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MUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMECHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONCHAPTER 1: HERO CREATIONThe Mutants & Masterminds game system allows you to create anysort of hero you want by choosing your character’s abilities, skills,powers, and other qualities. You have a starting “budget” of powerpoints with which to build your hero. There are also certain limitsand guidelines imposed by your character’s power level, but within thoselimits you can build whatever type of character you want. The followingsection covers all the details of how to do it.HERO CREATION SUMMARYCreating a hero in Mutants & Masterminds follows a series of simplesteps, using the information presented in the other chapters of this book.You’ll need a copy of the character sheet and some scratch paper to createyour character.1. HERO CONCEPTBefore you get started, consider what sort of hero you want to create.What are the hero’s basic abilities? What are the hero’s powers? What’sthe hero’s origin? You may want to take a look at the hero archetypeson pages 17-23 for some idea of the different types of heroes you cancreate. You also can draw inspiration from your favorite characters fromcomic books, television, or the movies. Take a look through Chapter5 and see if any of the powers there inspire a character idea. You maywant to jot down a few notes about the sort of hero you’d prefer to play,which will help guide you through the rest of the character creationprocess.2. CHECK WITH YOUR GAMEMASTERYour GM may have particular house rules or restrictions on characters inthe game, not allowing certain powers or concepts. If there are no aliensin the setting, for example, then you can’t play an alien hero. Likewise, ifyour Gamemaster bans mental powers from the campaign, then a psychicisn’t appropriate. Run your hero concept by your Gamemaster before youstart working on it. You might also want to consult with your fellow players so you can create your characters together and ensure they’ll make agood team.3. POWER LEVELYour GM sets the starting power level for the series. Generally this is 10thlevel, but it may range anywhere from around 5th level to 20th level ormore. All characters begin play at the same power level, which determinestheir starting power points and where you can spend them. See PowerLevel later in this chapter for details.4. BASIC ABILITIESChoose the ability scores you want your character to have and pay 1 powerpoint for each ability score point over 10. Choose the attack bonus anddefense bonus for your character, paying 2 power points per 1 to attackor defense bonus. Choose the saving throw bonuses for your character,paying 1 power point per 1 save bonus. Keep in mind these bonuses arelimited by power level. See Chapter 2: Basic Abilities, for details onthese abilities and Power Level later in this chapter for more on powerlevel limits.145. SKILLSChoose the skill ranks you want your character to have and pay 1 powerpoint per 4 skill ranks. Keep in mind your character can’t have a rank inany skill greater than the campaign’s power level 5. See Chapter 3:Skills, for details.6. FEATSChoose the feats you want your character to have and pay 1 power pointper feat or rank in a feat. See Chapter 4: Feats, for details.7. POWERSChoose the powers you want your character to have and pay the power’sbase cost, multiplied by the number of ranks. Power modifiers increaseor reduce a power’s capabilities and cost. See Chapter 5: Powers, fordetails.8. COMPLICATIONS & DRAWBACKSChoose the complications you want your character to have. Choose thedrawbacks you want your character to have (if any) and add their valueto the power points you have to spend. Keep in mind you’re generallylimited