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NPCMook
2009-07-28, 09:48 PM
I just got a preview of this book... and I thought normal Mutants and Masterminds was goofy and off-the-wall... This takes it to a new level. Adds in new feats and powers for Super powered Martial Artist, Mecha Pilots, and Pokemon Trainers.

The Art ranges from extremely well done Anime concept art to whacky and goofy style.

Gralamin
2009-07-28, 11:16 PM
I haven't taken a good look at it yet, but overall it seems to be very useful, full of actually usable content. It also gives a good history lesson on its topics, and seems to be written by informed authors.

Its a very good buy.

Nerd-o-rama
2009-07-29, 12:43 AM
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

This is one of the better RPG supplements I've read in...ever, even outside of any fanboyishness over the topics (particularly the first one). It's well put together, contains valuable setting and style information, and even has a fair bit of rules content useful outside of its setting (something I can't really say for Golden or Iron Age, similar M&M supplements). I am leery of putting the relatively complicated new systems presented in the book into the bastion of point-based effects that is M&M, but really, the Mecha, Martial Arts, and Pets chapters are more like presenting M&M's normal build rules in a more intuitive-to-their-genre way, and adding in a few extra gameplay rules that you can throw in for realism, or throw out to stay 4color/Go Nagai. It's easy to see that under all the fancy new terms, the basic rules remain the same, and pedants like me can easily back-engineer a Mecha into a regular Device or the like.

One other thing I noticed tucked away in the GM chapter (that is, the Game Mastering chapter, not a Minion from the Mecha chapter) was a couple of intriguing alternate combat systems: comedic and social. While I wouldn't personally run a game revolving around either of those, they are there as interesting options for people who would like to use them. The comedic damage setup even explains cases like a moderately athletic schoolgirl routinely beating the crap out of a hardened military veteran, yet never being able to escape from kidnappers when the show gets serious...

I'm still perusing this, but by all impressions so far it's a solid book that expands my favorite "do anything" RPG system even further without having to do anything too drastic to the rules.

The Rose Dragon
2009-07-29, 02:59 AM
It's out? It's out? Finally I can buy Warriors & Warlocks and Freedom's Most Wanted?

SQUEEEEEE!

Ecalsneerg
2009-07-29, 08:34 AM
Can anyone who's got it answer a question of mine:

Does it include any sort of mechanic to explain why a mech bought as a Device is going to be based on the wearer's Strength, and if there's a mechanic to stop that? Because the preview I saw of the mech chapter on the website frankly insulted my intelligence (buy it as a device and apply appropriate traits? Wow, never would have figured that out)

The Rose Dragon
2009-07-29, 08:36 AM
Can anyone who's got it answer a question of mine:

Does it include any sort of mechanic to explain why a mech bought as a Device is going to be based on the wearer's Strength, and if there's a mechanic to stop that? Because the preview I saw of the mech chapter on the website frankly insulted my intelligence (buy it as a device and apply appropriate traits? Wow, never would have figured that out)

Construct and Normal Identity.

I think that's the best way of dealing with a mech a bit more complex than powered armor.

Nerd-o-rama
2009-07-29, 09:45 AM
Can anyone who's got it answer a question of mine:

Does it include any sort of mechanic to explain why a mech bought as a Device is going to be based on the wearer's Strength, and if there's a mechanic to stop that? Because the preview I saw of the mech chapter on the website frankly insulted my intelligence (buy it as a device and apply appropriate traits? Wow, never would have figured that out)There's a whole huge (well, proportionally) chapter that gives you a particular system to build mecha. It boils down to being a Construct with Normal Identity, but there's a lot of new traits and feats, and a few extra rules mechanics to really get the feeling of piloting the construct as opposed to just having it. Once the mecha is built in the new system, you can apply its point cost to being a 4-point Device or to being Equipment, as the GM deems fitting (for example, if you were running a Mobile Suit Gundam game, a Zaku would probably be equipment while the Gundam, as a super-special-awesome prototype, would probably be a Device. Up to the GM, though.)

Now, if you want a Medium-sized mecha (i.e. Power Armor or a Battlesuit like in the core book), then yeah, just buy it as a Device.

Tengu_temp
2009-07-29, 10:51 AM
I haven't read the whole book yet, but I really like what I've seen so far. It was obviously written for anime fans by anime fans, and the style and constant references make it really fun to read. And since practically all my M&M games are anime-based, I'm sure I'll use a lot of the materials from this book.

As for the illustrations, this one is my favorite:
http://ffrpg.republika.pl/cameos.PNG

Sir Homeslice
2009-07-29, 02:35 PM
I'm so happy this came out I could hug random people on the streets <3

TheThan
2009-07-29, 02:40 PM
I haven't read the whole book yet, but I really like what I've seen so far. It was obviously written for anime fans by anime fans, and the style and constant references make it really fun to read. And since practically all my M&M games are anime-based, I'm sure I'll use a lot of the materials from this book.

