superhumans, mutants, mystics,
The Brute archetype is already tough, but this variation is or another class of opponent, particularly if the Brute was
nigh-invulnerable, having an even greater degree of Im- originally designed as a weapon of sorts.
pervious Toughness, or perhaps even Immunity to physi-
cal damage! Punches, blasts, perhaps even nukes are not
enough to deal with an Unstoppable Brute; indeed, no
SYMPATHETIC
mere physical attack can do the job. This calls for the he-
Just because a Brute is a tremendous force for destruction
roes to get creative to deal with the Unstoppable Brute.
does not mean it is evil—at least, not intentionally. Brutes
Perhaps it has some sort of weakness they can figure out,
might turn out to be anything from pain-maddened
such as extreme cold, high-frequency sound, or particu-
beasts lashing out in their agony to lost and confused
lar wavelengths of radiation. Whatever the case, the GM
creatures unaware the tiny, screaming things around
should provide some clues, and allow for the use of hero
them are actually people with thoughts and feelings of
points for inspiration to figure things out before it’s too
late. their own. Some Brutes are essentially animals, perhaps
enslaved to a villainous master. Other Sympathetic Brutes
FAST include aliens lost or stranded on Earth, unable to com-
prehend the environment or even driven mad by some as-
“How could something so big be so fast?” is the phrase you pect of it (such as industrial pollutants, or electromagnetic
most often hear about the Fast Brute. Rather than big and “smog” from radio and cell phone transmissions). If the he-
clumsy, this theme defies expectations by having higher roes take the time to figure out what is going on with the
active defenses and ranks of Improved Initiative, if not Sympathetic Brute, perhaps having seen some hints as to
outright Quickness or Super-Speed. The Fast Brute might its true nature, they might be able to remove the cause of
merely have quick and predatory reflexes, or a measure of its rampage or otherwise reason with it rather than just
tactical speed intended to outmaneuver opponents. pounding on it until it drops.
BRUTE PL13
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
18* 17* 1 0 4 -2 0 -1
POWERS OFFENSE
Big: Growth 4 (Innate, Permanent) • 9 points INITIATIVE +1
Strong: Enhanced Strength 4, Limited to Lifting (100,000 Shockwave — Close Burst, Dodge DC 19
tons); Leaping 12 • 16 points
Thunderclap — Close Burst, Dodge DC 19
Strength Tricks: Strength Damage Array (18 points)
Unarmed +8 Close, Damage 18
• Shockwave: Burst Area Affliction 9 (Resisted by Fortitude;
Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated) • 1 point
DEFENSE
• Thunderclap: Burst Area Auditory Dazzle 9, Close Range
• 1 point DODGE 8* FORTITUDE 17
Tough: Immunity 12 (Cold Damage, Disease, Heat Damage, PARRY 8* TOUGHNESS 17
Poison), Impervious Toughness 12 • 24 points
WILL 9 *Includes Growth modifiers.
SKILLS POWER POINTS
Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+8), Intimidation 12 (+13*),
ABILITIES 58 SKILLS 12
Perception 2 (+2), Ranged Combat: Throwing 8 (+8)
POWERS 51 DEFENSES 24
ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES 4 TOTAL 149
Close Attack 2, Great Endurance, Improved Hold
POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
NAME IDEAS Gullible: Easily tricked by anyone who seems friendly or
trustworthy.
Identity: The Brute is an ordinary person who transforms.
Brute, Joten, Minotaur, Ogre, Ox, Piledriver, Smasher, Tank.
Many Brutes—especially mindless ones—do not name Temper: Dominated by unchecked emotion.
themselves but are instead named by the media, military,
first victim, etc. Of course, these names are often appropriate! Brute, but with military hard-cases who do not care for cos-
tumed civilians telling them how to do their job.
CLASSIC BITS If nothing else, military personnel and equipment serve
as great opportunities to show off just how tough and ca-
Some classic elements associated with the Brute include: pable the Brute is, in case the heroes are not getting the
message. The military can also be the ones to start a fight,
THE MORE YOU FIGHT... if it looks like the heroes are being entirely too reasonable
or successful in talking the Brute down. All it takes is one
... the stronger the Brute gets. Many Brutes start out tough hotshot military salvo to destroy delicate negotiations
but then get tougher as you fight them! The reasons for and send the Brute off on another rampage.
this vary: the Brute might get stronger as he gets mad-
der (ranks of Reaction Enhanced abilities). He may absorb
physical punishment, turning it into sheer strength or
DR. JEKYLL, I PRESUME...?
mass, or seek out sources of energy ranging from heat and
It is common for a Brute to have a normal identity, often
electricity to the psychic energy of fear and panic, trans-
with the complication of transforming into the Brute, and
forming it into greater power. The key point is, the longer
possibly back again, depending on the circumstances.
the fight against the Brute goes on, the more powerful
Some normal identities are completely separate personal-
and difficult to defeat it becomes. Overcoming the Brute
ities, unaware of what the Brute does and trying—some-
typically involves cutting it off from its source of power,
what futilely—to contain it. Others are fully aware of their
which may at least reduce it to manageable levels if it
Brute nature and revel in it, looking for ways to retain the
doesn’t stop it outright.
Brute’s power at all times. Having an effective innocent
YOU AND WHAT ARMY? trapped within the rampaging form of a Brute can create
additional complications for the heroes, if they are look-
More than most other super-foes, Brutes tend to attract the ing to find a way to separate the man from the monster.
military, which appreciates a big, nigh-invulnerable target
to shoot at. Unfortunately, conventional military forces are GETTING HIT WITH A TRUCK (LITERALLY)
nearly always useless against the Brute, serving only to an-
ger or further empower him (see the previous bit). So the Although Brutes get along quite well with just their un-
heroes often have to deal not only with the rampaging armed attacks, most of them lack ranged attacks to deal
TACTICS CAPERS
Brutes are not usually big on tactics beyond “hit it until it
Adventures involving the Brute may include the following:
stops fighting back.” Still, even dim or mindless Brutes of-
ten demonstrate cunning in fights, using makeshift weap- ON THE RAMPAGE!
ons to deal with foes they cannot safely hit (or reach), cre-
ating barriers with vehicles or rubble to block dangerous The classic and straightforward Brute adventure: the
attacks, and so forth. Brute shows up and goes on a rampage, tearing up the
The typical Brute fighting style also creates additional city or countryside until the heroes intervene and man-
headaches for heroes, since Brutes age to stop it. This can just be a ripping good fight using
tend to do things like hurl buses parts of the terrain for cover and makeshift weaponry, or
full of people as weapons, cre- a desperate struggle to delay the Brute from reaching a
densely populated area (or a particularly vulnerable tar-
get such as a fuel depot or nuclear plant) as the heroes
search for a weakness or a way to stop it in time.
For an added twist, perhaps the Brute’s rampage
is not as random as it initially appears, and
some other villain arranged it to dis-
tract the heroes from some other
aspect of his plans.
COMPOSITE
Where one might fall, a thousand may prevail! The Com- have Insubstantial rank 2, often combined with ranks of
posite is made of countless smaller pieces—grains of Flight and either Affects Corporeal on their Strength or
sand, drops of water, individual animals, or tiny robots— another means of inflicting damage, such as being Caus-
that operate as a singular entity with a single mind and tic or an Affliction or Weaken Stamina effect that repre-
will. Slithering, formless masters of their component ele- sents suffocating victims with their bodies.
ments, they are tricky adversaries who often sidestep the
most common tactics employed by superheroes. POSSESSION
Composites double as bruisers, but also benefit from their
The physical pieces of the Composite rampaging through
unusual bodies. They can sneak through any opening
the city may only be a visible manifestation of another,
large enough to accommodate a single unit of their mass,
more subtle being using magic, psychic powers, or other
stretch and distort their forms, and shrug off certain kinds
powers to interact with the physical world. In this case,
of damage. A single intellect is shared across the entire
the Composite itself is essentially a summoned creature,
mass, or each unit holds a tiny piece of the Composite’s
maintained and commanded by another villain. It may be
identity or a single memory, and so long as one piece of
a way for an Elder Evil to interact with our world before
the Composite survives its encounter with heroes, it can
summoned, a marionette created by a combination of the
return to menace them again in the future!
Mastermind’s telekinesis and psychic senses, or created by
the Puppeteer’s influence applied to insects or animals.
THEMES This doesn’t change the game statistics of the Composite,
but the entity creating the animate swarm can simply
A Composite’s theme usually revolves around their physi- summon a new one as a standard action every time the
cal structure. A Composite made of stone may be immune heroes defeat it, requiring them to track down and defeat
to electricity as a nonconductive material, while a Com- the true villain responsible. The controlling entity may
posite made of water would be immune to fire. even be a Composite itself, with rank 4 Insubstantial and
no other way to interact with the physical world!
You should consider what Complications accompany their
structure and what effects they may be vulnerable to. A SWARM
water-based Composite might be vulnerable to electrical
attacks and freezing, while one made of insects could be Composites made from rats, bees, spiders, leeches, and
controlled or repelled by effects that affect their compo- other tiny creatures may have additional abilities based
nent bugs. on their component species. Most will provide additional
Senses, and likely a new form of movement such as Flight,
The default statblock assumes the Composite is made Swimming, or Burrowing. Venomous or stinging creatures
from liquid or small, solid particles: water, sand, gravel, may also provide a Reaction Affliction or Reaction Dam-
oil, clay, coins, broken glass, and garbage are all longtime age as individual pieces of the Composite attack anyone
comic book staples. who draws near. A Swarm Composite may also represent a
CAUSTIC mass of tiny animals controlled or summoned by another
villain via magic or psychic powers, such as a swarm of
If the Composite is made of a heated or acidic substance, bats directed by a Vampire.
their touch may cause devastating burns. They gain ranks TECHNOLOGY
of Reaction Damage to represent their dangerous nature.
A Caustic Composite may be made of molten tar, burning Tiny robots or powerful microscopic computer chips
sulfur, or acid; or if also Gaseous, steam or poison gas. making up the Composite’s body may allow the villain
GASEOUS to interact with computer networks or possess machines
in addition to its normal suite of abilities. Possessed ma-
The Composite is already difficult to contain, but if made chines can be represented with the various robot minion
from gas particles rather than a solid or liquid, they be- archetypes, or by using the statistics for vehicles found in
come almost impossible to contain. Gaseous Composites Chapter 7 of the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook.
EVOLUTION
Many Composites struggle to become greater
by evolving beyond humanity or reaching an
intellectual singularity. Composites like this of-
ten grow cleverer as they grow larger, with in-
dividual members no smarter than a
rat or cockroach, but by “networking”
thousands of minds together they
can develop intellects far beyond
humanity. An advanced Composite
may even transform into a Mas-
termind, retaining its Composite
powers but gaining increased in-
telligence and a suite of psychic
abilities.
HUMAN AGAIN
Some Composite villains were hu-
mans caught in tragic accidents,
and can no longer return to their
normal, solid form. These villains
commit crimes just to survive or to
lash out at a cruel world, and many of
their schemes revolve around curing
themselves and regaining their lost
humanity.
A THOUSAND FACES
Some Composites have such
fine control over their elements
that they can take on human-
seeming forms at will, while oth-
ers temporarily develop this ability
after an accident or acquiring new
technology.
COMPOSITE PL11
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
8 9 6 2 8 -1 4 0
POWERS OFFENSE
Fusillade: Line Area on Strength Damage • 8 points INITIATIVE +6
Particulate Form: Elongation 2 (30 feet); Enhanced Fusillade — Line Area, Damage 8
Advantages 5 (Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard,
Unarmed +14 Close, Damage 8
Evasion, Instant Up); Immortality 1 (Return after 2 weeks);
Immunity 40 (All Physical Damage; Limited to Half Effect);
Insubstantial 1 (Fluid); Movement 4 (Safe Fall, Slithering,
DEFENSE
Wall-crawling 2) • 43 points DODGE 11 FORTITUDE 13
Resilient: Immunity 20 (Life Support, Select one common PARRY 10 TOUGHNESS 11/9*
power descriptor) • 20 points
WILL 9 *Without Defensive Roll.
SKILLS
POWER POINTS
Acrobatics 4 (+10), Athletics 2 (+10), Close Combat: Unarmed 6
(+14), Perception 4 (+8), Stealth 2 (+8) ABILITIES 72 SKILLS 9
POWERS 51 DEFENSES 16
ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES 4 TOTAL 152
Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard, Evasion, Improved
Grab, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Move-by Action, Power Attack POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
Form Vulnerability: The Composite may take extra damage or
TACTICS suffer unusual conditions from certain kinds of attacks.
Identity: The Composite is an ordinary person who transforms.
In combat, Composites operate much like other melee-
Impulse Control: The Composite’s distributed mind wars with
focused villains. They have more mobility than a Brute itself, making them erratic and easily confused.
or Hybrid, but their strategies often default to “hit it
Insensate: The Composite lacks a sense of touch, which may
again.” Where a Composite villain stands apart from other
affect some skills checks and alienates them from human society.
villains is their resilience: they are resistant to physical and
energy damage and regenerate quickly, requiring heroes
violence from them. Composites with lower expectations
to employ unusual tactics to stop or capture the villain.
may focus on robbery, but those with ambition may per-
Heroes can’t put handcuffs on a pile of rats, or expect a
form sabotage, espionage, or assassinations as mercenar-
woman made of water to stay put in a standard prison cell.
ies or agents for more powerful villains.
Composite villains often have Complications stemming
from their makeup that heroes must exploit, such as
freezing water or dispersing sand with strong winds.
MAXIMUM MAYHEM
Thanks to the Composite’s elongation power, they can en- The Composite somehow buds or reproduces, creating an
gage distant foes with melee attacks, and their flexibility offspring—this may be a natural experience for an alien or
allows them to punch through or pelt every opponent in a a new mutation for a villain transformed into their current
continuous line. This Fusillade ability allows them to direct state. This new creature lacks whatever compassion or
other applications of Strength over a 5-foot by 30-foot humanity that stops the original villain from committing
area, such as Smash and Trip attacks. They commonly use truly heinous acts, and wields considerably more power or
Extra Effort to change the shape of the Area extra applied greater numbers. Can the heroes tackle this bigger threat
to their Strength damage. on their own, or will they team up with a former enemy
to stop the offspring before they can destroy the city (or
CAPERS worse: reproduce again). Rampaging Composites may
even draw unexpected allies from other chaotic villains.
Adventures involving a Composite may include the fol- NOW YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME
lowing:
With the help of technology or a mystic artifact, the
A QUIET SORT OF EVIL Composite manages to overcome the most obvious
weakness to its form that heroes have exploited in the past,
Composite villains can slip into and out of secure facilities allowing them to now commit crimes with no apparent
without triggering security devices or leaving the usual way to stop them. The heroes will need to find some flaw
trace evidence behind, creating an unusual mystery for in these newly-reinforced defenses—perhaps something
the heroes to solve—particularly if they are unaware of related to the plot element shields the Composite—to
the Composite’s existence, or only accustomed to random stop the Composite’s one-villain crime wave.
CRIME LORD
While some supervillains go for wanton destruction, world should their loyal followers ever discover the scope of
conquest, or grandiose schemes, others prefer to work their betrayal.
quietly, behind the scenes, sinister spiders at the center
of a web of connections, influence, and corruption. Crime NOT FROM AROUND HERE
Lords prefer not to get their hands dirty, letting others do
the work and take the risks while they reap the rewards. Although the Crime Lord is typically a very human prob-
That is not to say Crime Lords are not capable of handling lem, you can mix things up by creating a Crime Lord who
a physical confrontation, although most are not as power- is not human at all, or at least not your run-of-the-mill
ful as their superhuman foes. On the other hand, Crime syndicate boss. For example, the Crime Lord might be an
Lords tend to be the sort that world-spanning heroes of- alien, perhaps capable of assuming human form or pos-
ten overlook, being busy protecting the planet from alien sessing a human host body. It could have either taken
invasions and cosmic megalomaniacs. over an existing criminal syndicate by impersonating and
replacing its leader, or created one for its own purposes.
THEMES Who knows what sorts of things aliens might consider
“contraband” from Earth? Otherwise harmless foodstuffs
Crime Lords may be distinguished by the style and pro- or materials might be addictive drugs or weapons for
clivities of their criminal empires; some may refuse to them. They might deal in human slaves, organs, or meat,
indulge in the “dirty business” of drugs or the sex trade, for that matter. Similarly, you can create a Crime Lord who
for example, while others prey on every dark instinct and is from another dimension, another time, or a similar off-
impulse in the human soul. beat origin.
TACTICS
The Crime Lord’s watchword is “subtlety,” balanced against
a colossal ego and a need to have foes know who is re-
sponsible for their downfall. Quite often, heroes only en-
counter the Crime Lord in the form of taunting notes or
recordings, or via anonymous phone calls, hidden audio
systems, or video links.
and out of costume). Professional organizations investigate not prove it in a court of law. Will they step over the line to
and take action against them. Authorities begin to distrust exact revenge? If the Crime Lord fakes his own death in the
them, and even their friends may turn away from them. The process, will it just turn out to be his last laugh?
Crime Lord may go so far as to publicly “out” the heroes, so
their other enemies can join in on the fun, making fugitives Obviously, this can be a series-changing plot, best re-
out of the good guys in their own city. All the while, the served for fairly gritty or Iron Age-style games, although
Crime Lord makes certain the heroes know just who is re- it virtually ensures the Crime Lord will be a foe the players
sponsible for their misfortunes, but also ensures they can- grow to hate!
ELDER EVIL
While heroes often face off against foes who can rightly
be called villains, from time to time they confront true evil,
THE EVIL GOD
an embodiment of wickedness and corruption, or an alien
Always willing to dip into the well of mythology, comic
entity of such power it is beyond mere labels of good or
books have turned most historical deities of death, war,
evil, but certainly not good for humanity as a whole. El-
disease, or other unpleasant matters into supervillains at
der Evils tend to be powerful master villains, operating
some point or another. Usually the deity in question rules
behind the scenes for some time before the heroes finally
over some extradimensional domain and wants to extend
confront them. Ideally, they never have to confront them
greater power over the Earth and its inhabitants, usually
at all! Elder Evils may be imprisoned or barred from the
to their detriment. An Evil God is a natural enemy for a
earthly plane by ancient wards or pacts, requiring the as-
heroic deity acting on Earth as a superhero. The archetype
sistance of mortal cults or dupes (perhaps even the he-
also shows up in opposition to heroes empowered by or
roes!) to break their bonds and permit them access. The
following in the footsteps of mythological deities.
Cultists (see the minion archetypes, page 136) are suit-
able followers of the Elder Evil. An evil god’s powers are largely dictated by his or her
area of influence: death gods may have Darkness Control
or Magic, often legions of skeleton or zombie warriors or
THEMES ghostly minions. War gods tend to have considerable com-
bat prowess, allowing them to go head-on with a team
Elder Evils in the comic books tend to fall into one of three of superhuman heroes. Sly tricksters focus on shapeshift-
major categories or themes: the Devil, the Evil God, and ing and illusions, allowing them to get away before the
the Eldritch Horror. heroes are even wise to their schemes. Modify the arche-
type’s game stats accordingly, using the other archetypes
THE DEVIL in this book as examples, such as Sorcerer for a death god,
Brute for a war god, and Mastermind for a trickster.
Maybe not the Devil, but a devil, certainly. The villain fits
the archetype of the mythic underworld evildoer, of- THE ELDRITCH HORROR
ten complete with horns, forked tail, cloven hooves, and
shroud of hellfire. Exactly how various demons and dev- There are things in the unknowable realms beyond space
ils fit into the cosmology of the setting is left up to the and time that care little if mortals exist at all... squamous
GM: they might represent different religious or spiritual things, madness and amorphity in motion, whose very
beliefs, or have inspired said beliefs without necessarily forms defy rationality and the sight of which twists per-
being bound by them. ceptions and minds... things whose very existence is sim-
Devils are often tempters (see Classic Bits later in this ply wrong.
section); indeed, they may be prohibited from involv- Whether such things even have names other than what
ing themselves in mortal affairs without being asked or foolhardy mortal summoners attribute to them is a mat-
invited in some fashion. In this case, they rely heavily on ter for debate in the mystic community. Elder Evils answer
cults and the occasional novice sorcerer to get a cloven invocations when it suits them, not at the whim of a sum-
foot in the door. They’re often interested in souls, either moner reckless enough to reach across that final barrier.
corrupting the good and innocent, or collecting the souls
of the willing in exchange for what the Devil can provide. Physical descriptions are rather useless when dealing with
In either case, they can serve more as plot devices than creatures with no true shape or form. GMs should use
anything else. whatever comes to mind during a scene involving Elder
Evils, the grosser and more disgusting the better: sharp-
For Devils with game stats, you may want to substitute ened bills and hooks that slide in and out of view, razor-
Fire Control or Magic for the Aura of Madness power and scaled carapaces that harden and melt without warning,
remove the Permanent modifier on the Growth power, al- vents that open and close to spew sticky acidic goo or
lowing the Devil to become a threatening giant, or remain flaming mucus, and so on. Similarly, add whatever addi-
relatively human-size. Devils often have Morph to tempt tional traits the Eldritch Horror may require to make it a
victims in different guises as well. unique threat.
CAPERS
Adventures involving an Elder Evil may in-
clude the following:
ELEMENTAL
Like many heroes, some villains are embodiments of a THE UNEXPECTED ATTACK
particular primal element, energy, or force. These range
from the primal elements of air, earth, fire, and water to Elementals are often able to use their unparalleled mas-
the forces of nature or the energies or elements of mod- tery in their particular specialty to pull off some unusual
ern science, like gravity and radiation. Elemental villains attack or effect against the heroes, from debilitating de-
are often the result of cosmic or scientific accidents, but hydration or heatstroke to electromagnetic interference
may also be the pinnacle of a lifelong quest to command a with brainwaves or fine gravitational control to disrupt
particular force through scientific or mystical means. blood flow. The main idea is the attack tends to bypass
ordinary defenses to overwhelm the targets. Some El-
THEMES emental villains have unusual attacks as regular parts of
their powers, typically some type of Affliction. This attack
The Elemental’s theme revolves around the villain’s partic- is more in the form of a villainous “power stunt,” although
ular power source: what energy or force does the Elemen- actually it should be considered a complication you in-
tal command? From whence does this power originate? clude in the adventure for the heroes to overcome. Thus,
Some elementals are mystic embodiments of their power, when you invoke the Elemental’s unexpected attack,
while others are mutants, magicians, or empowered by award the affected player(s) a hero point.
technology (either devices or altered by scientific treat- The idea is that the villain’s initial use of the effect catches
ments or accidents). the heroes entirely off-guard and puts them at a serious
Roll on the Elemental Themes table or choose a suitable disadvantage, perhaps even defeating them outright the
type for the Elemental. first time (allowing the Elemental to escape or to capture
them). Later, the heroes are forewarned about the villain’s
ability and can use their own powers and ingenuity to
NAME IDEAS counter it. In particular, encourage players to make use
of power stunts, inspiration, and inventions (all potential
See the individual elements on the Elemental Themes uses for the heroes points they have earned) to neutralize
table. the villain’s advantage.
With mastery over a particular force, the Elemental can MORE POWER!
threaten and blackmail an entire city, state, nation, or even
the world! The Elemental starts off with a relatively showy Not satisfied with merely tremendous power, the El-
emental seeks to attain absolute power. The method de-
ELEMENTAL THEMES
D20 ELEMENT
Air Control with wind blast (Ranged Damage 18), cyclone (Burst Area Damage 12), fog (Visual Concealment Attack
2, Cloud Area 16 – 120 mile radius), suffocation (Ranged Affliction 9, Concentration, Cumulative; Resisted by Forti-
1
tude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), and jetstream (Line Area Move Object 12). Name Ideas: Aeolus, Aero, Jetstream,
Pneumatic, Silver Fog, Windshear, Zephyr
Cold Control with ice blast (Ranged Damage 18), ice sculptures (Create Object 18, Permanent), ice storm (Environ-
ment 9: Intense Cold, Impede Movement –2 ranks, Visibility –2 modifier), ice block (Ranged Cumulative Affliction
2-3 12; Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree),
flash-freeze (Ranged Weaken Toughness 18, Affects Only Objects). Name Ideas: Absolute Zero, Coldsnap, Frigid, Ice
Queen, Mr. (or Ms.) Winter, Sub-Zero
Darkness Control with dark blast (Ranged Damage 18), darkness field (Visual Concealment Attack 4, Burst Area
9), shadow scrying (Remote Sensing 18, visual and auditory, Medium: darkness or shadow), shadow snare (Ranged
4-5 Cumulative Affliction 12, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condi-
tion, Limited Degree), shadow-step (Teleport 18, Accurate, Medium: darkness or shadows). Name Ideas: Darkmane,
Shadowlord, Silhouette, Umbra
Earth Control with rock throwing (Ranged Damage 18), avalanche (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), rock-shaping
(Create 18), rock hands or chains (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable,
6
Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree), earth-moving (Perception Ranged Move Object,
Limited to Earth and Stone). Name Ideas: Gaia, Earth Mother, Rockslide, Slate, Terra-Fist
Electrical Control with ball lightning (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), lightning flash (Ranged Burst Area Affliction
9; Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Hindered, Visually Unaware), power drain (Burst Area Nullify Elec-
7-8
tronics 12), electrical aura (Damage 9, Reaction), taser blast (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude;
Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated). Name Ideas: Bolt, Gigahertz, Lightning, Megawatt
Fire Control with flame bolt (Ranged Damage 18), fireball (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), fire blast (Cloud Area
9-10 Ranged Damage 12), fire aura (Damage 9, Reaction), heat wave (Burst Area Cumulative Ranged Affliction 9; Resisted
by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated). Name Ideas: Firebug, Firestarter, Igneous, Pyro, Torch
Gravity Control with force blast (Ranged Damage 18), force burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), force beam
(Line Area Ranged Damage 12), force wave (Ranged Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 9; Resisted by Dodge; Dazed,
11
Stunned, Incapacitated), gravitic manipulation (Move Object 18). Name Ideas: Counterweight, Gravitar, Gravitas,
Heavyweight
Light Control with laser blast (Ranged Damage 18), laser burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), blinding light (Cu-
mulative Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted by Dodge; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware), blinding
12
burst (as blinding light, but also Burst Area and rank 9), holographic projection (Visual Illusion 12). Name Ideas: Holo-
gram, Lazer, Lightwave, Photon, Sunlord
Magnetic Control with magnetic blast (Ranged Damage 18), magnetic burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), mag-
netic field (Perception Ranged Move Object 18, Limited to Metal), magnetic pulse (Burst Area Nullify Electronics 12),
13-14
metallic bonds (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12; Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Im-
mobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree). Name Ideas: Attractor, Lodestone, Master Magnet, Polarity
Motion Control with kinetic blast (Ranged Damage 18), kinetic deflection (Deflect 18), kinetic drain (Ranged Weak-
15 en Movement Effects 12, Broad), impart momentum (Move Object 18), momentum burst (Burst Area Move Object
12). Name Ideas: Erg, Go-Girl, Kinetron, Motion Master
Plant Control with animate plants (Summon), grow plants (Create 18, Permanent), pollen cloud (Burst Area Ranged
Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated), sicken or poison (Burst Area Ranged Afflic-
16
tion 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), root transport (Teleport 18, Medium: Plants). Name
Ideas: Erl King, Flora, Forest Lord, Jack-in-the-Green, Rose
Radiation Control with radiation blast (Ranged Damage 18), radiation burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), blind-
ing burst (Burst Area Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Un-
17-18
aware), irradiate (Ranged Weaken Stamina 9, Progressive), meltdown (Ranged Weaken Toughness 18). Name Ideas:
Fusion, Meltdown, Nuke, Radion, Radium
Water Control with water blast (Ranged Damage 18), water burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), hard water con-
structs (Create 18), blinding splash (Burst Area Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually
19
Disabled, Visually Unaware), water movement (Perception Ranged Move Object 18, Limited to Water). Name Ideas:
Aqua, Riptide, Tsunami, Undertow, Wave
Weather Control with lightning bolt (Ranged Damage 18), thunderclap (Burst Area Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted
by Fortitude; Hearing Impaired, Hearing Disabled, Hearing Unaware), harsh weather (Burst Area Ranged Affliction
20 11; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated; Variable Descriptor: Weather), icing (Environment 18: Impede Movement –2),
precipitation (Environment 18: Visibility –5). Name Ideas: Coriolis, Cumulous, Nimbus, Stormfront, Stormlord, Stratos,
Thunder
ELEMENTAL PL14
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
0 3 0 1 4 4 2 4
POWERS DEFENSE
Elemental or Energy Control: Array (36 points) based on DODGE 10 FORTITUDE 13
theme (see Elemental Themes sidebar) • 40 points
PARRY 8 TOUGHNESS 18/3*
Elemental Movement: Flight 10 • 20 points
WILL 15 *Without Protection bonus
Elemental Shield: Protection 15, Impervious 10, Sustained
• 25 points POWER POINTS
SKILLS ABILITIES 38 SKILLS 18
POWERS 85 DEFENSES 36
Expertise: Magic or Science 6 (+10), Insight 8 (+11), Intimidation
10 (+14), Perception 8 (+11), Ranged Combat: Elemental ADVANTAGES 8 TOTAL 185
Control 4 (+10)
COMPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES Undisputed Master: Arrogant and competitive about
Accurate Attack, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), elemental mastery.
Ranged Attack 5 Weakness: To opposite or related element.
OFFENSE
What is the Elemental’s scheme? The villain might be look-
INITIATIVE +0 ing to garner public support and a new power base from
Elemental Control +10 Ranged, Damage 18 or other effect some grateful populace, making them dependent on
their benefactor’s continued aid. Perhaps the Elemental is
pends on the villain and the plot hook you wish to use. looking to make the heroes look bad in the bargain, won-
A legendary mystic idol or talisman might promise mas- dering aloud (and in front of the media) why they have
tery over a particular element or force. A new technology not taken more measures to improve the world for the
could offer the potential of increasing the Elemental’s better. Who knows? Perhaps the Elemental actually has
power, perhaps by channeling vast amounts of suitable had a change of heart and wants to help, but remains too
energy: an Electrical Elemental might seek out a new dy- arrogant to answer to any outside authority, or to surren-
namo or generator, while a Radiation Elemental is drawn der and answer for any previous crimes
to an experimental cyclotron or even fusion reactor!
Whatever the case, the Elemental jumps in power level THE ELEMENTS OF EVIL
from 14 to 16, 18, or even off the scale altogether to PLX,
becoming a living embodiment of the element, able to The only thing worse than one elemental villain is an
control unlimited amounts of it to any degree, anywhere. entire group of them. Elements often come in paired
Imagine a villain with complete command of all of the opposites (fire and water, light and darkness, etc.) or in
electrical energy on Earth much less a foe able to com- themed groups, such as the four classical elements of
mand and shape the gravitic forces of the entire solar sys- air, earth, fire, and water, or a spectrum of “fundamental
tem or galaxy! The heroes have to come up with a coun- forces” like electromagnetism, gravity, and nuclear force
ter-plan to remove the Elemental’s added power, while (strong and weak). One elemental villain might begin
surviving long enough to implement it. gathering those with similarly themed powers in order
to form a stronger team to deal with those troublesome
ELEMENTAL ASSISTANCE heroes. The Elemental’s new teammates could be equal-
ly powerful, or lower power level underlings (perhaps us-
The Elemental stuns the world by performing a series of ing the Elemental archetype from the Hero’s Handbook
good deeds, the exact nature of which depend on the ele- as a basis). Certainly, a team of PL14 Elementals would be
ment involved, but can include alleviating natural disasters, a force to be reckoned with!
bringing much needed rain or fertile soil to parched areas,
stopping wars or border skirmishes, restoring environ- The heroes have to find some way of overcoming a group
mentally ravaged areas, building or repairing housing or which may command considerable power, perhaps by ex-
infrastructure, and so forth. The formerly feared supervil- ploiting the Elementals’ innate weaknesses or even their
lain claims to have reformed, and asks no reward for these oppositions to each other. They may also be able to find
good deeds. However, the villain still refuses to surrender to the source of the Elementals’ power and use it, either to
authorities, who have an increasingly difficult time trying to remove or weaken their foes’ powers, or to increase their
arrest the criminal, given the groundswell of public goodwill own long enough to defeat them.
(and sovereign governments willing to provide asylum).
HYBRID
Like the Brute, the Hybrid is often a tragic figure, a Finding the cure may be the end of the Hybrid, but there
amalgam of human and beast. Some are creations of is always the possibility of the transformation happening
science gone wrong while others are the victims of again; perhaps the cure is only temporary, or circumstances
mystical curses (such as lycanthropy). Some Hybrids revel force the Hybrid to accept the transformation once again
in their condition and the power it brings, while others in order to, for example, save a loved one or deal with a
desperately seek a cure to restore them to normal, willing threat. If the cause can be repeated or the transformation
to do whatever it takes to achieve it. is contagious then someone else could become the Hybrid,
perhaps even at the same time as the original!
THEMES BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Hybrid themes are based around the type of animal or
The Hybrid’s buried humanity is often obsessed with a par-
beast the villain resembles. The appearance may be strictly
ticular person. This may be a spouse, partner, child, or other
cosmetic—with the character having just the traits listed
family member of its human self, or simply someone who
for the archetype—or it may include certain additional
has shown the creature kindness and compassion, earning
traits. Roll on the Animal Types table or choose a suitable
its devotion in return. The Hybrid stalks this person, trying
species for the Hybrid..
to protect him or her in its own way—usually by threaten-
While the Hybrid is often a human transformed by sci- ing or even killing any perceived danger. Eventually, the
ence or sorcery, it may also be a natural creature, creature may abduct the object of its obses-
perhaps an alien that resembles a humanoid sion in order to keep that person
beast or a member of a super-evolved race of
beast-men. In this case, the Hybrid is usually a
confused stranger in the modern world, in need
of a means of returning home rather than restor-
ing a humanity it never had.
NAME IDEAS
Generally something based on the Hy-
brid’s animal associations (Ophidian for
a snake-man, for example, or Hammer-
head for a shark Hybrid) or a general
description of the villain’s beast-like nature:
Feral, Primeval, Atavist, Fierce, Rabid, and so
forth.
CLASSIC BITS
Classic bits for the Hybrid include:
THE CURE
The Hybrid’s condition is often the re-
sult of an accident or curse, leaving the
victim searching for a cure of some sort.
This may be a scientific formula or treat-
ment, or a magical spell or talisman,
but the result is the same. The Hybrid
engages in a series of thefts and kid-
nappings to get whatever is needed to
put a stop to the madness and reverse
the transformation. Heroes can offer to
help, and might be able to convince the Hy-
brid to let them. More likely, however, the
villain is too far gone to trust anyone, and
has already committed serious crimes the
authorities are not going to simply forget.
ANIMAL TYPES
D20 ANIMAL (ADDITIONAL TRAITS)
close by and safe. The heroes need to rescue the kidnap You can handle the transformation as a plot device,
victim, which only enrages the creature. making it slow enough to not immediately overwhelm
characters, but fast enough to create a sense of urgency.
True danger to the victim may cause the Hybrid to relent Alternately, you can handle it as an Affliction effect. See
and even surrender or sacrifice itself. This can lead to a the Vampire archetype for guidelines on this.
tragic ending, with the creature dead or presumed dead
after giving itself to save the object of its affection. ANIMAL MASTERY
CONTAGIOUS TRANSFORMATION In addition to their various other powers, Hybrids often
have empathy with, and control over, creatures similar to
In some cases, like recombinant DNA or a magical themselves. This is essentially the Communication (Animals)
curse such as lycanthropy, the Hybrid’s condition may effect or Summon Animals at a suitable rank, often Limited
be contagious, usually to anyone bitten or scratched to the same type of creature as the Hybrid’s basic stock.
by it. This leads to a slow transformation of the victim So a reptilian Hybrid may be able to control other reptiles,
into a similar hybrid creature. If these new Hybrids are particularly snakes or alligators, while a feline Hybrid can
contagious, a plague of the creatures could quickly infest control cats, possibly including big cats like lions and tigers.
an area, giving the heroes a major problem to deal with.
Things get worse if the transformation not only affects UNEXPECTED IDENTITY
superhumans, but allows them to retain their powers! This
can lead to super-powered Hybrids able to shoot flames, One twist about the Hybrid has almost become cliché:
control minds, bounce bullets, and much more. namely the villain’s human identity turning out to be
HYBRID PL10
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
6 6 5 3 8 -2 4 1
POWERS OFFENSE
Claws: Strength-based Damage 2, Penetrating 6 • 8 points INITIATIVE +9
Healing Factor: Regeneration 10 • 10 points Claws +12 Close, Damage 8, Penetrating 6
Animal Senses: Senses 6 (Acute Smell, Danger Sense,
Darkvision, Tracking, Ultra-hearing) • 6 points DEFENSE
Bestial Speed: Leaping 2 (30 feet), Speed 4 (30 MPH) • 6 points DODGE 12 FORTITUDE 10
PARRY 12 TOUGHNESS 8/6*
SKILLS
WILL 10 *Without Defensive Roll.
Acrobatics 10 (+15), Athletics 9 (+15), Close Attack: Claws 4
(+12), Expertise: Survival 12 (+10), Insight 8 (+12), Intimidation POWER POINTS
12 (+13), Perception 10 (+14), Stealth 11 (+16)
ABILITIES 62 SKILLS 38
ADVANTAGES POWERS 30 DEFENSES 21
Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Evasion, Fearless, ADVANTAGES 14 TOTAL 165
Great Endurance, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Move-by
Action, Power Attack, Startle, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge COMPLICATIONS
The Beast Within: Subject to uncontrolled animal impulses.
someone other than who you would expect. For example,
if the heroes think the Hybrid is the obsessed geneticist
experimenting with his own work, the creature will turn influence of the beast. The mercenary is a heartless killer
out to be his lovely wife or daughter, either the victim of who intends to make the Hybrid just another trophy for
an accident the scientist is attempting to protect while he his wall, unless the heroes intervene.
looks for a cure, or a willing test subject trying to prove his
theories (often without his knowledge).
KINGDOM OF THE BEAST
The Hybrid is involved in a series of thefts of scientific
TACTICS equipment and supplies, just like in The Cure bit,
perhaps even kidnapping experts in the field. Evidence
The Hybrid’s tactics tend to be as its name implies: direct points to the villain’s human identity and the accident
and brutal. It attacks like a wild animal, relying on its or experiment that caused the initial transformation.
strength and speed. However, it turns out the Hybrid is not looking for a cure,
Still, when faced with multiple opponents, the Hybrid but a way of replicating the transformation on a much
can be a cunning foe. It often tries to lead pursuers into wider scale! The villain is creating a formula or device that
ambush or takes advantage of the natural features of the will turn everyone in a city, nation, or even the world into
terrain, if it operates in the wilderness. So a Hybrid might a human-beast hybrid like it is, with the Hybrid as ruler of
lead heroes into quicksand or sinkholes, off of cliffs, or a new kingdom, unless the heroes find a way to stop it.
into riptides, as well as constructing crude traps such as THE VESSEL
deadfalls and snares.
A Hybrid known to the heroes unexpectedly returns,
CAPERS perhaps even after being cured in a previous adventure.
Shortly after the creature is sighted, however, it is captured
Adventures involving the Hybrid may include the by parties unknown and whisked away. Evidence points to
following: the Hybrid’s transformation being deliberately arranged
and triggered by a secret mystical cult. The entity they
THE HUNT worship has a half-human, half-beast avatar that sounds
very much like the Hybrid. The cult members have taken
After a few attacks by the Hybrid in which some people this as an omen that the creature is destined to be the
have been hurt (but no one killed as yet), the authorities vessel of their god, and they intend to use the Hybrid in an
agree to work with a noted bounty hunter and mercenary occult ritual to summon it into the world. The heroes have
who offers to track down the creature and bring it back, to find the cult’s hidden lair and put a stop to the ritual, or
dead or alive. A friend of the Hybrid’s human identity find a way to banish the cult’s patron after it has possessed
comes to the heroes and begs them for help, saying the a physically powerful body to use in conjunction with its
Hybrid is not really responsible for his actions under the own mystical abilities.
IMP
The Imp is less of a “villain” and more a high-level nui- of testing their abilities and limitations. This might be
sance or a bother—a foe intended more to make heroes scientific curiosity or some need to put heroes through
want to bang their heads against walls than anything a “crucible” to refine their power and determination in
else. Some Imps are potentially deadly, but even these some fashion. Some Testers are self-appointed judges of
like their elaborate games and twisted ideas of what “worthiness,” and may seek to eliminate those who do not
constitutes “fun.” meet their high standards.
Entertainment is the main idea of the Imp... for the Imp, THE TRICKSTER
anyway. The character is generally bored and seeks chal-
lenge or excitement by pestering the heroes in different Mythologies from many different cultures have stories of
ways. Some Imps are deadly serious about this, looking trickster gods and spirits who use cunning and guile to
for ways to humiliate or even destroy their chosen oppo- get into and out of a lot of trouble. A trickster Imp causes
nents, while others are just out for some fun, even if they problems for the heroes largely because he can, out of a
turn the world upside-down in the process. sense of boredom or to “lighten up” the otherwise overly
serious good guys. For some it’s childish good fun, for
Thus the Imp tends to combine a childish sense of amuse-
others, it’s a vicious attempt to tear down the heroes and
ment and cruelty with almost unlimited power. The Imp is
make them look foolish.
usually nigh omnipotent, making it that much harder for
heroes to get rid of him (or simply punch his lights out, as In spite of their tremendous power, tricksters tend to be
they will no doubt be tempted to do). cowardly when confronted, and sometimes get caught up
in their own web of lies and deception. Smart heroes can
THEMES play on their weaknesses and might be able to get some
help from other members or factions of the trickster’s
“pantheon” (whomever they may be). Otherwise, it’s up to
Some themes common with Imp adversaries include the
the good guys to come up with some clever plan to out-
following.
trick the trickster.
COSMIC BRAT
YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND!
The most common type of Imp is the bothersome pest
who just won’t leave and who is far too powerful for the Sometimes an Imp means well, even if things do not work
hero to get rid of any way other than according to the out that way for the object of its attentions. Rather than
rules of the Imp’s game (or trickery involving said rules). seeking to play against the heroes, the Imp wants to work
The Imp may be an actual child (or at least look and act with them, becoming their new partner, teammate, or
like one) or an adult or other being with childish qualities. sidekick. Unfortunately, as initially tempting as it might
Some Imps seem like adults at first, but demonstrate in- appear to have an ally with unlimited power, the heroes
creasingly childish behavior, revealing their true nature. quickly learn that having the Imp on your side isn’t nearly
as helpful as it might seem.
