TEXT: DELUXE
  DELUXE
  Steve Kenson
  Crystal Frasier
  THIRD EDITION
  
  Writing and Design: Steve Kenson, 
  with Crystal Frasier and Lyz Liddell
  Development: Jon Leitheusser & Crystal Frasier     Editing: Steven Marsh & Michael Matheson
  Proofreading: Michael Matheson         Art Direction and Graphic Design: Hal Mangold
  Cover Art: Udon Studios     Cartography: Sean MacDonald
  Interior Art: Chris Balaskas. Brett Barkley, Darren Calvert, jeff Carlisle,  
  Storn Cook, Talon Dunning, Alberto Foche, Brian Hagan, Sean Izaakse, Scott James,  
  Comfort Love, MK Ultra Studio, Denis Medri, Octographics, Udon Studios (Chris Stevens), 
  Uko Smith, Kevin Stokes, Andrew Trabbold, and Adam Withers
  Publisher: Chris Pramas
  Team Ronin: Joseph Carriker, Crystal Frasier, Jaym Gates, Kara Hamilton, Troy Hewitt, Steve Kenson,  
  Nicole Lindroos, Hal Mangold, Jack Norris, Chris Pramas, Evan Sass, Marc Schmalz, Malcolm Sheppard, Will Sobel,  
  Dylan Templar, Veronica Templar, and Barry Wilson
  Mutants & MasterMinds deluxe GaMeMaster’s Guide is ©2019 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.  
  References to other copyrighted material in no way constitute a challenge to the respective  
  copyright holders of that material. Mutants & Masterminds, Super-Powered by M&M, Green Ronin,  
  and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
  The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, Version 
  1.0a: hero points, power points. All character and their associated images, descriptions,  
  backgrounds, and related information are declared Product Identity.
  The following text is Open Gaming Content: all game system rules and material  
  not previously declared Product Identity
  Green Ronin Publishing
  3815 S. Othello St., Suite 100 #311
  Seattle, WA 98118
  Email: custserv@greenronin.com
  Web Sites: www.greenronin.com
  www.mutantsandmasterminds.com
  DELUXE
  DELUXE
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION .................... 5
  HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ...5
  Coming from the  
  Basic Hero’s Handbook? .......6
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS ..........9
  GENRE .................................9
  Golden Age .............................. 9
  Pulp Heroes .......................... 9
  Mystery Men ........................ 9
  World War II .......................10
  The Super-Gap ..................11
  The Postmodern  
  Golden Age ......................11
  Golden Age Gear ..................12
  The Golden  
  Age Arsenal .....................12
  Heavy Weapons ................13
  Golden Age Vehicles ........15
  Silver Age ................................17
  Lightheartedness ..............17
  The Cold War .....................17
  The Atomic Age .................18
  Second-Generation  
  Supers ...............................18
  Fantastic Frontiers ............18
  Going Ape! .........................19
  Gloating ..............................19
  Silver Age Gear .....................19
  Bronze Age .............................20
  Human Heroes ..................20
  Social Issues .......................20
  Fads and Fashions ............20
  Iron Age ...................................21
  Shades of Gray ..................21
  Black Ops ............................21
  Guns, Guns, Guns! ............21
  Leather & Latex .................21
  Ninja! ...................................21
  Lone Wolves .......................21
  Realistic Powers ................21
  A New Generation ............22
  Iron Age Gear ........................22
  The Iron Age Armory ........22
  Modern Age ...........................23
  Sense of History ................23
  Sense of Wonder ...............24
  Sense of Purpose ...............25
  ORIGINS ............................25
  Aliens ........................................25
  Strange Visitors .................25
  Alien Technology ..............25
  Aliens Among Us ..............26
  The Progenitors .................26
  Cosmic Power ....................26
  Character Concepts .........26
  Gods ..........................................27
  One True God? ...................27
  Heaven, Hell, and Beyond 27
  Chariots of the Gods ........27
  Character Concepts .........27
  Magic & Mysticism ...............27
  Magicians ...........................28
  Magically Empowered.....28
  Just Like Magic ..................28
  Creatures of Magic ...........28
  Magical Devices ................29
  Mystic Dimensions ...........29
  Sleight of Mind ..................29
  Character Concepts .........29
  Mutation ..................................29
  Accidental Mutation ........29
  Genetic Mutation .............30
  Mutant Hysteria ................30
  Character Concepts .........30
  Psionics ....................................30
  All in Your Mind .................30
  Mind Scare .........................30
  Character Concepts .........31
  Super-Science........................31
  They Called Me Mad! .......31
  Intentional Mutation .......32
  Gadgets and Gear ............32
  Serums and Super-Pills ...32
  Battlesuits and 
  Iron Men ...........................32
  Man and Machine ............32
  Character Concepts .........32
  Training ....................................33
  More Human  
  Than Human ..................33
  Esoteric Secrets..................33
  Character Concepts .........33
  One Origin or Many? ..........33
  One Origin ..........................33
  Multiple Origins ................33
  Any Origin ..........................34
  Prevalence of Powers .........34
  Unique Powers ..................34
  Rare Powers .......................34
  Common Powers ..............35
  Universal Powers ..............35
  Powers and Society .............35
  Ordinary Citizens ..............35
  Special Talents ...................35
  Outcasts ..............................36
  Overlords ............................37
  Secrecy .....................................37
  Secret ...................................37
  Private .................................37
  Open ....................................37
  COSMOLOGY ....................38
  Space and Aliens ..................38
  Humanoids ........................38
  Invaders ..............................38
  Monsters .............................38
  Cosmic Beings ...................38
  Parallel Earths ........................38
  Other Dimensions................39
  Astral Plane ........................39
  Dream Dimension ............39
  Magical Dimensions ........39
  Mythic Dimensions ..........39
  Power Dimensions ...........39
  HISTORY ............................40
  Emergence of  
  Superhumans .....................40
  Prehistory ...........................40
  Ancient History..................40
  Recent History ...................40
  Emerging Powers ..............40
  Alternate History ..................41
  Time Travel .............................41
  SOCIETY ............................42
  Technology .............................42
  Politics ......................................42
  Political Influence .............42
  Super-Military....................42
  Super-Rights ......................42
  Law ............................................42
  Vigilantism and  
  Sanction ...........................42
  Legal Rights .......................42
  Masks and  
  Secret Identities ..............43
  Mental and  
  Sensory Powers ..............43
  Incarceration .....................43
  Popular Culture .....................44
  Comic Books ......................44
  Entertainment ...................44
  Fashion ................................44
  Religion ...............................44
  ORGANIZATIONS .............44
  Agency ................................44
  Conspiracy .........................44
  Cult .......................................45
  Institute ...............................45
  Space Patrol .......................45
  Syndicate ............................45
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES .....47
  BRING ON  
  THE BAD GUYS! ..............47
  Levels of Villains....................47
  Henchmen ..........................47
  Lieutenants ........................47
  Master Villains ...................48
  Omnipotent Villains .........49
  Types of Villains ....................49
  Brute ....................................49
  Disaster ...............................49
  Manipulator .......................49
  Schemer ..............................49
  Skulker .................................49
  Villain Roles ............................49
  Dark Reflection .................50
  Estranged Family ..............50
  Forbidden Love..................50
  Nemesis ...............................50
  Nuisance .............................50
  Opposite .............................51
  Turncoat..............................51
  Villain Motivations ...............51
  Goals ....................................51
  Justifications ......................54
  Changes of Heart .................56
  VILLAIN TACTICS ..............56
  Villains in Combat ................56
  Combat Actions  
  and Modifiers .................57
  Singular Villains ................57
  Villainous Minions ............58
  Villains and  
  Complications ................59
  Picking Your Battles .............59
  Creating Weaknesses ......60
  Escape Plans ..........................60
  Escape Route .....................60
  Distraction..........................60
  Fake-Out .............................61
  Extortion .............................61
  Hostage ...............................61
  Teleport ...............................61
  Mysterious Death .............61
  Why the Villain Loses ..........62
  What if the  
  Villain Wins? ....................62
  What if the  
  Villain Can’t Escape? .....62
  IN-DEPTH VILLAINS .........63
  Interaction ..............................63
  Information ............................63
  Integration ..............................64
  Infrequency ............................65
  VILLAIN TEAMS ................65
  Types of Villain Teams .........65
  Follow-the-Leader ............65
  Alliance ...............................66
  Family Ties ..........................66
  Rebels With a Cause.........66
  The Revenge Squad .........67
  The Villain Army ................67
  Villain Team Motifs...............68
  Common Origin ................68
  Common Powers ..............68
  Common Style ...................68
  Villain Team Resources .......69
  VILLAIN  
  ORGANIZATIONS ...........69
  Organization  
  Goals & Motif ......................69
  Organization Structure ......70
  Leader ..................................70
  Lieutenants ........................70
  Agents .................................71
  Organization Resources .....71
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES ....73
  VILLAIN DESIGN ...............73
  Concept ...................................73
  Power Level ............................73
  Minion Power Level ..........74
  Power Level X .....................74
  Abilities ....................................75
  Skills ..........................................75
  Advantages ............................75
  Powers ......................................76
  Stunned Power  
  Capabilities .....................76
  Power Range or Reach ....76
  2
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Negation of  
  Heroic Powers .................77
  Villain Power Stunts .........77
  Complications .......................77
  Assassin ...................................78
  Brute .........................................81
  Composite ..............................84
  Crime Lord ..............................87
  Elder Evil ..................................90
  Elemental ................................93
  Hybrid ......................................97
  Imp ..........................................100
  Jobber ....................................103
  Jumped-Up Nobody .........107
  Mad Scientist .......................110
  Martial Artist ........................113
  Master of Disguise .............116
  Mastermind ..........................118
  Mimic ......................................121
  Overlord ................................124
  Psycho ....................................127
  Puppeteer .............................130
  Robot ......................................133
  Sorcerer .................................136
  Vampire .................................139
  MINION ARCHETYPES ...142
  Templates..............................156
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS ...........159
  CONQUEST ......................159
  Roads to Conquest ............159
  Ruling the World ................163
  DESTRUCTION ................164
  Why Destroy?.......................164
  The Threat .............................165
  KIDNAPPING ...................166
  The Motive............................166
  The Victim .............................167
  The Abduction ....................168
  The Ransom .........................168
  EXTORTION .....................169
  Threats ...................................169
  Demands ...............................170
  MURDER ..........................171
  The Motive............................171
  The Protection .....................172
  The Execution ......................172
  THEFT ..............................173
  The Target .............................173
  The Security .........................174
  ADVENTURE  
  ELEMENTS ....................176
  Spotlight Time .................176
  The Human Touch ..........177
  Powers as Plots ................177
  Meaningful Challenges ....178
  Threat of Force ................179
  Mysteries ...........................179
  Time and Distance .........179
  Social Taboos...................180
  Normals ............................180
  Meaningful Rewards .........181
  Achievement ....................181
  Knowledge .......................181
  Power Improvement ......181
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES...183
  DISASTERS ......................183
  Avalanches ...........................183
  Collapses ...............................183
  Earthquakes .........................184
  Fires .........................................184
  Floods .....................................185
  Fog ...........................................185
  Lava .........................................185
  Precipitation.........................185
  Quicksand .............................185
  Storms ....................................185
  Wind ........................................186
  Underwater ..........................186
  TRAPS ..............................187
  Capture Traps ......................187
  Containers ........................187
  Nullifying ..........................188
  Snares ................................188
  Stunners ............................188
  Deathtraps ............................188
  The Closing Walls ...........188
  The Creature Pit ..............188
  The Deadly Conveyor ....188
  Death in the Arena .........189
  The Fatal Friend ..............189
  The Gauntlet ....................190
  The Kaleidoscope  
  of Madness ....................190
  The Killing Jar ..................190
  The Ticking  
  Time-Bomb ...................190
  The Wind Tunnel  
  of Doom .........................191
  Getting Trapped .................191
  Evading Traps ......................191
  Figuring Out The Trap ...191
  Escaping the Trap ...........192
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES .195
  ADVENTURE DESIGN .....195
  Concept .................................195
  Fleshing it Out .....................195
  Complicating Matters .......196
  Handling Defeat .................196
  Balancing Encounters .......196
  The Outline Approach ......196
  The Toolkit Approach .......198
  SCENE TYPES ..................199
  Challenge Scenes ...............200
  Conflict Scenes ...................202
  Investigation Scenes .........204
  Roleplay Scenes ..................206
  Combined Scenes ..............208
  EXAMPLE SCENES ..........210
  The Chase .............................210
  The Frame-Up .....................212
  Hearts & Minds ...................214
  The Incredible  
  Shrinking Heroes .............216
  SHADOW Invasion .............218
  War of the Minds ................220
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS ........225
  HERO CREATION .............225
  Unlimited Power Points ...225
  Unlimited Power Level .....225
  Free Equipment ...............225
  FIGHTING STYLES ..........226
  Hard vs. Soft Styles ............226
  Unarmed vs.  
  Weapon Styles .................226
  Skills and Styles ..................226
  Creating Fighting Styles ..226
  REPUTATION ...................229
  Fame or Infamy ...................229
  Reputation Checks ............229
  Skill Checks ...........................229
  NPC Reputations ................229
  Determining Reputation .230
  Event-Based Reputation ..230
  WEALTH ...........................230
  SYSTEMS .........................231
  Ability Strain ........................231
  Ability Strain  
  and Extra Effort ............232
  Ability Strain  
  and Powers....................232
  Alternate Dice .....................232
  Knockback ............................232
  Lethal Damage ....................233
  Instant Death ..................234
  Lethal Knockback ...........234
  Hero Point Tradeoffs .........234
  MASS COMBAT ...............234
  Forces .....................................234
  Forces in Action ..................236
  Maneuvers ........................236
  Force Damage .................236
  Damage Conditions ......237
  Morale Checks .................237
  Advantages ......................238
  Powers ...............................238
  Sample Conflict ..................239
  APPENDIX:  
  VILLAINOUS LAIRS .........240
  Building Lairs .......................240
  Minions .............................240
  Agency ..............................240
  Entity .................................241
  Power .................................241
  Inheritance .......................241
  Amusement Park ................243
  Castle ......................................245
  Hidden Temple....................247
  Insane Asylum .....................249
  Island Base ............................251
  Missile Silo ............................253
  Subway Station ...................255
  Sky Fortress ..........................257
  Skyscraper Penthouse ......259
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING 
  ADVENTURES! ............... 260
  POWER PLAY ...................260
  Secret Origins ......................260
  In This Exciting Issue… ....261
  Involving the Heroes ........261
  Scene 1:  
  Handle with Care ............262
  Scene 2: Getting Dirt ........262
  Scene 3: Showdown  
  on the Streets ...................264
  Scene 4: Going Down  
  in Flames ............................265
  Scene 5: The Enemy  
  of My Enemy .....................266
  Scene 6:  
  Setting the Stage  ...........267
  Scene 7: Countdown  
  to Blackout ........................269
  Scene 8: A  
  Shocking Conclusion .....270
  Epilogue ................................270
  Cast..........................................272
  THE ISLAND OF  
  DOCTOR SERSEI ...........274
  Secret Origins ......................274
  In This Exciting Issue… ....274
  Involving the Heroes ........274
  Aeaea ......................................275
  Scene 1: Fierce Lands,  
  Fierce Men .........................277
  Scene 2: Searching  
  the Island ...........................278
  Scene 3:  
  The Underground ...........278
  Scene 4:  
  The Lair of Dr. Sersei ......280
  Scene 5: Missile Chase .....284
  Epilogue ................................284
  Cast..........................................285
  INDEX ............................. 288
  LICENSE .......................... 290
  3
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  4
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  of foes. The chapter concludes with a catalog of animal, 
  minion, and monster archetypes you can use to fill out the 
  ranks of a villain’s henchmen or as foes in their own right.
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  Chapter 4: Plots is all about villainous schemes, from 
  conquest to theft, looking at the various goals of the 
  nefarious in detail, including various examples and 
  springboards for your own ideas. It includes a random 
  adventure idea table along with some advice on 
  constructing M&M adventures.
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  Chapter 5: Challenges looks at the various non-villainous 
  threats heroes may encounter, from natural disasters to 
  harsh environments. It also looks at various types of traps, 
  from cunning captures to deadly deathtraps and how to 
  use them effectively in your game.
  CHAPTER 6: CREATING ADVENTURES
  Chapter 6: Creating Adventures combines the elements 
  of previous chapters to explain story structure, pacing, 
  and the various scene types that Mutants & Masterminds 
  uses as a guide to adventure.
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  Chapter 7: Options gives you some ways to modify the 
  M&M system to suit the type of game you want to run, 
  along with some additional tools for the Gamemaster’s 
  The tools in this book are yours to use as you see fit for 
  your M&M game. Chapter 3 and the Appendix offer pre-
  built time-savers, while Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 have 
  more theory for world-designers. Chapter 4, Chapter 
  5, and Chapter 6 offer plenty of adventure ideas, while 
  Chapter 7 is for the system-tinkerers. Regardless of your 
  particular interest, read through all the chapters in the 
  Gamemaster’s Guide, chances are you’ll find something 
  useful for your game in each one.
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  Chapter 1: Settings discusses creating an entire universe 
  for your M&M heroes: choose a setting, scope, and style, 
  look at different genres, time periods, and cosmologies. 
  The chapter includes ideas about the nature and origin 
  of super powers in the setting, and the role of super-
  powered characters in it.
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  Chapter 2: Adversaries talks about villains: their roles in 
  the series, different types, motivations, backgrounds, and 
  goals. It also looks at villain tactics, how to play villains, 
  and how to use them to the greatest effect in your games. 
  It concludes with a look at villain teams and organizations.
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  Chapter 3: Archetypes provides M&M Gamemasters a 
  whole toolbox of ready-to-use characters. It starts off with 
  a discussion on villain design, then provides eighteen fully 
  detailed villain archetypes of varying power levels, with 
  plenty of options to customize and create a wide range 
  Welcome to the new and improved Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide for the third edition of the Mutants & Masterminds 
  superhero roleplaying game! This is an updated and expanded version of the original Gamemaster’s Guide first 
  published in 2011, and includes text and art from that volume, along with new information on building your own 
  Mutants & Masterminds adventures, sample adventures to run right out-of-the-box, and an expanded selection of 
  villains and threats to throw at your players.
  It’s no secret that being a Gamemaster (GM) is hard work. You fill the role of director, cheerleader, writer, teacher, 
  and occasionally babysitter to your friends. This guide aims to make that job a lot easier by not only providing tools, 
  but also tons of information about the superhero genre and its tropes. Much of this book focuses on the “why” of 
  superhero stories rather than the “how,” delving into motivations for villains, how to build an interesting world, and 
  the sorts of things superheroes do when they aren’t punching evil in the jaw. The expectation isn’t that you, the GM, 
  need to use everything in this book as soon as you begin, but rather that you know what those elements are and how 
  to find them when needed.
  Odds are, if you’re reading this, you’ve already run a few games. You might be a veteran Gamemaster with years of 
  experience, or a new GM with the drive to learn and improve. Whatever your level of experience, you will find useful 
  tools and tips throughout this guide.
  HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
  5
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  
  toolbox, including fighting styles, systems for reputation, 
  wealth, and mass combat, and ways to make the game 
  more dynamic or more lethal, as you prefer.
  APPENDIX 1: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  Appendix 1 of the Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide provides 
  nine ready-to-use villainous lairs, from an abandoned 
  amusement park to an island lair (perhaps complete with 
  volcano). You can use the maps and descriptions of these 
  lairs with the villain archetypes and plots in this book, in 
  conjucntion with your own villains and adventures, or just 
  as inspiration to create lairs for your own villains, or even 
  headquarters for the heroes!
  APPENDIX 2: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES
  Appendix 2 presents two heroic adventures created 
  from the various bits and pieces presented in this book, 
  including maps and villain archetypes. The first adventure, 
  The Isle of Dr. Sersei, takes the heroes to the island lair of 
  a mad scientist bent on “saving” humanity from itself. The 
  second adventure, Power Play, takes the heroes through the 
  streets and back alleys of the city as they try to understand 
  a new criminal organization making their move to take 
  over the local underworld. They can be used as-written, 
  modified to suit your own table, or used as a toolkit from 
  which you can pull useful scenes, names, or ideas.
  COMING FROM THE BASIC HERO’S HANDBOOK?
  The Mutants & Masterminds Basic Hero’s Handbook is de-
  signed to be a quick and easy start to the game, but does 
  not contain the same depth of options found in the more 
  detailed Deluxe Hero’s Handbook. This book refers to sev-
  eral Effects and Advantages not found in the Basic Hero’s 
  Handbook. The Advantages presented are often simple to 
  figure out based on their context, but if you can’t decide 
  on a fair use, feel free to ignore them.
  DELUXE POWERS
  The Basic Hero’s Handbook includes many of the Effects 
  needed to build some of the most iconic super powers 
  from your favorite comics, shows, and films, but leaves 
  out some of the more complex powers. The following 
  text lists the basic rules needed to use those additional 
  powers found in the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook as they 
  are presented in the various characters in this book, 
  including their default Action, Range, and Duration, as 
  well as a short description. 
  Several powers, such as Summon, Variable, and Weaken, 
  mention Power Points. You can find basic information on 
  Power Points in the Rewards section on page 94 of the 
  Basic Hero’s Handbook. 
  More detailed information on all these effects can be 
  found in the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook.
  BURROWING 
  FREE ACTION • PERSONAL • SUSTAINED
  You can dig through the ground. You move through the ground 
  at a speed equal to your rank minus 5; harder substances may 
  slow you by 1 or 2 ranks. You can choose to leave a passable 
  tunnel behind you.
  COMMUNICATION 
  FREE • RANK • SUSTAINED
  You can communicate silently with other people or creatures 
  over a distance (listed in each character’s statblock), even if you 
  can’t see them. Pick a descriptor, such as radio or psychic; some 
  characters with unusual senses may be able to overhear your 
  communications.
  COMPREHEND 
  NONE • PERSONAL • PERMANENT
  Choose a descriptor, such as animals or machines. You can 
  understand and speak to that descriptor. This does not give you 
  any control over them, and some things may not be especially 
  smart or helpful.
  DEFLECT 
  STANDARD • RANGED • INSTANT
  As a Standard action, you can use the Defend action against any 
  attacks within normal Ranged distance, using your Deflect rank 
  instead of your normal Defenses. Because this is a Defend action, 
  add 10 to any die roll lower than 11. This does not work against 
  area attacks or attacks targeting Defenses other than Parry and 
  Dodge.
  ELONGATION 
  FREE • PERSONAL • STANDARD
  You can stretch your body or limbs. Add your Elongation rank 
  to your normal size rank (–2 for most characters). You can 
  make “close” attacks within this reach, but suffer penalties for 
  Concealment if you can’t see what you’re attacking. You gain a +1 
  bonus to Grab checks per rank.
  ENVIRONMENT 
  STANDARD • RANK • SUSTAINED
  You can control one or more effects of the environment (listed in 
  the power) within 30 feet of you at rank 1; each additional effect 
  rank increases this area by one rank. Characters in this area suffer 
  the effects or penalties of the environment—such as intense cold 
  or darkness—normally (see the Hazard rules on page 86 of the 
  Basic Hero’s Handbook).
  EXTRA LIMBS 
  NONE • PERSONAL • PERMANENT
  You have one additional, functional limb per rank in Extra Limbs. 
  You do not gain any additional actions, but gain Improved Grab 
  as a bonus Advantage, and you gain a +1 bonus to Grab checks 
  per rank (to a maximum of +5).
  GROWTH 
  FREE • PERSONAL • SUSTAINED
  You can grow larger, stronger, and more durable. Every rank 
  of Growth adds +1 Strength, +1 Stamina, and adds +1 to your 
  Mass rank (2 for most characters), but subtracts –1 to Stealth 
  skill checks. Every 2 ranks (rounded up) adds +1 to Intimidation 
  skill checks, but subtracts –1 Parry, and –1 Dodge. Every 4 ranks 
  adds +1 to your Size rank (–2 for most characters). Every 8 ranks 
  adds +1 Speed. Growth that is Permanent and Innate reflects the 
  creature’s natural size.
  6
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  HEALING 
  STANDARD • CLOSE • INSTANT
  You can heal with a touch by making a DC 10 effect check. Every 
  Degree of Success heals one damage condition, starting with the 
  worst.
  IMMORTALITY 
  NONE • PERSONAL • PERMANENT
  You can come back from death. Subtract your Immortality rank 
  from 19 to determine the Time rank it takes you to return to life if 
  killed. You must declare one method of death or destruction that 
  can circumvent your Immortality.
  INSUBSTANTIAL 
  FREE • PERSONAL • SUSTAINED
  You can transform into a less-solid form. At Rank 1 you transform 
  into a fluid; you can be damaged and affect the world normally, 
  but can pass through small openings. At Rank 2 you transform 
  into a gas; you can move through small openings and are immune 
  to physical damage; energy damage affects you normally. At 
  Rank 3 you transform into energy; you can pass through barriers 
  that allow your energy type (such as metal barriers for electricity, 
  or glass for light), you are immune to physical damage, and 
  are immune to the type of energy making up your body, but 
  other energy damage affects you normally. At Rank 4 you are 
  completely incorporeal; you can move through any solid object 
  and are immune to physical and energy damage; choose one 
  descriptor that can still affect you.
  At Rank 2 and higher you cannot use your Strength or powers to 
  affect solid objects unless they have the “Affects Corporeal” extra. 
  Some attacks have the “Affects Insubstantial” extra, and will inflict 
  half damage to Insubstantial targets.
  LUCK CONTROL 
  REACTION • PERCEPTION • INSTANT
  You can spend a Hero Point to affect someone else’s luck. Each 
  rank of Luck Control allows you to select one of the following: 
  Spend a Hero point to help another character, give a Hero Point 
  to another character, spend a Hero point to negate someone 
  else’s use of a Hero Point, or spend a Hero point to force someone 
  else to re-roll a check they just made and take the worse of the 
  two results.
  MORPH 
  FREE • PERSONAL • SUSTAINED
  You can shapeshift into other forms, gaining a +20 bonus on 
  Deception checks made to disguise. At Rank 1, you can transform 
  into one specific form. At Rank 2, you can transform into a narrow 
  category, such as “people my size” or “fish.” At Rank 3, you can 
  transform into a broad category, such as “humanoid” or “animals.” 
  At Rank 4 you can transform into anything roughly your size. This 
  change does not affect your statistics or senses, or provide you 
  any abilities of your new form.
  NULLIFY 
  STANDARD • RANGED • INSTANT
  Choose a descriptor, such as fire or electronics. You can shut down 
  any effect with that descriptor with an opposed effect check (see 
  Countering Effects on page 48 of the Basic Hero’s Handbook).
  REMOTE SENSING 
  FREE • RANK • SUSTAINED
  You can extend the senses listed with this power to scan a distant 
  area. The Distance rank you can project your senses is equal to 
  your Remote Sensing rank. 
  SHRINKING 
  FREE • PERSONAL • SUSTAINED
  You can shrink in size at will, becoming stealthier and harder to 
  hit. Every rank adds +1 to Stealth skill checks. Every two ranks 
  adds +1 Parry and +1 Dodge. Every 4 ranks subtracts –1 Strength 
  and –1 from your Size rank (–2 for most characters). Every 8 ranks 
  subtracts –1 from your Speed. Shrinking that is Permanent and 
  Innate reflects the creature’s natural size.
  SUMMON 
  STANDARD • CLOSE • SUSTAINED
  You can summon or animate a loyal creature to serve you, built 
  from a number of Power Points equal to your rank × 15. Summoned 
  creatures use the minions rules unless the summoning power 
  has the “Heroic” extra, and have the Daze condition unless the 
  summoning power has the “Active” extra. The “Multiple Minions” 
  extra allows you to summon the listed number of creatures rather 
  than just one.
  SWIMMING 
  FREE • PERSONAL • SUSTAINED
  You can swim through water at high speed. You have a water 
  speed rank equal to your Swimming rank –2. This does not allow 
  you to breathe underwater.
  TRANSFORM 
  STANDARD • CLOSE • SUSTAINED
  You can change one object into another, depending on the 
  power’s descriptor. Transform may only let you change a 
  specific item into one other thing or substance, or anything 
  into anything else. Transform only affects inanimate matter, not 
  living creatures. You can transform a mass rank of material equal 
  to your Transform rank –6, and it transforms back once you stop 
  sustaining the power.
  VARIABLE 
  STANDARD • PERSONAL • SUSTAINED
  Choose a descriptor or theme. You have a pool of 5 Power Points 
  per Variable rank that you can assign to any effect within that 
  theme or description, effectively allowing you to do anything 
  related to that concept. You must use a Standard action to 
  change how these points are assigned and what your Variable 
  power can do. Variable with the “Slow” flaw can only be changed 
  outside of combat.
  WEAKEN 
  STANDARD • CLOSE • INSTANT
  Select a trait. You can reduce that trait in a target as an attack. 
  If your attack check hits, your target makes a Fortitude or Will 
  Resistance check against (10 × Weaken rank). If they fail, they lose 
  a number of Power Points equal to the difference between their 
  check result and the DC, to a maximum of your Weaken rank. Lost 
  points return at a rate of 1 per round.
  7
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  
  8
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  Run a few Mutants & Masterminds adventures and, before you know, you will have an ongoing series, just like a comics 
  series created by you and your players! While you can simply create and run adventures and let the rest take care of 
  itself, it is often helpful to have a map of roughly where your series takes place and is going, much like the outline of 
  an adventure’s various encounters. This section looks at creating your own Mutants & Masterminds series and setting, in 
  effect, your very own universe!
  GENRE
  Mutants & Masterminds series are naturally influenced by the genre of the comic books. The comics have several distinct 
  “ages” or genres to them you can use as a basis for your Mutants & Masterminds game. Note that while the different ages 
  discussed below are based on the superhero comic books, they’re not necessarily exact matches for the terms used by 
  comic book historians. For one thing, there’s no general agreement on things like the exact beginning or end of an age, 
  or even what some ages should be called. However, they’re similar enough to provide a framework to capture the genre 
  of a particular era.
  GOLDEN AGE
  The Golden Age of comics, and the modern superhero 
  comic book, began in the late 1930s with the publication 
  of the first comic books featuring heroes in colorful cos-
  tumes fighting crime. These “super heroes” (as they quick-
  ly became known) were a great hit with comics’ mostly 
  young audience, and publishers quickly began turning 
  out new titles, new stories, and new heroes to meet the 
  demand. 
  The first comic book stories were simplistic by modern 
  standards, but also featured heroes with a surprisingly 
  aggressive vigilante attitude. Golden Age heroes who 
  willingly killed their foes, for example, might surprise 
  fans familiar with the more “polished” heroes of the Sil-
  ver Age.
  During World War II, many comics told stories of heroes 
  off to fight the evil of the Axis powers. Looking for things 
  to do while deployed in the European and Pacific The-
  atres, many soldiers took up reading comic books, and 
  the demand skyrocketed. Comics brought to post-war 
  Japan by U.S. soldiers sparked the Japanese manga and 
  anime industries of the modern day. The Golden Age was 
  the beginning of it all, the appearance of a new medium 
  and new kind of mythology, the super-hero, or the so-
  called “mystery man.”
  PULP HEROES
  Some of the ancestors of the Golden Age comics were 
  the pulp magazines of the 1920s and ‘30s, particularly 
  pulp adventure stories featuring heroes with more-than-
  human abilities. Pulp heroes had many of the trappings of 
  superheroes: unusual powers, code-names, masks, secret 
  hideouts, and a bizarre rogues gallery of enemies. They 
  helped inspire early comic book writers (many of whom 
  also wrote for the pulps).
  MYSTERY MEN
  The heroes of the Golden Age are often known as “mys-
  tery men” because they were originally shadowy vigilan-
  tes rather than the brightly clad heroes that appeared lat-
  er. Certainly, the first costumed heroes to appear in public 
  were mysterious; no one knew who they were, where they 
  came from, or what they could do. Some believed stories 
  about their super-human powers were just exaggerations; 
  in some cases, they were right! Many Golden Age heroes 
  used gadgetry and outright trickery to convince people 
  they had strange powers. Generally, in the pre-war years 
  of the Golden Age, heroes are mysterious and not entirely 
  trusted by the authorities, who don’t yet know what to 
  make of them. By the start of World War II, the mystery 
  men have begun to more closely resemble modern super-
  heroes.
  Golden Age heroes fall into certain broad categories. GMs 
  may want to guide players to choose these types of he-
  roes and use them as archetypes for Golden Age NPCs.
  • 
  Avengers are crime-fighters at heart, two-fisted 
  foes of injustice. They’re often motivated by a desire 
  for vengeance because of the loss of a loved one or 
  some other wrong done to them. Others are bored 
  playboys who find purpose in their costumed identi-
  ties. However, they choose the high road and try to 
  bring criminals to justice. Avengers typically oper-
  ate at night, and rely on their fists and their athletic 
  skills—sometimes along with a small array of gad-
  gets—to get the job done.
  • 
  Adventurers are explorers, scientists, and scholars 
  by nature. They usually gain their powers from an en-
  counter with unusual forces in some distant, exotic 
  land. Adventurers tend to be intelligent and knowl-
  edgeable, although some are a little more shady and 
  skilled in acquiring “antiquities” primarily by stealth. 
  Adventurers are well traveled. Their abilities range 
  9
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  from athletics and some skill in combat supplement-
  ed by their knowledge and experience to unusual 
  abilities or devices they’ve picked up in their travels.
  • 
  Patriots are firm believers in their nation. Usually, 
  they’re average ordinary folk gifted with extraordi-
  nary abilities by fortunate circumstance (whether 
  by accident or design). Patriots tend to be either ex-
  tremely humble or more than a little loud-mouthed 
  when it comes to their country being the best in the 
  world. Either way, their dedication can’t be ques-
  tioned; they love their country and there’s nothing 
  they wouldn’t do for it. Patriots tend to go in for 
  costumes showing their patriotism (based on their 
  homeland’s flag, for example).
  • 
  Gimmicks have a particular unique device, trick, or 
  even origin that makes them what they are. Most 
  gimmicks tend to be fairly ordinary apart from the 
  one thing that gives them their powers. For example, 
  a gimmick might be a blue-collar workman who 
  found a magic lamp, or an ordinary kid able to trans-
  form into a powerful adult hero. Gimmicks tend to 
  have a strong theme and stick with it, like the heroine 
  who can see in the dark, with gadgets for blacking 
  out an area so she has the advantage.
  • 
  Godlike heroes possess tremendous power, usu-
  ally magical or cosmic in nature. They may operate 
  under certain restrictions that keep them from ex-
  ercising their power freely, otherwise they tend to 
  overshadow their mortal allies. Often godlike heroes 
  have greater concerns than mere mortals. They may 
  deal with equally godlike foes while their fellow he-
  roes tackle the more mundane problems. Generally, 
  godlike heroes are best kept as NPCs in a Golden Age 
  game, unless all of the heroes are equally powerful 
  (and face equally cosmic challenges). They’re often 
  treated as plot devices.
  WORLD WAR II
  The central and defining event of the Golden Age of comics 
  is the Second World War. Even before America’s entry into 
  the war, comic book heroes were fighting fascists and fifth 
  columnists. Following the declaration of war, their prime 
  adversaries were Nazi and Japanese super-soldiers (as well 
  as the aforementioned fifth-columnists and saboteurs).
  The presence of super-powered champions on both the 
  Axis and Allied sides of the war usually accounts for the 
  fact that the war follows much the same course as in our 
  world. The usual assumption is Allied and Axis super-sol-
  diers counter each other, so the war follows pretty close to 
  the same course. You can always change this assumption 
  in your own world, creating an alternate history (see page 
  41) or coming up with some other reason why superheroes 
  don’t change the course of the war.
  The span from the beginning to the end of World War II 
  (usually starting around the time of the attack on Pearl 
  Harbor and the U.S. entry into the war) is an excellent pe-
  riod for a Golden Age Mutants & Masterminds series.
  1010
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  THE SUPER-GAP
  In the real world, superhero comics went into a decline 
  after World War II, with things like monster, horror, and 
  pirate comics becoming more popular. Many comic book 
  universes choose to explain the general lack of superhero 
  adventures in the 1950s as a reaction to the “Red Scare.” 
  For example, superheroes and masked vigilantes are of-
  ten persecuted during the 1950s, accused of being com-
  munist sympathizers. This leads many of them to retire or 
  go into hiding, or to go outside the law altogether.
  You can come up with your own explanations for a “gap” in 
  superhuman activity during this time. Perhaps an invasion 
  of shape-shifting aliens leads to mistrust of superheroes, 
  or even results in the deaths of many heroes and villains 
  before the aliens are themselves defeated. Golden Age 
  heroes may choose to retire and fade into obscurity over 
  time. The cosmic tides allowing super-powers to exist may 
  wax and wane in a twenty-year cycle, peaking in 1940, 
  dropping off by 1950, only to peak again in 1960, and so 
  forth. Generally, the mid- to late-1950s are regarded as the 
  end of the Golden Age and the start of something new.
  THE POSTMODERN GOLDEN AGE
  The Golden Age of comic books, as with any “golden age,” 
  eventually reached its end. Yet even as it came to a close, 
  time drew both readers and creators ever nearer to its 
  eventual rediscovery. When costumed superheroes reap-
  peared at the dawn of the Silver Age, so did most Golden 
  Age storytelling conventions, with many of the era’s most 
  popular characters following suit, albeit often as shiny 
  new Silver Age revamps. Science fiction was all the rage in 
  comic books’ second great era, and the Golden Age greats 
  re-emerged covered in sci-fi trappings: aliens, weird sci-
  ence, mutants, and just generally more space-y all around.
  The process of revisiting and revising comic books’ first 
  great era repeated itself throughout the ages that fol-
  lowed, as creators viewed the primal majesty (and magni-
  tudes-greater sales) of the Golden Age with envious eyes. 
  Today’s comic books are no exception, as Modern Age 
  writers and artists interpret the kid-centered comic books 
  of the ‘40s for the adult audience of the 21st century.
  These efforts have yielded some of the very best stories 
  and titles of the Modern Age, and have shaped our con-
  temporary understanding of what constitutes a “Golden 
  Age book” as much as the titles that were actually pub-
  lished back in the 1940s. It’s useful to take a look at the 
  various ways these “Postmodern Golden Age” tales differ 
  from the Real McCoy.
  DECONSTRUCTING THE HERO MYTH
  Since the early 1960s, it’s been de rigueur to depict cos-
  tumed heroes as having the same real-world problems 
  as we non-superpowered folk. This trend has produced 
  many fine, popular stories over the years, and their success 
  led to the inevitable envelope-pushing, which reached its 
  zenith in the mid-to-late 1980s. Just as unavoidably, the 
  boundary-stretching continued well past this point, until 
  costumed heroes weren’t all that heroic anymore.
