What do you not like about M&M?

[Henry]

As for politics and government, while we can't discuss it here, you can explore it in your own modern city. I mean, with all that streetpoles being torn up to be used as oversized bats, or walls being vandalized by superheroes' or supervillains' bodies crashing into them, it would amazed me that the city government can clean things up while have enough money to meet other budgetary concerns. Heck, The Incredibles is one example of government intervention. I'll stop here.

Actually, Freedom City has a mechanism for that: A super-hero called Dr. Metropolis, who is "the living embodiment of the spirit of the city", or so he claims. One of his transmutation abilities is to start putting things back together after particularly nasty fights, so he's kinda the "deus ex" that was put in to solve that little conundrum.

 

[The_Universe]

Based on your post (snipped for brevity), it sounds like you want them to separate the universal point pool into different areas: one set of points for choosing ability scores, one set for choosing skills, etc.

Honestly, I don't know if that'll work effectively in a superhero-type games, unless you don't mind the ... for lack of a better word ... restrictions. After all, there are some superheroes that do not have extraordinary abilities but extraordinary skills (Batman), and vice versa (Superman).

I don't know that seperating the point pools would be a good solution - it works for other "free form" character creation games (at least in the sense that it makes creation easier). However, by its nature, it reduces options somewhat.

As I thought I made clear, I'd settle for just a better roadmap for *how* to put together a character, as beginners on the system are nearly overwhelmed by the options, even if they have a strong character concept to start with. There's nothing in the book explaining all the nuances of the system, or a good way to put the character together. Is it better to pick powers, then skills? Vice versa?

That's really what I'm looking for.

 

[threshel]

As I thought I made clear, I'd settle for just a better roadmap for *how* to put together a character, as beginners on the system are nearly overwhelmed by the options, even if they have a strong character concept to start with. There's nothing in the book explaining all the nuances of the system, or a good way to put the character together. Is it better to pick powers, then skills? Vice versa?

The short answer is "it depends." I know, big help.

Here's a brief outline of how I generally do it. I'll start with the assumption that there is already a concept to work from. Always keep a running total of your powerpoints.

1. Ballpark Abilities (STR-CHA) and Combat (Base attack and defense): Don't worry about being exact, just hit the highlights for your concept. See below for a note about combat ability.
2. Do the core: Of the four areas left (Powers, Skills, Feats, and Weaknesses), do the one that is the most essential to the concept. Examples: Superman - Powers, Batman - Skills, Wildcat - Feats, Hulk - Weaknesses. If you're stuck on this, write down your character concept in one sentence. Do what's in that sentence first.
3. Do what's required: Check to make sure you are fullfilling any prerequisites your core abilities may have in other areas, i.e. certain skills require equipment, feats may require certain ability scores, skill ranks, powers, and/or other feats.
4. Who is this guy?: Take care of that secret ID, account for that origin. Fine tune those ability scores ("yeah, we know Bruiser's strong, fast and tough, but how smart is he? How charismatic?") and combat.
5. Fill in the blanks/fine tune: What's left? Do you have points left? Lucky. Are you over? not so lucky. Step five takes the longest.

In a sense, work from the general to the specific. Concept is king. It all flows from there.

A word about base attack and defense. In the archetypes section, most of the characters are about half PL in these, with the Martial Artist the only one maxed (or near maxed). Having run a campaign of do-as-you-will and a campaign sticking to this example, my strong advice is to stick to the example. Otherwise you and your players will be spending extra points just to keep the probabilities even, and certain concepts suffer (the Martial Artist most notably, as his main ability is combat training. Once every one is on par with that, he's just a guy with no powers).

Hope it helps,

J

 

[The_Universe]

That's good stuff. There needs to be a blurb like THAT in the next printing.

After all, unlike the PHB for D&D, it's not easy to order how you're going to put it all together - as you say, it depends. So, even just having a blurb as to why the book is organized as it is would have been helpeful.

 

[threshel]

That's good stuff. There needs to be a blurb like THAT in the next printing.

From your mouth to Kenson's ears.

Seriously, though, if you want to delve into MnM the way that EnWorld lets you delve into d20, go to the Atomic Think Tank. It was (and still is) a tremendous help to me.


J

 

[Ranger REG]

As I thought I made clear, I'd settle for just a better roadmap for *how* to put together a character, as beginners on the system are nearly overwhelmed by the options, even if they have a strong character concept to start with. There's nothing in the book explaining all the nuances of the system, or a good way to put the character together. Is it better to pick powers, then skills? Vice versa?

That's really what I'm looking for.

I doubt you can find that in a superhero-type game. With Star Wars, it has very few elements, most of which can be seen on-screen or in-print. We've yet to see other Force powers like a sustained supersonic speed, incorporeality, or elasticity, that would emulate from four-color comic-book superheroes.

The best thing a player can do is pick a concept, or use one of the templates as a starting place.