In addition to an inherent weakness or winning the terms
of the Imp’s game, the Cosmic Brat may have another limi- For one thing, the Imp still doesn’t understand human
tation: sooner or later, Mom and Dad might come looking.... limitations or customs, going around violating all kinds
of laws and procedures to get the job done. Then there’s
PLAYER OF GAMES the inability to tell a serious supervillain from some rude
newspaper publisher who calls the heroes names (“But I
Some “Imps” are hardly deserving of the title, being almost thought you said you didn’t like him?”“That’s no reason to
full-fledged devils, except these cunning figures are not turn him into a rat!”) or problems that should not be solved
the primordial forces of evil (see the Elder Evil archetype with superhuman powers (“You wished he loved you, now
for that). Instead, they are nigh-omnipotent nuisances for he does!” “But it’s not real!”). Lastly, there’s the temptation
heroes in one manner or another, just as insistent on their for the Imp to “liven things up” by making them even more
“game” (and their rules) as other Imps tend to be. challenging for the heroes! After all, stopping a routine
mugging is dull, but thwarting a massive alien invasion by
One example is the Game-Master, a cosmic game-player an alliance of a dozen different races... now that sounds
interested in various tests of wit and skill involving the awesome!
heroes. Sometimes they play against the Game-Master,
other times they are just pawns in one of his larger games,
pitting them against other heroes or villains on an oppo- NAME IDEAS
site team.
Anansi, the Brat, Coyote the Trickster, Kilroy, Mister
Another Player of Games is the Tester, who puts heroes in Muggles, Pooka, Puck, Rumpelstiltskin, Sidekick,
situations similar to the Game-Master, but for purposes Storytime, the White Rabbit
IT’S MY IDIOM
Although the Imp is capable of accomplishing nearly any-
thing, he tends to stay within a particular theme or style.
For example, an Imp could be a shape-changer able to
turn into anything he can imagine; or the Imp might be
obsessed with 18th century pirate regalia, so all his vari-
ous effects are associated with it (flintlocks, cannons,
parrots, peg-legs, and so forth), even when they’re
fantastic in nature (firing energy beams or growing
to giant size). There might be a reason for the Imp’s
particular style or it could just be a matter of taste. What-
ever the Imp’s idiom, it often has something to do with his
weakness as well.
PASSIVE AGGRESSION
Although the Imp might have unlimited
power, even when it comes down to a
direct confrontation, Imps do not do
things like simply making heroes
vanish, turning them into stone (or
any other inert matter), controlling
their minds, or otherwise destroy-
ing or defeating them outright
with nothing more than a thought.
Why? The exact reason varies, but
generally because it would offend
the Imp’s sense of “fair play” or make
the whole conflict too easy, especially
when the idea is provide some chal-
lenge and entertainment.
making all of his wishes come true! Now the guy who gave
ONE WEAKNESS the heroes trouble with limited or no powers of his own
has almost unlimited source of power! The heroes have to
There is always a way to get rid of the Imp, and it is usually
contend with the problems their newly empowered foe
fairly easy to suss out or even trick the Imp into admitting
causes for them while trying to figure out how to separate
what it is. Of course, it may then be a matter of fulfilling that
the Imp from the new “ideas guy” so they can deal with
condition, but smart heroes can often exploit loopholes in
them both.
the requirement to get the cosmic pest to go away.
The nature of the weakness can be almost anything: BUILDING BETTER HEROES
learning and saying the Imp’s true name (or getting the
Imp to say it, perhaps backwards), winning a particular In an effort to be “helpful,” the Imp decides heroes need
contest, waiting for a particular time (such as an Imp who challenges to not only stay sharp, but to hone and
only appears at night, or only on a particular night, like improve their skills. Therefore, he takes it upon himself to
Halloween), or confronting the Imp with some intangible become their “hero coach” and provide them with all sorts
quality, such as love, hope, fear, or the like. of new and innovative challenges. At first, the good guys
might not know the Imp is behind it all. They just notice
Once the Imp’s weakness is triggered, he’s gone, at least an uptick in strange happenings and crises. The more they
for a while. Some Imps have the same weakness, and it’s a deal with things, the worse they seem to get, however,
matter of knowing and using it when the Imp reappears. until the heroes cannot seem to catch a break. Only when
Others change weaknesses, often within a theme, such all seems lost (the Moon begins falling out of the sky
as the Imp who always leaves if you can beat him at a toward Earth, or a giant monster threatens to eat the Sun),
game, but the game (and its rules) change with every does the Imp appear to harangue the hopeless heroes
appearance. and tell them they need to meet this latest challenge! Lack
of gratitude might well turn the Imp away from helping
TACTICS and back to just causing trouble, not that the heroes will
be able to tell the difference.
Imps do not have a lot of use for tactics beyond “this
sounds like fun!” The Imp usually has enough power to do CHALLENGE OF THE CHAMPIONS
just about anything, so the tactic of choice is usually the
one that makes things the most difficult for the heroes The Imp takes the role of referee in a contest (or series of
but also gives them the opportunity to show what they’re contests) between two or more teams of superhumans.
made of. The teams could be the classic “heroes versus villains” or
various superhero teams competing, mixed groups of
CAPERS heroes and villains, the heroes versus heroines, adults
versus teens, or anything else that catches the Imp’s fancy.
Perhaps the teams even vary from one contest to the
Adventures involving an Imp may include the following:
next. Similarly, the prize can be anything from the Imp
THERE’S A NEW HERO IN TOWN not wiping out life as we know it on Earth to the promise
of fulfilling the winner’s every wish, something the good
An amazing new superhero shows up in the same area as guys are not going to want their archenemies to get!
the characters and begins showing them up with a dizzy- This adventure is an excuse to put the heroes through any
ing array of incredible powers. He wraps up a dangerous series of contests you care to think up, including staging
hostage situation in no time, stops natural disasters, cap- interesting fights with various opponents in exotic locales,
tures escaped super-monsters, and so forth, all without around the world or in the far corners of the universe.
raising a sweat.
It’s the heroes’ worst nightmare come true: the Imp The good guys have no end of crises and emergencies to
latches on to a cunning and dangerous supervillain (such handle, along with ultimately convincing their strange
as the Psycho archetype) and, like a magical genie, starts visitor to stop and put things back to normal.
JOBBER
Not every villain is cut out to rule the world or bring Jobbers may be frustratingly difficult to catch in a chase
society to its knees, and not every villain wants to. For or possess oddly specific scientific expertise relevant to a
many, villainy is a strict 9-to-5 day job. Once all is said problem the heroes must solve, forcing them to persuade
and done, they punch out and hit the bar to complain or intimidate the Jobber into working with them willingly.
about their kids’ braces and the overbearing mastermind This ability is best reflected with advantages like Favored
signing their checks. Others may simply have a schtick or Foe or Favored Environment—perhaps even allowing
gimmick they love that’s never amounted to much more Jobbers to stack two ranks of these advantages to improve
than holding up jewelry stores and shaking down tourist the provided circumstance bonus to +5.
busses, continuing their villainous schemes for the art,
rather than for power or profit. IT’S ALL THE SUIT
The Jobber is a classic low-power goon who nonetheless Many Jobbers rely on advanced technology to provide
brings some powers to the fight. They are lieutenants who their powers, having no abilities of their own and instead
lead minions or support more powerful villains with clear- using a weapon, suit, or other gadget for their power. Con-
cut agendas. The typical Jobber excels at something (see sider where this technology comes from: Is it a mystical ar-
the Jobber Themes table), and applies that skill to criminal tifact they found? A gift from a mad scientist? Equipment
activities, but without the style or raw power of more provided by an employer? Or did they build it themselves?
experienced villains. Some are happy with their brand If the technology is provided by someone else, consider
of “casual villainy,” never quite being leadership material, what happens if the Jobber goes rogue, or if their boss
while others resent their role as second-string evil. Some is taken down. If the villain provides their own technol-
earn a measure of respect working as the strong arms for ogy, can they provide a similar (less powerful) version of
a criminal syndicate under a Crime Lord or Mad Scientist, that same technology to their minions, or even sell it to
and just as many still trash talk and posture no matter how other criminals? Also consider if their device is removable
many times they’re defeated. or easily removed; a gravity gun can be disarmed, while a
What they lack in terms of power, most Jobbers make up villain with a wearable “cosmos rig” has to be taken down
for with personality. They lovingly embrace their gimmicks before the heroes can take their powers away.
with an appropriate costume for themselves and minions,
themed crimes, and strings of bad puns. Most inexplicably THAT’S ODDLY SPECIFIC
escape prison with ease to haunt their favorite heroes
time and time again. Many Jobbers rely on amazingly advanced technology
they build themselves, despite having no special genius
or other technical skills. Many could become wealthy
THEMES if they learned to apply their technological insights or
patented their creations, but somhow never manage to.
A Jobber’s theme revolves heavily around whatever This savant-level tinkering is always limited to their theme
particular power set they possess. Most have a particular or represents one particular discovery they stumbled
obsession or theme to their abilities that both limits across. It is considered a plot device rather than anything
the theme and scope of their crimes and provides a requiring appropriate skills or advantages.
curiously savant-like mastery of some subject. A clock-
themed Jobber may not be able to do multiplication in
his head but can track and predict timing within a tenth NAME IDEAS
of a second, while a Jobber with a freeze ray may build
it herself but otherwise be unable to change her own See the individual elements on the Jobber Themes table.
oil or set the clock on her microwave. Consider where a
Jobber’s powers come from: Are they natural abilities? CLASSIC BITS
Are they provided and maintained by another villain? Are
their abilities from a magic source, strange radiation, or a Some classic elements associated with the Jobber include:
strangely specific mastery of science?
CHECK THIS OUT
CAN’T TOUCH ME
Jobbers have a tendency to reinvent themselves along
While Jobbers are generally considered a joke, most their theme, returning with new skills, new advantages,
have one unexpected area where they shine or easily different minions, or changes to their powers. They
outmatch even veteran heroes. This is sometimes played may upgrade or change out their arsenal of gimmick
for laughs but other times represents a serious challenge weapons or learn a new alternate power, always keeping
the heroes must overcome. The most common example heroes on their toes. These new abilities are an excellent
is the amphibious villain who is a joke on dry land but excuse to introduce plot devices used to kick off the real
extraordinarily powerful, swift, or skilled underwater. Other adventure, such as a mirror-themed Jobber’s new ray gun
JOBBER PL8
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
2 3 1 1 4 0 1 0
POWERS DEFENSE
Armored Costume: Protection 5 • 5 points DODGE 8 FORTITUDE 9
Jobber Schtick: Powers based on theme (see Jobber Themes PARRY 8 TOUGHNESS 8/3*
sidebar)
WILL 7 *Without Protection bonus
SKILLS POWER POINTS
Athletics 5 (+7), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+8), Intimidation 6 (+6),
Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Powers 7 (+8), Technology ABILITIES 24 SKILLS 17
4 (+4) POWERS varies DEFENSES 23
ADVANTAGES 8 TOTAL 72+
ADVANTAGES
Beginner’s Luck, Close Attack 2, Improved Initiative, Power COMPLICATIONS
Attack, Takedown, Teamwork, Ultimate Effort (Toughness
checks) Accident: The Jobber is especially prone to causing mayhem
and accidents, or losing control of their powers.
OFFENSE Goober: No one seems to take the Jobber seriously.
INITIATIVE +5 Quirk: The Jobber has a personality quirk or obsession related
to their power set.
Jobber Attack +8 Effect Varies
Responsibility: The Jobber has obligations to a more powerful
Unarmed +6 Close, Damage 2 villain or group.
accidentally swapping the heroes’ minds or a Nightmare- office and sit down for a drink with heroes out of costume,
themed Jobber’s new sleeping dust trapping everyone in though they generally want to leave “shop talk” at the office
a shared dream for the session. and discuss anything else, from sports to the local gossip.
CAPERS
Adventures involving a Jobber may include:
A CONTEST OF CRIMINALS
Over a few drinks, several Jobbers decide to settle
which of them is the best by all targeting the same
treasure. The first to attack may provide a red
herring, making heroes believe that an unaffiliated
employer is after the treasure or that a wave of
theme-robberies is about to begin, but as more
and more villains make a run at the same target the
situation becomes more obvious. Once the heroes
get involved, the rules change, and the Jobbers
split into teams to see who can catch the most
heroes unprepared and take them down.
HEROIC EFFORTS
A Jobber accidentally manages to stop a crime in
progress while waiting to rob the same business,
leaving them basking in the adulation of a crowd
and smiling for news cameras. After this, he begins
fighting street crime. Do the heroes get involved
and help their old foe reform, or do they watch
and wait for him to relapse into his formerly
felonious ways?
JOBBER THEMES
D20 ELEMENT
Aerialist with wings (Winged Flight 8), wing slash (Strength-Based Damage 4; Accurate 2), and avian senses (Sens-
1 es 6 [darkvision, extended vision, infravision, tracking 2]). Name Ideas: Butcher Bird, Con-dor, Dragonfly, Flying Fox,
Kingfisher, Pinfeather, Rocketrix • 20 points
Energy Projection with energy blast (Ranged Damage 8), stun blast (alternate; Ranged Affliction 8, Resisted by
Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Energy Wall (alternate; Create 8), Blast Off (alternate; Leaping 5), and
2-3
energy battery (Immunity 10 [one energy type]); Name Ideas: Combustor, Lighter, Living Frost, Master Ohm, Mr. Hot,
Shakedown • 29 points
Glue/Traps with snare (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 8, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless
and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree), snare trap (alternate; Cumulative Affliction 7, Resisted by
Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree; Triggered),
4–5
and snare bomb (alternate; Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 6, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable,
Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree); Name Ideas: Adheser, Flypaper, Goo Girl, Handy
Man, Mountain Man, Snap-Trap, String King, Trapules, the Welder • 26 points
Leaping with super leaping (Immunity 5 [falling damage], Leaping 5, Speed 4) and power kick (Strength-Based
6–7 Damage 4, Accurate 2). Name Ideas: Bullfrog, Triathlete, Hare Trigger, Hopscotch, Kangarude, the Leapist, Pole Vault
• 20 points
Mirrors/Illusions/Shadows with projections (Visual Illusion 8), reflection/misdirection (Deflect 7; Redirection,
Reflect), illusion damage (alternate; Ranged Damage 7; Alternate Resistance [Will]), invisibility (alternate; Visual
8–9
Concealment 4); and mirror-step (alternate; Extended Teleport 10; Medium). Name Ideas: Adonis, Bloody Mary,
Chiaroscuro, Figment, Mirror Miser, Refractor, Shadowplay • 40 points
Poison with venom (Weaken Stamina 8, Resisted by Fortitude; Accurate), hallucinogenic poison (alternate; Af-
fliction 8, Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled; Accurate), paralytic poison (alternate; Affliction 8,
10–11 Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Paralyzed; Accurate), poison spray (alternate; Line Area Weaken Stamina 4,
Resisted by Fortitude), and sneaky (Enhanced Stealth 10, Movement 1 [slithering or wall-crawling 2]). Naming Ideas:
Dr. Feelbad, Ghost Shrew, Injector, Mr. Medici, Pusher, Scorpion X • 19 points
Stilts/Spiders/Striding with long-legs (Elongation 4 [limited to legs], Speed 4), kickback (Strength-Based Damage
12–13 4; Accurate; Linked to Close Move Object 8 [limited to away]), and Teflon-coating (Immunity 1 [being climbed]).
Name Ideas: Bowlegged Man, the Crane, the High Heel, Leg Man, Lifts, Mommy Longlegs, Power Walker • 17 points
Spinning with whirlwind spin (Concealment 4 [visual; partial], Senses 1 [radius vision], Speed 6), dizzying embrace
(Affliction 8, Resisted by Will; Dazed, Defenseless, Incapacitated; Accurate), and tornado control (alternate; Close
14–15
Cone Area Move Object 4). Name Ideas: Brawllerina, Gustnado, Gyro-Master, Madame Centrifuge, Pinwheel, Spin
Cycle, Turnabout, Whirligig • 21 points
Strength with powerhouse (Enhanced Strength 7, Enhanced Advantage [Close Attack, Improved Grab]) and
16–17 resilient (Immunity 10 [life support; limited to half effect]). Name Ideas: Buffalo Gal, Crusher, Gravestone, Johnny
Legbreaker, Miss Grizzly • 26 points
Throwing Weapons with exploding ammo (Ranged Damage 8), entangle ammo (alternate; Ranged Affliction 8,
Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree),
18–19 flash ammo (alternate; Ranged Burst Area Affliction 8, resisted by Fortitude; Impaired, Debilitated; Limited Degree),
thrown flurry (alternate; Strength-Based Ranged Damage 6; Split 4), and swingline (alternate; Movement 2 [safe fall,
swinging]). Name Ideas: Boomerage, Captain Javelin, Deadeye, Throwing Star, Zuboshi • 20 points
Whips/Tentacles with lash line (Strength-Based Damage 6; Accurate 2; Fast Grab, Improved Grab, Improved Hold),
power pull (Enhanced Strength 6; Limited to Grappling and Pulling), and swingline (Movement 2 [safe fall, swing-
20
ing). Name Ideas: Bullwhip, Cat-O-Nine, Chainbringer, Creeping Ivy, Filament, Lash Master, Man-O-War, Ribbondanc-
er, Rocktopus, Urumi • 19 points
JUMPED-UP NOBODY
If it were not for a strange twist of fate, the Jumped-Up even well-intentioned people suddenly gifted with enor-
Nobody would be just that: no one of any consequence. mous power without the ability to understand or control
After a lifetime of frustration and obscurity, suddenly it. They are like giants in a sandbox, capable of unleash-
a great Item of Power has found its way into his hands ing blasts that can level buildings or even worse with a
and the nobody finally has a chance to be somebody, to glance; they’re usually frightened by the circumstances,
make the world sit up and take notice! Now he will show then angry at being attacked, and therefore unable to
them what real power can do! He’ll show them all! exercise the mental discipline needed to keep their new
powers in check. Heroes dealing with Blundering No-
More often than not, the Jumped-Up Nobody is a tempo- bodies have to keep them calm and under control while
rary villain, a character who gets his powers at the start of containing their incredibly dangerous powers. It can get
the story and loses them by the end. Still, that does not even worse when the Nobody wants to “help out” by
necessarily have to mean the end of the villain, since the joining the team before he or she is ready, and it appears
Nobody may be looking for a way to regain the lost power; the influence of the Item of Power is starting to corrupt
he might even succeed, if a return appearance is desired. the user....
Even if a Jumped-Up Nobody doesn’t start out as a power- Offensively, Jumped-Up Nobodies tend to go for big,
mad villain, they tend to end up that way, given the kind showy effects, especially dishing out a lot of damage to
of might at their command. The archetype is often used blast their foes through buildings and across town. When
as an example of the maxim “power corrupts,” with the they go up against opponents with sufficient defense to
opportunity to fulfill any whim making the empowered evade their direct attacks—given the relatively low +6
Nobody selfish and cruel, becoming increasingly attack bonus—most are smart enough to go for area
YOUNG GUN
Following the tremendous rush of pow-
er, the Jumped-Up Nobody goes look-
ing to kick some capes and demonstrate
what a powerful super-being he is now.
Naturally, the costumes he finds are the
heroes, and he challenges them to a battle
for supremacy. He might do something
showy like take a bus, train, or building full
MAD SCIENTIST
The Mad Scientist is a classic villain archetype, isolated of super-tech gadgets in a setting when the heroes start
by a combination of brilliance, arrogance, and madness, wondering, “Where are people getting all this stuff?”
driven to prove something by hatching schemes for
conquest and plunder. Some Mad Scientists are motivated ASIAN MASTERMIND
by a desire for revenge against a society that mocked and
rejected the fruits of their genius. Others want to carry out The Asian Mastermind is based on the “yellow peril” ste-
experiments no ethical society could condone, arrogantly reotype of pulp adventure stories translated into the
disdainful of “lesser” intellects and their so-called scruples. comic book medium. Typically the villain is an older Asian
A few are motivated by sheer lust for power or knowledge, scholar or scientist who styles himself after the mandarins,
no matter the consequences. Mad Scientists naturally daimyo, or other aristocratic or warrior classes of the past,
have formidable intellectual abilities but most rely heavily and wishes to combine modern science and ancient am-
on devices, equipment, and minions for physical matters. bition to conquer the world. Some Asian Masterminds mix
alchemy or Taoist sorcery with their science.
THEMES CORPORATE CRIMINAL
Mad Scientists tend to be distinguished by two things: the
Not all Mad Scientists are solo acts, unable to profit from
ways in which they are “mad” and the areas of science they
their genius. A few manage to fit into the business world
focus on. There can be a considerable difference between
and climb the corporate ladder, perhaps even to the very
a geneticist obsessed with the creation of new life versus
top. These geniuses may become the heads of top-secret
a chemist looking to perfect a wonder drug to grant
research organizations, “black science” laboratories, gov-
superhuman powers, or a physicist seeking the secrets of
ernment projects, or even presidents or CEOs of major
the universe’s creation (even if it means its destruction as
corporations. So far as most of the world is concerned,
well). Some common Mad Scientist themes in the comics
they are legitimate businesspeople and inventors, putting
include the following.
their skills to work for the good of the company and the
world. The heroes quickly learn the truth when they come
ARMS MERCHANT face-to-face with the Corporate Criminal’s brand of mad
science in action.
Rather than directly confronting the authorities and
the heroes who back them up, a Mad Scientist might
prefer the quiet life of tinkering in a lab or workshop. MONSTER-MAKER
Unfortunately, their work costs, and often costs big, so to
arrange a source of income, the scientist sells high-tech Ever since Frankenstein, a classic image of the Mad
devices to customers willing to pay, usually providing Scientist is as “the modern Prometheus,” stealing fire from
weapons to criminals and even other supervillains. A Mad heaven and creating new life in defiance of the laws of
Scientist arms merchant can explain the widespread use nature. Advances in genetic engineering, biotechnology,
ADVANTAGES WILL 12
ing a clue for astute heroes and also provoking the villain’s some new invention on the heroes, or else orders loyal as-
wrath when the theft is discovered! sistants and minions to “get them!” A Mad Scientist with
the heroes in his clutches can go on for some time about
THE LAB his brilliance, but catch one out in the open and he’s more
likely to cower behind his flunkies or try and make a break
Every scientist needs somewhere to work, and setting up, for it.
maintaining, and supplying a lab or workshop is impor-
tant. Heroes may be able to track a Mad Scientist by fol- If you are keeping with the archetype’s listed power level,
lowing a trail of thefts or black-market purchases to sup- then the Mad Scientist has the capacity for ranged attacks
ply a lab, and it can offer clues as to the villain’s eventual with a rank of up to 12, or 9 for those not requiring an at-
plans. tack check. Modify this as suits the desired power level for
the character and series.
ASSISTANTS
Similarly, the archetype does not account for whatever
In addition to a lab, minions the Mad Scientist may have, from
Mad Scientists often hired goons to home-made monsters.
need assistants to do Include them to help run interfer-
the grunt work around ence for the villain and provide the
the place. Some may heroes with more of a physical
create their own, mak- challenge.
ing do with robots, uplift-
ed animals, or mole-men;
others need human as-
CAPERS
sistance, often with at Adventures involving
least a minimal amount the Mad Scientist may
of training. Assistants include the following:
may double as effective
minions, if they have other THEY CALLED ME MAD!
useful abilities. Otherwise, they
are primarily part of the Personnel The scientific community has
feature of a lair. panned the Mad Scientist’s latest
In some cases, a Mad Scientist needs discovery or invention, claiming it is
expert assistance, which usually involves flawed, too dangerous, or simply won’t
kidnapping other scientists or scholars and work. The enraged scientist disappears,
forcing them to work on a particular proj- along with all of the experimental
ect, allowing heroes the opportunity to data and even prototypes, leading
thwart the kidnappings or track the miss- the heroes to investigate. The (now
ing scientists to the villain’s lair. mad) scientist intends to provide
“those fools” with clear evidence
RANTS of success, most likely by using the
new invention on them! You can
Their tremendous egos make Mad Sci- choose almost any sort of new
entists especially prone to ranting and scientific device or gadget, from
bragging about their accomplishments weather control to shrink ray, and
and their brilliance. After all, they want oth- set the villain up to use it on an
ers to appreciate their genius and find it dif- unsuspecting world.
ficult to pass up an opportunity to explain
their latest invention or scheme to the igno- INTELLECTUAL RIVALRY
rant dolts who think they can stop it. One of
the prime functions of assistants (other than A hero famous for his or her intel-
stepping and fetching) is to listen to their boss- lectual and scientific accomplish-
es’ ongoing rants. ments is being honored by the
city or a national organization. All
TACTICS of this pomp and circumstance
surrounding such an “obvious
intellectual inferior” enrages the
Mad Scientists tend to be behind-the-scenes bad
Mad Scientist, who swears to
guys, troubling the heroes with the spawn
prove once and for all who is the
of their fevered intellects while
greater genius. Perhaps the vil-
they watch from afar in their hid-
lain kidnaps whoever is giving
den labs. When the inevitable con-
the award to force them to
frontation does happen, the Mad
acknowledge him, or simply
Scientist tends to flip a switch (or
plans to attack the award
whatever) that unleashes some fear-
MARTIAL ARTIST
Whether a rogue ninja, master of unarmed combat, or a as part of their unlife, which can create this type of villain.
peerless mercenary soldier, the Martial Artist is often an Simply add Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) to the arche-
agent used to remove obstacles for a master villain or type’s powers, along with any other undead traits (such as
organization. Usually, this includes the heroes. Some are Regeneration) it may have. If the Revenant does not recover
true masters themselves, the opposite numbers of martial on its own, remove its Stamina score as well.
artist heroes, peerless mercenaries, or the leaders of secret
orders of assassins. A revenant may also represent other types of unliving
Martial Artists, like statues imbued with a semblance of
Martial Artists are built for combat, and may be capable of life and considerable fighting skill, or even kung-fu ro-
taking on superhuman foes with the right planning and bots programmed with the hand-to-hand styles of old
tactics. They’re often coldly professional, claiming there’s masters.
nothing personal in their missions of mayhem. It’s just
their duty to their employer and their devotion to the arts SUMOTORI
of combat and killing.
The Martial Artist archetype is built, like most Martial Art-
ists, around speed, agility, and accuracy. One unarmed
THEMES fighter type is quite different: the criminal sumo wrestler
or sumotori. This massively built foe relies on strength
Martial Artist themes tend to revolve around the and sheer bulk rather than quickness, although he is of-
character’s combat style and background. You can use ten far quicker than most expect. For this type of Martial
the fighting styles mentioned in Chapter 7 as templates Artist, reverse the archetype’s Strength and Agility scores,
for different sorts of Martial Artist villains, varying the reduce base attack bonus by 2, and exchange Defensive
archetype’s advantages and other traits accordingly, even Roll advantage for the Protection effect (keeping Tough-
adding appropriate weapons for fencers or stick-fighters, ness the same).
for example.
SENSE OF HONOR
While they are ruthless killers, some criminal Martial Art-
ists still have a sense of personal honor. Heroes may be
able to turn this to their advantage by having the villain
swear an oath to uphold a particular agreement, or by
challenging their foe to a fair contest or single com-
bat. If the Martial Artist agrees, then
the outcome is binding. Honorable
villains can be counted on to
follow their codes, even if
they sometimes look for
ways out of them.
MASTER OF DISGUISE
The Master of Disguise is a specialist in deception, able (affecting only the villain and only to match thought to ap-
to appear as anyone, or perhaps even anything! The pearance). Unless the mind reader has a reason to believe
Master of Disguise could be a spy or assassin for hire, a the villain is not whom he appears to be, there isn’t even a
thief relying on misdirection and deception to get the resistance check!
job done, or a master villain using various guises to sow
dissent, confusion, and trouble. MASTER OF THE MARTIAL ARTS
While not much of a direct threat to a group of superheroes,
Although the archetype is a fairly formidable
the Master of Disguise is capable of doing quite a bit
fighter, some Masters of Disguise are true
of damage to their reputations and personal rela-
adepts in the arts of combat. You may wish
tionships, given the opportunity. The villain often
to combine the traits for this archetype with
works to “soften up” heroes for an employer, in-
those of the Martial Artist to create an agile
filtrating their group to learn about their abili-
and fearsome fighter capable of changing ap-
ties and weaknesses, then sowing mistrust and
pearance virtually at will to confuse opponents.
conflict to keep the good guys busy while
the real scheme unfolds.
NAME IDEAS
THEMES Doppelganger, Effigy, Everyman, False-
Face, Imitator, Incognito, Manikin, Mr. No-
While the typical Master of Dis- body, Nemo (meaning “no one”)
guise is fairly low-powered,
you can create a more formi-
dable version by applying the CLASSIC BITS
Mimic or Shapeshift powers,
allowing the villain to copy The following are some classic bits in-
others’ physical traits as well as volving the Master of Disguise:
appearance. At the highest level,
the Master of Disguise becomes more of a “NO, I’M THE REAL ONE!”
Mimic (see the Mimic archetype).
Sooner or later, the Master of Dis-
DISGUISE DEVICES guise will take on the appearance
of one of the heroes or a trusted
The villain’s power(s) may come from a ally, and the genuine article and
Device, such as a “chameleon belt” or the fake will be seen together.
a series of realistic masks; apply the How do the heroes tell them
Removable modifier to the villain’s apart?
Morph effect. The villain’s powers
might also be dependent on a se- In the case of a player character, this
rum or other source. can be tricky to handle, since the players
obviously know who is playing the real
DOPPELGANGER character and who is playing the villain! It
can be best to either encourage the player
In addition to looking like other to take on both roles and play them equally,
people, the Master of Disguise or for the GM to temporarily take control of
has sufficient ranks of Mind the player’s character, just the same as if the
Reading to think like them as hero were otherwise under a villain’s influ-
well. In essence, the villain ence, so the other players can’t tell the dif-
can pull off a near-perfect ference quite so easily.
deception, circumventing
discovery due to gaps in The classic way the good guys figure out
knowledge, at least so long the truth is the real hero’s willingness to sac-
as the victim fails to resist rifice for the greater good, and knowledge
the mental effect. of things the villain couldn’t possibly know.
Even in the case of a doppelganger possess-
Perhaps the villain has a ing superior knowledge, the former method
form of “mental mimicry” usually works. Many players may be inclined
able to fool unusual sens- to simply capture or knock out both charac-
es. This is essentially a ters and then sort out which of them is the
Limited form of Illusion real thing!
In general, if the villain genuinely wouldn’t know about Try not to overuse this trick, as it is likely to make the play-
a hero’s particular sensory advantage, it’s best to let the ers paranoid and mistrustful of everyone, unless that is
good guy learn the truth and act on it. Of course, if he has the specific effect you are going for. In that case, the vil-
the opportunity, the Master of Disguise might assume lain can often get edgy heroes to take the kind of extreme
that hero’s identity and proclaim he is the real one and steps likely to alienate them from the authorities and the
the other is a fake! (See the previous bit for details.) Other- people who rely on them.
wise, the villain gets caught red-handed.
guys realize they’ve been hoodwinked do they discover For a twist on this scenario, the villain might not be im-
evidence (a discarded mask or the unconscious form of personating the character’s heroic persona, but his secret
the real person) that the villain is long gone. identity, especially if he is someone of importance, such as
a wealthy industrialist, political figure, respected journal-
When forced to fight, the Master of Disguise relies on ist or television personality, or the like. The villain simply
agility and confusion, particularly mixing things up in has the misfortune of choosing a target who is secretly
close combat. The villain might assume a hero’s appear- a superhero, although the incident might also clue the
ance and grab that character so the two of them are Master of Disguise in on the hero’s secret, especially if, say,
mixed-up enough to momentarily confuse the hero’s the villain breaks into the hero’s home or place of business
teammates. and finds evidence of a double life.
MASTERMIND
The Mastermind is a mentalist supervillain, possessing dinary mental prowess, and the exact types of powers the
considerable intellect and psionic abilities which compen- Mastermind possesses.
sate for a relative lack of physical prowess. Masterminds
tend to emphasize the cerebral over the merely physical, ALIEN MASTERMIND
making them effective foes of physically powerful heroes
(who might be more vulnerable to their powers), as well In keeping with the comic book concept that evolution
as mentalist heroes, for whom they are a kind of dark re- is headed toward the superiority of the brain over the
flection. body (as described for the Evolved Mastermind), some
alien villains from advanced species and civilizations have
Some Masterminds have little outward sign of their mental Mastermind qualities: an enlarged head or brain and ex-
superiority, looking like ordinary people, while others have traordinary psionic powers. These powers may be native
clear examples of their emphasis on the mind, such as bald- to the villain’s species (perhaps with the Mastermind an
ness, an enlarged cranium (often with pulsating veins), and extraordinary example) or the villain could be a mutant of
an atrophied, almost vestigial body. Taken to extremes, the some sort, or even an outcast.
villain might have a transparent skull, a brain-like pattern
of folds on his head as though his brain were escaping, or An Alien Mastermind typically has access to advanced
even being all brain, with no physical body at all! (See the technology along with his other powers: assign the villain
Brain in a Jar theme for an example of this.) appropriate devices for personal gadgets such as weap-
ons, force fields (perhaps in place of the innate Psionic
Force Field power), and the like, as well as big equipment
THEMES such as a starship or outer space headquarters. The villain
could be alone in exile on Earth or the leader of an alien
The primary themes of the Mastermind, in addition to armada bent on conquest.
“mind over matter,” are the source of the villain’s extraor-
MASTERMIND PL13
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
-1 0 0 0 0 9 8 2
POWERS OFFENSE
Levitation: Flight 2 (MPH) • 4 points INITIATIVE +0
Psionic Force Field: Protection 14, Impervious 10, Sustained Mind Blast — Perception, Damage 6
• 24 points
Mind Control — Perception, Affliction 8
Psionics: Array (26 points)
Telekinetic Blast +9 Ranged, Damage 11
Mind Blast: Perception Ranged Damage 6, Resisted by Will,
Subtle 2 • 26 points
DEFENSE
Mind Control: Perception Ranged Affliction 8 (Resisted by
Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Subtle 2 • 1 point DODGE 9 FORTITUDE 10
Telekinesis: Perception Ranged Move Object 8, Subtle 2 PARRY 9 TOUGHNESS 14/0*
• 1 point WILL 15 *Without Protection bonus
Telekinetic Blast: Ranged Damage 11, Indirect 3, Subtle
• 1 point POWER POINTS
Telepathy: Mind Reading 13 • 1 point ABILITIES 36 SKILLS 26
Psychic Senses: Senses 4 (Danger Sense; Mental Awareness,
POWERS 62 DEFENSES 35
Extended 2) • 4 points
ADVANTAGES 6 TOTAL 165
SKILLS
COMPLICATIONS
Expertise (Choose One) 4 (+13), Insight 10 (+18), Intimidation
8 (+10), Investigation 6 (+15), Perception 7 (+15), Persuasion 8 Disdainful: Prefers to avoid physical conflict and effort.
(+10), Ranged Combat: Telekinetic Blast 9 (+9) Superiority: The Mentalist is better than “lesser minds.”
Brainscan, Cerebrax, ESPer, Mentallus, Mr. Mind, Professor Even in a direct combat encounter, Masterminds prefer
Psi, Psithon, Psyche to keep their distance from the heroes, making full
use of their mental powers. Note that the archetype’s
Perception Ranged Move Object effect is capable of
CLASSIC BITS grabbing anything the villain can see, but grab checks
are still required to hold on to a struggling opponent,
The following are some classic bits involving the and telekinetic attacks made with grabbed objects do
Mastermind archetype: not hit automatically, but require a ranged attack check.
CONTEST OF WILLS Masterminds commonly use telekinesis to pin opponents
to a wall, ceiling, or floor or to hurl objects at them. Those
Quite often, the conflict between a Mastermind and one too strong or tough for such maneuvers receive the
or more heroes comes down to a contest of wills. Whose villain’s Mental Blast, or become subject to Mind Control,
mind is stronger: the heroes’ or the villain’s? turning against the other heroes.
MIMIC
Sometimes, imitation is the sincerest form of villainy. The An Animal Mimic might be a spiritual champion of the
Mimic is a villain capable of duplicating one or more of animal kingdom, or a super-science user of DNA/RNA
the heroes’ qualities—most often their powers, but some- adaptations. Of all the various Mimics, this one has the
times abilities, skills, advantages, and other traits as well. least interest in studying heroes, since it gains little from
Mimics are a kind of ready-made dark reflection, an exam- doing so. It shares more in common with the Hybrid and
ple of what the heroes’ abilities could do, if turned to evil. Elemental archetypes.
In keeping with their imitative style, Mimic villains in the ARTIFICIAL MIMIC
comics are often artificial beings—such as androids or
clones—with little or no life experience, or aliens with An Artificial Mimic is not a living being, but a construct
no real understanding of human life or culture save what such as an android, robot, or even magical golem of some
they absorb through imitation. This makes the Mimic a sort. It is designed to mimic the traits of others and alters
way of looking at human foibles and virtues from an out- its structure to do so, perhaps using nanotechnology,
sider’s perspective. When a confused Mimic asks, “Explain morphic materials, or a magical process such as alchemy
this thing you call ‘justice,’” how do the heroes respond? or transmogrification. In addition to its other traits, the Ar-
tificial Mimic has Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects).
A Mimic’s power level is somewhat difficult to peg, being
highly variable. The archetype is set at PL 15 to allow for POWER MIMIC
targeted offensive traits (like Damage) of up to rank 20,
given a +10 attack bonus. However, you may wish to sim- This is the classic Mimic type: a villain able to duplicate
ply treat the villain’s power level as fluid, changing it as the subject’s powers, often the powers of multiple sub-
needed to reflect the Mimic’s current capabilities. jects at once. Power Mimics are often Limited to particular
power types or descriptors to give them a more coherent
THEMES theme and differentiate them from others with similar ca-
pabilities. So one villain might mimic only mutant or mys-
tical powers, while another can duplicate racial or species
Mimic themes revolve around the types of traits the villain
traits, but not deviant powers possessed by individuals of
duplicates and how it does so. Different themes allow for
a species. Mimics able to copy all powers tend to be ei-
a wide range of different Mimics in a setting without too
ther limited to settings with a common power origin or
much overlap between them.
are also Unlimited Mimics, able to duplicate any power in
any amount (see the following).
ANIMAL MIMIC
SKILL MIMIC
An Animal Mimic does not duplicate the traits of other
people, but rather the abilities of animals, sometimes Skill Mimics only duplicate powers with a “skill” or “training”
limited to one at a time, others able to mix-and-match. descriptor (or something similar). Instead, they primarily
MIMIC PL15
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
POWERS DEFENSE*
Mimic: Variable 20 (100 points), Continuous, Move Action DODGE 10 FORTITUDE 10
• 180 points
PARRY 10 TOUGHNESS 10
Sense Powers: Senses 4 (Detect Powers, Ranged, Acute,
WILL 10 *Varies based on mimicked traits
Analytical) • 4 points
FACE-OFF TACTICS
The standard Mimic tactic can be summed up as: “Study,
Some Mimics do more than just copy their subject’s
copy, strike.” The Mimic take the opportunity to do what-
traits; they can also duplicate someone’s appearance,
ever is necessary for it to duplicate a target’s traits, then
essentially Morphing into the subject. Some Mimics do
uses them against its foes in
this deliberately, to further confuse opponents about
the most efficient manner
who is the genuine article or even to replace a subject and
possible. Mimics often use
impersonate them. Mimicking multiple subjects often
novel combinations of traits
results in a strange composite appearance for the Mimic.
from different targets—such
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
Since Mimics often benefit from first- or even second-hand
knowledge of their subjects, they may make an effort
to observe a group of
heroes carefully and
gather information
before confronting
them. The Mimic
arranges means of
surveillance and in-
telligence gathering
(spy-cams, magical
scrying, hired minions,
etc.) and may also set
up particular encoun-
ters to test the heroes’
capabilities in various
ways. This can range from
staged crimes to phony tests for
scientific research or exhibitions
for charity or the like. The more
the villain learns, the more effec-
tive he becomes, until the time is
ripe to confront the heroes and
defeat them with their own abilities!
as super-speed and shrinking, or stretching and super- and can duplicate. Eventually, the Mimic will have copied
strength—to do things their individual subjects cannot. all of their abilities, gaining considerable power. The he-
roes have to figure out a way to stop their foe without us-
A Mimic capable of doing so may well imitate targets’ tac-
ing their powers, or come up with a plan to trick or disable
tics as well as their traits, allowing the villain to use the
the Mimic before it can learn too much.
heroes’ most effective tricks against them.
THE RETURN
CAPERS
A hero believed dead (perhaps even a former player char-
Adventures involving the Mimic may include the following: acter) suddenly returns with no explanation or clear mem-
ory of what has happened since his or her death. The res-
LEARNING CURVE urrected hero has some adjusting to do but, as time goes
on, things don’t seem right. Eventually, the good guys dis-
The heroes encounter a new Mimic villain for the first cover the hero is not the genuine article, but the Mimic,
time. Their foe is either a relative innocent, unaware that it accidentally trapped in the hero’s form, suffering memory
is endangering people or causing harm, or else is deliber- loss from an accident or some overload of its powers. Ini-
ately looking to engage the heroes in order to study them. tially it truly believes it is the hero it appears to be, but
In either case, the more the good guys fight the Mimic and what happens when its real memories begin surfacing, or
show off their abilities, the more their opponent learns the impersonation imposes too much mental strain?
OVERLORD
The Overlord is a true master villain, possessed of a bril- is usually an advanced suit of power-armor, although it
liant mind and formidable force of will. The Overlord’s am- can just as easily be a suit of ancient magical armor or
bitions are nothing less than domination over the nation, something else such as a pair of gauntlets, a belt (magi-
world, even the cosmos! Overlords tend to have extensive cal or projecting a high-tech force field), a helmet, and so
headquarters; they may be wealthy business tycoons, and forth. Apply the Removable modifier to the archetype’s
some are already rulers of their own small nations! This powers.
gives them considerable resources for their various world-
conquering schemes. Typically, the Overlord created the device himself, or
sought out and won it. If not the villain’s own work, you
might wish to lower the archetype’s Intelligence rank
THEMES somewhat. Armored Overlords are often initially moti-
vated by a rejection of the same genius that allows them
Overlord themes involve the villain’s origins and particular to create or discover the powers they use to gain revenge
goals or reasons for conquest. The Overlord archetype is on the world.
often connected with totalitarian and dictator archetypes
from history, especially recent history, building ties be-
tween the Overlord and forces such as the Axis powers of
IMMORTAL OVERLORD
World War II or the Communist regimes of the Cold War.