to no more points in drawbacks than the campaign’s power level.See Chapter 6, for more detail on complications, drawbacks and theireffects.9. CHECK YOUR MATHGo back through and add up the cost of your hero’s ability scores, attackbonus, defense bonus, saving throw bonuses, skills, feats, and powers, andsubtract the value of your hero’s drawbacks. You should end up with afigure equal to the starting power points shown on the Starting PowerPoints Table on page 24. If not, double-check your math and eitherremove or add traits to your character to reach the starting power pointtotal.10. ADD UP SAVING THROWSCalculate your character’s total saving throw bonuses by adding togetheryour base save bonus and ability modifier for each (Constitution forToughness and Fortitude saves, Dexterity for Reflex saves, and Wisdomfor Will saves).11. FINISHING DETAILSLook through Chapter 6: Characteristics and figure out details likeyour hero’s name, appearance, origin, background, and motivation.Choose your hero’s allegiances (if any). If you can, consider creating asketch or detailed description of your hero’s costume.12. GAMEMASTER APPROVALShow your new hero to the Gamemaster for approval. The GM shouldcheck to make sure your power points are spent and added up correctly,the hero follows the power level guidelines, and is generally complete andsuited to the campaign. Once your GM has approved, your new hero isready for play!HERO CREATION
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MUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMECHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONUNDER THE HOOD: CUSTOMIZING ARCHETYPESThe hero archetypes in this chapter are intended to give you ready-made characters you can put into play right away. However, more experienced M&Mplayers may want to modify or customize an archetype to suit their particular concept of a character. By all means, do so! Customizing is a good halfwaypoint between using an archetype as-is and having to create a new hero completely from scratch. Make sure to clear any changes to the archetype withyour Gamemaster.Each archetype has its power point totals listed so you can modify them as you wish. Ways to customize an archetype include different descriptors forthe archetype’s powers, trade-offs between attack and damage or defense and toughness, giving the character different skills or feats, or shifting aroundsome of the archetype’s ability score points. Be aware that some changes (such as to ability scores) can affect the archetype’s other traits, and adjustthem accordingly.HERO ARCHETYPESTHE BATTLESUITThe fastest and easiest way to create a Mutants & Masterminds hero is toselect one of the hero archetypes in the following section. A hero archetype offers a ready-made character, complete with statistics, skills, feats,and powers. Give the hero a name, a costume, and an origin story, andyou’re ready to take on whatever supervillains the Gamemaster has tothrow at you!The hero archetypes are also useful for Gamemasters looking for somequick villains or NPC heroes. Take a few archetypes, give them catchynames and descriptions, and you’re ready to go! (Villains are covered inmore detail in Chapter 11 as well).Skills are listed with the number of ranks after the skill name and thetotal skill bonus listed in parentheses. For example: Bluff 5 ( 8), meansthe character has 5 ranks of Bluff and a total bonus of 8 when makingBluff checks.All of the archetypes are for a power level 10 game, the defaultstarting power level for Mutants & Masterminds. Several of the archetypes use the Attack/Defense trade-off rule (page 24) to adjust theirmaximum attack, defense, damage, and Toughness save bonuses, asdetermined by their power level.If you really want to see the nuts and bolts