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View Full Version : M&M DC Adventures. Help!



Darcand
2012-09-22, 08:22 AM
I am about to start a new game of Mutants and Masterminds, DC Adventures with a few friends and I need some advice.

A: DC specifics. I'm setting it in Gotham, post Dark Knight Rises. I think that makes for a really solid setting with a city recovering from Bane's occupation. One of my players wants to run a Batman replacement (Nightwing-ish) and one wants a green lantern, so I am opening with Scarecrow getting ahold of a yellow ring adventure. I made room for Lex Luthor to move in and take advantage of the turmoil to buy elections and privatize the decimated police force for later sessions, and the Joker escaped during Bane's occupation. Still, that's not as much material as I would like to draw from, so anything else you think might be strong, suggest it. Also, my third player wants to be (a DC version of)Thor, so subplots for him are welcome too.

B: M&M specifics. This system sucks. The character creation is one of the best I've ever seen, but the combat system (which tends to be 90% of RPGs) is so entirely clunky (and potentially breakable) that I am thinking of throwing the whole thing out and building from scratch using a Pathfinder/ Homebrew system. Considering that 2/3 of them are RPG newbies, and that none of them has read, or even owns the book, AND that they are letting (expecting) me to build their characters for them I am very much tempted to do so. On that note, give me reasons why I shouldn't, or offer examples of how I should.

Edit: I also plan on using Azrael as a nemesis to the Nightwing character.

Beleriphon
2012-09-22, 03:35 PM
B: M&M specifics. This system sucks. The character creation is one of the best I've ever seen, but the combat system (which tends to be 90% of RPGs) is so entirely clunky (and potentially breakable) that I am thinking of throwing the whole thing out and building from scratch using a Pathfinder/ Homebrew system. Considering that 2/3 of them are RPG newbies, and that none of them has read, or even owns the book, AND that they are letting (expecting) me to build their characters for them I am very much tempted to do so. On that note, give me reasons why I shouldn't, or offer examples of how I should.

Edit: I also plan on using Azrael as a nemesis to the Nightwing character.

The combat system is fast and easy to use. I don't understand the clunky complaint. Attacker rolls to hit, defender rolls to resist. Compare result of resist to DC of attack (either 15+rank or 10+rank) and determine outcome. The system as whole is easy to break, largely due to being point buy and designed for superheroing, but I'm not sure I understand the combat complaint specifically.

GoatToucher
2012-09-22, 04:06 PM
The M&M combat system is quite breakable, which is why they put so much emphasis on GM control. If you want your game to be at a certain power level, -you- need to be the one to enforce it. The system allows you to create all manner of characters, but builds like Invulnerability Man, Sister Summoner, and Captain Mind Control can screw up a game without very much effort at all.

The combat system is D20 without all the bells and whistles. I personally like to add threatened spaces and AoO's back in, but my players are fairly experienced. It's a great system to introduce people to RPGs with, because they don't have to worry about forgetting about crucial details of crunch making their characters ineffective. Roll to hit, roll to save, determine effect. Just like momma used to make.

As an aside, a Nolan's Dark Knight game is going to be pretty street level. I wonder how well a Green Lantern is going to jibe with that.

Metahuman1
2012-09-22, 04:27 PM
Yeah, Noland verse won't mesh well at all with Green Lantern or Nordic Gods/Demi-gods.

I mean, really, this is the version where Ra's Al Ghoul is no more immortal then any random person on the street, just better trained and probably better educated, and more radical in his beleifes. And Bane didn't have any super strength, stamina, or durability, he was just big, strong, and really well trained, and hopped up on pain killers to make him better able to take a hit. Bruce didn't have a Lazarus Pit to go into to get his lower body back after Bane Broke him, he had to have a doctor work on him and find out that the doctor had a very ancient and very obscure trick.

The system itself allows for some very powerful characters, but it's a system designed for things like Superman, Dr. Fate, Green Lanturn, Flash, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter and Captain Atom to be made as Player characters and feel awesome.

I recommend thinking more along the lines of the old school Batman TSA with a little bit of undertones of Noland and the original comics. So, Bane occupied Gothem, and Batman is MIA presumed dead, but there's more then one rouges gallery member back on the loose now, and I don't just mean Joker AND Scarecrow. Quinn, Ivy, Mad Hatter, Ventriloquist, Penguen, Riddler, Dr. Hugo Strange, Black Mask, Deadshot, Maybe Mr. Freeze and Killer Crock if you want a higher power level for a couple of boss fights.

Bane actually broke the Bat, but unbeknownst to anyone except Bruce, the occupants of the prison, and maybe Selena Kyle, he had to use one of Ra's Al Ghoul's Lazeris Pits to get back on his feet to come back to stop Bane, which he found out about after he beat Ra's and Ra's died.

prufock
2012-09-22, 11:08 PM
I'm setting it in Gotham, post Dark Knight Rises. I think that makes for a really solid setting with a city recovering from Bane's occupation. One of my players wants to run a Batman replacement (Nightwing-ish) and one wants a green lantern, so I am opening with Scarecrow getting ahold of a yellow ring adventure. I made room for Lex Luthor to move in and take advantage of the turmoil to buy elections and privatize the decimated police force for later sessions, and the Joker escaped during Bane's occupation.... Also, my third player wants to be (a DC version of)Thor, so subplots for him are welcome too.
You're mixing and matching settings here. The Nolan films have a gritty "realistic" setting without superpowers, magic, gods, or the like. That doesn't mean you can't introduce them, of course, but you might need to be careful about how you do that. Or you can simply mesh the Nolan storylines with the more comic book-type rules.


B: M&M specifics. This system sucks. The character creation is one of the best I've ever seen, but the combat system (which tends to be 90% of RPGs) is so entirely clunky (and potentially breakable) that I am thinking of throwing the whole thing out and building from scratch using a Pathfinder/ Homebrew system.
M&M is and always has been a system where the "gentleman's agreement" between players and the GM is essential. Some of the powers can be broken, no doubt, but it's between the players and GM to agree what is "too much." The GM does not need to allow attack/effect trade-offs or any power above PL at all, for instance, if you think it will be a problem.

I can't see how you think the combat system is "clunky" at all. It's one of the best I've seen.


Considering that 2/3 of them are RPG newbies, and that none of them has read, or even owns the book, AND that they are letting (expecting) me to build their characters for them I am very much tempted to do so. On that note, give me reasons why I shouldn't, or offer examples of how I should.
THIS, however, may be an issue. M&M has a learning curve even for those familiar with D&D. The books are not necessary, as there is an online SRD (http://www.d20herosrd.com/), so there's really no excuse for them not to be at least somewhat familiar with the rules. Building their characters for them is okay - keep their power suites simple but effective and fun. However they should at least read through the Basics and Action & Adventure sections.

EDIT: Also, this should probably be moved to the "Other D&D/AD&D and Other Systems" section.