  This z re-invention drove postmodern Golden Age stories 
  as well. Just as characters introduced in the 1940s reap-
  peared as typical smiling, happy Silver Age characters dur-
  ing the 1960s, in the 1990s they became dour, humorless 
  vigilantes like seemingly everyone else in comics of that 
  time.
  “ANTI-HEROES”
  The ‘90s aesthetic dictated that anyone who puts on a cos-
  tume to fight other people wearing costumes (whether 
  ostensibly a hero or a professed villain) is to some degree 
  insane. In fact, the degree and intensity of their craziness 
  is often the only way to tell the putative good guys from 
  the bad guys. The costumed protagonists are prone to 
  obsessive-compulsive manias, and putting on a mask and 
  a cape are just a manifestation of their particular type of 
  craziness. By some degree of contrast, the antagonists are 
  brutal killers, rapists, pederasts, or a combination thereof.
  Creating characters for a postmodern Golden Age style 
  series is a matter of selecting classic costumed-character 
  archetypes and putting dark spins on them. In this fash-
  ion, flag-costumed characters become ultra-nationalist 
  zealots, blind to the flaws of their home country as well as 
  the virtues of any other nation.
  Similarly, masked avengers become bloodthirsty vigilan-
  tes, executing scores of criminals as part of a bloody war 
  on crime in which no target is off limits for either side. 
  Other types of costumed characters cease to fight lawless-
  ness and tyranny out of a sense of justice or higher obliga-
  THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS
  If the players are neither sticklers for authentic Golden Age comic-book details nor diehard fans of grim-and-gritty stories, 
  Gamemaster are free to choose whatever elements are going to create the most fun in their series. In many ways, this is 
  the best approach, because it satisfies the players’ likely affinity for modern storytelling conventions while leaving the 
  Gamemaster free to create the widest possible range of stories.
  The eclectic approach can encompass the tighter continuity and greater emphasis on superpowered feats found in mod-
  ern comics, while at the same time avoiding the oft-preachy moralizing common to both the Golden Age and postmod-
  ern eras. Stories can be lighthearted without the lowbrow comedy of the Golden Age, or they can be serious without the 
  nastiness of the postmodern era.
  Ultimately, the specifics must be left to each individual Gamemaster. Thankfully, doing so is a natural process. Simply read 
  over the tropes of each approach, and go with whatever elements are going to be the most fun for all.
  1111
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  tion, but instead coincidentally do the right thing while 
  battling their own psychological quirks and defects.
  With heroes like that, the villains have to be real pieces of 
  work. Forget bank robbers and juvenile delinquents in this 
  style of series. It takes serial murderers, mutilators, geno-
  cidal racists, and the sleaziest sexual deviants to make the 
  protagonists seem like heroes.
  THE NOT-SO-GOLDEN AGE
  Naturally, characters such as these cannot live in the gen-
  erally optimistic world depicted in Golden Age comics. In 
  the name of “realism” (always a tricky term to use in re-
  gards to superhero comic books), stories inevitably focus 
  on the most sensationalistic, violent, and lurid aspects of 
  life in the 1940s. When the era itself disappoints in any of 
  these criteria, exaggeration and outright fabrication step 
  up to close any perceived gaps.
  To be sure, the world depicted in Golden Age comic books 
  wasn’t realistic, but then again it was never intended to 
  be. Indeed, the very notion of “realism” in stories about fly-
  ing men of steel from alien planets was considered utterly 
  laughable at the time. By the same token, playing up any 
  sort of alleged “realism” is every bit as ridiculous at face 
  value, but not without its appeal to many comics fans and 
  gaming groups. It’s simply worth noting for accuracy’s 
  sake that putting a serial-killer supervillain into a story set 
  in the 1940s is by no measure more “realistic” than any ac-
  tually published during that time period.
  RACISM, SEXISM, & HOMOPHOBIA
  In addition to ramping up the grim and gritty, postmodern 
  Golden Age tales require a healthy sampling of the era’s 
  very real and open prejudices. The heroes themselves are 
  usually above such things, but almost everyone else they 
  encounter is not nearly as enlightened.
  During the 1940s, large numbers of people casually be-
  lieve a dame’s proper place is serving her man, blacks, 
  Asians, and Hispanics are naturally inferior to whites, Jews 
  are a source of social ills, and homosexuals are perverts 
  akin to rapists and pedophiles. Consequently, minority 
  characters are subjected to the depredations of segrega-
  tion, harassment, racial or ethnic slurs, and hate crimes are 
  regular plot points.
  These elements are usually included in comic-book stories 
  to highlight the era’s perceived hypocrisy (and reassure 
  the reader how much more enlightened the writer is), and 
  to show how much more “realistic” (again, a slippery term) 
  his storytelling is. More commonly, the bigotry is there 
  simply to shock the supposedly jaded readers. 
  In a roleplaying game, prejudiced characters can serve 
  more constructive dramatic purposes. Reminding players 
  just how far cultural attitudes have progressed in the in-
  tervening decades is a good and healthy thing, and it can 
  be fun for them to confront and triumph over racism, sex-
  ism, and homophobia. It’s even more fun for them to beat 
  a racist, sexist, and/or homophobic villain senseless. Never 
  forget the point of a roleplaying game is to have fun, no 
  matter how grim and gritty the game.
  ENCOURAGING POSTMODERN GOLDEN AGE CONVENTIONS
  Historical trappings aside, postmodern Golden Age series 
  differ very little from Iron Age series. Sure, there are fewer 
  tattooed heroes in sunglasses, but there are just as many 
  heroes blazing away with guns, a greater emphasis on “re-
  alistic” superpowers, and more than a few ninjas (or ninja-
  like) characters running around. 
  GOLDEN AGE GEAR
  Within the boundaries of the era’s technology, rules for 
  equipment in the Golden Age are just the same as in the 
  M&M Hero’s Handbook. Wartime rationing may affect the 
  availability of some items, but assuming it can be had 
  (and it exists in this era), all the normal rules are in play.
  THE GOLDEN AGE ARSENAL
  The following is a list of weapons found in the hands of 
  cops, crooks, and civilians during the Golden Age. There 
  are also some military-grade weapons from World War 
  II and the Korean War. Military-grade weapons are, of 
  course, normally found in the hands of soldiers, but they 
  can also turn up in civilian use, such as with ex-GIs who 
  kept a few souvenirs from their days in uniform or gang-
  sters who found them after they “fell off the back of an 
  Army truck.”  These weapons are in addition to those avail-
  able in the M&M Hero’s Handbook.
  PROJECTILE WEAPONS
  • 
  Pistols are issued to officers, air crews, tank crews, and 
  any other personnel who either work in confined spac-
  es or otherwise can’t easily carry a heavier weapon.
  • 
  Carbines were intended to replace pistols in the Ameri-
  can military, but only really found favor in the hands of 
  the U.S. Marine Corps, who preferred their more com-
  pact size for jungle fighting in the Pacific Theater.
  • 
  Service rifles were the standard-issue weapons for 
  infantrymen of all nations.
  • 
  Shotguns can fire shot, which does the listed dam-
  age with Accurate 1 due to the spread, but Limited to 
  Damage 3 against targets with Protection. It can also 
  load solid slugs, which inflict the same damage, but 
  without the Accurate bonus or the Limit on Damage.
  • 
  Submachine guns are issued to commando units, 
  low-ranking unit leaders on the front lines, para-
  troopers, and some vehicle crews—essentially any-
  one who needs a lot of firepower at close range. 
  These weapons were also popular in Soviet service, 
  perfect for the brutal house-to-house urban warfare 
  seen on the Eastern Front.
  • 
  Light machine guns are issued singly or in pairs to 
  squads of infantrymen to give them some much-
  needed extra firepower on the battlefield.
  • 
  Medium and heavy machine guns are usually found 
  mounted on vehicles or in dug-in emplacements 
  1212
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  protecting 
  important 
  positions, 
  like 
  field 
  headquarters. Heavy machine guns were sometimes 
  deployed in multi-weapon mountings for use against 
  enemy aircraft.
  HEAVY WEAPONS
  Sometimes even a machine gun isn’t enough to get the 
  job done. Maybe the enemy’s too far away, too well dug-
  in, or there’s just too many of them. Maybe the enemy’s 
  skin is bulletproof, and a bigger bang is the only hope of 
  stopping him.
  Whatever the cause, here are the statistics for some of the 
  most common heavy weapons found in the armies of the 
  Korean and Second World Wars. For obvious reasons (just 
  glance at their game statistics), the Gamemaster should 
  incorporate these truly big guns into their games with 
  care, lest their perfectly crafted adventures be ruined by 
  a hail of shells fired from a mile away.
  HEAVY WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT POINTS
  Many of the weapons listed here are pricey equipment 
  point-wise. This is for reasons of game balance, but in 
  some cases it can bend history a little bit, denying real-
  world soldiers weapons they got to use on a daily basis 
  during the various wars of the Golden Age era.
  As it happens, most of the higher-cost weapons are also 
  crew-served weapons that don’t work (or at least, don’t 
  work well) unless they’re fired as a group effort. Therefore, 
  as an optional rule Gamemasters can allow characters 
  acting as a dedicated crew for a certain weapon to acquire 
  it using equipment points contributed by each of them.
  For example, the two GIs responsible for the unit’s Light 
  Mortar can split up the 15 equipment point cost to account 
  for the fact that without one of them loading and the other 
  aiming, the weapon is pretty much useless. Likewise, a 
  Heavy Field Artillery Gun isn’t as much of a point burden if 
  all ten guys in its crew chip in 3-4 equipment points each.
  As an option, the Gamemaster can simply choose not 
  charge military characters for equipment issued to them 
  by their government as part of their assigned duties. In a 
  series centered around the crew of a tank haunted by the 
  ghost of a Confederate general, for instance, the player 
  characters receive the tank itself for zero equipment 
  points (though they may have to pay for the ghost, 
  depending on how much help he is to the crew).
  PROJECTILE WEAPONS
  WEAPON
  EFFECT
  CRITICAL
  COST
  Longarms
  Sawed-off Shotgun
  Ranged Damage 6
  20
  12
  Skeet Shotgun
  Ranged Damage 4
  20
  8
  Carbine
  Ranged Damage 4
  20
  8
  Light Service Rifle
  Ranged Damage 5
  20
  10
  Service Rifle
  Ranged Damage 6
  20
  12
  Light Submachine Gun
  Ranged Multiattack Damage 3
  20
  9
  Machine Guns
  Light Machine Gun
  Ranged Multiattack Damage 4
  20
  12
  Medium Machine Gun
  Ranged Multiattack Damage 5
  20
  15
  Heavy Machine Gun
  Ranged Multiattack Damage 6
  20
  18
  HEAVY WEAPONS
  NAME
  DAMAGE
  CRITICAL
  COST
  Antitank Rocket
  Ranged Burst Area Damage 9, Penetrating 9
  —
  36
  Light Mortar
  Ranged Burst Area Damage 5
  —
  15
  Medium Mortar
  Ranged Burst Area Damage 7
  —
  21
  Heavy Mortar
  Ranged Burst Area 2 (60 feet) Damage 9
  —
  36
  Light Antitank Gun
  Ranged Damage 7, Penetrating 7
  —
  21
  Medium Antitank Gun
  Ranged Damage 8, Penetrating 8
  —
  24
  Heavy Antitank Gun
  Ranged Damage 9, Penetrating 9
  —
  27
  Light Field Artillery
  Ranged Burst Area Damage 8
  —
  24
  Medium Field Artillery
  Ranged Burst Area Damage 9
  —
  27
  Heavy Field Artillery
  Ranged Burst Area 2 (60 feet) Damage 10
   —
  40
  1313
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  FRIENDLY FIRE
  In any given war, the trouble with artillery is that it’s always 
  landing somewhere it’s not wanted. The enemy being tar-
  geted certainly may not always appreciate it, but when the 
  shells come up short, the soldiers getting hit with “friendly 
  fire” are even more upset. This is because artillery is fore-
  most used for indirect fire, which is a fancy way of saying 
  the men operating the gun can’t actually see what they’re 
  shooting at. Instead, they’re relying on the word of some-
  one who can see the target, who may or may not be de-
  scribing its position well enough to result in a hit. Even 
  when they are, words get misheard in the heat of battle, 
  men under pressure forget to carry the two, and mistakes 
  get made—like shelling their own troops, for instance.
  Any attack made with a hand grenade, mortar, or field ar-
  tillery gun that results in a natural one hits a friendly tar-
  get instead. Grenades, distrusted during the war because 
  of their unpredictable fuses, might even blow up in the 
  hands of those throwing them.
  • 
  Antitank rockets are fired via a number of different 
  systems, including the American bazooka, the British 
  Commonwealth PIAT, and the German Panzerfaust 
  and Panzerschreck launchers. Whatever the type, it can 
  only fire once; reloading requires a both a move and a 
  standard action. Antitank rockets have the Penetrating 
  extra, allowing them to damage heavily armored 
  targets. Typically, one such weapon was issued per 
  infantry company, but the Germans issued them in 
  much greater numbers during the closing months of 
  the war, usually to troops barely trained in their use.
  • 
  Mortars are basically metal tubes capable of launch-
  ing shells at targets in a high, slow arc. They are rela-
  tively easy to transport, set up, conceal, and operate. 
  Most mortar rounds are high explosive, and thus 
  have the Burst Area extra. Mortars need a crew of two 
  or three men to operate normally. Typically, a light 
  (60mm) mortar is issued to an infantry company, six 
  medium (81mm) mortars to a heavy weapons compa-
  ny, and six heavy (120mm) mortars assigned to an in-
  fantry regiment. Medium mortars were also mounted 
  on halftracks to provide mobile fire support.
  • 
  Antitank guns are direct-fire artillery weapons 
  designed to take out armored vehicles. Light mod-
  els are fairly portable, but as the war dragged on, 
  heavier and less mobile models were necessary to 
  defeat the newer, better-armored tanks. Antitank 
  rounds have the Penetrating extra on their damage. 
  Antitank guns need a crew of three to five to operate 
  normally. Typically, an antitank company had 12 such 
  weapons: lighter ones (37mm) at the start of the war, 
  and then progressing to medium (50mm) and heavy 
  (75mm or 88mm) guns later in the conflict. Antitank 
  guns were also mounted on lightly armored chasses 
  and put into a dedicated armor-killing role as tank 
  destroyers.
  • 
  Field artillery is the king of the battlefield, raining 
  destruction down on enemy positions and softening 
  them up for attack by tanks and infantry. Most artillery 
  rounds are high explosive, and thus have the Burst 
  Area modifier. Artillery pieces also have the Extended 
  Range extra, since they fire in such long ballistic arcs. 
  1414
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Artillery is large and heavy, and requires some sort of 
  transport, be it horses, trucks, or being self-propelled 
  on lightly armored chasses. Each gun requires a crew 
  of 5 to 10 men to operate normally. Typically, an in-
  fantry regiment had 6-8 light (75mm) and/or medium 
  (105mm) guns assigned to it, while an infantry division 
  had 12 heavy (155mm) pieces at its disposal.
  GOLDEN AGE VEHICLES
  Transportation in the 1940s (both civilian and military) 
  was in a time of transition. Passenger train service began 
  to lose ground to the airlines, and jets supplanted prop-
  driven planes. On the oceans, the feared dreadnought 
  battleships of days gone by lost their naval dominance to 
  the aircraft carrier.
  This section provides all the necessary Mutants & Mas-
  terminds game information to incorporate Golden Age 
  vehicles in your series, from giant airships like the Hin-
  denburg to Sherman tanks. Some types included here 
  are also mentioned in the Hero’s Handbook, but note that 
  changes in time and technology give the Golden Age ver-
  sions somewhat different capabilities than their modern 
  descendants.
  GROUND VEHICLES
  Golden Age automobiles lack most of the standard car 
  features listed in the M&M Hero’s Handbook (see page 170), 
  in part due to the fact that new car production (and thus 
  innovation) was halted for the duration of the war. Auto-
  mobiles did have heaters, and the first car with air condi-
  tioning rolled off the assembly lines in 1940. Radios (AM, 
  of course) were available throughout the Golden Age, but 
  did not become standard features until later in the era.
  Military vehicles are even more no-frills. A radio receiver/
  transmitter and a fire extinguisher are about the only 
  standard features to be found, courtesy of Uncle Sam (or 
  his other-national equivalents).
  • 
  Jeeps (and similar vehicles used by other countries) 
  were versatile workhorses for the army, whether tow-
  ing guns or transporting officers or wounded men 
  wherever they needed to go. Some jeeps had a me-
  dium machine gun on a pedestal mount in the back, 
  and the cost for these models goes up accordingly 
  (by 18 equipment points).
  • 
  Halftracks were essentially armored trucks with the 
  rear wheels replaced by tank tracks. Examples include 
  the American M3, British Bedford BT, and the German 
  SdKfz 250. They were designed for moving troops in 
  close proximity to the battlefield, where their armor 
  provided passengers with some degree of protec-
  tion. A halftrack mounts a light machine gun.
  • 
  Light tanks were used primarily for reconnaissance 
  and scouting missions. An example is the Ameri-
  can M5 Stuart or the German Panzer II. A light tank 
  mounts a medium machine gun and a light antitank 
  gun, capable of firing either antitank rounds (as 
  specified under the gun’s description) or antiperson-
  nel rounds (as an Alternate Effect, with the Burst Area 
  extra instead of Penetrating).
  • 
  Medium tanks are the most common types seen 
  on the battlefield, and consequently carry on most 
  of the fighting. Examples include the American M4 
  Sherman, the German Panzer III and IV, and the So-
  viet T-34. A medium tank mounts a medium machine 
  gun and a medium antitank gun, capable of firing 
  either antitank rounds (as specified under the gun’s 
  description, above) or antipersonnel rounds (as an 
  Alternate Effect, with the Burst Area extra instead of 
  Penetrating).
  • 
  Heavy tanks were relatively scarce on the battle-
  field, a fact for which any who faced them were 
  grateful. An example is the German Panther or Ti-
  ger tank. A heavy tank mounts a medium machine 
  gun and a heavy antitank gun, capable of firing ei-
  ther antitank rounds (as specified under the gun’s 
  description, above) or antipersonnel rounds (as an 
  Alternate Effect, with the Burst Area extra instead of 
  Penetrating).
  WATER VEHICLES
  Naval vessels were required to spend months away from 
  port. They had to function as self-sufficient floating cities 
  during these times, providing three square meals, laun-
  dry, and even the occasional movie for their crews. In ad-
  dition to the facilities needed to provide these services, 
  they came equipped with radar and sonar systems that 
  gave much-needed warnings of approaching carrier-
  based planes and submarines (the two deadliest anti-ship 
  weapons of the war).
  • 
  Patrol boats like the American PT boats, the British 
  MBTs, or the German S-boats were small, short-range 
  patrol craft intended for coastal defense and interdic-
  tion of narrow waterways where larger craft could not 
  operate. They were armed with heavy machine guns 
  and torpedoes (Ranged Damage 8, Penetrating 8).
  • 
  Cruisers are intermediate-size warships used to 
  screen smaller vessels away from the larger capital 
  ships, or to perform missions where a destroyer is too 
  little and a battleship too much. They are equipped 
  with medium naval guns (equivalent to heavy field 
  artillery).
  • 
  Battle cruisers or “pocket battleships” were built in 
  the prewar era on the presumption they would out-
  gun smaller vessels and outrun larger ones; in short, 
  providing a battleship on the cheap. As often as not, 
  it turned out that smaller vessels just ran away from 
  them and larger vessels outgunned them too badly 
  to risk a confrontation. A battle cruiser’s main guns 
  are equivalent to heavy field artillery.
  • 
  Escort carriers were born of desperation at the 
  height of the U-boat threat to Allied convoys. They 
  were about as basic a design as could be imagined, 
  amounting to little more than a tiny floating airbase. 
  These ships performed their antisubmarine role 
  magnificently, and were key in finally eradicating 
  1515
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  the German submarine menace. Escort carriers were 
  armed with medium field artillery, but their primary 
  weapons were the aircraft they carried aboard (use 
  the statistics for a carrier squadron).
  • 
  Aircraft carriers proved the decisive naval weapon, 
  as their dive-bombers and torpedo planes could 
  sink any other vessel afloat. The war in the Pacific 
  quickly became a battle of carriers, which American 
  industrial might could produce in numbers no other 
  country could match. Carrier air power was also used 
  against land targets, usually to soften up the enemy 
  prior to an amphibious landing. Normally, aircraft 
  carriers were armed with light naval guns (medium 
  field artillery) and a mixture of fighters and bombers. 
  During World War II, these types were propeller-
  driven planes like the F6F Hellcat fighter and the 
  SB2C Helldiver dive-bomber, but by the Korean War 
  jet fighter-bombers like the F9F Panther and F2H 
  Banshee were the norm. A carrier’s air group can 
  be simulated in game terms either by three or four 
  carrier squadrons or one carrier group. 
  AIR VEHICLES
  Forget the free bag of peanuts in the Golden Age, fre-
  quent flyers. People are still gawking at those weird new 
  flying contraptions, so things are a mite primitive by com-
  parison. In this era, aircraft came equipped with a radio 
  receiver/transmitter, some basic gauges, and a fire extin-
  guisher. Military planes didn’t add much more, as only 
  bombers had the room to do so, and even then it’s basic 
  stuff like bombsights and toilets (for those long missions). 
  Even radar was scarce, though some fighter aircraft were 
  fitted with sets so they could function as night-fighters.
  • 
  Autogyros are propeller-powered airplanes with 
  additional overhead rotor blades. Examples like the 
  Pitcairn models have been around since the 1920s. 
  They were the forerunner of the helicopter, but were 
  slower and incapable of hovering. They did require a 
  lot less runway than other fixed-wing aircraft, however.
  • 
  Flying boats like the American PBY Catalina could 
  land and take off from either solid surfaces or 
  GROUND VEHICLES
  NAME
  SIZE
  STRENGTH
  SPEED
  DEFENSE
  TOUGHNESS
  COST
  Jeep*
  H
  8
  5
  7
  9
  8
  Army Truck
  H
  9
  5
  6
  10
  9
  Halftrack*
  H
  10
  4
  6
  10 Impervious
  31
  Light Tank*
  H
  9
  5
  6
  11 Impervious
  58
  Medium Tank*
  H
  10
  4
  6
  12 Impervious
  63
  Heavy Tank*
  H
  11
  4
  6
  13 Impervious
  69
  WATER VEHICLES
  NAME
  SIZE
  STRENGTH
  SPEED
  DEFENSE
  TOUGHNESS
  COST
  Freighter
  G
  20
  3
  4
  13
  16
  Patrol Boat*
  G
  12
  5
  4
  11
  50
  Cruiser*
  A
  20
  5
  0
  15 Impervious
  65
  Battle Cruiser*
  A
  20
  4
  0
  16 Impervious
  66
  Escort Carrier*
  A
  20
  4
  0
  15 Impervious
  51
  Aircraft Carrier*
  A
  24
  4
  0
  18 Impervious
  61
  AIR VEHICLES
  NAME
  SIZE
  STRENGTH
  SPEED
  DEFENSE
  TOUGHNESS
  COST
  Airship
  A
  20
  4
  0
  15
  13
  Autogyro*
  H
  8
  6
  8
  9
  16
  Military Transport Plane
  G
  13
  6
  4
  12
  17
  Flying Boat*
  G
  12
  6/7
  4
  11
  34
  Prop Fighter*
  H
  8
  6
  6
  9
  32+
  Jet Fighter (WWII)*
  G
  12
  7
  4
  11
  35+
  Jet Fighter (Korean War)*
  G
  12
  7
  4
  12
  36+
  *See individual descriptions for more information.
  1616
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  (reasonably calm) waters, and thus were vital during 
  World War II for air/sea rescue missions. In the air, 
  a flying boat could manage Flight 6; in the water, 
  Swimming 7 (as an Alternate Effect). Flying boats 
  were also armed with heavy machine guns.
  • 
  Prop fighters like the American P-51 Mustang, the 
  British Spitfire, the German Messerschmitt Me-109, 
  and the Japanese Zero were primarily used to escort 
  bombers to their targets, or to try to shoot down 
  said bombers before they got there. As the war 
  progressed, fighters were increasingly called upon 
  for close air support, strafing ground targets that 
  were largely helpless against them. Prop fighters 
  came equipped with heavy machine guns and often 
  carried a light bomb or rocket load (Ranged Burst 
  Area Damage 8) for ground-attack missions.
  • 
  Jet fighters entered combat for the very first time 
  during World War II in the form of the German 
  Messerschmitt Me 262. Its speed and maneuverability 
  made it an instant threat to the Allies’ propeller-driven 
  air forces. Later models, such as the American P-80 
  Shooting Star and F-86 Sabre, clashed with Soviet-
  made MiG-15s over “MiG Alley” in Korea, alternately 
  trying to strafe enemy ground targets or prevent 
  the same from happening on their side. Jet fighters 
  came equipped with heavy machine guns and often 
  carried a light bomb or rocket load (Ranged Burst Area 
  Damage 8) for ground-attack missions.
  SILVER AGE
  The Silver Age of comic books began with the “second 
  generation” of superheroes from 1959 to 1963 or so. Silver 
  Age comics tended to feature more powerful heroes than 
  their Golden Age predecessors (with the exception of a 
  few godlike Golden Age characters). Silver Age comics 
  also had a decidedly science fiction bent to them, with 
  more aliens, fantastic technology, and scientific origins, 
  especially involving atomic energy and related mutations. 
  Many classic comic book characters first appeared in the 
  Silver Age, or settled into their now-familiar forms and 
  mythologies during this time.
  LIGHTHEARTEDNESS
  The Silver Age comics are characterized by a certain 
  lighthearted tone and innocent sense of fun. The heroes are 
  not the grim and angry avengers of the early and war-era 
  Golden Age, but shining examples of the best in humanity. 
  The Silver Age sees the development of things like heroic 
  codes against killing and support for the law, justice, and 
  American values. In part this is due to the Comics Code (see 
  The Comics Code sidebar), which prohibits some of the 
  darker elements of older comics. In the Silver Age, heroes 
  are heroes, villains are villains, and that’s all there is to it.
  Silver Age comics also don’t take themselves too seriously. 
  They’re not satires—although they are often campy—but 
  they don’t focus on the realism of a world of costumed 
  heroes and villains. Generally, the consequences of super-
  powers are cheerfully ignored to make for better stories. 
  Nobody wonders how a hero can pick up a battleship, he 
  just does it! The same is true for any of a number of other 
  elements. Collateral damage is mysteriously cleaned up 
  in between issues (or panels, for that matter!). Captured 
  villains go to jail, without any concern for lengthy trials 
  or legal entanglements. There are no questions about 
  why a genius inventor doesn’t develop Teflon or a cure 
  for cancer rather than super-science “vita-rays” or rocket 
  ships. In general, the watchword of the Silver Age is “don’t 
  worry about it!” If it’s fun and works as part of the story, go 
  ahead and use it and don’t worry about the consequences 
  or implications for the larger world.
  THE COLD WAR
  During the decades of the Silver Age, the Cold War was in 
  full swing, and in full evidence in the pages of the comics. 
  Nazi villains from the Golden Age were replaced with 
  Communist villains from the Soviet Union or the People’s 
  Republic of China (less often from Latin America or other 
  parts of Asia like Vietnam or Cambodia).
  Communist villains (communists were never heroes) were 
  just as much caricatures as the fascists of the 1940s. They 
  were either mindlessly loyal to the State, even brainwashed 
  by their Party handlers, or thoroughly corrupt and willing to 
  serve the Communist Party so long as it furthered their own 
  ends. Communist emblems like the red star (or the Chinese 
  yellow stars on a red field) and the Russian hammer and 
  sickle were all but required for the costumes of Red villains.
  As the Silver Age progressed, attitudes toward 
  communist characters (or at least those from communist 
  nations) softened somewhat, although they remained 
  stereotypical. Some characters chose to defect to the 
  West, rejecting communism and showing their heroic 
  side. Their former “comrades” from home typically hunted 
  them for their betrayal.
  THE COMICS CODE
  In 1954, psychiatrist Dr. Frederic Wertham published 
  his book Seduction of the Innocent, in which he claimed 
  reading comic books had a detrimental effect on Amer-
  ica’s youth. Hearings in the U.S. Senate scrutinized the 
  “questionable” content of comics and threatened to 
  shut down the entire industry.
  Taking preemptive action, the major publishers pro-
  posed and adopted their own code for regulating the 
  content of comic books. Among other things, the new 
  Comics Code Authority banned any sort of explicit vio-
  lence, sex, gore, or other “mature” content. It generally 
  sanitized the contents of comic books, and nearly wiped 
  out the industry (or saved it, depending on your point of 
  view). Many publishers went out of business and entire 
  genres of comics, especially horror and crime comics, 
  ceased publication altogether.
  Ironically, the Comics Code caused the remaining pub-
  lishers to turn back to superheroes, since it was easiest 
  for them to fit into the restrictions of the Code. These 
  guidelines were the source of much of the innocence 
  and lightheartedness of the Silver Age.
  1717
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  THE ATOMIC AGE
  The Silver Age is also the beginning of the atomic age, 
  with the proliferation of both nuclear power and nuclear 
  weapons. The looming specter of the Bomb during the 
  Cold War only increased the mystique of “atomic power,” 
  which became the origin for many Silver Age characters. 
  Uncontrolled exposure to radiation—whether cosmic 
  rays, gamma bombs, or bites from radioactive animals—
  figured into many origins. Comics also speculated that 
  rising levels of background radiation (due to atomic tests 
  and such) were causing widespread genetic mutations, 
  leading to a new generation of super-powered mutants.
  In many ways, these “children of the atom” embodied fears 
  about nuclear power. They also served as proxies for the 
  social upheavals of the 1960s and ‘70s, especially the civil 
  rights movement. They were the strange children their 
  parents couldn’t understand. People hated and feared 
  them for being who and what they were. Yet some mutants 
  took the high road, using their powers to protect a world 
  that wanted to destroy them. This analogy appealed 
  to many comic readers (often alienated teenagers 
  themselves), leading to the popularity of mutant heroes. 
  The Mutation origin (see page 29) has more information 
  on incorporating this theme into your series.
  SECOND-GENERATION SUPERS
  The heroes of the Silver Age made up a new generation 
  of superheroes, often following in the footsteps of their 
  Golden Age predecessors. Some comic publishers created 
  updated versions of their Golden Age characters for an all-
  new comic book audience, while other Silver Age heroes 
  were completely new. The explosion in comic publishing 
  in the 1960s certainly meant there were more of them 
  than the handful of surviving heroes from the Golden Age.
  Like the postwar generation of the time, Silver Age heroes 
  often held different attitudes from the previous genera-
  tion. Their Golden Age mentors, if they showed up at all, 
  were often seen as “old fashioned.” Golden Age heroes 
  who made the transition to the Silver Age sometimes felt 
  they belonged to a bygone era, and wondered what they 
  had to offer this new generation.
  You can incorporate these elements into your series in 
  two ways. First, you can create Golden Age heroes for the 
  new generation to follow, perhaps even having some of 
  them take up the mantles (and names) of their predeces-
  sors, just as many Silver Age heroes did in the comics. 
  Second, you can provide opportunities for the heroes to 
  interact with the previous generation, perhaps emphasiz-
  ing the “generation gap” in terms of attitudes. This is es-
  pecially effective if one of the player’s heroes was around 
  during the Golden Age and is now adjusting (or not!) to a 
  new generation.
  FANTASTIC FRONTIERS
  More so than the Golden Age, the Silver Age of comics is 
  one of wonder. In the era when humanity first went into 
  space and reached for the Moon, the comics featured an 
  1818
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  endless array of lost worlds, hidden cities, fantastic di-
  mensions, alien planets, and cosmic forces. Many Silver 
  Age heroes are explorers by nature, blazing trails into new 
  frontiers. These exotic places often hold danger, for the 
  heroes and the world.
  • 
  Lost Worlds include isolated plateaus where dino-
  saurs still roam (and maybe hunt primitive tribes of 
  humans). Living examples of dead civilizations like 
  ancient Greeks, Romans, Aztecs, or Mayans may still 
  exist, and could have technology (or magic) in ad-
  vance of their ancestors, or even the modern world.
  • 
  Hidden Civilizations are sources of heroes and vil-
  lains. Cities hidden in isolated places like the Himala-
  yas, Antarctica, or the bottom of the ocean are home to 
  offshoots of the human race. Sunken cities like Atlantis 
  and Lemuria are common in the comics, inhabited by 
  aquatic or mer-people. Perhaps legendary cities like 
  Shangri-La, El Dorado, Lyonesse, and Brigadoon exist 
  in one form or another. You can decide just how well 
  hidden these civilizations are, what the inhabitants are 
  like, and what adventure possibilities they offer.
  • 
  Fantastic Dimensions range from abstract places like 
  the astral plane and the dimension of darkness (or sim-
  ilar conceptual dimensions) to parallel Earths where 
  history took a different course. Heroes can use the Di-
  mension Travel effect to reach these dimensions, while 
  their inhabitants might do the same to reach Earth.
  • 
  Alien Worlds are numerous and diverse in most comic 
  book universes. They’re home to alien civilizations, 
  many of them humanoid and possessed of technology 
  advanced enough to reach Earth. Alien races can be 
  peaceful and uninterested in a cosmic backwater like 
  our planet, but many more are would-be invaders. The 
  Alien origin (see page 25) has some additional ideas on 
  using aliens in your series.
  GOING APE!
  Julius Schwartz, an editor at DC Comics for decades, first 
  noticed that comics sold better with an ape or gorilla on 
  the cover (especially an ape talking or engaged in some 
  other human behavior). So much better, in fact, that DC 
  instituted an editorial policy limiting the number of apes 
  on the covers of their books each month! The popularity 
  of primates led to a number of Silver Age simian charac-
  ters. They include heroes and villains, as well as sidekicks 
  and supporting characters. Most Silver Age ape characters 
  retain their simian physical traits, but have human level (or 
  greater!) intellect.
  GLOATING
  Oh, how Silver Age villains love to gloat! Gamemasters 
  who want to encourage the Silver Age tradition of villain-
  ous gloating (or “monologuing”) can use the following 
  guidelines.
  A hero can make a Deception skill check against the re-
  sult of a villain’s resistance check to encourage the villain 
  to waste time gloating, giving the hero an opportunity to 
  do something. This works like the Fascinate advantage, 
  except the hero doesn’t need to do anything to maintain 
  it. Each round, make a new check for the villain, if it fails, 
  the villain goes on gloating. Generally, any attack or other 
  action from the hero directly affecting the villain ends the 
  villain’s gloating. Players can (and often should) spend 
  hero points on the interaction check to encourage villains 
  to gloat.
  SILVER AGE GEAR
  The following is a list of military-grade weapons found in 
  the hands of cops, crooks, and civilians during the Silver 
  and Bronze Ages. Military-grade weapons are of course 
  normally found in the hands of soldiers, but they can 
  also turn up in civilian use, such as with ex-GIs who kept 
  a few souvenirs from their days in uniform or bad guys 
  who found them after they “fell off the back of an Army 
  truck.” Big guns like these also seem to have an annoy-
  ing habit of winding up in the hands of the super-villains’ 
  goons as well.
  HEAVY WEAPONS
  Sometimes even a machine gun isn’t enough to get the 
  job done. Maybe the enemy’s too far away, too well dug-
  in, or there’s just too many of them. Maybe the enemy’s 
  skin is bulletproof, and a bigger bang is the only hope of 
  stopping him.
  Whatever the cause, we present the relevant numbers for 
  some of the most common heavy weapons found with 
  Cold War armies. For obvious reasons (just glance at their 
  game statistics), the Gamemaster should incorporate 
  these truly big guns into their games with care, lest their 
  perfectly crafted adventures be ruined by a hail of shells 
  fired from a mile away.
  The weapons listed below are in addition to any listed in 
  the Golden Age section (earlier in this chapter) and in the 
  M&M Hero’s Handbook.
  HEAVY WEAPONS
  WEAPON
  EFFECT
  CRITICAL
  COST
  Light Recoilless Rifle*
  Ranged Damage 7 Penetrating 7 or Burst Area
  —
  21
  Medium Recoilless Rifle*
  Ranged Damage 8 Penetrating 8 or Burst Area
  —
  24
  Heavy Recoilless Rifle*
  Ranged Damage 9 Penetrating 9 or Burst Area
  —
  27
  *See individual descriptions for more information.
  1919
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  • 
  Recoilless Rifles are direct-fire artillery weapons 
  designed to take out armored vehicles. Light mod-
  els are fairly portable and can be fired from the 
  shoulder like a bazooka. Heavier and less mobile 
  models were better able to defeat newer, heavier-
  armored tanks. The rifle’s antitank rounds have the 
  Penetrating extra on their damage, while anti-per-
  sonnel rounds have the Burst Area extra. Recoilless 
  rifles need a crew of three to five to operate normal-
  ly. Heavier models were also mounted on jeeps. The 
  light (57mm), medium (75mm), and heavy (90mm 
  or 106mm) rifles were all phased out during the 
  Vietnam War in favor of light anti-tank weapons 
  (LAWs, equivalent to the rocket launcher, see the 
  M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 167).
  BRONZE AGE
  The Bronze Age of comics follows on the tail end of the 
  Silver Age, sometime in the 1970s and into the 1980s. It’s 
  characterized by an increasing sophistication in terms of 
  characterization and story, particularly a willingness to 
  tackle more complex and mature issues skirting the limits 
  of the Comics Code. Bronze Age comics also feature par-
  ticular fads and social trends of the time.
  HUMAN HEROES
  The heroes of the Bronze Age have feet of clay. While 
  many Silver Age heroes were given foibles, they truly 
  come to the fore in the Bronze Age. Rather than just he-
  roes who bicker amongst themselves, for example, there 
  are heroes dealing with serious problems like alcoholism, 
  drug use, and racism. Heroes are portrayed as people, who 
  sometimes make mistakes or have flaws they need to 
  overcome.
  This creates plenty of opportunities for complications 
  in Bronze Age style games. Heroes can have marital and 
  relationship problems, dark personal secrets, struggles 
  between their heroic and super identities, and battles be-
  tween conscience and duty. A particular issue for patriotic 
  heroes in the Bronze Age is increasing cynicism toward 
  patriotism and national loyalty in general.
  SOCIAL ISSUES
  Bronze Age comics began to deal with some of the issues 
  forbidden by the Comics Code by handling them in what 
  was considered a helpful way, offering positive role-mod-
  els for young readers. For example, the comics addressed 
  the issue of drug abuse by clearly portraying it as some-
  thing bad. So long as it wasn’t glorified, the Code didn’t 
  pose any problems (particularly since it was largely self-
  enforced anyway).
