M&M Paragons

[The_Universe]

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.


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.

Thanks! My curiosity, already high, is now running at a fever pitch! I can't wait for Gen Con so I can get the book!

Another question:

How did the more "realistic" treatment of a superhero world, implied by the descriptions of Paragons I've seen, influence the design on the NPCs therein, both good and bad? Will the stock characters take on a darker tone than their four color Freedom City counterparts?

 

[Kenson]

How did the more "realistic" treatment of a superhero world, implied by the descriptions of Paragons I've seen, influence the design on the NPCs therein, both good and bad? Will the stock characters take on a darker tone than their four color Freedom City counterparts?

Some are darker, others simply stranger: Freedom City cleaves pretty close to its inspirational source material, Paragons is more "out there," so you end up with characters like a paranormal with multiple personalities (each with a different power), a food blogger able to teleport to any restaurant in the world, a paranormal wrestler who "feeds" on the emotional energy of crowds, a television journalist able to compel people to speak the truth, a precognitive serial killer who is actually preventing even worse things from happening, or a Middle Eastern woman who can create a zone of complete and total peace, but only by absorbing so much rage that she must kill in order to release it, among others.

 

[Jim Hague]

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).

Awesome. I already had this budgeted, but now it's very much in the MUST HAVE category. Thanks for the clarification, Steve.

 

[Kenson]

New Paragons Design Journal

... and a new Paragons Design Journal is now available in Super-Vision.