of how the archetypes arebuilt, check out the Doing the Math table below. It contains all thedetails of their construction.The Battlesuit relies on a Device, namely a suit of powered armor, toprovide powers including Protection, Super-Strength, and Flight. Thisversion of the Battlesuit is likely either the inventor of the armor, or atleast someone technically capable enough to maintain and repair it,and perhaps even improve upon it (as the player spends earned powerpoints). The Normal Identity Drawback represents the time it takes toget in or out of the armor.COSTUMED ADVENTURERThe costumed adventurer relies on a combination of superhumantraining and an array of devices to fight crime and injustice. Althoughlacking some of the more spectacular powers of other heroes, theadventurer can handle a wide range of challenges.ENERGY CONTROLLERThe Energy Controller wields the power of a particular form of energy (suchas cold, light, or electricity) or a particular element (air, earth, fire, or water).See the various energy control powers from Chapter 5 for details.GADGETEERThe Gadgeteer specializes in creating and using technological devices.In addition to the Gadgeteer’s various standard devices, see theDOING THE MATH16ARCHETYPETHE MATHBattlesuitAbilities 18 Skills 10 (40 ranks) Feats 5 Powers 76 Combat 32 Saves 13 – Drawbacks 4 150Costumed AdventurerAbilities 42 Skills 30 (120 ranks) Feats 15 Combat 48 Saves 15 150Energy ControllerAbilities 22 Skills 10 (40 ranks) Feats 6 Powers 64 Combat 32 Saves 16 150GadgeteerAbilities 33 Skills 21 (84 ranks) Feats 7 Powers 45 Combat 32 Saves 12 150Martial ArtistAbilities 30 Skills 17 (68 ranks) Feats 28 Combat 58 Saves 17 150MimicAbilities 14 Skills 8 (32 ranks) Feats 6 Powers 72 Combat 32 Saves 18 150MysticAbilities 26 Skills 9 (36 ranks) Feats 4 Powers 65 Combat 32 Saves 17 – Drawbacks 3 150ParagonAbilities 15 Skills 5 (20 ranks) Feats 0 Powers 86 Combat 32 Saves 12 150PowerhouseAbilities 20 Skills 8 (32 ranks) Feats 2 Powers 83 Combat 28 Saves 9 150PsychicAbilities 27 Skills 8 (32 ranks) Feats 2 Powers 70 Combat 26 Saves 17 150ShapeshifterAbilities 18 Skills 11 (44 ranks) Feats 3 Powers 64 Combat 40 Saves 14 150SpeedsterAbilities 20 Skills 10 (40 ranks) Feats 4 Powers 53 Combat 46 Saves 17 150Weapon MasterAbilities 26 Skills 19 (76 ranks) Feats 29 Powers 14 Combat 44 Saves 18 150HERO CREATION
CHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONinventing rules on page 131 and the rules for extra effort and hero pointsin Chapter 6 for ideas of what a gadgeteer can accomplish with a littletime and effort.MARTIAL ARTISTThe Martial Artist is a master of unarmed combat (as opposed to theWeapon-Master on page 23). Although lacking powers, the MartialArtist makes up for it with a wide range of feats and peerless combatabilities. Against lesser foes, the Martial Artist often uses the PowerAttack feat, lowering attack bonus to 12 and boosting unarmed damage up to 8!MIMICThe Mimic duplicates the traits of others. With a touch, the Mimic canbecome virtually anyone, and gain their abilities, skills, feats, and powers,limited only by power rank. See the description of the Mimic power onpage 92 for details.MYSTICThe Mystic is a wielder of the magical arts: a magician, sorcerer, or witch.Mystics tend to be mysterious and often speak in cryptic riddles andrhyming spells. A Mystic is capable of both advanced magical rituals andspur-of-the-moment spells. See the magical ritual rules on page 131 andthe rules for extra effort and hero points in Chapter 6.PARAGONStronger, faster, tougher, the Paragon is all these things and more. TheParagon is what many people think of when they think “super-hero”: superstrong, nigh invulnerable, immune to mundane concerns, and able to flythrough the air at great