For some Overlords, the process of conquering the world
ALIEN OVERLORD (or dimension, or cosmos) is a long-term game indeed. The
Immortal Overlord has Immunity to Aging, at the least,
From beyond the stars, the Alien Overlord comes to con- and often Regeneration or true Immortality, meaning
quer! The villain is a warlord or military leader of an alien the villain may have lived for centuries or even millennia.
empire or invasion force, seeking to crush whole worlds This may explain the Overlord’s considerable intellect and
beneath his heel. wide breadth of knowledge, as well as formidable combat
skills.
The Alien Overlord’s powers may be innate, part of a non-
human physiology or the result of an accident or genetic Immortal Overlords predictably take the long view of
experimentation (perhaps to create some type of super- things; their schemes can take considerable time to come
soldier). Alternately, the villain may wear a high-tech to fruition and they are often patient enough to even wait
battlesuit of some type, like the Armored Overlord (fol- out years in prison. After all, they will still be around long
lowing). Some Alien Overlords have additional powers, after their present-day enemies are nothing but a memo-
most commonly those of the Alien Mastermind; see the ry. They can afford to wait.
Mastermind archetype for details. A variant of the Immortal Overlord is the Temporal Over-
lord, who may also be ageless, but appears throughout
ARMORED OVERLORD history due to the ability to move back and forth between
different eras. Most often, the Temporal Overlord hails
A common archetype in the comics, the Armored Over- from a far-future period, but parallel realities are also a
lord derives all of his listed powers from a device. This possibility.
CONSORTS
What is a ruler without a consort to help establish and
carry on a dynasty? Oftentimes, an Overlord seeks a
suitable partner, and may choose a hero or supporting
character in the series to fill that role, whether the pro-
spective consort wants to or not! Male Overlords may
kidnap a chosen female and either try to sweep her off
her feet or force her into marriage (although the latter
tends to be more of an artifact of the Golden and Silver
Ages). Female Overlords are often seeking a mate that is
truly a match for them, as well as a good potential father
for any future offspring.
DEATHTRAPS
Overlords are particularly given to “reward-
ing” their enemies with a showy and in-
volved death, placing them in deathtraps
that allow the villain time to gloat and
explain their glorious plans to
the only ones truly able to
appreciate them before the
end. Of course, the villain
often has to attend to those
plans for conquest or is
called away by some-
thing, leaving the heroes
to their fate and giving
them the opportunity to
escape.
OVERLORD PL15
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
13 2 1 1 8 12 7 7
POWERS OFFENSE
Force Field: Protection 15, Impervious 10 • 25 points INITIATIVE +1
Life Support: Immunity 10 (Life Support) • 10 points Power Blast +15 Ranged, Damage 15
Power Blast: Ranged Damage 15 • 30 points Unarmed +15 Close, Damage 13
Propulsion: Flight 6 • 12 points
Sensory Enhancements: Senses 11 (Accurate and Extended DEFENSE
2 Radio (radar), Darkvision, Direction Sense, Distance Sense, DODGE 13 FORTITUDE 14
Infravision, Radio, Time Sense) • 11 points
PARRY 13 TOUGHNESS 17
SKILLS WILL 16
Close Combat: Unarmed 7 (+15), Expertise (Choose One) 8
(+20), Insight 8 (+15), Intimidation 8 (+15), Investigation 4
POWER POINTS
(+16), Perception 4 (+11), Persuasion 8 (+15), Ranged Combat: ABILITIES 102 SKILLS 14
Power Blast 7 (+8), Technology 12 (+24), Vehicles 4 (+5)
POWERS 88 DEFENSES 38
STRONGHOLD CAPERS
Adventures involving the Overlord may include the fol-
Overlords typically have some kind of secret lair or strong-
lowing:
hold from which they launch their schemes of conquest.
Invest some of the villain’s equipment points in a suitable KING’S GAMBIT
headquarters, and stock it with appropriate minions.
As the first stage of an ambitious scheme, the Overlord
TACTICS seeks to eliminate opposition by removing the heroes from
the board, sending various minions to capture or even kill
In spite of their considerable personal power, Overlords tend them outright. These might be fairly run-of-the-mill (albeit
to be hands-off opponents, preferring to enact their schemes tough) minions like those from the Minion Archetypes
from afar. Indeed, they often take great offense to any hero section or hired or created supervillain lieutenants. Natu-
who dares to lay hands on them, focusing their wrath on that rally, the threat to the heroes tips them off to the villain’s
character before turning against other foes. The villain often scheme and gives them the opportunity to take action.
has various minions to do his dirty work, including defend- If this is an early adventure in the series, it can even serve
ing the Overlord’s lair and keeping the heroes busy. as a way of getting the heroes together in the first place.
Of course, once it comes down to a direct confrontation, By attempting to eliminate the opposition, the villain in-
the Overlord is no pushover. In early confrontations, stead unites them into a team to oppose him! Perhaps the
PSYCHO
The Psycho is, to put it bluntly, completely crazy. The vil- onry as well as a means of choosing crimes and leaving
lain’s madness opened the door to a certain genius, how- clues for the heroes. For example, a Psycho obsessed with
ever, coupled with a particular obsession. The Psycho is an threes might target the Holy Trinity Church, or memorabil-
excellent foil for edgy, driven heroes and often a dark re- ia from a famous sports triple-play, for example. If you’re in
flection of their own obsession with vengeance or justice. need of inspiration for a Psycho obsession, take a look at
The background of the Psycho is typically tragic—horri- the Psycho Obsessions table.
bly scarred physically, psychologically, emotionally, or all
three. Psychos deal with their pain just like some heroes REVENGE
do: by inflicting it upon others. The only difference is that
Psychos are less selective (or at least less socially accept- A common variation on the Psycho theme is a need for
able) about their targets. This often leaves only a thin line revenge for whatever happened to leave the Psycho wan-
between them and obsessed vigilante heroes. dering in the fields of madness. This may or may not be
tied to the Psycho’s main obsession. For example, a bril-
liant game designer robbed of his rightful credit for a par-
THEMES ticular design might turn to crime with a variety of game-
based gimmicks and seek revenge on the unscrupulous
A Psycho most often has a focus for his or her madness, publisher as his first crime, discovering that he enjoys the
a way in which it manifests itself other than mere bloody challenge of this new “game” and transferring some of his
carnage. It is this obsession that leads the Psycho into a desire for revenge to the heroes who defeat him (but not
career in supervillainy rather than just being a run-of-the- necessarily abandoning his original vendetta).
mill criminal. Psycho obsessions can be almost anything,
but are often either whimsical or connected to the Psy- Revenge-obsessed Psychos tend to want more than just to
cho’s condition in some way. For example, a villain who kill the target of their revenge; they want their vengeance
snaps over an international crossword puzzle competition to be poetic in some way. So if a Psycho is targeting the
or the like might become “Mr. Acrostic,” a criminal ob- police officer who gave her a parking ticket (leading to
sessed with crossword style puzzles and games. some personal tragedy in her twisted view), better to
kidnap him and arrange for him to be crushed inside an
The Psycho tends to take an obsession to, well, crazy impounded car at a junkyard, rather than just killing him
lengths, making it into a motif for costume and weap- and dumping the body somewhere. The lighter a story is
PSYCHO OBSESSIONS
D20 OBSESSION
Animals: Obsession with pets or “animal friends,” targeting animal rights issues or the fur industry, a
1 preference for animals over people, perhaps a desire to be an animal or a focus on a particular type of
animal (such as cats, dogs, birds, and so forth).
Art: Equipment based on art supplies (paints, brushes, canvases, etc.) or art icons (famous works), ob-
2
session with art critics or artists or particular styles.
Books: Obsessive collecting of different rare volumes, literary references, stalking authors, committing
3
crimes based on famous novels, perhaps a focus on a particular genre.
Clowns: Comedy props (squirting flower, seltzer bottle, cream pie, etc.), elaborate—and often deadly—
4
“jokes” or pranks.
Computers (and possibly the Internet): Hacking and computer skills, complex programming, com-
5
puter-crimes, perhaps even a delusion of being a robot.
Conspiracies: Spy-tech or “psychic” devices; complex schemes based around “the Truth” about the Con-
6
spiracy and whoever is behind it, paranoid precautions and security measures.
Fear: A fascination with fears and phobia, fear-inducing weapons or techniques, setting up frightening
7
scenarios.
Finance: Either a “moneybags” or “poor-house” persona, obsession with obtaining or destroying wealth,
8 banking and finance gimmicks (bags with dollar signs, fountain pens, “free toasters,” barrels, bears and
bulls, etc.).
Gambling: Casino gambling props (cards, dice, chips, roulette wheels), targets casinos, poker tourna-
9
ments, etc., cannot resist a gamble or game.
Games: Complex games (puzzles, board games, even RPGs) as crimes, use of game tokens as props and
10
weapons.
Halloween: “Spooky” devices and crimes intended to frighten or spook. Alternately, choose another
11
holiday or season as the villain’s obsession.
Heroes: Delusions of being a costumed hero or having powers, stalker-like obsession with a particular
12
hero or team, gadgets intended to duplicate various powers.
Medicine: Doctor or nurse lab coats or uniforms, medical instruments, paraphernalia, and terminology,
13
perhaps a germ-phobia or targeting the medical profession.
Occult: Mystical, occult, or “Satanic” paraphernalia and trappings, often delusions of supernatural pow-
14
ers or possession by demonic entities (or is it a delusion...?)
Religion: Religious iconography and costuming, targets religious enemies or “heretical” members of a
15
particular religion. Perhaps an insane hatred of all religions.
Science Fiction: “Futuristic” gadgetry, interest in technology and fandom (conventions, Hollywood
16
premieres, etc.). Alternately, substitute another fan subculture.
17 Sports: Sporting equipment devices and weapons, crimes around major sporting events or team rivalries.
Stage Magic: Elaborate “magic tricks” and use of props such as top hats, magic wands, vanishing cabi-
18
nets, and sawing people in half (often not a trick...).
Time (and timepieces): Brilliant split-second timing, devices based on clock-faces, hands (making pointed
19
weapons), springs, clockworks, ticking bombs, etc. Perhaps actual devices for controlling or affecting time.
Toys: Weapons and devices styled as toys: boomerangs, yoyos, tops, jacks, bouncy balls, pogo sticks,
20
etc. Crimes based on or targeting toys.
PSYCHO PL9
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
4 6 3 3 9 5 5 4
SKILLS
Deception 8 (+12), Insight 8 (+13), Intimidation 8 (+12),
Perception 4 (+9), Ranged Attack: Guns or Throwing 8 (+11),
Sleight of Hand 8 (+11), Stealth 8 (+11), Technology 6 (+11),
Vehicles 4 (+7),
ADVANTAGES
Chokehold, Close Attack 2, Contacts, Daze (Intimidation),
Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard, Equipment 6,
Fascinate (Intimidation), Great Endurance, Improvised Tools,
Leadership, Minions 6, Set-Up, Startle, Taunt, Well-Informed
OFFENSE
INITIATIVE +3
Unarmed +11 Close, Damage 4
DEFENSE
DODGE 10 FORTITUDE 9
PARRY 10 TOUGHNESS 8/6*
WILL 9 *Without Defensive Roll.
POWER POINTS
ABILITIES 78 SKILLS 31
POWERS 0 DEFENSES 15
ADVANTAGES 29 TOTAL 153
COMPLICATIONS
Obsession: Utterly obsessed with something (see the Psycho
Obsession table).
delusions. A few Psychos have non-human minions based public venues or on live television! Each crime is carefully
on their obsessions, such as a sci-fi obsessed Psycho who has planned, providing the heroes with a suitable distraction
cobbled together some robots, or a toy-obsessed one with and the kidnappers with an escape route. No ransom de-
mechanical toys able to move and act on their own. mands or other forms of contact from the villain appear,
leaving the police baffled as to the motive. The heroes
Allocate points from the Psycho’s Minions advantage must investigate the crimes in order to find out where the
as needed to suit the character’s particular brand of un- victims are being held, and whatever pattern there might
derlings, including increasing the rank to accommodate be, in order to guess the next target.
more powerful or plentiful minions as you see fit.
It turns out the villain is kidnapping people involved with
his or her particular obsession and getting them all to-
TACTICS gether for a crazy “dream dinner party” wherein the Psy-
cho gets to meet and spend time with such a wonderful
Psychos tend to be cat-and-mouse opponents. Heroes group of interesting people! The victims are treading on
hear about their latest crime-spree and receive some thin ice, since the slightest thing can send the villain over
cryptic clue or taunting challenge. Then they must inves- the edge, and the heroes are running out of time before
tigate, figuring out the villain’s current plan and hideout the Psycho gets bored or angry and decides to end the
before eventually confronting the Psycho, either at the “party” early, by killing all of the guests!
site of the next intended crime or at the villain’s lair.
CAPERS For a twist, perhaps the villain has already released the
chemical into the environment. However, it requires some
Adventures involving the Psycho may include the following: sort of activator, such as a binary compound released in
a spray or aerosol to match the one in the water supply,
IT’S MY PARTY... or some sort of broadcast signal that triggers the latent
chemical in the system. If the heroes can stop the trigger
The Psycho begins a series of kidnappings, snatching from being used, the substance should pass harmlessly
various people from their homes, workplaces, and even from everyone’s system, given time.
PUPPETEER
The Puppeteer is a manipulator of the first order. The typi- tra effort to develop other power stunts, perhaps includ-
cal Puppeteer has Mind Control powers of some sort, of- ing a devastating Area Damage effect resisted by Will or
ten far-reaching. Other Puppeteers are more subtle, ma- an Illusion sufficient to fool the heroes and provide an
nipulating people through a web of influence, contacts, escape route.
blackmail, and extortion.
MINION MASTER
Rather than directly controlling the heroes or
their allies, the Minion Master is a Puppeteer
with legions of loyal or mind-controlled
minions. These may range from large
numbers of low-powered oppo-
nents to a small number of very
powerful minions, typically
“monsters” of some sort. The
villain may have some de-
fensive capabilities, but
relies heavily on sending
wave after wave of min-
ions against the heroes.
PHANTOM PUPPETEER
The Puppeteer is a
disembodied entity,
having Insubstantial
3 or 4, and exerting in- SEDUCTIVE PUPPETEER
fluence over the material
world almost entirely through Although Puppeteers can be disembodied brains, alien
mental power. The villain might be a slugs, and hideous dwarfs with giant heads, they can also
ghost or spirit, an astral form, energy being, or even an in- be quite attractive. A Seductive Puppeteer exerts at least
telligent virus or meme spread through physical or social some influence through sheer appearance and attractive-
interaction. They tend to be among the most alien and ness, often a sexual allure. The Puppeteer’s motif may in-
creepy of Puppeteers (along with the Spawn Puppeteer, volve acquiring a “harem” of thralls willing to do anything
following). to please the object of their affections. Of course, many
Seductive Puppeteers turn out to be truly hideous, their
POD PUPPETEER appearance of beauty an illusion or some other manifes-
tation of their powers.
Rather than controlling victims, the Pod Puppeteer re-
places them with exact duplicates under its control. These SOCIAL PUPPETEER
are often clones or alien replicants, although they can just
as easily be convincing androids or even mystical change- Similar to the Seductive Puppeteer, the Social Puppeteer
lings created out of previously inanimate matter. The manipulates people through Presence, interaction skills
victims are generally kept alive and unconscious, either and guile. In fact, the character might not have Mind Con-
to feed memories and life force to the duplicates, or as a trol powers at all, simply a high Presence and skill rank.
back-up in case a new duplicate is needed. The appear- Add some minor mental powers on top of that (perhaps
ance of a Pod Puppeteer is often a prelude to an invasion with the Check Required flaw), and you’ve got a formi-
intended to replace all of humanity with duplicates. dable foe.
PUPPETEER PL10
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
-1 0 0 0 0 3 5 5
POWERS DEFENSE
Mind Control: Perception Ranged Affliction 10 (Resisted DODGE 6 FORTITUDE 5
by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Cumulative,
PARRY 4 TOUGHNESS 0
Progressive, Subtle; Linked to Senses 1 (Communication
Link with Target) • 62 points WILL 15
INITIATIVE +0
thing they control in the game (their character). It’s
Mind Control Perception, Affliction, Will DC 20 best to make sure you have the player’s “buy-in” on the
Unarmed +0 Close, Damage –1 idea in general before using this option. If you do use
a player character as the Puppeteer’s pawn against the
other heroes, be sure to at least award the player a hero
SPAWN PUPPETEER point for being a good sport and going along with the
complication. Chances are it will see use during the next
A Spawn Puppeteer does not control thralls directly, but
instead creates a type of “spawn” that does so: a parasite, confrontation with the villain!
offspring, implant, or the like that takes control of the vic- NO, NEVER!
tim, allowing the Puppeteer to issue commands. Spawn
Puppeteers are most often aliens, using parasitic spawn In many scenarios where a hero is under a Puppeteer’s
to seize control over populations as a prelude to repro-
control, the villain will order the thrall to do something
duction or invasion, but they can also be mutants or even
like attacking a friend or loved one, or dooming the
technological, with their “spawn” being artificial or nano-
entire city or world to fall under the fiend’s control. At the
tech implants they manufacture.
last moment, through a massive effort of will, the hero
manages to shake off the villain’s domination and resist
NAME IDEAS the command, at least long enough for fellow heroes to
take action.
Ant Queen, Chess-Master, Director, Marionette, Poppet,
Prime-Mover, Shadowplay, Voodoo, Web-Master M&M handles this with both regular resistance checks
against Afflictions and in particular the Resistance aspect
CLASSIC BITS of the extra effort rules, which permit an immediate
resistance check. Players can spend hero points to aid
these checks to break free of the villain’s control.
Some classic elements associated with the Puppeteer in-
clude:
TACTICS
MY FRIEND, MY ENEMY!
Puppeteers tend to be behind-the-scenes bad guys, using
The Puppeteer provides a perfect excuse for the comic their thralls to do their dirty work and take all the risks for
book classic of heroes fighting each other: the villain sim- them, while they remain safely out of sight. Some (like the
ply controls one or more heroes and sets them against the Phantom Puppeteer) are literally beyond the heroes’ grasp
characters. without some special measures.
There may be a strong temptation to have the Puppeteer
seize control of one or more of the player characters, CAPERS
using them against their teammates. This can be fun
for some players, especially if they’re competitive, but Adventures involving the Puppeteer may include the
others just find it annoying, since it takes away the one following:
ROBOT
A common theme in the comics onward is technology run or advantages from the Master of Disguise you find ap-
amok, when advances intended to improve the human propriate. Perhaps the Android was originally intended as
condition turn against humanity. The evil Robot is one a kind of “infiltration” unit. At the extreme level, it may be an
such advance, an artificial intelligence lacking in morality, Artificial Mimic (see the Mimic archetype for details).
coldly devoted to the domination or even extermination
of humanity. Some Robots are alien in origin, but most EVIL COMPUTER
come from well-intentioned human experimentation
gone awry. Robots typically have formidable physical and The villain is an evil or amoral artificial intelligence that ex-
intellectual capabilities and a vast array of technological ists as software running on a computer, rather than in a spe-
weapons and devices at their command. cific robotic body. An Evil Computer may control a number
of different “slave” robots, perhaps even able to directly per-
THEMES ceive whatever they do as a Remote Sensing effect.
To the casual observer, the Android looks like an ordi- Rather than blending in, the villain is a huge robot, with
nary human being. There might be some “tells”—such one or more ranks of (most likely Permanent) Growth. A
as slightly glowing eyes, a plastic sheen, or a completely “small” giant robot (no more than Growth 6-7) may be a
expressionless face—but under most circumstances, the master villain or lieutenant. Larger giant robots are nearly
villain can “pass” for a human, providing the opportunity always minions, although you can break type and go with
to blend in and move among us. Often, an Android’s hu- a giant robot master villain. In the latter case, the giant ro-
man façade is torn away during conflicts, revealing metal bot tends to be a vehicle or supplemental body for the
and circuitry beneath. true villain operating it from afar or within.
Some Androids might not only look human, but have the MAGICAL CONSTRUCT
capability to change their outward appearance, a combina-
tion of the Robot and Master of Disguise archetypes. Add In a superhero setting, a “robot” may actually be an ar-
the Morph effect to the archetype’s powers, and any skills tificial construct given animation and intelligence by
means other than technology. The Magical Construct is pabilities based on prior defeats. So, for example, if the
a golem, animated statue, or even steampunk clockwork, heroes beat the Robot by melting it in the last encoun-
some creation of mysticism or “weird science” rather than ter, the new version may have potent heat shielding that
conventional technology. The game traits are largely the grants additional Protection or even Immunity to heat
same, although the Robot may have different skills, such damage. This can create a villain the heroes can never de-
as Expertise: Magic in place of Technology, for example. feat the same way twice.
NAME IDEAS
Artifice, Galatea, Mechanix, Tin-Man,
Techno, Tronix
CLASSIC BITS
The following are some classic bits associ-
ated with the Robot archetype:
ROBOT PL13
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
15 --- 0 2 8 10 6 1
POWERS DEFENSE
Armor: Protection 16, Impervious • 32 points DODGE 10 FORTITUDE Immune
Datalink: Comprehend Machines, Radio Communication 4, PARRY 10 TOUGHNESS 16
Rapid 3 • 23 points
WILL 13
Energy Beams: Ranged Damage 15 • 30 points
Robot: Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) • 30 points POWER POINTS
ABILITIES 74 SKILLS 18
SKILLS
POWERS 115 DEFENSES 19
Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+11), Insight 6 (+12), Intimidation 12
(+13), Ranged Combat: Energy Beams 3 (+5), Technology 12 (+22) ADVANTAGES 11 TOTAL 237
ADVANTAGES COMPLICATIONS
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Eidetic Memory, Power Attack, Inhuman: Lacking both living physiology and human
Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), Ranged Attack 6 emotions.
Machine: Vulnerable to certain effects like electricity,
OFFENSE magnetism, and so forth.
INITIATIVE +0
Similarly, Robots often lair in places dangerous or lethal
Energy Beams +11 Ranged, Damage 15
for organic beings, such as radioactive or toxic sites, mak-
Unarmed +11 Close, Damage 15 ing it more difficult for heroes to locate and reach them.
Coincidentally, the hazards might also screen the lair from
things like sensors or certain superhuman powers.
mans on which to base new neural matrices, rare earth
elements, special technology, or the like. This gives the
Robot something to acquire and the heroes something CAPERS
to guard, or recover if the Robot manages to get its arti-
ficial hands on it. Adventures involving the Robot may include the following:
Even if the Robot manages to create others like it, they THE BRIDE OF THE ROBOT
often end up turning against their maker, being more in-
nocent or sophisticated, capable of emotion and empa- It all begins with the theft of electronics parts and equip-
thy for humanity. Thus the prodigal creations of the Robot ment, and the kidnapping of prominent roboticists and
are new potential heroes. On the other hand, some might technicians. Then an important female supporting char-
have just as much ego and lack of empathy as their maker, acter goes missing, abducted in public by the Robot or its
deciding they are superior by virtue of being later models. minions! The heroes may have a chance to try and prevent
In this way the Robot may end up creating new rival vil- the abduction, but it can succeed as a complication, if
lains as well! necessary, awarding the players one or more hero points.
some of the personality and traits of her original human Now the hunt is on for the thief of several types of deadly
template, such as affection for one of the heroes. Driven microorganisms. The good news is the Robot engineered
by a desire to have a normal life, the new robot may be- the theft, and the villain (or its mechanical minion) is im-
come unstable and dangerous, forcing the heroes to take mune and therefore not a carrier. On the other hand, the
action. metal menace intends to reproduce the diseases and then
release an amount sufficient to wipe out all human life on
KILL ALL HUMANS! Earth!
A government or corporate facility researching deadly The heroes have to trace the theft, and later heists of the
bioengineered diseases is locked down after a major se- necessary materials and equipment, back to the villain’s
curity breach releases a deadly cocktail into the air, kill- hidden lair. (Use a suitable earthbound headquarters
ing everyone in the facility. The lockdown has managed from later in this chapter.) They have to stop the Robot
to prevent the release of the pathogens into the general from releasing the bio-weapons, without doing so acci-
environment, and steps are being taken to sterilize the fa- dentally themselves. To further complicate matters, the
cility, but there is evidence the systems failure was caused Robot might use captured humans as carriers, leaving
by a break in, by someone—or something—that man- the heroes with the dilemma of whether or not they can
aged to escape. rescue these innocent people and what to do with them
once they have.
SORCERER
The mystical arts offer the potential of tremendous power, and so forth, or could have different physical game traits
and some fall victim to the temptation to misuse their arts as well, including increased Strength and Stamina, Protec-
for evil. The Sorcerer is much like the Mystic hero arche- tion for improved Toughness, Immunity (up to or includ-
type but eager to strike deals with evil forces in exchange ing Immunity to Fortitude Effects), and so forth. Demonic
for power or willing to explore and use forbidden secrets. Sorcerers are often vulnerable to certain holy rituals and
Some Sorcerers are ancient menaces, their lives unnatu- relics.
rally sustained by their sinister arts. Others are more con-
temporary, but no less powerful or dangerous, having NECROMANCER
bargained with powers beyond human ken for mystical
forces no mortal was meant to wield. The necromancer works with the dead, particularly reani-
mating corpses as zombie or skeleton minions (see the
THEMES Minion Archetypes) and summoning the shades of the
dead to provide knowledge and forbidden lore. Necro-
mancers often survive by draining the life force of victims,
Themes for the Sorcerer typically involve what type of
in a vampire-like fashion, and may intend to turn the en-
magic the villain commands, and the marks that power tire world into a graveyard they can control.
has left on the Sorcerer’s body, mind, and soul.
SEDUCTIVE SORCERESS
ALCHEMIST
The Seductive Sorceress matches sinful beauty with ar-
The alchemist works with mystical forces of transmutation cane power, often using her magic to sustain her youth-
and transformation, seeking mastery of the primal ele- ful good looks and enhance her considerable charms.
ments and the perfection of the legendary Philosopher’s Although the Sorceress often uses seduction to get her
Stone, a talisman able to transmute and control the ele- way, she can be as ruthless and powerful as any Sorcerer,
ments and grant immortality. An alchemist villain typically perhaps even more so. Like the witches and sorceresses of
relies on various potions, powders, and other magical for- legend, she often has a penchant for enchanting men or
mulae to cast spells and rituals, although the character transforming them into her bestial servants.
may be so powerful as to possess the legendary Stone
and its abilities. A minor alchemist who stumbles upon UNDEAD SORCERER
the Philosopher’s Stone is more of a Jumped-Up Nobody
archetype, but a masterful alchemist is easily the equal of Not even death can trap a true master of the mystic arts.
a full-fledged Sorcerer. The Undead Sorcerer exists in a kind of half-life, either
trapped there by the decree of foes who bound and
DEMON SORCERER entombed him, or through his own machinations, tran-
scending the limits of mortality at the price of the plea-
The Sorcerer is not human at all, but an infernal creature: a sures and aesthetics of the flesh. Undead Sorcerers are
demon, devil, or some similar being from a hellish dimen- almost universally hideous, desiccated corpses, although
sion. The villain may simply look different, having demon- some conceal their true nature beneath masks and heavy
ic features like red skin, horns, a forked tail, cloven hooves, robes or spells of illusion. Often the undead state is merely
NAME IDEAS
Arcanix, Eidolon, Infernus, Magus, Mor-
gan, Umbrus, often with a title like
Doctor or Master in front of it for
men and Lady or Madame in front
of it for women. Some sorcerers
also draw names from myth and
legend.
CLASSIC BITS
The following are some classic elements
involving the Sorcerer archetype:
AGELESS EXPERIENCE
If not actually immortal, Sorcerer vil-
lains are often far older than they seem.
Mighty magics sustain the villain’s life far beyond a natu-
ral span, whether the Sorcerer is an ageless beauty or a
hideous living corpse. Sorcerers often belong to a world
of myth and magic now all but forgotten, and may seek MYSTIC MINIONS
to return to it, perhaps by transforming the modern world
into one better suited to their tastes. More than heroic magicians, Sorcerers are prone to using
their powers to summon up various magical creatures as
FORBIDDEN LORE minions to deal with bothersome pests such as superhe-
roes. These minions include all sorts of monsters: animat-
Villainous Sorcerers by definition dabble with forces man ed statues and suits of armor, demons of all shapes and
was not meant to know. Sorcerers seek power, usually in sizes, dragons, goblins, ghosts, and undead such as skel-
the form of lost and forbidden occult knowledge. So the etons and zombies. See the Minion Archetypes section
villain is often after a particular tome, scroll, or magical for inspiration.
item, or the equivalent of the Item of Power wielded by
the Jumped-Up Nobody archetype. If such a talisman can You can either assign the villain appropriate ranks in the
turn a virtual no one into a world-class supervillain, just Minions advantage for the associated minions—cultists
imagine what it could do in the hands of a masterful evil or demons in particular—or a Summon spell with the
Sorcerer! suitable qualities for the villain’s Magic array.
SORCERER PL14
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
-1 0 0 2 2 3 8 2
POWERS OFFENSE
Magic: Array (36 points) INITIATIVE +0
• Mystic Blast: Ranged Damage 18 • 36 points Mystic Blast +10 Ranged, Damage 18
• Mystic Bonds: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12 (Resisted by
Mystic Bonds +10 Ranged, Affliction 12
Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile;
Extra Condition, Limited Degree) • 1 point Unarmed +2 Close, Damage –1
• Mystic Passage: Teleport 18 • 1 point
• Scrying: Remote Sensing 9 (visual, auditory, mental) • 1 point DEFENSE
Mystic Levitation: Flight 4 • 8 points DODGE 10 FORTITUDE 11
Mystic Senses: Senses 2 (Danger Sense, Magical Awareness) PARRY 8 TOUGHNESS 18/0*
• 2 points
WILL 16 *Without Mystic Shield
Mystic Shield: Protection 18, Impervious 12, Affects
Insubstantial, Sustained • 31 points POWER POINTS
ABILITIES 32 SKILLS 20
SKILLS
POWERS 80 DEFENSES 35
Deception 4 (+6), Expertise: Magic 16 (+19), Intimidation 9
(+11), Persuasion 4 (+6), Ranged Combat: Magic 3 (+5), Sleight ADVANTAGES 8 TOTAL 175
of Hand 4 (+6)
COMPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES Arrogant: Superior and overconfident.
Artificer, Ranged Attack 5, Ritualist, Trance Power Loss: Requires magical rituals or talismans.
VAMPIRE
The Vampire is a common villain in folk legend. Comic the result of a biological accident or experiment, perhaps
book Vampires tend to focus less on the horror aspects concerning tissue regeneration or blood-borne diseases.
of the legend and treat them more as an exotic type of The villain often has the various qualities of a Vampire,
super-human. The archetype is a powerful example of the particularly great strength, regenerative abilities, and a
type, and may even be based on an existing Vampire from need for human blood, but may lack some of the more
legend, such as Count Dracula, Elizabeth Báthory (the supernatural powers such as Insubstantial or Summon,
“Blood Countess” of Hungary), or the Nosferatu from the along with some of the weaknesses such as holy symbols
film of the same name. Vampires have an array of mystic and perhaps even sunlight, although bright light usually
powers and minions at their command, but also a number still pains Living Vampires (perhaps due to a skin condi-
of distinct vulnerabilities. tion or more light-sensitive eyes).
TRANSFORMATION
Although in many legends only those
slain by a vampire will become one,
in the comics, vampires often pos-
sess the ability to slowly trans-
form victims into Vampires over
time. They accomplish this ei-
ther through the power of their
bite, or by feeding the victim
small amounts of the Vampire’s own blood, filled with cor-
rupt, transformative power.
VAMPIRE PL9
STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
6 --- 1 2 6 1 3 3
POWERS OFFENSE
Children of the Night: Summon Animals 2 (Bats, Rats, INITIATIVE +5
or Wolves; Horde, Mental Link, Multiple Minions 6 (64 Unarmed +9 Close, Damage 6
minions)) • 31 points
Form of Mist: Insubstantial 2 • 10 points DEFENSE
Spider-Climb: Movement 1 (Wall-crawling) • 2 points
DODGE 9 FORTITUDE Immune
Undead Invulnerability: Immortality 10 (Not When Staked
PARRY 10 TOUGHNESS 7
or Beheaded), Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects), Impervious
Protection 7 (Limited: Not Versus Blessed, Magical, or Silver WILL 9
Weapons), Regeneration 10 (Source: Blood) • 52 points
Vampiric Bite: Weaken Stamina 9 (Resisted by Fortitude), POWER POINTS
Limited to Draining 1 rank per round, Grab-based • 3 points ABILITIES 34 SKILLS 31
POWERS 98 DEFENSES 18
SKILLS
ADVANTAGES 7 TOTAL 188
Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+9), Deception 7 (+10), Expertise:
Magic 4 (+5), Insight 6 (+9), Intimidation 9 (+12), Perception 8
(+11), Persuasion 10 (+13), Ranged Combat: Throwing 6 (+8),
COMPLICATIONS
Stealth 9 (+10) Dependence: The Vampire must feed on blood or weaken.
Weaknesses: Traditional vampires are destroyed by exposure
ADVANTAGES to sunlight and repelled by religious icons and certain plants
Animal Empathy, Fascinate (Deception), Fearless, Improved (particularly garlic).
Hold, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Startle
A Vampire expecting to confront a group of heroes relies This scenario works best with a non-player character as
on assistance from thralls, perhaps even co-opting the le- the Vampire’s victim, unless a player is particularly willing
gal authorities to provide protection. The Vampire likely to play the role. With the player’s permission, it is a suitable
flees if confronted or thwarted in claiming a victim. If un- part for a character whose player is absent or otherwise
able to escape, the creature fights fiercely, summoning unable to participate, keeping the character involved
whatever potential minions might be at hand. in the game. Naturally, it also works as a “Groom of the
Vampire” story as well, with a seductive female vampire
If you are looking for a more formidable Vampire to confront after a hero for her new consort.
the heroes as a team, increase the archetype’s power level
and associated traits (particularly combat bonuses and DAWN OF THE DAYWALKER
defenses). Alternately, you can confront the good guys
with an entire team or “family” of vampires at roughly their The Vampire has located a legendary lost artifact reputed
power level. to grant the undead immunity to their traditional weak-
nesses, such as holy water, garlic, wooden stakes, and— tombs, and ruins to piece together the clues to its
most of all—sunlight. A Vampire with this talisman would location. Perhaps more than one villain is interested in
be virtually indestructible, able to move about during the it, pitting the heroes against multiple foes and the bad
day and immune to the concerns of others of its kind. The guys against each other. Eventually, it comes down to
heroes learn of the Vampire’s quest for the artifact when a confrontation at the artifact’s resting place, where
an archeologist or renowned collector of ancient manu- the heroes have to keep it out of the wrong hands and
scripts turns up missing or dead, and drained of blood.
ensure it remains safe. Maybe the Vampire gets it, and
Then the race is on to keep the Vampire from acquiring the good guys have to find a way of neutralizing a foe
the item, as both parties visit libraries, museums, who lacks any apparent weaknesses!
MINION ARCHETYPES
Although the villain archetypes in this book provide a full ed for in their point totals, since they also lack the ability to
roster of threats for a team of heroes, many villains prefer move and operate on land for any length of time.
not to sully their hands with the dirty work of dealing with
heroic pests. They leave that to their various minions, who The archetypes here can serve as a baseline for creating
also run interference, fetch needed components, or kid- more exotic creatures. You can create similar animals from
nap “guests” the villain wishes to “entertain.” Heroes often a basic archetype, such as basing a rhino off the elephant’s
spend more time in an adventure interacting with min- traits, or an antelope off the herd animal or horse. You can
ions than they do with their boss, since the minions tend create giant animals by adding ranks of Growth (and its
to compose the majority of the challenges leading up to associated modifiers) to an archetype or robotic or un-
the final confrontation with the villain. dead animals by adding Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects)
and removing the animal’s Stamina rank.
This section offers a variety of ready-made minion
archetypes suitable for use with different villains, power Please note that all modifiers for Growth and Shrinking
levels, and adventures. You can use them as given in have already been taken into account in the creatures
your own M&M games, or as examples for creating presented here.
or customizing suitable minions for your villains and
evil organizations. Keep in mind these characters are APE PL4 • MR3
intended to be treated according to the rules for minions, STR 6 STA 4 AGL 3 DEX 1 FGT 3 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –1
so their effective power level is somewhat less than their Powers: Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 2, Senses
game traits indicate. Of course, you can choose to treat 1 (Accute Smell). Skills: Athletics 6 (+12), Perception 6 (+7).
a particularly exceptional minion or lieutenant as a full- Offense: Init +3, Unarmed +3 (Close, Damage 6). Defenses:
fledged character, not subject to the minion rules. Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will 2. Totals:
Abilities 10 + Powers 12 + Advantages 0 + Skills 6 + Defenses
After its power level, each minion archetype has “MR” 7 = Total 35 points.
which stands for “Minion Rank.” This is the rank of the Min-
ion advantage or Summon effect needed to have a single
example of that archetype as a minion. Creatures with BAT PL3 • MR1
a power point total less than 15 (including 0 points) are STR –5 STA 0 AGL 2 DEX –3 FGT 0 INT –5 AWE 2 PRE –3
listed as MR1. Powers: Flight 3 (16 MPH; Wings), Senses 2 (Accurate Hearing),
Shrinking 12 (Permanent, Innate). Skills: Perception 4 (+6),
ANIMALS
Stealth 2 (+16). Offense: Init +2, Bite +0 (Close, Damage –5).
Defenses: Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude 0, Toughness –2, Will 2.
Totals: Abilities –18 + Powers 30 + Advantages 0 + Skills 3 +
With various villains possessing powers like animal con- Defenses 0 = Total 15 points.
trol, shapeshifting, and mimicking the traits of different
animals, as well as a tendency to acquire pets, heroes may
encounter many different types of animals. BEAR PL6 • MR3
STR 8 STA 4 AGL 1 DEX 0 FGT 3 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –2
All animals have certain game traits in common: they have
Powers: Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 2, Senses
an Intellect rank of –5 or –4 (any creature with a higher In- 2 (Low-light Vision, Acute Smell). Skills: Athletics 4 (+12),
tellect isn’t a normal animal). Most animals have a low Dex- Perception 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Claw +3 (Close, Damage
terity rank, since they have no manipulative limbs. Animals 8). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 5, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will
tend to have a higher than average Awareness, particularly 3. Totals: Abilities 6 + Powers 13 + Advantages 0 + Skills 4 +
those in the wild that need to remain alert to either poten- Defenses 13 = Total 36 points.
tial threats or prey. Senses effects, particularly Low-light
Vision and Acute Smell, are common for many animals. Bears stand nearly 12 feet tall on their hind legs and weigh
Aquatic animals are adapted for life underwater: they ef- in at 1,200 pounds. This archetype suffices for most spe-
fectively have Immunity to Drowning and the Movement cies of bear. Polar bears have +1 Str and Environmental
(Environmental Adaptation) effects. These are not account- Adaptation (Cold).
A popular sidekick among Golden-Age heroes, the trusty This archetype represents most horses. Heavier work-
dog is loyal and easily trained. These same traits make horses have +1 Str. Trained war-horses have higher Fgt or
them common adversaries, as criminals and legitimate se- Close Combat skill. Exotic winged horses (like the mythical
curity forces employ them as guardians. Smaller lap dogs Pegasus) have Flight with the Wings modifier. Characters
are better represented with the cat, above. use Athletics to ride horses, unless the GM wishes to re-
quire an Expertise: Riding skill.
DOLPHIN PL4 • MR3
STR 1 STA 1 AGL 3 DEX 1 FGT 2 INT –2 AWE 1 PRE –2
HYENA PL4 • MR2
Powers: Senses 4 (Accurate Hearing, Low-light Vision, Ultra- STR 3, STA 4, AGL 1, DEX –3, FGT 4, INT –4, AWE 1, PRE 0
hearing), Swimming 4 (8 MPH). Skills: Athletics 8 (+9), Close Powers: Damage 1 (Bite; Strength-Based), Senses 4 (Acute
Combat: Unarmed 2 (+4), Perception 8 (+9). Offense: Init +3, Smell, Low-light Vision, Tracking, Ultra-hearing). Skills:
Unarmed +4 (Close, Damage 1). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Perception 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Bite +4 (Close, Damage 4).
Fortitude 5, Toughness 1, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 10 + Powers 8 Defense: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fort 6, Tou 4, Will 2. Totals: Abilities
+ Advantages 0 + Skills 9 + Defenses 9 = Total 36 points. 12 + Powers 5 + Advantages 0 + Skills 2 (4 ranks) + Defenses 6
= 25 points.
ELEPHANT PL8 • MR2
STR 10 STA 9 AGL 0 DEX –1 FGT 2 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –2 LION PL6 • MR4
Powers: Extra Limbs 1 (Trunk), Growth 9 (Permanent, STR 5 STA 2 AGL 3 DEX 1 FGT 4 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE 0
Innate). Skills: Perception 6 (+7). Offense: Init +0, Attack +2 Powers: Growth 2 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 4, Senses
(Close, Damage 10). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 0, Fortitude 2 (Acute Smell, Low-light Vision). Skills: Close Combat:
9, Toughness 9, Will 6. Totals: Abilities –6 + Powers 20 + Unarmed 3 (+7), Perception 5 (+6), Stealth 8 (+9). Offense:
Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + Defenses 11 = Total 28 points. Init +3, Unarmed +7 (Close, Damage 5). Defenses: Dodge 6,
Parry 6, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 16
This archetype represents the African elephant. Indian el- + Powers 11 + Advantages 0 + Skills 8 + Defenses 13 = Total
ephants are –1 Str, but +1 Awe. This archetype also suits 48 points.
prehistoric mammoths and mastodons, which have Envi-
ronmental Adaptation (Cold). The lion may also be used to represent other large felines.
