A M&M concept I want: Mission Impossible/Young Justice/Suicide Squad Supers

[TFcommando]

I'd like to play in a Mutants and Masterminds 3rd edition game with covert and undercover activities as a focus, something like the original John Ostrander Suicide Squad, the Young Justice animated series or Mission: Impossible with super powers.  Some iterations of the Thunderbolts fit too, especially the one run by Thunderbolt Ross, where the supers he recruited were promised use of the team for their own missions as payment for their services.

It doesn't have to be a government-sponsored team, it could be something established by a Batman-type who has broadened his/her perspective past fighting street crime to national and international-level causes and problems.  Go to sabotage plants in China that are making bad opioids to flood other countries... or pull data from their US partners to ruin the companies doing it in the US.  Act against the forces of HYDRA or the Kobra Cult before they try their next evil plan.  Go undercover in that supervillain-run country to retrieve a villain hiding there and bring him to justice.  Things like that. 

Also things that require more than just a big fight scene.  It'd give a master of disguise hero more to do, a gadgeteer could make more than just blasters and grenades for specific sabotage or deception, a close-range mind reader might need support or a clever plan with her teammates to get close to the person who has the info they need, and so on.  It could allow for the play of more specialized heroes as well.  Think about Razorback from Marvel, who has the mutant power to operate any vehicle as an expert.  That could be quite useful for this sort of thing, especially if the team needs transport for long-distance movement.

It'd be "lower powered," PL 8 or 10, but without broadly applicable power types so they can't just power through a solution with nothing but brute force, or take on a whole army or nation.  Not so much Captain Marvel or Superman, but a Spider-Man would fit, as would an Iron Fist or Luke Cage, a more narrow magic user, but not Dr. Strange.  Green Goblin but not Iron Man.

Edit: And of course, seduction of various sorts and other sexy elements that can’t go in  comics, a Poison Ivy type with less concealing vines, etc.

[Callie Del Noire]

Sounds like a fun setting..had some low level types in that range..

Syn..teleporter with amazing recall..
Myriad..basically an actress with multiple bodies..
Sprint/Dash... low level speedster/super athlete

[keyotess]

I would be up for playing in it.   And maybe some GM'ing if I had help.  I don't have time to create unique villains unfortunately.

[TFcommando]

I would be up for playing in it.   And maybe some GM'ing if I had help.  I don't have time to create unique villains unfortunately.

I'd be glad to help on making or digging up villains.  There are plenty of people writing them up and posting them!  Hopefully the Green Ronin forums come back soon. 

[keyotess]

Great, now comes the planning.  My goal will be to post every Sunday once we get started, but I will be available to answer questions all through the week.
I have been running 2 D&D games in RL and they have been going since 2015.  My philosophy/style of GM'ing is that I am helping players tell the story of their characters.  The more active and proactive players are, the more I have to work with and expand upon.


Missions will be based on investigatory in nature with fights mixed in.  Lets start with PL 8 characters and there will be some powers that I will not allow because they will make investigating too easy. As characters are turned in, I will make a determination.  I prefer a small group for my first foray into GM'ing on E!, at most 2 more players.
My preference for the world is to have women be prominent and men in the background. Heh, I wouldn't be upset if we dropped men all together.

Question:  How long have there been powers in the world? 
Question: Canon (marvel/DC/etc) or homebrew world that borrows things we like? 

[Callie Del Noire]

Got a few ideas.

[keyotess]

Got a few ideas.

Lets hear them!

[Callie Del Noire]

Let’s see.

Myriad. Multiple bodies (thinking 4-5 bodies) one mind. Maybe a bunch a skills and few low grade power
Chase  Bike messenger turned speedster

I’d like to think I could use Jaunt but I think a teleporter is hard to pull off at PL 8

[keyotess]

Let’s see.

Myriad. Multiple bodies (thinking 4-5 bodies) one mind. Maybe a bunch a skills and few low grade power
Chase  Bike messenger turned speedster

I’d like to think I could use Jaunt but I think a teleporter is hard to pull off at PL 8

Either of those would work. :)

[TFcommando]

Missions will be based on investigatory in nature with fights mixed in.  Lets start with PL 8 characters and there will be some powers that I will not allow because they will make investigating too easy. As characters are turned in, I will make a determination.  I prefer a small group for my first foray into GM'ing on E!, at most 2 more players.
My preference for the world is to have women be prominent and men in the background. Heh, I wouldn't be upset if we dropped men all together.