  The major social issues of the 1970s and ‘80s all showed 
  up in the comics to one degree or another. Among the 
  most popular were:
  • 
  Women’s Rights: Feminist heroines and empowered 
  women became more common in the Bronze Age. 
  Female heroes made it clear they weren’t going to 
  serve solely as “secretaries” to hero teams and they 
  were just as capable as any male hero, if not more 
  so. Female villains often had enough of male-dom-
  ination and were prepared to serve it up in spades. 
  Stories ranged from serious issues of discrimination 
  to campy “battles of the sexes” where empowered 
  heroines who’d had enough fought it out with their 
  male counterparts (usually under some sort of vil-
  lainous influence).
  • 
  Black Power: Minority heroes—notably black he-
  roes—become more common in the Bronze Age, 
  although it was all but required for such heroes to 
  have the word “Black” in their names. Such heroes 
  were often angry crusaders for equal rights as well 
  as justice for all.
  • 
  Substance Abuse: Drug and alcohol abuse, previ-
  ously forbidden by the Comics Code, became issues 
  in the Bronze Age. Heroes fell victim to the “demon 
  in a bottle”—alcohol—and were forced to deal with 
  the consequences, or discovered their young wards 
  were addicts, much as unsuspecting parents were 
  forced to deal with children on drugs. In later years, 
  the “War on Drugs” became a common theme, and 
  drug-dealers common foes for street-level heroes. 
  Some heroes even gained their powers from acci-
  dents involving designer drugs, echoing some of the 
  deliberate “super-serum” heroes of the Golden Age, 
  some of whom discovered they had a drug problem 
  stemming from the source of their powers.
  • 
  Youth Empowerment: From the flower children of 
  the 1960s to the “Me Generation” of the 1980s, the 
  Bronze Age of comics featured more young people 
  who weren’t just loyal sidekicks of older mentors, 
  but full-fledged heroes in their own right. Often, the 
  younger generation had a new way of doing things, 
  and they were looking for independence from their 
  elders.
  • 
  Multinationalism: Following the trends of minority-
  rights, comics in the later years of the Bronze Age 
  began to introduce more heroes and villains from na-
  tions outside North America. Often they were simply 
  guest-stars, but some comics included regular for-
  eign characters, with different cultural backgrounds. 
  Comics also took place outside of North American 
  cities and went to other places on Earth.
  FADS AND FASHIONS
  Bronze Age comics gleefully incorporated fads and 
  fashion-trends of the day, even more than Golden and 
  Silver Age comics. So characters based on things like 
  disco, breakdancing, skateboarding, roller-blading, video 
  games, heavy metal music, and similar trends were com-
  mon (albeit mostly short-lived). Gamemasters looking to 
  capture the feel of the Bronze Age should consider some 
  of the fads and fashions of the time and base some non-
  player characters on them, encouraging players to do the 
  same.
  2020
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  IRON AGE
  The Iron Age or “Dark Age” of comics began sometime in 
  the 1980s. It’s characterized by a shift away from the bright 
  colors and simple themes of the Silver Age toward more 
  mature, often violent and explicit, stories and characters. 
  In particular, the Iron Age features a rise in vigilante he-
  roes far more willing (if not eager) to kill their opponents. 
  It finds echoes in Hollywood action-adventure films fea-
  turing exaggerated gunplay, violence, and sexuality.
  SHADES OF GRAY
  A key element of the Iron Age is the often morally am-
  biguous nature of heroes and villains. Sometimes it’s dif-
  ficult to draw a clear line between the two. For example, in 
  the Silver Age, a hero whose family is murdered devotes 
  himself to bringing criminals to justice, and is sworn never 
  to kill, since that makes him no better than the scum he 
  fights. In the Iron Age, the same origin creates a vigilante 
  hero who swears to wreck bloody vengeance against all 
  criminals. He does what the law cannot, because the sys-
  tem is flawed and corrupt, gunning down criminals and 
  fighting villains to the death.
  The moral ambiguity of the Iron Age extends beyond 
  just violence. It touches upon other issues like drug use, 
  sexuality, personal problems, and heroes making money 
  off their powers. Some Iron Age heroes are mercenaries, 
  doing their job for pay. Others are ruthless businesspeo-
  ple, cashing in on their costumed identities with licens-
  ing deals and personal appearances. An Iron Age setting 
  should reflect these more complex and adult issues.
  BLACK OPS
  Many Iron Age characters and stories adopted a paramili-
  tary style. Instead of superheroes, characters were “special 
  operatives” often working for a government, corporation, 
  or organization. Elements of the espionage and action-
  adventure genres seeped into the comics. Code-names 
  were used as much for secrecy and covert operations as 
  for splashing across the headlines. Costumes tended to 
  be less flashy, more body armor and camouflage, military-
  style jumpsuits. Characters often adopted military atti-
  tudes, ranks, and backgrounds.
  Iron Age villains also took on a more practical and political 
  tone. Terrorists of various stripes became common, along 
  with gangsters and drug-lords (reflecting the 1980s “War 
  on Drugs”). Villains were more likely to be found in board-
  rooms than secret volcano lairs, and they controlled inter-
  national networks of influence. Solo Iron Age villains were 
  often psychotic serial killers and similar monsters.
  GUNS, GUNS, GUNS!
  Iron Age heroes like guns, and lots of them. Even some 
  heroes who didn’t particularly need guns carried and used 
  them. These were real guns, too, not Silver Age “blasters,” 
  guns loaded with “mercy bullets,” or similar science-fiction 
  weapons, but guns firing live ammo (preferably armor-
  piercing and at full-auto).
  In addition to guns, other lethal weapons are common, in-
  cluding swords, knives, and various martial arts weapons, 
  especially shuriken, sais, katana, and nunchaku. Some 
  characters have high-tech or magical versions of these 
  weapons, but more often they are simply mundane tools 
  of bloody violence wielded by expert hands.
  LEATHER & LATEX
  Just as guns became fashion accessories for the well-
  dressed hero or villain, costumes in the Iron Age took on 
  a more “mature” appearance. Tight-fitting leather, with as 
  many straps and buckles as possible, or form-fitting la-
  tex or spandex became common. Various sorts of body 
  armor showed up (to protect against all those guns) and 
  costumes had a paramilitary style to them: jumpsuits, 
  bandoliers, web-belts, combat boots, and so forth, were 
  common elements. Sunglasses, goggles, and helmets of-
  ten replaced masks, and heroes as well as villains sport 
  tattoos, piercings, and other body-art.
  NINJA!
  The Iron Age of comics saw a fascination with martial arts, 
  ninja in particular: dark clad assassins wielding almost 
  mystical powers of stealth. Rogue ninjas became vigilante 
  heroes while villains often sent ninja minions or lieutenants 
  against the heroes. A common archetype was the westerner 
  trained in the secret ninja arts (who then almost always 
  turns against ninja tradition to become a hero). Rivalries 
  between student and teacher or former fellow students 
  provided conflict for heroes and villains. Any Iron Age team 
  worth its salt had at least one ninja-like member (if not 
  several). See the ninja archetype (page 150).
  LONE WOLVES
  The heroes of the Iron Age were often solo acts, lone 
  avengers on a personal quest. Since most Mutants & Mas-
  terminds games are group experiences, you may need to 
  play down this aspect of the Iron Age. Fortunately, Iron 
  Age heroes did occasionally band together into teams, 
  albeit more loosely organized than the superhero teams 
  of the Silver Age. Iron Age teams were often modeled on 
  police or military special operations units rather than a 
  crime-fighting “league.” Team members still occasionally 
  struck out on their own, especially when dealing with per-
  sonal matters they preferred to keep to themselves.
  REALISTIC POWERS
  Super-powers in the Iron Age were often treated more 
  realistically than before. Writers sought to power-down 
  many characters and offer at least somewhat reasonable 
  explanations for the fantastic powers of others. More im-
  portantly, they explored many of the consequences of 
  such powers, beyond using them to fight crime and injus-
  tice. What did it really mean to be a god among mortals, 
  an alien among humans?
  2121
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  Generally, the realistic implications of powers made them 
  more lethal. After all, strength sufficient to lift tons should 
  easily smash flesh and bone. Laser beams should be able 
  to melt steel and inflict horrible burns, and so forth. Game-
  masters looking to capture an Iron Age feel should ratchet 
  up the realism and lethality of the series in general.
  A NEW GENERATION
  Part of the Iron Age revolution in comic books was the 
  appearance of new publishers (and characters) for the 
  first time in decades. Often, these new publishers were 
  creating their own superhero “universes,” independent 
  from established superhero mythologies. That meant 
  their new heroes were the first of their kind in their re-
  spective worlds. There was no back-story, no previous 
  generations of heroes or villains (or, if there was, it sim-
  ply wasn’t mentioned or important). One very effective 
  means of setting an Iron Age genre world apart from the 
  rest is to simply start things off that way from the very 
  first appearance of super-powers in the world, creating 
  a setting that never had a Golden or Silver Age for com-
  parison.
  IRON AGE GEAR
  Iron Age characters relied heavily on mundane equip-
  ment and the occasional device; even those who normally 
  didn’t use equipment like guns or armor in prior ages of 
  comics carried some. It was particularly common for hero 
  teams to have “standard issue” equipment like communi-
  cators, team uniforms with built-in armor, shared vehicles, 
  and so on.
  This section looks at some of the common equipment for 
  an Iron Age game, expanding upon the equipment lists 
  from the Mutants & Masterminds Hero’s Handbook. Iron 
  Age GMs should also refer to the equipment lists in the 
  Golden Age and Silver Age sections of this chapter for 
  more weapons.
  THE IRON AGE ARMORY
  Many Iron Age heroes opted to arm themselves with a 
  variety of realistic weaponry, from pistols and automatic 
  weapons to swords and other martial arts weapons.
  This section provides detail on the expansive real-world 
  armory used in the Iron Age. 
  LONGARMS
  • 
  Pump shotguns are commonly used both as mili-
  tary and sporting weapons. Models modified for use 
  by soldiers or the police, sometimes called “combat 
  shotguns,” have increased ammunition capacity via a 
  tube or box magazine. Shotguns can fire shot, which 
  does the listed damage with Accurate 1 due to the 
  spread, but Limited to Damage 3 against targets with 
  Protection. It can also load solid slugs, which inflict 
  the same damage, but without the Accurate bonus 
  or the Limit on Damage.
  2222
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  EXPLOSIVES
  • 
  Anti-personnel land mines were buried explosives 
  detonated by an above-ground trigger when they 
  were first invented in the nineteenth century. By the 
  Iron Age, AP mines are much more sophisticated. 
  They include stake mines mounted above ground, 
  bounding mines with lifting charges that raise the 
  explosive above the ground before detonation, and 
  directional mines that shape their explosive power 
  into a particular arc.
  • 
  Anti-tank land mines come in two varieties: m-kill 
  AT mines (for “mobility kill”) designed to immobilize 
  the vehicle that detonates the mine, and k-kill AT 
  mines (for “catastrophic kill”) designed to disable or 
  destroy both the vehicle that detonates the mine 
  and its entire crew. Both kinds of AT mine use pres-
  sure triggers requiring a heavier weight to detonate, 
  in order to prevent them from being set off by pass-
  ing infantry.
  NUCLEAR WEAPONS
  Whether atop an intercontinental ballistic missile or as 
  part of a terrorist’s homemade bomb, the threat of nucle-
  ar arms is a crucial part of the Iron Age. However, given 
  the sheer destructive power of a nuclear weapon, should 
  one make an appearance in an Iron Age Mutants & Mas-
  terminds series it’s best handled as a story element by the 
  Gamemaster. In some games a nuclear explosion might 
  mean the end of the game, in others it might not be a 
  huge challenge for the heroes.
  Those lucky enough to survive the initial flash, thermal 
  radiation, and blast damage of a nuclear detonation might 
  wish they hadn’t. The aftermath of a nuclear detonation 
  includes the following:
  • 
  Earthquakes may follow surface or underground 
  detonations of nuclear weapons if the pressure wave 
  from the explosion causes geologic fault lines to 
  release stored-up pressure. These are usually minor, 
  but could be augmented intentionally as a secondary 
  effect of the detonation.
  • 
  Electromagnetic Pulses emanating from the 
  detonation of a nuclear weapon will induce a sudden 
  high electric current in electronic devices, melting 
  their circuitry and disabling most electronic systems 
  from wristwatches to jet airplanes.
  • 
  Ionizing Radiation released by a nuclear detonation 
  is not only fatal to more than half of those exposed, but 
  also takes significant time before it can be dispersed. 
  In the meantime, the ionized upper atmosphere 
  disrupts wireless communication among any devices 
  that survived the electromagnetic pulse.
  • 
  Fallout is created when solid material vaporized 
  by the explosion combines with ionizing radiation. 
  It gets drawn into the stratosphere by air currents 
  and rains down for months or even years—not 
  only on the site of the explosion, but worldwide, 
  as the fallout is carried by the winds of the upper 
  atmosphere.
  MODERN AGE
  The modern (or “post-modern” according to some) era 
  of comics isn’t definitively named, largely because, 
  as the saying goes, once an age is named, it’s usually 
  over. It is sometimes referred to as the “Platinum Age,” 
  “Electrum Age,” or the “Retro” genre. It harkens back 
  to the Gold and Silver Ages of comics, but tempered 
  with modern sensibilities and a measure of wonder and 
  nostalgia regarding previous ages. In many respects, the 
  Modern Age seeks to recapture the experiences of comic 
  creators raised on Silver Age comics, and runs counter 
  to the cynicism of the Iron Age (which sought to break 
  established molds and take comics in different directions). 
  Much of the advice in the Silver Age section applies to 
  the Modern Age as well, with a few notable differences.
  SENSE OF HISTORY
  Modern Age comics draw upon a long history of comic 
  book publishing, and the previous ages, especially the 
  Silver Age. The Modern Age has a sense of tradition and 
  familiarity; superheroes aren’t something new, but have 
  been around for a long time. The rich background and 
  history of the setting is a source of inspiration for stories 
  about the present.
  This sense of history is harder to achieve in your own 
  Mutants & Masterminds setting, unless you happen to 
  WEAPONS
  WEAPON
  EFFECT
  CRITICAL
  COST
  Longarms
  Pump shotgun
  Ranged Damage 5*
  20
  11
  Land Mines
  Anti-Personnel
  Triggered Burst Area Damage 5, Penetrating 2
  -
  13
  Anti-Tank (m-kill)
  Triggered Burst Area Damage 10, Penetrating 6
  - 
  27
  Anti-Tank (k-kill)
  Triggered Burst Area Damage 15, Penetrating 8
  - 
  39
  *See individual descriptions for more information.
  2323
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  have a setting the players have been enjoying for years 
  (which is certainly possible). Fortunately, there are some 
  things you can do to achieve the same sense of history in 
  your own series.
  The first is to give the series a rich and detailed history. 
  It’s more difficult to run a Modern Age series in a setting 
  where superhumans have only just appeared, for 
  example. There’s no historical context for them. The more 
  context you provide, the more alive the setting becomes. 
  Be careful not to overwhelm the players with too much 
  information right off, but create the history and use it as a 
  source of ideas for adventures in the present day.
  One particularly good use of a heroic history is the “legacy 
  character,” a hero or villain based on a previous character 
  in the setting. For example, a modern-day hero might be 
  the second or third in a line of heroes with the same name 
  (and perhaps similar powers and costumes). Heroic (and 
  villainous) identities are passed on across generations, 
  creating characters with built-in histories, enemies, and 
  story hooks.
  You can also create a sense of familiarity in your series 
  by playing off many of the standard comic book 
  archetypes. Create characters in your setting’s history 
  that are familiar in style, if not identical, to published 
  comic book characters. Perhaps a well-known hero is 
  a strange visitor from another world, or there is a dark 
  avenger active in the Golden or Silver Age (perhaps 
  with a modern heir). Model hero teams on existing ones 
  from the comics, and they’ll seem familiar to the players, 
  even if they have totally different characters. Set most 
  of these characters in the past, and you give the setting 
  context while allowing the players to take things in new 
  directions in the present. You can even take the Golden 
  and Silver Ages of published comics and use them as the 
  history and backdrop of your series, creating a totally 
  new and different Modern Age based on them.
  SENSE OF WONDER
  Many Modern Age comics tried to restore the “sense of 
  wonder” found in the Silver Age, although a trifle more se-
  HIGH AND LOW REALISM
  Readers will note that the rules in Mutants & Masterminds reflect the “reality” of the world of the comic books, not the real 
  world (where people can’t fly under their own power or bend steel with their bare hands). For example, is it realistic that 
  someone able to bench press a tank doesn’t put his fist right through normal people when he hits them? Is it realistic that 
  a man (no matter how strong) can pick up a building without it collapsing under its own weight? Of course not, but that’s 
  the way it works in the comics. The same is true of many other super-powers that violate physical laws as we know them. 
  The goal of Mutants & Masterminds isn’t to rigorously simulate the real effects of super-human strength or heat beams 
  capable of melting steel, it’s to simulate how these things work for comic book superheroes.
  If you’re looking to inject more realism into your Mutants & Masterminds game, however, keep the following tips in mind:
  LETHAL DAMAGE
  The lethal damage options from Chapter 7 make the whole application of Damage effects more realistic and dangerous.
  LIMIT EXTRA EFFORT
  You may limit or reduce the effects of extra effort (M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 19), saying that characters cannot use it to 
  gain extras, for example, or that it cannot increase effective power ranks. You may also reduce extra effort, saying that it 
  cannot improve a bonus more than +2 or eliminate more than a –2 penalty, for example.
  LIMIT HERO POINTS
  Limiting the number and use of hero points adds greater realism to the game and forces heroes to rely more on their traits 
  and the whims of fate (as represented by the die roll). You can award fewer hero points or limit players to only having so 
  many at once. You also can change the things hero points can do. Eliminating the ability to overcome fatigue makes extra 
  effort that much more costly. Eliminating the ability to recover makes combat faster and tougher while eliminating the 
  ability to avoid death makes it more likely for characters to die during the game. Eliminating hero points altogether gives 
  the game a more realistic and less comic book feel.
  MODIFY POWERS
  You can require that certain abilities, like a high Strength rank, work more realistically than they do in the current rules. For 
  example, you may say that Strength over rank 6 always does lethal damage when used in combat, and that characters must 
  have a certain amount of leverage to use their strength. A super-strong character can’t stop a car without damaging it, or pick 
  up a structure without having it collapse under its own weight. Other powers and abilities can be modified in a similar way.
  SLOW RECOVERY
  Characters in Mutants & Masterminds recover from damage and injury fairly quickly. In a more realistic game, characters 
  may recover slower. This means damage conditions put characters out of action for longer and players will likely go to 
  greater lengths to avoid them.
  2424
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  rious. They went in the opposite direction of the Iron Age’s 
  realism and tried to restore lost worlds, fantasy settings, 
  alien cities, talking apes, and so forth, just updated to a 
  modern context.
  Essentially, you can take the elements of the Silver Age and 
  include them in your Modern Age series. Just emphasize 
  some of the fantastic elements. Whereas a lost city or a plan-
  et-sized spaceship was nothing unusual in the Silver Age, 
  stress how amazing it is to characters in the Modern Age. 
  They encounter the impossible on a regular basis, but it’s no 
  less amazing because of that. Some Modern Age comics try 
  to provide consistent explanations for why the universe is so 
  fantastic, but you don’t necessarily have to—not knowing 
  why can be simply part of the wonder and mystery of it all.
  SENSE OF PURPOSE
  Modern Age comics go beyond some of the simple 
  themes of the Silver Age. While they’re not as gritty as 
  the Iron Age, they’re also more mature and sophisticated. 
  So modern-day issues show up and characters are better 
  rounded and less stereotypical. Modern Age stories deal 
  with social issues, politics, terrorism, poverty, and the like 
  alongside alien invasions, world-conquering supervillains, 
  and magical menaces from beyond.
  While heroes often adhere to a more Silver Age code of 
  ethics, there are reasons for them to do so; it’s a choice 
  rather than simply the way things are. In some ways, this 
  can make Modern Age characters even more heroic (or 
  villainous) than their Silver Age counterparts. They’re not 
  blindly following an ideology; they’re making conscious 
  decisions about right and wrong.
  Watch out for moral discussions and debates starting 
  to dominate your game. There’s no problem with them 
  if your group enjoys roleplaying them in character, but 
  they can sometimes become heated, or simply dull and 
  repetitive. The occasion moral dilemma or debate can 
  add flavor to the game, but don’t neglect opportunities 
  to include clear-cut situations where the heroes can act 
  decisively without any concern.
  ORIGINS
  ALIENS
  A wide variety of aliens are common in the comic books, 
  ranging from humanoid aliens virtually indistinguish-
  able from humans to extremely strange alien life (since 
  comic artists aren’t limited in their “special effects” bud-
  get). Aliens may not be carbon-based or even organic life: 
  silicon-based, amorphous, or even crystalline or energy 
  beings show up.
  Most comic book universes have numerous alien races, 
  often with very advanced technology and civilizations. 
  These aliens have some sort of contact with Earth, al-
  though it’s usually sporadic. Militaristic alien civilizations 
  seek to conquer Earth while more benign ones usually 
  have some policy of non-interference regarding worlds as 
  “primitive” as Earth.
  Aliens in the comics often have super-powers, but not the 
  same variety of powers found among Earth superhumans. 
  Instead, aliens tend to have racial abilities, making them 
  superhuman compared to Earthlings, but not unusual for 
  members of their race. For example, aliens from a heavy-
  gravity world might have superhuman strength while a 
  race from a planet with unusually strong magnetic fields 
  might have magnetic control powers. Sometimes an alien 
  mutation shows up, with powers outside the racial norm, 
  but they appear less frequently among aliens than among 
  humans (see Mutation, page 29).
  STRANGE VISITORS
  Alien superheroes and villains are fairly common. When 
  creating an alien character, give some thought to the 
  character’s race and home world. Is the character the last 
  survivor of a dead race, an exile from home, or simply an 
  explorer or visitor from another world? Other members of 
  the character’s race may be potential allies, antagonists, or 
  supporting characters. Also decide if the character’s pow-
  ers are typical for that alien race or unusual in some way.
  ALIEN TECHNOLOGY
  Many alien races, at least ones with the ability to reach 
  Earth, have technology in advance of our own. Typical 
  comic book alien technology includes things like faster-
  than-light travel, beam or blaster weapons, force fields, 
  robots, and possibly things like matter transporters, tele-
  portation, and anti-gravity. Pretty much any super-science 
  technology can show up in the hands (or claws, or pseu-
  dopods) of aliens. Advanced technology may actually be 
  the source of an alien character’s powers.
  Of course, aliens are not limited solely to technology. 
  Some alien races also use magic, although oftentimes 
  alien “magic” is just technology so advanced it is practi-
  cally the same thing. Alien magicians may be sinister or 
  benign, and magic in alien societies may be secretive (as it 
  usually is on Earth) or more overt.
  What is the origin of superhumans and their powers? In most comic books, it’s more accurate to say, “What are the 
  origins of super-powers?” There are usually several, creating worlds where mutants, aliens, robots, sorcerers, and gods 
  may all be members of the same team. This section looks at the various superhuman origins and how to use them in 
  your Mutants & Masterminds series.
  2525
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  ALIENS AMONG US
  A common comic book theme involves shape-shifting or 
  mind-controlling aliens infiltrating and influencing human 
  society. (This was particularly common during the Commu-
  nist scares of the Cold War era.) You may wish to introduce 
  a race of alien shape-changers, mind-controlling slugs, or 
  disembodied “psychic parasites,” as adversaries for the he-
  roes. Such foes stir up fear and mistrust by imitating or co-
  opting authority figures or other heroes. They may also set 
  off a wave of xenophobia among humans, perhaps in addi-
  tion to (or substituting for) a fear of mutants and mutation 
  (see Mutation, later in this chapter).
  THE PROGENITORS
  Many comics include the idea of ancient alien races visiting 
  Earth in the distant past (often based on the “ancient 
  astronaut” theories of aliens interacting with civilizations 
  like the Egyptians and the Mayans). These “Progenitors” may 
  be a single race or many different races over the millennia. 
  They influence human evolution and development in 
  different ways, providing technology, performing genetic 
  modifications, even interbreeding with Earth creatures. 
  Alien intervention is one means of explaining the 
  development of superhumans on Earth. It may also explain 
  various mythological or historical oddities.
  COSMIC POWER
  Aliens may include various “cosmic” beings, forces of great 
  age and power in the universe, essentially alien gods 
  (see Gods, following). These beings often draw upon 
  “the power cosmic,” also known as the power primordial, 
  primal power, cosmic energy, and so forth. This cosmic 
  power may be the source for various super-powers, giv-
  ing them the “cosmic” descriptor. In the comics, cosmic 
  power ranges in versatility from a form of energy control 
  to a force limited solely by the imagination of its wielder.
  CHARACTER CONCEPTS
  • 
  An alien police officer sent to track down a criminal 
  hiding out on Earth. After apprehending his quarry, 
  the officer might be assigned to safeguard Earth full-
  time. Alternately, the officer might be killed, pass-
  ing on his uniform and weapons (and perhaps even 
  powers) to a worthy human.
  • 
  The last survivor of an alien race finds a new home 
  on Earth and tries to blend in with humanity, while 
  using the powers granted by Earth’s environment to 
  fight crime.
  • 
  Aliens abduct an otherwise ordinary human and use 
  advanced technology to give their subject super-
  powers. They may intend the subject to become one 
  of Earth’s protectors or the aliens might have a more 
  sinister purpose in mind. Perhaps they’re simply curi-
  ous and testing the limits of human potential.
  • 
  An alien energy being merges with a human host to 
  experience corporeal life, granting its host various 
  powers while in turn learning about human compas-
  sion and goodness.
  2626
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  An alien-human hybrid develops unexpected powers 
  and abilities, and becomes the target of a secretive 
  government agency dealing with alien influences.
  GODS
  Superheroes are like modern gods or mythic heroes in 
  many ways. So it’s not surprising some mythological gods 
  also become superheroes. Gods in the comic books—at 
  least those who become superheroes—tend to be as 
  powerful as other superheroes, perhaps at the high end 
  of the power scale, but still peers to superhuman heroes. 
  Godly villains or elder gods less involved in human affairs 
  may be more powerful, achieving even cosmic levels of 
  power.
  In most settings, different pantheons of mythic deities co-
  exist. Such pantheons rarely have much to do with human 
  worship any longer, usually by mutual agreement (also 
  possibly related to the rise of monotheism in Western cul-
  ture). The occasional godly hero or villain is the exception 
  to the rule of divine non-interference.
  Gods may visit Earth in physical form. They’re often very 
  much like humans with extraordinary powers. In other 
  cases, gods invest their power in particular mortals. A god 
  may take a mortal host, possibly transforming the host 
  into a semblance of the god’s own form. Gods also grant 
  mortals super-powers, although this falls more under the 
  category of magical origins (see Magic & Mysticism, im-
  mediately following this section).
  Gods typically have super-human abilities, including immor-
  tality. They may be truly unkillable or merely long-lived. The 
  average god is more physically capable than a human, and 
  some specific gods have tremendous abilities (such as heroic 
  gods associated with great Strength or deities with super-
  human Awareness or Presence). Magical powers associated 
  with the god’s portfolio or area of influence are also com-
  mon. For example, a storm god usually has weather control 
  powers, a sun god wields light or fire powers, and so forth.
  ONE TRUE GOD?
  The comics tend to be (deliberately) vague about the 
  theological implications of mythological gods co-existing, 
  and of the existence or nature of the Judeo-Christian God. 
  Generally, the question of contradictory creation myths 
  and similar things is simply ignored, or treated with some 
  vague hand waving about how the cosmos actually came 
  into being in many ways (that is, all mythologies are true, 
  even the contradictory ones). The creator God (associated 
  with the Judeo-Christian Jehovah) is a distant, largely un-
  involved and unknowable figure, although He may have 
  various angels, saints, and other agents, usually on par 
  with the power of other mythic gods.
  HEAVEN, HELL, AND BEYOND
  The existence of a god or gods also implies the existence 
  of various mythic dimensions, including (but not limited 
  to) Heaven, Hell, Asgard, Olympus, Heliopolis, Nirvana, the 
  Dreamtime, and so forth. These and many other celestial 
  (and infernal) dimensions may exist in the setting, open-
  ing up literal new worlds of adventure for heroes. 
  While the comics don’t usually bother with a comprehen-
  sive or cohesive cosmology for all the various other dimen-
  sions, the Gamemaster is free to invent one, if desired. The 
  dimensions or planes inhabited by the gods (and other 
  mystical or divine beings) may relate to each other in a par-
  ticular way. For example, perhaps Heaven lies “above” Earth 
  in the cosmic scheme of things, with Hell “below” and the 
  other godly dimensions arrayed in a ring or wheel “around” 
  the Earth’s plane. A particular arrangement of divine planes 
  may result in more or less access to Earth for certain divine 
  powers.
  Visiting the home dimensions of the gods requires the Di-
  mension Travel effect. The same is true for gods intending 
  to visit Earth and return home, making it a common effect 
  for godly characters.
  CHARIOTS OF THE GODS
  The gods might actually not be “gods” as such. In some 
  settings aliens or other types of superhumans are mistak-
  en for gods and may actually be the sources of historical 
  myths about the gods. Such beings can exist even in set-
  tings with real gods; some myths reflect the reality of the 
  gods, while others are cases of divine mistaken identity. 
  The real gods may not look kindly on these divine impos-
  ters, or they may not care about them.
  CHARACTER CONCEPTS
  • 
  A heroic god comes to Earth to defend humanity. 
  Most people believe the “god” is simply another su-
  perhuman who has adopted a mythological motif. 
  The god’s ancient enemies may also come to Earth to 
  become supervillains.
  • 
  A mythological god mates with a mortal with their 
  half-divine offspring as a new hero. The hero has only 
  a portion of godly power, which may be better suited 
  to some settings.
  • 
  The divine spirit or essence of a god possesses a 
  mortal host.
  • 
  One or more gods invest a mortal with portions of 
  their power to create a superhuman champion.
  • 
  A guardian angel volunteers to accept mortality and 
  life on Earth in order to actively defend humanity 
  from the forces of evil.
  MAGIC & MYSTICISM
  Magic is a real and active force in most comic book 
  universes, although it may operate behind the scenes. 
  The average person probably doesn’t believe in magic as 
  such, attributing the abilities of sorcerers and wizards to 
  more “mundane” super-powers, the same with magical 
  creatures and dimensions. Even in a world with caped 
  people who fly and bend steel in their bare hands, magic 
  is a strange and barely understood force.
  2727
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  Magic tends to produce three types of super-powered 
  characters: magicians, the magically empowered, and 
  magical creatures.
  MAGICIANS
  Magicians—also known as sorcerers, mages, wizards, 
  witches, and so forth—are people (not necessarily human) 
  who have learned to harness and control magical forces, 
  allowing them to cast various sorts of spells. In most set-
  tings, the ability to use magic is 
  a learned ability, although not 
  everyone has the will, talent, or 
  dedication to learn it. Indeed, 
  magicians tend to be a rare and 
  select group, although there are 
  often many minor dabblers and 
  adepts compared to true masters 
  of the mystic arts.
  Magicians are a secretive lot, for the 
  most part. They deal with forces 
  and beings few others under-
  stand, so they tend to keep to 
  themselves, even as members 
  of a team. The control and 
  discipline magical training 
  requires may make them 
  seem distant, even cold, 
  and villainous magicians 
  tend to have tremen-
  dous egos.
  Comic book 
  magicians may 
  cast spells 
  by invoking 
  names and 
  entities of 
  power (often 
  alliterative ones, like 
  the “Mystic Mists of 
  Malador” or the “Silent 
  Serpents of Set”). Players 
  should feel free to come up with 
  suitably atmospheric spells and 
  incantations for their charac-
  ters, and GMs should reward 
  players who belt out spells 
  with aplomb by giving them 
  minor bonuses to attack rolls, power checks, or saving 
  throws involving those spells. Note many magicians are 
  deprived of their powers if they cannot speak or gesture 
  to cast their spells, a complication for the Magic power.
  MAGICALLY EMPOWERED
  Magic can also be a source of superhuman origins, much 
  like the fruits of science (see Mutation, later in this chap-
  ter). Simply substitute “ancient artifact” or “magical spell” 
  for “chemical spill” or “radiation leak” and you’ve got an 
  origin! The primary differences for magically empowered 
  characters are their style and power descriptors.
  Someone or something may deliberately endow a charac-
  ter with magical powers. A deity is one example (see Gods, 
  earlier in this chapter). Others include ancient wizards, 
  witches, angels, demons, spirits, and other magical entities, 
  along with sentient magic items. A classical example is the 
  ancient Greek hero Achilles. His mother dipped him in the 
  waters of the underworld to make him invulnerable, but 
  since she held him by his heel, it becomes his only weak 
  spot. Magical empowerment may be intended as a curse 
  rather than a gift. Examples include the curse of lycanthro-
  py (turning someone into a werewolf or similar creature) 
  or transforming someone into an undead creature.
  Characters empowered by magic have traits and 
  powers much like any other, except their powers 
  typically have a magic or mystic descriptor applied 
  to them.
  JUST LIKE MAGIC
  One option for a setting is to assume all su-
  per-powers are actually magical in nature, 
  even those with other apparent causes, 
  like accidents of birth or science. Essen-
  tially, the forces of magic bend 
  or ignore scientific laws, much 
  like most comic book super-
  powers. So when a child is 
  born a “mutant” with the 
  potential for superhu-
  man powers, it’s not 
  because of some 
  genetic anomaly, 
  but the position 
  of the stars, the 
  force of fate, or 
  some other mystic 
  tide in the universe. 
  Likewise, magic allows 
  otherwise ordinary people 
  to not only survive oth-
  erwise fatal accidents, 
  but to transform into 
  something more than 
  human. They may think 
  it was radiation or toxic 
  waste, but it was actu-
  ally magic! This approach 
  has the advantage of being unified and simple. It also ex-
  plains away all the improbabilities by chalking them up 
  to magical forces. However, it can create a certain feeling 
  of sameness in the series, and may affect the use of some 
  powers if every character has a “magic” descriptor.
  CREATURES OF MAGIC
  All the various creatures of myth and legend show up in 
  the comics in various forms, particularly classics like were-
  wolves, vampires, zombies, mummies, demons, elemen-
  tals, spirits, and golems (animated statues). Any or all of 
  these can become heroes, villains, or minions of either. 
  2828
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Heroes and villains are often unique examples of their 
  kind, particularly because they possess free will, which 
  many otherwise mindless magical beings do not.
  A common origin in the comics is for an ordinary person to 
  merge with a magical creature in some way. For example, 
  the character might be possessed by a demon or spirit (or 
  even an angel or god). Conversely, a human spirit might 
  “possess” the unliving body of a zombie, elemental, or 
  golem, combining human free will and intelligence with 
  mystic power.
  MAGICAL DEVICES
  Magical devices, ranging from enchanted rings to magic 
  swords, often show up as sources of power. A magical de-
  vice may be the sole source of a character’s super-powers, 
  or merely a supplement to other inherent powers. Ma-
  gicians often have one or two magical devices at their 
  disposal, and fantasy warriors might have an enchanted 
  weapon or armor.
  Magical devices make useful story hooks, since villains 
  may be out to steal them, either to gain their power 
  for themselves or simply deprive the heroes of them. 
  Perhaps a villain has a matching device, and wants to 
  combine the two of them for greater power. You can 
  even create a team of heroes (or villains) where each 
  member has a magical device from a combined set, like 
  magical gemstones, weapons, or suits of armor.
  MYSTIC DIMENSIONS
  The existence of magic implies other dimensions beyond 
  Earth. The homes of the various gods and divine powers are 
  one example (see Gods, earlier in this chapter) but there 
  are an almost infinite number of other dimensions. Usually, 
  the inhabitants of these other dimensions are potential 
  threats to Earth, so portals to them are carefully guarded. 
  The rulers of mystic dimensions (nearly always their most 
  powerful magicians) may have designs on Earth.
  SLEIGHT OF MIND
  In some settings, the common belief that magic is nothing 
  more than other superhuman powers clothed in a cloak 
  of mysticism and misunderstanding is actually true. 
  Supposed “sorcerers” and “witches” are superhumans who 
  consider their powers “magical,” even though they are 
  not. Some may be deluded while others are charlatans. 
  Of course, superhuman powers still exist, and some 
  characters may still need ritualistic actions like “casting 
  spells” in order to use them. So these powers are effectively 
  still magic, even if they aren’t “real” magic. The prime 
  difference is in the background of the setting and in the 
  descriptors applied to “magical” powers.
  CHARACTER CONCEPTS
  • 
  A student of a master of the mystic arts, trained to as-
  sume the aged master’s mantle and continue guarding 
  humanity against forces lurking beyond this dimension.
  • 
  A hereditary witch, gifted with great magical talent, 
  but also faced with ancient enemies, and perhaps 
  even family members who do not choose to use their 
  gifts responsibly.
  • 
  An archeologist who discovered an ancient magical 
  talisman, gaining super-powers from it.
  • 
  A golem created as a protector for a repressed peo-
  ple. Having outlived its creator, it seeks to continue 
  and expand its duty as a guardian while learning 
  more of what it means to be human.
  • 
  A former criminal bonded with a demonic spirit, cre-
  ating a new entity with a mission to hunt and punish 
  the guilty.
  MUTATION
  Mutation, in one form or another, is probably the most 
  common origin for superhumans in the comics. Techni-
  cally, a “mutant” is a creature genetically different from 
  parent creatures, but the term “mutation” in the comic 
  books usually means any sort of change induced by out-
  side forces. Some settings differentiate between mutants, 
  born with at least the potential for superhuman abilities, 
  and mutates (sometimes called “altered” or “enhanced” 
  humans), otherwise normal humans exposed to forces 
  which change them in some way.
  ACCIDENTAL MUTATION
  Accidental mutation is perhaps the most common origin 
  story in the comics. Essentially, an ordinary person is ac-
  cidentally exposed to some catalyst, which changes the 
  character into a super-being. The catalyst can be almost 
  anything, although certain eras of comics tended towards 
  certain catalysts. In the Golden Age of the 1940s and ‘50s, 
  chemical catalysts were the most common: secret potions, 
  “wonder vitamins,” experimental acids, “hard water,” and 
  so forth. In the Silver Age of the 1960s and ‘70s radiation 
  was the catalyst for nearly all super-powers, from atomic 
  bomb tests to strange isotopes, glowing meteorites, or 
  even the radioactive blood or venom of certain animals. 
  In more recent years technology like genetic engineering, 
  recombinant DNA, and even nanotechnology have be-
  come catalysts for mutations.