STR 1 STA 1 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 1 While most cults grant their followers little true arcane
Equipment: Dagger (Damage 1), Pistol (Damage 3). power, devotees of sorcerers, elder evils, and similar vil-
Advantages: Connected, Equipment 2. Skills: Close Combat:
lains may wield a degree of magic power that makes them
Dagger 1 (+1), Deception 4 (+5), Expertise: Cult Lore 4 (+4),
Insight 4 (+4), Persuasion 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Guns 1
more dangerous than their robe-clad brethren. Rather
(+1). Offense: Init +0, Dagger +1 (Close, Damage 2), Pistol than serving some powerful master, an Arcane Cultist
+1 (Ranged, Damage 3), Unarmed +0 (Close, Damage 1). may replace a Cult Master as the leader of a secret society.
Defenses: Dodge 2, Parry 2, Fortitude 3, Toughness 1, Will Their shadow magic animates darkness to attack on their
1. Totals: Abilities 6 + Powers 0 + Advantages 3 + Skills 9 + behalf, but the description of their magic can be changed
Defenses 7 = Total 25 points. to suit their cult or master.
This archetype can serve for most of the larger, “armored” ANIMATED TREE PL8 • MR2
dinosaurs such as the stegosaurus, ankylosaurus, and tric-
STR 8 STA 8 AGL –2 DEX 0 FGT 4 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
eratops.
Powers: Extra Limbs 4 (Branches), Growth 8 (Permanent, Innate),
Immunity 2 (Suffocation). Advantages: Improved Grab. Offense:
TYRANNOSAURUS REX PL11 • MR5 Init –2, Attack +4 (Close, Damage 8). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 4,
Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will —. Totals: Abilities –16 + Powers
STR 13 STA 12 AGL 0 DEX –1 FGT 8 INT –4 AWE 3 PRE 0
23 + Advantages 0 + Skills 0 + Defenses 10 = Total 17 points.
Powers: Strength-based Damage 1 (Bite), Growth 10
(Permanent, Innate), Protection 2, Senses 4 (Low-light Vision,
Acute Smell, Track, Ultra-hearing). Advantages: Improved This archetype represents a full-grown tree able to up-
Grab, Improved Initiative. Skills: Perception 8 (+11). Offense: root itself and move about using its branches and roots.
Init +4, Bite +8 (Close, Damage 14). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 6, Animated trees are common minions for plant-controlling
Fortitude 12, Toughness 14, Will 6. Totals: Abilities 22 + Powers characters or those with nature-based powers.
28 + Advantages 2 + Skills 4 + Defenses 15 = Total 71 points.
USING MINIONS
Minions allow heroes to tackle large numbers of opponents and feel, well, super! But sometimes minions may feel like
they slow combat down rather than improve the game. If your heroes face a dozen PL 2 criminals who can only hit with
a roll of 19 or 20, what’s even the point? Sometimes, players may feel like minions are such a minor threat, they ignore
them entirely to focus on the primary villain. Sometimes feeling superhuman is the point, but other times you may
want to use minions more creatively to help their villainous commander.
You can reliably use 2 to 4 minions per player character hero in an encounter without overwhelming your players. Use
fewer minions if they are higher Power Level or if the minions have a full-fledged villain commanding them, and more
if the villains are particularly puny.
Aid and Team Attacks
Minions can use the Aid action and Team Attacks to assist one another or villains. With the Aid action in particular, they
only need to succeed at a DC 10 check rather than hit the PCs’ defenses. Enough minions can reliably provide a +2 or
even +5 circumstance bonus to their leader’s attack checks and defenses, making a villain difficult to defeat before all
their minions are dealt with. To save time and dice rolling, you may choose to count every two minions that contribute
to an Aid action as one Degree of Success.
Ablative Minions
Some supervillains may use their minions as protection from heroes’ attacks. Simply provide every minion with the
Interpose advantage, allowing them to intercept attacks meant for their leader. This is appropriate for leaders who
inspire great confidence in their minions, like the Crimelord, Overlord, and Puppetteer, but can represent any ruthless
villain who uses their own henchmen as personal shields.
Minions and Takedown
The Takedown advantage is intended to let heroes feel more powerful by pummeling multiple opponents in a single
action, but two ranks of Takedown combined with Speed or a ranged attack can easily sweep all the minions in an area
in a single round. If this is the case at your game, you may consider not allowing heroes to make Takedown attacks
against minions using a routine action; because the advantage requires a successful attack and has consequences for
failure, each attack should be rolled, with missed attacks ending the hero’s turn. You may also consider altering the
rules for Takedown, so that the total ranks in the advantage determines the maximum number of minions that can be
targeted in a round. You may also choose to have reinforcements arrive at a later point in the combat.
This archetype focuses primarily on uniformed beat cops. ROBOT, SMALL PL4 • MR2
Detectives, undercover. and plainclothes officers have
STR 0 STA — AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
more ranks in Investigate and often in other social skills
Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects), Protection 5,
like Persuasion and Intimidation.
Shrinking 4 (Permanent, Innate). Skills: Close Combat:
Unarmed 4 (+4). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed +4 (Close, Damage
SWAT OFFICER PL5 • MR4 +0). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude —, Toughness 5,
Will —. Totals: Abilities –28 + Powers 44 + Advantages 0 +
STR 2 STA 2 AGL 2 DEX 2 FGT 4 INT 0 AWE 1 PRE 1 Skills 2 + Defenses 2 = Total 20 points.
Equipment: Submachine gun, riot gear (+4 Toughness), tonfa,
cell phone, handcuffs. Advantages: Close Attack 2, Equipment 4.
Skills: Athletics 3 (+5), Expertise: Current Events 2 (+2), Expertise: Small robots tend to have non-humanoid forms, more
Streetwise 4 (+4), Expertise: Police Officer 5 (+5), Expertise: Tactics often insect-like or snake-like, perhaps resembling
5 (+5), Intimidation 4 (+5), Perception 2 (+3), Ranged Combat: quadrupeds such as cats or dogs. They may be intended
Submachine Gun 4 (+6), Stealth 4 (+6), Treatment 3 (+3). Offense: for scouting or maintenance work, re-tasked to serve as
Init +2, Unarmed +6 (Close, Damage 2), Tonfa +6 (Close, Damage attack drones.
3), SMG +6 (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 4). Defense: Dodge 4,
Parry 4, Fort 6, Tou 6/2, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 28 + Powers 0 +
Advantages 6 + Skills 18 + Defenses 8 = Total 60 points.
ROBOT, MEDIUM PL5 • MR2
STR 5 STA — AGL –1 DEX –1 FGT 0 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) squads are made Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects), Protection 10
up of police officers with special training in squad-level (Impervious 6). Advantages: Close Attack 5. Offense: Init –1,
tactics and weapon-use. They deal with serious criminal Unarmed +5 (Close, Damage 5). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 0,
Fortitude —, Toughness 10, Will —. Totals: Abilities –24 + Powers
threats, including mutant criminals.
46 + Advantages 5 + Skills 0 + Defenses 1 = Total 28 points.
SOLDIERS
Soldiers are professional trained fighters used in
military operations, as opposed to toughs and crooks
(following), who are primarily hired muscle intended to
intimidate and deal with criminal matters. Villains and
organizations sometimes have both as minions, with
soldiers handling the more direct fighting, and crooks
the enforcement and internal matters. Ultimately,
use whichever archetypes work best for the
situation and modify accordingly.
The criminal scum of the city’s underworld comes in The Crime Lord archetype, presented earlier, represents
many different varieties, from run-of-the-mill street the ultimate evolution of the boss.
criminals and gangs to organized crime bosses and
their lieutenants, guards, and professional killers. Their CRIMINAL PL2 • MR3
backgrounds may vary, as well as their allegiances to a STR 1 STA 0 AGL 2 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 1 AWE 0 PRE 1
particular mob, syndicate, or gang, but the following ar- Equipment: Leather jacket (+1 Toughness), pistol (Ranged
chetypes provide the major types of criminals heroes are Damage 3), knife, cell phone. Advantages: Equipment 2.
likely to encounter in their nightly patrols and ongoing Skills: Athletics 4 (+5), Expertise: Choose One 4 (+5), Expertise:
investigations. Streetwise 4 (+5), Expertise: Current Events 2 (+3), Perception 4
(+4), Stealth 6 (+8), Technology 4 (+5), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense:
Criminals aren’t limited to the archetypes presented Init +2, Unarmed +1 (Close, Damage 1), Knife +1 (Close, Damage
here. Boss’s often recruit various Bystanders, such as 2, Crit. 19-20), Pistol +1 (Ranged, Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 3,
politicians and journalists, for their exclusive access and Parry 3, Fort 2, Tou 1/0, Will 0. Totals: Abilities 14 + Powers 0 +
influence. Cities rife with corruption likely have many Advantages 2 + Skills 16 + Defenses 5 = Total 37 points.
Public Servants on the local Crime Lord’s payroll. Espe-
cially powerful criminals may hire Soldiers or buy exotic This archetype represents run-of-the-mill career criminals.
Animals to guard their fortified estates, or even hire a Gamemasters should shuffle the criminal’s skill ranks
Mad Scientist to provide them with Monsters around to specialize as needed.
Whether in a rumpled suit with a shoulder-rig for the gun MIND-CONTROLLED ZOMBIE PL0 • MR2
or biker leathers with chains, the basic tough is a staple of
criminal henchmen. Not overly bright, toughs have some STR 0 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT — AWE 0 PRE 0
Powers: Immunity 30 (Will Effects). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed
basic combat capabilities. For the most part, they are
+0 (Close, Damage 0). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 0, Fortitude
around to keep heroes busy long enough for their boss to 0, Toughness 0, Will 0. Totals: Abilities –10 + Powers 30 +
finish a job, or just get away. Advantages 0 + Skills 0 + Defenses 0 = Total 20 points.
When you apply a template, consider if it adds a new Combat Adjustments Close Damage +4, Dodge –2,
Complication to a minion. Do Bestial minions become Fortitude +4, Parry –2, Toughness +6
more easily enraged? Can Aquatic minions stay above Minions of unusual size stand twice their normal height
water indefinitely, or are they limited to only a few minutes? and possess incredible strength and resilience. They may
Does a Flying minion have wings that can be targeted? be unusually large “dire” versions of ordinary animals, or
towering alien beings.
AQUATIC TEMPLATE • 9 POINTS
PL Adjustment +0 MYSTICAL TEMPLATE • 12 POINTS
Statistic Adjustments Immunity 1 (Drowning), Movement PL Adjustment +0
1 (Environment Adaptation [underwater]), Swimming 6 (30 Statistic Adjustments Magic Array (10pp; Concealment 5
MPH) [all visual and auditory senses], AE: Teleport 5 [Extended;
Combat Adjustments None Medium]), Senses 1 (Magic Awareness)
Combat Adjustments Increase all skill modifiers, attack Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects)
modifiers, and defenses by +1 Combat Adjustments none
Elite minions are a cut above the rest: faster, stronger, and This template can be added to any creature to turn it into
smarter than others like them. Those with powers usually a zombie. It assumes the creature also loses any Intellect-
have their primary offensive abilities increased by +1 rank or Presence-based skills, but that it retains its relative
as well. Toughness: apply ranks of Protection to make up for any
Toughness lost due to having no Stamina rank.
FLYING TEMPLATE • 11 POINTS Example: A necromancer in the Lost World raises
PL Adjustment +0 a zombie tyrannosaurus rex! The creature loses
Statistic Adjustments Favored Environment (airborne), its Stamina (from 12 to —) as well as Intellect and
Flight 5 (60 MPH) Presence but gains Immunity 30 (Fortitude) effects.
Combat Adjustments None The GM gives it an additional 2 ranks of Protection
to make up for the loss of its Stamina, keeping its
Flying minions are swift and maneuverable masters of the Toughness at rank 14, so the creature has a net
skies. Their flight may be derived from technology, such increase in cost of 12 points, increasing the regular
as soldiers with jet packs, or the result of natural (or un- archetype’s cost to 83 points (from 71). Now, of
natural) wings. course, the monstrous dinosaur is tireless and
immune to attacks which target Fortitude...
CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
When talking about the “plot” of a Mutants & Masterminds adventure you can be talking about one of two things. The
first is plot in terms of story: how events develop and build on each other, flowing from one event to the next. The other
use of plot refers to the plans developed by villains, ranging from a simple heist or revenge scheme to a complex plot
to take over the world!
Villainous plots are often the driving force behind an adventure. The general assumption in superhero stories is that the
good guys are defenders of the status quo. While they might patrol the streets and monitor the police bands on alert for
crime, they generally do not act until there is a problem to solve or a threat to confront. Thus it isn’t until a villain puts a
plot into motion that the adventure really begins.
This chapter looks at six major types of villainous plots, including how the heroes learn about them, what they can do
about them, and many different variations you can use. It also looks at some of the successful (and challenging) ele-
ments of creating a Mutants & Masterminds adventure and provides plenty of ideas you can use as inspiration for the
creation of your own adventures. With the material in this chapter, you have potentially endless villainous schemes to
challenge the heroes in your game!
CONQUEST
“The world will soon be mine!”
The goal of many a master villain is to conquer and rule the world (or even the galaxy or universe, for the truly ambi-
tious). The motives vary from sheer arrogance and power-lust to a sincere belief that the world would be better off with
the villain in charge of things, able to fix problems the petty and squabbling governments cannot.
the same as forcing an enemy to capitulate, and there is of- cluding friends, loved ones, and even other heroic allies!
ten no one to lord it over! On the other hand, some villains Hunted fugitives, the heroes have to figure out some way
are just fine with the concept of everyone in the world as of undoing the villain’s control and freeing the world be-
their puppets, and are willing to take full advantage. fore it is too late.
• Orbital satellites beaming down mind control rays on • Mercenaries or other human soldiers, but equipped
a hapless and unsuspecting populace. with high-tech or otherwise superior weaponry to
make them more than a match for a conventional army.
• Sheer superhuman charisma or ability to control
people who see or hear the villain, with influence • Clones, often equipped with high-tech as well, al-
spreading as public appearances do. This is the same though part of their advantage comes from superior
as broadcasting control, if the power works over the numbers and the ability to replenish their losses (as-
airwaves. Otherwise, the villain has to do things the suming a fairly rapid cloning process). They are often
old fashioned way, arranging a lot of public appear- conditioned for absolute loyalty.
ances in different parts of the world, which gets hard- • Aliens—an army of alien soldiers, often loyal to an
er as people figure out what is happening. extraterrestrial warlord master villain. The aliens may
• A “contagious” form of mind control that spreads have superior technology as well as super-powers of
from person to person like a disease. It might be their own. An extreme example is a small alien army
psychic or due to some physical agent (biochemical, of very powerful soldiers, each of them PL 12 or more
nanotech, etc.). and equivalent to a whole battalion of conventional
troops!
HEROES HUNTED • Robots, in shapes and sizes from small to giant, with
various weapons and capabilities. Perhaps the villain
A common theme of the mind control scenario is the he- has a means of transforming ordinary machines such
roes, for one reason or another, are the sole exceptions to as cars or appliances into mechanical soldiers!
the villain’s absolute rule. Perhaps it is some quirk of bio-
chemistry or circumstance, such as being off-world when • Plants, capable of moving and attacking on their own.
the mind control is established. The villain might also de- They might be ordinary vegetation animated by some
liberately exclude the heroes in order to enjoy turning the process of the villain’s, elemental spirits, alien plant-
whole world against them. They retain their free will but beings, or the like. Perhaps the villain is capable of stir-
are alone against an entire planet loyal to their enemy, in- ring the slumbering forces of nature to attack!
• Animals, either ordinary non-human creatures or scheme is often some sort of weak point of the invasion
beasts altered or enhanced in some fashion. For ex- force. The attacking animals are afraid of fire. Plant sol-
ample, a villain might have animal control powers or diers are vulnerable to herbicides. Aliens are allergic to
world-wide mind control that only affects lower life Earth germs. Zombies are driven off by salt or religious
forms, but sufficient to turn them into a conquering icons. Flashbulbs free mind-controlled soldiers from
army! the villain’s thrall. Whatever it may be, the weak point
is enough to potentially turn the tide of the invasion in
• Monsters, usually giant ones capable of taking on favor of the defenders, provided the heroes figure it out
armies and flattening cities, although massive numbers and make use of it in time.
of smaller monsters work, too. The villain may be ca-
pable of calling creatures from the hidden depths, the
inner-earth, other dimensions, and the like, or simply REALITY ALTERATION
growing them in laboratories until they are needed.
For some villains, it is not enough to simple conquer the
• Mind control victims, turned into utterly loyal sol- world; no, they have to remake the world in their own
diers for the conqueror’s cause. If a mind control twisted image, as supreme ruler of a new reality! Like
technique is not powerful enough to conquer the other world conquest schemes, reality-alteration scenar-
world all at once, it can still raise a powerful army for ios tend to have two tells: one when the villain first puts
the villain to take over the rest of the world through the plan into effect, giving heroes a chance to prevent the
brute force. People may be initially reluctant to fight changes to reality from coming about, the other after the
back against mind-controlled innocents. change has occurred, giving heroes the opportunity to
put things back the way they were (ideally without any-
• Zombies! A massive army of the undead is a clas- one else knowing anything has happened at all).
sic, best suited for the evil sorcerer, necromancer,
or death-god type, but also suitable for some mad What are some of the ways villains seek to control and al-
scientists. You can substitute skeletons, demons, or ter reality?
other occult creatures as well.
• Acquire a particularly powerful cosmic or magical
device capable of reordering reality to fit the user’s
THE WEAK POINT wishes. Examples include ancient vessels of magical
power, mysterious cosmic artifacts, complex spells or
If the heroes do not get to prevent the invasion from rituals, alien “wishing machines,” powerful genies or
happening in the first place, then the flaw in the villain’s similar entities, and so forth.
• Access a “higher” or “lower” level of reality in order to ALONE IN A WORLD NOT THEIR OWN
change the world as we know it. This might include
divine or mystic dimensions, or other layers of the Typically, if a villain’s reality alteration scheme succeeds,
cosmos, such as the ability to “redraw” reality from then the heroes are the only ones (apart from the villain)
the vantage point of the fourth, fifth, or higher di- unaffected by the whole thing, or at least able to do some-
mensions. thing to put things right once again.
• Travel in time and change history, rewriting the pres- The heroes might be immune to the effect by virtue of
ent into an alternate world where events follow a being involved in the process in one way or another. For
path set out by the villain. Classic examples include example, their proximity to the device or effect, or pre-
preventing archenemies from gaining their powers vious contact with it, could shield them in some way. If
(thus ensuring there is no one to oppose the villain) the villain uses time- or dimension-travel, and the heroes
or helping to make sure a previous scheme succeeds, are in pursuit, then they remain “outside” of the changes
giving the villain a second chance at success. that happen back home and find an altered world when
they return. Their powers might protect them from the
• Overthrow a higher cosmic entity (even a deity or
world-altering effect, or the villain could even deliber-
the equivalent) and seize its power, using the being’s
ately exclude them, providing an opportunity to gloat
might to recreate the cosmos according to the vil-
over their defeat!
lain’s wishes. A villain might even trick the heroes into
weakening or defeating the chosen target! Sometimes the heroes are affected right alongside ev-
erything else, transformed into alternate versions of
• Destroy the universe (or even an omniverse of every themselves, or even wiped out of existence altogether!
possible universe) in order to trigger a cycle of re- In this case, the players take on the roles of the alternate
creation the villain can direct. See the Destruction characters, or even entirely new ones native to this real-
schemes for ways the villain might go about this. ity, and they get a chance to find out what really hap-
• Create a virtual world—an extremely realistic com- pened and fix it.
puter simulation the villain controls, changing “real- Something informs the heroes that all is not right with
ity” at a whim. Some villains find this an unsatisfying the world. They might remember their previous existence,
cheat, no equal for altering and ruling the real world, transformed physically but not mentally, for some of the
but others try to take their friends and foes there to previous reasons described. A particular trigger or circum-
enjoy the experience of absolute power, planning on stance could “awaken” them to an awareness of what has
trapping the heroes and returning to take over the changed, especially for heroes with superhuman senses.
real world! Someone else from their original reality might find a way
to get a message to them, or they could have even sent
• Shrink the whole world down and put it inside a
one to themselves!
bottle or other container (mystic gem, portable
hole, etc.) so the villain literally “holds the world in
the palm of his hand”! This often allows the villain to
control the environment but, even if it doesn’t, it is RULING THE WORLD
difficult to defy someone who can crush the world as Of course, there’s the question of what to do with the
easily as we might break a fragile glass bottle. world once you have it in the palm of your hand, or un-
der your power-armored heel. This, more than anything,
The reality-alteration effect itself is the very definition of a
tends to trip would-be conquerors up, when they discover
plot device. It requires no game stats, since it can literally
holding on to the world isn’t the same as getting it in the
do anything! The only chance the heroes have of prevent-
first place.
ing it is by stopping the villain from fulfilling the require-
ments of the effect, be it acquiring a particular device or In the event that a villain’s scheme of conquest is suc-
changing a particular historical event. If they cannot do cessful, the plotter is faced with the prospect of actual
so, then they need to deal with the altered reality and find rulership of his newly conquered realm. Depending on
a way to undo it. the nature of the series, you may be able to spin this
out into an ongoing plot. For example, a villain might A villain might even manage to conquer the whole world,
manage to conquer and hold on to control of a city or and then relinquish it once he finds out what the job en-
country, forcing a stalemate with the heroes and world tails! This works especially well for a scenario where every-
powers. Later adventures can deal with attempts to thing returns to the way it was before the scheme even
“dethrone” the villain and restore the legitimate govern- started, leaving no one the wiser that the villain had the
ment, and the repercussions thereof. world for a time, before giving it up.
DESTRUCTION
“Soon it will all be over... forever!”
The greatest threat a group of heroes can face is a foe willing to destroy a city, nation, world, or even the entire universe
in pursuit of some mad scheme. The stakes could not possibly be higher, since a tremendous number of lives hang in
the balance should the heroes fail. Some villains are willing to commit such acts of destruction to attain their goals
(reasoning “there are always sacrifices”) while others seek annihilation simply for its own sake, perhaps even intending
to end their own existence in the bargain.
DOOMSDAY effort, inspiration, and the other options hero points pro-
vide to find ways around them. This helps make for a more
Eventually, it comes to the moment of truth: the villain is exciting conclusion than just showing up and knocking
ready to bring about terrible destruction and the heroes the villain for a loop.
are the only ones who can prevent it. Often, villains are hoist on the petard of their own dooms-
Unless you are willing to allowing for the possibility that day plans: when the heroes stop the doomsday device it
the villain will actually destroy things, the best way of turns its destructive impulses inward, for example, or the
handling this final confrontation is to make thing difficult villain loses control of whatever terrible forces he has un-
for the heroes, but hand out lots of hero points as you leashed when the heroes disrupt his concentration. This
do so, giving the players opportunities to spend them in provides a good opportunity for a mysterious death as the
last-ditch efforts to put a stop to the villain’s plans. Place bad guy plunges into the heart of the Annihilation Reactor,
roadblocks in their way and encourage them to use extra or is seemingly dragged off into some hellish netherworld.
KIDNAPPING
“There’s no escape for you now!”
Rescuing someone held captive by a supervillain can be one of the greatest challenges that heroes face. Dealing
with danger comes with the superhero game, but things are different when there are potentially innocent victims
caught in the crossfire. Kidnap victims often have no superhuman powers to protect them, and heroes pledged to
keep them safe sacrifice a certain amount of leverage. They must proceed cautiously, and their usual method of just
bursting through a wall could get the victim killed. This becomes even more potent when the villain abducts some-
one personally important to one or more of the heroes; loved ones have a tendency to end up captured and held for
ransom or used as bargaining chips.
The primary things to consider in a kidnapping scheme be as simple as demanding the electronic transfer of
are: who gets abducted, why, how, and what (if anything) funds or a more involved interrogation to find out some-
does the kidnapper want in exchange for their safe return? thing the victim knows, such as a password, vital piece
of technical information, or the location of a stolen item,
THE VICTIM
The victim of a kidnapping depends a great deal on the
type of scheme: someone wealthy and connected for a
ransom, someone involved with the kidnapper in some
fashion for revenge or revelation. Chances are good the
heroes will interact with the victim at least somewhat if
they are successful, so give some thought to whom it is.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
A common element of kidnappings in the comics is a case
of mistaken identity; the villain abducts the wrong person
based on faulty information. It may be the person taken
bears a startling resemblance to the intended victim, or
the kidnapper was misinformed in some fashion. Perhaps
a villain thinks he has stumbled upon a hero’s secret iden-
tity and kidnaps that target; imagine the hero’s surprise
when she learns the villain thinks he is holding her hos-
tage, or the villain’s shock when the hero shows up for real!
SUPERHUMAN VICTIMS
In a typical M&M setting, a kidnap victim may be a fellow
superhuman, particularly a well-known hero, or even
a villain! A common plot device is to set up a situation to prevent it, depending on the nature of the scenario. If
wherein non-player character heroes are abducted and the you intend to focus on the good guys rescuing the vic-
player characters have to come to their rescue. It’s a good tim, then having the heroes present when the crime hap-
way to introduce new heroes in a setting with established pens is primarily a reason to hand them clues directly and
good guys, demonstrating to the established crime-fighters award the players hero points when the villain inevitably
that the newcomers have what it takes to get the job done. escapes with the victim. If the heroes can prevent the ab-
duction initially, then the adventure becomes about safe-
In a somewhat more gritty setting, it’s also a way of thin-
guarding the victim against another attempt while track-
ning the ranks of the costumed hero set at the same time.
ing down the villain (or perhaps using the target as bait
The player characters might not be able to save the vic-
and setting a trap).
tims, only avenge them, or the kidnapped heroes may de-
cide it is time to hang up their capes and cowls and turn
things over to the new kids, especially if the abduction
involved terrible revelations that have shaken their con-
THE RANSOM
viction in their heroic calling. Kidnappers demand a variety of things as ransom for the
return of their target(s)—assuming the abduction of the
Capturing and holding a super-powered victim tends to
target was motivated by a desire for ransom of some kind,
require special preparation and resources. The kidnapper
and not an end unto itself (as with the revenge and revela-
may need to overcome certain protective powers (includ-
tion types).
ing superhuman senses that might warn of an attack) and
prevent the target from using powers to escape or fight
back. The simplest measure is to keep a captured victim CASH
unconscious using drugs or similar measures, although it
leaves the villain without an audience for taunts and rants, The simplest and most straightforward ransom is cash,
and certainly does not work for a revelatory kidnapping. and lots of it. The kidnapper may demand a particular
Other abductors may have power-nullifying countermea- kind of currency, delivered in a particular way, like the
sures or knowledge of the target’s weaknesses, if any. stereotypical “small, unmarked bills” left at a drop point.
Others may demand more exotic forms of payment, rang-
ing from electronic credit transfers to shares of common
THE ABDUCTION stock, bearer bonds, or even valuable items.
The actual capture of the victim often takes place before A demand for a monetary ransom may turn out to be
the heroes are even alerted to the crime. Indeed, it is the a cover for some other goal, such as luring the person
kidnapping itself that gets the crime-fighters involved. So meant to deliver the ransom into a trap, or acquiring a
they learn about it after the fact, meaning you should con- valuable piece of jewelry that is also a powerful magical
sider how the villain did it and what the heroes can find artifact or part of some larger scheme.
out from witnesses, examination of available evidence,
A common twist on the monetary ransom is for the kid-
and so forth. This sets up an investigative phase where
napper and the “victim” to turn out to be secretly working
the heroes’ main job is to figure out who the kidnapper
together to scam a large sum of money out of a rich rela-
is, their motivation, and where the victim is being held in
tive or other associate. They then either disappear togeth-
order to stage a rescue.
er, or the “victim” is returned home, only to vanish a short
Occasionally, the heroes are around when the kidnapping while later. This arrangement often ends in a double-cross
occurs, although they may or may not have much chance of some sort to further complicate matters.
EXTORTION
“Unless you meet my demands, the city will pay a terrible price!”
Extortion, using force or leverage to demand something from a victim, is actually a very common crime, but much of
what might be called extortion is covered by other sections of this chapter, particularly conquest, kidnapping, and
theft. In this section, “extortion” is focused on using some kind of threat other than kidnapping to get something the
villain wants from a victim. It may involve an ongoing relationship where the villain “squeezes” the target, using threats
to ensure compliance. The longer it goes on and the deeper the victim gets, the more difficult it can be to get out from
under the extortionist’s influence.
An extortion scheme has two main elements: what the vil- what they claim. So a villain looking to extort money out
lain wants and the threats used to get it from the victim(s). of a city with the threat of a powerful weapon, for example,
Let’s look at the threats first. may use the weapon on a smaller target where everyone
can see it, then send demands to City Hall.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION tions. In the comics, would-be blackmailers often end up
either dead or robbed of their memories, or at least of
whatever proof they might have, rendering their threat
Overt threats tend to take the form of super-powered
terrorism, with villains promising death and destruction harmless. Keep in mind, however, that such scenarios
(often on a massive scale) if their demands are not met. have the potential to significantly alter a character’s life
The Threat section of the Conquest scheme offers a wide and career.
range of potential threats also usable for extortion. Rather
than demanding outright surrender, the villain may re-
quire money or some other ransom to stave off the threat
DEMANDS
(see Demands, following). Once the threat is established, there’s the matter of what
the extortionist wants in exchange for holding off. Are the
Other threats are devastating, but somewhat less de-
victims willing to meet the villain’s demands and, if so, for
structive. For example, a villain with transmutation abili-
how long? Or will they choose to call the extortionist’s
ties might threaten to flood the world markets with huge
bluff, hoping the villain really is bluffing and won’t carry
amounts of gold or other precious metals or commodities,
out the threat? The range of demands varies depending
essentially reducing the value of such things to almost
on the extortionist’s goals.
nothing overnight. This could have a devastating impact
on global economies and serve as a sufficient threat to
extort cooperation from governments and businesses. CASH
Similarly, a villain could threaten to release certain na-
tional secrets, or disrupt other important infrastructure, The most common demand is for cold, hard cash, usually
ranging from blacking out global radio or satellite com- as much of it as the extortionist thinks the victim is willing
munications to crashing the entire Internet. Perhaps the and able to hand over. As with the Ransom discussed for
villain can influence weather patterns enough to cause all Kidnapping schemes, different villains require different
kinds of trouble, or can incite machines to “revolt” against kinds of currency, from small bills to bearer bonds or elec-
humanity. tronic transfers, handed over in various ways.
MURDER
“Some might call this justice... I think of it as fun.”
Outright killings are often more of a threat in the comics than an actual reality, although in some Iron Age and modern
comics the body counts can be quite high. Still, murder (or, at least, attempted murder) is a common crime, and it is up
to the heroes to ensure it remains just attempted rather than successful.
THE MOTIVE act vengeance. The good thing from the heroes’ perspec-
tive is that a quick and unexpected death is not usually
enough to satisfy revenge-obsessed villains. No, the vic-
Why does the villain want to kill someone? The motive is
tim has to know who is responsible and why. This means
the driving force behind the scheme, so it is the first thing
either a series of threats or near-misses intended to instill
to consider. People are willing to kill for any number of
terror in the victim, along with taunting threats to make
reasons, but the assumption for a murder scheme is a pre-
clear who is responsible, or else a kidnapping scheme (see
meditated crime, one the heroes can potentially thwart,
Kidnapping) that culminates in the death of the victim,
which limits the range of motives somewhat.
once the villain has had time to rant and rave and perhaps
torment the target before finally finishing the deed.
REVENGE
Sometimes a villain’s revenge killing may almost be justi-
One of the most common motives for murder is revenge: fied, such as a monster created by callous scientific experi-
the villain feels wronged by the target and intends to ex- mentation going after the scientists or the management-
types responsible. Still, heroes dedicated to the idea that tion schemes (see Extortion) try to kill the blackmailer to
killing is wrong should look to prevent the crime and con- put an end to the threat. Villains often kill to cover their
vince the attacker not to sink to the level of the real crimi- tracks, eliminating witnesses to their crimes, or killing the
nals. There is a fine line between “justice” and “revenge,” one expert who could figure out their scheme before it is
especially in the world of masked vigilantes, and a hero too late, and in so doing triggering an investigation that
who crosses that line may become a fugitive from the law brings the heroes right to their doors.
for executing criminals rather than bringing them to jus-
tice (a version of the Assassin or Martial Artist archetypes This motive is the one most likely to end up with the good
as vigilantes). guys investigating a murder rather than trying to prevent
one, but a potential target who knows of the danger may
come looking to trade information for heroic protection.
JUST BUSINESS Sometimes this ends with the heroes as witnesses to the
murder, with the victim managing to gasp out one final
Murder-for-hire is a lucrative job for villains with the right clue. In other cases, the good guys can protect the target
abilities, and heroes may face off against mercenaries long enough to make use of the information and take
and assassins. They range from non-powered but highly down the villain.
skilled (and equipped) professionals such as the Assas-
sin archetype (see page 76) to superhumans willing to
use their powers to make a literal killing as mercenaries.
Usually the good guys are tipped off by either a failed first
THE PROTECTION
attempt at a hit or the first in a series of assassinations of The primary obstacle between the killer and the target is
related targets. They might also learn about a known killer often the heroes, but the villain’s plans must take into ac-
coming into their territory from underworld or police con- count any other protection the target might have. High-
tacts and take the proactive step of trying to find the vil- profile types such as government officials, executives,
lain before anyone dies. and celebrities often have hired bodyguards or the direct
protection of law enforcement. Witnesses to crimes and
Professional killers generally do not have it in for the he-
criminals willing to enter protective custody also have po-
roes unless they happen to get in the way of the job. Then
lice protection, or even that of a federal agency.
all bets are off, unless the killer has a particular honor
code about not taking out “bystanders” or simply “not do- Many of the same measures discussed under The Secu-
ing freebies,” letting the good guys live because nobody is rity in the Theft scheme are also used to protect people,
paying to have them killed! although security measures also decrease the ability of
someone to move about freely and without notice.
In fact, sometimes the hired killer is gunning for the he-
roes themselves. Master villains often hire assassins to A target’s protection may prove sufficient to thwart the
remove heroic obstacles to their plans, and the first the initial attempt, but so narrowly that the heroes get called
heroes may learn of a villain’s scheme is when someone in to help deal with the problem before the killer tries
takes a shot at them. Capturing and interrogating the as- again.
sassin can provide clues to kick off the investigation and
move the plot along.
THE EXECUTION
MAKING AN EXAMPLE When it comes down to exactly how the killing will be
carried out, the answer is usually some sort of direct con-
Criminals use murder as a means of terrorizing others and frontation, although not necessarily between the person
keeping them in line by making an example of someone. who orders the killing and the victim. Proxies are often
The classic Silver Age master villain casually kills under- used, from hired assassins to killer robots, but the key is
lings who dare to question his judgment as an example the attempted killing is something the heroes can prevent
to the others, while criminal syndicates murder those who through quick and decisive action. Comic book murders
refuse to toe the line or choose to defy them. rarely use exotic poisons, for example, unless the heroes
Knowing this, a potentially defiant underling or target are likely to have the means of preventing the poisoning
may seek out a group of known superheroes for pro- or saving the victim. A method that leads to a big fight
tection from the villain’s inevitable wrath. Consider the generally works better than one that does not.
agent of a criminal organization, willing to spill all that As with many things, the villain’s motif may dictate the
he knows in exchange for protection from the agency’s preferred method of execution. A professional assassin
assassins, or the target of an extortion racket willing to might use a sniper rifle from a distant rooftop, setting up
testify in court, provided the heroes can keep him alive a shot with great precision; a hero notices the targeting
long enough to do so. laser at the last instant and pushes the victim out of the
way, or leaps in the path of the bullet. Conversely, a crimi-
COVERING TRACKS nal obsessed with chess might send the victim a booby-
trapped chess set or even go for an elaborate deathtrap
A victim may be marked for death for knowing too where the victim is forced to play a live game of chess
much, information that could potentially damage the against murderous robot “pieces” that “take” other pieces
killer’s future plans. For example, some victims of extor- in the game by smashing or destroying them!
THEFT
“Hello there, my pretties...”
Some villains do not want power, revenge, or attention ... they simply want things, and they are willing to steal them.
Indeed, theft may be the only way of getting certain rarities, and a lot of super-criminals simply find it easier to use their
abilities to steal rather than for honest work.
In other cases, theft is merely a means to an end for villains, providing them with either needed cash or various resourc-
es to further their other schemes. These thefts may tip off the authorities—and the heroes—about the villain’s plans,
giving them a chance to investigate and do something before it is too late.
The primary elements of a theft scheme are the target, what is between it and the thief (the security), and dealing with
the goods after they have been stolen.
CASH VALUABLES
Cold, hard cash is still a thief’s favorite target, although “Valuables” is a catch-all for things with a significant mon-
it is more difficult than every for modern thieves to get etary value that are not usable as cash, ranging from
away with large amounts of paper currency and still be jewelry and precious metals to antiques, electronics, and
able to spend it. Countermeasures such as tracking serial more. The items’ value might be more historic or senti-
numbers, dye packs to permanently stain bills, ultraviolet mental than strictly material; rare valuables are more dif-
imprints, and so forth make it easier to render cash both ficult to sell, but also tend to have wealthier buyers inter-
traceable and useless to the thief. ested in acquiring them.
On the other hand, things like automatic teller machines This category can also include commodities, such as crude
(ATMs) can make stealing small amounts of cash relatively oil or other materials transported and sold in bulk. They’re
easy, especially for super-powered villains able to simply rarely the targets of supervillain attacks, however, unless
rip an ATM out of a wall or lift a freestanding one and carry the villain in question is leading a band of modern pirates
it away! The crook can then simply crack open the case or is otherwise interested in such resources (say, a villain in
and pull out the cash at leisure. need of raw materials to build a new nation-state).
THEMED THEFTS
One way of differentiating thieves in an M&M series, especially one with a Silver Age flavor, is to give them a strong modus
operandi and a tendency toward “themed” crimes. So, rather than just stealing anything of value, for example, the Luna
Moth always goes for items of feminine luxury, like jewelry, rare perfumes, furs, and high fashion, while the Trawler hunts
the ocean floor for shipwrecks, perhaps even causing one or two to provide opportunities for “salvage.” Doc Holiday
steals whatever is most prominent on the calendar—rare and priceless ornaments for Christmas, national treasures on
Independence Day, and so forth—while Scrounge is only interested in the gadgets and devices of other costumed types.
Themed thefts provide villains with a degree of character and style, and they also help out the heroes, who may see a
particular crime and immediately think of the villain behind it. They make the bad guys who just go after mere cash seem
that much more pedestrian. Themed thefts also provide the occasional opportunity to play against expectations, having
one villain use another’s M.O. as a frame-up or to throw the heroes off-track. Don’t do this too often, however, or you’ll
make the themes less useful overall.
GUARDS ARTIFACTS
Guards serve as sentries to both keep watch (or moni- In the same vein as technology, ancient artifacts tend
tor the sensors and alarms that do) and to take action to to go missing, stolen not just for their historic or mone-
stop and capture thieves. In a superhero setting, guards tary value, but often for arcane secrets or powers they
do not have to be ordinary humans, but can be almost contain. In the comics, private collections, museums,
and art galleries are always having run-ins with thieves
anything—robots, demons, animated statues, trained an-
looking to get their hands on the Mask of Mysteries or
imals, or the like—that suits the owner’s proclivities and the Scarab of Life Eternal.
resources. Still, the most common guards will be ordinary
hired humans. See the Minion Archetypes in Chapter 3
for some useful game information and ideas on who (or
what) might be standing guard. one place to another (en route). Any of these approaches
might be done subtly or using brute force.
and alarms, slips into a secure area, takes the item, and
slips back out again. The first anyone learns of the theft
EN ROUTE
is when the target turns up missing sometime later, al-
One of the easiest times to steal something is often
though break-ins often encounter unexpected trouble if
when it is in the process of being moved from one place
the thief manages to set off an alarm along the way.
to another. There is usually less security and you can
The brute force approach is to simply smash in through sometimes simply grab whatever it is being moved in: hi-
any defenses, ignore alarms, disable guards, and take jack an armored car, snatch a briefcase or package from
what you want, using force against anyone foolish a courier, and so forth. That is not to say targets en route
enough to stop you. It’s the preferred method for villains have no security with them; breaching an armored car
lacking in subtle skill, who generally don’t care if anyone is still tricky, but it is easier than opening a time-locked
notices them (or actually prefer their actions be noticed), bank vault.
especially if said villains are physically powerful enough to
As an additional benefit, an en route theft usually pro-
ignore obstacles such as concrete walls and guards armed
vides for a quick getaway. Rather than being trapped in
with nothing more than firearms. A brute-force break-in
a bank or other building, the villains likely have vehicles
may partake of some of the less violent techniques—es-
or movement capabilities of their own and can simply run
pecially if, say, picking a lock happens to be faster than
once they have what they came for. This can turn the con-
trying to break through it—but it aims for expediency.
frontation into a chase scene.
HOLD-UP
FENCING THE GOODS
A hold-up is much like a break-in, except it involves deal-
ing with people present at the crime scene, usually forc- Once the theft is carried out, there comes the question
ing their cooperation. So, for example, sneaking into a of what to do with the stolen goods. If the primary mo-
closed bank, disabling the alarms, and opening the vault tive for the theft was money, then the villains need to
to empty it is a break-in, whereas coming into the bank “launder” cash and fence stolen valuables, turning them
while people are present, threatening them to ensure into spendable funds. If the theft was done for-hire,
compliance, and perhaps forcing them to help you emp- then there is the matter of turning the goods over to the
ty out the vault is a hold-up. thief’s employer.
The simplest hold-up is essentially a mugging, where the These occasions provide opportunities for the heroes,
thief takes something from someone by threat of force, since they can cover known fences and dealers in the
with or without actually using it against the victim. More kinds of goods stolen, hoping to pick up on signs of the
complex hold-ups can easily turn into hostage situations thieves setting up a meeting. They can likewise attempt
as the criminals try to enforce cooperation from the vic- to trace the stolen goods, using means such as electronic
tims but also have to deal with alerted heroes or authori- tracking devices, or various superhuman senses.
ties. A break-in gone wrong can turn into a hold-up situ-
ation, if someone happens to notice what the thieves are The fencing of stolen goods can also provide an opportu-
doing and confronts them. nity for investigators after the fact. Take the example of a
stolen gemstone that is then sold to a private buyer who
Hold-ups are brute-force arrangements by nature. Some brags about it to the wrong person. Heroes can backtrack
are more carefully planned set-ups using only the threat from the buyer to the fence who sold the stone, perhaps
of force, while others are more impromptu affairs where learning who originally brought it in. This can lead to a
the villains gladly make examples of any would-be heroes breakthrough in an investigation where a thief’s identity
among the hostages, and do not particularly care who is unknown, or provide information on a known thief’s
gets hurt in the process. whereabouts.