speed.MUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMEBATTLESUITSTR 1234*POWER LEVEL 10DEXCON 1 11212INTWISCHA 5 2 0201410TOUGHNESSFORTITUDEREFLEXWILL 12/ 1** 4 6 7*STR without armor, Bonus 0, **out of armorSkills: Computers 7 ( 12), Craft (electronic) 7 ( 12), Craft (mechanical) 7 ( 12),Disable Device 7 ( 12), Knowledge (technology) 7 ( 12), Notice 5 ( 7)Feats: Accurate Attack, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Power Attack, SecondChance (Disable Device checks)Powers: Device 19 (battlesuit)Battlesuit: Blast 12 (force beams; Power Feats: Alternate Power — EnhancedStrength 24), Communication 4 (radio, 1 mile), Flight 6 (500 MPH),Immunity 9 (life support), Protection 11 (Impervious), Super-Senses 13(blindsight [radio, extended, radius], darkvision, directionsense, distance sense, infravision, radio, time sense),Super-Strength 5 (Heavy Load: 45 tons)Combat: Attack 8, Damage 12(unarmed or blasters), Defense 8,Initiative 1Drawback: Normal Identity(full round, –4 points)POWERHOUSEStrength is the Powerhouse’s specialty, strength enough to lift train carsand take tank fire. While some may underestimate a Powerhouse basedon this specialty, they usually end up regretting it.PSIONICA Psionic wields mental powers of telepathy and telekinesis,providing both strength in combat and a measure of stealthand surveillance.SHAPESHIFTERThe shapeshifter can assume various animal forms, gaining allof the animal’s physical traits, none of which can be greater thanthe character’s Shapeshift power rank. See Animals on page 229for information on the traits of different animals.SPEEDSTERThe Speedster is fast! Speedsters specialize in the Super-Speed power,moving in the blink of an eye, able to accomplish many tasks in the sameamount of time. Players should read the description of the Super-Speedpower on page 104 for details.WEAPON-MASTERThe Weapon-Master is devoted to expertise in a particular type of weapon.It can be an archaic weapon like a sword or bow, modern firearms, or evenfuturistic energy weapons. Even archaic weapons are often enhanced withmodern technology or magic, giving them special capabilities.“I’ve made someupgrades. I canhandle it.”SJHERO CREATION17
MUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMECOSTUMED ADVENTURERCHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONPOWER LEVEL 10STRDEXCONINTWISCHA 3 4 3 3 4 4161816161818ENERGY CONTROLLERPOWER LEVEL 10STRDEXCONINT 1 4 2 0121814WISCHA 1 UDEREFLEXWILL 8/ 5*/ 3 6 10 10 12/ 2* 7 8 8*flat-footed without costume*without Force FieldSkills: Acrobatics 8 ( 12), Bluff 8 ( 12), Climb 7 ( 10), Computers 5 ( 8),Disable Device 8 ( 11), Drive 6 ( 10), Escape Artist 6 ( 10), GatherInformation 6 ( 10), Intimidate 8 ( 12), Investigate 8 ( 11), Knowledge(streetwise) 7 ( 10), Notice 8 ( 12), Search 9 ( 12), Sense Motive 8 ( 12),Sleight of Hand 8 ( 12), Stealth 10 ( 14)Skills: Acrobatics 8 ( 12), Bluff 10 ( 13), Concentration 11 ( 12), Notice 7( 8), Profession 4 ( 5)Feats: Defensive Roll 3, Equipment 4, Evasion 2, Jack-of-All-Trades, PowerAttack, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Stealth),Startle, Surprise Attack, Uncanny DodgePower: Commlink (1 point), Costume(Protection 2), Grapple Gun(Super-Movement—Swinging 1),Utility Belt (array): Flash-bangs(Dazzle 3, Visual and Auditory,15-ft. Burst), Alternate Powers:Boomerangs, Smoke Bombs(Obscure 4, Visual, 20-ft. Burst),Stun grenades (Stun 3, Ranged,15-ft. Burst)Feats: Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Power Attack, Precise Shot, QuickChange, TauntPower: Energy Control 12 (choose one of the following powers fromChapter 5: Cold Control, Cosmic Energy Control, Darkness Control,Electrical Control, Element Control, Gravity Control, Hellfire Control, KineticControl, Light Control, Magnetic Control, Plasma Control, Radiation Control,Sonic Control, Vibration Control, plus three power feats), Flight 6 (500MPH, alternately choose Burrowing 12or Swimming 12), Force Field 10(Extras: Impervious), Immunity 5(chosen energy type)Combat: Attack 8, Damage 12(energy blast), Defense 8,Initiative 4Combat: Attack 12, Damage 3(unarmed), 5 (boomerang),Defense 12, Initiative 4“The mask makesyou a legend.What’s inside makesyou a hero.”“Not bad, but let’ssee how you standup to this!”CB18CBHERO CREATION
CHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONMUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMEGADGETEERSTR 010POWER LEVEL 10DEXCONINT 1 0 101310MARTIAL ARTISTWISCHASTR 5 0 4302010TOUGHNESSFORTITUDEREFLEXWILL 12/ 0* 4 6 818POWER LEVEL 10DEXCONINTWISCHA 5 3 0 2 02016101511TOUGHNESSFORTITUDEREFLEXWILL 7/ 3* 8 13 6*without Force Field*flatfootedSkills: Computers 8 ( 18), Craft (chemical) 8 ( 18), Craft (electronics) 8( 18), Craft (mechanical) 8 ( 18), Disable Device 8 ( 18), Investigate 4( 14), Knowledge (earth sciences) 5 ( 15), Knowledge (life sciences) 6( 16), Knowledge (physical sciences) 6 ( 16), Knowledge (technology) 10( 20), Notice 5 ( 10), Sense Motive 8 ( 13)Skills: Acrobatics 11 ( 16), Concentration 10 ( 12), Escape Artist 10 ( 15),Intimidate 10 ( 10), Notice 8 ( 10), Sense Motive 8 ( 10), Stealth 11 ( 16)Feats: Beginner’s Luck, Eidetic Memory, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Luck,Master Plan, Skill Mastery (Computers, Craft (electronic), Craft (mechanical),Disable Device)Powers: Device 5 (blaster): Blast 12 (easy to lose; Power Feats: AlternatePower — Dazzle (visual) 12), Device 5 (force shield belt): Force Field 12(hard to lose; Extras: Impervious; Power Feats: Selective), Device 2 (jet-pack):Flight 5 (100 MPH; hard to lose),Quickness 4 (x25; Flaws: Limitedto mental tasks)Feats: Accurate Attack, Acrobatic Bluff, Assessment, Blind-Fight, Chokehold,Critical Strike, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 4, Elusive Target,Grappling Finesse, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple,Improved Initiative, Improved Throw, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Luck2, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Redirect, Stunning Attack, TakedownAttack, Uncanny DodgeCombat: Attack 16, Damage 4 (unarmed), Defense 13, Initiative 9Combat: Attack 8, Damage 0 (unarmed), 12 (blaster),Defense 8,Initiative 1“Yeah, I can fixit, no problem,just give me asecond.”“Nice move, butyou’ve leftyourself wideopen.”SJTDHERO CREATION19
MUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMEMIMICSTR 1POWER LEVEL 10DEX 112CHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATION12CON 112INTMYSTICWISCHASTR 1 2 0 112121410POWER LEVEL 10DEXCONINT 1 0 31210WISCHA 5 UDEREFLEXWILL 1 7 7 7 12/ 0 5 6 12Skills: Bluff 8 ( 10), Knowledge (current events) 4 ( 5), Notice 8 ( 9),Profession (choose one) 4 ( 5), Sense Motive 8 ( 9)Feats: Assessment, Beginner’s Luck, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative,Luck, TeamworkPowers: Mimic 12 (all traits at once, plus choose one of the following extras:Continuous, Extra Subject, Ranged, or Stacking. See Mimic, page 92, formore information.)Combat: Attack 8, Damage 1 (unarmed), Defense 8, Initiative 5Skills: Concentration 10 ( 15), Knowledge (arcane lore) 8 ( 11), Notice 5( 10), Search 5 ( 8), Sleight of Hand 8 ( 9)Feats: Fearless, Ritualist, Quick Change, TrancePowers: Astral Form 6 (Power Feats: Alternate Power — Flight 3 and ForceField 12 [Extras: Impervious]), Magic 12 (choose five power feats), SuperSenses 4 (Magical Awareness, Acute, Extended, Radius)Combat: Attack 8, Damage 0 (unarmed), 12 (magic), Defense 8,Initiative 1Drawbacks: Power Loss (AstralForm array and Magic array,when unable to speak or gestureto cast spells, –2 points)“By theScarletShades ofSirrion,begone,denizen ofdarkness!”“Your power ismy power. Let’ssee who uses itbetter.”CJMKSAC20HERO CREATION
CHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONMUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMEPARAGONSTR 1234/14POWER LEVEL 10DEX 112CONINT 12 034/14WIS10CHA 1 11213POWERHOUSESTRDEX 12 034/1810POWER LEVEL 10CONINT 14 038/18WIS10 112CHA EFLEXWILL 12 12 6 8 14 14 4 6Skills: Notice 8 ( 9), Profession (choose one) 4 ( 5), Search 8 ( 8)Powers: Enhanced Constitution 20, Enhanced Strength 20, Flight5 (250 MPH), Immunity 9 (life support), Impervious Toughness 12,Quickness 3, Super-Strength 6 (Heavy Load: 90 tons)Combat: Attack 8, Damage 12 (unarmed), Defense 8, Initiative 1Skills: Intimidate 7 ( 8), Notice 7 ( 8), Profession (choose one) 6 ( 7), Search6 ( 6), Sense Motive 6 ( 7)Feats: Improved Pin, Power AttackPowers: Enhanced Constitution 20, Enhanced Strength 16, Immunity12 (cold and heat damage, fatigue, pressure), Impervious Toughness 10,Leaping 9 (x1,000 distance), Super-Strength 7 (Heavy Load: 180 tons;Power Feats: Groundstrike, Thunderclap)Combat: Attack 8, Damage 12(unarmed), Defense 6,Initiative 0“As long as you needme, I’ll be there.”“Was thatsupposed tahurt?”TPBBHERO CREATION21
MUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMEPSIONICSTR 010CHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONSHAPESHIFTERPOWER LEVEL 10DEXCONINT 1 2 11212WISCHA 6 3152216TOUGHNESSFORTITUDEREFLEXWILL 12/ 1* 5 6 14POWER LEVEL 10STRDEXCON 1 2 2121414INTWISCHA 1 0 3121016TOUGHNESSFORTITUDEREFLEXWILL 2 5 8 5*without Force FieldSkills: Bluff 5 ( 8), Knowledge (life sciences) 4 ( 5), Notice 10 ( 10), Search7 ( 8), Sleight of Hand 4 ( 6), Stealth 6 ( 8), Survival 8 ( 8)Skills: Concentration 8 ( 14), Diplomacy 8 ( 11), Notice 4 ( 10), Profession(choose one) 4 ( 10), Sense Motive 8 ( 14)Feats: Elusive Target, Move-by Action, TauntFeats: Ultimate Save (Will), Uncanny DodgePowers: Shapeshift 8 (Extras: Free Action; Flaws: Limited to animal forms)Powers: Flight 6 (500 MPH), Force Field 11, Super-Senses 2 (DangerSense, Mental Awareness), Telekinesis 11, Telepathy 10 (Power Feats:Alternate Powers — Illusion 6 [allsenses; Power Feats: Selective;Flaws: Phantasms], Mental Blast5, Mind Control 10)Combat: Attack 10, Damage 1 (unarmed), Defense 10, Initiative 2Combat: Attack 5, Damage 5 (mental blast), Defense 8, Initiative 1SAC“The powersof the wild arewithin me.”“It’s all mindover matter.”GB22HERO CREATION
CHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONMUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMESPEEDSTERPOWER LEVEL 10STRDEXCONINT 2 4 2 0141814WIS10 112WEAPON-MASTERPOWER LEVEL 10CHASTRDEXCONINTWISCHA 1 3 5 2 0 1 SSFORTITUDEREFLEXWILL 2 5 14 5 6/ 2* 8 10 8*Flat-footedSkills: Acrobatics 4 ( 8), Bluff 8 ( 9), Disable Device 10 ( 10), Notice 7 ( 8),Profession 4 ( 5), Search 7 ( 7)Feats: Evasion, Fast Overrun, Instant Up, Move-by ActionPowers: Super-Speed 10 (choose four power feats)Combat: Attack 8, Damage 2 (unarmed), Defense 15, Initiative 44Skills: Acrobatics 8 ( 13), Bluff 8 ( 10), Climb 8 ( 11), Concentration 4 ( 5),Intimidate 8 ( 10), Knowledge (streetwise) 8 ( 8), Notice 8 ( 9), Profession4 ( 5), Sense Motive 8 ( 9), Sleight of Hand 4 ( 9), Stealth 8 ( 13)Feats: Accurate Attack, Acrobatic Bluff, Assessment, Attack Focus (melee orranged) 4, Blind-Fight, Critical Strike, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 4,Elusive Target, Evasion 2, Improved Critical (weapon), Improved Defense,Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Luck,Power Attack, Ranged Pin, Takedown Attack, Taunt, Uncanny DodgePowers: Device 4 (weapon),Super-Movement 1 (Swinging)Weapon: Choose Blast or Strike: [Blast 8 (choosefour power feats) Strike 5 (Extras: Penetratingon Strike and Strength; Power Feats: Mighty,Thrown; choose five more power feats)]Combat: Attack 8 ( 12 melee orranged), Damage 3 (unarmed), 8(weapon), Defense 14, Initiative 9“Anything is aweapon in theright hands.”“Fast?!? I’llshow youfast.”TPSCHERO CREATION23
MUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMECHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONPOWER POINTSSPENDING POWER POINTSYou create your Mutants & Masterminds hero by spending power points ondifferent traits. Each ability, skill, feat, power, and other trait has a powerpoint cost, while drawbacks give you additional power points to spend.STARTING POWER POINTSThe campaign’s power level provides a guideline for how many powerpoints you get to create your character (15 points per power level), asshown on the Starting Power Points table. The Gamemaster can varythe starting power points as desired to suit the campaign. You can findmore on this in Chapter 9: Gamemastering.BASIC TRAIT COSTSTRAITCOST IN POWER POINTSAbility Score1 per ability score point above 10Attack Bonus2 per 1 bonusDefense Bonus2 per 1 bonusSave Bonus1 per 1 bonusSkills1 per 4 skill ranksFeats1 per feat or feat rankPowersbase cost rank (see Chapter 5)Drawbacks–1 or more points (see Chapter 6)STARTING POWER POINTS24Each trait costs a certain number of power points. You “spend” or allocate your power points to give your character different traits. Once spent,power points cannot be re-allocated without the use of a particular poweror the Gamemaster’s permission. The basic costs of various traits are givenon the Basic Trait Costs table, with specific costs for powers given inChapter 5, and specific values for drawbacks given in Chapter 6.POWER LEVELPower level is an overall measure of effectiveness and power, primarilycombat ability, but also generally what sort of tasks a character can beexpected to accomplish on a regular basis, assuming the ability to take 10and take 20 (see Checks Without Rolls, page 11).Power level is a value set by the Gamemaster for the campaign. It placescertain limits on where and how players can spend points when creatingheroes. Power level affects the following things: Attack: Your hero’s total attack bonus cannot exceed the campaign’spower level. Defense: Your hero’s total defense bonus cannot exceed the campaign’s power level. Save Difficulty: The saving throw modifier for your hero’s attacksand powers cannot exceed the campaign’s power level. So at PL 8, forexample, your hero cannot have a save modifier greater than 8 (a 8 damage attack, or a power with a save DC of 18, for example). Toughness Save: Your hero’s total Toughness saving throw modifiercannot exceed the campaign’s power level. Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Saves: Your hero’s total Fortitude, Reflex,and Will save modifiers cannot exceed the campaign’s power level 5. Skill Rank: A character cannot have more ranks in a skill than thecampaign’s power level 5. So in a PL10 campaign, a player charactercannot have more than 15 ranks in any one skill (10 5). Ability Scores: Ability scores are limited to a bonus no greater than thecampaign’s power level 5. Strength is restricted by the Save Difficultylimit to a bonus no higher than the campaign’s power level, as isConstitution by the maximum Toughness limit. This means a limit of (10 twice power level) for Strength and Constitution and (20 twice powerlevel) for other ability scores. The Strength and Constitution limits may beraised with an attack/defense trade off (see the following section).POWER LEVELSTARTING POWER 0Although the campaign’s power level defines certain limits, there is someflexibility to them. Players can choose to lower one power level limit on ahero to raise another related limit. You can adjust power level limits in thefollowing