Mutants & Masterminds

[ValhallaGH]

Eh.

That's my opinion of it. Working from the first edition.

I've seen the first edition, and as a guy that's only played second edition, I am of the opinion that 1e is crap.
There's no balance, not much consistency, and too many D&D assumptions built into the system for it to work well for super-heroes. The PL caps on attack/damage, defense/toughness, and save difficulty do an amazing job of keeping the game in line.

The second edition is amazingly well-balanced, with normal people and supers of the same power-level able to interact fairly (given their abilities). If the normal is clever then he's got as good a chance at winning as the super; if he tries to box the super then he's probably going to lose, badly.

As long as the GM is paying attention and doesn't let players take Alternate Form at 2 for 1 (or even 1 for 2), or a few similarly broken combinations that allow a character to effectively double, triple, quadruple or more their power then there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[Bretbo]

I like to see boatloads of books for MnM and d20 Modern as there are for GURPS and HERO.

Just a F.Y.I for everyone: there is a Iron Age era sourcebook (Iron Age), a teen hero sourcebook (Hero High), a multi-verse/locations sourcebook for the Freedom City setting (Worlds of Freedom) and a magic sourcebook (not sure of it's name) coming down the pike. Probably a few others, but those are the big ones off the top of my head.

Also, a new setting called Paragons is set to be released this summer. Some have compared it to the NBC show, Heroes; but before anyone thinks Green Ronin is ripping them off, it was supposedly developed before the show aired.

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

Eh.

That's my opinion of it. Working from the first edition. I have no idea how the second edition is different, but, after seeing all the glowing praise for M&M, we picked it up and gave it a shot (several shots). I can't articulate why we didn't like it, but it didn't work for us. I know some of that was the damage save mechanic. No one in the group liked that.

If you can find it cheap and have the extra cash, I recommend picking it up simply because it does seem to work really well for a lot of people - I think me and mine are an oddity.

In all honesty, upgrade to 2nd edition. It fixes a lot of the issues that existed with 1st edition, and is overall a much more enjoyable game.

 

[Henry]

Also, a new setting called Paragons is set to be released this summer. Some have compared it to the NBC show, Heroes; but before anyone thinks Green Ronin is ripping them off, it was supposedly developed before the show aired.

If anything, Heroes unintentionally ripped off the old Marvel Comics' New Universe series from the late 1980's, but then, the idea of "supers who aren't heroes" isn't a completely original one.

 

[EditorBFG]

Unless you're talking background fluff instead of mechanics crunch.

Esxactly. I thought Agents was a great book, it just wasn't what jonrog and I were talking about.

And I agree that Green Ronin's M&M releases should stay focused on Supers. That is why I came out in favor of a wiki or something, as suggested, to act as a repository for M&M genre house rules.

I love True20, believe me-- I edited one of the settings in the main book (Mecha vs. Kaiju), after all-- but I think that two systems are different enough that each does some things the other can't. If one wanted to convert a game like White Wolf's new Scion, for example, (which has a great concept, but is fettered by the Exalted system, which I think bogs down), M&M would be a much better fit than True20.

I can't articulate why we didn't like it, but it didn't work for us. I know some of that was the damage save mechanic. No one in the group liked that.

As I said, the Mastermind's Manual has optional rules for replacing damage save with hit points in M&M. I see Ben Robbins doesn't much care for it, and I do see his point, but I would rather see folks who are used to hit points include them in M&M than dismiss the game entirely because they don't like damage save.

 

[Krolik]

As I said, the Mastermind's Manual has optional rules for replacing damage save with hit points in M&M. I see Ben Robbins doesn't much care for it, and I do see his point, but I would rather see folks who are used to hit points include them in M&M than dismiss the game entirely because they don't like damage save.

Also, even if someone's not fond of of the M&M Damage Save they might find some interest in using the Damage Roll system as presented on Ben's blog. That gives the feel of rolling for damage much like D&D while still getting to use the more versatile M&M system.

 

[Bretbo]

If anything, Heroes unintentionally ripped off the old Marvel Comics' New Universe series from the late 1980's, but then, the idea of "supers who aren't heroes" isn't a completely original one.

Heh, good point!

Also, even if someone's not fond of of the M&M Damage Save they might find some interest in using the Damage Roll system as presented on Ben's blog. That gives the feel of rolling for damage much like D&D while still getting to use the more versatile M&M system.

The Mastermind Manual has rules options for using Hit Points. I have not used it, so can't say if its' good or bad; but the diversity is there.

 

[Ranger REG]

If anything, Heroes unintentionally ripped off the old Marvel Comics' New Universe series from the late 1980's, but then, the idea of "supers who aren't heroes" isn't a completely original one.

They ripped off the content or the idea?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A little of both- several of the titles revolved around regular schmoes who suddenly found themselves gaining superhuman abilities- like DP7 (Displaced Persons 7), and lets face it, many of the powers get done to death.

But, as has been pointed out, its not an unusual concept. Arguably, 4400 is the same idea. Some of the Marvel mutants floating out there are unwilling to don spandex, especially during their big Sentinel/anti-mutant legislation storylines.

 

[The Green Adam]

I too am a member of the M&M fan club, though oddly I am in the minority of using the first addition more then the second. I have modified 1st edition with elements of 2nd but I learned it and played it fine for so long I don't feel like changing. Heheh.

I've run three different campaigns with the system (classic Silver Age Superteam, a 'Teen Titans' like campaign and one that was a darker and grittier Justice League Unlimited style game) and it rocks. Now with Instant Superheroes and the upcoming Hero High I'm itchin' to start a new one.