ADVENTURE ELEMENTS
It’s harder to provide challenges for heroes able to fly and ignore gunfire, and some powers can short-circuit plots alto-
gether, if they are not handled properly. On the other hand, super-powers also provide plot hooks and opportunities for
new rewards players can earn during the game.
There are a couple things to keep in mind running M&M adventures. The first is to allow heroes the opportunity to actually
use their abilities. The second is to keep the game from becoming entirely about those abilities and not the heroes.
sneak around, or the clairvoyant, who wants a chance to Focusing on interpersonal relationships and subplots is a
demonstrate his unique insight. It also includes any non- good way of doing this. Provide a recurring supporting cast
powered characters in the group. They need spotlight time for the series to give the heroes opportunities to interact and
just as much (if not more!) than the ones with powers. form relationships. Encourage the players to roleplay and in-
teract in-character during the game. Then you can include
Try and ensure each adventure has opportunities for all of subplots to give the heroes a human touch: a powerful wiz-
the heroes to shine, whatever their powers and abilities ard worries about his ailing mentor and hopes to find a cure
may be. This usually means some get to take center stage in for the ravages of age; a teen superhero is hiding her powers
one scene, then step aside for others in another part of the from her family and trying to get a date for the prom while
adventure. Sometimes it’s impossible (or just impractical) battling supervillains downtown; the monster-slaying hero
to include spotlight time for everyone in the same adven- has to reconcile his love for a beautiful and seductive vam-
ture. When this happens, at least try and balance things out pire, who may or may not be leading him on; and so forth.
over the course of multiple adventures. If you run a com-
bat-intensive game where the skulkers and thinkers don’t You can also introduce challenges in adventures where
have much to do, try to have an espionage-style adventure the heroes’ powers don’t make any real difference. Be-
not long thereafter to give them their time in the spotlight. ing immune to bullets and able to pick up buses doesn’t
necessarily give a hero an immediate solution to a tense
If there are particular powers or abilities you don’t think hostage or rescue situation. Divinely granted powers may
you’ll be able to spotlight in the series at all—either be- not help a hero resolve a schism over religious doctrine.
cause you don’t like the type of adventures involving Being able to read minds may actually complicate matters
them or because they don’t fit into your idea of the game’s for a heroine trying to have a “normal” relationship with
style—you’re better off asking players not to create he- a non-psychic… especially when she suspects there’s
roes with those powers right from the beginning. That something her significant other isn’t telling her.
way, you can be sure to include everyone and the players
won’t feel neglected or cheated of opportunities for their When creating adventures, ask yourself these two ques-
characters to shine. tions: What are the best opportunities to spotlight the
characters’ capabilities, and what are the best opportuni-
THE HUMAN TOUCH ties to spotlight the characters as individuals?
While it’s important to allow the heroes to show off their POWERS AS PLOTS
powers, it is equally important to have adventures and
encounters where the heroes’ powers don’t really matter, Powers also serve as plot hooks, providing ideas for dif-
where it’s the human and not the superhuman element ferent adventures and complications. Some of the more
that’s significant. common power-based plots include the following:
• Secret Origin. Clues may arise about the true origin powers, and some improvements may only be pos-
or source of a mysterious power. Perhaps someone sible under certain conditions or at specific times. A
turns up claiming to be a long-lost relative with simi- patron may require a quest or similar undertaking
lar or identical powers and knowledge of a charac- before granting additional power. Conversely, he-
ter’s true origins. A religious cult might attach itself to roes may take up a task to remove flaws or even rid
a hero, proclaiming him their messiah and fervently themselves of an unwanted or uncontrolled power.
believing his powers are divinely given (whether Antagonists may dangle opportunities for power
they are or not). Conversely, monster-hunters may at- improvement in front of the heroes as bribes or
tack, claiming the hero’s powers are actually a sign of temptations.
demonic influence, or even possession. Some claims
• Uncontrolled Power. An uncontrolled power can
may be misguided, delusional, or attempts to scam
certainly cause complications. A normally controlled
the hero, but others may be true (at least, from a cer-
power can also become uncontrolled as a complica-
tain point of view).
tion due to accident, injury, and so forth. This can
• Power Alteration. Some incident alters a hero’s create problems during an otherwise routine adven-
powers in some way, creating new opportunities ture, as the hero and his allies try to cope with the
and headaches. Examples include sudden temporary unpredictable power. Perhaps a particularly inauspi-
increases or decreases in power rank, shifts in power cious event (celestial alignment, passing comet, holy
focus (a fire-controller switches over to harnessing day, sunspots, dimensional shift, or whatever) causes
cold or water for a time), temporary loss of powers some or even all powers to become uncontrolled for
altogether, or the sudden acquisition of new a while!
powers. An accident may even cause a group of
characters to switch powers! Such alterations are
usually temporary, lasting no more than one or two MEANINGFUL CHALLENGES
adventures, and resolved by the end of the story. Still,
How do you offer meaningful challenges to heroes able to
some power alterations may be permanent, or lead
shrug off bullets, fly through the air, see through walls, or
to less serious lasting changes once they’re resolved.
read minds? (Or all of the above!) Some traditional adven-
• Power Improvement. Chances to improve powers ture challenges become almost meaningless when super-
can lead to adventures. Heroes may seek out teach- powers get involved, so you need to either adjust the level
ers, guides, or experts to assist them. They may need of challenge according to the powers or find new things
rare elements or devices to expand or alter their to challenge the heroes.
One concern with overwhelming force is it can be too Finally, you can start a mystery based on an extrasensory
overwhelming; the hero virtually immune to gunfire ability. Perhaps someone has a precognitive vision of his
might be seriously hurt by an anti-tank rocket. This be- own death, and has to figure out how and when it will
comes especially true when dealing with very powerful happen in order to prevent it. A telepath may pick up a
attacks and defenses. There’s a huge difference between a stray thought from someone in a crowd, suggesting a
conventional weapon and a tacnuke, for example. Beware threat of violence. Now he must find the criminal before
that you don’t overwhelm characters when trying to chal- his scheme can go forward, and also find solid evidence to
lenge them. take to the authorities, since mind-reading doesn’t consti-
tute sufficient cause to arrest or convict someone!
When high Impervious Toughness scores are an obstacle,
you can use more exotic sorts of attacks, either Afflictions
or modifiers like Alternate Resistance. Tough heroes may TIME AND DISTANCE
still need to breathe, or have other weak spots. Again, be
careful attacks bypassing the target’s Toughness aren’t Many challenges in adventures involve issues of time and
too powerful. Still, having unusual attacks show up from distance: heroes have to travel from place to place (often
time to time can keep players on their toes and prevent through perilous terrain), cross yawning chasms, ford
them from becoming complacent in their invulnerability. rushing rivers, and get where they’re going in the nick of
time. Such challenges are far less serious for those able to
Then there are always threats of force against others. fly, teleport, or walk through solid walls, to say nothing of
Sure, the hero may be nigh-invulnerable, but odds are his heroes able to travel through time or jump across dimen-
friends and loved ones, or even his teammates, aren’t. Ene- sional barriers!
mies may take hostages, or threaten the hero with attacks
he could surely survive, but which will also devastate the In some cases, the ability to ignore trifles (like travel time)
surrounding area. Even if you can walk away unharmed suits M&M games just fine. For example, superheroes
from a nuclear blast, do you really want one to go off in rarely worry about getting from place to place; they make
the middle of your home town? The collateral damage the trip “between panels” in a negligible amount of time.
around an otherwise invulnerable target can be as serious On the other hand, some challenges rely on travel to one
as personal injury in some ways, perhaps even worse. This degree or another. If heroes can bypass every wall, fence,
is typically an advantage villains have over heroes; many gate, and locked door with ease, then those things aren’t
care nothing for collateral damage or harm to others and viable challenges.
so take full advantage of their own invulnerability.
While lesser challenges of time and distance are simply
irrelevant to those with the right powers, you can pose
MYSTERIES others. For example, if a teleporter needs to see or prop-
erly visualize his destination, then a maze or a location an
Powers like Mind Reading and Remote Sensing can make indeterminate distance underground may make it more
a mockery of any mystery in an adventure. With a single difficult (and risky) to make the jump. Perhaps a hero can
successful check, the hero has it all figured out. Game assume insubstantial form to pass through a wall, but risks
over. How do you pose a mystery for such abilities? drawing the attention of evil wraiths, able to attack him
As a Gamemaster, you can use these challenges to liven up the plots of your adventures and provide some ideas of
things to throw at your players during a game. The challenges in this chapter also offer some examples to base your
own unique challenges upon.
DISASTERS
The M&M Hero’s Handbook covers the basic environmental hazards heroes may encounter. This section expands on
those dangers with true disasters that can befall a group of heroes. These challenges also provide some ideas for rescue
missions, allowing heroes to save innocent people threatened by disaster.
Indeed, some disasters are deliberately arranged by villains, either as distractions to keep heroes busy while the vil-
lain is off doing something else or as part of a villain’s larger scheme. For example, a bad guy looking for a mystical
artifact in an ancient mountain shrine might trigger an avalanche or landslide that threatens a village or vacation
lodge below. While the heroes rush off the save innocent lives, the villain absconds with the loot to start the next
phase of the plan. These kinds of complications should earn the players hero points for doing the right thing when
they happen.
AVALANCHES bic feet of debris in one minute (time rank 3). Armed with
an appropriate digging tool, a character can clear debris
The combination of high peaks and heavy snowfalls make twice as fast as by hand (increase volume rank by 1). You
avalanches a danger in many mountainous areas. While may allow a buried character to free himself with a DC 25
avalanches of snow and ice are common, it’s also possible Strength check. Bonuses to lifting Strength, such as from
to have an avalanche of loose rock and soil (a landslide). Power-lifting, apply to this check.
Unless specified otherwise, the term “avalanche” covers
The typical avalanche has a width of 120 to 500 feet (dis-
both here.
tance rank 2 to 4), from one edge of the slide zone to the
Characters can spot an avalanche with a DC 5 Perception opposite edge. The bury zone in the center is half as wide
check (modified by distance). It’s possible to hear an ava- as the avalanche’s full width (–1 distance rank). Avalanch-
lanche coming even if you can’t see it. Under optimum es move at around speed rank 5, for those attempting to
conditions (no other loud noises occurring), a character outrun them.
who makes a DC 15 Perception check can hear an ap-
proaching avalanche.
EARTHQUAKES
An earthquake knocks people down, collapses structures,
opens cracks and fissures in the ground, and more. The
specific effects depend on the nature of the terrain:
AVALANCHE
Cliffs and mountainsides may crumble, creating land-
slides. See Avalanches.
COLLAPSE
Buildings and other structures may collapse, the same for
caves or tunnels. See Collapses. Building fires also often
follow in the wake of an earthquake, see the following
section for details.
FISSURE
Each person standing in the area of the quake must make
a DC 15 Dodge check or fall prone. Fissures may open in
the earth, and anyone in the area has a chance to fall in
(Difficulty 20 Dodge check to avoid such a fissure).
FIRES
Large fires, such as building fires or forest fires, pose three
main dangers: heat, flame, and smoke.
HEAT
Characters caught in a fire are exposed to extreme heat
(see M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 186). Those wearing
heavy clothing or armor take a –5 circumstance penalty
on their resistance checks. Characters with Immunity
(Heat) are unaffected.
FLAME
Characters engulfed in a fire must make a DC 15 Dodge
check each round. A failed check results in the character’s
clothing and/or hair catching fire. This inflicts Damage 1
immediately. Each subsequent round, the burning char-
acter must make another resistance check. Failure means
additional rank 1 fire Damage, up to a maximum of rank 6
Damage. Success means the fire has gone out. Once the re-
sistance check succeeds, the character is no longer on fire,
but still has to make a check each round while engulfed.
FOG twice their normal pace (two move actions) don’t have a
chance to detect quicksand before blundering in.
Whether a low-lying cloud or a mist rising from the Characters in quicksand must make a DC 10 Athletics
ground, fog provides partial concealment for everything check every round to tread water in place, or a DC 15
in the area it covers. (See Concealment, M&M Hero’s Hand- check to move 5 feet in whatever direction is desired. Two
book, page 192.) or more Degrees of Failure and the character sinks below
the surface and begins to drown (see Suffocation, M&M
WIND apply, see the M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 186). While a
tornado’s rotational speed can be as great as speed rank 7,
The wind can create a stinging spray of sand or dust, fan a the funnel itself moves forward at an average of speed rank
fire, and blow gases or vapors away. If powerful enough, it 3. A tornado uproots trees, destroys buildings, and causes
can knock characters down, interfere with ranged attacks, other similar forms of major destruction.
or impose penalties on some checks. Wind challenges are
categorized as follows:
UNDERWATER
LIGHT WIND Land-based characters have some difficulties under water.
The following applies whenever a character is swimming,
A gentle breeze, having no real game effect. walking in chest-deep water, or walking along the bottom.
TRAPS
Heroes encounter two types of traps when dealing with villains and their lairs. One, the deathtrap, is handled in its own
section, since it is a particular challenge all its own. The other type is the capture trap, not intended to kill intruders, but
merely render them helpless so the villain can dispose of them in a leisurely fashion with a proper deathtrap (and vil-
lainous soliloquy explaining the details of their impending doom and the brilliance of the plan they can no longer stop).
Capture traps often turn into deathtraps once the heroes are captured and the villain has the opportunity to explain
their inevitable demise.
Container traps close the victims off in a small area from A particularly vicious sort of reflection trap is a container
which they cannot easily escape. It may be as simple as surrounded by a net or web or monofilaments (wires
walls sliding from the ceiling or walls to cut off escape only a single molecule thick). Anyone physically
routes, or it can be as complicated as an enclosing force pushing against or hitting the net will be slashed to
field, magical ward, or similar effect. The key is the targets ribbons, perhaps even losing a limb! This is Damage
are contained inside the trap, but otherwise have their proportionate to the force used (that is the damage
freedom of movement and their normal abilities (but see suffered by the hero equals the damage of the physical
Nullifying, following). attack) with massive ranks of Penetrating (at least 20,
A container trap is often just a prelude to another sort enough to effect heroes in virtually all M&M games). On
of trap to ensure the targets are neutralized and cannot top of it, the monofilaments might be able to conduct
easily escape. After all, even a tempered steel cage would other forms of energy like heat or electricity to reflect
be hard-pressed to contain heroes with superhuman them or use them to further empower the trap.
strength and power blasts (to say nothing of the ability
to pass through solid objects or transmute them). Con- SEALED
tainers prepared for specific targets often have counter-
measures to deal with their powers, such as: The container is “sealed” against certain effects such as
Insubstantial, Movement (Dimensional Travel or Perme-
DAMAGING AURA ate), or Teleport, preventing victims from simply vanish-
ing from the trap. The seal could be entirely passive like a
A container may have some secondary effect to keep Nullify effect (see Nullifying, following) or active, giving it
trapped heroes from touching or attacking the sides of a feedback effect: a character attempting to use a power
the container. Examples include electrified or superheat- to escape the trap and failing suffers damage against For-
ed surfaces, a thin layer of acid or some other damaging titude or Will (like the Feedback flaw).
doom. Originally, it was strapped to a log and headed for This trap is somewhat like a Creature Pit, but the victims
a sawmill’s whirling blade. Other variations include the are expected to put up a fight (and, presumably, an enter-
following: on a smelting factory conveyor belt headed taining show). They might even be permitted a chance to
for a dip in molten metal, suspended above (and slowly win as a means of escape, but other Arenas simply pile on
lowered into) a vat of acid, and strapped to a table with greater and greater challenges until there is no chance for
a laser beam creeping closer and closer. The options are the heroes to make it out alive—unless the come up with
nearly endless, but the key elements are restraining the an alternative plan.
victim(s) and the slow approach of inevitable destruc-
tion, long enough to heighten the peril.
THE FATAL FRIEND
A variation on the Deadly Conveyor is the Deadly Con-
tainer, where the victims are trapped in an area, and a In a fiendish twist the villain makes a friend or loved one
fatal threat gets closer and closer to entering that space. into the instrument of the heroes’ doom! The Fatal Friend
Examples include a chamber about to be flooded with scenario typically involves an ally or supporting character
molten magma, radiation, or rocket exhaust, or slowly be- mind controlled or mesmerized into activating the fatal
ing crushed by the pressure of the sea floor, until tons of trap to finish off the heroes, or even attempting to kill them
water burst through the walls. The Deadly Container dif- directly (for characters capable of it). The friend may not be
fers slightly from the Killing Jar (following) in that once the conscious of what is happening, or could struggle against
danger gets in, it’s generally all over in an instant, rather the villain’s influence, perhaps encouraged by the victims.
than prolonging the victims’ suffering. This trap is either a variation on the Deadly Conveyor (with
the Fatal Friend holding the switch that will save or de-
DEATH IN THE ARENA stroy the heroes) or Death in the Arena, with the Friend as
the opponent the heroes must fight to the death, banking
on their unwillingness to hurt someone they care about.
As a somewhat less certain deathtrap intended to enter-
tain the villain and any cohorts or minions, the heroes In some variations, the Fatal Friend is tricked into the role;
are placed in an arena and expected to fight to the death the villain’s influence might convince the Friend the he-
against various opponents. The choice of foes is as wide roes are actually monsters, for example, or villains, robot
as the imagination, from fairly conventional gladiators doubles, evil twins, or whatnot. In others, the Fatal Friend
(especially for Roman- or history-themed villains) to ani- is not the characters’ friend at all, but an impostor—say, a
mals, robots, evil duplicates, super-powered fighters, or robot double or shapeshifter—intended to fool them into
monsters. fatally hesitating and falling victim to the rest of the trap.
THE GAUNTLET Other gauntlet traps include pits opening in the floor
(possibly lined with spikes or dropping victims into a crea-
This trap tempts victims with the promise of escape: all ture pit or killing jar trap) or triggers for another sort of
they need to do is cross the length of a corridor or room deathtrap, such as barriers that drop down and set up a
to reach the other side. Unfortunately, the entire route is Closing Walls scenario.
mined with deadly traps intended to prevent them from
ever reaching their goal. THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF MADNESS
Most of a gauntlet is made up of weapons: flamethrowers, Rather than attacking them physically to kill them out-
automated guns, spring-loaded arrows, spears or darts, right, the villain uses this deathtrap to mount an assault
spike-throwers, gas projectors, lasers, and so forth. These on the heroes’ sanity, seeking to destroy their minds and
are conventional attacks, although the GM might want to wills. The name of the deathtrap comes from a common
encourage a more active resistance on the heroes’ part by version: a crazed kaleidoscopic display of flashing multi-
having them make defense checks against a fixed attack “dif- colored lights and deafening sound designed to overload
ficulty class” rather than rolling attack checks for the weap- the senses. It can also include subliminal conditioning,
ons. Acrobatics and Technology checks are also appropriate fear-inducing weapons or toxins, exposure to a sanity-
for running a gauntlet, and attack checks can be attempted threatening dimension, imagery tailored to personal pho-
to disable the various weapons with counterattacks. bias, and so forth. The key element is an ongoing mental
or sensory assault. The heroes have to endure the assault
as they find a way to stop it and escape.
THE UNINTENDED DEATHTRAP
If the effect of the Kaleidoscope of Madness is immedi-
Some bad guys aren’t clever or resourceful enough to ate and irrevocable, then it is a kind of Ticking Time-Bomb,
deliberately set up a deathtrap. They may not have a with a mental rather than physical effect, and it is the lead-
tricked-out lair equipped with a crocodile pit or a giant
up to the unleashing of the assault that is the deathtrap.
laser cannon or what have you. That does not mean,
If the effect is resistible, at least for a while, then it can be
however, that these villains cannot put heroes in death-
trap-style situations. seen as a kind of Gauntlet or Killing Jar affecting the mind
rather than the body.
For example, a hero fights a ruthless mercenary super-
villain in an abandoned building. During the fight, stray
attacks set the building on fire. Then the villain manages THE KILLING JAR
to get in a lucky shot and pins the hero to a wall. Before
he gets a chance to deliver the finishing blow, part of The victims are trapped in a room with no exits while the
the burning ceiling caves in, separating them. The mer- room slowly fills with a deadly substance, such as sand,
cenary dives out the window and down the fire escape water, or toxic gas. Eventually, the room will fill completely
to a waiting getaway vehicle, where his employer calls and the victims will suffocate, but before then they will
to ask if the job is done. have plenty of time to experience the terror of their situ-
“Don’t worry,” the bad guy growls, “there’s no way he’ll ation as the breathable space in the room shrinks (or the
survive that!” gas has its effect) and they inch ever closer to their doom.
The same sort of thing can happen in any situation Escaping the trap involves escaping any restraints and
where a villain leaves a hero to a “certain death”: for ex- finding a way out of the room before it’s too late.
ample, knocked into the tiger cage at the zoo, lying in
the path of a lava flow, trapped in a building or vehicle
that’s about to explode, or with a foot caught in the
THE TICKING TIME-BOMB
tracks in front of an oncoming train.
Another classic deathtrap: the helpless heroes are left
As the Gamemaster, you decide if an unintended death- by a bomb that is counting down to a fatal explosion,
trap counts as a complication (and therefore merits a
from the old-school bundle of dynamite with a clock-
hero point award). Generally, it does, although it may be
face attached to it to a modern suitcase nuke or super-
a part of the complication of being defeated by the vil-
lain. If the situation keeps the heroes busy while enabling science weapon. Sometimes the “bomb” is some other
the villain’s escape and the furtherance of the plot, it’s a danger, such as an overloading nuclear reactor or even
good idea to slip the player(s) a hero point. They’ll want it an out-of-control metahuman about to “go critical.” It is
to deliver payback to the bad guy later on. usually an explosion; other threats tend to shift over to
the Deadly Container trap (previously). The challenges to
“IT’S A TRAP!”
One case where the players should be able to avoid a deathtrap is if one of them figures out on their own that a situation
is a trap and chooses, in character, to warn the others and try to avoid it. Note, the “in character” part is important: lots of
M&M players can figure out when in an adventure a villain would likely spring a trap, but that does not necessarily mean
they, as players, do not want their characters to face that challenge. After all, if it were entirely up to the characters, they
would probably take a lot fewer risks!
When players make this decision, essentially what they are telling you is: “We do not want our characters to get caught up
in this particular trap right now.” If you want to be certain, you can offer the players a hero point each for going along and
letting their heroes fall into the trap. If they refuse, then that should be that. If you do not want to let them refuse, then it’s
generally best to plan the trap as a complication so they do not even have the option in the first place. By the time anyone
realizes it is a trap, it is already too late.
the heroes are to get loose from their bonds and find a hidden lair. They get into the room where the person is held,
way to disarm or remove the bomb without endanger- only to discover a holographic decoy! Then the armored
ing anyone else. doors slam closed and the villain’s voice comes over a hid-
den loudspeaker, chuckling evilly and telling them they are
THE WIND TUNNEL OF DOOM now doomed! The trap is sprung. This sort of capture, even
thought it does not render the heroes unconscious or help-
less first, still rates a hero point if you choose to spring it on
This is a surprisingly common deathtrap, although it often
the players with essentially no chance of avoiding it with a
shows up as an unintentional one (see The Unintended
good Perception check or Dodge check.
Deathtraps sidebar). The victims are trapped in a tunnel
with a whirling fan at one end, creating a powerful suction
that pulls them toward the fan and its spinning blades,
which are almost certain to cut any vulnerable targets to
EVADING TRAPS
ribbons. The heroes have to hang on against the wind and Assuming the heroes have a chance to avoid falling into
find some way of stopping the fan or escaping the tunnel the trap in the first place (see Capture Complications for
before they are pulled in. discussion of this), how do they avoid and overcome traps?
“NOW THAT YOU ARE IN MY POWER...” Once all the gloating is done, the villain may leave the
heroes to their fate, having to oversee the next stage of
If there is one thing supervillains love more than anything, the master plan (“I would stay and enjoy your demise, but
it is a captive audience. The only way it could be better my robot armies await ... farewell!”). Sometimes, the cap-
is if the captive audience was made up of hated enemies tor stays around to watch, giving the heroes an immedi-
helpless to resist and about to perish at the villain’s own ate second chance against the villain after they escape the
hand. When things are going that well, it is time to gloat. trap, although the villain might try and flee or move up
the timetable in response.
Yes, supervillains are not only sore losers, they are not
particularly graceful winners, either, and they love an op-
portunity to lord it over the heroes who have frustrated ESCAPING THE TRAP
and thwarted them in the past. What better moment than
when you have them right where you want them and are Escaping from a deathtrap requires a series of checks rath-
about to remove those bothersome heroes as an obstacle er than a single die roll or resistance check. The exact traits
once and for all? At least part of the reason why villains checked depend on the nature of the trap and the victim’s
gloat before they unleash a deathtrap is because they sin- tactics in the escape attempt.
ESCAPE EXAMPLE
The sinister Doctor Shock, seeking revenge on the Rook Dragoneye, on the other hand, only has Dexterity 3, and his
for past defeats, has captured three of his Sentinels team- player rolls an 8 for an 11—a failure!
mates—Victor, Ultramarine, and Dragoneye—and placed
“Sorry!” Dragoneye says as Ultramarine yelps.
them in manacles after disabling Ultramarine’s power
armor. The heroes were left in a chamber beneath Emer- “Maybe you should let me,” Victor says. “Hold this lead
ald City when Doctor Shock activated an army of his new steady.”
Shocktroopers; as the mad doctor left, he opened a wa-
Not wanting to risk any more failures, Victor’s player sug-
ter main which is flooding the chamber, threatening to
gests Dragoneye provide assistance, which his player readily
drown the heroes!
agrees to. The GM says Ultramarine’s player may do the same
Dragoneye’s powers are nullified by the imprisoning by offering instructions.
chains (one of his complications). Their best hope is to ei-
“Cross the circuits in the following order...” Ultramarine
ther jam the mechanism allowing water to pour into the
begins.
room, or to reboot Ultramarine’s armor in time. Unfortu-
nately, the brave heroine is without her cybernetic helm Victor does not have sufficient Expertise, so he must make
and cannot reach the armor’s vital systems with her hands Intellect checks with a +2 bonus (his Intellect rank). Fortu-
bound. Some teamwork is clearly needed! nately, Ultramarine has a +13 bonus, and her player rolls an
18 on the die. A total of 31 provides a +5 circumstance bonus.
The GM decides this particular trap is challenging; a DC 13
Dragoneye’s player rolls a 10, which—with his Intelligence of
deathtrap, needing 7 successes before 3 failures. That means
3—is equal to the DC and does not reduce the circumstance
these PL10 heroes are potentially in serious trouble.
bonus. Victor’s player rolls a 6... with the total +7 modifier it’s
“Victor,” Ultramarine says, “can you reach the access panel just enough! They now have three successes.
at the small of my back?”
Ultramarine talks her teammates through the process as the
“I think so,” the man of action replies. water rises. They roll one more failure, leaving no more mar-
gin for error, but then Victor’s player manages three more
Victor’s player tells the GM he’s going to make a Technology
successes with the aid of his teammates, leaving just one
check, which the GM approves. He rolls the die and gets a 9,
more to go.
plus Victor’s skill bonus of +5 for a 14—success!
Not wanting to leave things to chance, Victor’s player spends
“Pull out the two leads, the black one and the white one,”
a hero point on the last roll, ensuring an 11, for a total bonus
Ultramarine instructs.
of 13, which is just enough: the armored avenger’s battlesuit
“Dragoneye, give me a hand here,” Victor says. reactivates, and she is able to shatter the chains binding her
and the other Sentinels, allowing them to rocket up out of
“I’ll try.”
the chamber before the water pulls them under entirely.
The GM tells Victor’s player to make a Sleight of Hand
“Now let’s go after Doc Shock,” Ultramarine says, looking
check, which is a Dexterity check for him. Fortunately, he’s
over the now-empty chamber that held the Shocktrooper
got Dexterity 5, so when he rolls a 10 he gets a 15 for an-
army and the massive hole in the wall. “I doubt his trail will
other success.
be hard to follow.”
This chapter begins by looking at basic story elements and where to get ideas for adventures and continues by laying
out the most common adventure design techniques used by Gamemasters. Some of the advice may be familiar to
Gamemasters who have studied creative writing. A good adventure also hinges on the unique way player characters
contribute to the story, and this chapter explains how to negotiate with your players and adapt your plans to their
actions at the table. Most of the major elements of Mutants & Masterminds can be divided into Challenge, Conflict,
Investigation, and Roleplaying, and this chapter dives into building scenes around each of these ideas to present a fun
and varied experience for your players.
Every Gamemaster has their own secrets and techniques for good adventure design. This chapter isn’t intended to re-
place whatever skills experienced Gamemasters have developed, but provides tools and ideas to get new Gamemasters
started while shoring up the skills of old hands.
ADVENTURE DESIGN
Creating adventures for Mutants & Masterminds is a lot like creating a story for any other medium: Consider who your
characters are and what they want, then decide what obstacles stand in their way. Because the protagonists of any
Mutants & Masterminds game are the player character heroes, the Gamemaster must decide what villains, NPCs, and
events the heroes encounter, spurring them to action. The biggest challenge is formulating the villain’s plot and
deciding how they react once the heroes get involved.
As a Gamemaster, you can approach your adventures as but good ideas can come from science fiction, historical
an outline or a toolkit (both approaches are described drama, romance, or any other genre of media.
later), but both techniques require a few basic elements.
Classic literature can inspire character depth: You can
borrow the single-minded obsessiveness of Moby Dick’s
CONCEPT Ahab to color a superhero crossing the line to take down
their longtime nemesis with your players in the middle,
At the heart of every adventure lies a simple concept. The or your villain may train a protégé to enact her revenge
so-called “elevator pitch,” a one- or two-sentence idea you against a whole caste of people in the style of Miss Hav-
could explain to get someone excited in the time it takes isham from Great Expectations. The real news may inspire
for an elevator to reach your stop. “Thieves steal jewels and heroic adventures as you ask how superheroes would
unleash an ancient curse.”“Crashed aliens build a portal to change the same events, or how supervillains may be
bring an invading army to Earth.” “The hero’s loved ones behind seemingly innocent human interest stories. Vid-
are taken hostage by gun-toting mole rats.” You can add eo games may give you ideas for fun missions, charac-
extra details as the story develops, but the central concept ters, or locations. Your local urban legends and tall tales
should be straightforward, punchy, and fun. may inspire adventure ideas, villains, strange events, or
Once you have a central idea, build up from there. Who NPCs. Even architecture can inspire ideas, as anyone who
is the antagonist that threatens the PCs and forces has walked through a stylish hotel lobby or ultramodern
them to confront the scenario? A villain? A natural di- convention center and thought “this would look good in
saster? An enthusiastic but ultimately misguided hero? a movie” knows.
A ticking clock? Look at later chapters for more ideas
on handling Adversaries, Plots, and Challenges. Decide
what your antagonists need, and how they accomplish
FLESHING IT OUT
it, and at what point the heroes become aware of their Once you have your core concept, you can begin to have
activities. fun with the details. What NPCs will the heroes interact
Ideas for plots and characters can come from all around with? Can you add challenges or opponents that allow
you. Obviously comic books and superhero TV shows and each hero to shine in turn? What sort of fun scenes can
movies are the easiest to borrow superhero plots from, help define the story and give the players a headache?
Every adventure needs a beginning, middle, and end. defeat should lead the heroes into a detour rather than a
While the Gamemaster may think the adventure begins dead end. Lower-power villains likely flee with their loot
when the villains hatch the scheme, for your players—the if they defeat the heroes, while masterminds may take
protagonists of your story—the adventure begins when them prisoner or lock them in an improbable deathtrap
they get involved. How do the heroes become involved the heroes must escape. Missing clues in an investigation
in the adventure? Does a robbery grab their attention? means the heroes are delayed and give the villain more
Does an informant tip them off to trouble? Does a hench- time to gather their power, not that the villain can never
person have second thoughts and approach them with be found. Failing to win over the public on an issue means
details about the villain’s master plan? Is the disaster self- the heroes will operate with increased scrutiny and angry
evident? What are your heroes doing when everything be- mobs, not that they’re run out of town.
gins? Don’t be afraid to ask your players how they want to
get involved—especially what their heroes are doing as a
new day dawns—and you might be surprised how many BALANCING ENCOUNTERS
good ideas and story hooks they offer.
It can be challenging to know exactly how threatening a
Endings are easy to imagine: They’re the exciting climax villain is for your hero. Power Level only provides a rough
with whatever villain is behind the whole adventure. Think estimate, and different powers and modifiers will affect
of an exciting place for the showdown and what kinds of the danger level of every encounter. In theory, a PL 10
resources the villain ideally has to aid them. Accept that hero has about a 55% chance of defeating a PL 10 villain,
your heroes’ actions may change all these plans, and be and a 45% chance of being defeated—a tough fight, but
prepared to be flexible. one the hero is likely to win thanks to advantages like
Middles are more challenging. You must guide your play- Hero Points. The rules assume a villain is roughly twice as
ers from the beginning to the end in a way that feels dangerous for every +2 increase in their PL, so a PL 12 vil-
natural. Think of what clues you can drop and when, and lain would be a tough fight for two PL 10 heroes, while a
what resources the villain spends to stop the meddling PL 14 villain should be a tough fight for four PL 10 heroes.
do-gooders. If the heroes succeed at given scenes, does Conversely, four PL 6 minions should cause at least mo-
that affect their final confrontation at the adventure’s cli- mentary concern for a single PL 10 hero. So a PL 12 villain
max? Perhaps if they defeat the hired mercenary sent to and eight PL 6 minions should present a respectable fight
stop them, that character isn’t around to help defend the that four PL 10 heroes would likely win.
villain at the climax. If the heroes stop the theft of a vital But the above is just an estimate. Mutants & Masterminds
component, does the villain gather their forces and attack is a complex system that allows for many exceptions. a
the heroes directly? Most adventures that last an evening PL 10 villain whose attacks affect a wide area may en-
have two to five scenes filling out their middle, so try and danger multiple heroes every turn and can defeat mul-
present different opportunities for different skills, powers, tiple heroes with a few bad Toughness checks. An ice-
and personalities to shine. themed villain vulnerable to heat likely won’t last long
against a hero with fire powers. A hero with the Take-
COMPLICATING MATTERS down advantage might clear the scene of minions in a
single action or two. There is no hard-and-fast rule for
challenging your players that covers every possible char-
Look at your players’ heroes and decide if any of their
acter build. Use the above benchmarks as a guideline,
Complications make sense in the adventure you’re
and be prepared to learn and try different combinations
designing. Does an old nemesis or rival show up? Does
in the future. Luckily, in Mutants & Masterminds, failure
the villain use a hero’s weakness? Are one or more heroes
rarely means death. Instead, heroes receive a Hero Point
stuck in their secret identities as events unfold, requiring
for their defeat and get to try again.
creative thinking before they can help out? Your heroes’
Complications can help you fill out interesting scenes that
feel personal or be springboards for adventure ideas all on
their own. How do your heroes react if they discover their
THE OUTLINE APPROACH
stodgy day-job boss actually funded the creation of their The outline approach positions the Gamemaster as an
newest supervillain? author or director and the player characters as actors in
your story, riding through a pre-set sequence of events
Remember that Complications help your players earn to a final destination. This approach has all the benefits
Hero Points, so don’t shy away from using them. A well- and drawbacks of a rail-shooter style video game, as the
spent Hero Point can mean the difference between defeat heroes advance through the story with their decisions
and victory in the final confrontation! and actions tallying up to a final success or defeat. This
approach is often simpler for new Gamemasters—as it
HANDLING DEFEAT has fewer moving parts to track—but can make players
feel like their decisions and initiative don’t matter. Most
In comic book stories, heroes don’t win every fight or find published adventures are written using the outline
every clue, and the same goes for Mutants & Masterminds approach, guiding Gamemasters through a pre-written
adventures. You should decide what defeat means in story (sometimes with advice for how to handle things
any given scene of your adventure. Whenever possible, when players wander too far afield).
To create an adventure as an outline, imagine each of Dr. Stormsurge knows that Front Dynamics will push back,
the scenes as a chapter in a story, or a scene in a movie. so they’ve used the same weather-controlling technology
One scene leads into another, ideally dropping enough to empower a few friends into superbeings—Sirocco and
hints about what the next scene is that your players make Windshear (using the Energy Controller and Speedster
the transition naturally and feel like they’re making their hero archetypes from the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook, respec-
own decisions. The player heroes become involved, jump tively)—and arm a few high-tech guards (using the Robot
from exciting scene to exciting scene, and finally arrive Jockey minion type). Dr. Stormsurge has established a se-
at the climax, just as they would if they were characters cret lab in an old missile silo (see the headquarters maps in
in a book. The Gamemaster makes notes for themselves Appendix: Villainous Lairs) as a stronghold. Most of the
ahead of time about what each scene is and what there is threat the players face will be weather-related dangers.
for the heroes to do—ideally with multiple possibilities, as
they may succeed or fail at different approaches. Scene 1 (Challenge Scene): The heroes become involved
when they witness a freak tornado form in the city. They
The sample adventure Power Play on page 260 is present- must rescue civilians trapped in its path and minimize the
ed as an outline-style adventure. destruction. They may stop the tornado itself (likely with
creative power checks), but if not, they’ll have to simply
FOR EXAMPLE keep its path clear and stop any disasters in its wake. Sev-
eral industrial buildings are destroyed and the heroes can
If you have a mad scientist who wants to hold the world try to investigate afterward, but all signs point to this be-
ransom with a weather-control satellite, you must decide ing a one-in-a-million weather anomaly.
who that scientist is and how far along they are in the pro- Scene 2 (Challenge Scene): The heroes can attend to
cess. Are they trying to settle a grudge? Greedy? Proving whatever personal business they like (a mini roleplay
their theories? Have they built the satellite yet? Is it in orbit? scene, if you want to get technical), but the next day a
Can this mad scientist create other minions empowered by sudden thunderstorm targets a private airport outside
their weather-control technology, do they have the power of town, endangering workers with sudden flooding,
to handle things first-hand, or do they hire goons to run fires started by strikes, and planes about to crash as the
errands for them? Let’s call our villain Dr. Stormsurge (and air traffic control tower is struck by lightning. Once again,
use the Mad Scientist archetype from Chapter 3), who the heroes must protect whomever they can and may at-
turned to villainy after their former employer—Front Dy- tempt to end the disaster with power checks, otherwise
namics—stole their designs and ruined their reputation. they must wait it out.
Front Dynamics has already launched the weather-control
prototype, and now Dr. Stormsurge is going to hack into it Scene 3 (Investigation Scene): Two impossible weather
and use it to target properties owned by Front Dynamics. events in two days is too big a coincidence, and the he-
roes can now investigate. The the fight, or even create warmer
airport is owned by a scientific conditions that the scientist’s
think-tank called Front Dynam- “When in doubt have a man come through preparations leave the villain
ics, as was one of the buildings a door with a gun in his hand.” forces vulnerable to. How they
destroyed by the tornado. The handle this fight may lead to fu-
right Expertise skills or Investi- -Raymond Chandler ture adventures, such as busting
gate can help the PCs uncover Front Dynamics for their illegal
records of a secret weather-control device FD has been business practices, but those are stories for another time.
working on for over a year, while Persuasion-based skills
may let them learn that a disgruntled employee was let
go from the project several months ago. Front Dynamics
insists their weather satellite is still entirely under their
THE TOOLKIT APPROACH
The toolkit approach positions the Gamemaster as a ref-
control, and even if it weren’t, it’s only a prototype and not
eree rather than an author, allowing the players more
powerful enough to cause such widespread (and expen-
freedom in how they solve their problems and adjusting
sive) destruction.
the world and the villain’s plan accordingly. If the outline
Scene 4 (Conflict): Once the PCs begin investigating, Dr. approach is a book, then the toolkit approach is more
Stormsurge is convinced the interlopers are working for like a sandbox video game, where heroes can explore on
Front Dynamics and sends Windshear and half their ro- their own, encounter enemies out of order, and possibly
bot jockeys out to confront the heroes and scare them stumble across bigger problems than they can handle.
away from helping Front Dynamics. Once it becomes This approach generally feels more realistic and allows
obvious the heroes are winning, Windshear and any re- players greater control and investment in the campaign,
maining robot jockeys retreat, but they have mentioned but also requires more research and improvisational
enough about Dr. Stormsurge in the fight banter that skills on the part of the Gamemaster, or else a large ar-
the heroes know the scientist is operating from a nearby chive of villains, NPCs, and locations they can draw on at
missile silo. a moment’s notice.
Scene 5 (Mixed Challenge/Conflict Scene): As the PCs The toolkit approach requires the Gamemaster to build
arrive at their lair, Dr. Stormsurge activates the weather a “kit” for each adventure, know who the villain is, their
control satellite to create a hail storm, pelting the area with personality, their resources, and a rough schedule of the
light damage and making the terrain slick while equipping villain’s plans, as well as likely locations the PCs will visit
themselves and their minions with technology to compen- and information on relevant NPCs. Because the heroes
sate. The PCs must battle Dr. Stormsurge, Sirocco, Winds- can quickly go “off script” to investigate new angles and
hear (if he escaped the last scene) and any remaining robot people, other creative tools, like name generators, NPC
jockeys to finally end the threat to the city. Heroes can de- personality lists, or a handy folder of urban maps are all
activate the weather satellite to improve conditions during useful when the players select an unexpected strategy.
SCENE TYPES
Mutants & Masterminds roughly divides game events into four types of scenes: Challenge, Conflict, Investigation, and
Roleplay, each described in detail over the next several pages.
• Challenge scenes are scenes that use skill checks, ability checks, and/or power checks to overcome or bypass a
barrier.
• Conflict scenes are scenes that place the heroes in direct competition with other characters, including combat.
• Investigation scenes are scenes that use skill checks, ability checks, and/or power checks to uncover information.
• Roleplay scenes are scenes that use player interaction to uncover information, overcome barriers, or generally
have fun.
These aren’t hard and fast categories—simply ways of thinking about the challenges and story opportunities you pres-
ent at your table—and can easily be combined or changed to suit your game style.
