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View Full Version : [M&M 2e] Mob Influence?



NeSS Esqa
2009-01-13, 11:25 PM
I'm starting up a Mutants & Masterminds campaign. We've decided on the Paragons setting, and my players will start at PL 10 & 150 pp, but will start with extra drawbacks which will be gradually removed. (to represent gaining control of their new powers)

One of my players wants to play a telepathic sociologist. He wants telepathy, emotion control, and that sort of thing, but one request is a little odd:

He would like to have it so that the larger the group he's trying to affect, the more effective he is. (he's fine with a reduced affect on individuals) The idea behind it is that he spent his life before his breakout studying people, and now that he can directly influence people's minds, he knows how to work a mob. How would I go about statting this ability? I don't know if this would need to be homebrew or not, but I figured that with the flexibility of this system that it should be able to be done somehow. Assume I have access to most M&M sourcebooks, but please let me know which ones are being used.

Also, this will be our first time with the system, and my first time GMing, so any pointers as to running this system will be much appreciated as well. I've read the stickied guide above already, but anything which I need to keep in mind especially with Mutants and Masterminds is important.

Thanks in advance,
NeSS

Green Bean
2009-01-14, 07:36 AM
Personally, I'd stat up his powers normally (though presumably with judicious use of the Area Extra), then slap on a -1 Flaw that says he can't use his full power against individuals or small groups. Naturally, you can make it a -2 Flaw if it's a huge weakness or a Drawback if it's just a minor disadvantage, depending on what he answers below.

As for enforcement, ask him how many people he needs to act at full power, then ask him how many ranks he has working against just one person; that should give you a rough idea of how many ranks to let him use in a given situation.

NeSS Esqa
2009-01-14, 12:16 PM
Thanks. That makes sense.

ravenkith
2009-01-14, 12:39 PM
Alternatively, you could slap a flaw on half of his power ranks: i.e. "Doesn't work on groups less than 5" or whatever.

this is a tactic that is actually suggested in the manual, on page 111, under "Partial Modifiers".

It's simple and effective, and can always be bought off later if the player finds it too constricting.

Essentially, if it's a rank 10 power, it would give him a 5 point power discount, but would easily delineate the difference between working with large groups as opposed to individuals.