M&M 2e - Interest Check (NC)

Started by Maegan, February 01, 2011, 08:26:22 PM

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Maegan

I am thinking of running a Mutants & Masterminds (2nd Edition) game at a lower power level with hopefully flawed characters.  It would probably be power level 5, with the characters being part of a team hired by a city or region to protect it.  They could range for heroic idealists to fully corrupt, hopefully with interesting interactions between the various personalities.  I also wouldn't mind someone playing a re-occurring villain, or a series of villains, and acting as a co-GM.

I have little experience with systems, and haven't run an M&M game before, so anyone who joined would need to be patient. 

This game would probably be rated as non-consensual, exotic. 

Anyone interested?

Richardson

I have the DC adventures book which is based on M&M but I don't know if it's system compatible.  If so, I'd be interested in banging away in a superheroic world.

Raveled

Quote from: Richardson on February 01, 2011, 09:05:35 PM
I have the DC adventures book which is based on M&M but I don't know if it's system compatible.  If so, I'd be interested in banging away in a superheroic world.

DC Adventures is 3rd Edition M&M.

I'm intrigued by the idea, but PL 5? That's the level of beat cops and the like. Doesn't hardly seem super-heroic.
O|O A|A Ideas

"Everybody has a secret world inside of them. All the people in the whole world. I mean everybody. No matter how boring or dull they are on the outside, inside them they've all got unimaginable, magnificent, stupid, wonderful worlds. Not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands, maybe." Neil Gaiman

Maegan

Not sure about DC adventures.

I want them to start weak and grow as the game progresses, hence the low power level.  I also think it might be interesting to have them a bit more vulnerable. 

Muse

*smiles*  i'm good for 5, thouggh 7 or 8 is more traditional.  :)

*bows*  Pleased to meet you, Maegan, your avatar is awesome! 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Maegan

#5
I'd prefer to stick with 5 for now, though I will probably be fairly generous with power points as the game progresses.

Ixy

Sounds like a good idea-- I love low-powered games, as it forces the player to really focus on their CHARACTER rather than their uber-powers.  I'm interested, but haven't played M&M very much, so I may be more burden than not.  Anyway... consider me 'interested' but not 100% 'committed' yet.
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Callie Del Noire

I'm interested but it's hard to come up with anything but a 'batman' @ PL 5.

Katina Tarask

#8
I'm game.  Though I'd have to second starting a bit higher (6-8).  The thing about PbP is, it's much slower than tabletop.  Even progressing fairly quickly, going up one power level may take a year, and it's extremely generous to predict a game will last that long, so it's generally wiser to start in the thick of things rather than giving that up-front growing time.  PbP games've gotta pop from the get-go.
Quote from: Ixy on February 02, 2011, 03:09:25 PMSounds like a good idea-- I love low-powered games, as it forces the player to really focus on their CHARACTER rather than their uber-powers.  I'm interested, but haven't played M&M very much, so I may be more burden than not.  Anyway... consider me 'interested' but not 100% 'committed' yet.
You do know this is a game where you can quite literally destroy the world with a single power point, right?
Quote from: Callie Del Noire on February 02, 2011, 03:13:35 PMI'm interested but it's hard to come up with anything but a 'batman' @ PL 5.
Eh, it's not too terribly tough to get something else, though with so few points, it does rather encourage keeping your base ability scores average or even mining 'em for points, since there's not much wiggle room and the game does rather punish actually taking ability scores other than Constitution and maybe Strength.  But most of the standard major archetypes still work.

Maegan

I suppose I could boost it to 6, but don't really want to go any higher.

Katina Tarask

Alright.  Though there are more important questions at hand.  Like all the basics of what the game's even going to be about.

TheMinstrelKnight

 :o I was going to post an ad! I, I am truly loving the idea of another game. My old M&M internet group died out. I was with Epitome City... I really wanna do this again!
"It's not a rpg, it's a story board with wire characters that we flesh out."
-Some damn good advice, Kerrik Wolf

Poetic Ironic Heroic Viking Metal.
- Ensiferum

Callie Del Noire

Here is what I've done up as PL 6 (it was in my dead characters file)

Quote

Reon Kadena  Power Level: 6; Power Points Spent: 90/90
Vital Statistics
Sex: Female Age: 19 Nationality: American/Japanese Citizen (dual citizen)
Height: 5' 8" Weight: 185 lbs
Eyes: Brown (Green when using powers) Hair: Black

STR: 14 (+2), DEX: 20 (+5), CON: 14 (+2), INT: 12 (+1), WIS: 10 (+0), CHA: 12 (+1)