Question:  How long have there been powers in the world? 
Question: Canon (marvel/DC/etc) or homebrew world that borrows things we like?

Here's a crazy idea... what if the game was set in the 1960s?  You'd have the cold war as a backdrop.  You could say, as Marvel and DC did, that there were powered heroes in the war and they faded away not long after, but started emerging again recently. 

The usual two approaches otherwise are "Since WWII" or "Just within the last 10 years."  Either works, though for the "Marvel Universe experience" with all sorts of unusual things and people laying around, the since the 40s could work better.

I say go home-brew and borrow things we like, either straight up or "version of X with the serial numbers filed off."  That way, if (non PC character or element) presents a question with the world building, they're not there!  Elements that would fit are small a made-up country in South America, the Pacific Rim, the mid-east and central Europe.  Also, or one of them could be, a lawless villain-run state, providing cover for all sorts of villains.  A HYDRA type organization too, as broad-reaching opposition.

As always, I have a wide range of concepts!

A Batgirl-type skills and martial arts crimefighter who's gone through a lifestyle change after being bonded with a succubus or shadow-themed magic artifact on the job.  Disguise shapeshifting, darkness projection, maybe some mental influence or mind reading to see what people like for the shapeshifting.  It's fueled in part by tantric sex though, and may be making her more kinky... or bringing out her own kinks.  A related concept is instead of an artifact, a magic book of tantric sex, the Ritualist advantage and some magic detection powers, and Quickness for rituals (with guess what as a requirement), or some full-on sorcery with bolts and blasts, perhaps having demanded the sacrifice of her martial arts skills. 

An expy of the '40s to '80s version of Phantom Lady, highly skilled and trained crimefighter with a clever support gadget or two, including a holographic disguise unit.  Similar to above, but already having a more international focus and exhibitionist nature.

More unusual, a monster girl shapeshifter, able to assume various part-human forms, drider, harpy, centaur, maybe minotaur or slime girl.  An unasked-for power from a curse or cursed artifact... and she can't stay plain human 100% of the time either, making a normal job somewhat impractical.  Could have been an adventuring archaeologist or scholar, which lead to her current situation.

A catgirl.  More in the "Former normal human" category, a mutant or tech/magically altered fully-furred catgirl.  Close combatant, stealthy, strong, fast (as fast as a car, but not a speeding bullet), enhanced senses.  Might be able to appear human for a short time, but again, something that makes a normal life hard. 

Ninja demon werewolf!  Inspired by Yaku from La Blue Girl, a (sex) ninja with a taint in her (demonic) blood that turns her into a beast sometimes...  a werewolf or a brute demon, contrasting with her natural skill and training.  Mostly controlled and able to be used at will as well, though perhaps not able to shift back and forth at the drop of a hat, with an outside force (lack of sex?) triggering it.

Fighter pilot ace!  Only slightly less impractical than for a normal hero game, a fighter pilot with a fighter plane, along the lines of the Blackhawks or Airboy.  Alternately, someone with a full-sized submarine and a flying sub mini-vehicle, a modern-day Captain Nemo (Possibly with the actual Nautilus, discovered on Lincoln Island, or some other sub from a prior era). 

[keyotess]

Here's a crazy idea... what if the game was set in the 1960s?  You'd have the cold war as a backdrop.  You could say, as Marvel and DC did, that there were powered heroes in the war and they faded away not long after, but started emerging again recently. 

The usual two approaches otherwise are "Since WWII" or "Just within the last 10 years."  Either works, though for the "Marvel Universe experience" with all sorts of unusual things and people laying around, the since the 40s could work better.

I say go home-brew and borrow things we like, either straight up or "version of X with the serial numbers filed off."  That way, if (non PC character or element) presents a question with the world building, they're not there!  Elements that would fit are small a made-up country in South America, the Pacific Rim, the mid-east and central Europe.  Also, or one of them could be, a lawless villain-run state, providing cover for all sorts of villains.  A HYDRA type organization too, as broad-reaching opposition.

