Being a long-time HERO System guy, I’ve just recently had the opportunity to try launching a Mutants & Masterminds campaign. Following a request from a few players to lay off the heavy Pathos in a game, but without letting go of my trademark GM trick of having consequences and significant decisions… I’ve decided that Supers is the way to go.
I’m not all that well versed in the system, but I’ve got a habit of learning new systems whenever I can. I love how rules reflect the mindset of the game designers, and how mechanics ultimately influence the feel of a game. Honestly, I’m eager to see how M&M works, since it seems that we’re hitting that phase when people are more interested in playing than min-maxing (not that it’ll stop the guys well known for doing so.)
The campaign will be a street-level Power Level 6 game. Characters will be heroic, without necessarily being incredibly powerful. The setting will be a fictional take on Detroit City, Michigan. The Characters will be part of a government incentive program to bring in a heavier response to the escalating rate of superhuman crimes in the city. I don’t have the character concepts yet, but that’s what I plan to hammer out over the weekend.
While I’m still planning though, do you guys have any suggestions as to any good sources for street-level supers? My current list includes:
- Batman
- Batman: the Animated Series
- Streets of Gotham
- Detective Comics
- Daredevil
- Immortal Iron Fist
- Punisher
- Wanted (I needed a shower after that)
- Watchmen
- The Question
- Deadpool
I’m open to more suggestions.
Fox’s recent Human Target (don’t know if they’re still doing the comic, haven’t seen it) would make for a good street level super. Resurrection Man might be a good one too since resurrection is darn cheap in M&M.
The biggest pitfall I find in doing ‘Street Level’ with M&M is getting into the mindset that all street is costumed avenger types. A toughness traded super can have Impervious Toughness 8 and still be bullet proof, it just happens that that is his only power. Alternate powers are also a good way to get in a lot of variety.
That said, there is a lot of room for costumed Avengers to use equipment points. I’ve seen a number of Robin/Nightwing type builds that give him Equipment(Costume): Protection 4 Feat: Subtle for 1 PP he gets the trademark costume and some good benefit from it. Of course as equiment, you are well justified in not letting him have it at inopportune moments.
Hey there Darktouch!
Been watching Human Target as well, and it strikes me as a very close merge between espionage and a street level super. I’m actually impressed that they went for a protagonist with a massive skill set.
Amusingly none of the players have submitted a costumed detective / avenger type. I guess there aren’t a lot who fancy Nightwing, Robin or Batman, oddly enough.
Other suggestions?
Powers by B. Michael Bendis
Ex Machina by Brian K. Vaughan
Anything you can tell me about these books, dirty yasuki?
From: wikipedia;
Powers is a comic book is set in a world where superpowers are relatively common but not mundane. It follows the lives of two detectives, Christian Walker (an ex-superhero) and Deena Pilgrim (a normal human), police officers in a Homicide department devoted to cases that involve “powers” (people with superpowers).
In Ex machina a superhero becomes the mayor of new york after 911.
Street, Supers, and drama… the whole shebang.
Astro City, I always recommend Kurt Busiek’s Astro City. Several of the stories are very much from the street level, showing both the villains and the heroes.
Jack Staff, for another interesting take on supers and a very city based story.
Movie-wise, try to track and watch ‘The Specials’ detailing the day to day efforts of the sixth -or seventh- most powerful superteam in the world.
Hey there!
Man… I can’t believe I forgot Astro City. I read one trade paperback about a reformed villain trying to reform and it totally blew my mind.
I’ll see if I can find The Specials.
• Zettai Karen Children is surprisingly street-level if you think about it. Not counting the main pro- and an- tagonist.
Or at least all the villains are.
• Darker than Black
• Read or Die
• RoboCop
• Fullmetal Alchemist – less alchemists running around of course.
• I’d put in Valkyria Chronicles and Gintama since, essentially, they’re just soldiers with weapons.
The latter being more appropriate since the war ended – and they lost.
• Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann – because everything is just better with Spiral Energy.
I’m suprised no one mentioned Heroes. If you want to mix in some supernatural flavor, sources like Buffy, Angel, and the Dresden Files are worth a look.