Tough: +6, Fort: +8, Ref: +11, Will: +4

Skills: Acrobatics 5 (+10), Computers 2 (+3), Disguise 2 (+3), Drive 2 (+7), Escape Artist 3 (+8), Gather Information 2 (+3), Knowledge (current events) 3 (+4), Knowledge (popular culture) 3 (+4), Knowledge (streetwise) 3 (+4), Language 2 (+2), Notice 2 (+2), Perform (acting) 3 (+4), Perform (dance) 3 (+4), Search 2 (+3), Stealth 2 (+7), Swim 1 (+3)
Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Attractive 2, Diehard, Dodge Focus 2,   Evasion 2, Improved Critical (Strike 4) 2, Instant Up, Precise Shot, Prone Fighting, Weapon Break (Strike 4)

Powers:
Blast 5 (DC 20)
  Strike 4 (Alternate; DC 21, Feats: Improved Critical (Strike 4) 2, Weapon Break; Mighty, Accurate (+2))
Protection 4 (+4 Toughness)

Combat Stats
Attack Bonus: +4 (Ranged: +4, Melee: +4, Grapple: +6)
Attacks: Blast 5, +4 (DC 20), Strike 4, +6 (DC 21), Unarmed Attack, +4 (DC 17)
Defense: +6  (Flat-footed: +2), Knockback: -3 Initiative: +5

Background
Reon was born to a pair of Japanese nationals who had moved to the San Diego region. Both her parents were international trade lawyers who were more comfortable in the office than at home. She grew up like most american kids: TV, Computers, Video Games and comic books. She also discovered cosplay when she went to Japan to visit family. Upon her return to San Diego she jumped into the scene with vigor, found the PERFECT character for her to play at the upcoming San Diego ComicCon.
Working with a couple friends, she worked to get the green and black leather jump suit to fit and grew out here hair. All it took was a little make up, black lipstick and fingernail polish and she was a popular disney villainess. The week of the Con, she went in role several times and hammed things up a lot. At one party she was more than a little drunk and high went SOMETHING happened as she was playing out a scene. Maybe it was some unknown talent, maybe she was doing something more than X. All that she knew was that as they were playing out a scene and the next her 'foe' was looking in shock at the six inch hole that she had blown in the concrete wall of the hall. The whole event had been caught by dozens of cameras, camcorders and the crew from g4 TV. She bolted from the hall and quickly lost most of the stun crowd quickly.
The aftermath of the event was pretty much that she was 'outed' as a parahuman and a quick letter from Disney's lawyers to cease and desist all future cosplay performances as that character. (Unless their live action project ever took off, in which they would like to discuss terms). Aside from that, the most signifigant changes had been a gain of 60 pounds of mass and the loss of nearly all her body fat as her body rapidly improved in physical resilience, strength, endurance and agility. She was stunned to find herself changing from 'comic book nerd' to 'hottie' overnight. With her new looks and ability she started looking into acting as a viable option and tries to downplay her powers as much as she can. One close encounter with an anti-parahuman activist drove home that she needed to learn to how to defend herself without using her powers. (Her blasts are registered as 'lethal weapons' and she had been fully briefed on the consequences of their use recklessly). Currently in addition to dance and acting studies in college, she is studying akido and kick boxing as she looks for more jobs as a model.

Personality
Going from a bit of a 'geek' to a hottie has opened up Reon a lot. She is enjoying a more physical lifestyle and looks for more physical and social challenges. She works hard, studies hard and plays hard. She hasn't done any drugs since the incident but still drinks on occasion and is a casual bi-sexual who isn't steady with anyone at the moment. When she does have to fight, she uses her agility and blasting power to avoid, escape and distract her foes as she would rather not kill. When facing someone who can hurt her, she is a less reluctant to use her abilities more offensively.

Powers
Reon generates an intense field of plasma in her body that she can direct though her hands or envelop them with. She is capable of generating sufficient force destroy concrete and metal structures. The field is stronger when she channels it in a blast. When she generates the plasma, her eyes turn green with a slight glow.
As a result of her energy generating abilites, her body has increased in density and resilience. She is capable of taking serious blows and even gunshots hits with little or no harm. (She was shot in the back twice by the anti-parahuman activist from 30 feet with a .45 caliber pistol with nothing worse than bruising. Needless to say she's not eager to test the limits of her invulnerability). Testing has indicated that her physical attributes and resilance are increasing at pace with her ability to generate plasma but to what degree is not known.