  Of course, accidental mutations aren’t limited to scientific 
  catalysts. They also result from uncontrolled exposure to 
  magic, strange inter-dimensional forces, or completely 
  unexplained phenomena. Sometimes the “triggering” of 
  innate genetic mutations (see below) is mistaken for ac-
  cidental mutation, particularly in times of stress where 
  another catalyst is present.
  Accidental mutations are nearly always impossible (or 
  at least extremely dangerous) to duplicate. They often 
  happen in batches, with multiple people mutated by the 
  same event or catalyst. This can provide a common ori-
  gin for a team or a hero/villain pair. If the catalyst affects 
  a large enough group, it can even be the origin for every 
  superhuman in the world!
  2929
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  GENETIC MUTATION
  Genetic mutation refers to pre-natal changes, resulting 
  in people born with the potential for super-powers. Such 
  mutations are usually attributed to things like rising back-
  ground radiation, chemicals in the environment, and so 
  forth, although they can just as easily come from things 
  like proximity to a powerful source of magic or genetic 
  tinkering performed by aliens.
  Genetic mutations are typically what most comic books 
  mean by the term “mutant.” They usually go through a 
  “cuckoo” stage, where they seem like ordinary people, until 
  something triggers their latent mutations. Most often the 
  changes brought on by puberty do this, although it may be 
  some other form of stress. A rare few mutants are born with 
  obvious physical mutations, making it even harder for them 
  to find acceptance in human society. Stories tend to stress 
  the uncontrolled nature of newly activated mutant powers. 
  A newly “awakened” mutant may have the Uncontrolled 
  flaw (M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 151) on his powers.
  MUTANT HYSTERIA
  More than any other origin, mutation, particularly genetic 
  mutants, tend to frighten ordinary people. The possibility 
  of anyone being a latent mutant, combined with the idea 
  of mutants as a “Homo superior” evolution of humanity, 
  destined to make normal Homo sapiens extinct, is enough 
  to stir up fear and paranoia against them. In some set-
  tings, the same feelings may be directed against all su-
  perhumans (particularly if all superhumans are mutants), 
  while in other settings, they may be reserved solely for 
  mutants, who are easily categorized as a separate “race” 
  with designs on humanity’s future. Still other settings may 
  treat mutants as no different than any other superhuman 
  origin, provoking no more or less prejudice.
  CHARACTER CONCEPTS
  • 
  A teenager discovers a newfound “gift” or “talent,” 
  which is initially confusing and frightening, and may 
  be as much as curse as a gift.
  • 
  An otherwise ordinary person is exposed to a muta-
  gen and gains superhuman powers. Was it an acci-
  dent or a staged experiment? Can the mutagen give 
  similar powers to others?
  • 
  An astronaut is bombarded by strange radiation, or ex-
  posed to the power of an alien artifact. Perhaps the en-
  tire crew is exposed, each acquiring different powers.
  • 
  An extended family of mutants, with a history stretch-
  ing back for generations, has hidden from ordinary 
  humanity. Now the latest generation has decided it’s 
  time to “go public” with their abilities (if not their en-
  tire family history).
  • 
  A mutant “preview” of humanity’s future, born with 
  the capabilities of a human 10,000 years (or more) in 
  the future. Is the next stage in human evolution hu-
  manity’s protector or conqueror?
  PSIONICS
  The term psi or psionic refers to powers of the mind, such 
  as telepathy or telekinesis. In the comics, it’s often broadly 
  used to refer to any super-power originating from the 
  mind. Psionics can be a somewhat vague category, which 
  has its advantages and drawbacks.
  Some settings feature low-level psionic powers, often 
  called “psychic” abilities. They tend to be subtle and not 
  entirely reliable. Comic book superheroes have psionic 
  powers with much wider scope and greater power level.
  The exact origin of psionic powers is often unclear. Some-
  times it may be genetic mutation (see Mutation, immedi-
  ately preceding this section) but it’s just as often unknown. 
  The potential for psi-powers may be latent in all humanity, 
  perhaps even in all thinking creatures, as part of the inter-
  action between consciousness and the physical universe. In 
  some settings, psi powers (or the potential for them) are de-
  tectable, trainable, and even reproducible to some degree. 
  In others, “the talent” is entirely random and unpredictable.
  While the terms “psionic” and “mental power” are often 
  used interchangeably, they are actually two distinct cate-
  gories. While psionic powers are all mental in nature, men-
  tal effects like Mind Reading are not necessarily psionic. 
  They might just as easily exist through magic, divine pow-
  er, or super-science.
  ALL IN YOUR MIND
  It’s quite possible all super-powers are ultimately 
  psionic! Since psi is such a broad category and virtually 
  any super-power can be rationalized as a function of the 
  user’s mind, will, or imagination, psionics are sometimes 
  used as a catch-all explanation for super-powers, 
  especially in settings featuring a single, unified origin 
  for superhumans (see One Origin later in this chapter). 
  Characters may believe their powers are actually magic 
  or reliant on super-science gadgets, and effectively they 
  might be. After all, if a character has to speak spells or use 
  a device to make things happen, then those powers are 
  functionally the same as magic and super-science. The 
  only difference is the real power source (and therefore 
  descriptor) is psionic.
  MIND SCARE
  Powers like Mind Reading and Remote Sensing have 
  frightening potential for abuse. Some settings may feature 
  restrictive laws about violating the privacy of others and 
  reading thoughts without consent. They may also see 
  some prejudice toward mind-readers and clairvoyants, 
  out of fear of what they could do. If technology for 
  defeating Mind Reading and Remote Sensing exists, odds 
  are people like government officials and law-enforcement 
  will use it. The GM may also want to address the legality of 
  information obtained through mind reading.
  In a more four-color series, the GM can largely ignore these 
  issues, especially if Mind Reading and Remote Sensing are 
  relatively rare effects.
  3030
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CHARACTER CONCEPTS
  • 
  A famous debunker of “psychic phenomena” who is 
  secretly a powerful psychic investigating fraud and 
  misuse of psionic powers.
  • 
  A powerful psionic mind trapped in a crippled or 
  otherwise weakened body, possibly paraplegic, 
  blind, even totally paralyzed or comatose.
  • 
  A teenager whose newly awakened psionic 
  powers (usually physical powers like telekinesis or 
  pyrokinesis) sometimes get out of control.
  • 
  The representative of a hidden society of enlightened 
  humans with psionic powers, hoping to teach 
  ordinary humanity the qualities of peace, reason, 
  and mental empowerment.
  • 
  A psionic with mental powers disguised as physical 
  abilities: telekinesis for “super-strength” and an 
  invisible force field, levitation for flight, remote 
  sensing for “x-ray vision,” and so forth.
  SUPER-SCIENCE
  The line between science fiction and comic 
  books has been blurry since the very beginning. 
  Many early science fiction writers also wrote 
  comic books, and superhero comics have always 
  included science fiction elements, although 
  they became especially prevalent in the Silver 
  Age of comics. Many comic book heroes (and 
  especially villains) feature science and technology 
  far beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
  THEY CALLED ME MAD!
  A common element of super-science in the comics is the 
  “mad scientist” or “lone inventor.” Essentially, some genius 
  discovers or invents something so far beyond conven-
  tional science the scientific community is either unable 
  or unwilling to acknowledge it. The inventor’s theories 
  are dismissed, applications for grants denied, and even 
  experimental results are rejected as falsified or otherwise 
  “impossible.” This usually results in one of two outcomes: 
  either the scientist swears vengeance and turns to a life of 
  crime, or else he is forced to continue his work in isolation, 
  without the usual safeguards and oversight, resulting in 
  some sort of accident. In the first case, the inventor be-
  comes a super-villain, in the second, the experiment ends 
  in the origin of a new super-being of some kind.
  But why does the scientific community reject the fruits of 
  super-science? The reason in the comic books is simple: 
  to keep the world portrayed in the stories as close 
  to our own world as possible. If the inventions of 
  super-scientists were commonly available, the 
  comic book world wouldn’t resemble ours for 
  very long. So writers either come up with rea-
  sons why such advanced technology doesn’t 
  proliferate, or they simply gloss it over and as-
  sume it doesn’t. You can do the same in your 
  own setting, although you may want to decide the reason 
  super-science remains limited. The most common expla-
  nations include the following:
  • 
  Super-technology is too far beyond the understand-
  ing of most people. It takes years to figure out how 
  to replicate it. It may also require rare components or 
  processes, so in the end it’s just not economically vi-
  able. Extremely wealthy governments, corporations, 
  and individuals might have super-technology, but it 
  isn’t mass-produced.
  • 
  Governments and corporations deliberately sup-
  press some technology, either because it’s poten-
  tially hazardous or it could be economically ruinous. 
  Oil companies, for example, might pay a great deal to 
  keep a cheap, clean alternative energy source off the 
  market. The same is true of computer manufacturers 
  and cutting edge new chips, and so forth.
  • 
  Super-technology depends on some 
  i n -
  3131
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  nate or subconscious power of its inventor. It’s not 
  like normal technology, it’s more an extension of the 
  inventor’s own powers. So it cannot be replicated 
  and may not even work at all outside of its creator’s 
  possession. This explains both the uniqueness of 
  super-technology “inventions” and why the scientific 
  community rejects them: they really are impossible 
  ideas that shouldn’t work, except somehow they do!
  • 
  Some outside force is retarding technological prog-
  ress, save for a few especially brilliant minds able 
  to overcome its resistance. It might be the work of 
  aliens, interdimensional beings, gods, time travel-
  ers, or any number of other things. The scientific 
  community truly is blind to the genius of its most 
  exceptional members, but through no fault of their 
  own.
  INTENTIONAL MUTATION
  Experimental procedures can grant super-powers to ordi-
  nary test subjects. Usually, there’s some reason why the 
  procedure or treatment cannot be easily replicated. It 
  may be a one-time success, or the secret may die with the 
  scientist (killed following the initial success). The process 
  may be dangerous, resulting in death or hideous muta-
  tions most of the time. It might be extremely expensive, 
  requiring staggering amounts of time, money, or both. 
  There may be side effects, such as experimental subjects 
  going mad, continuing to mutate, or simply “burning out” 
  and dying after a while.
  The less powerful the outcome of the process, the more 
  likely it can be replicated. Villains in the comics often 
  have the capability to create low-powered “super-sol-
  diers” or minions, and the government might have a 
  similar process. Such characters are usually below the 
  setting’s normal power level, suffer from serious side ef-
  fects, or both.
  Many intentional mutations are inventors who used 
  themselves as experimental subjects, having no others 
  available. This is particularly common for villains, either 
  seeking great power or the victims of such experiments 
  gone horribly awry.
  Other intentional mutations are experimental subjects. 
  Some may be volunteers, others victims experimented on 
  against their will or without their knowledge or consent. 
  Such characters are often bitter and vengeful toward the 
  people responsible for their mutation.
  GADGETS AND GEAR
  Otherwise “ordinary” characters may derive their powers 
  from technological gadgets and equipment. A charac-
  ter with a ray gun, an anti-gravity belt, and a force field 
  projector can have the same capabilities as another with 
  innate powers of flight, invulnerability, and energy projec-
  tion, for example. The prime difference is characters can 
  be separated from their gadgets, which may also malfunc-
  tion or otherwise not work properly.
  SERUMS AND SUPER-PILLS
  Exotic chemicals and pharmaceuticals sometimes grant 
  super-powers, usually temporary, although they may be 
  permanent (which becomes more of a case of induced 
  mutation, above). Characters dependent on a drug or se-
  rum for their powers may have a power loss complication 
  (when they are deprived on the power’s catalyst) and may 
  have other modifiers applied to their powers.
  BATTLESUITS AND IRON MEN
  One of the more common super-science devices is the 
  battlesuit, also known as power-armor. It’s a suit of 
  high-tech armor equipped with technology providing a 
  range of powers, including (but not limited to) enhanced 
  strength, flight, offensive weaponry, enhanced senses, 
  and a range of Protection and Immunity effects (particu-
  larly Life Support). The wearer of a battlesuit may be its 
  inventor or simply chosen to pilot it (particularly if the 
  suit originates with the military, a government agency, 
  or a corporation). A battlesuit might even have multiple 
  wearers. If the suit is sufficiently bulky and concealing, 
  most people wouldn’t know. Some battlesuit wearers 
  have teams of supporting NPCs providing assistance via 
  remote communication.
  A variation on the battlesuit is the mecha, essentially a hu-
  manoid tank, inspired by the giant robots of Japanese an-
  ime. Mecha have abilities similar to battlesuits, although 
  the GM may permit a mecha to be treated as a vehicle, so 
  long as it’s subject to the same rules as vehicles. A mecha 
  functioning as smoothly as a giant-sized character should 
  be acquired as a set of Removable powers (when the hero 
  is denied access to the mecha).
  MAN AND MACHINE
  Technology may actually be integrated or implanted into 
  living creatures, creating cyborgs, part flesh and part ma-
  chine. Cyborg powers are like those of any other character, 
  they simply have a technological descriptor rather than 
  mutation, alien, or the like. A cyborg may have complica-
  tions based on the need for regular maintenance or even 
  the Removable modifier, if there are ways to damage or 
  disable the cyborg’s machine parts.
  CHARACTER CONCEPTS
  • 
  A brilliant inventor develops a high-tech suit for 
  peaceful exploration (of space or the ocean, for ex-
  ample). When the military attempts to turn it into a 
  weapon, the inventor steals the plans and the proto-
  type and uses it to fight crime.
  • 
  An injured soldier receives bionic implants and replace-
  ment organs, creating a “super-soldier” either working 
  for the military or serving as a government agent.
  • 
  A young genius has a talent for building useful gad-
  gets out of any collection of spare parts, using them 
  to become a superhero.
  3232
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  A scientist invents a life-like, intelligent android, 
  gifted with abilities beyond those of humans. When 
  criminals kill its creator, the android embarks on a 
  quest for justice and understanding the nature of 
  humanity.
  • 
  A secret government agency trains superheroes and 
  equips them each with devices giving them superhu-
  man powers.
  TRAINING
  While some superhumans are born and others have pow-
  ers thrust upon them by circumstance, a few are self-
  made. Rigorous training and unshakable dedication can 
  go a long way in the comic books, taking otherwise or-
  dinary people beyond the limits of what most consider 
  possible.
  Training generally hones and improves a character’s in-
  nate potential, granting increased ability scores, skills, 
  advantages, and sometimes other effects that can be 
  explained as learned abilities. Sometimes training awak-
  ens other latent powers, like mutant, magical, or psionic 
  abilities (see earlier in this chapter). Characters may also 
  supplement physical and mental training with various 
  technological devices (see Super-Science, immediately 
  preceding this section).
  MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN
  It’s up to the Gamemaster to define the limits of training 
  as a power source. Generally, the more realistic the setting, 
  the more limited training becomes. In four-color comics, 
  otherwise normal human beings train to superhuman lev-
  els of competence. While high ability scores are considered 
  “superhuman” they’re still available through training, if the 
  GM sees fit. Other effects are left to GM interpretation. Usu-
  ally any effect suitable as an advantage (even an advantage 
  with multiple levels) is suitable as a training effect.
  ESOTERIC SECRETS
  While training can and does develop things like psychic 
  abilities and esoteric martial arts, these effects usually re-
  quire additional descriptors, such as “psychic” or “chi,” to 
  properly define them. As always, the GM decides which 
  descriptors are appropriate for a particular effect.
  CHARACTER CONCEPTS
  • 
  A foundling left at the doorstep of an isolated mon-
  astery in Asia, raised by the monks there and trained 
  in every aspect of physical and mental discipline, 
  perfect in mind and body as well as being taught a 
  rigorous moral code and a duty to justice.
  • 
  The child of a Westerner and one of the last scions 
  of a fabled Japanese ninja clan. Trained in the secret 
  arts of invisibility, stealth, and assassination, but 
  choosing to use them to bring down the clan and all 
  it represents.
  • 
  Student and disciple of a renowned martial arts mas-
  ter whose previous student used his training for evil.
  • 
  A former Olympic athlete who lost friends and fam-
  ily to terrorism and undertook a rigorous program of 
  training to fight such criminals and become an inter-
  national agent of peace.
  • 
  Coming from a long line of police officers, a young-
  ster trains to become the world’s greatest detective 
  and law-enforcer, working to reform a corrupt police 
  department from both the inside and the outside.
  ONE ORIGIN OR MANY?
  One of the first things to consider about superhuman ori-
  gins is which one(s) to have in your series. Is there a single 
  source of super-powers or many? Which origins are more 
  common if there’s more than one and are any origins pro-
  hibited or restricted in some way?
  ONE ORIGIN
  There may be only one source of super-powers available 
  in your setting, although people may not necessarily 
  know the true source’s nature. For example all superhu-
  mans might be genetic mutants, psionics, or magical in 
  nature.
  A unified origin provides a degree of predictability to the 
  setting. It is also more plausible, better suited for more re-
  alistic settings. On the other hand, a single origin limits 
  or prohibits certain character types. It may create a cer-
  tain sameness among the superhuman characters in the 
  series.
  A single origin also limits the descriptors applied to su-
  per-powers. Keep in mind this may affect how some de-
  scriptor-based effects work. For example, having an effect 
  work against only one descriptor (such as “psionic pow-
  ers”) doesn’t qualify as a flaw if every effect in the setting 
  has that descriptor.
  MULTIPLE ORIGINS
  You may allow more than one origin in the series, but set 
  specific limits in terms of suitable powers, effects, and 
  modifiers for any given origin. For example, in a series 
  about super-powered mutants in the near future, you 
  decide to allow the mutation and super-science origins, 
  along with the alien origin (although the existence of 
  aliens is not widely known). You might also limit super-
  science powers, disallowing effects like Dimension Travel 
  and Mind Reading, for example, although they are avail-
  able to the other power sources.
  Multiple origins allow for some variety in the series, but 
  also require more work on the Gamemaster’s part to define 
  and limit the options available for each power source. You 
  may want to do this on a character-by-character basis or 
  just establish guidelines for the entire series.
  3333
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  ANY ORIGIN
  Finally, a series may allow any origin for super-powers. 
  This is the case with most comic book superhero settings: 
  anything goes. This approach gives the players the widest 
  range of options, but also tends to make for the most 
  complex sort of setting. Nearly anything is possible in a 
  world where aliens, gods, magic, mutants, super-science, 
  and psionic powers co-exist!
  PREVALENCE OF POWERS
  Although M&M series usually feature powers of one sort 
  or another, the prevalence of powers among the general 
  populace can vary greatly from setting to setting. In 
  some, only the main heroes and a few antagonists have 
  any powers at all, while in others nearly everyone has 
  powers!
  Not all powers or origins need be equally prevalent, either. 
  Indeed, in many settings some powers are more common 
  than others. A world could have common superhuman 
  physical powers but rare mental powers, with divine and 
  magical powers being unique or unknown.
  UNIQUE POWERS
  In a unique powers setting, only a small handful of char-
  acters have powers. This may not include the heroes! Usu-
  ally, though, it means the heroes and a small group of 
  antagonists are the only ones in the world with strange 
  abilities. This may mean everyone gained their powers in 
  the same way, even at the same time. It may also mean all 
  powers come from the same source, although neither has 
  to be the case.
  For example, perhaps everyone in the world with powers 
  was present when one of the gods fell to earth and died, 
  with each of them gaining a portion of the god’s essence 
  (and power). When one power-wielder slays another, he 
  gets that portion of divine essence, thereby increasing 
  his power, and setting the scions of divine power at each 
  others’ throats. As another example, perhaps the small 
  number of super-powered characters in the setting are all 
  from alternate worlds, brought together in a single place 
  and time on a world where no one else has powers (per-
  haps even our world!). The heroes may come from diverse 
  backgrounds with virtually any origin or power, and the 
  same is true of the antagonists.
  Unique powers may not remain so, depending on their 
  origin. In some settings, unique powers are just a stage 
  the world passes through on its way toward powers be-
  coming more widespread.
  RARE POWERS
  Powers in this setting are rare; everyone may have heard 
  of someone with powers, but hasn’t necessarily met one. 
  This tends to be the default for most M&M settings; there 
  are a substantial number of super-powered individuals, 
  but few enough that they’re not everywhere.
  3434
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  COMMON POWERS
  Common powers show up often enough that nearly ev-
  eryone knows someone with powers. The empowered 
  population is a sizeable minority, perhaps even the major-
  ity. This may affect how powers are perceived (see Powers 
  and Society in the following section).
  Common powers may be homogeneous, coming from a 
  single source or origin. Everyone may even have the same 
  power! For example, a world might have common mental 
  powers, or even just Telepathy as a common power. On 
  the other hand, a setting with common powers might 
  have diverse smaller populations from multiple power 
  sources and origins: there are people with divine powers, 
  psionic powers, magical powers, and other powers they 
  acquired in various ways.
  UNIVERSAL POWERS
  In some unusual settings, everyone has powers! This can 
  range from everyone having the same power to everyone 
  having their own unique power, from one origin or power 
  source to multiple ones.
  For example, in a far future setting, humanity may become 
  a psionic species, with mental powers universal (although 
  some individuals have different degrees of power and 
  talent, the same as with any innate ability). A fantasy set-
  ting may feature inborn magical knacks, with individual 
  talents determined by the position of the stars, the time 
  of the year, phase of the moon, or some other mystic tide 
  in the universe.
  Note that “universal” is also relative. For example, if the 
  series takes place in a hidden city where everyone has 
  super-powers, and adventures take place there primarily, 
  then it seems to be a universal powers setting, even if the 
  no one in the rest of the world has any powers.
  POWERS AND SOCIETY
  How does society at large react to super-powers and 
  those who wield them? Do people with powers hold a 
  special place in society, or are they treated just like every-
  one else? If the latter, then why? (They’re definitely not 
  “just like everyone else!”)
  Society can react in a number of different ways to powers, 
  and these are not all mutually exclusive. Some segments 
  of society and particular individuals react differently, and 
  there may be different attitudes toward different powers. 
  A culture regarding divine power as a sign of great favor 
  may at the same time see magical powers as a mark of 
  evil. Some powers may be lauded as “natural” while others 
  are seen as “unnatural” or “perverse.” The classic example 
  is mutant powers, often looked upon with suspicion com-
  pared to other sorts of super-powers.
  Society may view super-humans as ordinary citizens, spe-
  cial talents, or outcasts. Some super-humans may even 
  set themselves up as rulers of society! Certainly, that’s the 
  wish of many super-villains.
  ORDINARY CITIZENS
  People with powers are no different from anyone else, at 
  least in terms of society and its laws. There are three reasons 
  for this: first, society is simply unaware anyone has powers, 
  so there are no laws or social mores concerning them. How 
  society reacts if and when powers become known is up to 
  the GM. Second, society has deliberately chosen to treat 
  power-users equally and fairly (or at least relatively so); 
  third is everyone has powers, so they’re not “unusual!”
  This does not mean there are no laws concerning the use 
  of powers, only that they’re no more restrictive than the 
  laws concerning everyone else. For example, a crime com-
  mitted using powers is still a crime. It also means the em-
  powered have no special privileges; they’re not immune 
  to prosecution for misusing their powers.
  SPECIAL TALENTS
  Society acknowledges the “special talents” of supers in 
  some fashion. Of course, this acknowledgement isn’t al-
  ways positive, since it may entail legal or social restrictions 
  on powers and their use. Powers may also affect society as 
  supers find different ways to use their talents. Powers may 
  completely transform some professions and social institu-
  tions, including the following:
  COMMUNICATION
  Although technological forms of communication are 
  common in the modern world, they don’t exist in earlier 
  societies. This power may greatly speed up communica-
  tion, especially in settings where the speed of messages is 
  that of the fastest horse or ship. Instantaneous communi-
  cation can hold together a large civilization, but can also 
  dog the heroes wherever they may go.
  EDUCATION
  Some mental powers may be effective in providing edu-
  cation and monitoring the progress of students.
  ENTERTAINMENT
  A wide range of powers have entertainment value, rang-
  ing from putting on shows to using powers to provide 
  special effects. Some powers even create entirely new 
  forms of entertainment, or addictions, for that matter.
  EXPLORATION
  Super-explorers can reach places others cannot, at least 
  not easily. Movement effects like Flight or Teleport ex-
  pand the bounds of exploration. Effects like Dimension 
  and Time Travel expand it even further. Sensory effects 
  allow explorers to perceive entirely new things about the 
  places and things they explore.
  LAW ENFORCEMENT
  Various combat-related powers are useful to police offi-
  cers, giving them innate weapons and protection. Even 
  3535
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  more likely to transform law enforcement are mental 
  powers. Imagine “thought police” able to read a suspect’s 
  mind to know whether or not he’s guilty, or empowered 
  to arrest people just thinking about committing a crime! 
  Abilities like Detect and Postcognition are useful for gath-
  ering evidence and, with the aid of someone with Precog-
  nition, police may even stop crimes before they happen. 
  Of course, this raises questions like: if you intend to com-
  mit a crime, and a telepath or precognitive senses you will, 
  are you just as guilty as if you had actually done it?
  MEDICINE
  While the Healing effect is likely to have the greatest impact 
  on the practice of medicine, other powers may also be use-
  ful to empowered physicians. For example, Penetrating Vi-
  sion or Remote Sensing can replace X-ray machines, Precise 
  Move Object can perform surgery without cutting open 
  the body, and the ability to place a subject into a deep sleep 
  or coma can replace the use of anesthetics. There’s also the 
  issue of how traditional medicine reacts to the existence of 
  super-powered healers. Are they practicing medicine with-
  out a license? How do you license them?
  POLITICS
  The political implications of powers are vast, but some can 
  affect the political process directly. In addition to simply 
  using super-powers to grab political power (see Over-
  lords in the following section), abilities like superhuman 
  Presence or outright Mind Control can have a significant 
  impact. Conversely, powers like Mind Reading and Detect 
  (truth) change the character of political hearings, allowing 
  society to know if their politicians are being honest!
  PSYCHOLOGY
  Mental powers can be a tremendous boon to psychology, 
  allowing neuroses and even psychoses to simply be wiped 
  away. Of course, there may be long-term side-effects to 
  such a “brute force” approach to mental health. There’s also 
  the danger of unrestricted “editing” of minds. It’s one thing 
  for someone to volunteer to have his antisocial tendencies 
  corrected, but what about convicted criminals? For that 
  matter, what happens when society begins “correcting” 
  other behavior, such as rebelliousness, unacceptable reli-
  gious beliefs, or “sexual deviancy” (which may all have far-
  ranging meanings, depending on who defines them).
  RELIGION
  The existence of divine super-powers may or may not 
  prove the existence of a God or gods (or various other 
  supernatural entities like spirits and demons). At the very 
  least, many powers and power sources have religious im-
  plications. Clerics can benefit from the use of powers in 
  their roles as healers, intermediaries, spiritual leaders, and 
  counselors. Some may claim their powers give them spe-
  cial insight into people’s souls, and they may be right! Just 
  as many might claim a super-powered religious figure is 
  false and misleading. Powers could lead to a new era of 
  religious understanding and tolerance or one of schism 
  and holy war.
  SCIENCE
  Scientific study and understanding of some powers may 
  lead to major breakthroughs in science. For example, 
  learning the mechanism of a teleportation power may 
  lead to artificial teleporters, and the mechanism of te-
  lepathy can provide the key to faster-than-light commu-
  nication (or even travel). Of course, some powers may be 
  beyond the understanding of science, especially those 
  powers without a scientific basis (such as magic). Many 
  powers can also be helpful to scientists, allowing them 
  to study phenomena directly without instruments or 
  perform certain experiments without the need for ex-
  pensive equipment.
  TRANSPORTATION
  Teleporters with enough carrying capacity could revo-
  lutionize travel, at least for some. Even if abilities like 
  Teleport aren’t widespread enough for general use, they 
  remain an option for those with access to them in emer-
  gencies. Super-fast couriers can carry messages from 
  place to place, or even transport items instantly.
  OUTCASTS
  In some settings those with powers are outcasts: feared, 
  hated, or disdained by society. This becomes more likely 
  if powers originate from something outside of society’s 
  control, making normal people jealous of abilities they 
  can’t have and fearful of what they can’t understand or 
  control.
  Prejudice against supers may take many different forms. 
  At the most basic level, society may institute draconian 
  laws to keep powers under control and prevent supers 
  from having an “unfair advantage.” At greater levels, peo-
  ple might consider certain powers (and their wielders) in-
  nately evil or dangerous. Governments may ban the use 
  of super-powers and closely monitor and known supers 
  for infractions. The empowered may lose their civil rights, 
  forced to wear identifying marks (clothing, tattoos, brace-
  lets, even tracking implants) to warn “normal” people 
  about them. In the extreme, supers are hunted down and 
  imprisoned, enslaved, or killed.
  Strict regulation and even oppression of powers is often 
  justified by the greater good of society. Some supers may 
  even buy into this, working to police their own kind, or be-
  coming “hounds” to track down and imprison or kill other 
  supers. Collaborators looking to advance their own lot, or 
  trying to keep revolutionaries from rocking the boat, use 
  their powers to support the existing structure.
  Societal prejudice may inspire human rights organiza-
  tions and political groups supporting supers. Some sort of 
  resistance among those with super-powers is also likely. 
  They may try to work within the system to educate and 
  overcome fears toward them, or work in secret to escape 
  from an oppressive society or to overthrow it! In the latter 
  case, supers may one day find themselves in charge of the 
  world that once oppressed them, whether they want to 
  be or not.
  3636
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  OVERLORDS
  Supers can use their abilities to set themselves up in 
  charge of society, whether ordinary people like it or not 
  (or whether the supers like it or not, for that matter). Su-
  perhuman overlords might be ruthless dictators or en-
  lightened guardians of humanity, doing what they feel is 
  best for everyone. The second type of overlord must al-
  ways be on guard against turning into the first kind, abus-
  ing power and privilege, even if it seems justified at first. 
  If the overlords all draw their power from the same source, 
  then control of that power source ensures rulership and 
  may be a key weakness for rebels to target. Overlords with 
  different power sources may come into conflict because 
  of them. Perhaps there is a hierarchy or caste system of 
  overlords based on different powers or origins.
  Consider what powers overlords have at their disposal 
  and how powerful they are individually. A small handful 
  of overlords can rule the world if they’re powerful enough 
  to sweep away conventional military forces on their own, 
  or if they have sufficient mental powers to pull the strings 
  behind the scenes. “Power” does not always mean fight-
  ing ability, however. Less powerful overlords must be on 
  their guard against mundane threats. Some overlords 
  may even be physically weaker than normal humans, such 
  as psionicists with atrophied bodies but powerful minds.
  Settings with empowered overlords may have renegades 
  of one sort or another. Perhaps a member of the ruling 
  class has grown dissatisfied with the status quo, or a com-
  moner has somehow tapped into the power reserved 
  solely for the elite. Imagine a theocracy ruled by those 
  empowered by the gods faced with a strange new proph-
  et who claims to have the gods’ favor, and the powers to 
  prove it. Rebels among despotic overlords may try to cre-
  ate a rebellion to overthrow them while renegades from 
  benevolent overlords may be corrupted by power, and 
  even taint the whole of society with their schemes.
  SECRECY
  How well known are powers in the setting? In some set-
  tings, powers are a well-kept secret (although they may 
  not stay that way). Powers in other settings are public 
  knowledge (for good or ill). Knowledge of powers affects 
  the style and tone of the series, since it determines how 
  openly supers use their own abilities.
  SECRET
  The existence of powers may be kept secret for a number 
  of reasons. Supers may fear society’s reaction to their exis-
  tence (and rightly so). Keeping powers secret provides the 
  element of surprise. Powers may be inherently dangerous 
  or corrupting, things best kept out of the wrong hands. A 
  higher power or powers may forbid revealing their exis-
  tence to anyone; secrecy may even be a requirement to 
  keep powers functioning!
  Whatever the case, a secret powers series has two “worlds”: 
  the mundane world where everyone is ignorant of the 
  existence of powers, and the empowered world, hidden 
  behind the scenes. The mundane world may be similar to 
  our own (from any time in history) or it may not. Layers 
  of secrecy are possible; imagine a setting with physical 
  super-powers but secret mental powers. Psychics have 
  concealed their existence and true nature out of fear oth-
  ers would hunt them down as threats.
  Subtle powers are best suited to a secret series, since 
  keeping powers secret is an important part of the setting. 
  Therefore mental powers and others with little or no no-
  ticeable effect are best. Characters have to be careful how 
  and when they use their powers to keep them a secret. 
  Generally, the consequences of discovery should be grave 
  enough to encourage them to do so.
  PRIVATE
  In some settings, powers aren’t generally known, except 
  to a particular subculture, usually made up of the 
  empowered themselves. This subculture is large enough 
  to constitute a kind of “world” of its own, where powers are 
  used relatively freely. Supers only need to be careful when 
  they are forced to interact with “normals.” This approach 
  allows for a bit more freedom than a secret setting, where 
  characters are constantly looking over their shoulders to 
  avoid discovery.
  As an example of a private setting, imagine a “society of 
  night” made up of various monsters and supernatural 
  beings (including humans with supernatural powers). At 
  night, among their own kind, they are free to use their 
  powers as they wish, limited only by the laws of their 
  culture. During the day, or among normal humans, they 
  have to hide their true nature and rely on subtlety to get 
  the job done.
  A world may even have multiple empowered subcultures: 
  a secret magical society, for example, as well as a hidden 
  society of psis, another of genetic mutants, and so forth. 
  These groups may be entirely open with each other or 
  only barely aware of the others. Perhaps the different 
  factions are all locked in a shadowy war behind the scenes 
  with the mundane world none the wiser.
  OPEN
  On many worlds with powers, their existence is public 
  knowledge. People have different opinions and ideas 
  about powers, but pretty much everyone knows about 
  them. This is usually the case in M&M settings.
  Of course, just because the general public knows of 
  powers doesn’t mean they know everything about them. 
  They may not know how they work, for example (in fact, 
  it’s possible nobody knows). Public beliefs about powers 
  may even be entirely wrong. For example, a conspiracy 
  may have convinced the general populace supers are the 
  chosen of divine forces, when in fact their powers come 
  from an entirely different source. In some cases even 
  supers might not know that public beliefs about their 
  powers are incorrect. Superstition, folk-beliefs, and urban 
  legends may color the perception of powers.
  3737
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  SPACE AND ALIENS
  Is there alien life in your setting? If not, then you’re over-
  looking a lot of potential stories and origins. Aliens of all 
  kinds are common in the comics, and alien worlds make 
  great settings for adventures, either for a change of pace or 
  an entire series. Some of the typical aliens include the fol-
  lowing (see the Alien origin earlier in this chapter for more).
  HUMANOIDS
  Aliens in the comics are often humanoid, if not completely 
  human looking. The common differences are things like 
  skin color, pointed or otherwise odd-shaped ears, unusual 
  hair color (or complete baldness), and so forth. This al-
  lows many “strange visitors” to pass for human on Earth 
  without being immediately picked out as extraterrestrials. 
  Among mutants, androids, and other strange earthly su-
  perhumans, aliens don’t necessarily stand out!
  Humanoid alien races—at least the ones capable of vis-
  iting Earth—tend to be more advanced than humanity, 
  often much more. Even if aliens don’t have powers of their 
  own, their technology can more than make up for it.
  INVADERS
  Aliens rarely “come in peace.” Alien invaders are by far 
  more common. (The peaceful aliens tend to bypass Earth 
  altogether.) Invading aliens tend to be far less powerful 
  than individual superheroes, but there are usually a lot of 
  them, along with their aforementioned advanced tech-
  nology. Sometimes the invaders are a smaller group of 
  more powerful aliens, or even one or two really powerful 
  aliens (see Monsters, in the following section).
  Typically, the invaders have some sort of advantage at the 
  beginning, whether a special power, advanced technol-
  ogy, overwhelming numbers, or some combination of the 
  three. Powers include things like shapeshifting aliens able 
  to blend into the human population, a “silent invasion” of 
  seizing control of governments from within, or things like 
  mind control, or perhaps the power to possess Earth’s su-
  perhuman defenders! Fortunately, the invaders usually 
  have a weakness as well. It may be sunlight, fire, rare miner-
  als, spam e-mails, or even common bacteria, but once the 
  heroes figure it out, they’ve got a weapon to turn the tide.
  MONSTERS
  Alien worlds are sources of various monsters in the com-
  ics, from the giant, rampaging types capable of flattening 
  cities to cunning hunters lurking in the shadows. Virtu-
  ally every type of alien monster has shown up at some 
  point. Alien monsters are like homegrown menaces, ex-
  cept sometimes they turn out to be something other than 
  what they appear. The classic example is the alien “mon-
  ster” that’s actually a child or infant of its species; it doesn’t 
  intend harm, but it doesn’t know any better! Similar ex-
  amples include abandoned alien war-machines, genetic 
  experiments from long-dead worlds, and alien parents 
  come looking for those rambunctious youngsters.
  COSMIC BEINGS
  The remaining aliens in the comic books are “cosmic” 
  beings, so powerful and advanced even the most powerful 
  of Earth’s superhumans pale by comparison. These entities 
  may embody primal forces of the cosmos, or represent 
  races of aliens so ancient they arose in the first epoch of 
  the universe (or even before!). They may exist to maintain 
  certain cosmic principles, or simply for mysterious purposes 
  known only to them. Cosmic beings may have defined traits 
  in some high-powered Mutants & Masterminds games, but 
  usually they function best as plot devices.
  PARALLEL EARTHS
  A common element of comic book universes—or, more 
  properly, “multiverses”—is the existence of parallel 
  dimensions. The Earth the heroes inhabit is but one of an 
  infinity of Earths, each in a different parallel dimension, 
  each with its own heroes and villains, and often unique 
  twists on history and cosmology. Dimensional travel 
  (intentional or accidental) allows heroes to visit these 
  other Earths, which may be designated by numbers 
  (Earth-1, Earth-221, etc.), letters (Earth-A, Earth-B, etc.), 
  or some other naming scheme (alpha, beta, gamma, etc., 
  for example). Likewise, people from parallel worlds may 
  visit the heroes’ Earth for various reasons. A few particular 
  types of parallel Earths are common:
  • 
  Disaster-World: The world was all but destroyed by 
  disaster, perhaps one the heroes prevented on their 
  world, or perhaps one that has yet to happen back home!
  • 
  Evil-World: On this world good is evil and vice versa, so 
  there are evil versions of the heroes, but also likely good 
  versions of some or all of their enemies, and so forth.
  • 
  Golden-World: Superhumans have been around 
  on this Earth longer, or it is otherwise more like the 
  “Golden Age” of comics than the heroes’ Earth.
  • 
  Nazi-World: The Axis won World War II and now 
  rules the world. Parallel versions of the heroes may 
  be freedom fighters or Nazi super-soldiers!
  COSMOLOGY
  Once you have tackled Earth, there’s the rest of the universe to consider! Superhero comics rarely confine themselves to 
  one world, and there’s no reason you have to, either. Give some thought to the cosmology of your setting, of the infinite 
  possibilities of worlds beyond Earth, and the adventures waiting there.