Sounds good to me, 1960s, no famous supers, but some neighborhood supers. During WW2, there were some famous supers, but they retired after the war and no one has stepped forward to follow in their paths.  Recently powered people have shown up and become dictators of third world countries.  There has developed a world terrorist organization with the goal of taking over the world for its own good. 

Your characters will be connected by a secret organization that is nominally under NATO to stop the spread of authorianism.  They operate in secret with their main goal to stop the secret organization that is trying to take over the world, but very little is known about this organization.

Only women can develop Super powers!! 

As always, I have a wide range of concepts!

A Batgirl-type skills and martial arts crimefighter who's gone through a lifestyle change after being bonded with a succubus or shadow-themed magic artifact on the job.  Disguise shapeshifting, darkness projection, maybe some mental influence or mind reading to see what people like for the shapeshifting.  It's fueled in part by tantric sex though, and may be making her more kinky... or bringing out her own kinks.  A related concept is instead of an artifact, a magic book of tantric sex, the Ritualist advantage and some magic detection powers, and Quickness for rituals (with guess what as a requirement), or some full-on sorcery with bolts and blasts, perhaps having demanded the sacrifice of her martial arts skills. 

An expy of the '40s to '80s version of Phantom Lady, highly skilled and trained crimefighter with a clever support gadget or two, including a holographic disguise unit.  Similar to above, but already having a more international focus and exhibitionist nature.

More unusual, a monster girl shapeshifter, able to assume various part-human forms, drider, harpy, centaur, maybe minotaur or slime girl.  An unasked-for power from a curse or cursed artifact... and she can't stay plain human 100% of the time either, making a normal job somewhat impractical.  Could have been an adventuring archaeologist or scholar, which lead to her current situation.

A catgirl.  More in the "Former normal human" category, a mutant or tech/magically altered fully-furred catgirl.  Close combatant, stealthy, strong, fast (as fast as a car, but not a speeding bullet), enhanced senses.  Might be able to appear human for a short time, but again, something that makes a normal life hard. 

Ninja demon werewolf!  Inspired by Yaku from La Blue Girl, a (sex) ninja with a taint in her (demonic) blood that turns her into a beast sometimes...  a werewolf or a brute demon, contrasting with her natural skill and training.  Mostly controlled and able to be used at will as well, though perhaps not able to shift back and forth at the drop of a hat, with an outside force (lack of sex?) triggering it.

Fighter pilot ace!  Only slightly less impractical than for a normal hero game, a fighter pilot with a fighter plane, along the lines of the Blackhawks or Airboy.  Alternately, someone with a full-sized submarine and a flying sub mini-vehicle, a modern-day Captain Nemo (Possibly with the actual Nautilus, discovered on Lincoln Island, or some other sub from a prior era).

Pick your favorite, although I prefer any monstergirls/furry characters to be more human than monster.

If you want an order of preference:
1: Batgirl-type bonded with succubus
2: fighter pilot
3: Phantom lady inspired
4: ninja/werewolf/demon
5: catgirl
6: shapeshifter

I am stealing the Nemo concept, debating if it is for the good gals or bad gals.

I encourage players to talk to each other and come up with characters that can work with each other and don't overlap. :)

[TFcommando]

Sounds good to me, 1960s, no famous supers, but some neighborhood supers. During WW2, there were some famous supers, but they retired after the war and no one has stepped forward to follow in their paths.  Recently powered people have shown up and become dictators of third world countries.  There has developed a world terrorist organization with the goal of taking over the world for its own good. 

Your characters will be connected by a secret organization that is nominally under NATO to stop the spread of authorianism.  They operate in secret with their main goal to stop the secret organization that is trying to take over the world, but very little is known about this organization.

Only women can develop Super powers!! 

I like it!  The DC New Frontier series by Darwyn Cooke (also done as an animated movie) would be worth a look, it shows the start of the transition from the post-war non-costumed adventurer groups and vigilantes to the more traditional superhero role (Apart from Superman).  The Flash was known as just a local hero in Illinois, for example, while the Challengers of the Unknown were front page news.

The 60s was a long decade and had a lot of changes over it... in the early Fantastic Four issues (c. 1962), youthful rebel Johnny Storm commonly wears a suit and a tie to go to the newsstand, but later, we're seeing psychedelic covers for SHIELD and Wonder Woman and Supergirl have mod costumes with miniskirts.  Thus, have it set in "the sixties" without being tied to a specific date, and use the fun parts people like! :)

Could be that only men developed superpowers in WWII, but now it's only women, causing some interesting reactions and social tensions!