Totals: Abilities 22 + Skills 10 (40 ranks) + Feats 11 + Powers 15 + Combat 16 + Saves 16 + Drawbacks 0 = 90

TheMinstrelKnight

#13
I guess I could post my favorite (and thus most thought out) character from M&M... He is Power Level 11...

Quote

Name:
Franklin Nicholas Steiner
Age: 144
Height: 9'1"
Weight: 400lbs
Eye Color: Blue (Right) Brown (Left)
Hair Color: Dingy Gray
Nationality: American
PL: 11 (Cap)

STRENGTH: 28 (+8) ( Enhanced Strength (8) )   DEXTERITY: 17 (+3)  CONSTITUTION: 38 (+14)  INTELLIGENCE: 10 (+-0)  WISDOM: 12 (+1)  CHARISMA: 15 (+2)

TOUGHNESS: +14
FORTITUDE: +14
REFLEX: +3
WILL: +1

DEFENSE: +6
ATTACK: +8 (Melee), +8 (Ranged)

Skills

Acrobatics (3), Climb (8), Computers 1 (+3), Concentration (+2), Disable Device 12 (+14), Drive (+3), Escape Artist (+6), Gather Info (+6), Investigate (+12), Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 4 (+6), Medcine (+2), Notice 15 (+17), Pilot 2 (+5), Profession 3 (+5), Ride 2 (+5), Search 15 (+17), Sense Motive 15 (+17), Sleight of Hand (+3), Stealth (+3), Survival (+2), (Ironic) Swim (+8)

Feats

Chokehold, Power Attack, Diehard, Fearless, Interpose, Improvized Tools, Artificer, Well-Informed, Prone Fighting, Assessment, Instant Up, Contacts, Equipment (1), Fearsome Presence (3), Quickdraw (1), Ambidexterity, Precise Shot (1), Attack Focus, Melee (2), Attack Focus, Ranged (2), Taunt, Defensive Attack, Elusive Target, Uncanny Dodge (1), Endurance (2)

Powers


"Subject #122540A5 is a tough customer; his skin, while welting under the power of bullets is nearly immune to smaller caliber handguns and causes a bit more surprise amoungst mooks who think that closer is better. He also posesses an incredible amount of strength- having stopped a building from collapsing on bystanders more than once. Though as strong as he is, it seems to be a reflex to danger and not always there- however... It also seems he's heat resistant, but the tests were inconclusive seeing as he escaped before the water test. At which he was begging to not do." - Dr. Lucian Cramer

Enhanced Constitution (20)
Enhanced Strength (8)
Immunity (13): Cold Environment (1), heat damage (5), fatigue effects (5), high pressure (1), age (1)
Impervious Toughness (5): Bullet Proof up to .50 caliber
Super Strength (7): Max 358 Tons; Goundstrike (+1 feat); Thunderclap (+1 feat)
Super Senses (2)
- Low-light Vision (30')
- Dark Vision (30')

Drawbacks

Vulnerability: Electricity (Lightening, Powers, Electric Lines-etc) (Very Common, Moderate, Non-Fatal) (-10)

Personality

He is a jovial sort, with a liking of carrousing, women, and fine dining. Though this changes while he's on the job. When on the job he is a stark, angry, snark driven commentator who will verbally assail anyone who dares get in his way; and this is usually before he pummels them into a pulp! Well, truth be told this violent way is more or less his attempt to be a 'Gumshoe'… It apparently works.

History


This monster was 'born' in 1856 in a laboratory in the middle of the south; a way of creating slaves who were both powerful and more useful for field work with enough intellect to work alone but not enough to escape. The cotton gin was completed first and the project was left at a standstill. The body complete and the mind there, but no wakefulness. As the years passed and the Civil War came about, the then President of the Confederacy enacted 'Project Patchwork'. With the body now bare-bones thanks to rot; the now protoform was improved upon! Meant to shoulder an Artillery Piece as a standard weapon and fully capable of reacting to situations with a tactical mind of a well trained officer; the beast was to be a victory piece for the South!

And with his staggaring nine-foot height, he was to be deployed where the south would be able to RIDE to victory! As history states that didn't happen. The Union won. With some help at a major turning point as the 'Artillary Man' himself turned on his own forces to decimate them enough to allow a CRUSHING Union Victory. And at that point, the 'Giant of Antietam' dropped off the Radar for many, many years.

The fact he dropped off the radar for so long and coupled with reports of a 'Giant' stopping various attacks upon people and then disappearing again coincided with the fact there are many super natural entities in the Americas. However this one spoke with a deep, southern, accent and seemed to almost be gentlemanly in his actions. Now… he's here, in a new city, and… well; taxes don't pay for themselves yeah?