  3838
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  Normal-World: This is a parallel world where there are 
  no super-powers! Essentially, Normal-Earth is like our 
  world: no costumed heroes or villains, no aliens, no 
  super-science or other comic book elements to it at all.
  OTHER DIMENSIONS
  Any number of other dimensions may exist in a Mutants 
  & Masterminds setting. The following are just a sample of 
  the possibilities. Existing dimensions should be reachable 
  via Dimension Travel (see Movement, M&M Hero’s Hand-
  book, page 120).
  ASTRAL PLANE
  The astral plane is usually a psychedelic dimension of ab-
  stract forms, located adjacent to the physical world. It’s 
  where psychics and magicians in astral form duke it out 
  in mental struggles, and may be the source of certain psy-
  chic or spiritual phenomena. The astral plane is accessible 
  to those with the Astral Projection power (see the Mystic 
  archetype, M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 42) in addition 
  to Dimension Travel, and visitors often go there solely in 
  spiritual form, leaving their physical bodies behind.
  DREAM DIMENSION
  Potentially connected to the astral plane, the dream di-
  mension is the realm of the unconscious or sleeping 
  mind. It is the source of dreams, or perhaps created by 
  them. In some settings the dream dimension has a ruler 
  or overseer. In others it has none. It is usually inhabited 
  by the various figments of the imagination, which are ef-
  fectively “real” there. The dream dimension is well suited 
  for fantastic adventures in various dreamscapes, where 
  nearly anything can happen.
  MAGICAL DIMENSIONS
  Many dimensions in the comics are magical, realms where 
  the laws of magic, rather than the laws of nature, hold sway. 
  They may feature islands of matter floating in an endless 
  void, great cosmic trees or ladders, and fantasy worlds in-
  habited by human as well as non-human races. Magical di-
  mensions are often ruled by their most powerful wizard or 
  sorcerer (with high ranks in the Magic power, see the M&M 
  Hero’s Handbook, page 116). These mighty spellcasters may 
  have designs on other dimensions, including Earth’s.
  MYTHIC DIMENSIONS
  Mythic dimensions include all the various realms of my-
  thology and religion: Heaven and Hell, the homes of the 
  gods like Asgard and Mount Olympus, and the various af-
  terlives of the dead like Tartarus, Gehanna, and Hel. Any 
  or all of these may be real places in the vastness of the 
  multiverse. Mythic dimensions are sources of heroes and 
  villains drawn from human mythology: gods, demigods, 
  angels, demons, and so forth (see Gods in this chapter).
  POWER DIMENSIONS
  Some comic book dimensions exist simply as manifesta-
  tions or sources of a particular power. For example, there 
  3939
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  may be a “dark dimension” filled with nothing but an infinity 
  of inky black force, which certain superhumans tap into to 
  produce darkness-based effects. Another dimension could 
  contain nothing but proto-matter which powers like Cre-
  ate or Growth draw upon for their effects. Teleporters might 
  actually move through a “pocket” dimension on their way 
  from point A to point B, while other dimensions serve as 
  “pockets” for storing weapons and other devices. Power 
  dimensions are rarely places to visit, although they can 
  provide story hooks and ideas, and a visit to one can be a 
  change-of-pace adventure, especially if the power dimen-
  sion isn’t entirely what the heroes expected.
  HISTORY
  EMERGENCE OF 
  SUPERHUMANS
  The first, and most likely, thing to affect history in the set-
  ting is the presence of superhumans. Have they always 
  been around, or are they a fairly recent innovation? If peo-
  ple with super-powers have existed for a while, then how 
  long, and what effect has their presence had on history?
  PREHISTORY
  In most comic book universes, super-powers of one sort 
  or another have been around from the very beginning, 
  even before recorded human history. Of course, most of 
  these super-beings are known in the modern world only 
  as legends or myths, and their existence throughout his-
  tory hasn’t changed things much from the world we know.
  A common prehistoric source for superhumans is a mythic 
  civilization like Atlantis, Lemuria, or Mu (or all of them and 
  then some, in many worlds). These fantastic places may 
  possess super-science, magical power, or any number of 
  other origins. Remnants of their civilizations often still ex-
  ist in the modern world, usually as sunken cities or under-
  ground domains (see Fantastic Frontiers, see page 16). 
  You can run a prehistoric Mutants & Masterminds series set 
  in an earlier age of the world, or just make it a place for 
  modern heroes to visit via time or dimensional travel.
  ANCIENT HISTORY
  Superhumans in the ancient world tend to be rare, except 
  as myths or legends. Either they were mistakenly identified 
  as gods or wizards, or they actually were gods and wizards 
  (see Gods and Magic & Mysticism, both earlier in this 
  chapter). So it’s possible the mythic gods and heroes of 
  the ancient world were really powerful superhumans and 
  the legends of their deeds were retellings of actual events. 
  Imagine a mythic Mutants & Masterminds game based 
  around the voyage of the Argonauts, for example, or the 
  Knights of the Round Table, each possessed of a particular 
  mystical power.
  As with prehistoric superhumans, ancient history is 
  often a source of modern origins: from actual survivors 
  of the ancient world (immortal or cast into the future in 
  suspended animation) to modern inheritors of ancient 
  mantles of power.
  RECENT HISTORY
  Established comic book settings usually place the major 
  emergence of superhumans around the same time as 
  the appearance of superhero comics as a genre: in the 
  late 1930s and early 1940s, the “Golden Age” of comics 
  (see Golden Age earlier in this chapter). This is when 
  superhumans go from mythic heroes and mysterious 
  forces to costumed champions of truth and justice with 
  super-criminals as their foes.
  Some settings start back as early as the Victorian era and 
  the Wild West in America (the late 1800s) or the “pulp” 
  era of early “mystery men” and masked adventurers (in 
  the 1920s and ‘30s). The first true modern “superheroes,” 
  however, don’t show up until the Golden Age.
  Did your setting progress through Golden, Silver, and 
  Iron Ages to the modern day? Maybe superhumans 
  didn’t appear until the Silver or Iron Age and there were 
  no earlier ages. On the other hand, maybe the Golden 
  or Silver Age never ended and are still going on in the 
  modern day. It’s easy to imagine a modern setting with 
  a Golden Age aesthetic, looking something like visions of 
  the future from the 1939 World’s Fair, for example.
  EMERGING POWERS
  The easiest sort of setting is an “emerging powers” world, 
  where super-powers are something fairly recent and new. 
  The heroes and their contemporaries are either the very 
  first super-beings in the world, or among the first. This 
  means the setting can be exactly the same as the real 
  world up until the point where superhumans first appear.
  The primary advantage of an emerging powers series is 
  familiarity; you don’t need to describe the real world to 
  your players and you don’t have to make up any alternate 
  history or back-story. Such a setting also offers lots of 
  opportunities for the player characters to be the first at 
  things: the first public superhumans, the first super-team, 
  the first to visit Mars or another dimension, and so forth. 
  The history of your setting provides a context for the present-day. Is there a long history of costumed heroes and 
  villains, with the player characters as the next generation, or are they the first superhumans the world has ever seen? 
  How has the presence of super-powers changed things, if it has changed them at all?
  4040
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  They’re the stars of the story, perhaps even the only 
  superheroes in the world at all!
  The main drawback to an emerging powers setting is 
  the lack of context. If super-powers are new to the world, 
  then society has to adapt, and quickly. There are no laws 
  dealing with superhumans or their powers, no prisons 
  for holding super-criminals, no established relationships 
  between super-teams and law enforcement (in fact, no 
  established super-teams at all!). In being first, the heroes 
  have their work cut out for them when it comes to blazing 
  new trails.
  ALTERNATE HISTORY
  Established comic book universes assume history in their 
  world is essentially as we know it in ours. The same things 
  happened at the same times and events unfolded in 
  basically the same way. The history of superhumans is an 
  “add-on,” often a “secret” history, with little overall effect 
  on the modern world. So, even though there was a real 
  Atlantis, and a real Camelot (complete with true wizards 
  and magical knights), even though superhumans fought 
  on both sides of World War II, the modern world is pretty 
  much the same as the one outside our windows.
  The reason for this is obviously because the real world is 
  familiar to readers of the comics, and it’s far easier for comic 
  book creators to use it as the “default” setting for their 
  stories. The same is true of your Mutants & Masterminds 
  series: it’s easier to assume things are the same as the real 
  world except for the existence of superheroes and villains.
  Of course, this doesn’t have to be the case. You can 
  have some fun playing around with the idea of how the 
  presence of superhumans could have changed history as 
  we know it, creating an alternate world for your setting. 
  The changes can be small ones or large ones. What if 
  superheroes prevented the assassinations of President 
  Kennedy and Martin Luther King? What if Atlantis openly 
  sided with the Nazis during World War II? What if scientific 
  geniuses created new technologies years before they were 
  invented in the real world? The possibilities are endless.
  Generally, it’s best to choose just one or two points of 
  divergence to start your alternate history, then follow 
  things from there. The more changes you make, the less 
  familiar the final result will be.
  TIME TRAVEL
  Time travel (usually via the Time Travel option of the 
  Movement effect, M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 120) is an 
  extremely potent ability. It can cause all sorts of problems 
  if unrestricted, so Gamemasters are advised against 
  allowing player characters to have it. It’s up to the GM to 
  decide if time travel is even possible in the setting and, if 
  so, how temporal mechanics work. The main options are 
  as follows:
  • 
  Immutable Time: History cannot be changed, so any 
  attempt to do so automatically fails. Either travelers 
  into the past become intangible wraiths, able to 
  observe but not interfere, or any actions they take are 
  somehow prevented from altering history (the gun 
  used to shoot at a historical figure jams, someone 
  jostles or distracts the shooter at a critical moment, 
  etc.). This option preserves history but also rules out 
  the possibility of history-altering villains and the 
  need to protect the past from them.
  • 
  Mutable Time: History can be changed, although 
  it might be easy or difficult to do so. Everyone and 
  everything existing “after” the change remains 
  unaware anything is different. To them things are 
  as they have “always” been. Characters involved in 
  the change remember the original timeline, and so 
  might characters with temporal powers of their own. 
  This allows villains (and even heroes) to attempt 
  to change the past, and means the future is not 
  necessarily fixed.
  • 
  Alternate Timelines: Any attempt to change the past 
  creates an alternate timeline instead. The original 
  timeline remains unchanged while the alternate 
  goes off on its own path. This allows for the changing 
  of history without it having an impact on the present 
  (although heroes may still want to prevent a time-
  traveling villain from their world from conquering 
  an alternate Earth in the past). It also means the 
  future is not fixed, since knowledge of the future may 
  cause the present to split off into an alternate with a 
  different future.
  In general, time travel is best used as a plot-device and a 
  power in the hands of certain villains, allowing them to try 
  to trap heroes in the past or travel into the past to plunder 
  it or change history to suit their whims. An alternate 
  history can make for a fun place for the heroes to visit 
  for an adventure or two. Time travel also may be suitable 
  for a team of heroes that travels through time as well as 
  space thwarting the forces of evil. Perhaps the team is 
  assembled from the greatest heroic figures in history, 
  including the future!
  WHAT ARE THEY CALLED?
  In Mutants & Masterminds the generic terms “superhu-
  man” and “super” are used to refer to people with pow-
  ers. However, that isn’t necessarily what everyone in the 
  setting calls them. Some worlds have their own unique 
  names for superhumans, creating a distinct feel and 
  style to the setting. Possibilities include the following:
  aberrants, aces, alphas, angels, avatars, awakened, 
  capes, chosen, deltas, deviants, elites, exarchs, extraor-
  dinaries, freaks, gammas, geeks, gene-freaks, gifted, 
  godlings, Homo Superior, hyper-humans, incredibles, 
  inhumans, inspired, marvels, masks, metas, metahu-
  mans, mutates, mutants, nephilim, novas, omegas, par-
  agons, paranormals, post-humans, powers, psis, psions, 
  psychics, psykes, scions, seraphim, specials, stalwarts, 
  super-humans, superiors, superlatives, supernaturals, 
  super-powered beings (SPBs), talents, übermenschen, 
  ultras, unnaturals, unusuals.
  GMs should feel free to come up with any naming 
  scheme that suits the setting and style of the series.
  4141
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  TECHNOLOGY
  Superhumans have the potential to change the kind of 
  technology available in a setting, especially if super-genius 
  inventors patent and market their ideas. This can also affect 
  the sort of devices available to characters as equipment.
  Give some thought as to whether or not you want your 
  setting to have more advanced technology and, if so, how 
  prevalent it is. Keep in mind most superhero settings have 
  super-science, but it stays in the realm of devices rather 
  than equipment, available only to heroes, villains, and 
  some supporting characters like government agencies, 
  major corporations, and villain organizations. 
  POLITICS
  What are the political issues surrounding superhumans? 
  How do nations and governments deal with the presence 
  of people with powers? For that matter, how do the new 
  “super-powers” in the world deal with the old national 
  “super-powers”? Some potential political issues include 
  the following. 
  POLITICAL INFLUENCE
  A popular superhero can exert considerable political influ-
  ence by supporting a particular cause or candidate (much 
  like any celebrity). In some settings, heroes may be active 
  in politics, while in others a more “hands off” approach is 
  considered best, and politically active heroes are frowned 
  upon.
  Super-powers can exert more direct political influence. 
  Mind control is the most common scare, but individu-
  als with superhuman levels of Presence and influence 
  skills can be just as effective, if not more, since there’s no 
  evidence of direct mental manipulation. A “super-dema-
  gogue” might sweep a popular election into office, with 
  the heroes the only ones resistant to his power and aware 
  of his true intentions.
  SUPER-MILITARY
  Superhumans are potent military assets; some have the 
  power of an entire battalion of soldiers! In some settings, 
  there is a strong motivation to recruit superhumans into 
  the military, from national armies to international peace-
  keeping forces and mercenary companies. A gritty world 
  might make super-powers the “next wave” in modern war-
  fare, making conventional forces almost obsolete.
  SOCIETY
  In more four-color settings, military super-soldiers are 
  nearly always top-secret “special ops” or otherwise covert, 
  and super mercenaries are seen as dubious at best, 
  practically super-criminals at worst. True heroes, while they 
  support their nation, do not want to be seen as a military 
  asset, and refuse to be made into one. Some settings may 
  ban the military use of superhumans, although enforcing 
  that ban is usually up to other superhumans (like an 
  international police or peace-keeping force).
  SUPER-RIGHTS
  The issue of whether or not superhumans are due the 
  same rights as everyone else is a potential political football 
  (see Law in the following section). Some politicians 
  may try using issues surrounding superhumans to their 
  advantage. For example, in a setting where mutants 
  are misunderstood and feared, there are certain to be 
  politicians capitalizing on that fear to further their agendas 
  (and perhaps some fighting for mutants’ rights as well). 
  Different issues may also apply to different origins (see 
  Origins earlier in this chapter), with some types accepted 
  and others mistrusted or even outright hated or feared.
  LAW
  How has the law changed to deal with the existence of 
  superhumans, costumed vigilantes, and super-criminals? 
  Just as in the real world, legal issues can be complex, 
  and Gamemasters should consider what (if any) legal 
  adaptations would enhance the setting.
  VIGILANTISM AND SANCTION
  In the four-color comics, superheroes can generally make 
  “citizens arrests” of super-criminals without any problems. 
  Some heroes are particularly endorsed or supported by 
  the local authorities (officially or unofficially) while others 
  are simply tolerated. Where the authorities draw the line 
  between “helpful citizen” and “dangerous vigilante” depends 
  heavily on the style and tone of the setting. In some, only 
  vigilantes using lethal force or other illegal methods earn 
  official condemnation. In others, anyone putting on a 
  costume or mask to fight crime (whether they have powers 
  or not), is breaking the law and is in just as much trouble 
  with the authorities as the criminals themselves!
  LEGAL RIGHTS
  Are superhumans legally “human” and entitled to the same 
  rights as everyone else? This may vary, depending on the 
  Consider what impact (if any) the existence of superhumans has had on society in your setting. Four-color superhero 
  settings tend to have fewer societal changes, while gritty or realistic settings have the most changes, based on the 
  power and prevalence of superhumans. The more powerful they are and the longer they’ve been around, the more 
  society has had to adapt to their presence.
  4242
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  setting and the type of superhuman. 
  While otherwise normal humans grant-
  ed powers by accident of birth or twist of 
  fate may be seen as legally human, what 
  about aliens, robots, androids, spirits, the 
  undead, and the myriad other beings 
  inhabiting the comics? Some of these 
  may have no legal existence whatsoever, 
  while others may even be considered 
  the “property” of their creator (such as in 
  the case of a robot or other construct). 
  The four-color comics tend to gloss over 
  these issues, except for the occasional 
  story about the legal rights of an unusual 
  being, but it may be a major issue in an-
  other sort of series.
  MASKS AND  
  SECRET IDENTITIES
  Does the law recognize the right of su-
  perheroes (or villains, for that matter) to 
  wear masks and conceal their identities? 
  The American justice system, for exam-
  ple, says a defendant has the right to face 
  his accuser, and allowing the accuser to 
  wear a mask might violate that right. If 
  the law bends the rules to allow masked 
  heroes to testify in criminal cases, what 
  about other situations? If a costumed 
  criminal is arrested, can the police un-
  mask him immediately? This might not 
  seem important to the heroes, until they 
  get arrested for something!
  There’s also the issue of legally proving 
  your identity when you wear a mask or 
  costume, especially when it’s a mask or 
  costume anyone could wear. Can cos-
  tumed heroes receive checks or con-
  tracts under their “super” name? Can others use or license 
  their image without their permission?
  MENTAL AND SENSORY POWERS
  Some mental and sensory powers raise legal concerns. Is 
  evidence gathered by reading a person’s mind admissible 
  in court? What about the power to sense when someone 
  is lying? Is it illegal to read someone’s mind without their 
  permission, or to use abilities like Enhanced Senses or Re-
  mote Sensing to spy on somebody without their knowl-
  edge? If so, how do you prove someone has done these 
  things? If someone senses via one of these abilities that 
  someone else is intending to commit a crime, what (if any-
  thing) can they do? Is criminal intent illegal and at what 
  point can the authorities intervene?
  Again, four-color settings tend to ignore these problems. 
  Responsible superhumans don’t use their powers to in-
  vade others’ privacy, and evidence gathered using them is 
  usually inadmissible in court. More realistic settings may 
  deal with some of the consequences of these and other 
  powers, ranging from legally banning them to using them 
  to set up a “thought police” to enforce draconian laws.
  INCARCERATION
  Once you have a super-criminal in custody, what do you 
  do? Keeping people with powers imprisoned may be a 
  simple or very difficult issue. The main problem is restrain-
  ing the criminal’s powers to ensure he stays in prison.
  In four-color settings, prisons usually have various tech-
  nological options like power dampeners to block most 
  criminals’ powers. Other settings might not have such 
  options, in which case, holding super-powered prisoners 
  becomes more problematic. Measures like super-alloy 
  cells and shackles may be used alongside drugs, puni-
  tive countermeasures (like taser collars or explosive arm-
  bands), and guards armed with powerful weapons. In 
  extreme cases, criminals may be put into drug-induced 
  comas, virtual realities, or suspended animation, or sim-
  ply executed because there’s no effective way to impris-
  on them at all.
  4343
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  POPULAR CULTURE
  Unless their very existence is hidden, superhumans are 
  virtually certain to become instant celebrities and the fo-
  cus of much popular attention. Consider the effects, if any, 
  of superheroes and villains on popular culture and day-to-
  day life in your setting.
  COMIC BOOKS
  Comic books, the source of the modern superhero, may 
  benefit or suffer from the existence of real superheroes. 
  In some settings, comic books might become a dead me-
  dium. After all, who wants to read about fictional superhe-
  roes when there are real people with super powers on the 
  news every night? On the other hand, superhero comics 
  might undergo a boom in popularity, as a fascination with 
  all things superhuman grips the public. Publishers might 
  stick with pre-existing characters or embrace a new trend 
  in ‘reality comics,” telling fictionalized accounts of real su-
  perhero adventures. This is the case in many comic book 
  universes, with the publisher “retelling” the heroes’ stories 
  (often with some unwelcome “artistic license”). You can 
  have some fun with heroes visiting a comic book pub-
  lisher, or doing comic stories within stories. Maybe the fic-
  tional comic book heroes in your setting are actually real 
  on some parallel world where the player characters are 
  the “fictional characters”!
  ENTERTAINMENT
  Superhumans are likely to influence other popular forms 
  of entertainment. Television is certain to devote shows to 
  them, especially “reality” shows for fans eager for anything 
  and everything about their idols. Publishers provide books 
  and magazines about superheroes (and perhaps villains). 
  They may be specialty channels or publications devoted 
  solely to the super-powered set.
  Super-powers may also provide their own entertainment. 
  In some settings, superhuman actors can do amazing 
  stunts and special effects. Super-artists can use their 
  powers to enhance their performances, although this can 
  lead to problems like mind-controlling musicians. Some 
  superhumans may not want to use their powers as heroes 
  and villains, preferring to make a fortune in entertainment!
  FASHION
  While comic book heroes and villains usually don’t have 
  much fashion sense, some settings may feature their 
  influence in popular fashion trends. Spandex and similar 
  skin-tight materials are sure to become popular (perhaps 
  whether people can pull them off or not). Capes or 
  cloaks could be a common fashion accessory, along with 
  swash-topped boots and various sorts of gloves. If “super-
  fashion” is prevalent enough, it may be hard to tell the 
  super-powered from the normal population!
  RELIGION
  Superhumans, especially those with mystic or divine origins, raise 
  any number of religious issues. Settings may include actual angels 
  and demons, witches and sorcerers, and even true gods walking 
  among mortals. Even completely “mundane” superhumans may 
  find themselves the focus of cults or religious beliefs. Four-color 
  comics tend to skirt around religious issues, usually claiming all 
  religions are at least somewhat correct, and making the most 
  omnipotent divine powers largely aloof and distant.
  More realistic settings might tackle these issues head-
  on, with new religious sects springing up in response to 
  superhumans, super-powered cult leaders, and so forth. 
  Perhaps a particular religion has it right and there is actual 
  proof! Of course, it may be more interesting if the “proof” is 
  debatable, allowing for further conflict between believers 
  and non-believers.
  ORGANIZATIONS
  Various organizations play roles in the setting. The Gamemaster may want to include some or all of the types of 
  organizations in this section, or at least take them into consideration when creating the setting.
  AGENCY
  The agency is ostensibly a force for good, or at least law 
  and order. It’s usually a governmental agency, ranging 
  from a national government to an international peace-
  keeping force. In more realistic settings, the agency is of-
  ten based on such real-world organizations as the Federal 
  Bureau of Investigation, Interpol, or the Office of Home-
  land Security. Four-color agencies tend to be fantastic su-
  per-spy organizations, often with high-tech gadgetry and 
  perhaps even their own cadres of power-armor troops or 
  super-powered agents.
  Agencies in the comics primarily exist to deal with super-
  powered threats, beyond the capabilities of the regular 
  authorities. They may also have various mundane police 
  or law enforcement powers, depending on the agency’s 
  charter and mission. Agencies are often prone to getting 
  bogged down in bureaucracy and they’re sometimes vul-
  nerable to corruption and takeover from within, some of 
  the things that make superheroes more reliable in general.
  CONSPIRACY
  The conspiracy’s goal is control, over organizations, na-
  tions, economies, even the world. Conspiracies are by 
  4444
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  their nature secret. They may masquerade as other or-
  ganizations or agencies, or exist within them, unnoticed 
  until it is too late. A conspiracy often takes over other or-
  ganizations from behind the scenes, pulling the strings 
  in accord with its own agenda. In a world of super-pow-
  ers, conspiracies can be frighteningly effective, using 
  things like mind control, shapeshifting, and telepathy to 
  carry out their plans. Uncovering and then overcoming a 
  conspiracy can be the focus of an entire Mutants & Mas-
  terminds series.
  CULT
  A cult or secret society is similar to a conspiracy in many 
  ways, the prime difference being that a conspiracy is fo-
  cused solely on power and control while a cult has its 
  own philosophical or religious agenda. For example, 
  a conspiracy might seek to control the world’s govern-
  ments from behind the scenes, a cult seeks to do the 
  same in order to impose its religious beliefs or to further 
  some philosophical goal. Cults in the comics are nearly 
  always mystical in nature, and often high-ranking cult 
  members possess magical powers of some kind. The 
  cult may worship powerful extradimensional entities, 
  or serve entirely at the will of a powerful guru or dema-
  gogue. Cult members are often fanatical in their devo-
  tion to the cause, and cult agents may have a means of 
  self-destructing, both to ensure they are not captured 
  and to try and take as many of their enemies as they can 
  with them when they die.
  INSTITUTE
  The institute is devoted to learning and knowledge. This 
  is usually scientific knowledge, although it can also be 
  occult or arcane knowledge in some cases. It may be a 
  branch of a college or university, a research corporation, 
  an independent think-tank, or a division of a govern-
  ment agency (see Agency earlier in this section). In the 
  comics, the institute is often devoted to studying unusu-
  al phenomena involving superhumans and their powers. 
  It may focus on a particular origin—such as a Psionics 
  Studies Institute, an Arcane College, or an Extraterrestrial 
  Intelligence Project—or it may try to cover them all.
  An institute is a source for experts to advise the heroes on 
  tricky technical questions, to study their powers, and to 
  provide them with the occasional experimental device. It’s 
  also a source for new superhumans and potential disas-
  ters, both the results of either deliberate experiments or 
  accidents. In some settings, the institute takes on a more 
  sinister tone, usually as part of an agency or conspiracy 
  devoted to controlling superhumans and performing un-
  ethical experiments to learn more about them.
  SPACE PATROL
  Many comic book settings feature one or more interstellar 
  (even intergalactic) organizations devoted to maintain-
  ing law and order, essentially a kind of interstellar “police 
  force.” This “space patrol” is often empowered by a higher 
  authority, either an interstellar government or a highly ad-
  vanced and powerful alien race or being. Typically, officers 
  of the space patrol possess special devices granting them 
  the power necessary to enforce the law throughout the 
  cosmos. The patrol may be made up of representatives of 
  numerous alien races from across space, or only a few, de-
  pending on its origin. Its officers might even be artificial 
  beings created by the patrol’s founders, such as androids, 
  or cyborgs created by transplanting the brains or minds of 
  living creatures into powerful artificial bodies.
  A particularly common element of a space patrol in the 
  comics is a patrol officer assigned to Earth, who takes on 
  the role of a superhero there (and may or may not reveal 
  affiliation with the patrol, or even its existence). Another 
  is the rogue patrol officer, exiled from the organization 
  for misdeeds, who has become a powerful super-criminal 
  and nemesis of the patrol and its officers.
  SYNDICATE
  Where a conspiracy seeks power and a cult tries to fur-
  ther an ideology, a syndicate wants one thing: profit. A 
  syndicate is a criminal organization devoted to generat-
  ing wealth, by whatever means it can. Real world syndi-
  cates include organized crime factions like the Mafia, the 
  Japanese Yakuza, Chinese Triads, drug cartels, the Russian 
  Mafiya, and so forth. Comic book settings often have fic-
  tional equivalents of these various organizations, as well 
  as world-spanning criminal syndicates beyond their wild-
  est dreams, such as a “World Crime League” or a “Megasyn-
  dicate” of international criminals.
  Four-color comic book syndicates tend to be sanitized 
  versions of the real thing, often with different names be-
  cause the comics code forbade portraying real life orga-
  nized crime. So there are stereotypical gangsters in pin-
  stripe suits with Tommy guns and slick Japanese mobsters 
  in dark business attire, wearing sunglasses and command-
  ing ninja henchmen.
  Realistic syndicates get more into the grit and grime of 
  organized criminal activity, particularly issues like drugs, 
  vice, influence peddling, and assassination for hire. Tak-
  ing down a powerful criminal syndicate can become the 
  focus of an entire series, especially an Iron Age series 
  involving grim and gritty costumed vigilantes (see the 
  Genre and Style sections of this chapter for more infor-
  mation).
  ORGANIZATIONS AND ACRONYMS
  Comic book organizations, especially agencies and conspiracies, tend toward acronyms for names: that is, names where each 
  letter of the name stands for a word in a phrase, such as SHADOW: the Secret Hierarchy of Agents for Domination Over the 
  World, or AEGIS: the American Elite Government Intervention Service. You might want to think of suitable acronyms for organi-
  zations in your own setting, since they provide an element of the comic book feel.
  4545
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  CHAPTER 1: SETTINGS
  
  4646
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  The Gamemaster’s role in the “roleplaying” sense of the term is portraying all the other characters in a Mutants & Master-
  minds game that are not the players’ characters: the supporting cast, the bit players, and, especially, the villains.
  This chapter looks at villains and what makes them tick. We start off with a look at the different categories of villains: 
  levels of power, types of wrongdoing, and relationships between villain and hero. The chapter moves on to what 
  motivates villains, their goals, and how they justify their actions to themselves and others. A series of detailed supervillain 
  archetypes provide examples and ready-made bad guys Gamemasters can use or build upon. Then come supervillain 
  teams and villainous organizations, followed by a discussion of villain tactics (from combat to traps and escape plans). 
  The villain section concludes with some advice to Gamemasters on creating villains M&M players will truly enjoy hating 
  and defeating time and again.
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  The typical henchman has no powers, maybe a weapon 
  or two and a halfway decent attack and damage bonus. 
  Other villains have “henchmen” who are not men, aren’t 
  even human at all in many cases. These minions might 
  be robots, animated trees, demonic imps, or the walking 
  dead. They have a variety of powers, but still mainly rely on 
  numbers and brute force to get the job done. More exotic 
  underlings still tend to be low in power level compared 
  to the series standard. They also make the human street 
  toughs employed by other villains look like Rhodes 
  scholars by comparison: exotic minions tend to be dumb, 
  if not completely mindless.
  LIEUTENANTS
  Villainous lieutenants are criminal middlemen. They’re in 
  charge of henchmen, often answering to a boss or master 
  villain. They tend to be around the same power level as 
  the series default (and, therefore, the heroes), give or take 
  a level or two. So a power level 8 series tends to feature PL 
  8 lieutenants, with some in the PL 6-7 range, others PL 9, 
  perhaps even 10.
  A lieutenant is essentially the opposite number of a player 
  character hero, roughly equal in power, although rarely in 
  depth or breadth. Lieutenants are often combat heavy, 
  simply because they are expected to take on the heroes 
  on their boss’ behalf. Some lieutenants are more “man-
  agement” than hands-on types, but they can still defend 
  themselves in a pinch.
  A villain team (see Villain Teams later in this chapter) is 
  most often made up of lieutenant-level villains banded to-
  What makes a good villain? What defines villains people love to hate—enemies with staying power, able to menace 
  heroes again and again without becoming stale or repetitive? What makes bad guys compelling, intriguing, and worthy 
  foes for the world’s greatest and most powerful heroes? These are all questions this chapter tackles as we take a look 
  into the dark heart of supervillainy.
  In their own way, supervillains are just as iconic as their heroic counterparts. They have different levels of power and 
  ability, and individual goals and motifs. Villains also play particular roles in the lives of the heroes they bedevil, from 
  bothersome nuisances to hated archfoes locked in a struggle to the death. This section looks at the various ways of clas-
  sifying villains and how they apply to a Mutants & Masterminds game.
  LEVELS OF VILLAINS
  Just like heroes, villains come in different levels. This 
  means both overall levels of capability of threat, as well 
  as power levels in M&M game terms. The two categories 
  do tend to overlap: naturally, the higher a villain’s threat-
  level, the higher their power level tends to be. 
  Power level, however, is relative to the overall power level 
  of the series (and, therefore, the heroes). A power level 8 
  bad guy might be a low-level lieutenant in one game and 
  a powerful master villain in another. In a high power level 
  series, that PL 8 character could even be a mere hench-
  man, beneath the mighty heroes’ notice!
  HENCHMEN
  At the bottom of the villain hierarchy of are the vast hordes 
  of henchmen: criminals, goons, and hired muscle working 
  for a villain primarily as cannon fodder. They might delay 
  the heroes, or even get the drop on them with a cleverly 
  planned ambush, but otherwise they aren’t much of a 
  threat, except for the fact that henchmen tend to come in 
  large numbers (some sort of bulk discount for the villain, 
  no doubt).
  Henchmen are usually built at around half the series power 
  level, if not less. So in a PL 10 game, henchmen rarely rise 
  above PL 5, and usually fall between PL 2 and 4. You can 
  see this in the supporting cast archetypes: the goons and 
  other henchmen types are at around this power level for 
  the default PL 10 series.
  BRING ON THE BAD GUYS!
  4747
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  gether in an opposing version of the traditional superhe-
  ro team, sometimes backed up or brought into existence 
  by a more powerful master villain.
  Lieutenants tend to be individuals, as opposed to hench-
  men who are largely faceless masses. Lieutenant villains 
  have their own motifs, code names, costumes, and so 
  forth. They may match a particular theme (chess pieces, 
  playing cards, mythic figures, etc.), especially one of a 
  powerful leader. Some teams of lieutenants resemble 
  henchmen: take for example a group of lieutenants wear-
  ing power armor designed by their boss, which makes 
  each of them nearly the equal of a hero. Otherwise, how-
  ever, they’re still faceless (and largely nameless) minions.
  MASTER VILLAINS
  The master villain is what many people think of when they 
  think “supervillain”: the evil mastermind with the hidden 
  lair, army of minions, and the fiendish plan for world-dom-
  ination. Master villains are the prime-movers of the super-
  villain hierarchy. They are the ones who come up with 
  the plans lieutenants and henchmen execute, the ones 
  heroes look to track down, confront, and finally—at long 
  last—bring to justice. Even then, however, no prison 
  can truly hold them, and they will inevitably 
  escape—or return from seemingly certain 
  death—to menace the world anew.
  Master villains most often have a higher 
  power level than the player characters, 
  from one level to 150% or more of the 
  series power level. So in a PL 10 game, 
  a master villain could be anywhere 
  from PL 11 to PL 15 or more. This 
  is because master villains are 
  expected to take on an entire 
  team of heroes on their own, al-
  though they can often call upon 
  henchmen or lieutenants to run 
  interference for them.
  In high (15+) power level series, 
  master villains are often omnipotent 
  (see the following), or nearly so. They 
  have to be, simply because the he-
  roes are so powerful! They may 
  simply be a very high power lev-
  el, above PL 20, but at such levels 
  it is often easier to simply treat 
  the villain as a plot device rather 
  than a character with defined game traits.
  Even more than lieutenants, master villains 
  have clearly defined personalities and goals, 
  because they are the ones driving the sin-
  ister plots the heroes must thwart. When 
  creating a master villain for your series, defi-
  nitely look over the section on Villain Mo-
  tivations and carefully consider why the 
  villain does what he or she does, to better 
  understand how the bad guy will react to 
  the heroes’ inevitable interference.
  4848
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  OMNIPOTENT VILLAINS
  At the pinnacle of the villain pyramid are the foes better 
  classified as natural or cosmic forces than people. These 
  are the opponents heroes cannot overcome with mere 
  force and the exercise of their powers; they require clev-
  erness, courage, and often very specific circumstances to 
  defeat.
  Technically, omnipotent villains are not always truly all-
  powerful; if they were, there would be no defeating them. 
  Some are simply on such a different scale of power com-
  pared to the heroes as to be effectively omnipotent, such 
  as the living star capable of engulfing and consuming 
  entire planets in a solar system, or a time-traveling villain 
  able to reshape history to suit his desires. Even the foes 
  with virtually limitless power are rarely ever all knowing, 
  so the good guys can outwit or trick them into defeat.
  Omnipotent villains are “Power Level X” plot devices. 
  There is little point in detailing their game stats because 
  they are so far beyond those of characters on the heroes’ 
  scale. Still, all such antagonists should have some kind 
  of weak point or vulnerability, something the heroes can 
  exploit in order to defeat them. It does not necessarily 
  have to be easy for them to figure out or employ, but it 
  should be there at least close enough to the surface for a 
  player to figure out on his own or spend a hero point for 
  enough inspiration to get a solid clue.
  TYPES OF VILLAINS
  Supervillains come in a variety of types—as many as 
  there are costumed heroes, really. These types are broad 
  categories describe what the villain does, as opposed to 
  the villain’s specific relationship with the heroes (that’s 
  covered in Villain Roles in the following section) or why 
  the villain does what he does (see Villain Motivations for 
  that discussion).
  BRUTE
  The brute is an extremely straightforward villain who pri-
  marily exists to fight. Some brutes are cool professional 
  soldiers or mercenaries, others are hot-blooded berserk-
  ers or savage killing machines, and some are in-between. 
  All brutes have their own reasons for why they fight but 
  the key element is that they do, and their most common 
  opponents are heroes. Brute villains tend to be optimized 
  for combat but not very much else; they tend to be lieu-
  tenants, although a single powerful brute can challenge 
  an entire group of heroes.
  DISASTER
  A disaster villain is similar to a brute; however, where 
  brutes just want to fight, disaster villains just want to 
  destroy. They are like personified natural disasters rather 
  than simple sparring partners, and heroes often focus 
  more on containing them and the tremendous damage 
  they cause than fighting them directly. Disaster villains 
  may be almost mindless (or at least impossible to reason 
  with) or avatars of destructive forces, unable to be any-
  thing other than what they are.
  MANIPULATOR
  The manipulator is rarely seen, at least at first. This type of 
  villain works behind the scenes, pulling strings and mak-
  ing things happen. It takes time for the heroes to piece 
  things together and follow the strings back to the hands 
  of the puppet-master. Some manipulators like for their 
  victims to know who is tormenting them but ensure they 
  cannot prove anything, while others truly remain in the 
  shadows until someone manages to track them down. A 
  manipulator may be the head of a massive conspiracy, or 
  wield consider wealth or influence. Some have powers of 
  mind control, brainwashing, or illusion to increase their 
  reach and conceal their identities.
  SCHEMER
  The schemer is a true master villain: a planner and a plot-
  ter. Schemers continuously come up with ways to achieve 
  world conquest or another desired goal; they keep trying, 
  no matter how many times those “lacking in vision” (in 
  other words, the heroes) manage to interfere. Along with 
  manipulators, schemers are the prime movers of villainy. 
  Unlike manipulators, schemers tend to take more of a di-
  rect hand in things. Often their egos are simply too great 
  for them to operate behind the scenes. They need everyone 
  to know who they are and what they have accomplished!
  SKULKER
  Like a manipulator, a skulker operates in the shadows, 
  out of sight. Skulkers, however, prefer to work solo, rather 
  than pulling others’ strings to make things happen. Skulk-
  er villains are the slippery thieves and sneaky assassins 
  who strike suddenly and then vanish just as quickly before 
  anyone can stop them. Heroes are confronted with figur-
  ing out where they will strike next, or trying to track them 
  to their lairs in order to capture them and bring them to 
  justice. Skulkers generally avoid confrontation unless it is 
  inevitable or they have an overriding motivation.
