M&M Paragons

[Eridanis]

Please keep the discussion on topic. Thank you.

 

[Kenson]

So, in terms of Paragons we'll have regular previews and design journals over the next few weeks, leading up to the setting book's release at GenCon. If folks have questions or requests for previews, let me know and I'll see what I can do to provide.

 

[Jim Hague]

Well, here's one that's pretty straightforward, Steve - what's the 'feel' you're going for here? Rising Stars? Aberrant? Heroes? The current run of Squadron Supreme? I know there's been a lot of comparison to that last, but I consider that in the vein of comparing Delta Green to the X-Files...

 

[Kenson]

Well, here's one that's pretty straightforward, Steve - what's the 'feel' you're going for here? Rising Stars? Aberrant? Heroes? The current run of Squadron Supreme?

Well the somewhat glib answer is "all of the above." The idea is you can "tune" the setting to be whichever of those you're looking to emulate in your game. Chapter 6 of the book contains a number of "series frameworks," set-ups for different styles and themes of Paragons series. They range from characters as agents of the Paranormal Regulatory Agency to explorers of strange phenomena and realms beyond normal experience, world-changing powerhouses, or the first newly awakened paranormals just trying to deal with being paranormal in a normal world, among others.

 

[Jim Hague]

Well the somewhat glib answer is "all of the above." The idea is you can "tune" the setting to be whichever of those you're looking to emulate in your game. Chapter 6 of the book contains a number of "series frameworks," set-ups for different styles and themes of Paragons series. They range from characters as agents of the Paranormal Regulatory Agency to explorers of strange phenomena and realms beyond normal experience, world-changing powerhouses, or the first newly awakened paranormals just trying to deal with being paranormal in a normal world, among others.

It's all made of Win and Awesome Steve...but that bold there's mine, which leads to the next question - would that be a Planetary style campaign framework, would you say? I ask because I'm a huge fan, and I know MnM'll do it...but it's always good to see the spin on existing frameworks by someone who's as clearly in touch with the tropes as you are.

 

[Kenson]

It's all made of Win and Awesome Steve...but that bold there's mine, which leads to the next question - would that be a Planetary style campaign framework, would you say?

Absolutely, should one be so inclined.

 

[Jim Hague]

Absolutely, should one be so inclined.

Clarifying a bit - and I understand if you don't want to reveal too much here - does that mean that we can look forward to crazy secret history in Paragons? Mystery archaeologists uncovering the hidden truths behind the setting?

 

[The_Universe]

Steve,

I've read elsewhere (and its been implied here) that Paragons is supposed to be fairly general, to allow GMs to "flavor to taste." Will the attempt to keep things suitably general mean that there are fewer superpowered NPCs in this book than there were in Freedom City?

Freedom City seems to presume that PCs will be around PL 10 for most adventures; will Paragons assume a similar power level, or will the relative "newness" of paranormal abilities push the PL to something more akin to the "Street" or "Agents" level?

 

[Kenson]

Clarifying a bit - and I understand if you don't want to reveal too much here - does that mean that we can look forward to crazy secret history in Paragons?

Not explicitly "secret history" as such: if you want to run a "reality archeologists" style game, the recommendation is to "bury" a lot of the material in the book for the player characters to dig up. Also, some important elements of the setting, such as the true origin of paranormal powers, are left for the GM to decide from a menu of choices (providing other mysteries for the PCs to uncover).

 

[Kenson]

I've read elsewhere (and its been implied here) that Paragons is supposed to be fairly general, to allow GMs to "flavor to taste." Will the attempt to keep things suitably general mean that there are fewer superpowered NPCs in this book than there were in Freedom City?

Not really, simply because while Freedom City assumes most of the characters in the book co-exist (unless the GM chooses to replace some of the heroes), Paragons assumes the GM will be picking and choosing NPCs from the book and likely downplaying or outright ignoring others, so there are a lot of characters to provide a wide menu of choice, not necessarily to fill the setting with characters.

Freedom City seems to presume that PCs will be around PL 10 for most adventures; will Paragons assume a similar power level, or will the relative "newness" of paranormal abilities push the PL to something more akin to the "Street" or "Agents" level?

Paragons assumes a range of PLs depending on the style of the series, from low-level (PL 6 or so) "new paranormals" to PL 12+ characters in a "Vanguard" style series where the paragons are dealing with some high-level stuff and really changing the world.