Generally, adventures mix and match scene types, with an evening’s game using anywhere from three to eight scenes
for one adventure.
CHALLENGE SCENES
Challenge scenes generally present some danger the heroes must escape or some goal they want to accomplish, often
with a ticking clock or consequences for failure. While some are easily resolved with a single skill check or power use,
most require multiple checks or challenge sequences to resolve and get the heroes to their goal. Challenge scenes are
often broken down into action rounds or other small units of time, with each check representing a character’s efforts
during that period of time.
Examples of Challenge scenes include: enter the secret base by burrowing through the earth, the
Gamemaster should decide if the base has seismographs
• Escaping a flooding room, crushing chamber, or oth- that can detect them, or sensors to detect superbeings, or
er villainous deathtrap. burrowing defenders. Think on your feet and ask yourself
• Stopping a tidal wave as it rushes toward the city, or the important questions: Is it fair, and is it fun?
clearing citizens out of the area so no one is hurt. Challenge scenes make excellent consequences for failure
• Breaking into a secure building with different alarms, in other scenes: An investigation went poorly, and now
guards, and even traps. the PCs must rush across the city as fast as possible to
reach the villain before the bomb goes off. The heroes fail
• Repairing an alien device or performing a magic ritu- to win over the alien prince and are locked in the armada
al that can stop a rampaging kaiju. brig. The villain defeats the heroes, and seals them inside
an overly-elaborate death trap that will surely finish them
Creating a fun Challenge scene only requires understand-
off while she oversees the final stages of her plan.
ing what the heroes want, what keeps them from getting
that prize, and what steps they can take to reach their
goal. Sometimes a challenge is simple: A locked door
can be circumvented with a Technology check to pick
SUCCESS AND FAILURE
the lock, a Strength check to bash it open, or powers like Success in a Challenge scene should have obvious re-
Insubstantial. Other challenges might be more complex: wards. The benefits of success are usually the whole
Getting into a secret government base means using Ex- purpose of the Challenge scene: the heroes escape the
pertise or Persuasion to learn its location, Sleight of Hand deathtrap, or rescue civilians, or find the secret informa-
to steal a base guard’s ID, Deception to craft a disguise, tion they need. You should feel free to reward heroes for
and Stealth to sneak in to restricted areas. You must de- exceptional creativity or good luck as well, including Hero
cide if everyone needs to succeed at a check to bypass the Points, temporary (or even permanent) equipment, ad-
challenge (everyone needs to sneak past the guards one ditional information, or positive morale that provides a
way or another), or if only one person needs to succeed circumstance bonus to certain checks in the next scene.
(there’s only one doomsday device to diffuse).
Failing a Challenge scene should never bring the entire
You can decide the ideal way to solve each step of the adventure to a screeching halt, but it should usually have
problem, but be flexible with your players if they want to consequences: It may mean the villain gathers more re-
try a different approach or use a power or skill in a creative sources, or the heroes go into the next scene with a con-
way. Be fair when assigning check DCs to these new solu- dition or damage, or cost the heroes a resource like Hero
tions; an outlandish plan may be much more difficult, or it Points (requiring them to edit the scene to resolve the
may be easier because it’s a tactic no one would think to challenge). Alternatively, the failure keeps pushing the
defend against. story forward but triggers a new scene type, like a fight
breaking out or a tense Roleplay scene as the heroes
You should also decide beforehand how much time the plead their case.
heroes have and how many failed checks they get before
they fail. In general, heroes need twice as many successes
to succeed as they need failures to lose, so heroes may
need 4 Degrees of Success before they accumulate two
AWARDING HERO POINTS
The Gamemaster should award Hero Points in a Chal-
failures for a simple task, or 10 Degrees of Success before
lenge scene whenever a player suggests a particularly
they have five failures for a very complex challenge. Alter-
fun or insightful solution, whenever failing the challenge
natively, instead of forcing the characters to fail the scene
makes the situation much more hazardous, or whenever
at a certain point, you can place some slowly-escalating
the Gamemaster throws in new or unexpected challenges
consequences on failure, such as Toughness checks to re-
to keep the scene from being too easy. You should also
sist increasing damage with every failed check.
reward heroes who make the challenge more difficult for
Challenge scenes are an opportunity for everyone to get themselves by trying to live up to a heroic ideal, like refus-
creative. Player input and planning can come up with fun ing to leave another prisoner behind or using their turn
solutions, while the Gamemaster must decide how these to comfort an NPC instead of make progress on the chal-
new tactics interact with the scene. If the heroes want to lenge sequence.
D20 RESULT
CONFLICT SCENES
Conflict scenes place heroes in direct competition with other characters to achieve a goal and move the story forward.
The most common examples of this are fight scenes, where heroes use their skills and fantastic powers in exciting slug-
fests, but a conflict scene can also be a race, debate, or cooking competition. Any action-focused scenario that places
the PCs primarily against opponents who can react and adapt to them qualifies as a conflict scene.
Some examples of Conflict scenes include: an opposed roll; a success for the pursuer brings them
closer while a success for the prey widens the lead. A
• Brawling with supervillains in the street. battle of the bands might be treated like combat, with the
• Chasing down escaping bank robbers as they make audience essentially being minions each band “attacks”
their getaway. with Expertise skill checks to win them over. As always, be
flexible and be fun, and as with Challenge scenes, be open
• A cosmic dance-off. to new input from your players. The scenes presented later
in this chapter present several ways of using the rules for
• A training session in the Doom Room.
alternative Conflicts.
• Arm wrestling for the fate of California.
D20 RESULT
INVESTIGATION SCENES
Like Challenge scenes, Investigation scenes focus on skill use. the difference revolves around the pacing and reward.
Investigation scenes focus on uncovering knowledge rather than bypassing barriers or escaping danger. Investigation
scenes generally don’t have the tight time requirements of a Challenge scene, and so time can be tracked more loosely;
each hero’s efforts may amount to ten minutes’ work, or an hour’s, or a full day of chasing down leads.
Some examples of Investigation scenes include: Players will generally begin an Investigation scene with
one big question, and the temptation is generally to an-
• Searching a crime scene and using various skills to swer that question once they have succeeded at a pre-
analyze what was found. determined number of skill checks. For short investiga-
• Hacking into a computer system. tions, this solution is practical and fast. For more detailed
investigations, break that central question into many
• Uncovering remnants of a civilization that vanished smaller questions and answer one with each successful
thousands of years ago. check. If the heroes want to know who robbed the bank,
tease out the villain’s identity by revealing the powers
• Communing with spirits to learn about a supernatural
used, the equipment they had, and a lead on where they
menace.
came from—enough information to push the story for-
Investigation scenes are generally reactive; the heroes in- ward while letting players speculate on the details and
vestigate in the wake of something else happening. It may feel satisfied if their guesses were right. Always be ready
be the scene of a recent crime or a ritual chamber sealed to steal your player’s speculations and adjust your own
500 years ago, but in either case the players want to learn plot if they happen across a twist more clever than what
what already happened. The Gamemaster’s job is to know you’d planned.
what happened, what traces of it would be left behind,
No mystery is entirely unsolvable. Every person leaves
and how the heroes find and understand those traces. The
traces of themselves as they pass through an area, and
Investigation skill is the most obvious tool for Investiga-
even more evidence if they try to conceal their presence.
tion scenes, but the Perception skill can also be used to
Your goal in an Investigation scene is never to hide infor-
find clues and patterns, while various Expertise skills can
mation from your players, only to make obtaining it fun
be just as handy for recognizing their significance. The
and interesting.
technology skill can be used to trace electronic crimes
or tell when a lock or security system has been tampered
with (and how), while Treatment can reveal the source of
injuries, illness, or poisons if a mystery involves living crea-
SUCCESS & FAILURE
tures. Presence-based skills like Deception, Intimidate, Most Investigation scenes boil down into Challenge se-
and Persuasion can all be useful for getting information quences, with bits of information doled out as the reward
out of witnesses or suspects. Powers like Senses can be for each successful test. Successful investigations might
especially useful, granting one or more automatic suc- provide heroes with enough information to lay an am-
cesses during an Investigation scene depending on what bush or trap, or provide additional information on their
the hero can detect. target—floor plans of a villain’s lair, passwords, or guard
schedules. Alternatively, they may uncover resources like
Some powers may make Investigation scenes too easy, new contacts or single-use equipment to help with the
or redundant. Senses (Postcognition) allows a hero to see rest of the adventure.
exactly what happened, while Mind Reading allows a hero
to dive into a suspect’s mind to determine what they saw Failure in an investigation should never lead the PCs to a
or if they are lying. You may want to consider the ethical complete dead-end, but may leave them chasing down a
ramifications of using powers to violate peoples’ privacy dangerous false lead before learning the truth, potentially
in your game, but you should generally allow players to leading to a Challenge or Conflict scene. Alternatively, a
enjoy the powers they’ve invested Power Points into. You failed Investigation may point the heroes in the correct
don’t need to address every mystery in perfect detail; in- direction, but they arrive so late that the villain has addi-
stead look at these powers as new means of doling out in- tional time to prepare, recruiting additional villains, laying
formation. Postcognition can reveal that a masked wom- a trap, or otherwise making the climax more difficult.
an pulled the trigger on the murder victim—and even
enough of their conversation beforehand to seed some
leads—but uncovering who she was or why she killed him AWARDING HERO POINTS
still requires old-fashioned detective work. Likewise, he- The Gamemaster should award Hero Points in an Investi-
roes may still need skills like Deception or Persuasion once gation scene whenever a player makes a particularly good
inside a suspect’s memories to tease out information; the insight, observation, or leap of logic that moves the plot
criminal just can’t shut up or refuse to answer like they can forward. You should also award a Hero Point whenever
in real life. you throw in a new complication to keep the Investigation
D20 RESULT
ROLEPLAY SCENES
Roleplay scenes allow heroes to overcome a barrier or uncover information by use of character drama and description
rather than skill checks, and help the campaign feel more realistic as character traits outshine mechanical bonuses.
Roleplay scenes are especially important when drama or major reveals in the storyline shouldn’t be ruined by a single
bad roll of the die. They help highlight a character’s unique flavor, abilities, background, and melodrama, and provide
players a valuable opportunity to earn Hero Points.
Some examples of Roleplay scenes include: sheet you may already have. Props, including character
portraits and minis, but also distinctive headwear, glasses,
• Talking down an angry mob. and other quick costume details can help everyone keep
• Negotiating with a captive villain to find out where track of who is speaking. For Roleplay scenes intended
she hid the doomsday device. to communicate important facts, Gamemasters should
make lists of what needs to be said and look for natural
• Navigating a tense press conference. opportunities to slip those plot points into the scene.
• Picking your kid up from school on game day. One of the biggest challenges with running Roleplay
scenes is dividing your attention and table time between
• Being a kid at the big game, and deciding whether or
your players equally. One player will often stand out as the
not to use your powers to help your team win.
dramatist while more introverted players may retreat into
Most Roleplay scenes revolve around dialogue as the the background. If a player seems shy or doesn’t want to
heroes interact with their supporting cast, authorities, participate, that’s fine, but make sure you make space for
captive villains, reporters, or the general public. They may them if they do and prevent other players from interrupt-
mentor their child after a hard day of school, run errands ing or hogging the spotlight.
for a sickly uncle, describe their adventures to a skeptical
reporter, or talk down an angry mob. Beyond dialogue,
Roleplay scenes may involve tough character-building SUCCESS & FAILURE
moments and choices, often tempting or requiring a Success in Roleplay scenes is generally measured by par-
hero to discreetly use their powers in their everyday. ticipation. So long as a player felt like they got to partici-
Sometimes this is for personal satisfaction—cheating pate as much as they were comfortable with, some mea-
on a test, getting the raise you need, getting the cute sure of success should emerge, whether that’s obtaining
guy to notice them. Other times it’s a matter of life and new information, overcoming a plot barrier, or just having
death—saving a friend from an accident, stopping a fun and earning a few Hero Points.
speeding car, or deciding whether to share information
only a superhero would know while maintaining a secret When things do go wrong in a Roleplay scene, it should
identity. Players can generally narrate their activities with deepen the story and complicate the heroes’ adventure
fewer or no dice rolls, with the Gamemaster acting as the rather than slow down the adventure. Nothing makes an
final judge for what is reasonable or mediating disputes awkward date even worse quite like a kidnapping, while a
when two or more players argue. As always, don’t forget hero who sticks their foot in their mouth while talking to
your responsibility to keep the game moving and fun for the FBI might suddenly find all their government contacts
everyone. going quiet for the adventure.
COMBINED SCENES
At the table, few scenes fall neatly into a single category. Your heroes will try to negotiate with a sympathetic villain even
as they battle him, roleplay with one another and supporting cast as they work through an investigation, and split up to
solve a mystery and gather the ingredients for a magic ritual at the same time. Combined scenes give players a choice in
how to showcase their heroes’ talents and personalities, as well as additional ways to solve their problems. Consult the
previous pages for each of the component scenes for advice on how to construct the individual parts.
You may plan out combined scenes in advance, such as a Examples of Challenge/Conflict scenes include:
fight where the heroes must also rescue civilians in harm’s
way, or emerge spontaneously as the players find creative • Completing an ancient ritual while an invading de-
solutions to other scenes, perhaps attempting to rewire mon army attempts to overwhelm the heroes.
an alien’s spaceship while fighting off their champion. • Disarming a bomb while battling the villainous mas-
termind.
Sometimes information is protected, and when violence Examples of Investigation/Roleplay scenes include:
or competition is required to reveal important clues or • Grilling a suspect as part of an investigation.
protect the investigators, Gamemasters can combine the
elements of Conflict and Investigation scenes for action- • A tense romantic encounter where each member has
packed reveals. More than just roughing up a criminal and an agenda, but also burning passions.
fighting off guards before forcing an informant to talk,
Conflict/Investigation scenes blend the head-to-head • Exploiting your relationship with your father the
competition into the process of revealing information, nurse to access a suspect’s medical records.
and rarely does a single fight reveal every bit of available • Using magic or psychic powers to commune with the
information. Instead, a fight may reveal one piece of data spirit inside a clue.
while sleuthing uncovers more, or multiple opponents
each only have a single clue, or part of the team must hold
a threat at bay while others uncover information.
CONFLICT/ROLEPLAY
Heroes love to banter during fights in the comics, and it’s
hard to draw a distinct line between a fight scene with
smack-talk and a combined Conflict/Roleplay scene, so
be flexible in interpreting it. The defining difference is of-
ten that the player’s own in-character dialogue can affect
the course of the fight without the need for dice rolls; an
impassioned speech or dramatic reveal is enough to alter
the plot, redoubling a villain’s attack, persuading criminals
to surrender, or driving a wedge between antagonists.
EXAMPLE SCENES
The following pages present ready-made scenes to • Scenes are the individual parts of an adventure. The
challenge heroes, filling in a number of superhero tropes scenes presented here are only one section of a pos-
like chase scenes, crowd control, and mass invasions. Each sibly larger adventure.
scene shares a few common sections:
• Variations describes adjustments you can make to
• In This Exciting Issue describes the adventure, giv- the adventure to make it a whole new challenge or
ing you the details of the plot and villains involved.. add a fun twist if you want to re-play it.
• Involving the Heroes offers you some advice on You can use a scene here as a short adventure, as a part of
how to draw the player characters into the story. a larger adventure, or borrow the rules for your own ideas.
THE CHASE
The Chase focuses on catching escaping villains before
they get away. SCENE: RUNNING THE NUMBERS
Read the following aloud to the players:
IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE When you arrive at the ASTRO Labs facility, there’s
The Power Corps has stolen a hard-drive containing valu- no question as to the cause of the alarm: several
able data from ASTRO Labs. Upon spotting the heroes, the members of the infamous Power Corps mercenary
power-armored mercenaries make a run for it and split up, team hover in the air outside, near a good-sized hole
forcing the heroes to give chase. punched in the side of the building. The armored
criminals apparently spot you as you arrive, and im-
INVOLVING THE HEROES mediately scatter. The boot jets from their power
armor roar as they fly off in different directions!
The simplest way to involve the heroes is for them to re-
Set the number of Power Corps members to match the
spond to an emergency call from ASTRO Labs. They arrive
number of heroes—they probably don’t need their full
just in time to see the Power Corps split up and fly off, giv-
complement of eight for a simple tech-heist. Either as-
ing the heroes the opportunity to chase. The heroes might
sume the other mercenaries are on another job, waiting at
instead be at ASTRO Labs for other reasons when the theft
the group’s meet-up point, or reserved as back-up.
occurs, perhaps in their secret identities.
If you don’t have access to the Power Corps’ statblock
PROBLEM POWERS (available in Threat Report or the Basic Hero’s Handbook),
use the Battlesuit archetype from Chapter 2 of the Deluxe
If one or more of the heroes has a significantly higher (or Hero’s Handbook.
lower) movement speed rank than the Power Corps—
who have Flight 7—then The Chase might seem like it’s
over before it begins! There are a few ways you can handle
THE PURSUIT CHALLENGE
this problem. The Power Corps members split up and rocket off, forcing
Make sure the heroes have some movement options. If the heroes to give chase. The pursuit itself is a challenge,
they split up and one or more of the heroes cannot move a series of checks measuring maneuverability and speed.
fast enough to keep up with the Power Corps, feel free Remember that the heroes and villains are navigating
to have ASTRO Labs lend them several sky-bikes—anti- the canyons and hazards of a crowded city, not matching
gravity “motorcycles” with Flight 7. If a limited number of speed in a straight-off chase, and so control is as impor-
heroes have enough movement speed to give chase, you tant as raw speed.
might want to split the Power Corps into larger groups,
rather than having them all scatter in different directions. Time: 1 round
If your heroes are fast, use the situations described in Checks: Acrobatics (for Flight or Leaping), Athletics (for
Road Hazards to justify slowing down the faster heroes. Speed or Leaping), or Vehicles (for heroes piloting a vehi-
Because the villains split up, one or two swift heroes won’t cle) opposed by the Acrobatics check of the Power Corps
necessarily eliminate the whole chase, and catching up to member. If one side has a significant speed advantage,
the Power Corps members is just the first step! The first apply a circumstance modifier to their pursuit checks: a
Power Corps members the heroes catch are probably not 2-rank advantage grants a +2 circumstance bonus, while
the ones with the stolen hard-drive. 5+ ranks of difference grant a +5 bonus instead.
ROAD HAZARDS
The pursuit is more than just a test of speed. The Power
Corps pull off various maneuvers to slow the heroes down
or shake them. Each round of the pursuit, choose one of
the following or roll randomly to determine what the vil-
lains do to make things more difficult for the heroes.
d20 Challenge
Blast Back: The villain hurls an energy bolt
that blows up a vehicle or building cornice,
collapses a tunnel, or otherwise hurls damage
the heroes’ way. The hero must roll a DC 20
1–3
Dodge check. If they fail, they suffer rank 10
damage, and lose a number of successes from
their threshold equal to their Degree of Failure
on the Damage Resistance Check.
Collision Course: The villain flies straight at
an obstacle, like the side of a building, before
swerving at the last moment. Roll an opposed
test of the villain’s Acrobatics against the hero’s
4–6 Acrobatics or Vehicles (as suits their mode of
movement). If the villain wins, the hero collides
with the obstacle, suffering rank 8 damage, or THE MEET-UP
their speed rank +1 (whichever is higher), and
loses one success from their success threshold. The Power Corps members who escape have arranged
Duck Out: The villain uses quick maneuvers, to meet up at an abandoned airstrip outside the city.
attempting to lose the hero. Roll an opposed Any captured member of the Corps gives up the loca-
check of the villain’s Deception against the tion to the heroes with a successful Intimidation check
8–10
hero’s Insight or Perception (whichever is against them. Heroes may also be able to use their skills
higher). Add the resulting Degrees of Success and powers to track the villains other ways—encourage
to the threshold of the winner of the test. the players to be creative! This can lead to another con-
Endangered Civilians: The villain endangers flict encounter with the remaining villains, including any
civilians, cutting the line of a window-washing of the eight members who were not originally present. If
platform, knocking someone off a balcony, or outnumbered two-to-one, the Power Corps surrenders.
11–13 using a power blast to send debris falling to
the street below. If the hero pauses to save Hero Points: Award a Hero Point to any hero whose target
civilians, they lose a success from their success escapes. Award a Hero Point to any heroes who come up
threshold, but gain a Hero Point. with a clever plan to locate the escaped villains.
Flying Low: The villain swoops down to street
level, flying among busy traffic on the city
streets. The pursuing hero needs to roll an VARIATIONS
14–16 opposed test of their pursuit skill against the
The Chase works as a model for similar kinds of chase
villain’s Acrobatics. If the villain wins, the hero
scenes where the heroes pursue villains. You can adapt
loses the villain’s Degree of Success from their
accumulated successes. it by changing the setting of the pursuit and the chal-
lenges the heroes face, or replacing the flying villains with
Tight Maneuver: The Power Corps member criminals on souped-up motorcycles or aquatic creatures
makes a tight turn, bank, or flies through
diving into the ocean. You can reverse it for scenes where
a narrow space. Roll an opposed test of
the villain’s Acrobatics against the hero’s the heroes are being pursued, or make it into a race where
17–19 Acrobatics, Athletics, or Vehicles (as suits their whoever has the higher success total is ahead, and who-
mode of movement). If the villain wins, the ever reaches the threshold first wins.
hero must succeed at a DC 15 Perception check
to stay on their trail or the villain gains another You can also change things in the adventure by changing
success. the villains and what they have taken. It might be a dan-
gerous device, creating complications of its own during
20 No hazard this round
the pursuit for everyone.
THE FRAME-UP
The Frame-Up places the heroes on the wrong side of the Berrindino’s AEGIS team consists of eight agents who use
law as they are accused of crimes they didn’t commit. the SWAT Officer archetype from Chapter 3, except their
weapons are energy blasters and instead of handcuffs
IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE they have power-nullifying manacles able to exert a rank
10 effect that prevents the wearer’s powers from working;
heroes can use extra effort to roll their highest power rank
Agents of AEGIS (the American Elite Government
against DC 20 to overcome the nullifier. If they succeed,
Intervention Service) or a similar law-enforcement
they can use their powers for one round (ideally to es-
organization show up at the heroes’ headquarters or
cape). If they fail, they do not overcome the effect.
public appearance to arrest them on suspicion of a series
of thefts. The authorities have video surveillance evidence Additionally, the AEGIS squad is backed up by three more
implicating the heroes. Do the heroes surrender peacefully, agents in power armor; use the Robot Jockey archetype
or do they go on the run in hopes of clearing their names? from Chapter 3. The power-suit wearers stand back, but
step in if things get violent (see Fight Back, following).
SCENE: YOU HAVE THE RIGHT… Prime setting) known heroes get the benefit of the doubt
and can maintain their secret identities—for now.
Read the following to the players: The heroes are permitted to make a call and provided with
a lawyer, if they do not already have one—or if one of the
Monitor systems report the arrival of the AEGIS heroes is the team’s lawyer in their secret identity! Unfortu-
agents before they reach the front entrance. Given nately, the wheels of the justice system grind slowly, and ev-
there are nearly a dozen of them, decked out in full eryone involved wants to avoid any appearance of treating
field-gear and carrying a battering ram, you’re sure the heroes with favoritism. So the prosecutor assigned to
they’re not here for a social visit. their case makes an argument that they are most definitely
a (possibly literal) “flight risk” and must be kept imprisoned
Let the players decide what they want their heroes to do.
until their arraignment, which seriously limits the heroes’
If they go out to meet the government agents or let them
option. If the heroes choose to wait things out regardless,
in to speak with them, they find out the squad is under
the real villains might go to ground (so as not to give away
the command of Agent Derek Berrindino, a hot-shot who
their deception) or they might try and make things worse
is none too fond of superheroes, and enjoying the pros-
for the heroes by staging a “jail-break” for them and either
pect of taking the team “down a peg or two.” He brusquely
capturing the heroes or leaving them to face the authorities
identifies himself and informs the heroes they are under
while their “criminal allies” escape.
arrest on suspicion of larceny, breaking-and-entering, and
other charges. He orders the agents with him to cuff the
heroes and read them their rights. FIGHT BACK
If the heroes do anything that can be construed as “resist-
AEGIS AGENTS ing arrest” or threatening, they give Agent Berrindino the
opportunity he’s craving, and he orders his squad to take
Agent Derek Berrindino uses the Government Agent the team down by force. Although the AEGIS agents likely
archetype from Chapter 3, except he carries a blast outnumber the heroes, chances are they’re outclassed
rifle (ranged, damage 8) and wears an armored vest (+4 when it comes down to a fight. If the heroes win, they
Toughness) for the raid, increasing him to Power Level 6. must decide whether to go on the run (following) or wait
VARIATIONS
Things get interesting for The Frame-Up in terms of who
has framed the heroes, how they did it, and why. The fol-
lowing are some possibilities you can consider. Exactly
what the villains are stealing, and why, is left for the GM
to decide based on their larger plans. As a default, they’re
robbing banks, jewelers, or wealthy homes, either for the
money or just the opportunity to frame the heroes.
IMPOSTERS
While the criminals look like the heroes, they’re actually
imposters, and any appearance that they have the he-
roes’ powers are either faked or mimicked. For example,
the Power Corps from the Basic Hero’s Handbook might
be using advanced hologram generators to look like the
heroes, faking some of their abilities with their armor. A
group of villains with the traits of the Master of Disguise
or Mimic archetypes from Chapter 3 could be doing the
VARIATIONS
The basic concepts of Hearts & Minds can work for other
social competitions.
THE DEBATE
One or more heroes are engaged in a public debate. This
could be arguing with a prejudiced demagogue like Con-
rad Zoraz over the rights of aliens, mutants, robots, or any
other group, arguing a legal case before a judge, or de-
bating an opponent in front of a third party the heroes
must sway, like the ruler of an alien empire. Each check is
SCENE: A SMALL PROBLEM Strength 4 to lift, while larger ones require Strength
7 or more. Tipping over a chemical container releases
its contents in a Cone Area from the mouth of the
Read the following aloud to the players:
container. Usually the effect is something like Dam-
age 8 each round for anyone in the area, although
You’ve finally got a break on a case you’ve been
some chemicals might cause Afflictions instead. Play-
working, a lead to the location of a criminal
ers can spend Hero Points to edit the scene and de-
laboratory hidden beneath the city streets. Now
fine the effects of a particular chemical.
that you know where it is, even its steel-reinforced
secret door is no match for your abilities. The dimly- • Sinks: Countertop basins are 30 feet deep from the
lit chamber beyond hums with the electrical power heroes’ perspective and 60 feet across. Turning on
stolen from the city’s grid. A second steel door slides the facets takes Strength 5, and heroes are small
down, closing the way you came, and a bright flash of enough to be washed down the drain. Swimming or
shimmering light fills your vision, inducing a sense of moving against the current from the spigot is a DC 18
vertigo, as the room spins around you! Athletics check.
GETTING BIG
The emitter for the shrink ray is located near the ceiling on
the opposite side of the lab from the entrance, aimed in
a wide beam at the area where the heroes entered. They
must cross the room, get up to the top of the counter, and
access the ray’s control systems in order to reverse it. They
need to be in the area of effect, back where they started,
when the ray goes off.
Time: 1 round
SHADOW INVASION
SHADOW Invasion is a one-scene Mutants & Masterminds SHADOW is sending waves of clone troops into the city via
scenario pitting the heroes against the forces of a clone teleportal and they are moving out with perfect precision
army trying to take over their city. to seize targets of strategic value, particularly police sta-
tions, military installations, and government buildings. In
IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE terms of the mass combat rules, each SHADOW force is a
company of 100 veteran troops, giving them a Force rank
of 7. There is one company in the invasion force per player
The evil organization SHADOW invades the city! This sce- character. Each company has the following mass combat
nario makes use of the Mass Combat rules in Chapter 7, traits:
as the heroes confront hundreds of SHADOW’s clone sol-
diers. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with those rules. SHADOW Clone Troops: Attack 11, Damage 13, Defense 4,
With conventional authorities overwhelmed, it is up to the Toughness 9, Initiative 4, Morale 3*
heroes to stem the tide of the invasion before it is too late *See description
and SHADOW has seized control.
The combined force includes some heavy weapons, hover
tanks, sky-bikes for air-support, and the like, which are all
INVOLVING THE HEROES abstracted in the force’s traits. Essentially, so long as he-
roes are in the area of a SHADOW company, it can poten-
The heroes most likely get involved in this adventure tially attack them, and be attacked in turn.
when SHADOW’s forces attack and they are called upon
to help stem the invasion! You can always start things off By default, the SHADOW clone troops are immune to
slowly, as the heroes investigate leads they pick up, sug- morale checks, succeeding on them automatically. They
gesting that SHADOW is about to launch a major opera- are programmed and psychically linked and cannot be
tion. As they are interrogating informants and searching swayed from their orders, nor will they surrender under
the city, the invasion begins. If you have run Shadows of normal circumstances.
the Past from the Basic Hero’s Handbook, you can make this
If the heroes are all together when the adventure begins
adventure a sequel: The elimination of the old SHADOW
(at their headquarters, for example), have one company
base in Shadows of the Past has triggered a failsafe mecha-
appear close enough to begin to attack them. They quick-
nism and a SHADOW cloning facility has begun turning
ly learn of other companies of SHADOW troops appear-
out an invasion force, unleashing them upon the city! The
ing throughout the city, so they may want to split up in
heroes have to find the hidden clone-factory and shut it
order to deal with them. Using the mass combat rules,
down to stop the flow of soldiers.
you can treat each company as an individual “opponent”
for the heroes, keeping in mind that forces can split into
PROBLEM POWERS smaller groups: essentially, each time a force splits in half,
it creates two groups with the same traits, but –1 Attack,
Heroes with powers affecting a substantial area have an Defense, and Toughness.
added advantage in overcoming an enemy force (see
Powers under Forces in Action in the Mass Combat Hero Points: If the heroes begin this scenario in their se-
section of Chapter 7). You may want to take that into cret identities and break away to change before they can
account when running the adventure. In the case of engage, award them a Hero Point.
damaging area powers, the heroes can only be so effective,
since the attackers are invading the city and mixed among IN THE LINE OF FIRE
thousands of innocent civilians who are in the line of fire,
so this advantage should not be overwhelming. The invasion allows plenty of opportunities for heroism,
as there are a lot of innocent people in harm’s way, and
SCENE: SHADOW STRIKES plenty of things for heroes to do other than just fight
SHADOW troopers. Pose any or all of the following
Read the following aloud to the players: challenges to the heroes:
VARIATIONS
SHADOW Invasion is a useful template for other types of
invasion scenarios where the invaders are not clones but
aliens, demons, mole-people, or some other force. The
following are some common variations you can use.
ALIEN INVASION
Rather than clones, the invaders are alien troops, either
landing in ships or teleporting down from orbit. Their
abilities are similar to the forces of SHADOW troops,
although they might have unusual powers or weaknesses.
They may be led by an alien Overlord or Brute champion
from the villain archetypes.
OVERCOMING FEAR
The heroes have to find a terrified Hani Egal—or her psy-
chic self—hiding from the battle, much as she did in the
real world. Then it is a challenge for the heroes to convince
Hani to use her own power to stand up to the villain:
Time: 1 round
1. An asteroid, meteor, or comet is on a collision course 25. A villain captures the heroes in order to “play” against
with the Earth. them in a life-or-death game.
2. An intelligent super-virus begins taking over the 26. The rightful ruler of an alien empire comes to Earth
minds of people exposed to it. seeking help to reclaim her throne.
3. The heroes’ archenemies band together to take out 27. An alien warrior arrives looking for a worthy opponent
their foes by trading opponents. to challenge him.
4. Atlantis invades the surface world because of 28. A villain attempts to steal all of the heroes’ powers for
pollution of the oceans and underwater weapons himself.
testing.
29. The heroes are kidnapped to become gladiators in an
5. A super-villain attempts to trigger a nuclear war. alien arena.
6. A vigilante is assassinating criminals in the city and 30. A mythic god starts a modern cult of worshippers, but
the heroes must enforce the law. isn’t exactly what he seems.
7. Criminals have stolen advanced weapon prototypes 31. An accident sends the heroes to a parallel Earth where
they are using to commit robberies. good is evil and vice versa.
8. A “monster” threatening the city turns out to be a 32. A villain attempts to melt the polar ice caps to flood
confused alien infant. the entire world.
9. An omnipotent entity comes to Earth looking to have 33. A murderous spirit goes on a killing spree, possessing
some fun “playing” with a group of heroes. innocent host bodies.
10. A fire rages through the city, threatening lives and 34. A hero is infected with lycanthropy, slowly
property. transforming into a were-creature.
11. Mercenary villains are hired to capture or kill the 35. A villain steals a powerful weapon and attempts to
heroes. blackmail the government with it.
12. A tidal wave or tsunami threatens a coastal area. 36. A secret and corrupt government black-ops
organization tries to co-opt or eliminate the heroes.
13. A villain transforms people in the city into creatures (de-
mons, zombies, plants, etc.) under the villain’s control. 37. A new crime lord begins consolidating power in the
city.
14. A vampire is on the loose, feeding on innocent vic-
tims in the city at night. 38. Assassination attempts are made against govern-
ment or public figures.
15. A would-be sorcerer botches a spell, opening a gate
to a demonic netherworld. 39. A villain steals the components necessary for a
procedure or ritual intended to vastly increase his
16. Cultists are kidnapping people to use as sacrifices to powers.
their evil god(s).
40. A super-human with out of control powers steals the
17. Villains commit crimes posing as the heroes to black- components necessary for a cure.
en their good names.
41. Villains abduct the heroes’ loved ones in an attempt
18. Shapeshifting aliens infiltrate the government and to blackmail them or lure them into a trap.
law enforcement and outlaw the heroes.
42. The heroes are trapped in their own headquarters,
19. A villain attempts to use mass mind-control to take which is counting down to self-destruction.
over a city, country, or the world.
43. The heroes are pulled into a dream world where their
20. A rampaging monster is let loose on the unsuspect- deepest fears and desires come to life.
ing city.
44. A strange meteorite causes mutations and unusual
21. An earthquake strikes a major city, causing numerous phenomena.
disasters and opportunities for looters.
45. An alien “world killer” weapon is headed for Earth.
22. Another team of heroes has gone missing.
46. A powerful hero turns to evil for no apparent reason.
23. Aliens invade the Earth. The “aliens” might also be from Is he an imposter, possessed, or something else?
another dimension, demons, mutant monsters, etc.
47. Alien bounty hunters come to Earth looking to collect
24. A scientific accident creates giant insects that swarm a price on a hero’s head.
through the city.
Of course, not every game system suits every player, Gamemaster, or group. That’s why this chapter (and other M&M
source material) offers you some options for changing or adding to the existing game rules to suit you particular tastes.
Want an even more flexible game where players can create any character within a particular power level? How about
more detailed guidelines for things like martial arts, mass combat, or character reputation? Options for more lethal
damage or playing with different dice mechanics? They’re all here in this chapter.
Just as the chapter title says, everything in here is optional. While you’re never under any requirement to use any part
of the rules as-written; this material in particular is not considered an “official” part of the game rules. Other M&M books
may refer to it, but again only as an option to consider, rather than an expected part of the rules. It is up to the individual
GM and game group whether or not to adopt any of these options and, if so, how. Read an option over carefully before
you apply it to your M&M game, and feel free to change it if it doesn’t work out like you want. The power is in your hands!
HERO CREATION
Mutants & Masterminds hero creation is intended to produce relatively balanced characters within the guidelines set for
a particular power level. Some may prefer a looser and more open-ended approach, however, in which case the follow-
ing options may be useful.
UNLIMITED POWER POINTS limitations of the hero creation system. The Gamemaster
may choose to remove power level and all its associated
This variant is recommended only for fairly experienced restrictions from the series, allowing players to spend
groups interested in setting aside some of the limitations their power points in any way they wish (with the GM’s
of the hero creation system. The Gamemaster sets the final approval).
power level for the series, with its limits on character traits. This allows for considerable freedom in character design,
However, players are given an unlimited number of power but may lead to unforeseen problems in game balance or
points to create their characters within those limits. In es- in some characters having major advantages over others
sence, they don’t need to track power point costs, since in play (or, conversely, major disadvantages due to over-
they have as many as they need. spending elsewhere). The Gamemaster should carefully
This provides considerable flexibility, of course, since monitor such free-form character creation (even more
some character concepts may be more or less expensive than usual) and players should be prepared to modify
than others. It also has considerable potential for abuse, their character designs as needed to fit the Gamemaster’s
so Gamemasters should review the players’ characters guidelines for the series.
carefully and discourage characters able to do anything in
order to encourage teamwork and cooperation. FREE EQUIPMENT
On the other hand, having an unlimited power point bud-
In some series settings, the GM may wish to give equip-
get can free up some players from fretting over how to
ment no cost in power points, just a monetary cost us-
“conserve” points or how to spend a handful of unspent
ing Wealth. So characters can have whatever equipment
points rather than “wasting” them. It can open up hero con-
they can afford and the GM allows, keeping in mind some
cepts that might require a few more points than the players
items may be legally restricted or simply unavailable. This
would otherwise have, or encourage looking at concepts
option is best suited to series where equipment doesn’t
that are less “point efficient” but might be fun to play.
need to compete with innate powers, balancing the cost
of a gun or bullet-proof vest against being able to shoot
UNLIMITED POWER LEVEL energy blasts or being invulnerable. Examples include su-
per-spy games or pulp era adventures where powers and
This variant is also recommended only for fairly expe- devices are fairly rare and most characters have equip-
rienced groups interested in setting aside some of the ment or some sort.
Devices may still exist in this type of series, and the GM setting in the far future may have advanced equipment
may still charge power points for them, since devices (see Tech Levels in this chapter). Likewise, a fantasy set-
are unique items that exceed the capabilities of normal ting may have magical equipment that doesn’t exist in our
equipment. Note, however, some series settings may con- world but is common there. These things aren’t devices if
sider some devices “equipment.” For example, a high tech they’re commonly available to everyone in those settings.
FIGHTING STYLES
In Mutants & Masterminds you can use various collections of advantages to duplicate different armed and unarmed
fighting styles, including various styles of martial arts. This section expands upon that idea and offers some suggestions
for putting together your own fighting styles.
HARD VS. SOFT STYLES Acrobatics, Deception (primarily aimed at feinting in com-
bat), Intimidation (primarily aimed at demoralizing an op-
ponent in combat), Insight (primarily aimed at detecting
Most fighting styles, particularly unarmed styles like mar-
and avoiding the previous two effects), Ranged Combat,
tial arts, can be divided into “hard” and “soft” categories.
and Sleight of Hand (for quick hand movements and feint-
Hard styles focus on a strong offense and direct, powerful
ing dependent upon them).
attacks to disable an opponent as quickly as possible. They
tend to be built around advantages like All-out Attack and
Power Attack that enhance accuracy and damage at the
cost of defense and precision. Soft styles, conversely, fo-
CREATING FIGHTING STYLES
cus on a strong defense and the use of holds, throws, and Creating a fighting style is a simple matter of building a list of
similar indirect attacks to restrain an opponent. Soft styles the style’s advantages, plus any associated skills, and weap-
tend to be built around advantages like Accurate Attack on elements (if that option is in use). Characters trained in
and Defensive Attack, providing defense and precision a style invest power points into its traits. They don’t have to
over power and strength. Advantages like Improved Hold take all of them at once; indeed, most students do not gain
and Improved Trip are common in soft styles. complete mastery of a fighting style all at once.
There’s no specific game effect as to whether a style is hard Generally speaking, a complete style should consist of be-
or soft; it’s entirely a matter of description (much as it is with tween a half dozen and a dozen or so advantages; fewer usu-
real-world martial arts). Some styles are blends of the two ally isn’t enough to constitute a coherent style, while more
approaches, and most soft styles have offensive moves just tends to represent branching out to master multiple styles of
as many hard styles have defenses, throws, or holds. combat, unless you want to create a “master style” or secret
martial art for your game encompassing every combat ad-
UNARMED VS. vantage. (True masters of such a style should be rare indeed!)
punches and evasive footwork, usually close in with an cuses on speed, with a combination of defensive blocks
opponent. Feinting is a common skill, used to get an op- and offensive strikes and thrusts, along with feints to
ponent to lower his guard for a devastating attack. fake-out your opponent. The more “swashbuckling” style
of fencing also involves Acrobatics and Agile Feint.
Skills: Deception
Skills: Sleight of Hand
Advantages: All-out Attack, Defensive Attack, Improved
Defense, Improved Smash, Power Attack, Takedown Advantages: Accurate Attack, Defensive Attack, Im-
proved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative,
CAPOEIRA Power Attack, Taunt
KRAV MAGA fighting style can be used for other modern, constructed
styles taught to commandos and military personnel.
Krav Maga was developed about 40 years ago for use Advantages: All-out Attack, Chokehold, Improved De-
by the Isreali Defense Forces (and later Isreali police and fense, Improved Disarm, Improved Hold, Improved Trip,
Mossad intelligence agents). It’s a highly practical style Power Attack
borrowing moves from many different fighting styles
and focused entirely on quickly and efficiently disabling
an opponent. It lacks the “forms” of other fighting styles,
KUNG FU
since it’s intende solely for fighting, not for show. This
Kung fu means, essentially, “hard work” or “great skill.” It is
the common name of an ancient Chinese style of mar-
tial arts dating back a thousand years or more. It’s most
famously associated with the Shaolin Temple, where it
was taught beginning in the sixth century AD. It spread
to the west with Chinese immigration in the 1800s, but
did not become popular among westerners until the mid-
1900s. There are hundreds of kung fu variants and styles,
many based on the movements of animals (Crane, Drag-
on, Leopard, Mantis, Monkey, Snake, and Tiger, to name
some). A kung fu teacher is called a sifu and the practice
hall is called a kwoon.
MUAY THAI
Also known as Thai kickboxing, Muay Thai is a brutal fight-
ing style of kicks, knee- and elbow-strikes, and punches.
It relies on blocks for defense and has no holds or throws,
the intention being to beat an opponent to a pulp as
quickly as possible.
NINJUTSU
Not a “fighting style” per se, ninjutsu is associated with
Japanese ninja and similar stealthy assassins. The ninja
fighting style is technically called taijutsu, but the style
here assumes the broad range of “ninja” training. It does
not include whatever superhuman capabilities the GM
wishes to grant ninja; those are better acquired as powers.