Currently:

He's bought an apartment building and now has tenants… Not too sure what's going on; he's been protecting the house with Runes for some time now; perhaps he was going keep out the dead? Paranoia surely… There aren't vampires around… Right?


Mind you he's at the max PL of the game I was in and he started out as PL 8; and a standard brick build before I decided to change him about. it's pretty easy to do PL 5. :>
"It's not a rpg, it's a story board with wire characters that we flesh out."
-Some damn good advice, Kerrik Wolf

Poetic Ironic Heroic Viking Metal.
- Ensiferum

Maegan

Quote from: Katina Tarask on February 03, 2011, 01:35:57 AM
Alright.  Though there are more important questions at hand.  Like all the basics of what the game's even going to be about.

The basic premise is that the characters make up a special team of the local police force.  They are called into deal with dangerous situations and strange crimes, especially those related to super-powered criminals.  The story would focus on their various investigations and emergency responses, as well as the character's problems and interactions. 

I like the character Callie :-)

Steiner is interesting, though would need to be toned down to PL6 if you wanted to play him.

Ixy

Quote from: Katina Tarask on February 03, 2011, 12:26:06 AMYou do know this is a game where you can quite literally destroy the world with a single power point, right?
I'm sure that, like almost game systems, it's easy to abuse the rules if that's what you're into.
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

TheMinstrelKnight

I've actually had him at power level 6 before- it's not all that different; though his abilities are about... Half of what they are now (save the tough skin) and he's got very, very few people skills.

But if you start I'd love to join in.
"It's not a rpg, it's a story board with wire characters that we flesh out."
-Some damn good advice, Kerrik Wolf

Poetic Ironic Heroic Viking Metal.
- Ensiferum

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: TheMinstrelKnight on February 03, 2011, 11:41:53 AM
I've actually had him at power level 6 before- it's not all that different; though his abilities are about... Half of what they are now (save the tough skin) and he's got very, very few people skills.

But if you start I'd love to join in.

Does that mean he won't be coming into the game with his very own artillery piece side arm?

TheMinstrelKnight

"It's not a rpg, it's a story board with wire characters that we flesh out."
-Some damn good advice, Kerrik Wolf

Poetic Ironic Heroic Viking Metal.
- Ensiferum

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: TheMinstrelKnight on February 04, 2011, 12:08:52 AM
No, that's sold Separately!

Ah man.. it's always like with that with 'Has-bro'!

Katina Tarask

Quote

Samantha Carmichael
Human Female, Psychic
5'6, 115 lbs, black hair, gray eyes, age 21

Str 8 (-1); Dex 8 (-1); Con 10 (+0); Int 12 (+1); Wis 16 (+3); Charisma 18/28 (+4/+9)

Attack +0; Defense +2

Tough +0/+10; Fort +3; Reflex +3; Will +9

Skills: Bluff 1/11 (+5/+20); Concentration 2 (+5); Diplomacy 1/11 (+5/+20); Disable Device 4 (+5); Gather Information 1/11 (+5/+20); Intimidate 1/11 (+5/+20); Investigate 4 (+5); Notice 7 (+10); Sense Motive 3/11 (+6/+14)

Feats: Eidetic Memory; Skill Mastery: Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate, Sense Motive; Ultimate Effort: Will

Powers:
ESP
-ESP 2: Visual, Hearing

Psychic Charm
-Enhanced Ability: +10 Charisma (DC16 Will negates)
-Enhanced Skill: +10 Diplomacy/Bluff/Intimidate/Gather Information (DC16 Will negates, linked to Enhanced Charisma)
-Enhanced Skill: +8 Sense Motive (DC16 Will negates, linked to Enhanced Charisma)

Psychic Shield
-Protection 10 (Sustained)

Telepathy
-Communication 2: Mental

Amazing Psychic Powers Array
-Force Bolt: Blast 6 (Accurate 3, Homing 1)
*Manipulation: Emotion Control 6 (Subtle, Independent, Slow Fade)
*Telekinesis: Move Object 5 (Range: Perception, Precise)
*Mind Crush: Mental Blast 4
*Compulsion: Mind Control 6 (Independent, Sense-Dependent: requires eye contact, Slow Fade, Subtle)
*Mind Decay: Drain 4: Wisdom (Range: Perception, Slow Fade 2, Subtle, Affects Insubstantial 1)
*Mind Scan: Mind Reading 6 (Reduced Action, Subtle)