Pick your favorite, although I prefer any monstergirls/furry characters to be more human than monster.

If you want an order of preference:
1: Batgirl-type bonded with succubus
2: fighter pilot
3: Phantom lady inspired
4: ninja/werewolf/demon
5: catgirl
6: shapeshifter

I am stealing the Nemo concept, debating if it is for the good gals or bad gals.

I encourage players to talk to each other and come up with characters that can work with each other and don't overlap. :)

And since the '60s idea got adopted, I may come up with even more, something period-specific!  Though plenty can be adapted to the time easily enough, exploration of the mystic was getting big.

On the monster girl side of things, I was thinking primarily the 'taur type, human from the waist up, maybe exotic ears.  Catgirls are like the Cheetah, Tigra or Cheetah from Gold Digger, furry all over, but human-featured otherwise.  12Beast (from the author of Monster Musume) is an inspiration there.

I'll start prodding at ideas... Batgirl (or Batgirl-type) exposed to the mystic in some way, empowered but it changed her life and perspective.  I think I have three distinct builds for that!  Batgirl was a librarian originally.  Having her explore things further and further away from her "straight" life, getting new urges and kinks would be fun.

Flying ace idea... a jet like an EA-6B Prowler that can hold four people, and thus the whole team (and one person they're taking in/out).   It could have advanced features we take for granted, like radar stealth and VTOL capabilities, and an advanced remote control (with the control in a watch or coin!).  It could be a unique vehicle, perhaps a legacy project from a Blackhawks-type group, as the character is an inheritor of their legacy (and flying skills). 

[keyotess]

I like it!  The DC New Frontier series by Darwyn Cooke (also done as an animated movie) would be worth a look, it shows the start of the transition from the post-war non-costumed adventurer groups and vigilantes to the more traditional superhero role (Apart from Superman).  The Flash was known as just a local hero in Illinois, for example, while the Challengers of the Unknown were front page news.

The 60s was a long decade and had a lot of changes over it... in the early Fantastic Four issues (c. 1962), youthful rebel Johnny Storm commonly wears a suit and a tie to go to the newsstand, but later, we're seeing psychedelic covers for SHIELD and Wonder Woman and Supergirl have mod costumes with miniskirts.  Thus, have it set in "the sixties" without being tied to a specific date, and use the fun parts people like! :)

Could be that only men developed superpowers in WWII, but now it's only women, causing some interesting reactions and social tensions!

Sounds good to me :)  And I will see about checking out DC New Frontier.

And since the '60s idea got adopted, I may come up with even more, something period-specific!  Though plenty can be adapted to the time easily enough, exploration of the mystic was getting big.

On the monster girl side of things, I was thinking primarily the 'taur type, human from the waist up, maybe exotic ears.  Catgirls are like the Cheetah, Tigra or Cheetah from Gold Digger, furry all over, but human-featured otherwise.  12Beast (from the author of Monster Musume) is an inspiration there.

I'll start prodding at ideas... Batgirl (or Batgirl-type) exposed to the mystic in some way, empowered but it changed her life and perspective.  I think I have three distinct builds for that!  Batgirl was a librarian originally.  Having her explore things further and further away from her "straight" life, getting new urges and kinks would be fun.

Flying ace idea... a jet like an EA-6B Prowler that can hold four people, and thus the whole team (and one person they're taking in/out).   It could have advanced features we take for granted, like radar stealth and VTOL capabilities, and an advanced remote control (with the control in a watch or coin!).  It could be a unique vehicle, perhaps a legacy project from a Blackhawks-type group, as the character is an inheritor of their legacy (and flying skills). 

Look forward to seeing what you work up. :)

FYI:
The secret organization is going to be providing Long Range transportation for the group and bases. 

We also need a name for the Secret Organization, with a sexy Acronym.

[TFcommando]

Sounds good to me :)  And I will see about checking out DC New Frontier.

Look forward to seeing what you work up. :)

FYI:
The secret organization is going to be providing Long Range transportation for the group and bases. 

We also need a name for the Secret Organization, with a sexy Acronym.