SUMO
Sumo wrestling is a Japanese martial art, usually practiced
by large, heavy fighters. The object of a match is to push
the opponent out of the fighting ring or pin him down
within the ring. Sumo matches tend to be short, but in-
volve a great deal of lengthy ritual. Unlike most Asian mar-
tial arts, sumo focuses heavily on strength and size.
REPUTATION
This system models how well known a character is and how that reputation affects interaction with others. A good
reputation can be a useful advantage, but a bad one can be a troublesome hindrance.
Reputation affects non-combat interaction checks between characters by providing a modifier. A positive reputation
makes others more likely to favor and help the character, while a negative reputation makes the character’s social en-
treaties less effective.
Characters with secret identities effectively have two When an NPC recognizes you and has a negative opinion
separate reputation ranks: one for their costumed identity of your reputation, you get a penalty on Deception and
and another for their secret identity. The character should Persuasion checks equal to half your reputation bonus,
use whichever value is appropriate. One reason many su- rounded down, but gain a bonus of the same amount to
pers maintain secret identities is to leave their Reputation your Intimidation checks, since the subject is more likely
(and the recognition that comes with it) behind for a while to believe the worst about you.
to live a “normal” life. The bonus or penalty only applies when you are interact-
ing outside of combat with an NPC who recognizes you
REPUTATION CHECKS and is therefore aware of your reputation. Those unaware
of your reputation are unaffected by it either way.
Most of the time, the character doesn’t decide to use repu-
tation. The GM decides when your reputation is relevant
to the scene or encounter. When it becomes relevant, the NPC REPUTATIONS
GM makes a reputation check for an NPC that might be Players decide how their characters act. Sometimes, howev-
influenced in some fashion by your character’s notoriety. er, it’s appropriate for the GM to call for a skill check using an
A reputation check is calculated as follows: interaction skill affected by reputation. For example, an NPC
might use Deception to lie to the heroes, who, in turn, use In-
d20 + reputation rank + the NPC’s Int modifier. sight to detect the lie. If an NPC tries to intimidate a hero, the
GM can use the NPC’s Intimidation check result to determine
The GM may substitute an Expertise skill bonus for the Int which heroes see the NPC as intimidating and which don’t.
modifier if your activities, and therefore reputation, ap- Similarly, a Persuasion check can tell the GM which charac-
ply to a particular field. Non-intelligent characters do not ters find an NPC persuasive and which don’t. Players may
make checks to recognize someone’s reputation, nor do also want to know if their heroes recognize a particular NPC.
characters unable to interact. Reputation checks can be useful in these situations.
The standard DC for a reputation check is 20. If the NPC The GM should make a reputation check to see if player char-
succeeds on the check, he or she recognizes the character. acters recognize an NPC in secret. This prevents the players
That recognition grants a bonus or penalty on subsequent from using the results of reputation checks as a means of
interaction skill checks based on the NPC’s reaction. A measuring the importance of every NPC they encounter.
WEALTH
Mutants & Masterminds, like the comics, doesn’t pay much attention to money. A character’s wealth has little or no im-
pact on the game. It is mainly for background color and whatever advantages the GM sees fit to provide based on the
Benefit advantage. However, some may prefer to keep track of character wealth and resources in more detail, in which
case the following system may be used.
Every character has a Wealth rank which reflects buying power—a composite of income, credit rating, and savings. A
character’s Wealth serves as the basis for a Wealth check, used to purchase goods and services.
SYSTEMS
The options in this section affect how Mutants & Masterminds is played, from resolving checks using different
randomizers or die rolls to variants on different sub-systems of the game rules. Most of these options can be plugged
into the existing M&M rules without affecting the rest of the game significantly, except as noted in the discussion of
the variant itself.
ABILITY STRAIN When attempting an ability check, you can accept a tem-
porary –1 penalty to your ability rank to receive a +1 bonus
on your check. The penalty goes into effect the round after
With this option, characters can choose to suffer a tem-
the results of the check (successful or not). You can gain up
porary reduction in an ability rank in order to gain a brief,
to a maximum bonus of +5 (and therefore a maximum pen-
one-time bonus with an ability check, essentially “push-
alty of –5) in this way, but you cannot suffer a penalty great
ing” the ability beyond its normal limits, resulting in some
enough to debilitate the ability (lowering it below -5).
strain from which the character must recover. Ability
strain is in addition to the effects of spending hero points Once you’ve strained an ability to its limit, you can’t do so
in play, allowing characters to go that extra distance when again until it is fully recovered. A strained ability regains 1
the odds are against them. rank per hour until back to its normal rank.
ABILITY STRAIN AND EXTRA EFFORT Also note combats tend to be longer using a bell-curve
die roll since the chances are lower that characters will fail
resistance checks badly enough to knock them out or dis-
Additionally, at the Gamemaster’s option, ability strain can
able them quickly. These results tend to occur after char-
serve as a substitute for the fatigue caused by extra effort
acters have taken some hits, unless overwhelming dam-
(see M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 19). This may be across the
age is involved.
board or only for particular abilities (such as physical abili-
ties or only Stamina). Allowing ability strain for extra effort All the game systems in this book assume 1d20 as the die
in conjunction with fatigue gives players some additional roll. Simply substitute the alternate dice (3d6 or 2d10) and
options and the opportunity to use extra effort much more adjust DCs as needed to change the die-rolling system.
without their heroes passing out from the fatigue.
acter is standing on a ledge, for example). So a knockback scene, and blasts Junkpile with her blue-green laser
result of 5 means the character is knocked back 900 feet! using the Power Attack maneuver for +2 Damage
(distance value 5). and scores a critical hit! Her laser does Damage 10
damage, +2 for the Power Attack, +5 for the criti-
The character suffers additional damage equal to the cal, or 17 total. Junkpile has Toughness 16. He also
knockback result or the Toughness of any obstacle (such has Growth 4 for a total knockback modifier of –20
as a wall), whichever is greater. The obstacle suffers dam- and a result of –3. If the blast dazes Junkpile, it will
age equal to the original attack (which may damage or knock him prone (and drive him back a mere 3 feet
break it). If the character breaks through the obstacle, he (distance value –3) if that’s important). If it weren’t
keeps going the remainder of the knockback distance. for the critical hit, the knockback result would be
If the obstacle is another character, treat the result as a –8 and have no effect.
slam attack (see M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 198) doing
damage equal to the original attack to both parties. The
character ends up prone and must get back up normally.
LETHAL DAMAGE
You can choose to inflict less than your attack’s maximum
The default Mutants & Masterminds rules don’t
knockback (just like you can choose to do less than your
differentiate between lethal and non-lethal damage;
attack’s maximum damage).
Damage is Damage, and it can all potentially kill, but
Example: Junkpile strikes Ultramarine with an killing a character is difficult. For those who want more of
enormous rusting fist resulting in two Degrees an element of risk and realism in their damage, there is the
of Failure on her Damage resistance check. The option of categorizing some Damage as Lethal. This is a +0
armored avenger may suffer some knockback. modifier by default, but is permanent like other modifiers,
Junkpile’s strike does Damage 16. Ultramarine has so once a Damage effect is lethal, it cannot be used for
Toughness 12 and no other modifiers for size or non-lethal damage. Instead, take the non-lethal version as
immovability. So the knockback result is 4, send- an Alternate Effect of the Lethal Damage.
ing Ultramarine flying 500 feet and striking a wall
The key difference with Lethal Damage is that it inflicts ad-
before she skids to a stop. The wall’s Toughness is
ditional conditions on a failed resistance check, as follows:
8, and it suffers Damage 16 (equal to the original
attack). Ultramarine breaks through it and goes • Failure (three degrees): In addition to being stag-
the remaining distance. She has to resist Damage 8 gered, the target is disabled.
(the wall’s Toughness), which she does easily. She’s
dazed and prone as Junkpile continues his ram- • Failure (four degrees): In addition to being incapac-
page. Ultramarine picks herself up, flies back to the itated, the target is dying.
MASS COMBAT
While the basic Mutants & Masterminds combat rules handle the one-on-one superhero vs. supervillain clashes of the
comic books quite well, large-scale battles, whether between armies or a small handful of superhumans against an
army, are on a different scale altogether. Even superheroes can find themselves overwhelmed by a sufficient force, but
some can take on entire armies and win! Things can get a little hectic for the Gamemaster, when a fight involves dozens
or even hundreds of participants!
The following optional rules are designed to assist Gamemasters in simulating mass battles between large forces.
DAMAGE MORALE
A force’s damage rank is the total of its base damage rank
and Force rank. This assumes larger forces of troops have A force has a modifier to its morale checks based on troop
both more attacks and more powerful weapons, so it quality, unmodified by Force rank. When the force must
takes into account that a large force is likely to be using make a morale check, apply its morale modifier to the
grenades, rocket launchers, and eventually tanks, bombs, check. See Morale Checks later in this section for details.
DAMAGE CONDITIONS pact on the battle is negligible as the majority of the force
has been killed, captured, or has taken flight in a disorga-
nized retreat. The force in question is obviously done in
The stunned and staggered conditions are the same for
the battle at hand—and likely for all battles to follow, for
forces as for characters (see M&M Hero’s Handbook, pages
that matter.
18 and 19, respectively). The other conditions suffered by
forces are as follows:
PLAYER CHARACTERS AND FORCE DAMAGE
DISRUPTED As a general rule, player characters—whether ordinary
grunts or superhumans—are considered separate from a
Casualties and wounded are starting to add up and it is be- force with regard to damage. Damage to the overall force
ginning to feel the pinch of lost manpower. Cohesion is start- does not directly impact the heroes, except insofar as it
ing to break down under stress, making it difficult to relay weakens the support they can expect.
orders from component unit to component unit. Moreover,
the loss of officers or other leaders is adversely affecting Gamemasters should handle possible damage to the
the force’s ability to fight effectively. The sight of dead and heroes individually according to the standard M&M rules.
wounded comrades has begun to hurt the force’s morale. So a mortar bombardment would require a Toughness
check from the overall force, and the GM might call for
As a result, each disrupted condition enforces a –1 penalty Dodge and Toughness checks against a particular instance
to all the force’s checks, including further Toughness and of Burst Area Damage for the player characters.
morale checks. The penalties for multiple disrupted condi-
tions are cumulative with each other and with any other
penalties incurred. MORALE CHECKS
DEMORALIZED Certain events require a force to make a morale check
to determine if it is still willing and able to continue the
The force has been damaged to the point where it can no fight. A failed morale check has the same effects as a failed
longer fight effectively. It may not attack other opponents, Toughness check, given on the Force Damage table, from
but may still attempt resistance checks and take actions to disrupted (one degree) to destroyed (four or more de-
retreat from the field of battle. grees).
ADVANTAGES
The effects of most combat advantages are not incorpo-
rated into the mass combat rules. The Gamemaster might
assign the Improved Critical advantage to a veteran unit,
or Precise Attack to a platoon of expert marksmen. For the
most part, however, combat advantages don’t apply when
dealing with mass battles, and the average soldier doesn’t
have that many of them, anyway. They’re difficult to bring
to bear in the chaos of mass combat in any meaningful way.
POWERS
For the most part, power effects work on forces like indi-
viduals, with a few exceptions:
SAMPLE CONFLICT
a general outline of things (who won and by how much,
etc.). Gamemasters who feel that the mass combat system
tends to run too quickly should try breaking a single large
A force of 100 trained troops is defending a military force into two or more smaller forces and running the
base from Bruiser, a super-powered mercenary. The battle with those, giving the individual characters a few
troops have a Force rank 6 for their numbers. This more “opponents” to overcome. This is particularly true
gives the force the following traits: for battles involving multiple super-powered characters.
As a rule of thumb, try to give each character involved in
Troops: Attack 8, Damage 11, Defense 2, Toughness 7, the battle either a superhuman foe or a single force as an
Initiative +2, Morale +0 opponent, preventing the characters from “ganging up”
on a single force and quickly ending the battle.
As with all game systems, the mass combat system is not
Unfortunately for them, Bruiser is a physically pow-
meant as a substitute for common sense. If a particular
erful foe with the following traits: outcome seems unreasonable, the GM should feel free
to modify it as needed to suit the series and the story. In
Bruiser: Attack 9, Damage 13, Defense 9, Toughness 11 fact, Gamemasters don’t have to use this system at all if
(Impervious), Initiative +2. As an individual character, Bruiser they’re not looking to play out a battle in game terms. If
doesn’t have a morale bonus or make morale checks. a particular large-scale engagement is just background
color for one of your adventures, it’s perfectly fine for it
The troops win initiative and attack Bruiser. They keep it that way, providing the occasional complication
roll an 11 on their attack check for a total of 19, for the heroes, but nothing more.
which is a hit, so Bruiser makes a Toughness check The mass combat system is not intended as a war game
(DC 26, the force’s Damage 11, plus 15). He gets a for resolving military conflicts between armies; its main
22 and suffers a –1 check penalty, grunting angrily intent is as an individual vs. force system. It’s far better to
at the “bugs” stinging at him. handle large-scale military engagements as background
color, modified according to the actions of the heroes
Then the mercenary counterattacks: he only needs and their major foes. There are plenty of far better and
to roll a 3 or better to hit the troops, given his attack more detailed games for playing out actual battlefield
bonus, and does so. The force makes a Toughness conflicts, if that’s what you’re looking to do.
check (DC 28 for Bruiser’s Damage 13). They roll a
19, and manage to suffer only a disrupted result.
However, the force has taken damage, so they which fails the check by three degrees, meaning
must make a morale check (DC 10). The GM rolls the force is demoralized. The GM rules that Bruiser’s
and gets a 9. They suffer an additional disrupted fierce onslaught overturns vehicles, smashes bun-
result from the display of Bruiser’s power. kers, and sends the remainder of the force packing.
The troops attack again and hit. The villain makes Mere minutes after his arrival, Bruiser leaves a dev-
another Toughness check (modified for his check astated military base behind, carrying away what
penalty) and succeeds, shrugging off their assault. he came to get from the top-secret lab. Only a few
He counterattacks and the force makes another scattered troops remain to tell others of the villain’s
Toughness check. This time they roll only a 10, assault so they can go after him.
This section looks at the various types of lairs villains Even ordinary human minions can construct a lair, given
may have and offers a number of pre-constructed lair time and the right resources. Of course, it is more likely
archetypes, complete with maps, for M&M Gamemasters for such workers to slip-up, both in terms of construction
to use in their own games. Just choose a lair and have one and security. Word about the project might leak out, if
of your villains move in and set up shop! only in the underworld as the villain looks for potential
workers. Heroes might be able to pry information about
BUILDING LAIRS the lair from current or former workers, unless the villain
takes some countermeasures to ensure their silence, such
When confronted with a massive underground complex as altering their memories or even imprisoning or killing
threaded throughout a tropical island volcano one some- everyone who worked on the project!
times cannot help but wonder: who builds all this stuff?
Alternately, an agency may exist for the express purpose A “technokinetic” villain, for example, able to mold and
of constructing supervillain lairs, a kind of “villain’s con- shape technology, can easily create a high-tech head-
tractor” handling such tasks in exchange for a fee. It is cer- quarters out of collections of junk and spare parts, or even
tainly one way to make a great deal of money off a “cap- raw materials. Similarly, a transmuter or earth controller
tive audience” of customers, although negotiations may can easily bore tunnels, create walls and structures, and
be required to avoid customers who promise payments so forth. Inventor villains may create robotic construction
they cannot deliver, especially if they are arrested before crews or industrial fabricators and use them to build the
their big schemes come through! The Foundry from Free- lair (see Minions, previously).
dom City can serve as such an agency, given its consider-
able resources and tireless robot workforce. The most common powers associated with lair building
tend to be magical. Powerful spells and rituals can create
palaces and strongholds out of thin air, summon ancient
ENTITY temples and sunken cities from their resting places, or
open up portals to other dimensions and realms where
A single fairly powerful entity might be capable of and the villain can hold sway. Such a magical lair is often
willing to create lairs for supervillains, either for a price or linked to the villain’s power, such that upon defeat the lair
for reasons of its own. Such a being could potentially be crumbles, collapses, or simply vanishes, at least until sum-
a powerful villain in its own right, but perhaps it chooses moned anew.
instead to work behind the scenes.
AMUSEMENT PARK
giant spiders, werewolves, etc., see Chapter 3). It could
AMUSEMENT PARK 9 POINTS also create realistic Illusion effects (with a appropriate Will
Size: Colossal • Toughness: 5 (typically) • Features: Deathtraps, resistance DC for the series power level) or fear-causing
Power System, Secret, Workshop devices (an Affliction effect with a similar Will DC).
CASTLE
CASTLE 10 POINTS A dungeon may also serve as a deathtrap, if the prison-
ers are faced with a threat like a ticking bomb or a swarm
Size: Huge • Toughness: 10 • Features: Holding Cells of flesh-eating beetles, for example. But the more likely
(dungeon), Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, castle deathtraps are found in...
Security System
HIDDEN TEMPLE
able as magical constructs such as animated statues or suits
HIDDEN TEMPLE 8 POINTS of armor), warrior demons, skeletons, or zombies.
Size: Huge • Toughness: 10 • Features: Deathtraps, Holding
Cells (dungeon or tombs), Isolated, Secret TRAPS
Many supervillains want to be worshipped like gods, but Also potentially guarding the temple are various traps,
not all of them have their very own temples. Some mega- usually placed along the entry route to protect the tomb
lomaniacal bad guys do, and use the hidden (and often or central chamber. Once the temple is converted to a lair,
ancient) structures as lairs from which to launch their the villain may use the traps to defend against intruders
schemes of conquest and domination. or as deathtraps for imprisoned heroes. Classic hidden
temple traps include closing walls, a gauntlet, killing jars,
A temple lair is most often hidden by virtue of being in
and the kaleidoscope of madness, although a creature
some ancient and forgotten corner of the world: a ruin
pit filled with deathless monsters is also an option (see
deep in a desert canyon, concealed beneath layers of
Deathtraps in Chapter 5 for details).
jungle growth, or at the bottom of a ravine created by an
earthquake, and so forth. The temple may have been the
villain’s tomb or prison for centuries before unwitting ex-
WORSHIPPERS
plorers ventured where they should not have and awak-
What is a temple without worshippers? Often, a villain’s
ened the evil there. In other cases, a godly foe raises the
very next step after raising or creating the temple lair is to
ruins of a temple in order to restore it to its former glory.
gather a group of fanatical followers there. They may be
A few other hidden temples are new—created by the vil- the remnants of the villain’s ancient cult, perhaps respon-
lain’s power or built by minions—or nearly new, having been sible for his return, or otherwise innocent people who
raised or restored, such as a sorcerer lifting an ancient temple have fallen under the sway of their new “god.” Worshippers
from beneath the desert sands or the bottom of the sea. are typically minions (using the archetypes in this book),
either ordinary humans or minor creatures such as the
undead remnants of the temple’s ancient worshippers,
FEATURES raised from the dead to serve their master once again.
INSANE ASYLUM
on the floor and walls to prevent patients from injuring
INSANE ASYLUM 10 POINTS themselves if they become violent or have fits. They are
Size: Huge • Toughness: 5 • Features: Holding Cells, Infirmary,
typically of concrete or brick construction underneath
Laboratory, Living Space, Secret, Power System, Security System (Toughness 7) with steel doors (Toughness 9), although a
villain might reinforce them to hold super-powered pris-
More than a few villains end up in asylums once the he- oners (and the same would be the case in an asylum that
roes catch them, but how many would think to set up routinely deals with superhumans). A super version of a
shop there? It’s an idea so crazy ... well, you’d have to be “rubber room” might includes some kind of reflection field
mad to try it! Still, some bad guys may use the very asy- or material, causing any attempts to break out of the room
lums intended to hold and treat them as hideouts, enjoy- to rebound against the character.
ing the symbolism or the irony of it. They work well for STRAITJACKETS
characters with a motif of fear or madness, such as the
Psycho archetype. Villains occupy two types of asylums: The accompaniment to a padded cell is a straitjacket, de-
abandoned ones or those still operating. signed to hold the wearer’s arms close to the body and
The abandoned asylum may have shut down due to lack of limit mobility and the ability to manipulate things. A typical
funding, some scandal over patient treatment, or a terrible straitjacket is Toughness 4 with its reinforced straps, making
incident such as a murder that took place there. Comic book it difficult for a wearer to break without proper leverage or
asylums tend to come in either Victorian Gothic or 1950s damage (since the straps pull against the wearer as well).
Industrial styles, the former a spooky combination of tur- Slipping out of a straitjacket is a DC 25 Sleight of Hand check.
rets, wrought ironwork, and creaking staircases; the latter Straitjackets are excellent camouflage for means of neu-
cinderblock walls with steel hatches for doors and barred tralizing a wearer’s powers, housing either dampening
windows, all painted in generic industrial gray, tan, green, circuitry and some mystical enchantment. Villains might
or pale blue. The villain may adapt some of the asylum’s use power-nullifying straitjackets to keep heroes prisoner,
facilities to create traps and use its cells to hold hostages. or even in an effort to convince them they are legitimate
A functioning asylum controlled by a supervillain is almost patients and their “super-powers” and costumed identities
more frightening, in some ways. Obviously, the criminal are all just a delusion!
has to operate behind-the-scenes (or the asylum exists in a
truly corrupt setting, where the authorities don’t really care TREATMENT FACILITIES
who runs things). Perhaps the director or another impor-
tant official is the villain’s secret identity, or the villain has Facilities normally used to treat the mentally ill in an asy-
kidnapped and replaced that person, leaving him locked lum’s care can become deathtraps and torture devices in a
up in a cell and raving about how someone has stolen his villain’s hands. Examples include:
life! As another example, maybe a psychologist obsessed
with curing “aberrant” behavior crosses the line, turning the • Chairs and tables with restraining straps (Toughness
asylum he runs into the secret lair of his costumed alter ego. 5, Sleight of Hand DC 20).
1. HANGAR
2. MACHINE SHOPS
3. WORKSHOPS
4. STORAGE
5. MESS HALL
6. MASTER’S
QUARTERS
7. BARRACKS
8. LABORATORIES
9. GEOTHERMAL
STATION
10. ARMORY
11. DOCKS
12. GUEST ROOMS
13. LIBRARY
14. HOLDING CELLS
15. SECURITY
16. COMPUTER
SYSTEMS
17. TRAPPED HALL
18. MISSILE DEFENSE
ISLAND BASE
• Electromagnetic pulse weapons or similar devices in-
ISLAND 13 POINTS tended to disable boats and aircraft (or at least their
Size: Awesome • Toughness: 5 • Features: Defense System, Dock, navigational and communications systems), a Nullify
Hangar, Isolated, Living Space, Power System, Security System Electronics effect. This type of system might provide
“mysterious losses at sea” for heroes to investigate.
There are few lairs more private than your own island (at
• Creature minions acting as guard dogs, ranging from
least still on Earth), and some villains manage to buy, claim,
trained or mind-controlled dinosaurs to sea mon-
or even create an isolated island retreat where they can “get
sters, ordinary sea life (such as sharks), or various
away from it all,” including those bothersome heroes.
types of robots (possibly mimicking sea creatures,
Often, an island lair is merely a setting for another type of like robot sharks or robotic giant squids). See the
headquarters, such as a castle, hidden temple, mansion, Minion Archetypes in this book for some options.
mountain (or volcano) lair, underground complex, or the
like. The majority of the island’s space may be unused or LOCATION
largely ignored, filled with wilderness or barren stretches.
In this case, you may want to reduce the lair’s effective size An island’s location affects its style and overall useful-
and ignore the extra land, or apply the Grounds feature as ness as a villain lair. Ideally, the island is in international
a midway measure to reflect the added space. waters, not claimed by a particular nation or power, or at
least largely ignored so no one notices a secret installa-
FEATURES tion there. The villain might legitimately purchase the is-
land through proxies or a front company before setting
up shop there.
An island lair’s main features are its relative isolation and
size, offering lots of places to put the villain’s real hideout, Tropical islands offer good weather (except during hur-
or even multiple bases or facilities on the same island. ricane season) and often a prime location near the equa-
tor, important for some schemes and doomsday weap-
DEFENSE SYSTEMS ons. They tend to be hard on equipment and technology,
however, and volcanic magma taps used to provide
The first challenge in storming a villain’s island lair is ac- power can also overload and cause an eruption if things
tually reaching it; the island may have various defensive happen to go wrong—virtually assured once the heroes
systems intended to keep unwanted visitors away. These show up.
may include air- and sea-based weapons systems. Exam-
ples include: Arctic islands, conversely, tend to be plenty isolated, but
are far from civilization, requiring special transport, and
• Surface-to-air missiles for shooting down planes installations have to be properly shielded from the ele-
and flying heroes, inflicting Damage appropriate to ments. Any waste heat often shows up too easily on scans
the series power level and possibly having Area and of the area.
Homing capabilities (with Homing usually based on
heat sensors or radar). Aquatic versions include guid- TERRAIN
ed torpedoes. See page 173 of Hero’s Handbook for
some examples. Unlike many lairs, islands have terrain, which can provide
opportunities and challenges of its own. Some island ter-
1. MAIN ENTRANCE
2. SLIDING DOORS
3. CONCEALED
ENTRANCE
4. MISSILE SILO
5. BARRACKS
6. LIVING QUARTERS
7. BLAST LOCK
8. ARMORY / STORAGE
9. GALLEY
10. OFFICERS
QUARTERS
11. CONTROL ROOM
12. DECONTAMINATION
13. INFIRMARY
14. LABS/WORKSHOPS
15. POWER STATION
MISSILE SILO
MISSILE SILO 11 POINTS LAUNCH!
Size: Large • Toughness: 10 • Features: Communications, A missile silo large enough to serve as a headquarters
Computer, Concealed, Fire Prevention System, Hangar (of generally holds an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)
sorts), Power System, Security System, Workshop or the equivalent. These rockets have vast range, able to
reach other continents or carry payloads into Earth orbit,
A missile silo is typically an underground shaft wide and suitable for any number of villainous schemes. Most of-
tall enough to accommodate a large rocket with an explo- ten, the missile is used to carry a weapon to threaten or
sive warhead (sometimes conventional, but potentially destroy an Earth-based target, or to carry a payload such
nuclear) and its support materials. Some missile silos are as a satellite into orbit (which the villain can use to beam
built above ground, but most are underground, both for mind-control rays or the like down onto Earth).
security and safety. A hatch opens and closes to allow the
missile to launch from the silo, and the rest of the facility Heroes may need to prevent the launch of the missile,
is accessible via an elevator and/or ladder opening onto or chase after it if they are unable to prevent the launch.
the surface. Stopping the launch sequence might be a simple matter
of a Technology skill check (possibly a challenge sequence
A missile silo turned into a supervillain’s lair was either involving Technology). You can use the guidelines for dis-
constructed in secret for that purpose, or done without arming a deathtrap given in Chapter 5, especially if the
the knowledge of the original owner(s). It’s certainly pos- missile launch will trigger such a trap (see the following).
sible, especially in a four-color setting, for some post-Cold Heroes may also be able to damage the missile or launch
War era silos to have been decommissioned, then taken systems: figure Toughness 10-12 for most of the materials
over by the villain. Other missile silo lairs still belong to involved. However, damaging the missile might cause an
their government owners, either used covertly by crimi- explosion, the same with tactics such as preventing the
nals without their knowledge, or provided to said crimi- launch hatch from opening. The blast is likely to have a
nals by a government “black ops” organization. damage rank from 10–15 or more, depending on the mis-
sile and its payload.
FEATURES Chasing after a missile requires Flight 7 or using another
power such as Teleport to reach the missile and grab
The central feature of a missile silo is, naturally, the silo it- onto it. You can use the challenge rules to model chas-
self and the missile or rocket it contains. ing after a missile but, generally, a hero either has suf-
SUBWAY STATION
SUBWAY STATION 5 POINTS GOT A TRAIN TO CATCH!
Size: Medium • Toughness: 8 • Features: Concealed, Power
System, Workshop A staple of comic book action is stopping a runaway train
before it crashes. To do this in Mutants & Masterminds, use
With mole monsters, earthquakes, and various other disas- the following guidelines:
ters, a superhero city can end up with various underground
facilities such as subway stations declared unsafe or derelict Strength check DC = 10 + vehicle Str + Speed
and closed off to the public, but potentially useful for an en-
terprising supervillain. Whether classic art deco, cleaned up The character(s) trying to stop the train makes a Strength
and classy, or urban post-apocalyptic, an abandoned subway check against a DC of 10 + train’s Strength and current
station is a convenient lair often right under the heroes’ feet. Speed ranks. Each Degree of Success reduces the vehicle’s
speed by 1 rank. Extra effort is good for a +2 bonus on the
FEATURES check, along with the normal use of hero points for re-rolls
or avoiding the fatigue of extra effort. At the Gamemaster’s
The primary selling point of a subway station is the con- discretion, characters can add ranks of Flight for additional
cealment of hiding in plain sight, along with convenienc- stopping power (since the vehicle is essentially using that
es such as built-in power connections and ways of getting guideline for its forward momentum).
in and out. Other features associated with the lair include: Characters can use powers other than sheer Strength to
try and stop a moving train. Substitute a power rank check
STATION INTERIOR for the Strength check.
Concrete walls and floor (Toughness 6), concrete support Example: Captain Thunder has only seconds
pillars (Toughness 7), ticket booths (weight rank 6, Tough- (two rounds) to stop a runaway monorail before
ness 8), turnstiles (weight rank 2, but anchored down and it jumps the tracks and crashes! Catching up
must be broken to lift, Toughness 6), and vending ma- to it, he tries to slow and stop the train with his
chines (weight rank 4, Toughness 7). tremendous Strength. The monorail has Str
10 and Speed 3, for a DC 23. Captain Thunder
has a Strength 14. The GM also lets his 6 ranks
SUBWAY CAR of Flight apply to momentum, giving him an
Size: Gargantuan • Strength: 10 • Speed: 3 • Defense: 6 • additional +6. His player rolls a 9, for a total of
Toughness: 11 • Interior materials Toughness 4 (plastics) and 1 29, two Degrees of Success. The train loses 2 ranks
(glass), doors Toughness 7 (light metals and glass). Weight rank of Speed, but doesn’t stop (it’s still at Speed 1).
11. An entire subway train is weight rank 14 or more. With only moments to go, Cap’s player decides to
1. CONTROL TOWER
2. TURBO THRUSTERS
3. FLIGHT DECK
4. WEAPON MOUNTS
5. LIFTS
6. HANGAR
7. PLANNING ROOMS
8. MACHINE SHOPS
9. WORKSHOPS
10. OFFICES
11. SHIP’S STORES
12. BRIDGE
13. OPERATIONS
14. CREW QUARTERS
15. OFFICER QUARTERS
16. INFIRMARY
17. MESS HALL
18. PROVISONS
19. LAUNDRY
SKY FORTRESS
or for bombardments or attacks against targets on the
SKY FORTRESS 16 POINTS ground. These may include, but are not limited to:
Size: Huge • Toughness: 15 • Features: Communications,
• Machine Guns: Ranged Multiattack Damage 6
Computer, Concealed, Defense System, Hangar, Holding Cells,
Living Space, Power (Flight 4), Power System, Security System, • Heavy Gun Batteries: Ranged Damage 10–12, Burst
Workshop Area 6
Part vehicle, part floating headquarters, and part military • Air-to-Air Missiles: Ranged Homing Damage 10–12,
carrier, the sky fortress is the lair for the villain whose mot- Burst Area 8
to is: “The one who controls the skies, controls the world!”
If the owner of the sky fortress has a “signature” weapon,
the vessel may also be equipped with it—anything from a
FEATURES freeze ray to a lightning cannon. The game traits for such
weapons are left for the GM to develop as needed.
The sky fortress is essentially a flying aircraft carrier: a mas-
sive vehicle with a flat top-deck usable as a takeoff and CONCEALMENT
landing strip for smaller aircraft it stores on board. The
lower decks have crew quarters and facilities while the The sky fortress has the Concealed feature, since a giant
main control tower has the bridge and central systems. A hovering aircraft carrier is more than a little conspicuous.
series of massive turbofan engines provide lift, often as- The default assumption is the fortress creates its own ar-
sisted by super-science anti-gravity or similar systems, al- tificial cloud cover, which surrounds the vessel and hides
lowing the sky fortress to fly almost indefinitely. it from prying eyes, although the fortress is still visible to
measures such as radar.
The sky fortress has a default Toughness 15, but could have
a Toughness score of up to 18, with as much as half of that More extensive concealment may actually make the sky
score being Impervious (allowing the vessel to ignore dam- fortress invisible and conceal it from ground-based and
age from lesser weapons). It has an effective Strength rank aerial radar systems as well. This means the lair is a potential
of 20 and it requires a similar lifting Strength to lift or move air-traffic hazard, and the first the heroes may learn of it is
the vessel, particularly should the sky fortress’ engines fail. when an unsuspecting aircraft accidentally collides with it!
AIRCRAFT VARIATIONS
The sky fortress carries a complement of aircraft capable
Most of the variations on the sky fortress are cosmetic,
of launching from the deck of the vessel and returning to
such as a turn-of-the-century “steampunk” style vessel re-
land there. The type of aircraft depends on the style of the
liant on propellers and strange anti-gravity elements and
fortress and its owner. They might be modern fighter jets,
equipped with autogyros or biplanes. The game traits are
pulp weird-science planes, or even WWI vintage biplanes.
essentially the same, although the GM may wish to modify
The aircraft are used to raid or strafe targets on the ground
the lair’s Toughness and vehicle qualities accordingly.
or to defend the sky fortress from attack. See Chapter 7
of the M&M Hero’s Handbook for examples of aircraft a sky ALIEN SKY FORTRESS
fortress may carry.
An alien invasion force might have a “sky fortress” of sorts
WEAPONS using a starship or landing craft as a launching point for
its forces. The image of a massive alien ship hovering over
A sky fortress may have batteries of different weapons, ei- a city is a common one in the comics. You can use the
ther for attacking incoming aircraft (or airborne heroes) sky fortress as a basis for such an alien base, substituting
1. ELEVATORS
2. ANTECHAMBER
3. ENTRY HALL
4. FOYER
5. LIBRARY
6. WAITING ROOM
7. MASTER OFFICE
8. BATHROOM
9. JACUZZI
10. SITTING AREA / BAR
11. ESCAPE ELEVATOR
12. MASTER BEDROOM
13. GUEST BEDROOM
14. THEATER
15. PANTRY
16. FREEZER
17. KITCHEN
18. CLOSET
19. DINING ROOM
20. BALCONY
SKYSCRAPER PENTHOUSE
movement effects to do so. Falling characters can likewise
SKYSCRAPER PENTHOUSE 5 POINTS use such powers to save themselves, including teleport-
Size: Small • Toughness: 5 • Features: Fire Prevention System, ing safely to the ground or another floor of the building,
Gym, Library, Living Space, Security System or using a swing-line to arrest their fall and land on a ledge
or nearby building.
Not every villain has the means or even the desire for a
Acrobatics can lessen falling damage somewhat: each
hidden volcano lair, a secret underwater base, or a reno-
Degree of Success reduces the fall’s damage rank by 1.
vated missile silo. Some prefer to live the high life in style,
Acrobatics may also be useful to catch onto a flagpole,
in the city rather than apart from it, and overlooking the
cable, ledge, or other protrusion to arrest a fall. The DC
dominion they will eventually rule (or already do, in their
is equal to 15 plus the falling damage at that height (not
estimation).
the total amount of the fall). So if there is a flagpole 60
The exclusive penthouse is the lair of the wealthy and feet down from where the hero falls, amounting to falling
influential super-criminal, typically a Crime Lord (see the damage 6 (4 + twice the distance rank of 1), then the DC of
archetype on page 82). It may be paid for by legitimate the Acrobatics skill check to catch it is 21 (15 + 6).
wealth or part of the villain’s criminal enterprise.
VARIATIONS
FEATURES
Variations on the skyscraper penthouse are usually based
The interior of a penthouse is generally sheetrock or plas- on where it is, keeping a somewhat similar layout.
ter over wood (Toughness 4) with wooden interior doors
(Toughness 3), possibly a steel-case outer door (Tough- EXCLUSIVE APARTMENT
ness 8). The windows are either ordinary glass (Toughness
1), Plexiglas (Toughness 2), or possibly bullet-proof glass Rather than the top floor, the apartment may be part of
(Toughness 7). an exclusive high-rise on one of the upper floors, with
one or more floors above it as well as below. In some
There are plenty of things for combatants to throw about, ways, this improves security, since it’s impossible to land
from furniture to expensive electronics and kitchen on the roof of the apartment and you have to work your
appliances. The owner of the penthouse may have some way down through the floors above or up through the
bodyguards or other private security on-hand, see the floors below.
Soldier or Crook archetypes in the Minion Archetypes
section. MODERN MANOR
A LONG WAY DOWN The layout of the penthouse could also be for a small
freestanding house located on a hilltop, cliff side, or other
One of the more important elements of the skyscraper overlook, away from the prying eyes of the public. It’s bet-
lair is its height, dozens or even more than a hundred ter suited as a getaway rather than a villain’s main lair.
stories above the street below. Reaching it from the out-
side is no challenge for flying heroes, but poses some PENTHOUSE OFFICE
problems from others, especially if they should happen
to be thrown from a window or over a balcony railing Rather than a residence, a penthouse could be an office
during a conflict! for a CEO or other important executive, high atop a com-
pany headquarters. It is ideal for the villainous corporate
Rules for falling are found on page 186 of the Hero’s Hand- raider or similar variations on the Crime Lord or Mad Sci-
book. The maximum falling damage is 16 (a DC 31 Tough- entist. The office may even still have some living space for
ness check), likely for a fall from a penthouse. Catching a occasions when its owner needs to stay over or perhaps
falling character is a Dexterity check (DC 5), fairly easy pro- have a guest—even an unwilling one.
vided you can reach the character in time. Heroes may use
POWER PLAY
A bold new power makes its move to claim control of the city’s criminal underworld. But their string of heists is more
than random robberies—they’ve partnered with the notorious supervillain NegaWatt in a plan to bring the presumed-
dead villain back to full power and hold the city hostage! Can the heroes stop the return of a long-vanished threat with
the backing of an international criminal enterprise, or will they become yet more pawns in NegaWatt’s Power Play?
Power Play is a sample adventure that uses the outline approach to adventure design, providing an organized, linear
stream of events for players.
In an unexpected alliance, one of the city’s smaller crime • Technological heroes may have had important
lords, Barbie Sinclair, sends the heroes a message, asking components stolen from them; in this case, simply
to parlay. She explains the Black Rose Syndicate’s recent add these thefts to the list in Scene 2.
aggressions and that the new organization has called a • Proactive heroes may be aware that the city’s
meeting of the city’s gangs. The heroes can infiltrate or underworld has recently fallen into chaos, whether
disrupt the meeting, where they learn the Syndicate’s through watching one particular gang that has
local leader, a woman named Oleander, now demands started feeling the Black Rose Syndicate’s pressure
the gangs and criminals of the city unconditionally or simply noticing a general increase in unrest and
submit to the Black Rose Syndicate or be destroyed by the disorder.
resurrected villain NegaWatt.
The heroes are called in to assist the local police force in If only one truck remains, the criminals riding in it turn
preventing an in-progress heist! Several members of the their hoses onto the freeway, creating an ice slick that
local Nine Titans street gang have stolen a trio of tanker drives two cars into dangerous spins and threatens to
trucks filled with liquid nitrogen and are careening down cause severe accidents. If a hero pauses to save civilians,
the interstate to make their getaway. Characters with ve- award them a Hero Point.
hicles or powers that allow them to keep pace with a high-
If captured, the Titans are uncooperative, knowing that
speed chase can make their own way to the site; others
the Black Rose Syndicate will bail them out if they keep
are conveyed by helicopter to an overpass to get the drop
quiet but will hunt them down if they talk. Powers like
on the trucks as they pass below. Read or paraphrase the
Mind Reading or Postcognition, or a DC 15 Expertise
following once the heroes are in position and have sight
(Streetwise) check, reveals that the Nine Titans’ boss is
of the trucks.
called Cronus, and that the gang members are hoping he’s
not too angry with their failure.
The hurried description from the police scanner
checks out: three full-size tanker trucks careen down Success on a DC 15 Intimidation check scares the crooks
the highway, their silver tanks reflecting the flashing more than the Black Rose Syndicate does, convincing
red-and-blue lights of the police cruisers in pursuit. them to share what they know. The Titans explain that a
As a cruiser draws close to the cab of one truck, a new criminal organization called the Black Rose Syndicate
pistol-wielding arm reaches out the window and is moving into everyone’s territory. The Titans have been
fires wildly. The cruiser’s front tire explodes, and as it promised protection and positions in the new syndicate
veers off to the shoulder, a billowing cloud of white in exchange for completing this job, but they don’t know
fog blasts out from the tanker, covering the police much beyond that.
vehicle in a thick layer of frost while a goon clinging
to the tank itself laughs maniacally. The other cruisers Good roleplaying or tricks supplies the same information,
hang back as the distance to the speeding tanker which gives the heroes a leg up in Scene 2.
trucks swiftly closes.
NINE TITANS (9) PL 3
The heroes need to stop the heist, hopefully keeping the Use the Crook archetype from Chapter 3 for the Nine Titans.
stolen goods intact—though the tanker trucks must be These crooks have a Vehicles modifier of +5.
handled delicately (see Hazardous Cargo).
TACTICS
There are, in fact, nine Nine Titans spread across the three
CONNECTING THE DOTS
trucks. Three are occupied with driving the trucks, though While the Nine Titans don’t know why the Black Rose
they are all armed and won’t hesitate to fire at anyone charged them to steal a massive quantity of liquid nitro-
LANIUS
See the Cast section.
PL 10 SCENE 5 ROLEPLAY SCENE
BLACK ROSE ENFORCER PL 4 THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY
See the Cast section. The leader of the Ash Cats invites the heroes to her “of-
fice”—an old diner in a blue-collar district—to parlay. If
MEETING BARBIE
The leader of the Ash Cats is a burly,
hard-bitten woman named Barbie
Sinclair. A hero who succeeds at a DC
15 Expertise (Police Officer) or Expertise
(Streetwise) check recalls much of this
information and knows that while
Barbie’s ventures aren’t particularly
objectionable as far as crime lords go,
neither is she particularly friendly. The
Ash Cats mostly work in smuggling
and breaking legs on behalf of the
local unions.