  VILLAIN ROLES
  Some villains play a particular role in relationship to a hero 
  (or heroes) beyond merely “antagonist.” Such villains tend 
  to be important characters in the hero’s mythos, and some 
  of the most enduring ones because of this additional role. 
  Just as heroes are often defined by their villains, so too 
  does a relationship to a particular hero help define the na-
  ture of a villain.
  These roles give villains depth and character and, by 
  definition, make them important to the heroes. Consider 
  assigning at least one (if not more) of these roles to the 
  major villains in your series, and keep them in mind when 
  you are filling out your roster of bad guys. Have you over-
  looked any major role opportunities? Now might be a 
  good time to bring in a new foe to fill that niche.
  4949
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  DARK REFLECTION
  “There but for the grace of God go I,” says the hero faced 
  with a dark reflection, a villain who could be the hero un-
  der different circumstances, or who represents an aspect 
  of the hero’s nature.
  This can be as obvious as the “evil twin” concept, where 
  the villain outwardly duplicates the hero’s appearance 
  and even powers. Such dark reflections might be clones, 
  shadow-selves, divergent duplicates from parallel uni-
  verses, or the like. Perhaps an obsessed fan goes to great 
  lengths to copy the hero, ending up a twisted and bitter 
  imitator.
  In other cases, the dark reflection is one of motive or 
  goals. For example, a hero dedicated to preserving the en-
  vironment might have a foe with a similar goal, but willing 
  to wipe out all human life to achieve it. Likewise, a good 
  guy seeking to use science for the betterment of human-
  ity might face off against a former colleague who believes 
  scientists should control society for its own good, or an 
  example of science or technology run amok. In this case, it 
  is not only the goal, but also the methods used to achieve 
  it that matter.
  ESTRANGED FAMILY
  As the saying goes, “You can choose your friends, but not 
  your family.” A villain may actually be related to a hero in 
  some fashion, either by blood or through marriage (or liv-
  ing arrangements) interconnecting families. Comic book 
  villains have been fathers, mothers, siblings, and children 
  of heroes, as well as step-siblings, cousins, and other rela-
  tions.
  If super-powers are inheritable and passed down through 
  family lines, then it’s likely every family will have a “black 
  sheep” or that a criminal dynasty might have one good-
  hearted exception to the rule. Similarly, a family might 
  obtain powers at the same time, including both the good 
  and bad members (or those inclined to use their powers 
  responsibly, and those more likely to be corrupted by 
  them).
  A family relationship can both intensify the conflict be-
  tween hero and villain (nobody fights like family) and also 
  make both sides more inclined to go easy on the other, 
  with the hero trying to reform the criminal relative, and 
  the villain less likely to simply kill the hero, out of respect 
  for their family ties.
  FORBIDDEN LOVE
  If opposites attract, then what about the ultimate opposi-
  tion of hero versus villain? There are plenty of examples 
  where the conflict between characters on opposite sides 
  of the law hides a subtle (or not-so-subtle) attraction. Vil-
  lains may try and seduce heroes, while a true hero is also 
  an attraction to bad guys in need of someone to believe 
  in. A bad-boy or bad-girl can be quite tempting for some, 
  although heroes generally hope to reform the objects of 
  their affections.
  Sometimes, the attraction is one-sided, usually with the 
  villain as an obsessed stalker who wants to win the hero’s 
  love. Some of the foe’s actions might be driven by jealousy 
  and feelings of rejection, even to the point of becoming 
  quite irrational. After all, there is a fine line between ob-
  sessive love and vengeful hate.
  Perhaps the romantic relationship predates the current 
  roles of hero and villain: an ex-lover or partner might 
  adopt a costumed identity in order to settle or renew a 
  former relationship. An ex-wife becomes a hero to put a 
  stop to her former husband’s crimes, for example, or an 
  old girlfriend becomes a super-criminal to get her former 
  hero-boyfriend to finally pay attention to her.
  NEMESIS
  A nemesis often fills another role, like antithesis or dark re-
  flection (see previously), but the primary role of a nemesis 
  is to thwart a particular hero or heroes. Essentially, a desire 
  for revenge on, or at least absolute victory over, the hero 
  drives the nemesis.
  The reasons for this can be as simple as an embarrassing 
  defeat handed to the villain during the first encounter 
  with the hero, or as complex as the other roles and rela-
  tionships in this section. The enemy typically blames the 
  hero for some wrong, whether or not it is entirely justi-
  fied. So, for example, a hero who gained his powers in a 
  lab accident that also severely scarred and empowered a 
  lab assistant might have the vengeful former assistant as a 
  nemesis, even if the accident wasn’t the hero’s fault. It can 
  be especially poignant if the villain’s reasons for hating the 
  hero are valid. What if the accident was the hero’s fault, 
  and he became a hero to try and make up for it? He has 
  managed to win over everybody except the person most 
  directly harmed by his mistake. Does the hero truly feel he 
  deserves his foe’s forgiveness?
  A nemesis keeps coming back over and over trying to 
  get revenge, and won’t stop until it is achieved. Ideally, 
  the hero is the bigger person and willing to deal with the 
  nemesis each time. Otherwise, it is a true battle to the 
  death between them.
  NUISANCE
  Some villains are less menacing and more... annoying. 
  Nuisance characters primarily exist to make heroes’ lives 
  difficult, and to provide some amusement for the GM 
  (and, hopefully, the players) as the good guys struggle to 
  deal with the pests.
  The key elements with nuisances are that they are more 
  bothersome than truly threatening, and that they are dif-
  ficult to get rid of, at least right away. The nuisance might 
  be well intentioned, perhaps wanting to help the heroes, 
  or could be malicious, or at least unconcerned about the 
  trouble they cause. Examples include the would-be team 
  member or sidekick, following the heroes around and 
  trying to “help” but causing disaster instead, or the bush-
  league villain who thinks he is the hero’s nemesis but who 
  is little more than a bother.
  5050
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  The classic nuisance villain is incredibly powerful, even to 
  the level of being omnipotent, but uses that power to do 
  petty and childish things that bedevil the heroes. The he-
  roes cannot simply overcome their foe in a fair fight; they 
  have to play by the villain’s rules or use cunning and trick-
  ery to win.
  OPPOSITE
  A common idea in the comics is to make a villain the he-
  ro’s opposite, a natural enemy. It can be a simple theme, 
  such as a brawny hero opposed by a brainy (but physically 
  weak) villain, or fire versus ice, light versus darkness, snake 
  versus mongoose, and so forth. A single hero can have 
  many potential antitheses, depending on which way the 
  lens of interpretation is turned.
  Perhaps the most potent opposite is one of philosophy 
  or outlook. So a patriotic American hero devoted to the 
  ideals of liberty and freedom might face a foe who is the 
  embodiment of tyranny and fascism, for example. A hero 
  who represents control and order could be archenemies 
  with a villain representing chaos and madness. This makes 
  the villain especially offensive to the hero, beyond just a 
  motif.
  TURNCOAT
  Superheroes are not necessarily above pursuing vendet-
  tas and personal grudges, especially when it comes to 
  their costumed foes. A hero’s personal enmity towards a 
  villain may be due to not just antisocial behavior, but a 
  personal betrayal.
  Some villains start out as heroes, or at least pretend they 
  are heroes. They win people’s trust and then show their 
  true colors. Others are sincere, at first, but fall victim to 
  temptation, or find themselves trapped by their own mis-
  takes. They betray their heroic ideals and become hunted 
  villains. A betrayal might tie into the origins of hero and 
  villain, such as a former friend who turned on a rival, re-
  sulting in the accident that gave the hero his powers and 
  ended their friendship.
  In some rare cases it is the hero who is seen as the betray-
  er, most often a hero who started out on the wrong side of 
  the law and reformed, leaving former criminal associates 
  with a desire for revenge. One example is the hero trained 
  by a villainous mentor who chooses to use his powers for 
  good, earning his former master’s disfavor. There are also 
  situations where heroes turn against their government, 
  sometimes with a legitimate disagreement over what is 
  fair and just, leading to government-employed villains or 
  shadowy criminal conspiracies working against the he-
  roes and ostensibly for the authorities.
  VILLAIN MOTIVATIONS
  Comic book villains are often the prime movers of the 
  world: they are the ones who come up with new schemes, 
  take action, and shake things up. They are looking to 
  change the world the heroes are content to merely de-
  fend.
  Given this role as motive force and raison d’être for the 
  heroes, it is important to consider exactly why villains do 
  what they do, since that influences things like how they 
  go about it, and what happens when those bothersome 
  heroes choose to get in the way once again. This section 
  looks at what motivates villains: what they want, and how 
  they justify trying to get it.
  GOALS
  Conflict happens in a story because one character wants 
  something, and one or more other characters want some-
  thing else, putting them in conflict. In the case of the clas-
  sic superhero story, the heroes want safety and stability 
  for the world, while the villain wants something that up-
  sets those things. The exact goal varies but, by definition, 
  it is something the heroes will most likely want to oppose.
  ANNIHILATION
  The good guys are definitely opposed to this goal, as it 
  means destruction, possibly of the entire universe! The 
  villain may be a nihilist or a manifestation of an annihi-
  lating force, destroying for the mere sake of destruction, 
  or it could be a means to achieve another goal, such as 
  tremendous power (by destroying the world and then rec-
  reating it) or a truly over-the-top revenge scheme!
  Whatever the case, the heroes should be aware of the po-
  tential threat and of their foe’s ability to carry it out, given 
  the opportunity. The focus of the struggle against the vil-
  lain is preventing terrible destruction, or at least contain-
  THE STEREOTYPE VILLAIN
  One other role villains have often played is that of the “evil stereotype,” showing all the traits associated with the particular 
  race, class, nationality, or other group considered suspect or outright evil by mainstream society. This is often in the form 
  of propaganda, although more often simple ignorance or societal prejudice in recent decades. Classic examples of ste-
  reotype villains include various “yellow peril” Oriental masterminds (inherited from the sinister Asian villains of the pulps), 
  World War II Axis supervillains, and most Cold War-era Communist villains, often wearing over-the-top emblems of the 
  Party or their home nation.
  Stereotype villains are best reserved for four-color series. Even then, they should be used sparingly, since they tend to 
  come off as parody rather than serious threats. Modern comics have made various efforts at rehabilitating older stereo-
  type bad guys, making them into legitimate threats and more realistic characters. The Oriental mastermind, for example, 
  has sometimes gone from old-world mandarin in silken robes to Hong Kong power broker enamored with The Art of War, 
  almost as much of a cliché, but with more detailed motives and goals.
  5151
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  ing it. Most such villains do not succeed, obviously. If they 
  do, either the heroes need a means of undoing the de-
  struction or the series will take a very significant turn (see 
  What if the Villain Wins?, later in this chapter).
  CHAOS
  The villain wants to sow chaos and confusion, flouting 
  the laws of the land and the conventions of society. This 
  might be out of an ideological devotion to chaos or anar-
  chy and a desire to overthrow lawful institutions, or sim-
  ply a childish desire to break the law and get away with 
  it. Some villains want to riot simply to watch things burn.
  Chaotic villains are dangerous due to their unpredictable 
  nature and their willingness to upset the status quo just 
  for the sake of it. They sometimes try to enlist heroes in 
  their efforts, or at least put them in the difficult position 
  of having to choose the lesser of several evils in order to 
  prove the criminals’ devotion to chaos and randomness is 
  the only thing that makes sense in a disordered universe.
  CONTROL
  Some villains seek to control people and things, from their 
  immediate lives to everyone in the world! A villain’s de-
  sire for control may stem from a simple lust for power or 
  a sincere belief that everyone involved would be better 
  off. Control may be a means to an end (such as acquiring 
  power) or the end in and of itself.
  One particular type of control villains seek is to corrupt 
  the innocent and heroic, to exert influence over their 
  choices and futures. Some do this because it feeds their 
  power or egos; others want to prove everyone is corrupt-
  ible, given the right circumstances, justifying the villain’s 
  cynical attitudes and beliefs.
  FAME
  The limelight is a powerful draw, and villains may commit 
  crimes simply for the attention it brings them, believing 
  “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Other criminals 
  want acknowledgement and fame for some achievement, 
  often the fame they feel has been unjustly denied them. 
  This may come with a competitive streak in the villain’s 
  area of expertise, such as a mad scientist who wants the 
  acclaim of the scientific community for a particular discov-
  ery or invention, or a martial artist looking to claim the 
  title of world’s greatest fighter.
  Famous heroes serve to inspire jealousy, and they cannot 
  win; heroes who bask in the adoration of their fans are 
  vain and arrogant and need to be taken down a notch, 
  while those who humbly demure are putting on a show 
  of false humility the villain wants to expose to the world. 
  In either case, the adversary’s dislike for the heroes may 
  approach a need for revenge (see that motivation, follow-
  ing).
  FORTUNE
  Greed is a powerful motivation, and many villains simply 
  want to “cash in” on their abilities with some get-rich-
  quick scheme or another. It may be as simple as knock-
  5252
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  ing over banks and jewelry stores or as complicated as a 
  massive extortion or fraud scheme to make millions or 
  even billions. It might not even be strictly cash, but other 
  sorts of assets, like stock or valuable commodities; the 
  key point is control of considerable wealth, and all that 
  comes with it.
  In some cases, pursuit of fortune is simply a means to 
  achieve another goal. This one assumes the wealth is the 
  ultimate end unto itself; obviously, the villain also has to 
  ensure the means to actually spend all that new-gotten 
  wealth, or it is worthless.
  Of course, using amazing superhuman powers (or worse, 
  super-scientific inventions) simply to knock-over banks 
  is largely a trope of the four-color comics. More realistic 
  super-powered settings may focus on other ways super-
  humans can use their powers to make money, some legal 
  and some illegal (complete with new laws to deal with 
  some of the new things supers can do). If the idea that a 
  guy capable of inventing a working freeze-ray would use 
  it to rob jewelry stores snaps your suspenders of disbelief, 
  you’re probably better off with a more realistic approach 
  to supervillainy in your game.
  MISGUIDED
  A misguided villain is one who does the right thing in the 
  wrong way, or the wrong thing for the right reasons, who 
  could almost be a hero under different circumstances. 
  More than any other type of villain, the misguided bad 
  guy feels and appears justified, and may place the heroes 
  in a quandary about dealing with such a sympathetic foe. 
  Sometimes, a misguided villain sees the light and reforms, 
  perhaps even becoming a true hero, while others stub-
  bornly cling to their own views and never change.
  Misguided villains might even start out appearing to be 
  heroes, until the main characters discover their true moti-
  vations or witness them about to step over the line. Han-
  dling a misguided superhuman poorly can also lead to 
  them becoming true villains, embittered by their defeats 
  and those who could not understand what they were try-
  ing to do. They may easily change their motive to revenge 
  (see the following)... against the heroes!
  POWER
  For some it is all about power: having it and using it. No 
  matter how powerful they may be already, many villains 
  lust after more power and will go to great lengths to 
  achieve it. True master villains often seek ultimate power, 
  apotheosis—to become like unto a god. Obviously, the 
  heroes are going to have objections on that score, even 
  if the steps their foe need to take to get there are benign, 
  and that is rarely the case.
  Usually, acquiring greater power takes ruthlessness and 
  a willingness to steal, murder, and do whatever is neces-
  sary. Some attempt to rationalize this as a sacrifice for the 
  HOW EVIL IS TOO EVIL?
  A question that arises in dealing with supervillains in an M&M series is: how “evil” is evil? That is, how explicit and unpleasant 
  is the evil or villainous element of the series?
  In the vast majority of comic books, “evil” is a caricature: supervillains hatch terrible plots to conquer or destroy the world, 
  which they describe with great relish to hapless heroes, but their schemes are largely abstract. Even when the bad guy 
  manages to do something terrible, it happens “off panel” with a minimum of spectacle, and the heroes are able to undo 
  the damage in the end. In these types of scenarios, life is sometimes cheap—particularly the lives of villainous minions—
  but even then deaths tend to be more a matter of disintegration or “off panel” demises than bloody murder, if for no other 
  reason than it makes it easier to explain away the victim’s survival or mysterious resurrection.
  More modern comics have dealt more directly with the kind of human suffering that results from a supervillain scheme 
  or a clash between powerful superhumans—the equivalent of any great natural disaster. There are descriptions of casual-
  ties in a shattered city, even scenes of violent death and destruction, although still largely a byproduct of the plot rather 
  than a direct part of it. Playing up this element can make the plight of the people the heroes protect more real, but it can 
  also become a buzz-kill if what the players are looking for is slam-bang superhero fights with little regard for things like 
  property damage.
  A step further and we find comics looking dead-on at some truly evil characters and actions: implicit (or even explicit) 
  depictions of torture, rape, serial murder, child abuse, and worse. These sorts of things create a grim atmosphere, motivat-
  ing heroes toward vigilantism and “street justice” for the perpetrators. They best suit an Iron Age style of play similar to a 
  police procedural or a film noir story.
  When considering the sort of evil you want in your M&M series, think about both what you and your players are 
  comfortable with, and the style of play you want to create. Once you settle on an approach, try and stick with it as much 
  as possible, and make an agreement with your players to largely ignore other “types” of evil in your game. This is much like 
  the comics, in that heroes who regularly stop world-conquering megalomaniacs do not often wonder why it is they are 
  not dealing with the very real evils of, say, domestic violence or torture of political prisoners. The agreement works both 
  ways, however, and means nobody can call the heroes to account for not addressing these things, as they effectively do 
  not “exist” for purposes of the game (since, if they did, the heroes would likely be trying to do something).
  This may come off as a simplistic approach, but it fits the style of the comics. If you want to run a more nuanced game, 
  where wrestling with the question of evil and the limits of a hero’s power is left to the players, by all means, feel free. This 
  will tend to produce debate and conflict, however, and take time away from the superheroic action and foiling of villain-
  ous schemes, although it can produce satisfying stories in its own right.
  5353
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  greater good; once they have ultimate power, they will 
  be able to fix everything, perhaps even undoing all the 
  wrongs they have done! For most villains the only justi-
  fication they need for their power-lust is that the world 
  would be better off with them in charge (see Justifica-
  tions for more).
  REVENGE
  The path to villainy often begins with steps toward revenge. 
  It can be an obsession that takes over someone’s entire life, 
  starting from the very moment a supervillain attains great-
  er-than-human power. For example, many villains are born 
  in tragedy: terribly disfigured in the accident that grants 
  them their powers, driven mad by the arcane secrets they 
  unlock, denied their ultimate triumph at the last moment, 
  but gaining some measure of power in exchange. These are 
  all moments that burn the need for revenge into one’s soul.
  The object of a villain’s hatred is often one or more of 
  the heroes. If a crime-fighter causes an arsonist to fall 
  into a pit of burning chemicals, transforming him into a 
  charred creature with superhuman power over fire, the 
  villain may obsess on seeing the hero die in flames for 
  it. Likewise, a scientist who blames a hero for ruining his 
  career and reputation may seek to do the same before 
  finally ending his foe’s life.
  The same may apply to other objects of revenge, putting 
  the heroes in the position of protecting people: politi-
  cians, attorneys, judges, police officers, and the like. It 
  becomes even more complicated when the revenge fo-
  cuses on the criminal elements of society! What about a 
  revenge-obsessed vigilante going around killing the city’s 
  criminals? Some grudges are more than personal; a villain 
  could seek revenge on an institution, a city, or even the 
  entire world for some perceived wrong.
  SAFETY
  Sometimes the motivation of an apparent “villain” is not 
  wealth or power, revenge or madness, but simply the desire 
  to be safe and sound. It is a dangerous world, after all, espe-
  cially for people (or creatures) with strange, threatening ap-
  pearances and abilities. Imagine the confused alien visitor 
  who stumbles out of a farmer’s fields, only to be confronted 
  with a shotgun and barking dogs. When the alien disarms 
  the farmer, realizing in so doing just how fragile these “hu-
  mans” are, things only escalate. Similarly, consider a giant 
  beast barely more intelligent than an animal, driven out of 
  the ocean depths by pollution, sonar testing, or some other 
  surface-world intervention. When it emerges in the harbor, 
  people panic; suddenly it is an “attack”!
  What is really needed in cases like this is heroes willing 
  to find some means to communicate and learn what the 
  “villain” wants so they can put a stop to the misunder-
  standing. Of course, this can be difficult when dealing 
  with creatures from other planets or lacking a language or 
  even real intelligence. Plus there’s almost always a gung-
  ho military or authority figure unwilling to take the risk of 
  communicating with a potential threat rather than simply 
  wiping it out. The heroes might need to convince both 
  sides of the conflict to talk.
  THRILLS
  Lastly, some villains are just out to have a good time, of-
  ten regardless of who gets hurt or what gets broken. They 
  want to have fun! Unfortunately, their definition of “fun” 
  includes mayhem and general chaos for everyone else. 
  Thrill-seekers are similar to bad guys motivated by chaos, 
  but the key for them is all in the excitement. The chaos (if 
  any) is merely incidental.
  Even the definition of thrills varies from one costumed 
  foe to another. For some it is danger and risk-taking, from 
  performing hazardous stunts that may endanger others 
  to committing crimes and daring the police and the he-
  roes to stop them. Others find excitement in challenge, 
  from the warrior in need of a worthy foe to the hunter in 
  search of more difficult prey. For some the challenge is in-
  tellectual, a battle of wits or proof of who is superior in a 
  particular field of endeavor.
  JUSTIFICATIONS
  Good villains, even in the most four-color style superhero 
  setting, never use the terms “villain” or “evil” to describe 
  themselves, except as irony. The best villains think they 
  are the ones doing “the right thing,” however it is that they 
  define it. It is the so-called “heroes” who are always getting 
  in their way and causing trouble!
  How supervillains justify their actions is as important, if 
  not more so, than their motive for acting in the first place. 
  A number of different rationalizations come into play, and 
  they can give added depth and character to foes with the 
  same essential motive. For example, one villain might be 
  seeking power because she believes it is her “divine birth-
  right” and she has a destiny to rule over mortals as their 
  benevolent goddess, while another feels greater power 
  can finally rid the world of super-powered beings alto-
  gether, preventing anyone else from losing their family in 
  the crossfire of a superhuman conflict like he did; both are 
  power-hungry, but for very different reasons.
  ENTITLEMENT
  Entitled villains feel they deserve whatever motivates 
  them, whether it is power, vengeance, or even universal 
  annihilation! Whatever it is, it is their due, and they will 
  have it! Anyone attempting to stand between entitled 
  antagonists and their goals is the real villain in their eyes. 
  Some may even try to reason with the heroes and show 
  them the truth of this, but others know they cannot ex-
  plain or make them understand; they can only get them 
  out of their way. They’re entitled to it, after all.
  While a villain’s sense of entitlement is most often sheer 
  arrogance, in some cases a foe may truly be entitled to 
  whatever it is he is after! The spoiled and undisciplined 
  heir to an ancient power may have a right to it, just as one 
  can argue everyone has a right to safety from harm and 
  persecution. That does not mean, however, it is a good 
  idea to let the villain have it! This may put the heroes in 
  the position of denying someone their rightful due for the 
  greater good.
  5454
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  NOBILITY
  Noble villains certainly do not consider themselves “vil-
  lains” at all; indeed, they do what they consider right and 
  just, with such dedication they will not be swayed, even 
  if the rest of the world decides they are wrong and labels 
  them “evil” because of it.
  Although they are almost admirable, villains justifying 
  their actions as “noble” are really driven by ego: the idea 
  that they and only they can possibly do what needs to be 
  done for the good of the 
  world (or at least the good 
  of those the villain thinks to 
  benefit). Some have mar-
  tyr complexes, considering 
  themselves persecuted and 
  willing to sacrifice for “the 
  greater good” (although it is not always self-sacrifice). Oth-
  ers have a true messiah complex and believe they have 
  been “chosen” (by destiny or divine providence) to change 
  the world.
  There are even those noble foes who seem almost heroic: 
  they claim they do not want to oppose the law and the he-
  roes upholding it, but circumstances give them no choice. 
  They will fight for what they believe, regardless of the cost. 
  Of course, it is the heroes’ job to prove there is always a 
  choice, and the very assumption that they “must do what 
  must be done” is often the antagonist’s ego speaking, a 
  blind spot they cannot easily overcome.
  PRIDE
  They say “pride goeth before a fall,” and this is certainly 
  true in the world of supervillainy. Whatever their other 
  justifications, a great many adversaries are driven by 
  the simple motivation of pride. They have something to 
  prove to the whole world because they were rejected or 
  abused. They want revenge to soothe a wounded ego, or 
  they have to prove they are the better of some rival, usu-
  ally a hero who gets all of the accolades and attention of 
  an adoring public.
  Proud villains come with sizeable egos to match and a 
  tendency to pontificate and show off. They are some of 
  the easiest to get talking about their successes and their 
  brilliant plans, and to anger with taunts and disdain. 
  About the worst thing you can do to a proud villain is 
  ignore him, perhaps even worse than denigrating his ac-
  complishments.
  REBELLION
  In every society there are those who cannot, or will not, 
  follow the rules. “I will not do as I am told,” they say. Like 
  Lucifer’s fall from grace, they feel it is better to rule as a 
  free outsider than it is to conform. They reject society’s 
  laws and become a law unto themselves, resisting any at-
  tempt to stop or restrain them.
  Some rebels are looking to reform the system in some 
  way. They defy what they see as unfair or unjust laws, hop-
  ing to demonstrate to oth-
  ers and inspire them to do 
  the same. They don’t reject 
  the concept of following 
  rules altogether, but often 
  go too far to make their 
  point. Examples include 
  the mad scientist “oppressed” by regulations on research 
  and experimentation in dangerous areas, or the fanatic 
  opposed to a particular law of the land, seeking to ad-
  vance a political cause.
  Other rebels are true anarchists, obeying no law but their 
  own. They might be philosophically devoted to the ide-
  als of anarchy and self-determination, or so egotistical as 
  to place themselves “above” or “beyond” the laws of lesser 
  beings.
  SURVIVAL
  Remember this phrase: “Does the lion concern himself 
  with the fate of his prey?” It is one you will get a lot of use 
  out of when it comes to foes who justify their actions as 
  part of their right to survive. Many villains have powers or 
  unusual needs requiring them to prey upon others: vam-
  pires must feed on human blood, fear-demons feast on 
  terror, radioactive mutants must consume nuclear waste 
  products, zombies eat brains, and so forth. To the bad 
  guys’ view, they are just doing what comes naturally to 
  them, no different than ordinary humans killing animals 
  or plants to feed and clothe themselves.
  Of course, this justification is often just that, an excuse 
  for the villain doing what he wants to do. Still, there 
  are cases where it is valid, and a villain’s survival means 
  death and destruction to others. Imagine the foe who is 
  a living black hole, consuming matter in an annihilating 
  vortex. Without the constant stream of matter, the villain 
  will collapse into himself, so he must “feed,” even if it dev-
  astates the city, world, or the whole universe! A vampire 
  THREE-DIMENSIONAL VILLAINY
  Giving some thought to a villain’s role, motivation, and justifications can add considerable depth to otherwise stereo-
  typed or limited characters. Sometimes all you need to liven up an old villain concept or archetype is to change around 
  one of those elements normally associated with them, substituting something fresh and new. For example, the Overlord 
  archetype is often motivated by a desire for control or power, justified by nobility or pride. What about an Overlord villain 
  who is seeking the thrills and challenge of brinksmanship against worthy adversaries, or one who must conquer in order 
  to continue to exist, being an avatar of a god or spirit of war?
  Even archetypal villains can have some amount of character and personality to them. Consider a villain’s motives when 
  you are creating an adventure and chances are you will come up with a better story than simply having a bad guy doing 
  bad things for their own sake. Take a look at the In-Depth Villains section at the end of this chapter for more ideas.
  “Pain? Pain is like love, like compassion! It is a 
  thing only for lesser men. What is pain to Doom?”
  - Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four #5
  5555
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  might be able to feed on packaged blood, or take minute 
  amounts without killing a victim, but perhaps not.
  Survival is a potent justification, especially if it rings true, 
  since defeating the villain may be the same as sentenc-
  ing him to death—a choice some heroes are reluctant to 
  make.
  MADNESS
  This one is listed outside the alphabetical order because 
  it is less a reason for the villain’s deeds and more anti-
  reason... literally! Sometimes there’s no justification for 
  what a villain does; it is sheer madness. Many villains are 
  insane and any justifications they offer for their actions 
  are just as crazy. Of course, the villain is not necessarily 
  aware of this! Insane foes often think they are perfectly 
  justified, but it is inevitably all in their fevered imagina-
  tions. So a crazed villain might truly believe he is a noble 
  hero trying to save the world from alien invaders, only 
  he is really a raving paranoid who sees “invaders” every-
  where.
  Some lunatic villains do not intend harm, but also cannot 
  understand that their “games” or “hobbies” are dangerous, 
  or that real people are being hurt. A madcap toymaker 
  who believes the world is nothing more than a giant fun-
  house, for example, is likely to treat people as if they were 
  dolls or action figures. A crazy dog-lover might go to great 
  lengths to rescue a poor Pomeranian while letting the 
  pooch’s owner be hit by a bus (or, worse yet, punishing 
  said owner for “enslaving” so noble a canine)!
  Other foes embrace their madness with a devil-may-care 
  “why not?” attitude toward their actions. True sociopaths 
  or psychopaths, they cannot feel any sympathy or con-
  cern for others, seeing them as merely playthings or ob-
  stacles. They often want to demonstrate that madness 
  is the only “sane” reaction to an ultimately random and 
  meaningless existence, that chaos and insanity are the 
  true nature of things.
  CHANGES OF HEART
  Once in a great while villains see the error of their ways, 
  seriously reevaluate their whole reason for being and re-
  consider, perhaps amending or changing previously vil-
  lainous behavior. Villains may have changes of heart and 
  find it within themselves to reform, redress the wrongs 
  they have committed and, perhaps ultimately, redeem 
  themselves.
  Sometimes this change of heart truly means removing the 
  villain from the series as a potential threat, and it can be a 
  significant victory for the good guys. Having a long-time 
  villain turn over a new leaf is a good way of retiring the 
  character while also giving the players a sense of change 
  and development in the series and a feeling that their he-
  roes really are making a difference.
  In some stories, a villain’s change of heart comes quite 
  quickly. This is most often the case with conflicted, mis-
  guided, or otherwise noble antagonists doing the wrong 
  things for the right reasons. Realizing what they have 
  been doing, these villains change their minds just in time 
  to not throw the fatal switch, or to attempt to disarm the 
  doomsday device themselves. It is a way of writing out a 
  short-term bad guy only intended to show up for a story 
  or two. By the end of the adventure, the villain has made 
  the ultimate sacrifice and is no more.
  Other times, a supervillain’s attempt to reform fails to 
  “take.” Some bad guys tried to walk the straight and nar-
  row, but found it too difficult and fell back into their old 
  ways. Others seem to reform, but later reveal it was all a 
  ruse to gain the trust of the heroes and the public as part 
  of their latest schemes. Having a bad guy switch sides for a 
  time before returning to villainy can be an interesting way 
  for the heroes to get to know their enemy, and one more 
  thing for them to hold against him when he finally shows 
  his true colors. Don’t do it too often, lest the players stop 
  trusting anyone, but used sparingly, it can be an effective 
  plot development.
  VILLAIN TACTICS
  Sooner or later, even the subtlest mastermind will come into direct confrontation with the heroes, while other villains 
  practically live to fight. Super-foes use a variety of tactics, depending on their abilities, goals, and personal styles. From a 
  gamemastering perspective, villainous tactics help to make for challenging encounters for the heroes (and the players) 
  without being so overwhelming as to be completely unfair (and un-fun).
  This section looks at some tactics used by supervillains (including one-on-one combat and one villain versus a team 
  of heroes), sinister plans to give the bad guys an advantage, and escape plans for when things start to go badly. It also 
  discusses the pacing of hero versus villain combats and the constructive and creative use of complications to help make 
  such conflicts exciting and fun without being either too easy or overwhelming.
  VILLAINS IN COMBAT
  Generally speaking, villains follow the same combat rules 
  as all characters in Mutants & Masterminds, as detailed in 
  the M&M Hero’s Handbook. Their combat capabilities are de-
  fined by their traits, including whatever powers and advan-
  tages they possess. The main differences between villains 
  and heroes are that villains (like all non-player characters) 
  do not have hero points. Any “luck” a villain may have is due 
  to instances of complications created by the GM. The he-
  5656
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  roes also often outnumber villains; unless a group of bad 
  guys band together, the villain is typically a singular char-
  acter, sometimes assisted by various minions.
  COMBAT ACTIONS AND MODIFIERS
  What combat actions a villain chooses from round to 
  round depends greatly on the style and abilities of the 
  villain; some are extremely aggressive, always on the at-
  tack and using actions such as charge and maneuvers like 
  all-out attack and power attack, perhaps combined with 
  attempts to demoralize or startle opponents with Intimi-
  dation. Other foes fight more conservatively, using nor-
  mal attacks, occasionally balanced with block or defend 
  actions, whereas villains simply trying to escape from the 
  heroes might go entirely defensive, using move and de-
  fend to focus on avoiding attacks long enough to make 
  their getaway.
  SINGULAR VILLAINS
  Quite often, it is one bad guy versus a team of heroes, 
  since M&M is a group-oriented game. Singular supervil-
  lains can be more powerful than the good guys (some-
  times quite a bit more powerful), but they also suffer 
  from certain limitations in game terms, and Gamemas-
  ters may wish to use different tactics when setting up 
  a confrontation between one villain and a whole group 
  of heroes.
  ACTION LIMITS
  Perhaps the biggest limitation faced by one villain fighting 
  a group of heroes is the villain only gets one set of actions 
  (standard, move, and free) per round, while the heroes each 
  get a set, allowing them to make many more attacks and 
  giving them more tactical options than their opponent. 
  Some of the following maneuvers and ideas discuss coun-
  teracting this effect using area attacks and limiting how 
  much the heroes can gang up on their opponent.
  One possibility is to give your solo villains more actions; 
  provide the villain with powers that are free actions or 
  reactions, essentially “triggering” certain responses from 
  the villain when the heroes act. This allows you to scale 
  the villain’s responsiveness to the heroes. An example is 
  a counterattack; perhaps the villain has a reactive energy 
  field and when a hero attempts to grab the villain, a surge 
  of power rushes back at the attacker. This is basically a 
  Reaction Damage effect. You can do similar things with 
  Reaction level defensive or even movement effects that 
  allow the villain to “act” without taking an action. Consider 
  a villain who turns Insubstantial or Teleports as a Reaction 
  to being grabbed or targeted, for example.
  AREA EFFECTS
  One way villains can deal with many heroes at once is by 
  using area effects to hit all of them at the same time! This 
  is particularly effective with Close Range Burst Areas, since 
  they fill the space all around the user, sure to catch any 
  5757
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  heroes closing or engaged in close combat. Such an at-
  tack may encourage heroes to keep their distance and not 
  group together too closely, giving the villain some breath-
  ing space.
  Villains with minions rarely concern themselves with their 
  underlings’ fates when it comes to making area attacks 
  that can hit the heroes. On occasions when it matters, 
  the villain might have the Selective extra to exclude the 
  minions, or use abilities to which the minions are immune, 
  such as biological (Fortitude) attacks that do not affect ro-
  bots or the undead, for example.
  Even if a villain does not normally have an area attack, you 
  can provide one using extra effort for a power stunt: chan-
  neling electricity through metal flooring or a puddle of 
  water, creating a powerful burst of flame in all directions, 
  and so forth. You can counteract the fatigue the villain 
  would normally suffer as a complication for the heroes, 
  or leave it to give the heroes a slight edge once they re-
  bound from the bad guy’s surprise attack!
  COUNTERING THE VILLAIN
  A group of heroes might make liberal use of the rules for 
  Countering Effects (see the M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 
  95) having one member of the team focus on counter-
  ing everything the villain does, while the rest of the team 
  goes on the offensive. If the heroes have the means to pull 
  it off, this can become a frustrating game of waiting for 
  the countering hero to fail a roll so the villain can actually 
  do something before the rest of the heroes knock him into 
  next week.
  Fortunately, the GM is the one who decides if a particular 
  power can counter another. If the heroes try to counter 
  everything the villain does, try switching tactics. For ex-
  ample, a super-strong water-controller, confronted with 
  a flame-using hero turning his water blasts to steam, 
  might simply grab something big and heavy to hit the 
  hero with! This is one reason why it is a good idea for 
  solo villains to have some flexibility and options when 
  it comes to attacks, so one hero won’t be easily able to 
  counter them all.
  Another way of dealing with this problem is having 
  some minions provide a distraction for the countering 
  hero. (Perhaps the villain can summon some up, if there 
  aren’t already some there.) Alternately, a power stunt 
  can provide a novel attack or effect that is more difficult 
  for the heroes to counter. Again, you can counteract the 
  fatigue the villain would normally suffer from the extra 
  effort as a complication for the heroes. Similarly, you can 
  just impose a complication to have the villain’s opposed 
  countering check break through the hero’s defense this 
  time around.
  SUSTAINED EFFECTS
  A particularly effective tactic is to have one hero stun the 
  villain so he cannot sustain defensive powers, then have 
  all the other heroes gang up and hit their foe with every-
  thing they’ve got. It’s so effective, in fact, you might want 
  to take it into account in your villain designs.
  Rather than having the villain’s defense tied up in a sin-
  gle sustained power, consider “layering” defenses, such 
  as a combination of Protection and Force Field, so if the 
  villain loses the latter, the drop in Toughness won’t be as 
  massive.
  If all else fails, and the heroes take down the villain’s de-
  fenses too quickly, you can always fall back on compli-
  cations. Hand the player(s) responsible a hero point, say 
  “nice try,” and just have the villain knocked back into a 
  building or smashed spectacularly through a wall, slight-
  ly shaken, but otherwise unharmed and ready to rejoin 
  the fray. This is best reserved to avoid real game-spoilers 
  that turn your climatic encounter into anti-climax, how-
  ever.
  VILLAINOUS MINIONS
  Solo villains may have the assistance of various minions: 
  hired goons, loyal followers, summoned creatures, robot 
  legions, and so forth. Minions can go a long way toward 
  evening the odds between a hero team and a singular 
  villain, since they can run interference for the villain and 
  give the heroes other things requiring their actions.
  Minions can even turn the tables on heroes to a degree, 
  using some of the same “ganging up” tactics heroes might 
  use on solo villains. In particular, large groups of minions 
  often try to grab heroes, or make team attacks (see the 
  M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 199) to overcome their de-
  fenses.
