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ECL and CR in Mutants and Masterminds (and other games)?
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<blockquote data-quote="Ben Robbins" data-source="post: 3064445" data-attributes="member: 38705"><p>PL is a very good starting point for gauging threat, but because of the huge range of possibilities in a supers game you do have to do a heads-up comparison of the combatant's abilities (mentalists vs low Will bricks, flyers vs characters with no ranged attacks, and so on).</p><p></p><p>Most d20 systems are based on the concept of resource attrition across encounters -- you use up hit points, spells, etc so each encounter wears you down for the next one. In M&M (and lots of games in the superhero genre) attrition across encounters is a much smaller issue. You can carry over conditions (lethal hits, staggered, exhausted), but you can also wash them with a little rest or by spending hero points. You can run low on hero points, but if you are following the pattern described in the book you may instead gain hero points as the game goes on (permitting you to face and trounce the end villain) -- it's almost a "that which does not kill you makes you stronger" situation.</p><p></p><p>So unlike D&D, encounters are pretty much binary: if you won, you're usually just as good as you were before the encounter, except for hero points. A tough fight will cost hero points, most other fights will gain you hero points (or you spend them just to do stylish things, not to gain a tactical advantage, which is great too).</p><p></p><p>Also unlike D&D, M&M can be very random since everything is happening based on a flat d20 range. In D&D damage is generally a predictable fraction of your hit points (you take d8 from the axe, you have 30 hp, so you can take about 7 hits before you drop). In M&M one unlucky toughness save can send a perfectly healthy hero (or villain) flying. Hero points and GM's Fiat are included to mitigate this randomness, but it means that even in a well-balanced fight you can be in for surprises.</p><p></p><p>None of these points are intended to be criticisms of M&M: I think it fits the genre really well that fights can be so dramatic and decisive, but it can be a surprise to new GMs when the heroes one-punch the evil overlord. The wise use of Hero Points and GMs Fiat (aka metagaming) takes a little getting used to if you're coming from other d20 systems where those options are not so critical.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ben Robbins, post: 3064445, member: 38705"] PL is a very good starting point for gauging threat, but because of the huge range of possibilities in a supers game you do have to do a heads-up comparison of the combatant's abilities (mentalists vs low Will bricks, flyers vs characters with no ranged attacks, and so on). Most d20 systems are based on the concept of resource attrition across encounters -- you use up hit points, spells, etc so each encounter wears you down for the next one. In M&M (and lots of games in the superhero genre) attrition across encounters is a much smaller issue. You can carry over conditions (lethal hits, staggered, exhausted), but you can also wash them with a little rest or by spending hero points. You can run low on hero points, but if you are following the pattern described in the book you may instead gain hero points as the game goes on (permitting you to face and trounce the end villain) -- it's almost a "that which does not kill you makes you stronger" situation. So unlike D&D, encounters are pretty much binary: if you won, you're usually just as good as you were before the encounter, except for hero points. A tough fight will cost hero points, most other fights will gain you hero points (or you spend them just to do stylish things, not to gain a tactical advantage, which is great too). Also unlike D&D, M&M can be very random since everything is happening based on a flat d20 range. In D&D damage is generally a predictable fraction of your hit points (you take d8 from the axe, you have 30 hp, so you can take about 7 hits before you drop). In M&M one unlucky toughness save can send a perfectly healthy hero (or villain) flying. Hero points and GM's Fiat are included to mitigate this randomness, but it means that even in a well-balanced fight you can be in for surprises. None of these points are intended to be criticisms of M&M: I think it fits the genre really well that fights can be so dramatic and decisive, but it can be a surprise to new GMs when the heroes one-punch the evil overlord. The wise use of Hero Points and GMs Fiat (aka metagaming) takes a little getting used to if you're coming from other d20 systems where those options are not so critical. [/QUOTE]
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ECL and CR in Mutants and Masterminds (and other games)?
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