COUNTDOWN TO BLACKOUT
After learning about the Black Rose Syndicate’s
partnership with the notorious supervillain Nega-
Watt and their plans to hold the city hostage, the
heroes likely want to find out more about their
opponents. Even more importantly, they need to
locate the Syndicate’s lair so they can stop them be-
fore they restore NegaWatt to full power and hold the
city hostage!
RESEARCHING NEGAWATT
A hero can attempt a DC 10 Investigate or
DC 15 Expertise (Criminal or Supervillains)
check to learn more about NegaWatt and
his history. Each check takes one hour;
though the initial check takes no time
for heroes with the Connected or Well-
Informed advantages.
If he wakes from his re-empowerment early and emerges With Oleander defeated, the Black Rose Syndicate lacks
confused, he attacks nearby characters at random and the leadership necessary to continue its bid for control of
fights until defeated. the city’s underworld. Furthermore, the leaderless United
States branch of the Syndicate falters as several members
ROLEPLAYING STRAND vie for leadership, weakening the organization’s profile
nationwide. While they may rise in power again—espe-
cially if any particularly skilled rising stars claim leadership
Strand has long tendrils extending from each hand,
over the enterprise—for now the city is safe.
which he wields as whips. He and his partner Jumpstart
(another Jobber, with the Jumper theme) were well If Oleander or NegaWatt escape, they hold a deep grudge
integrated into the city’s underworld when the Black Rose against the heroes, working together (if they both survive)
Syndicate turned up and declared dominance. Jumpstart or independently to take revenge on the heroes and
and Strand initially tried to resist, but Oleander captured reclaim their power over the city. Their efforts may lead
Jumpstart and now holds him hostage to ensure his them to dabble further in experimental super-science
partner’s cooperation. If asked directly, Strand will explain in the hopes of developing sufficient powers to defeat
Jumpstart’s situation while continuing to fight. the heroes in a later confrontation, making them more
dangerous—and desperate.
Strand focuses on limiting the heroes’ mobility, but his
heart isn’t in the fight. He flees alongside Oleander if she If the heroes are defeated, Oleander refrains from slaying
retreats or if the heroes subdue Oleander and he thinks them, preferring instead to humiliate them and set an
he can take advantage of the opportunity to free Jump- example. She instead demands they either join the Black
Rose Syndicate or leave town, confident that the powers BLACK ROSE MASTER
of her restored ally NegaWatt will keep them in line. She
uses their defeat as proof of her power to the other gangs, The Master is in fact the previous leader of the United
rapidly solidifying her control over the city. Though the States branch of the Black Rose Syndicate, Josh Ros-
heroes may have lost the day, their stories have not end- sander. Oleander kept him around both to delight in her
ed—whether their tales involve working to undermine own power and to maintain his institutional knowledge.
the Black Rose Syndicate from within or a daring escape Josh resents Oleander’s authority and hates working for
and ultimate showdown. her, but he knows that he’s only alive because she finds
him useful, and he secretly thinks he’ll be able to someday
regain control of the organization. Heroes who pick up on
CAST this adversarial relationship might be able to persuade
Josh to help them, or at least to not interfere.
The following are the major characters encountered in
Power Play, including their backgrounds and the relevant BLACK ROSE MASTER PL 7
game stats from this book you can use to represent them.
Use the Mystic Ninja archetype from Chapter 3 for Black Rose
Master.
OLEANDER PL 5 BARBIE
Use the Martial Artist archetype from Chapter 3 for Oleander.
Barbara Ann “Barbie” Beaty grew up in the working-class
slums and watched the local economy slide from bad to
LANIUS worse as she worked as an engine mechanic, competing
in strongwoman contests on the side. Now in her mid-40s,
Wanted on three continents, Lazzaro “Lanius” Bloise, a.k.a. she took over the Ash Cats to intimidate other criminals
“The Butcher,” is a notorious killer for hire. Oleander’s op- and keep her neighbors safe. Now she oversees several
posite in most respects, he is unsubtle and bombastic, criminal groups, including bikers who double as smugglers
prone to gloating. While he has no powers, he is among and enforcers, illegal gambling, and some protection
the greatest sharpshooters in the world rackets, but forbids drugs and orders her crew to let
ordinary folks be. Barbie is corrupt and criminal, but sees
LANIUS PL 10 herself as a cultured, old-fashioned criminal who respects
Use the Assassin archetype from Chapter 3 for Lanius. the unwritten rules that crooks and cops used to live by.
SHRAPNEL PL 8
Use the Jobber archetype with the
Strength theme from Chapter 3 for
Shrapnel, with the following changes:
Shrapnel Suit: All of Shrapnel’s powers
have the Removable flaw.
Offense: Init +5, Powerhouse Punch +7
(Close, Damage 9)
NEGAWATT
Daniel Watt was a mild-mannered researcher
at a superconductor lab in the late ‘90s when an ac-
cident transformed him into a living superconductor.
Smart enough to use his powers to good effect, he led
a successful life as the increasingly feared supervil-
lain NegaWatt for many years before his attempt
to hold the entire city hostage led to a humiliat-
ing defeat at the hands of the Freedom League;
he was knocked into the bay and trapped un-
der falling rubble, which left him comatose
for years. The prolonged submersion also
burned out his electricity powers, leaving
him with barely a joy-buzzer. He’s bitter and
desperate to be feared again, and agreed to
the Black Rose Syndicate’s offer without any
major plans for a betrayal—although if Ole-
ander dies in her gang war, he’s all too happy
to step into the power vacuum and control
the city’s underworld himself.
So Dr. Sersei left academia and its corporate sponsorship The breakdown of Island of Doctor Sersei is somewhat
behind. She needed money and resources for her research different than more linear M&M adventures, since what
and acquired them by whatever means she could, selling happens depends heavily on the heroes’ approach to the
her gene-splicing expertise to the highest bidder—quick- island, reaching Dr. Sersei’s lab, and what they do when
ly branding her a criminal. She tried to raise awareness they get there. Rather than chronological scenes, the
and slow the deterioration of the planet but was branded scenes in this adventure are largely based on the area the
an eco-terrorist. She needed assistance in her work and heroes are in: approaching and on the island, dealing with
proof of the potential that would save the planet, so she the rebel chimeras who might offer them assistance in
became a creator, the gardener of her own Eden on a hid- their underground hideout, or in Dr. Sersei’s headquarters
den island. complex itself. Familiarize yourself with the whole set-up,
since the heroes might take any number of approaches,
and slot the scenes in as appropriate.
IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE…
Now, after considerable time consolidating her position
and delving into different avenues of research Dr. Sersei
INVOLVING THE HEROES
has hit upon an opportunity. Old connections within Heroes can become involved with The Island of Doctor Ser-
the scientific community have brought her attention to sei in a number of ways, depending on the sort of Mutants
valuable new research into genetically engineered viral & Masterminds game you run.
• If the heroes are a traditional superhero team, may be the world’s only hope, thwarting her plans
the authorities alert them to the recent GenTech from within her domain. This is a great opportunity
theft and the location of the island, allowing them to start a series with animal-hybrid heroes, either all
the opportunity to investigate. If the heroes are one type or a group of mixed types. You can also mix-
government operatives or directly employed by law- and-match by introducing other characters: escaped
enforcement, they might be assigned the case by prisoners mutated by the doctor’s technology or
their superiors. Otherwise, a contact within GenTech outside agents sent to the island to investigate.
or the authorities might reach out to the heroes
about the theft and their concerns about what it
could mean. AEAEA
• The heroes may have tangled with Dr. Sersei or her Dr. Sersei calls her island home “Aeaea” (eh-EE-uh), after
creations in the past, but remain unable to locate her the island of the sorceress Circe from Greek mythology.
base of operations until some lead points them to You can set the island in any tropical or sub-tropical region
the villain’s small island. you wish—or any region, if you also provide the island
with some type of independent environment to maintain
• If The Island of Doctor Sersei is your first M&M a constant livable temperature. By default, Aeaea is pre-
adventure or the kick-off to a new series, you can sumed to be a small volcanic island in the South Pacific
use the background as part of the team’s origin (ideal for campaigns set in the western United States, Can-
and motives. Dr. Sersei conducted many genetic ada, Australia, or east Asia), but other possible locations
experiments in the course of her research, and could include the Aegean Islands (for European campaigns), the
have created the hero’s powers. This is particularly Caribbean (for eastern United States and South American
appropriate for heroes with animal-based powers of campaigns), or the Canary Islands (for African campaigns).
some sort. Likewise, heroes with powers involving
animals or the natural world might receive warnings
or premonitions of something happening on an
TERRAIN FEATURES
isolated island in need of their attention.
Aeaea is a lush, tropical volcanic island, with a high
• You could also start off the adventure with the volcanic cone dominating the northwestern end of the
players taking the roles of rebellious chimeras on island and a broad stretch of jungle filling the rest. The
Sersei’s island—victims of her experiments, either whole of the main island is not large, about a quarter of a
with Roof’s small rebel band or on their own (see mile across. Several smaller islands are scattered across a
Scene 3 for details). Rather than the outside world strait along the southeastern side of Aeaea. The island has
being aware of Dr. Sersei’s scheme, the chimeras tall sea cliffs, broken by stretches of rocky beach.
Dr. Sersei has taken steps to secure her privacy and keep • Monsters: Blob, Giant Flytrap, Giant Insect (or Spider)
intruders away from the island, along with alerting her
If you want to check for a random encounter with crea-
to their presence. Aeaea’s prime defenses are a series of
tures, roll 1d20 for each scene the heroes are on the island.
weapons batteries, passive sensors, and a cloaking field
On a roll of 15 or greater, they encounter something. Many
covering the installation on the slopes of the volcano.
of the creatures on the island are the subjects of particular
• Weapons: A series of concealed weapons batteries experiments, so they may have unusual abilities, or even
protects the island, capable of firing surface-to-air be chimeric hybrids combining two or more creatures
missiles (+10 attack bonus, Ranged Damage 10, Burst into one. Feel free to surprise the heroes with bears with
Area 7, Homing 6). A launcher is Toughness 10 and two laser eyes (Ranged Damage 8) for example, or teleporting
or more Degrees of Failure on a damage resistance monkeys (Teleport 5, Turnabout) that steal their equip-
check renders it inoperative. Two underwater ment and disappear.
launchers on either side of the concealed undersea
All of the experimental creatures on the island are im-
entrance can fire torpedoes with the same stats.
planted with special electronic chips in the upper spine.
• Tractor Beams: The hangar in the main base and These allow Dr. Sersei to track the creatures, monitor their
the concealed location on the smaller south island vitals and other data, and deliver a tiny electrical current
are equipped with tractor beam projectors (Move sufficient to stun the creature for as long as it is applied.
Object 9) which can lock onto and grab objects, Island patrols and the chimeras working for Sersei have
either to deflect them or to pull them in. If the tractor remote control units allowing them to stun the local crea-
beam is able to capture an incoming vehicle, it may tures in order to keep them at bay or capture them as
be drawn into the hangar or the strait in order for Dr. needed. If the heroes discover this and get hold of one of
Sersei’s mercenaries or chimeras to capture the crew. the remotes, they needn’t be concerned with most of the
If a vehicle is able to fight free or avoid the tractor local wildlife.
beams, it is shot down.
are used to test or contain creatures, but they serve just humanity from itself, but all reports suggest she
as well for intruders moving through the jungle. Some of now controls a deadly, mutagenic virus and ballistic
the island’s large predators have learned that the traps missiles with which to spread it across the world. Her
can snare smaller prey for them, and so there is a 50/50 stronghold is hidden somewhere on the abandoned
chance of encountering a dangerous animal after running island far below.
into a trap.
PATROLS
Dr. Sersei employs some three dozen hired mercenaries to
safeguard the island and do some of the grunt work. They
usually operate in three shifts of twelve each, and often
patrol the jungle in groups of four. The doctor supplies
the mercenaries with various “bio-hacking performance
enhancers” which improve their physical training benefits,
but also make the mercs more pliable, and thus easier to
keep under control. See the Cast section for details on
the mercenaries. The patrols make use of sky cycles which
carry a pilot and passenger, detailed in Area 1 of Scene 4.
SCENE 1 CONFLICT
FIERCE LANDS, FIERCE MEN
As the adventure begins, read or paraphrase the following:
Time: 10 minutes
SHOT DOWN Checks: Athletics (to cover the difficult terrain; DC 22),
Expertise (suitable to the environment; DC 18), Investiga-
If the tractor beam does not successfully trap the charac- tion (DC 20), Perception (DC 20), Speed (to search at high
ters, the island’s missile or torpedo batteries open fire un- speeds; DC 25).
til the targets are either destroyed or disappear from their
sensors. The heroes may need to abandon their transpor- Success: With 4 successes, the heroes determine there is
tation to avoid being blown up along with it, or damage a facility hidden somewhere on or in the volcanic peak
to their vehicle might cause it to sink or crash onto the on the island. With 6 successes, they discover the facility’s
island. cloaking field and the hangar or dock entrances. With 4
or more successes, the team also learns that the base has
Once a vehicle is downed, a “welcoming committee” of Ra- two to three dozen human guards and at least a half-doz-
jah and his squad of mercenaries investigates any crash- en unusual creatures protecting it, based on the tracks—
site for evidence of survivors, arriving five minutes later. perhaps an overwhelming enemy force.
If the heroes manage to destroy all of the island’s defenses Consequences: If the heroes fail two checks, they trigger
during their approach, all of Dr. Sersei’s chimeras and mer- one of the traps on the island (see Traps, previously). If
cenaries attack the heroes in force, hoping to hold them they fail three checks, they draw the attention of a patrol
off long enough for the doctor to implement her plan. The of four mercenaries, who attempt to intercept them (see
heroes need to fight their way through them to reach Ser- Patrols, previously). In either case, if the heroes overcome
sei’s base on the volcano in time to stop her from launch- the consequence and resume their search, they need a
ing her viral weapon—or at least in time to set off in pur- successful DC 15 Stealth check to resume, which doesn’t
suit of it. See Scene 3 for details. count towards their successes for the challenge. If they fail
that test, they encounter another trap, monster, or patrol
MERCENARIES (8) PL 6 (roll 1d20: 1–6 = trap, 7–14 = monster,15–20 = patrol).
See the Cast section.
RAJAH PL 11 WRAP-UP
See the Cast section. The most likely outcomes of this scene are that the he-
roes are captured by Dr. Sersei’s forces or they discover
the location of Dr. Sersei’s hidden base. Unless the heroes
WRAP-UP bypassed the process of searching for the base entirely,
overcoming the doctor’s forces in a massive frontal as-
If the heroes manage to defeat or evade the soldiers, they sault, there is an opportunity for them to receive assis-
can explore the island. There isn’t anywhere to imprison tance from an unexpected source in the following scene.
captives, and while defeated mercenaries either remain
captured or lay low, Rajah attempts to return to the lab to
eventually take his revenge on the warriors who defeated
him.
SCENE 3 ROLEPLAY
If the heroes are defeated, the soldiers take them to Dr.
Sersei’s compound and lock them in the holding cells
THE UNDERGROUND
with Meerar (Area 14 of Scene 4), which they will need In this scene, the heroes encounter a rebel element on Dr.
to escape before they can continue. Alternatively, if the Sersei’s island, one that may be able to help them in their
encounter with Rajah and his guards begins going poorly mission. They also discover the island itself has secrets.
for the heroes, you can have Roof and his rebels (see Scene
3) step in here to stage a rescue or create a distraction. One of the doctor’s early experiments, a dog chimera
Roof began life as an ordinary dog years ago as one of Dr. How adversarial this scene is depends on the heroes and
Sersei’s earliest violations against the laws of nature. His their actions. Roof and his fellow rebels approach the he-
changes are less powerful or sophisticated, but because roes, either to help them overcome a trap or other adver-
they occurred more slowly he has had considerable time saries, or to offer them a safe haven. Some of them are
to adapt, making him a natural guide to others whose not overly inclined to trust strangers, however, and may
transformations have been sudden. Roof is compassion- challenge Roof’s decision to help the heroes and reveal
ate and empathic but understands little about modern the location of their hiding place to them.
culture or humor; he speaks plainly despite his intellect. The rebels’ attitude towards the heroes starts out as indif-
Roof is patient and greatly values life. He acts slowly and ferent. It takes a DC 15 Persuasion check to win over half of
deliberately, which frustrates some of his followers who the rebels, and a DC 20 check to win them all over.
would like to see swift action to free other test subjects. If the heroes fail the DC 20 check, Nocha the panther
chimera challenges one of them to single combat to
ROOF PL 3 prove themselves. Use the Altar Chamber (Area 10 of
Use the Scientist archetype with the Bestial template applied. the Hidden Temple map) for their arena. Nocha sees
Roof’s skills include Expertise (Jungle) 2 and Expertise this as both an opportunity to eliminate a potential
(Philosophy) 2 in place of Pop Culture and Current Events, and threat and also to undermine Roof’s position of respect
Treatment 6 (+10) in place of Technology +6. Do not use the and leadership with the rebels. How the heroes conduct
minion rules for Roof. themselves during the challenge affects attitudes at least
as much as whether they win or not: Do they respect the
THE REBEL ENCLAVE chimeras’ rules and do they demonstrate restraint and
mercy? If so, Roof can convince the rest of his group that
Use the Hidden Temple map from the Appendix for the the newcomers are potential friends and allies.
underground tunnels and passages beneath the island.
The Main Entrance (Area 1) on the map appears to be ROLEPLAYING NOCHA
a natural cave formation rather than being the top of a
structure, and the entire complex is underground. The Nocha was a fisherman until Dr. Sersei offered him an
area features curious tunnels and structures that appear extraordinary sum of money to participate in her “medical
almost melted out of the volcanic rock, with a disturbingly research.” He was transformed using the same process
organic feel to them. Old pieces of statuary littering the that created Rajah, but has rejected the bloodthirsty
complex depict inhuman creatures. It’s unclear what the instincts his new DNA provides. Even with his disgust at
maze-like structure was used for or who built it. his new violent urges, he is antagonistic and aggressive,
distrusting even his fellow rebels and especially Roof’s
The underground complex has the property of block- long service to Dr. Sersei.
Nocha is considerably more powerful than the other reb- within. They can also accompany the heroes, if they wish,
els, and believes that if he must shoulder the burden of or help create distractions to split the base’s defenders.
protecting the weak, he deserves to lead.
If the heroes fail to win over the rebels, they remain captives
and must escape before locating Dr. Sersei’s headquarters
NOCHA PL 11 on their own. If the heroes need a break, their arrival and
Use Rajah’s statistics (see page 286). capture might lead to the mercenary patrols discovering
the underground complex. They launch an assault, which
REBELS PL 6 distracts the rebels and gives the heroes the opportunity
Use the Soldier, Green archetype with the Bestial template. to escape. The conflict also allows them a chance to strike
In addition to this, Skraw, and Calum have Flight 2, Wendy at Sersei’s base with fewer mercenaries present there.
and Garcia have Swimming 2, and Nara, Jono, and Fono have
Leaping 1 and Movement 2 (wall crawling 2). For a twist in either outcome, a defeated Nocha might
betray the rebels to Dr. Sersei in hopes of currying her
favor, disappearing from the underground and moving
WRAP-UP quickly through the jungle to get to the hidden base first
and warn them that the heroes are coming. The characters
If the heroes win over the rebels, they gain their assistance and their new allies might walk into a trap!
in dealing with Dr. Sersei. The rebel chimeras know exactly
where the hidden complex is on the volcano, where the
entrances are, and about the security systems and layout SCENE 4 CONFLICT
THE LAIR OF DR. SERSEI
This scene describes Dr. Sersei’s headquarters, built in and
on the volcano dominating the island. It also looks at the
opposition the heroes face inside the installation and the
risks they take in invading or infiltrating it.
Secure Area. The circular chamber in the middle of the Several smaller test missiles carrying mosquito payloads
holding cell area serves as the security station for the base. are already here and prepped for launch but can only
From here, consoles control all of the sensors, monitors, reach the nearby mainland. This won’t give Dr. Sersei the
and weapons systems, as well as the systems and doors global distribution she wants, but she’s willing to use
of the cells in the holding area. Hacking into the security them as a last-ditch effort to bring about her master plan
consoles without the thumbprint and retinal scan of an (see Scene 5).
authorized user is a DC 30 Technology skill check. There
are normally two mercenaries at the station to monitor
and operate it. The security station can be sealed-off with ADVERSARIES
Toughness 11 carbon-composite sliding doors the same In addition to the traps and devices described under The
as those used for the holding cells in Area 14, also with ad- Island Installation previously, heroes invading the base
justable opacity. When the doors are closed and opaque, face up to three dozen mercenaries working for Dr. Ser-
no one can see into the station, but those inside can use sei, five chimeras, and the doctor herself, all described
its monitors to observe what is happening outside. in greater detail in the Cast section. Their placement, ac-
tions, and tactics are:
MERCENARIES (2) PL 6
See the Mercenaries in the Adversaries section for details. MERCENARIES
16. COMPUTER CORE The mercenaries work in three shifts of twelve each, so a
third of them will be sleeping and another third off-duty
Secure Area. This climate-controlled room contains the unless the heroes alert the base to their presence. In that
main computer servers for the base, arranged in rows. case, all of the mercenaries will be alert and on-duty. Some
The computer core is linked to systems throughout the may be out patrolling the island or searching for intruders,
base and the island and access to this room is strictly con- depending on how the heroes arrived and what they have
trolled, since it is only needed to address issues with the done since. At least a dozen mercenaries remain at the
computer hardware itself. Characters with access to the base at all times to handle operations and protect their
computer core have a +5 circumstance bonus on Technol- employer. Under normal circumstances, the mercenaries
ogy and related skill checks involving hacking the base’s remain at duty stations within the base. In alert situations,
computer systems. Destroying the servers in this room they patrol the corridors and rooms in pairs, looking for
(Toughness 5) takes down most computer-controlled sys- intruders. At least four stay with Dr. Sersei to protect her.
tems on the island, leaving only emergency and manual
back-ups functioning. CHIMERAS
17. SECURE CORRIDORS Saar the snake chimera stays by Dr. Sersei’s side unless
specifically commanded to do otherwise. Rajah is eager
The corridors on either side of Area 14 and either side for a fight (especially if he encountered the heroes earlier),
of Area 16 are lined with sensors and a series of six stun and travels with a team of eight mercenaries to respond
to any alarms. Horn and Tusk stick together, patrolling the vehicle (either their own or one from the Area 1 hangar),
Upper Level. Mako prefers to stay near the docks (area 11), Vehicle skill checks may be required to maintain a close
but is quick to call Rajah to join her if she spots intruders. distance to the missile.
The chimeras all fight to protect Dr. Sersei, but they don’t
Success: The challenge proceeds in stages, with the
exercise much in the way of teamwork or coordination,
heroes needing to accumulate 3 successes on Speed or
and it is possible for the heroes to split them up and take
movement effect checks to catch up with the speeding
them down one by one. Once the heroes begin attacking
missile, then 2 or more successes on other checks to deal
Dr. Sersei, any remaining chimeras will join the battle as
with the missile’s threat.
quickly as possible, with one arriving every other round.
Consequences: If the heroes fail two or more Speed checks,
Note that although the chimeras all have Regeneration,
the missile outpaces them. If they fail a total of four or more
you may want to decide that a defeated chimera stays
checks before achieving a total of 5 successes, the missile
down unless the story calls for their reappearance.
splits and scatters its payload before the heroes can stop it.
Otherwise, dealing with all five chimeras can turn into a
“whack-a-mole” scenario where the heroes take down
one, only to have it recover in the time it takes them to
take down the next ones. Clever heroes may take steps to
WRAP-UP
restrain defeated chimeras to prevent this. If the heroes manage to stop the missile, a premature
detonation kills the insects within, as does crashing in the
ocean.
DR. SERSEI
Dr. Sersei is focused on completing her chimera virus EPILOGUE
carrier the whole time the heroes are on the island. She
spends virtually all of her time in the high-energy lab in Ideally, the heroes are able to defeat Dr. Sersei and her min-
Area 9, even after the heroes enter the base. On the face ions and either prevent the launch of the chimera virus or
of it, Dr. Sersei isn’t much of a threat to a team of super- stop the missile in mid-flight before it can be released. The
heroes (although see the Unleashing the Beast sidebar). criminal scientist can be turned over to the authorities to an-
swer for her crimes, the same for her mercenary agents. The
fate of the chimeras is a more complex matter. Those that as-
WRAP-UP sisted Dr. Sersei might also need to answer to the authorities,
but there is the question of whether or not they are culpable,
While Dr. Sersei wants to spread her virus-laden mosqui- given they were essentially created to obey her and sub-
toes worldwide, she does have several short-range mis- jected to heavy conditioning. There is also the matter of the
siles already prepared for launch in area 18. Thanks to her rebel chimeras on Aeaea. The heroes may simply choose to
voice controls, she can order the launch if she fears defeat, leave them there, but chances are international authorities
allowing her to at least target several nearby human pop- will want to occupy the island to ensure no further threats,
ulations. Unless the heroes have located and destroyed unless the heroes convince them it is not necessary.
the secondary launch site, move immediately to Scene 5
(possibly giving Dr. Sersei or her chimeras time to escape). The heroes may be able to take over the island base and
make use of it themselves as an HQ. Aeaea is far from civi-
lization, but heroes might have high-speed transportation
SCENE 5 CHALLENGE or even teleportation or the like to get them to hot-spots
quickly. Alternately, the island could serve as a kind of re-
treat or safe-house. They may want to hand it over to Roof
MISSILE CHASE and any surviving free chimeras to give them a safe home
away from the outside world.
You can choose to have the heroes defeat Dr. Sersei and
her followers before her scheme is fully realized, or you If you prefer a more “explosive” ending, Dr. Sersei might
can make the final challenge of the adventure stopping have some type of self-destruct mechanism that sends
the doctor’s chimera virus from spreading across the a feedback loop through the geothermal tap in Area 9.
world! If Sersei has the opportunity, she launches a mis- Heat and pressure quickly build up, causing a massive vol-
sile from Area 18 on the Island Base map, carrying stasis canic eruption that wipes the island off the map. The same
containers of the virus-laden mosquitoes. The missile is might happen if the heroes deliberately tamper with the
designed to split at a certain altitude, scattering smaller tap, as described in Scene 3.
propelled containers toward nearby cities where they
This adventure can easily lead to new adventures:
land and release their contents into the environment.
• Thanks to their mental programming, any chimeras
Time: 1 round
who escape capture will dedicate themselves to free-
Checks: DC 18. Speed (to catch up with the missile), ing Dr. Sersei.
then an attack check (to damage the missile or knock it
• A handful of gene-altering mosquitoes may escape
off course), Technology (to hack into the missile’s guid-
the exploding missile, leading to the random cre-
ance systems), or a Strength or a movement effect rank
ation of animal-powered villains on the mainland.
(to push the missile off-course). If the heroes pursue in a
CAST • Sersei has direct voice control over all of the systems
of her headquarters, and uses them against the he-
The following are the major characters encountered in roes as the opportunity allows. Unless the heroes
The Island of Doctor Sersei, including their backgrounds disable the main computer systems or cut the base’s
and the relevant game stats from this book you can use power, Dr. Sersei can open and close (and lock and
to represent them. unlock) doors and direct automated systems, includ-
ing the industrial robots in Area 3, should she need
reinforcements. You may also create new systems on
DOCTOR SYBELLA SERSEI the fly she can control, like concealed turrets. If you
do so, award each hero a Hero Point.
Dr. Sersei’s crimes are those of execution, rather than goal.
After a career of brilliant discoveries, dozens of respected • Rather than directly confronting the heroes, Dr. Ser-
scientific papers, and countless student lives improved, sei tries to stay one step ahead of them. Her goal is to
Dr. Sersei fell into deep depression as she watched the launch her chimera virus, so she allows her followers
Earth’s inhabitants continue to push their world to the to run interference, and closes and seals doors be-
breaking point. tween her and the heroes, long enough to distract
them and complete the loading and launch. Once
The geneticist firmly believes only radical actions and
transformation of humanity as a species can save the
Earth and all life thereon from extinction. That her plan
violates bodily autonomy on a global scale and will cause
billions of deaths is merely an “unfortunate side-effect.” At
the least, their deaths will be relatively swift and painless
in comparison to the inevitable collapse of civilization and
the terrible wars that would follow.
that is done, she gladly tells the heroes what is hap- or eliminate them. Rajah hunts for the missing and escaped
pening, assuring them they have no chance of stop- chimeras in his spare time and is similarly frustrated at his
ping it. They must choose between capturing the inability to find them. Once he engages in combat, the tiger
criminal scientist or stopping her scheme (or splitting chimera unlikely to back down.
up in order to do both).
RAJAH PL 11
DR. SERSEI PL 9 STR 8, STA 8, AGL 7, DEX 3, FGT 8, INT 0, AWE 4, PRE 2
Use the Mad Scientist archetype from Chapter 3 for Dr. Sersei, Powers: Claws 2 (DC 25; Penetrating 10), Healing Factor 10
with the following changes: (Every 1 round), Tiger Movement, Leaping 2 (Leap 30 feet at
8 miles/hour), Movement 3 (Safe Fall, Sure-footed 1, Wall-
Containment Suit: Protection 12, Immunity 10 (life support)
crawling 1: -1 speed rank), Speed 4 (Speed: 30 miles/hour, 500
BioChem Dart Gun: Ranged Affliction 12 (Variable 3; Dr. feet/round), Tiger Senses 7 (Accurate: Hearing, Acute: Smell,
Sersei can effectively choose the effect of each degree of the Danger Sense: Choose Sense Type, Darkvision, Ultra-hearing)
Affliction just before she fires the weapon (as a free action).
Equipment: Blaster Rifle, Commlink
The effects are generally resisted and overcome by Fortitude
(DC 22) but the doctor can also use dart payloads resisted and Advantages: Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 2,
overcome by Will (“programmed neurotransmitters”). Mix- Equipment 4, Evasion, Favored Environment (Jungle), Fearless,
and-match as you see fit, based on Dr. Sersei’s assessment of Great Endurance, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Power
the heroes and their capabilities. Attack, Startle, Takedown, Tracking, Uncanny Dodge
Offense: BioChem Dart Gun +6 (Ranged, Affliction 12) Skills: Acrobatics 8 (+15), Athletics 11 (+19), Close Combat:
Claws 4 (+12), Expertise: Survival 12 (+12), Insight 8 (+12),
Defense: Dodge 6, Parry 4, Will 12, Fortitude 6, Toughness 12
Intimidation 12 (+14), Perception 10 (+14), Ranged Combat:
Guns 6 (+9), Stealth 11 (+18), Vehicles 4 (+7)
CHIMERAS Offense: Init +11, Blaster Rifle +3 (Ranged, Damage 8), Claws
+12 (Close, Damage 10), Unarmed +8 (Close, Damage 8)
Dr. Sersei has created a number of human-animal hybrids Defense: Dodge 12, Parry 12, Fort 9, Tou 10/8, Will 9.
she calls “chimeras,” after the legendary beast made up of
Totals: Abilities 80 + Powers 41 + Advantages 19 + Skills 43 (86
different animal parts. Some of her chimeras have proven
ranks) + Defenses 15 = 198
disappointing, but a few have become loyal helpers, ex-
amples of Sersei’s vision for a future world. Generally, the
chimeras use the Hybrid archetype from Chapter 3 with HORN (RHINO CHIMERA)
the appropriate modifiers for their “stock” animal type. To-
date, Dr. Sersei hasn’t experimented with any insect DNA, The loyal Horn works as Rajah’s lieutenant and is the
so there are no ant, fly, or spider type chimeras (yet), but strongest and most resilient of the chimeras serving Dr.
most of the other types listed for the Hybrid archetype are Sersei. As a human, he was a scrawny office manager at
possible. The heroes may encounter the following chimeras the university with Dr. Sersei, who was enthralled by her
on Aeaea, along with Meerar and Toro, the octopus and bull passionate rants about how the world should work. Horn
chimeras, kept in the holding cells in Area 14, and the ad- is loyal, but fairly lazy. He enjoys bossing people around.
ditional rebel chimeras from Scene 2. Although he respects Rajah, the only chimera Horn is
friendly with is Tusk.
RAJAH (TIGER CHIMERA) HORN PL 13
Rajah was one of the first successful creations of Dr. Sersei’s Use the Hybrid archetype from Chapter 3 for Horn, with the
new, more refined chimera virus and is, by far, her most loy- following changes:
al. The fierce tiger chimera longs for the promise of a world Rhino Animal Type: STR +3, STA +3 and Protection 3; rather
where he will be free to roam and hunt and where there than claws, his penetrating damage is a horn
will be others of his kind. Rajah finds the secrecy and con-
Offense: Initiative +9, Horn +12 (Close, Damage 11)
finement on Aeaea frustrating, but is willing to abide as his
maker wishes. He finds the arrival of intruders an exciting Defense: Dodge 12, Parry 12, Fortitude 13, Toughness 14/12*,
opportunity, and takes command of any effort to capture Will 10
INDEX
A Arcane Cultist......................................... 146 Hawk............................................................... 143
Cult Acolyte............................................. 146 Hearts & Minds (scene)............................. 214
Abilities.............................................................75 Cult Adept............................................... 146 Heavy tanks.....................................................15
Ability Strain....................................... 231–232 Cult Initiate............................................. 146 Henchmen.......................................................47
Advantages......................................................75 Cult Master............................................. 146 Herd Animal................................................. 143
Adventure Design...................................... 195 Cyber-Rats..................................................... 217 Hero Creation..................................... 185–186
Adventure Elements........................ 176–179 Hero Point Tradeoffs.................................. 194
Aikido.............................................................. 226 D Hidden Temple.................................. 246–249
Aircraft carriers...............................................16 High and Low Realism.................................24
Aliens......................................................... 25–26 Deinonychus................................................ 147
History....................................................... 40–41
Alternate Dice.............................................. 232 Demons (minions)...................................... 147
Hitman............................................................ 155
Amusement Park.............................. 242–245 Demon, Brute......................................... 147
Horse............................................................... 143
Animals (minions)............................ 142–145 Demon, Imp............................................ 147
Hybrid........................................................ 97–99
Animated Tree............................................. 148 Demon, Tempter..................................... 47
Hyena.............................................................. 143
Anti-personnel land mine..........................23 Demon, Warrior..................................... 147
Destruction......................................... 164–164
Antitank guns.................................................14
Dinosaurs (minions)........................ 147–148
I
Anti-tank land mines....................................23
Antitank rockets.............................................14 Brachisaurus.......................................... 147 Imp (villain)......................................... 100–102
Ape.................................................................. 142 Deinonychus.......................................... 147 Incredible Shrinking
Arcane Cultist............................................... 146 Pteranodon............................................. 148 Heroes, The (scene).............................. 216
Assassin (villain)..................................... 78–80 Stegosaurus............................................ 148 Insane Asylum................................... 248–251
Autogyros.........................................................16 Tyrannosaurus Rex............................... 148 Investigation Scenes................................. 204
Avalanches.................................................... 183 Disasters............................................... 183–187 Ionizing Radiation.........................................23
Dog.................................................................. 143 Iron Age.................................................... 21–23
B Dolphin.......................................................... 143 Island Base.......................................... 251–253
Dragon........................................................... 149 Island of Dr. Sersei (adventure).... 274–287
Bat.................................................................... 142 Drone.............................................................. 152
Battle cruisers.................................................15 J
Bear.................................................................. 142 E Jeeps..................................................................15
Blob................................................................. 148
Bodyguard.................................................... 154 Earthquakes........................................... 23, 184 Jet fighters.......................................................17
Boss................................................................. 154 Elder Evil (villain).................................... 90–93 Jobber.................................................... 103-106
Boxing............................................................. 226 Electromagnetic Pulses...............................23 Jujutsu............................................................ 227
Brachiosaurus.............................................. 147 Elemental (villain).................................. 93–96 Jumped-Up Nobody (villain)........ 107–109
Bronze Age.......................................................20 Elephant......................................................... 143
Brute (villain)........................................... 81–84 Escape Plans............................................ 60–61 K
Bystander...................................................... 145 Escort carriers.................................................15
Karate.............................................................. 227
Escrima........................................................... 227
Kidnapping......................................... 166–169
C Extortion.............................................. 169–171
Knockback.......................................... 232–233
Krav Maga..................................................... 228
Capoeira......................................................... 227 F Kung Fu.......................................................... 228
Castle.................................................... 244–247
Cat.................................................................... 143 Faerie, Jinx..................................................... 149
Challenge Scenes....................................... 200 Faerie, Trickster............................................ 149 L
Challenges.......................................... 178–180 Fallout................................................................23
Lairs....................................................... 241–259
Chase, The (scene)....................................2010 Fencing........................................................... 227
Lava................................................................. 185
Civilians (minions)...................................... 145 Field Artillery...................................................14
Law.....................................................................42
Bysteander.............................................. 145 Fighting Styles................................... 228–129
Lethal Damage.................................. 233–234
Reporter................................................... 145 Fires....................................................... 184–185
Lieutenants......................................................47
Scientist................................................... 145 Floods............................................................. 185
Light tanks.......................................................15
Collapses............................................. 183–184 Flying boats.....................................................16
Lion.................................................................. 143
Combined Scenes...................................... 208 Fog................................................................... 185
Complications.................................................77 Frame-Up, The (scene).............................. 212
M
Composite (villain)................................ 84–87
Concept.............................................................73 G Mad Scientist (villain)...................... 111–113
Conflict Scenes............................................ 202 Magic......................................................... 27–29
Gang Leader................................................. 155
Conquest............................................. 159–164 Martial Artist (villain)....................... 113–115
Gargoyle........................................................ 149
Cosmology............................................... 38–40 Mass Combat..................................... 234–239
Genre............................................................9–25
Other Dimensions................................... 39 Master of Disguise (villain)............ 116–118
Giant Flytrap................................................. 149
Parallel Earths.......................................... 38 Master Villains.................................................48
Giant Insect................................................... 149
Space.......................................................... 38 Mastermind (villain)......................... 118–121
Gods...................................................................27
Crime Lord (villain)................................ 87–90 Medium tanks.................................................15
Golden Age.................................................9–17
Criminal.......................................................... 154 Militant........................................................... 153
Goon............................................................... 155
Crocodile....................................................... 143 Mimic (villain).................................... 122–124
Government Agent.................................... 151
Crook............................................................... 155 Minion Archetypes........................... 142–157
Cruisers..............................................................15 Missile Silo........................................... 252–255
H Modern Age............................................ 23–25
Cultists (minions).............................. 145–146
Halftracks..........................................................15 Monkey.......................................................... 144
LICENSE
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered
is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Con-
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2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that Open Game License v 1.0 , Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only System Reference Document, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast,
be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a Inc., Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on
notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
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Open Game Content distributed using this License. of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman,
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3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You
Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based on material by Jonathan
indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison,
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, roy-
alty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License Mutants & Masterminds, Copyright 2002, Green Ronin Publishing;
to Use, the Open Game Content. Author Steve Kenson.
5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contribut- Advanced Player’s Manual, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin Publishing:
ing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Author Skip Williams.
Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient Silver Age Sentinels d20, Copyright 2002, Guardians of Order, Inc.; Au-
rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. thors Stephen Kenson, Mark C. Mackinnon, Jeff Mackintosh, Jesse
6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT Scoble.
NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPY- Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin
RIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modify- Publishing; Author Steve Kenson.
ing or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date,
and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Mutants & Masterminds Hero’s Handbook, Copyright 2011, Green
original Open Game Content you Distribute. Ronin Publishing; Author Steve Kenson.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Mutants & Masterminds Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, Copyright 2019,
Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as ex- Green Ronin Publishing; Authors Steve Kenson, witrh Crystal Frasier
pressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner and Lyz Liddel.
The Superteam Handbook puts the focus on the heroes and their team,
with details for players and gamemasters alike to make their team cohesive,
dramatic, and fun! Heroes can work closer together than ever before with
new, team-focused powers, advantages, and attack options. Eight pre-made
hero teams—ranging from PL 5 to PL 12—serve as Mutants & Masterminds
campaign kickstarters, with guidelines, resources, and advice for running
a variety of heroic campaigns, along with background and statblocks for
their members to use as player characters, rivals, or villains. Will you save the
planet as part of the globe-hopping UNIQUE, battle to keep the streets safe as one of
the street-brawling Ferroburg Four, or take on ancient aliens from the cockpit of your own giant robot as a
member of MagnaForce? Whatever you choose, be stronger than the sum of your parts with the Superteam Handbook!
www.greenronin.com
Lindsay’s life changed the night she first saw her beloved grandfather in
his superhero guise as The Knight Light. It changed again the day a strange
storm granted her unique powers. Despite a rare genetic condition, she
now feels strong enough to take up his mantle, but can she balance his
protectiveness—and her own frailty—against her new abilities and her
desire to do good? Time is running out as a bitter villain plots revenge
against the city with a new storm that could sweep them all away.
Height of the Storm is the first Nisaba Press novel to explore Earth-Prime,
the setting of the hit superhero RPG Mutants & Masterminds.
Available Now!
Modern AGE Basic Rulebook is © 2018 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
AGE, Green Ronin, and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Three Powers
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THE GM’S BEST FRIEND!
The Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide is an expanded resource creating
exciting campaigns and worlds for the Mutants & Masterminds
Superhero Roleplaying Game. In this book you’ll find a collection of
useful tools and references for the M&M Gamemaster, including:
• Villains! Detailed information on how to create, design, and run
villainous foes for your M&M series, plus an entire chapter of evil
plots, and more than a dozen ready-made and detailed villain
archetypes of different themes and power levels, including the
cold-blooded Assassin, the workaday Jobber, and the rampaging
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• Archetypes! More than villains, you’ll also find archetypes
for minions, monsters, and supporting cast characters. Need
a scientist, crook, robot, zombie, or dinosaur for your next
adventure? They’re already detailed for you!
• Challenges! Not just foes to fight, but challenges for heroes to
overcome, from disasters to deathtraps. The detailed challenge
system allows you to describe endless perils for your heroes!
• Worlds! A look at how to create your own superheroic settings
from scratch, covering history, cosmology, power sources,
origins, and much more, including the different comic book
genres and styles of play.
• Scenes! The new adventure design chapter provides examples
for how to use the Mutants & Masterminds rules to pull off all the
strange shenanigans you see in comics, from high-speed chases
to shrinking your heroes to the size of mice! Drop them into your
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• Options! New rules options and systems, including how to
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Battle a brutal crime syndicate seizing control of the city’s
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... plus nine fully detailed and ready-to-use Lairs, complete with maps and
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