  Because they are relatively “fragile,” you can make minions 
  more formidable in terms of power level or more numer-
  ous than you might otherwise. At fairly evenly matched 
  levels, each hero can expect to eliminate a minion every 
  other round, perhaps more. With lower-level minions, the 
  rate goes up, and things like area attacks and the Take-
  down advantage can increase it even more, dealing with 
  multiple minions each round. It would not be unreason-
  able to challenge a group of PL 10 heroes with three to 
  four times their number in PL 5 minions.
  ADVANTAGES AND MINIONS
  Certain advantages can enhance a villain’s use of min-
  ions. The Sacrifice extra for Summon allows a villain to use 
  summoned minions as “fall guys,” essentially letting one 
  of them take the brunt of an attack rather than the villain. 
  This counts as a complication for the heroes and awards 
  the successful attacker a hero point along with a “nice try, 
  but...” from the GM. Indeed, the extra is so useful, you may 
  wish to allow a version of it as an advantage that works in 
  conjunction with the Minions advantage.
  Leadership, on the other hand, is largely useless to villains, 
  since it affects the spending of hero points, which they 
  don’t have. You might want to require it for a villain able to 
  remove conditions from minions as a complication, but it 
  isn’t really required, since you can simply do so as a com-
  plication anyway.
  Lastly, minions themselves can benefit from having vari-
  ous advantages. In particular the Teamwork advantage 
  5858
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  is useful for cannon fodder, since they usually work with 
  others. It can reflect particularly well-trained or coordi-
  nated minions.
  VILLAINS AND COMPLICATIONS
  Complications are a vital game mechanic when it comes 
  to dealing with villains in M&M. Only the player characters 
  have and use hero points, which are intended as a special 
  resource for the players to influence the outcome of the 
  game beyond just the random roll of the die.
  Gamemaster-controlled characters do not have hero 
  points or some equivalent. Why not? Well, largely because 
  these characters can already have whatever traits the 
  GM sees fit to give them. A villain can easily be PL 20 or 
  more, even Power Level X with effectively infinite power! 
  Compared to that, what are a few hero points? Besides, 
  the flow of an M&M adventure is based on the idea 
  that the harder it gets for the heroes, the greater their 
  determination and chances of succeeding.
  Complications function as the “villain points” of the game, 
  with the caveat that whenever the Gamemaster falls back 
  on this option to make things more challenging for the 
  players, or to brush off the result of a particular die roll 
  for the good of the story, the players (and their heroes) 
  benefit. You can think of it like this: villains in M&M 
  effectively all draw from an infinite pool of “villain points,” 
  but whenever they do so, the heroes also gain hero points! 
  Thus the GM wants to measure the pace of “villain point” 
  spending (use of Complications) to fit the progress of the 
  story and the game.
  THE LUCK ADVANTAGE
  The Luck advantage is a bit problematic where villains are 
  concerned, since it grants one of the prime benefits of 
  hero points. Since villains do not have or use hero points, 
  you can interpret this advantage to only apply to player 
  characters, which is its primary intent. Giving Luck to vil-
  lains circumvents the way the hero point system of the 
  game is intended to work, and should be limited to at 
  most half the power level of the series (not the villain!) in 
  ranks, usually less. By doing so, you’re essentially giving 
  the villain “free” Complications for which the players do 
  not earn hero points, which can make them understand-
  ably disappointed. In general, you’re better off reserving 
  luck solely for the heroes.
  PLAYER CHARACTER VILLAINS
  The only exception to the previous guidelines is when the 
  player characters are villains! In this case, the GM may want 
  to assign the players “villain points” (or whatever you’d like 
  to call them) that serve the same role in the game as hero 
  points, with Complications awarding the players more of 
  them as things progress.
  PICKING YOUR BATTLES
  One way villains try and get the upper hand is by choos-
  ing where and when they will fight. Not all bad guys get 
  this luxury, especially when the heroes catch them red-
  handed in the midst of committing their latest crime! 
  Some, however, can plan for their next encounter with 
  their foes and ensure they are prepared and able to fight 
  on their own turf, and their own terms.
  An application of this principle is for the GM to set up 
  different places for the villains to battle heroes, with the 
  bad guys having the advantage of knowing the terrain 
  and preparing for the fight accordingly. There might be 
  various traps awaiting the good guys, along with the 
  villain’s minions. A foe can choose a battleground that 
  specifically limits opponents, taking advantage of their 
  known flaws and complications. For example, a villain 
  dealing with a hero with a weakness to non-urban en-
  vironments might seek out a lair far from the city, just 
  as a villain fighting an opponent with magnetic powers 
  could try to ensure the surroundings are relatively free of 
  metal to manipulate.
  If the setting for the fight proves a true complication for a 
  hero, award the player a hero point. However, if the villain 
  is merely taking advantage of a known power flaw, you do 
  not have to give the player anything; the “payoff” is in the 
  form of the reduced cost for the flawed power.
  OPTIONAL MINION RULES
  In order to better duplicate how villainous underlings tend to work in the comics, you may wish to consider some or all 
  of the following optional rules for minions in your M&M game. Except as noted otherwise, these options do not cost the 
  villains any power points; they are simply how the rules apply to them. If you wish, you can make some aspects of these 
  options into new advantages, allowing for more of a pick-and-choose menu:
  • 
  Minions as Cover: If a villain has even one of his minions between him and a hero, the villain is considered to have 
  complete cover against that hero, meaning the hero cannot attack the villain, except with an Indirect or Ricochet 
  attack. Alternately, minions might grant a lesser degree of cover, such as total or partial, making attacks possible with 
  a circumstance penalty.
  • 
  Opportunity Attacks: Attempting to bypass a minion by moving around it gives the minion an immediate attack 
  against the hero. The minion gets to make an attack as a reaction, not taking up any of the minion’s other actions 
  for the round.
  The main thrust of these options is to encourage heroes to deal with a villain’s minions before going after their boss, al-
  lowing the minions to run interference and challenge the good guys while the villain finishes calibrating the doomsday 
  weapon, sets up the deathtrap, or simply flees down the escape tunnel.
  5959
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  CREATING WEAKNESSES
  One way villains exploit weaknesses is to create them! That 
  is, the villain specifically does something aimed at taking 
  the heroes out of the game, or at least ensuring they will 
  be easier to deal with later on. These villain-created weak-
  nesses are generally complications for the heroes to over-
  come, with the assistance of the hero points they earn for 
  having the complication put in their path in the first place.
  Examples of creating weaknesses include kidnapping 
  friends and loved ones for use as bargaining chips; weak-
  ening, nullifying, or altering the heroes’ powers in some 
  fashion; turning the public or the authorities (or both) 
  against the heroes with a frame-up or false accusations; 
  arranging a fail-safe like exposing the heroes to a toxin or 
  nanotechnology usable to threaten them later on; even 
  strange things like switching the heroes’ powers or minds 
  to disorient them for when the villain makes his move!
  ESCAPE PLANS
  When the heroes gain the upper hand, the smart villain 
  has an escape plan handy to live to fight another day. Es-
  cape plans are also important for the intermediate parts 
  of a plot (such as stealing necessary components) or any 
  other encounter where the villain is not yet ready to sim-
  ply crush or eliminate the heroes and must retreat to re-
  group and continue working (and to further the adven-
  ture).
  ESCAPE ROUTE
  The simplest escape plan is some route planned out in ad-
  vance to get away from the scene, anything from a secret 
  or hidden passage to a vehicle or “escape-pod” to take the 
  villain away faster than the heroes can easily follow.
  An escape route is most effective when combined with 
  some other type of escape plan, such as a distraction to 
  keep the heroes from following right away or a fake-out 
  to confuse their pursuit. For example, an escape tunnel 
  might be mined with explosives to collapse after the vil-
  lain flees, while a fleeing vehicle might have several drone 
  duplicates to force the heroes to choose which one(s) to 
  pursue.
  DISTRACTION
  It is easier for the villain to make a quick getaway if the 
  heroes have more important things to do than get in the 
  way. Some distractions are planned, such as threatening 
  hostages or innocent people with hidden explosives (“You 
  can either stop me or save them, heroes, your choice!”), or 
  placing someone in a deathtrap.
  Other distractions are more makeshift, including classics 
  such as blasting away a building’s support structure, set-
  ting a fire, or causing some other minor disaster to occupy 
  the heroes with rescuing innocent people while the vil-
  lain gets away. Minions and even lieutenants make good 
  distractions, provided they are loyal enough to play the 
  part, knowing their boss is making a break for it. So is trig-
  6060
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  gering a doomsday device or other threat, even when the 
  villain’s plan can no longer succeed. While the heroes are 
  dealing with it, the villain can make good his escape.
  FAKE-OUT
  The heroes appear to win, but it turns out the villain is 
  not really who or what they thought. Their defeated foe 
  might turn out to be a robot, android, clone, shapeshifter, 
  or other proxy for real villain, who is safely hidden away 
  (although perhaps capable of taunting the heroes a 
  bit through the proxy before signing-off). A lieutenant 
  or flunky could be dressed-up as the villain, either to 
  provide a distraction or as the real bad guy behind it all 
  (the true villain was never involved). A villain might even 
  set-up an innocent victim in a duplicate costume or other 
  camouflage to trick the heroes into unleashing their full 
  powers on the poor, defenseless soul.
  EXTORTION
  Backed into a corner, the bad guy threatens the heroes 
  or offers them something they want in exchange for 
  freedom. Threats might include knowledge of the hero’s 
  secret identity, loved ones, or some dark secret, while 
  bargaining chips include antidotes, vital clues the heroes 
  want (“I can tell you where to find your father...”), the 
  return of valuable items, and so forth.
  The trick with this approach is that the heroes might 
  not be willing to bargain, or may try to call the villain’s 
  bluff (if indeed he is bluffing). This can lead to a tricky 
  situation; see What If the Villain Can’t Escape? in the 
  following section.
  HOSTAGE
  Similar to Extortion, the cornered bad guy grabs or 
  makes use of an existing hostage as a ticket to freedom, 
  threatening to harm or kill the hostage if the heroes do 
  not do as they are told. Sometimes, a hostage turns out 
  to be more capable than the villain expected, leading to 
  a capture, or even a mysterious death (see the following), 
  which the hostage narrowly escapes. In others, the heroes 
  manage to rescue the hostage and capture the villain.
  As with extortion, there is a chance the heroes will 
  choose not to bargain with a villain holding hostages 
  or will otherwise try and rescue them and capture the 
  kidnapper. If so, you’ll either need to improvise or invoke a 
  Complication to ensure the bad guy’s escape.
  TELEPORT
  The most foolproof escape is for the villain to simply vanish 
  into thin air, using a power like Teleport or Dimensional 
  Travel. This might be an innate power (making the villain 
  quite difficult to capture in the first place) or part of some 
  fail-safe: a device, part of a vehicle or lair, or even an ability 
  of a minion or lieutenant charged with rescuing the boss 
  from certain capture. For example, some villain teams 
  have a “transporter” able to provide members, or at least 
  the leader, with a quick escape.
  Even a method as sure-fire as teleporting has its 
  countermeasures, of course. Some heroes may be capable 
  of nullifying the villain’s power or even countering the 
  teleport. Keep in mind that characters can often counter as 
  a power stunt, although instant countering is generally only 
  available for powers used offensively against the character.
  MYSTERIOUS DEATH
  The ultimate “escape” is when a villain apparently dies 
  during a conflict, but in such a way that no body is (or can 
  be) found. The classic example is a massive explosion that 
  destroys the villain’s lair or escape vehicle, with no corpse 
  found among the wreckage. Is the villain truly dead, or has 
  he escaped somehow? Perhaps the heroes’ foe was never 
  truly there to begin with!
  Generally speaking, every villain in a four-color style M&M 
  game effectively has Immortality, in that “dead” villains 
  can return any time the Gamemaster wishes. In fact, 
  you should really only bother to assign an Immortality 
  effect to villains capable of returning from death within 
  the context of the same adventure (or even the same 
  encounter). Anything longer than that is better handled 
  as a plot device. Either every villain can do it as the story 
  demands, or only certain specific ones can. In either case, 
  it is purely at the GM’s discretion.
  WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, CHEAT!
  So, it may well happen that, no matter how well you plan for an encounter, or what brilliant tactics you give your villain, 
  a poor die roll or a cunning move on the part of the players threatens to undo it all and end the climatic encounter of the 
  adventure in a single round. There are instances when the climax of your story is about to turn to anti-climax, where it is 
  perfectly reasonable and fair for you to “cheat.”
  Now, by cheating, we mean making use of resources at your disposal such as complications, which basically let you shrug 
  off any setback the villain encounters, or impose any condition you like, in exchange for offering the players a hero point. 
  This capability is not intended to rob players of their justly earned victories, just to smooth out the sometimes-fickle 
  nature of the die and unforeseen twists, given that the Gamemaster is just one person, outnumbered (and sometimes 
  out-maneuvered) by the players.
  So rolling a “1” for your villain’s first Toughness check probably justifies awarding the attacking player a hero point and 
  saying the attack does nothing more than the minimum. On the other hand, if the players come up with a truly effective 
  and original plan or tactic, it’s probably best to let them succeed, or at least give them a fair chance. But they should win 
  on their own merits, rather than just the immediate luck of the draw.
  6161
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  WHY THE VILLAIN LOSES
  There is a famous Internet document called the “Evil 
  Overlord List” (also known as “If I Were An Evil Overlord”), 
  which is essentially a long collection of “to-do” reminders 
  of all the dumb things fictional villains either do or allow, 
  which permit the heroes to eventually defeat them. 
  Examples include: “I will never say, ‘I am invincible,’ because 
  no one is” and “No matter how much I desire vengeance, 
  I’ll never issue the order ‘Leave him! He’s mine!’” The list—
  and any list like it—is very tongue-in-cheek, and it can help 
  to point out some of the clichés of heroic and comic book 
  fiction. However, keep in mind that in a great many M&M 
  series you do not want to avoid them! On the contrary, in a 
  four-color or Silver Age style game, you want to use them as 
  much as possible.
  It is often all too easy to give villains airtight schemes and 
  such realistic expectations and reactions that the heroes 
  simply don’t stand a chance. After all, realistically speaking, 
  a truly good evil scheme would not even become known 
  to the heroes until it was far too late for anyone to do 
  anything about it. The first warning they would get about 
  the villain’s plan to destroy the world would be the Earth 
  cracking in half! While it can sometimes be fun to confront 
  the heroes with a fait accompli by a villain, such as having 
  them wake up to find the world transformed into their 
  enemy’s personal empire, it only works as a superhero 
  story if they can then do something about it.
  Ultimately, that is why villains lose: they’re flawed, and 
  they slip up, giving the heroes a chance to take action. 
  Once that happens, it’s 
  just a matter of time, since 
  true heroes are not going 
  to give up until they’ve 
  succeeded. 
  The 
  villain 
  can put obstacles in their 
  way, but the heroes will 
  fight on and, eventually, 
  prevail. Even if it seems 
  the bad guys have won 
  the day, there will be another day, and another after that.
  So, unless you are specifically running a series intended 
  to turn the comic book standards on their heads and give 
  players opportunities to make post-ironic comments 
  about how dumb they are in the first place, you’re 
  probably better off having your villains emulate the Evil 
  Overlords of comics, films, and pulp novels rather than 
  trying to have them improve on long-standing traditions 
  of evil. On the other hand, if you are running a more 
  realistic, postmodern game, then feel free to have a villain 
  who captures the heroes decide to just shoot them in the 
  back of the head, mob execution style. Just be sure to tell 
  the players it’s a possibility they can expect up-front, or 
  you can end up with some serious clashes in styles!
  WHAT IF THE VILLAIN WINS?
  In comic book stories, it is generally assumed the villain 
  is not going to win: the world won’t be destroyed, 
  or conquered, or sold to aliens. If any of those things 
  happen, they’re temporary and the heroes find some way 
  to reverse them. They pull out a desperate save at the 
  last possible second and, even if a hero has to make the 
  ultimate sacrifice, they ensure the evil scheme is thwarted.
  While a roleplaying game can have the same sort of built-
  in assumption, for some the idea that a heroic win is a sure 
  thing can ruin their enjoyment of the story, so for many 
  groups the question must be asked: what happens if the 
  villain wins?
  The likelihood of an evil victory depends heavily on how 
  the GM sets things up, particularly whether or not the 
  heroes have any second (or third) chances. Hero points 
  and the system of handing out more of them as the 
  complications pile up for the good guys are intended to 
  help prevent heroic losses due to simple poor die-rolling. 
  They allow the players to have an ace in the hole for that 
  critical check. Still, hero points are a limited resource, and 
  even they do not always ensure success.
  So, barring the intervention of some deus ex machina, 
  such as NPC heroes swooping in to save the day, there 
  has to exist some possibility of the bad guys winning. If 
  this happens, let the chips fall where they may, and have 
  events unfold according to the actions of the characters 
  and the momentum of the plot. If the villain’s doomsday 
  weapon isn’t stopped in time, then the world may suffer 
  greatly, although heroic action could still prevent its 
  complete destruction. Similarly, if the villain’s scheme for 
  world conquest is successful, the heroes might end up 
  prisoners or outlaws on the run from the new ruler of the 
  Earth! A villainous victory can entirely change the nature 
  of an M&M series.
  The next question is, how 
  long will it last? In other 
  words, is the change to the 
  series permanent, or can 
  the heroes potentially undo 
  what the villain has done? 
  This is where you can offer 
  the players a second chance 
  and a way to get the series back on track, if you and they 
  prefer the old style to the new one. If everybody is having 
  a blast dealing with a post-apocalyptic world or playing 
  the last superheroes, on the run from a world-controlling 
  mastermind, then run with it!
  On the other hand, if the novelty begins to wear off, it 
  might be time to introduce a “reset” option the players 
  can use. Fortunately, most comic book universes are full 
  of time travel, reality manipulation, magic, and other 
  means of fixing just about anything short of the end of all 
  existence (and maybe even that at times). 
  WHAT IF THE VILLAIN CAN’T ESCAPE?
  The first question to ask yourself in this situation is: 
  does the villain really need to escape? If it is the middle 
  of the story and the answer is “yes,” then this is what 
  complications were made for. Give the players a hero 
  point they can use for the final confrontation with the bad 
  guy and arrange things so the escape is a fait accompli.
  “I’m not a Republic serial villain, Dan. Do you seri-
  ously think I would explain my masterstroke to 
  you if there were even the slightest possibility 
  you could affect the outcome?”
  - Ozymandias, Watchmen
  6262
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  If you absolutely cannot come up with a plausible way 
  for it to happen (given all the suggestions in the Escape 
  Plans section), you can let the heroes capture the villain 
  and have the escape occur later “off-panel” after they have 
  turned things over to the authorities. The good guys get 
  the somewhat sheepish call from the police commissioner 
  or warden, telling them their foe has escaped custody and 
  is doubtlessly up to no good again.
  If it is the end of the adventure, and the heroes have got 
  the villain dead to rights, there’s little reason not to let 
  them enjoy their victory, unless the villain is one who re-
  fuses to be captured alive (in which case, trigger the self-
  destruct and give their foe a mysterious death instead). 
  Otherwise, it’s a suitable reward for the good guys to cap-
  ture the villain and have the last word.
  Just as in the middle of a story, you can later have the 
  captured villain escape custody. You can also make the 
  villain’s eventual trial and sentencing a part of the series, 
  with the heroes called upon to testify and to keep an eye 
  out for anything the defendant might try, wondering all 
  the while what the villain has up his sleeve.
  If the heroes simply want to execute the defeated villain 
  themselves (as may well be the case in some settings), 
  you can either let them or have the villain go with the self-
  destruct approach mentioned previously. In either case, 
  the villain can potentially stage a miraculous resurrection, 
  or perhaps someone else takes up the villain’s mantle. 
  Otherwise, in a series where the heroes act as judge, jury, 
  and executioner, you have to content yourself with the fact 
  that you’re going to lose some bad guys from time to time.
  IN-DEPTH VILLAINS
  Some comic book villains are just flashes-in-the-pan, one-time foes destined to never appear again, or at least not to 
  play a major role in your series as a whole. Others are just obstacles, little more than bundles of powers with a name and 
  a theme attached to them to menace the heroes during adventures and provide them with a bit of a challenge.
  Then there are those bad guys who seem to take on a life of their own, becoming the villains the heroes swear to bring 
  to justice, the ones the players truly love to hate. Creating these iconic foes for your M&M series involves just a few easy 
  to remember elements, the four “I’s”: interaction, information, integration, and infrequency. If you follow these steps, 
  you will soon have villains in your series every bit as intriguing and compelling as the heroes, and your players will want 
  them to show up over and over just so their heroes can get another shot at them!
  INTERACTION
  The first element to in-depth villainy is interaction, mean-
  ing the heroes need to have and develop a relationship of 
  some sort with the villain beyond just do-gooder versus 
  law-breaker. It is through interaction that the players get 
  to know their foes and build a history with them. Interac-
  tion primarily means roleplaying, and so is fairly freeform. 
  Players can make use of interaction skills, but the primary 
  element is what the characters say to each other, rather 
  than who has the higher skill check result.
  In order for this interaction to take place, you need to pro-
  vide the players with opportunities to talk to the villain. 
  This can include the classic banter during combat or when 
  the bad guy has the heroes trapped and is expounding on 
  his plans for world conquest, but consider other avenues 
  of interaction to help bring your villains to life.
  If your villain has a secret identity or a legitimate “cover” 
  (such as a “humble businessman” or a “noted philanthro-
  pist”), have the heroes encounter that persona, perhaps in 
  their own secret identities. This lets them in on another side 
  of the villain. If the characters come to trust the public per-
  sona, then the shock of discovering the truth is that much 
  more potent.
  Perhaps there are some “neutral” venues in your setting, 
  places where members of the super-powered set can 
  meet on equal terms, regardless of which side of the law 
  they operate on. If so, then it’s a great opportunity for the 
  heroes to interact with some of their foes in a social set-
  ting. Imagine playing chess with Overshadow or discuss-
  ing Greek Stoicism with Talos outside of the “game” of 
  hero versus villain. Interesting new facets of the charac-
  ters’ personalities can emerge.
  Villains might also seek out heroes in order to interact with 
  them. The relationship between enemies can be complex, 
  and often close to a friendship or even romance. A foe 
  might feel the hero is a worthy adversary and the only one 
  able to appreciate the villain’s genius, or capable of grasp-
  ing certain truths. Some villains become romantically ob-
  sessed with their heroic opponents, and vice versa, adding 
  an element of flirtatious danger to the relationship.
  INFORMATION
  A goal of interaction is to convey information about the 
  villain to the heroes (and therefore to the players). The 
  better they know the details of a character’s background, 
  motives, habits, and so forth, the more the players come 
  to view the antagonist as an individual and not just a face-
  less foe for their heroes to overcome.
  A lot of this information can come in the form of “tags,” 
  particular elements about the villain that make him or her 
  unique. For example, a master villain might have a habit 
  of capturing and brainwashing beautiful female superhu-
  mans to serve as a kind of “hench-girl harem.” This could be 
  because the villain is misogynistic or manipulative, or be-
  cause he is lonely and looking for a mate worthy of him (or 
  6363
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  some combination thereof). Another bad guy might target 
  journalists. Initially, the heroes don’t know why, but they 
  learn the villain is actually a washed-up television personal-
  ity who feels his career was ruined by the paparazzi.
  You can also impart information to the players as their he-
  roes investigate a new villain or series of crimes. The brief-
  ing with the police chief or the government official can 
  impart some background. You can even print up a mock 
  “dossier” on the villain as a handout for the players to read 
  and learn the basics. However, it can be even more effec-
  tive if the heroes turn up the information themselves while 
  investigating. Allow them to crack the secret of the villain’s 
  identity and piece together the motive for a series of appar-
  ently unrelated crimes, and they’re more likely to remem-
  ber it all because it is part of their accomplishments.
  Keep in mind that, unlike comic book readers, RPG players 
  generally do not get an “omniscient” view of a villain’s 
  thoughts and actions. They only know what their heroes 
  have experienced, typically by interacting with the villain 
  directly.
  INTEGRATION
  The process of integration involves making a villain a part of 
  your overall setting and of the heroes’ lives, rather than just 
  a random element or a passing problem, quickly forgotten. 
  Integration puts interaction and information into a context, 
  relating it to the rest of the world and the characters in it.
  INTEGRATION WITH THE SETTING
  What is the villain’s relationship with the world beyond just 
  being a “villain”? Everybody comes from somewhere, and 
  most characters have lives from before they embarked on 
  criminal careers. Consider a villain’s ties with your setting 
  and how they might come into play, particularly how the 
  players might learn about them during a game (providing 
  Information, previously).
  For example, imagine a Crime Lord who masquerades as a 
  wealthy and beloved philanthropist with a long history of 
  civic responsibility and charity. Although the heroes know 
  him as a dastardly and ruthless foe, the rest of the world 
  thinks quite highly of him. There’s no escaping his pres-
  ence for the heroes in the city—not when there are parks, 
  streets, and municipal projects named after him, news 
  stories of his latest works, photos in the society pages, 
  and so forth. The extensive integration of the Crime Lord’s 
  innocent façade is a powerful motivation for the heroes to 
  finally expose him as the fraud he is.
  You can connect villains with the themes and background 
  of the setting. In a modern conspiracy series a villain could 
  be part of the conspiracy, or even the founder of it. Con-
  versely, the villain might also be an enemy of the conspir-
  acy, with different goals and motives than the heroes, but 
  a potential ally on occasion. If the series is about the next 
  stage of human evolution, the adversary could be like one 
  of the heroes gone bad, or someone opposed to the idea 
  of Homo sapiens becoming obsolete. Just pick a thematic 
  element and look for a way to integrate it with the villain’s 
  background.
  INTEGRATION WITH THE HEROES
  Once you have established connections with the setting, 
  consider how to integrate the villain into the heroes’ lives 
  as more than just an opponent.
  6464
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  You can do this from the very start by adding some hooks 
  to the enemy’s background, establishing connections 
  with the heroes. Consider a villain who shares a common 
  origin with the heroes. If one or more of the good guys 
  gained their powers in an accident, perhaps a villain or vil-
  lains acquired powers at the same time.
  What about a villain who created one or more of the he-
  roes? A mad scientist might have built an android, robot, 
  or cyborg, or genetically modified a test subject or clone. 
  A sinister mystic could have conjured a demon, elemen-
  tal, or fey creature, perhaps resulting in a bonding with 
  an otherwise ordinary human. Plus there’s the more mun-
  dane possibility of a villain being a hero’s parent, steppar-
  ent, or other relative.
  Likewise, perhaps one of the heroes created the villain in 
  some fashion. A scientist hero’s attempts at creating new 
  life or artificial intelligence could go wrong, spawning a 
  powerful new foe. Perhaps a mystic’s past failure results 
  in a demon or other occult creature entering the world to 
  menace the innocent. Such ties give the heroes a strong 
  sense of responsibility regarding the villain’s actions.
  Does the bad guy have a supporting cast? Sometimes re-
  curring henchmen and lieutenants can provide more of a 
  connection for the heroes and signal the villain’s involve-
  ment by showing up. An estranged family member can 
  become part of the heroes’ supporting cast, such as when 
  a member of the team is dating a villain’s daughter, or the 
  hero’s mentor is also the villain’s parent.
  INFREQUENCY
  The last element to make a villain an interesting and de-
  sired part of the series is infrequency; the opponent needs 
  to make enough return appearances to work on the el-
  ements of interaction and information, but not so many 
  that the players get tired of seeing the bad guy over and 
  over again and lose interest.
  Take a look at your recent game sessions. If the villain has 
  appeared recently, perhaps it is time for a break and an 
  unrelated adventure. You can also set up intervening ad-
  ventures that are part of a villain’s master scheme where 
  the prime mover operates behind the scenes. Until the 
  last adventure, the heroes may not even know about the 
  villain’s involvement! For example, a scheme could have 
  minions or other villains gathering elements of their mas-
  ter’s plan, or the manipulation of several factions against 
  each other. The main villain is involved without actually 
  showing up in each adventure to plague the heroes.
  Similarly, consider that if the heroes have only recently 
  overcome one of the villain’s major plans, it is probably a 
  good idea to put that character on the back burner for a 
  while and bring other villains to the forefront. Let the bad 
  guy cool his heels in prison, or let the heroes believe that 
  he is dead and gone before bringing him back with an 
  even more sinister plan. You can easily rotate out a half-
  dozen or more regular enemies in this way, sometimes 
  even mixing-and-matching them into temporary alliances 
  or teams (see Villain Teams, following).
  Lastly, once an antagonist has gotten played out, consider 
  wrapping up that villain’s story and taking him or her 
  out of the game altogether. This can be as simple as 
  having the heroes put the bad guy away for good or as 
  permanent (relatively speaking) as dramatically killing the 
  villain off, complete with proof the heroes can accept that 
  their foe is truly gone this time. Maybe their enemy has 
  a change of heart and seeks to reform, or finds peace on 
  another world, leaving Earth and the criminal life behind. 
  The evolution of the character can provide players with a 
  sense that the series is a living and changing world, and 
  that their heroes are having a real impact.
  You don’t even have to give up on the villain entirely; 
  there’s always the possibility of someone else coming 
  along to take up the now-fallen mantle and motif. A 
  long-lost child or heir could seek revenge on the heroes, 
  or a new super-criminal might use an established and 
  fearsome identity for instant recognition (as well as to 
  confuse potential foes). You can bring a version of the 
  villain back into the game with different motivations, 
  changes in abilities, or new twists on the modus operandi.
  VILLAIN TEAMS
  While criminals are less prone to cooperating than heroes, sometimes villains find it advantageous to band together in groups 
  and form teams. Usually, it is because their archenemies tend to work in teams, making it difficult for a solo villain who isn’t 
  powerful enough to take on an entire group of heroes at once (see Villain Tactics, earlier this chapter, for more on this).
  This section looks at the phenomenon of villain teams: their different types, how they are formed, their goals and 
  resources, and how to create and use them in your Mutants & Masterminds series.
  TYPES OF VILLAIN TEAMS
  Villain teams tend to come together—and stay together—
  for particular reasons. Super-criminals might team up when 
  it suits their needs, or when the opportunity is put in their 
  path, but true villain teams are comparatively rare and re-
  quire some special circumstances to bring them about.
  FOLLOW-THE-LEADER
  The most common means of creating and organizing a 
  group of super-powered criminals is when a single mas-
  ter villain wills the group into being, assembling a team of 
  followers or lieutenants to assist her in carrying out some 
  master plan.
  6565
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  Given the treacherous nature of most villains, a team leader 
  needs considerable power and influence to keep the group 
  together, and to bring it together in the first place—but not 
  so much power that the master villain does not need the 
  team at all; otherwise there would be little reason to create 
  it! Typically, the leader is either a behind-the-scenes type 
  who wants other villains as front-line fighters, or has some 
  other limitation a team can circumvent.
  Villain teams with singular leaders are driven by that lead-
  er’s agenda, although the individual members may have 
  goals and plans of their own (see Sudden—But Inevi-
  table—Betrayal for when those plans conflict with the 
  leader’s). The leader is also the one who decides who joins 
  the team and who is out (often by summarily executing 
  the offender!). Some team leaders recruit villains using 
  blackmail and other forms of leverage, appealing to their 
  greed, or manipulating them based on a keen knowledge 
  of their psychological quirks.
  ALLIANCE
  A few villain teams are run as democracies or cooperatives 
  of a sort, with the members all having a roughly equal say 
  in how the group is organized and run, at least ideally. The 
  villains are all allies, typically out of a need for self-preser-
  vation and protection against hero teams, who are often 
  far too capable of dealing with the villains individually.
  Even in the most democratic and loosely organized alli-
  ances, some villains are likely to rise to positions of leader-
  ship, even if only as temporary “tactical tyrants” chosen to 
  coordinate the team’s actions in the midst of combat or 
  some other crisis. Villain alliances that do not follow this 
  approach end up soundly beaten by the heroes and their 
  superior teamwork, which may or may not teach the bad 
  guys a lesson. Of course, such opportunities to lead result 
  in villains who do not want to give up the reins of power, 
  either resulting in a follow-the-leader type group (at least 
  temporarily) or a rift in the group as the would-be leader 
  and any allies are ousted.
  Unlike hero teams, which tend to focus on ideals (justice, 
  fairness, progress, and the like), villain alliances tend to be 
  brutally practical: protection, profit, mutual self-interest, 
  and so forth. If the reason the criminals are cooperating 
  goes away, odds are the alliance will crumble as well. The 
  team may find a new purpose, or morph into one of the 
  other types described here, but is more likely to come 
  apart, either mutually and peacefully or—in all probabil-
  ity—in a big conflict.
  FAMILY TIES
  “Blood is thicker than water,” as they say, and sometimes 
  the bonds holding together a team of criminals are fam-
  ily ties, some of the strongest around. Crime may just be 
  “the family business” or the clan could be outcasts, forced 
  into a life outside the law by circumstance, particularly if 
  there are laws against particular types of superhumans 
  (mutants, mystics, etc.) or prejudice regarding them. A 
  family of freaks with strange appearances or uncontrol-
  lable powers might choose to go on the run rather than 
  dealing with the consequences of living in one place for 
  any length of time.
  Indeed, “family” is often used in the broadest possible 
  sense when it comes to villain teams. The members could 
  all belong to the same culture or species, such as an ex-
  tended “family” made up entirely of mutants or alien-hu-
  man hybrids, rather than being strict blood relations. They 
  could be a religious cult, or a group of related supernatu-
  ral creatures like a nest of vampires or pack of werewolves.
  Family teams tend to be extremely loyal to one another, 
  although some members of the family might feel black-
  mailed into staying and helping with their relations’ crimi-
  nal schemes simply out of duty or guilt. Family teams are 
  also more likely to share a particular motif (see Villain 
  Team Motifs later in this section). A family line that passes 
  criminal training and behavior down across the genera-
  tions qualifies as a legacy team, as described under A Leg-
  acy of Villainy, following.
  REBELS WITH A CAUSE
  A common cause can bring people together, supervillains 
  included, and some teams form around furthering 
  a particular cause or pursuit of a goal. This is usually 
  something beyond the kinds of mutual-self interest that 
  unites villain alliances, like profit or protection. Causes 
  are often political or social including (but not limited to) 
  political ideologies, ecology, religion, and advancing or 
  retarding the agenda of a particular nation or social group. 
  So, for example, a villain team might form around the idea 
  that the western world is a threat to world peace, and 
  only the weakening of western governments can ensure 
  freedom for other nations. Radical eco-activists might ally 
  to curtail pollution in the world—by force, if necessary.
  Note that many, if not all, such “villain” groups do not 
  see themselves as villains, even if some nations’ laws 
  consider them criminals. They are doing what they be-
  MIXED DOUBLES
  In this section, a “team” of villains generally means a group similar in size to the heroes’ team, perhaps slightly larger or 
  smaller. Sometimes villains work in pairs rather than as a team of three or more—this is usually either a lead villain and a 
  loyal sidekick or lieutenant, or a true partnership between two bad guys who regularly work together.
  Even more than teams, villainous pairs tend to follow a particular motif. Examples may include a pair of opposites (light 
  and dark, heat and cold, fire and water, and so forth) or a complementary or related pair, like the Gemini twins, Punch 
  and Judy, a King and Queen, or a daisho (paired Japanese swords, katana and wakizashi). The villains may just be criminal 
  partners, but more often they share a deeper relationship, such as spouse, lover, sibling, or even parent and child.
  6666
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  lieve is right and necessary, in spite of the consequences 
  (and often without regard for the rights of others). Such 
  groups are often fanatical about their causes, although 
  some might only be involved due to non-political con-
  nections with the group (see Family Ties) or because 
  they have their own agendas, using the group to further 
  it while it is convenient.
  THE REVENGE SQUAD
  Few motives are as strong as the thirst for revenge, and 
  if there is one thing a group of unstable criminals can 
  agree upon, it is that their 
  mutual enemies must suf-
  fer and pay for what they 
  have done! Villain teams 
  are thus often organized 
  around getting revenge 
  on a particular target or 
  targets, either an individual hero, a hero team, or an insti-
  tution of some sort. The archenemies of individual heroes 
  on a team might decide to band together and form an op-
  posing team to crush their mutual foes.
  A Revenge Squad tends to be extremely focused on its 
  mutual goal, although its members may well have their 
  own agendas. The group can be a temporary alliance or 
  a long-term arrangement, depending on how difficult 
  achieving their revenge turns out to be. Some are quite 
  informal, while others approach something like a cause-
  oriented group (previously).
  THE VILLAIN ARMY
  From time to time, a villain gets the bright idea: “There 
  are more of us than there are heroes, so why don’t we 
  just all gang up on them?” This leads to the formation 
  of the Villain Army, a massive collection of supervillains, 
  usually anywhere between two and ten times the size of 
  the average hero team of five or six heroes. Such gangs 
  tend to be heavy on the muscle, with a lot of front-line 
  fighters or artillery and sniper types (with range attacks), 
  even more so than the average villain team.
  Fortunately for the good 
  guys, the Villain Army rarely 
  manages to sneak up on 
  them to attack en masse. 
  At best, the heroes usually 
  get some inkling of what is 
  coming and have a shot at 
  dealing with it, even if that 
  means fortifying themselves inside their headquarters and 
  preparing contingency plans for when the villains break in. 
  They might also see it as an opportunity to call together 
  their fellow heroes to help out (if there are any).
  The Villain Army generally provides the GM with an 
  excuse for over-the-top fight scenes featuring lots and 
  lots of bad guys. One way of handling the concept without 
  completely overwhelming the heroes is to treat the 
  majority of the villains as minions. Even if they normally 
  are not, in this circumstance they certainly qualify! Only 
  the master villain who organized the Army and perhaps 
  “Guy named Otto Octavius winds up with eight limbs. 
  What are the odds?”
  - J. Jonah Jameson, Spider-Man 2
  6767
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  some direct lieutenants are treated as full-fledged adver-
  saries. This means the heroes have a good chance of thin-
  ning the villains’ ranks before things get too ugly. Award-
  ing the players extra hero points is also a good idea; they 
  should get at least one just because you’re using the Vil-
  lain Army idea against their characters!
  VILLAIN TEAM MOTIFS
  In addition to the types of villain teams discussed in the 
  previous section, many groups of super-criminals have a 
  particular motif or theme. This is more common with vil-
  lains than heroes; in the comics it is largely because he-
  roes tend to be more individual, while villains, especially 
  those conceived of as a group, are more interchangeable. 
  In an RPG this works out because player characters tend to 
  be more varied and distinctive, while a shared motif helps 
  make a villain team more memorable for the players.
  COMMON ORIGIN
  All the members of the team might share a common ori-
  gin: they gained their powers in the same way, or at the 
  same time. They can have similar origins—such as villains 
  who are all superhuman mutants or aliens—or even the 
  same origin. For example, a team exposed to the same 
  mutagenic gas in the same accident and became freaks 
  might have a vendetta against the company that made 
  the gas, and the “normal” world in general.