National Undercover Defense Effort! :)

[keyotess]

National Undercover Defense Effort! :)

NUDE:  Nations Undercover Defense Effort  :)  You all work for NATO :)

[Callie Del Noire]

So an attempt to recreate a WWII hero would either kill or change men?

[keyotess]

So an attempt to recreate a WWII hero would either kill or change men?

No, you can recreate a WW2 hero.  If you want to play a male character we will make changes to game setup.

[Callie Del Noire]

No, you can recreate a WW2 hero.  If you want to play a male character we will make changes to game setup.

Nah.. just thinking thru origins... you know me genderbending is fun.

[keyotess]

Nah.. just thinking thru origins... you know me genderbending is fun.

Genderbend away!! :)     So if someone was trying to recreate a "Capt America" who was a WW2 hero through a scientific experiment... DOH....comes out female!!

[keyotess]

Backgrounds should include how you encountered the evil organization and were recruited into NUDE and entering their first NUDE base.  If you have seen the new Charlie's Angels trailer where they are entering the Angels secret base, you will get the idea.  Or think of Bond films secret bases where they monitor activities around the world. :)

Need a name for the evil organization with another sexy acronym. :)  Their long term goal is to get their own members elected/chosen as head of states to bring the world under their 'benevolent' control.  They want to be the Kingmakers of the world.  They engage in criminal/terrorist activities to pay for their operations and destabilize governments not under their control.   

Oh, FYI, clothes are expected to be torn, shredded, blown off regularly during engagements!  Plan for a huge clothing budget.

NUDE are enablers for heroines to operate, provide information and transportation around world.  They are not officially recognized by any world government, although every NATO member government will help NUDE agents out.  NUDE has been tasked with handling and ferreting out the evil organizations and other supernatural events.  NUDE was setup because it was noticed the infiltration of World governments by evil organization and an organization that didn't report to governments was needed to fight it.

There has been a resurgence of magic in the world and interdimensional beings crossover for good and bad.

[TFcommando]

I'm leaning towards someone with Batgirl/crimefighter skills and the "know-it-all" build with a fair Int and Eidetic Memory to make any Expertise roll at a default, and probably some mystic aspects.

Alternately, a ninja, were-creature or not, from the currently-exotic Far East.  Possibly with some fighting game-type chi powers instead. 

Still an outside chance of the ace pilot as well.

Crushing Unity with Nationalism & Terror, for the bad guys perhaps?  Or it's just a word and no one on the outside knows what it stands for?

[keyotess]

I'm leaning towards someone with Batgirl/crimefighter skills and the "know-it-all" build with a fair Int and Eidetic Memory to make any Expertise roll at a default, and probably some mystic aspects.

Alternately, a ninja, were-creature or not, from the currently-exotic Far East.  Possibly with some fighting game-type chi powers instead. 

Still an outside chance of the ace pilot as well.

Crushing Unity with Nationalism & Terror, for the bad guys perhaps?  Or it's just a word and no one on the outside knows what it stands for?

Actually both, a word that NUDE calls them and what they call themselves.  What the organization calls itself no one knows yet.

Oh, if you have the ace pilot made, can use it     Or even just bare outline.

[TFcommando]

I had the whole character sheet done already, sent! :)

The evil organization could have different regional branches, each with a locally-themed commander, each pursuing the overall goal in different ways and via different crimes.  VIPER, the evil HYDRA (or THRUSH, for Man from UNCLE fans) organization from Champions was set up as a franchise, the master organization will sell you, the up and coming ambitious criminal mastermind, what you need to start your own Nest, uniforms, blasters, etc. 

[keyotess]

I had the whole character sheet done already, sent! :)

The evil organization could have different regional branches, each with a locally-themed commander, each pursuing the overall goal in different ways and via different crimes.  VIPER, the evil HYDRA (or THRUSH, for Man from UNCLE fans) organization from Champions was set up as a franchise, the master organization will sell you, the up and coming ambitious criminal mastermind, what you need to start your own Nest, uniforms, blasters, etc.

Thanks!

And that is an excellent idea!! :)

[Callie Del Noire]

Or you could have something like the Syndicate from the Whateley web fiction. They have a ‘coverage’ plan for minions and villains.. you pay in, you get discount with Syndicate associated businesses, access to the hideouts, ‘rescue insurance’.

They are cool.