As for the illustrations, this one is my favorite:
http://ffrpg.republika.pl/cameos.PNG

wow that pic is funny its got so many rip offs it just cracks me up!

Waspinator
2009-07-29, 02:43 PM
That is an awesome picture. I really like the ninja on the ceiling and the Gundam-y robot outside the window.

Tengu_temp
2009-07-29, 02:43 PM
wow that pic is funny its got so many rip offs it just cracks me up!

I prefer the term "lawyer-friendly cameos". Name courtesy of TV Tropes.

jmbrown
2009-07-29, 02:48 PM
http://ffrpg.republika.pl/cameos.PNG

This is basically every anime trope in a single picture. I love it.

Oslecamo
2009-07-29, 02:50 PM
This is basically every anime trope in a single picture. I love it.

I don't see any oversized swords or samurais in there:smalltongue:

Cainen
2009-07-29, 02:51 PM
I haven't read the whole book yet, but I really like what I've seen so far. It was obviously written for anime fans by anime fans

Except for the mechanics, which were written for virtually everyone who's playing the system. This is my favorite setting supplement so far, and I don't even like the subject material.

jmbrown
2009-07-29, 02:52 PM
I don't see any oversized swords or samurais in there:smalltongue:

I'm sure the nerdy bombshell in the back has access to hammerspace allowing her to pull out comically huge weapons when the tough hero says something pervy.

Willfor
2009-07-29, 03:08 PM
Except for the mechanics, which were written for virtually everyone who's playing the system. This is my favorite setting supplement so far, and I don't even like the subject material.

I have seen no higher praise in this topic, and likely will never again.

Waspinator
2009-07-31, 12:31 AM
I find this one really amusing for some reason:
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4443/15700792.png

mistformsquirrl
2009-07-31, 01:14 AM
... a nuclear powered pokemon with a tail-thruster? <o_O>


It's like the holy grail of weird crap <O_O> <3

Break
2009-07-31, 02:28 AM
I find this one really amusing for some reason:
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4443/15700792.png

WHAT HAS SCIENCE DONE

Comical overractions aside, I'm going to echo Cainen's sentiments. This really is a wonderful supplement - true to anime form in mechanics (if not necessarily in the art style, some examples of which are questionable), yet those same mechanics have something for everyone who plays, and that's a pretty damn impressive combination to pull off.

I seriously, seriously hope this sells well, and that people let Green Ronin know that they have to publish more stuff like this.

Hunter Noventa
2009-07-31, 07:39 AM
DO WANT!

My DM and I have been searching the world over for a half-decent mecha system If this is as good as can be claimed, I need to pick it up ASAP. Like, stopping at the local game store on the way to our session tomorrow to see if they have it.

Also, those pictures are made of win, I haven't been this excited in ages, and likely won't be again until SRW OG3 Is announced for the DS.

sebsmith
2009-07-31, 04:31 PM
Does anyone know how this compares to Big Eyes, Small Mouthes? I'm betting it is a more balanced setting than the d20 version of BESM I saw, but it's hard to imagine anything that wouldn't be.

jmbrown
2009-07-31, 04:39 PM
MnM standalone has all you need to make an over-the-top anime setting. It's just a matter of changnig the fluff to match your character. MnM is also the best D20 variant IMO.

I don't really want to compare it to d20 BESM because everything is that better than that.

Tengu_temp
2009-07-31, 04:44 PM
The only upper hand BESM had over M&M were several anime-specific powers, advantages/disadvantages, and other stuff like that - M&M beat it soundly in everything else. And now that this splatbook is out? There is no reason to buy BESM. M&M with M&M is better in everything.

Cainen
2009-07-31, 04:44 PM
BESM d20 is so bad it makes babies cry, so M&M wins by default.

It favorably compares to Tri-Stat BESM, but keep in mind that they don't play the same - BESM is, on the whole, a much lighter system. The mecha mechanics in that book were far better than the Own a Big Mecha attribute, or even IoP mecha in BESM, as a factor of having more tightly-designed abilities.

Tengu_temp
2009-07-31, 05:35 PM
BESM d20 is so bad it makes babies cry, so M&M wins by default.


You mean babbies.

And I didn't find tri-stat BESM to be much more rules-light than M&M, to be honest. It requires much more math and bookkeeping, especially at higher power levels, and most tests are opposite rolls, rather than a single roll vs a fixed amount. The only thing more complicated in M&M are grapple checks, and alternate powers might require some effort to grasp for newbies (but are easy to use in practice). On top of that tri-stat BESM is still very unbalanced, requiring more DM surveillance over character creation than M&M.