Combat Stats:
Init -1; Grapple -1; Knockback 0/-5
Attack: +0 (+6 Force Bolt)
Defense +2 (+1 Flat-footed)
Attacks:
Compulsion: Autohit, DC16 Will versus mind control
Force Bolt: +6, DC21 Tough versus damage
Manipulation: Autohit, DC16 Will versus emotion control
Mind Crush: Autohit, DC14 Will versus damage
Mind Decay: Autohit, DC14 Will versus up to 4 wisdom damage
Mind Scan: Autohit, DC16 Will versus mind reading
Psychic Charm: Passive/autohit, DC16 Will versus large effective skill/charisma boosts
Telekinesis: Autohit, +5 grapple check
Unarmed: +0, DC15 Tough versus damage

Background:
The Cult of the Third Eye.  A paranormal-obsessed organization that, through a combination of bizarre rituals, drugs, and selective breeding have produced many of the world's most powerful mentalists in  the last thousand years, ranging from prophets to kineticists to telepaths to accelerated analysts.  With their penchant to manipulate nations and politics from the shadows, they were considered one of the world's most dangerous supercriminal organizations until just over two decades ago when their main base was raided by the military.  After their compound was reduced to rubble, most of the escaping leadership was slaughtered.

Among the survivors, they found one of the organization's crown jewels; an infant of exceptional potential.  Not wanting to execute or imprison a child, the girl was handed over to Miranda and Samuel Carmichael, two FBI agents recently retired from field work, both with nigh-legendary records in dealing with supercrime.  They'd always wanted a daughter, but between fertility and their careers, they were never able to have one of their own.  With their experience, they were the only people the government could trust to raise this child safely.

They were equipped to monitor, resist, and counter their new daughter Samantha's powers, and raised her with tight discipline and rigid honor, always aiming her towards law enforcement, where her powers could be a massive legal complication.  By all appearances, they've succeeded; their daughter is joining supercriminal investigations fresh out of college.

Personality:
Samantha is, to all appearances, a very straightlaced and charming young lady, and her mental influence reinforces that appearance whenever it is desirable.  She is fully commited to her new duties as an officer of the law, having worked long and hard to get where she is today.  However, despite her parents best efforts to the contrary, she still has a strong streak of arrogance, often seeing those who lack her mental abilities as fun toys to watch and manipulate.  When she thinks she's untouchable, her nature becomes more impish, mining people's minds for juicy gossip or manipulating them for her own amusement.  She feels horrible about it afterward, of course, but it's just too much fun.

Powers:
She can kill you with her brain.  But that would probably end with her parents returning to the field, hunting her down, and arresting her or even killing her, so she tends towards less gruesome methods.  Her abilities are quite broad, allowing her to control, disable, or scan the minds of others, as well as influence the opinions of others- something she does constantly, as naturally as breathing.  She also has limited telekinetic abilities, which she uses both offensively and defensively.

Complications:
Enemy: Samantha's pedigree and abilities make her extremely valuable to the Cult of the Third Eye, and her loss is a grave embarassment to them.  They are willing to go to great lengths to get her back
Obsession: Secrets.  Samantha is not above using her powers to get her hands on information she's not supposed to have, even if it's a very bad idea to do so.
Obsession: Taking a target down is not enough.  Even when a foe is beaten, and even when it's a very bad idea, Samantha often feels compelled to go that extra mile and use her powers to utterly humiliate her enemies in whatever way she feels is appropriate.  This doesn't make her many friends.

Totals: Abilities 12 + Skills 7 (28 ranks) + Feats 3 + Powers 51 + Combat 4 + Saves 13 + Drawbacks 0 = 90

TheMinstrelKnight

I would like to point out that 'auto hit' abilities are often times very weak. And also, if you look at a 'mentalist' spread sheet you're going to notice a small flaw with the entire powerset of hers. It's very small, but you'll find it.

Your complications are, for the most part; worthy of being Drawbacks. You could take 6 points for the Obsessions and put them elsewhere. Since apparently they're very, very up there. Each is a 3 point worthy item.
"It's not a rpg, it's a story board with wire characters that we flesh out."
-Some damn good advice, Kerrik Wolf

Poetic Ironic Heroic Viking Metal.
- Ensiferum

Bloody Rose

I have no idea what M&M is at all, first time I heard about it

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Zarazel on February 04, 2011, 04:12:20 PM
I have no idea what M&M is at all, first time I heard about it

Mutants and Masterminds.. the 2nd edition is regarded by most as the best version.

Bloody Rose

no idea what mutants and masterminds is, lol