ways:13195 142101522516240172551827019285Attack & Save Difficulty: You can trade-off attack bonus for the saving throw Difficulty Class modifier with an attack on a one-to-one basis.So a PL 10 hero could have a 8 attack bonus in order to have a 12save DC modifier, for example, or a hero that has chosen to have a 15 attack bonus is limited to a 5 save DC modifier. This modification does not apply to powers that do not require attack rolls; theyremain limited by the campaign’s normal PL limit on save DC modifiers.Strength is considered an “attack” for purposes of this trade-off, so lowering your attack bonus limit increases your Strength bonus limit. 20300Defense & Toughness: You can trade-off defense bonus forToughness saving throw bonus on a one-to-one basis. So a PL 10 heroATTACK/DEFENSE TRADE-OFFSHERO CREATION
CHAPTER ONE: HERO CREATIONMUTANTS & MASTERMINDSTM ROLEPLAYING GAMEPOWER LEVELPOWER LEVELMAX. ATK./DEF.MAX. SAVE DC MODIFIERMAX. TOUGHNESSMAX. SAVE/ABILITY BONUSMAX. ABILITY SCOREMAX. SKILL RANK11 1 1 622622 2 2 72473434 3 4 3 4 8 926288955 5 5 10301066 6 6 11321177 7 7 1234128989 8 9 8 9 13 14363813141010 10 10 1540151111 11 11 16421612131213 12 13 12 13 17 18444617181414 14 14 1948191515 15 15 2050201616 16 16 21522117181718 17 18 17 18 22 23545622231919 19 19 2458242020 20 20 256025with a 7 defense bonus could have a 13 Toughness save bonus.Conversely a hero in the same campaign who has a 15 defensebonus is limited to a 5 Toughness save bonus.No limit can be reduced to less than 0 in this way and the GM mustapprove all such trade-offs. Attack/defense trade-offs allow for somevariety in combat-related bonuses while maintaining power level balanceamong the heroes overall.Likewise, NPCs may have whatever traits the GM wishes to assign them.In fact, some non-player characters are better treated as plot devices (seepage 211); giving them game stats may limit them too much! For example,an omnipotent cosmic entity doesn’t need a comprehensive list of traits;neither does a mysterious alien artifact with vast and unknown powers.They serve whatever dramatic needs the Gamemaster wishes. You can findmore about creating non-player characters and plot devices in Chapter9: Gamemastering.POWER LEVEL & NPCSRE-ALLOCATING POWER POINTSWhile the GM should keep the power level guidelines and suggestedstarting power points of the campaign in mind while creating villainsand members of the supporting cast, such non-player characters are notrestricted by the campaign’s power level and may have as many powerpoints as the GM wants to give them.Instead, determine an NPC’s power level based on the character’shighest appropriate trait(s). This power level is simply an approximationto show what level of challenge that NPC offers, and is not necessarilyrelated to the NPC’s power point total, which may be greater than or lessthan the recommended starting power points for that power level. NPCsare often designed to fill a particular niche in the campaign and do notneed to be as well rounded or balanced as heroes.Example: The Gamemaster is creating a villain for a power level10 campaign. The bad guy has a 8 attack bonus and a primaryattack with a 16 damage bonus. Averaging these together givesthe GM a power level of (16 8)/2 which equals 12. So long asnone of the villain’s other traits exceed this limit, the GM notes thevillain’s power level as 12, a reasonable challenge for a group of PL10 heroes.HERO CREATIONNormally a hero’s traits are relatively fixed. Once power points are spenton traits, they remain there. In some
com ic books, television, or the m ov ies. Take a look through C h a p ter 5 and see if any of the pow ers there inspire a character idea. You m ay wa nt to jot dow n a few notes about the sort of hero youÕd prefer to play, w hich w ill