  Some examples of common origins for a villain team in-
  clude the following:
  • 
  The villains all gained their powers in a similar fash-
  ion, which unites them against a world that rejects or 
  does not understand them, such as mutants, occult-
  ists, psychics, and so forth.
  • 
  The villains all belong to the same race, species, or 
  even extended family (see the Family Ties type of 
  team for more).
  • 
  The villains share an element of their background, 
  such as all having served in the same military conflict, 
  worked as mercenaries, or survived the same disaster.
  • 
  The villains all met and gained their powers in prison, 
  possibly as a result of interacting with another su-
  perhuman there or some sort of accident involving 
  super-technology, magical artifacts, or the like.
  • 
  The villains were all empowered by the same master 
  villain to serve as his agents.
  • 
  The villains were all created by the same person, be-
  ing artificial beings such as clones, androids, or magi-
  cal constructs.
  • 
  The villains all invented their powers in various fash-
  ions. Such a team of mad inventors is almost certain 
  to be full of competitive overblown egos.
  • 
  The villains were all empowered as a result of the ac-
  tions of the same hero, perhaps even one of the player 
  characters. They might be vengeful, particular if the 
  incident left some scars, or they could even be grate-
  ful—although all bets are off if the heroes tries to stop 
  them. Maybe they hope to gain even more power by 
  defeating and using the hero in some fashion.
  COMMON POWERS
  Villains on a team might share certain powers in common, 
  or have a common theme to their powers. For example, 
  “the Weathermen” all have various weather-based pow-
  ers: Air Control for one, a Lightning Blast for another, Cold 
  Control for a third, and so on. The Factor Four have powers 
  based on the classical four elements. The Power Corps all 
  wear similar suits of power armor, and so forth.
  COMMON STYLE
  Lastly, a villain team may share a common style or theme 
  as part of its overall image. Sometimes this is accidental 
  (or at least unintended by the team), while other times it is 
  entirely intentional. The common powers mentioned pre-
  viously are one form of a common style. Others include el-
  ements such as team uniforms, themed code names, and 
  possibly themed resources such as their headquarters. 
  So a group of aerial thieves known as the Felonious Flock 
  might all have bird or avian motifs, winged costumes al-
  A LEGACY OF VILLAINY
  Some villain teams become more than just temporary 
  alliances of convenience; they attain an almost legend-
  ary status, becoming institutions of a sort. This is par-
  ticularly true in settings with a long history of super-
  criminals; why start up a completely new team of villains 
  no one has ever heard of when instead you can revive 
  the fearsome name and reputation of “the Masters of 
  Villainy” or “E.V.I.L.”?
  Of course, such criminal legacies can cause trouble when 
  more than one heir-apparent steps up to claim them, or 
  when the original criminal groups who used them don’t 
  care for the newcomers who have adopted their moni-
  kers. You can easily build an adventure around a war be-
  tween two or more factions of supervillains who claim 
  to all belong to the same group!
  In many cases, a legacy team of villains adopts methods 
  and even resources similar to their predecessors; they 
  might have similar goals, take up the previous incarna-
  tion’s headquarters or equipment, perhaps even dust-off 
  and revive some of their former schemes: “Dr. Molor’s Vol-
  cano Trigger would have worked, if only he had compen-
  sated for the internal temperature variations...” and such. 
  On the other hand, some new versions of old villain teams 
  bear little resemblance to them apart from the name, a 
  potential source of trouble for any old-timers who feel 
  disrespected by such a lack of regard for the past.
  If you are running an M&M series with a long history, 
  especially one where the heroes follow a particular 
  legacy (either individually or as a team), consider pitting 
  them against a similar legacy team of villains. For an 
  additional twist, perhaps one or two characters from the 
  series have switched sides, a heroic legacy going over to 
  the bad guys while a the inheritor of a villain’s mantle 
  becomes a hero!
  6868
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  lowing them to fly (or actual wings), and share a high-rise 
  headquarters they call the Aerie.
  VILLAIN TEAM RESOURCES
  One thing groups of super-criminals can do is share vari-
  ous resources, much like hero teams do. This includes 
  things like team equipment, bases or lairs, and vehicles.
  Team equipment includes useful items such as commlinks 
  or tracking devices (handy for when they are carted off to 
  prison and the heroes are not around to escort them any 
  longer). Equipment could also mean weapons and armor, 
  although that sort of gear tends to be reserved for orga-
  nizations and their agents (see Villain Organizations). 
  Members of villain teams tend to be more individualistic, 
  preferring their own capabilities to any standard-issue 
  gear.
  A villain team might share a headquarters, which they 
  either set up and use as a group, or which belongs to a 
  single member—usually the team’s leader or organizer. 
  Thus, a master villain might house his super-powered fol-
  lowers at his secret lair, while an independent coopera-
  tive of villains could share a hideout, and a family group 
  might even have an inherited estate or the like as their 
  shared property.
  Lastly, transportation allows a villain team to get around 
  more easily as a group and perhaps to escape pursuit by 
  the authorities and the heroes. Vehicles have to be fairly 
  fast and maneuverable, able to slip under radar detection 
  and evade interception; otherwise, they need to be so 
  tough they can just roll over any opposition without wor-
  rying about it. A villain team’s “vehicle” may well consist of 
  a single member able to transport the others: creating fly-
  ing platforms or bubbles, opening spatial or dimensional 
  gates, or able to teleport with a substantial number of 
  passengers. Devices or equipment able to perform these 
  functions are also possibilities, like an HQ with the Tele-
  port power (locking on to tracers or beacons the villains 
  carry) or “recall bands” the members wear to allow them 
  to transport in an emergency.
  Whether or not the GM wishes to track the point costs of 
  the villains’ team resources and allocate the necessary 
  Equipment ranks among the members is largely a matter 
  of style. It does not really matter if the team resources 
  are accounted for in the villains’ point totals, but some 
  Gamemasters may prefer it for the sake of completeness. 
  For player character villains, the GM will likely require they 
  share the cost of team equipment, unless it is provided 
  by a patron, in which case the resources might come with 
  various strings attached that the team is unaware of initially.
  SUDDEN---BUT INEVITABLE---BETRAYAL
  Super-criminals are an untrustworthy lot, to say the 
  least. They are either egotistical and power-mad, or sy-
  cophantic and willing to side with whomever they think 
  is winning. Unless the team’s leader is an iron-fisted ty-
  rant completely invulnerable to attacks from underlings, 
  a schism or double-cross is almost inevitable (and even 
  then some villainous lieutenants can’t resist becoming 
  the iron-fisted leader, if the opportunity presents itself).
  You can use conflicts within a villain team to liven up 
  an adventure, giving things an unexpected twist when 
  the bad guys turn on each other. It’s all well and good 
  for the heroes until something vital gets damaged in the 
  scuffle, or the new leader of the group decides to alter 
  the plan the good guys figured out, leaving the heroes 
  back at square one.
  The crime-fighters can also sometimes take advantage 
  of mistrust and ambition among the villains. Cunning 
  uses of interaction skills (and related powers) can sow 
  seeds of dissent and betrayal, nurturing them to full 
  bloom. Insight can suss out a foe’s reasons for working 
  with the team, allowing the hero to use Deception or 
  Persuasion to get the villain to do something rash. Hero 
  points spent for inspiration can yield valuable clues or 
  opportunities for interaction, such as a bad guy coming 
  to the hero’s containment cell to gloat.
  VILLAIN ORGANIZATIONS
  A villainous organization is different from the gathering represented by a villain team in several ways. First, organizations 
  are usually hierarchical, with a clear leader, various lieutenants and sub-commanders, and so forth. Second, organizations 
  tend to have fewer actual super-villains, and indeed might not have any! Sometimes the leader of the organization is a 
  superhuman, or some of the leader’s lieutenants are, but the rest of the organization is made up of lower-powered or 
  non-powered minions: soldiers, technicians, support staff, and other followers. An organization might also have a villain 
  team associated with it, super-powered agents intended to carry out their agenda and deal with superheroes who try to 
  interfere. Lastly, organizations tend to have broader goals than individual villain teams, devoted to the multi-tentacled 
  schemes of the organization’s leader(s).
  ORGANIZATION GOALS & MOTIF
  The two foremost things to determine about any villain 
  organization are its goals and motif, or signature style: for 
  example, SHADOW is dedicated to world conquest and 
  is made up of legions of neo-Nazi clones led by a secret 
  council of shadowy masterminds and the megalomania-
  cal Overshadow. The Foundry is an underground organi-
  zation of robots building and selling illegal technologies 
  to criminals in order to fund their expansion and the 
  development of artificial “life.” The Labyrinth is an ages-
  old conspiracy exerting power and influence behind the 
  scenes, with a “maze” of fronts, façades, and blind alleys 
  6969
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  to confuse its enemies, using experimentation to create 
  super-powered agents.
  Organizations with similar goals may come into conflict or 
  (worse for the heroes) find common ground and cooper-
  ate, at least for a time. Organizations with divergent goals 
  may try to step around each other, although they can still 
  come into conflict if their goals do.
  ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
  With some rare exceptions, villain organizations tend to 
  follow a pyramid structure, with a supreme leader at the 
  summit, one or more levels of lieutenants in the middle, 
  and legions of followers or agents at the base. This tends 
  to ensure the organization follows a singular vision, al-
  though underlings may have agendas of their own, and 
  even attempt coups or rebellions against the existing 
  leadership. Not surprisingly, this hierarchy is the same as 
  the different levels of supervillainy (see Levels of Villains 
  earlier in this chapter).
  A few villain organizations are more egalitarian in struc-
  ture, essentially functioning like very large alliances (see 
  Types of Villain Teams). A network or “co-op” of super-
  criminals pooling their information and resources might 
  work like this. Even then, such groups tend to develop 
  members who exert greater influence over the organiza-
  tion and its direction.
  LEADER
  The organization’s leader is typically a master villain of 
  some sort: manipulators and schemers are the villains 
  most given to creating and leading organizations, since it 
  plays to their strengths. Note that the leader is not neces-
  sarily the most powerful member of the organization in 
  terms of power level; he’s simply the most influential. A 
  criminal mastermind might have no real powers to speak 
  of other than a keen intellect and a ruthless cunning, rely-
  ing on super-powered lieutenants and large numbers of 
  agents to accomplish his goals.
  The leader of an organization might also be a formidable 
  supervillain in his own right, a challenge for an entire team 
  of heroes. Confronting the leader can be the climax of an 
  adventure or series focusing on the organization and its 
  schemes. Removing the leader from power can topple the 
  organization, set up a power struggle within its ranks, or 
  establish a new leader, and possibly a new direction for 
  the group as a whole.
  Some organizations have a council or other group of 
  co-leaders, but even then they may have a single leader 
  elected from their number to direct the organization day-
  to-day. Otherwise, the group is likely heavy with intrigue 
  and slow to respond except in a true crisis, when a mem-
  ber or faction of the governing body may attempt to seize 
  power. More often, any sort of council serves as an advi-
  sory body to the true leader.
  LIEUTENANTS
  The various lieutenants of a criminal organization are the 
  ones most likely to deal with the heroes on a regular basis. 
  They are the next in command to the leader and tend to 
  control specific factions or divisions. Some agencies are 
  arranged in a cell structure, with each lieutenant in com-
  7070
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  mand of a largely autonomous unit that answers solely to 
  the leader. If any given cell is captured or taken out, the 
  others remain, allowing the organization to continue to 
  function.
  In particularly large organizations, the lieutenants may 
  themselves have underlings: assistants, second officers, 
  administrators, and so forth before reaching the lowest 
  ranks of the agents. For example, a worldwide organi-
  zation might have operations on all of the major conti-
  nents, each overseen by a lieutenant who reports to the 
  supreme leader. Those lieutenants might have local or 
  regional commanders who report to them, and so forth.
  As with leaders, lieutenants in a villain organization may 
  be superhumans, perhaps even a team of superhumans 
  that operates together, but they can just as easily be oth-
  erwise ordinary humans with the skill and ruthlessness 
  necessary to survive and succeed in criminal enterprise. 
  Unlike the leader of an organization, lieutenants tend to 
  be fairly evenly split between schemers and manipulators 
  and more overt brute and skulker types, with the latter of-
  ten having more of a “hands-on” approach to dealing with 
  problems.
  By providing an organization with a variety of lieutenants, 
  you can effectively create different sub-organizations 
  with their own style and flavor, extending the usefulness 
  of the organization as a whole in different adventures. So, 
  if you need a mad scientist corporation performing ille-
  gal genetic experiments in one scenario, and suppliers of 
  weapons to terrorist cells in another, they might be differ-
  ent facets of the same larger organization, each with their 
  own leaders and agents.
  AGENTS
  The lowermost, and broadest, level of the organization is 
  made up of agents, the rank-and-file members who do 
  the grunt-work and carry out the orders of their superiors. 
  Agents are the textbook definition of minions in Mutants 
  & Masterminds game terms, and are nearly always treated 
  as such, with the exception of special “elite” units.
  “Agents” can be almost any type of character, although 
  they are usually soldiers of some sort. In more four-color 
  settings, a villain organization might call upon legions 
  of clones, robots, zombies, demons, or other nonhuman 
  creatures to do their bidding. Such agents have the ad-
  vantages of being extremely loyal (often programmed or 
  ensorcelled for that trait) and highly expendable, at least 
  so the organization does not have to fear their capture 
  and interrogation.
  Some organizations make do with human agents, 
  recruiting those who share the group’s philosophy and 
  goals, or simply mercenaries and hired guns willing to fight 
  for the promise of decent pay. Authorities and heroes may 
  be able to trace the organization’s recruiting efforts, and 
  such agents are more likely to crack under interrogation 
  or betray the organization to the law in order to save their 
  own skins. This is the prime reason why agents are not 
  told any more than they absolutely need to know.
  Human agents are typically outfitted with the most ad-
  vanced equipment the organization can provide, like 
  blaster weapons. They may also have combat vehicles and 
  even resources like power armor or heavy weapons to 
  take on superhuman opponents.
  Lastly, villain organizations often ensure agents have 
  some sort of “self-destruct” mechanism to prevent their 
  knowledge or equipment from falling into the wrong 
  hands and to guard against betrayal. This can be anything 
  from implanted explosives or slow-acting toxins to post-
  hypnotic commands, magical curses, or agents with a 
  built-in brief lifespan, ensuring they expire shortly after 
  capture. In game-terms, this is a plot device rather than a 
  game trait; although it is certainly a significant drawback 
  from the agent’s perspective, it is an overall advantage for 
  the organization and an additional difficulty for the he-
  roes, so the “value” tends to balance out.
  ORGANIZATION RESOURCES
  One thing villain organizations usually have in abundance 
  is resources: secret lairs, armies of agents, military-level ve-
  hicles, orbiting mind-control rays, giant laser cannons, and 
  so forth. The largest organizations are as well equipped 
  as many nations, capable of challenging conventional 
  armies. Most four-color settings don’t particularly worry 
  about where the organization is getting the money for all 
  this stuff; at best they provide some hand-waving expla-
  nation about criminal cartels, front-companies, or caches 
  of Nazi gold. In more realistic settings, Gamemasters may 
  want to give heroes the option of “following the money” 
  to track down a secret criminal organization by tracing 
  their sources of funding, and perhaps even cutting them 
  off to weaken the organization.
  7171
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  CHAPTER 2: ADVERSARIES
  
  7272
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  Creating villains can be one of the most fun elements of running a Mutants & Masterminds game, but it can also be one 
  of the most time-intensive. This chapter looks to take some of the effort out of the process while retaining all of the fun 
  by giving you resources and options when it comes to villain creation, so you can whip up new bad guys for your M&M 
  adventures in no time flat.
  The chapter starts off with a look at how to design villains in M&M game terms, including design considerations like 
  balancing them against the game’s power level, the number and types of heroes, and the villain’s intended function in 
  the game. It looks at the various game traits—abilities, skills, advantages, and powers—from a villain-design perspective, 
  and provides some advice on how to design faster and smarter.
  The bulk of the chapter offers a collection of villain archetypes with complete game stats and detailed information 
  about that type of villain, different themes and variants, tactics and adventure ideas, even suggested names. You’ll be 
  able to quickly choose an archetype, customize some details, and have a ready-to-run villain in minutes! With just these 
  archetypes, you can create entire rogues galleries of dozens of supervillains to fill out your series.
  The chapter concludes with a selection of minion archetypes for a villain’s various followers and henchmen, as well as 
  different creatures a villain might summon or create to battle the heroes.
  VILLAIN DESIGN
  Designing a villain for Mutants & Masterminds is mechanically similar to creating a hero, but differs in some important 
  ways. First, villains are usually non-player characters, and therefore not subject to the limits of player character heroes. 
  Second, villains have a different intended purpose, especially bad guys designed as foes for entire teams of heroes.
  This section looks at the different aspects of villain design, from concept to the assignment of game traits, and points 
  out the various considerations to keep in mind when creating your own villains for M&M games, as well as adapting or 
  including villains from published sources.
  CONCEPT
  Generally, the first step in creating a villain is the concept: 
  is this an arch-fiend who dreams of world domination 
  and plans to remove obstacles from his path, starting 
  with the heroes; or is it a petty crook motivated solely by 
  greed, and perhaps a desire to put aside some money for 
  his poor, sick mother, who doesn’t know about her boy’s 
  nightly forays or criminal career?
  The possible concepts for supervillains are nearly endless, 
  and as plentiful as the inspirations for heroes. If you are 
  looking for a concept to help get you started, take a look 
  through the villain archetypes in this chapter, including 
  their variations, for many of the classics of the genre. You 
  can also find plentiful inspiration in your favorite comic 
  books, ranging from long-standing villains that have de-
  fined the genre to minor “Z list” bad guys the players prob-
  ably haven’t even heard of—but so much the better when 
  it comes to surprising them!
  Take a look through the previous chapter for ideas on the 
  different roles your villain can play. Is there a particular 
  niche your series is lacking? What about the types given in 
  the Villain Roles section? Maybe a particular hero in your 
  game is ripe for a Dark Reflection or an Opposite villain to 
  bring out some interesting qualities about the hero. Per-
  haps you want to set up a long-term plot with a Turncoat 
  villain, creating a supporting character the heroes come 
  to trust, only to learn the terrible truth too late.
  It is often a good idea to keep a small notebook (or elec-
  tronic notes file) where you can jot down villain ideas as 
  they occur to you. Players may bring up potential villains 
  they’d like to see during games, and inspiration can strike 
  almost anywhere. You might find new villains in your fa-
  vorite television shows or books, in the news or current 
  events, or others’ descriptions of their own games, in per-
  son or online.
  POWER LEVEL
  Just as a setting’s power level is the first consideration in 
  designing a hero, so too is it the first thing in designing a 
  villain for that setting. However, whereas power level de-
  termines starting power points and sets limits for spend-
  ing them in the case of heroes, villains have an essentially 
  unlimited power point budget, and their power level is 
  based on their traits rather than the other way around. So 
  why start with power level?
  It’s a good idea to have a “target” power level in mind that 
  fits the villain’s overall concept and role in the series. Ap-
  propriate power level varies based on the overall power 
  level of the series itself: henchmen tend to be in the PL 
  4-PL 6 range, about 4-5 power levels lower than the he-
  7373
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  roes, although rarely much lower than PL 3 if they’re to be 
  much use as henchmen at all (since PL 0-2 encompasses 
  fairly ordinary people). Superhuman henchmen are often 
  just 1-3 power levels lower than the heroes, maybe even 
  closer, if they are minions (see the next section).
  Lieutenants should generally be close to the power level 
  of the series, matching that of the heroes, maybe off by a 
  level or two. This makes a lieutenant a fairly even match 
  for a single hero and a group of them a match for a team 
  of heroes. A powerful lieutenant might be a couple levels 
  higher than the series PL.
  Master villains nearly always have a higher power level 
  than the heroes, from one or two levels to as many as five 
  or more, depending on the villain and the design. Note 
  that less combat-intensive villains should generally be 
  closer to the series power level, to ensure aspects such as 
  resistance difficulties against their powers are reasonable. 
  So, for example, a villain such as the Puppeteer (see page 
  118)—able to mind control victims from a distance and 
  have them carry out his bidding—should be closer to the 
  series PL to give the heroes a fair chance of resisting his 
  Mind Control, whereas a Brute (see page 79)—intended to 
  fight a whole team of heroes—needs to be higher power 
  level, with trade-offs for commensurately large damage 
  attacks (but lowered attack bonus, giving nimble heroes 
  a chance to avoid getting hit altogether).
  Choose a power level for your villain suitable for the char-
  acter’s role in the series as compared to the series power 
  level.
  MINION POWER LEVEL
  Villainous minions have a special consideration in terms 
  of power level because minions are essentially one-shot 
  opponents; a single successful attack removes them 
  from a conflict, so a minion can potentially be higher 
  powered than would otherwise be appropriate for a 
  henchmen or lieutenant villain in the series. Master vil-
  lains are, by definition, never minions, although it is pos-
  sible to have minions with an even higher power level 
  than the heroes!
  If a “minion” is intended as a truly challenging fight, such as 
  a team of heroes versus a mad scientist’s unleashed mon-
  ster or the like, then chances are the opponent should not 
  be treated as a minion in game-terms. This ensures the vil-
  lain can provide a sustained back-and-forth conflict rather 
  than being taken out of the fight by the first successful 
  attack.
  POWER LEVEL X
  Some characters—particularly villains—have capabili-
  ties so broad and powerful as to be outside the conven-
  tional definitions of the game system. Certainly, the comic 
  books have a number of foes and threats so “cosmic” in 
  scale that it is hardly worth assigning numerical values to 
  their capabilities. In these cases, you don’t need to assign 
  any game traits to the character at all!
  We call these characters “Power Level X” and refer to 
  similar game traits as “rank X.” In mathematics, X is often 
  used to designate an unknown variable. In M&M, it means 
  the trait in question is as high as the Gamemaster wishes 
  or the adventure or situation requires. Essentially, a rank of 
  X in a trait means it is effectively unlimited in game terms, 
  a plot device.
  Any foe that can be defined with the phrase “invincible ex-
  cept for...” is potentially a plot device character, although 
  the heroes won’t necessarily know that until they try some 
  of the more conventional means and discover they’re not 
  working.
  One of the key points of plot device characters is there 
  should be some way for the heroes to “win”—which is to 
  say, to end the threat posed by the character. This may 
  not necessarily include defeating their foe in a straight-
  up fight. Indeed, it probably does not include that op-
  tion! Power Level X villains aren’t intended for fights, un-
  less it’s a fairly hopeless one where the heroes learn even 
  their vast powers are essentially useless, but soldier on 
  regardless of the odds. Plot device villains are a Game-
  master’s prerogative, but completely unbeatable ones 
  are unfair and likely to make the players frustrated and 
  the game no fun.
  See the Imp archetype (see page 92) for an example of 
  a plot device villain with virtually unlimited power and 
  some ways of handling such a character in play.
  PLOT DEVICES AND HERO POINTS
  In some ways, a Power Level X villain is like a personified 
  complication, where the GM is going to say “nice try, but 
  no,” a lot. Because of this, you’ll want to pay close attention 
  to the awarding of hero points when dealing with a plot 
  device villain.
  First off, you do not have to hand out hero points every 
  time the villain appears, or even every time he does some-
  thing. A lot of the challenges the foe raises are no different 
  than those posed by other villains. For example, if a PL X 
  imp decides to bring a set of fictional or legendary histori-
  cal villains to life, that’s just part of the plot, not necessar-
  ily a setback for the heroes—especially if said villains are 
  conventional characters the heroes can fight. Similarly, if 
  a hero attacks a plot device character to no avail, that’s 
  not necessarily a setback, either. On the other hand, if the 
  villain arbitrarily does something like remove the heroes’ 
  powers, turn them into small animals, or transport them 
  to medieval times or the like, that counts as a complica-
  tion and should earn them a hero point.
  The primary reason to hand out hero points when deal-
  ing with plot device characters is to allow the good guys 
  to deal with the threats and challenges the villain places 
  in their path, and to encourage the use of hero points for 
  inspiration or extra effort aimed at overcoming the villain. 
  So you want to give the players enough hero points, with-
  out necessarily handing them out for things that are just 
  routine challenges with an unusual twist or explanation to 
  them. As with all Gamemastering decisions, use your best 
  judgment based on the flow of the adventure, keeping in 
  7474
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  mind that it is easier to make up for a deficiency in hero 
  points by giving out more than it is to take away points 
  you’ve already given to the players.
  ABILITIES
  A villain’s ability ranks tend to be less defining in many 
  ways than a hero’s. Depending on how the game plays out, 
  the players may never even know what a villain’s Aware-
  ness or Strength score is. Plus villains aren’t restricted in 
  terms of how many points they can spend on abilities in 
  the way player characters are.
  Use benchmarks like those in the M&M Hero’s Handbook 
  to assign the ability ranks you feel the character should 
  have, without worrying about the point values. Just add 
  them up after, if you feel like keeping track of point totals. 
  Generally speaking, the easiest thing to do when creating 
  a villain is to focus on the one or two most important abili-
  ties and give them modifiers at or near the power level, 
  leaving the other abilities around +0 (maybe +1 or +2) un-
  less you conceive of the character as particularly weak in 
  one or more of them, in which case you might want to 
  assign a negative modifier.
  ABILITIES AND POWERS
  For villains with permanent ability-modifying power ef-
  fects, take their bonuses and penalties into account when 
  you’re assigning ranks. You may find it easier to assign the 
  final desired ability rank and then work backwards, sub-
  tracting the modifier provided by powers. The remainder 
  is what the villain pays for the ability. So, for example, if 
  you want a growing villain to have a Strength of 13 and 
  you envision the villain 50 feet tall, look at gargantuan 
  Growth (12 ranks) and the +12 Strength it provides. Sub-
  tracting 12 from 13, the villain needs to pay just 2 points, 
  for 1 rank of Strength, to get the desired result.
  SKILLS
  Skills for villains come in two primary types: active and 
  passive. Active skills are those you expect will see use dur-
  ing direct confrontations with the villain. They include in-
  teraction skills, or combat-useful skills such as Acrobatics. 
  Passive skills are those more likely to come up “off panel” 
  or when the heroes are not around, based mainly around 
  routine check results.
  For active skills, take the series power level into account 
  when you are assigning a bonus (and therefore skill ranks) 
  to the villain: in a PL 10 series, a hero isn’t going to have 
  an interaction skill bonus greater than +20, and it’ll prob-
  ably be closer to +10-15 or so. Thus the villain’s skills in 
  that area should be commensurate, unless you want the 
  bad guy to have extraordinary skill or resistance.
  Set passive skill bonuses at whatever amount fits the 
  concept of the villain and is sufficient to let the charac-
  ter accomplish appropriate routine checks. So a scien-
  tific genius villain is most certainly going to have ranks 
  in Expertise and Technology. Assign these based on the 
  sort of things you want the villain able to know and do. 
  For example, the most difficult Knowledge questions are 
  around DC 30, so a villain with a +20 bonus can answer 
  them routinely. Similarly, a master sneak-thief able to get 
  past DC 30 security needs a +20 skill bonus, if able to ac-
  complish it routinely.
  You do not have to worry about any odd or unspent ranks 
  from the villain’s skill total, so long as the skill modifiers 
  are where you want them. Since villains have unlimited 
  points, it doesn’t really matter if they “waste” a half of a 
  point on an odd skill rank.
  ADVANTAGES
  Assign whatever advantages are appropriate for the vil-
  lain, keeping in mind that you’ll have to manage those 
  advantages during play. You might want to keep to a rela-
  tively simple set of options where combat advantages are 
  concerned, taking the time to include any and all appli-
  cable modifiers in the villain’s game traits.
  While you could assign a villain who has equipment or 
  minions the appropriate ranks in the Equipment and 
  Minions advantages, there really isn’t any real need to do 
  so, since those advantages are just placeholders for the 
  points assigned to those traits, and villains do not have 
  the same point-budget concerns. You can figure out the 
  necessary advantage ranks and totals if you wish, but 
  not doing so won’t really affect the villain in play either 
  way (see the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff... sidebar for 
  more).
  FORTUNE ADVANTAGES
  A particular category when it comes to villain design in 
  M&M (and non-player character design in general) is fortune 
  advantages. These advantages rely on or influence the use 
  of hero points in some fashion. Of course, by definition, 
  villains do not have hero points! This makes assigning 
  fortune advantages to them somewhat problematic, even 
  in cases where it would be entirely appropriate.
  Fortune advantages that require spending a hero point 
  (such as Inspire, Leadership, and Ultimate Effort) can be 
  treated as complications; when you activate the advantage 
  for the villain, award the players of any characters affected 
  by it a hero point. Having the villain automatically gain 
  initiative (Seize Initiative) or exhort a minion to shake off 
  a condition (Leadership) is essentially a complication for 
  the heroes anyway.
  Things get trickier in dealing with the Luck advantage. 
  Since this advantage grants die re-rolls like hero points, 
  can villains (who have no access to hero points) take it at 
  all? If they can, it’s potentially upsetting to the hero point 
  “economy” of the game, since it means villains can spend 
  those “points” without awarding any hero points to the 
  characters. This might be appropriate for some especially 
  fortunate bad guys, with no more than a couple of ranks 
  to keep it from getting out of hand. Otherwise, it is best 
  not to assign Luck to villains; “lucky” foes tend to either 
  have the benefit of GM-defined complications or powers 
  like Probability Control.
  7575
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  POWERS
  Villains often have both a broader range of power choices 
  than heroes, and a more restricted range of actual powers. 
  This is because villains have unlimited power points to 
  spend but are more often “one-trick ponies” compared to 
  heroes. Master villains may have as much or more variety 
  as heroes, but lieutenants and henchmen rarely do.
  Assign the powers necessary to describe the villain as 
  you imagine him or her. If a particular power doesn’t fit 
  within the power level you’ve chosen, consider either 
  restricting that power (and rethinking your concept a bit) 
  or changing the villain’s power level to compensate. Keep 
  in mind a great many powers in M&M are not restricted by 
  power level at all, so a villain can have unlimited ranks in 
  movement effects, for example, regardless of assigned PL.
  Pay particular attention to the following aspects of a 
  villain’s powers: stunned capabilities, overall range or 
  “reach,” and the negation of heroic advantages.
  STUNNED POWER CAPABILITIES
  Odds are good that your villain will suffer a dazed or 
  stunned result in combat sooner or later. Unless you 
  intend to negate all of them by handing out hero points 
  to the players, you should consider what happens if the 
  villain loses actions. In particular, is the character heavily 
  dependent on concentration or sustained duration effects 
  like Flight or Sustained Protection?
  Generally, the more important the villain, the less vulner-
  able he or she should be to this tactic. Lieutenant and 
  henchmen villains can suffer more from being stunned 
  than master villains, giving players the satisfaction of 
  bringing down their defenses, messing up their power 
  use, or knocking them out of the air. You might want to 
  use complications to keep it from happening too soon or 
  too often, but you are generally safe to make it at least 
  possible in the design phase, and to allow it to happen 
  regularly in play.
  POWER RANGE OR REACH
  Consider the overall range of the villain’s powers, par-
  ticularly offensive ones. Is the villain primarily a distance 
  fighter with ranged attacks, a close-in fighter relying on 
  Strength and close attacks, or a mixture of the two? Power 
  range helps determine how you want to focus the villain’s 
  attack bonus (via skills and advantages) and how effective 
  the villain is in different situations. A close-combat villain 
  may have difficulties if the heroes decide to simply pep-
  per him with ranged attacks, never getting close enough 
  for the villain to get his mitts on them. Similarly, a ranged 
  combatant might be in trouble in a hero manages to slip 
  past his attacks and close to hand-to-hand combat.
  Also consider the villain’s range in terms of area effects. 
  These work best for solo villains, who do not have to worry 
  about hitting any allies; team villains should at least be a 
  little concerned about taking an ally out of the fight, even 
  if they care nothing for them personally. Does the villain 
  need the Selective extra for certain area effects? Does that 
  fit your concept of the character? If not, and the villain 
  simply has to be cautious, that’s a weakness clever heroes 
  may exploit.
  7676
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  NEGATION OF HEROIC POWERS
  Lastly, consider to what degree the villain’s powers can 
  and should overcome various advantages possessed by 
  the heroes.
  As Gamemaster, you have a certain advantage when it 
  comes to designing villains: You can customize them to 
  the heroes in order to make them more of a challenge. 
  For example, if there is an Insubstantial hero in the group, 
  you can create villains with the Affects Insubstantial extra. 
  Similarly, you can give villains Senses that defeat a hero’s 
  Concealment, Immunity to certain of their attacks, or Af-
  flictions that target their weakest defenses.
  There’s a delicate balance between using this advantage 
  to make a villain or villain-team challenging and using it to 
  build unbeatable villains specifically designed to exploit 
  every one of the heroes’ weak points. It’s unfair to always 
  confront the Insubstantial hero with foes who just “hap-
  pen” to have Affects Insubstantial or to have every villain 
  “coincidentally” possess a sense capable of defeating a he-
  ro’s invisibility. Unless the bad guy is specifically designed 
  as a counter to the hero, you may want to consider a ne-
  gating ability a villainous power stunt.
  VILLAIN POWER STUNTS
  Villains can make use of power stunts in the same way other 
  characters do. The primary difference comes in when looking 
  to shake off the fatigue from the extra effort. Doing so for a 
  villain is a complication for the heroes, essentially granting 
  the villain the benefit of a spent hero point. Of course, while 
  creating the villain you can assign potentially any power 
  stunt you can think up as a regular Alternate Effect of the ad-
  versary’s powers, since the character does not have a limited 
  power point budget like a player character hero. However, it 
  is generally easier to assign only those Alternate Effects the 
  villain uses regularly, treating others that come up in play as 
  powers stunts (and possibly complications).
  COMPLICATIONS
  Why give a villain complications? As previously mentioned, 
  villains in M&M don’t earn or use hero points, so what use 
  are complications to them?
  The answer is: villainous complications aren’t useful to the 
  villain, but they do provide the Gamemaster with some 
  handy references for handling the villain in play. They may 
  also provide heroes with a weakness they can exploit to 
  help defeat the villain. In the latter case, the villain’s com-
  plication provides the heroes with an advantage, much 
  like a circumstance modifier. Since the GM chooses the 
  complications for the villains, this advantage does not 
  have a “cost” in game terms; it’s just there for the heroes to 
  exploit, if they figure out how to do so.
  Even 
  more 
  than 
  heroic 
  complications, 
  villainous 
  complications are not set in stone. The ones provided with 
  the archetypes in this chapter are merely suggestions. 
  Feel free to modify or add to them however you like to fit 
  the type of villain you have in mind for your game.
  DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF...
  ... and points and stats are all small stuff.
  Unless you particularly enjoy creating elaborately 
  detailed character sheets for your M&M villains, don’t 
  bother. You don’t need to. A lot of those fine details—
  like specific Benefit advantages, or an enumerated list of 
  every Alternate Effect you can imagine—are just going 
  to go to waste. If this is a first-time villain, you should 
  see if the concept is even going to stick with the players 
  before you get too attached, and find out in play if the 
  bad guy is worthy of a rematch. Then you can give some 
  additional thought to the villain’s hobbies or other 
  details, if you want.
  One of the Gamemastering “secrets” of M&M is this: You 
  do not have to bother figuring out a villain’s power 
  point total! It doesn’t matter. After all, since power 
  points are not dependent on power level (or vice versa) 
  and GM-created characters have as many points as they 
  need and whatever power level you choose to give 
  them, it doesn’t really matter how many (or how few) 
  points a villain “costs”! Again, if you really enjoy adding 
  up a villain’s points and building traits (or you’re using 
  design software such as Lone Wolf’s Hero Lab for M&M), 
  don’t let us get in the way of your fun, but if you don’t 
  want to do those things, there’s really no need!
  By the same token, there’s nothing to stop you from add-
  ing or subtracting details even in the midst of a game. If, 
  for example, it suits the flow of the story for the villain 
  to turn out to have membership in a particular exclusive 
  club, then feel free to make it so, even if you didn’t think 
  to give the character the appropriate Benefit advantage 
  in advance. If a particular retroactive change to a villain 
  constitutes a real complication for the heroes, throw a 
  hero point award their way. Otherwise, changing the vil-
  lain “behind the curtain” is entirely your prerogative. If 
  you do it deftly, your players don’t even have to know 
  that it wasn’t always planned that way!
  QUICK & EASY VILLAINS
  Given that power point totals and such really don’t 
  matter for villains. You can even quickly and easily “fake” 
  a character in M&M using the following guidelines.
  Choose a power level for your villain based on the char-
  acter’s role: within 1 level of the series PL for a lieuten-
  ant, 1–5 levels higher for a master villain, and 3–5 levels 
  lower for a henchman. So for a PL10 series, aim for PL11-
  15 for a master villain, PL9-11 for a lieutenant, and PL 
  5–7 for a henchman.
  Whenever you need to know one of the villain’s ranks, 
  use the chosen power level if it is for an important trait 
  like an attack bonus, defense, power rank or ability the 
  character is known for, such as Strength for a strong vil-
  lain or Intellect for a smart one. If it’s a skill, use the cho-
  sen power level, plus 8. If it is a fairly unimportant trait, 
  use either half the chosen power level, or a rank of 0.
  Using this method (and some knowledge of the game’s 
  traits and basic effects) you can whip up characters out 
  of “thin air” on the spur of the moment. Need a quick 
  generic crook? Given him PL4 and a commensurate rank 
  in all appropriate abilities, and you’re done! Sure, this 
  approach lacks fine detail, but chances are the players 
  won’t know the different in the middle of a game.
  7777
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  The Assassin is a professional killer, often for hire to 
  the highest bidder. More than a mere “hit-man,” this ar-
  chetype is a living weapon, “the best in 
  the world”—or at least so the Assassin 
  frequently claims. Most Assassins are 
  loners, working for a particular cli-
  ent until their contract is completed 
  and then moving on. Some belong 
  to an entire guild of assassins, 
  although this archetype is 
  generally an exemplary mem-
  ber of such a group—one of 
  their very best—unless they 
  feature in a higher power level 
  series (PL 13+).
  Assassins typically have few, 
  if 
  any, 
  superhuman 
  pow-
  ers, although they are the 
  pinnacle of human athletic 
  achievement and combat skill, 
  with a ruthlessness to match. 
  Some assassins have their abili-
  ties heightened by special treatments or training 
  (drugs, chemicals, secret martial arts, and so forth), 
  while others are the products of intense conven-
  tional training and experience. The ability to pit 
  themselves against superhuman targets and win 
  is a point of pride for most assassins.
  THEMES
  Unsurprisingly, most assassin themes re-
  volve around death, choice of assassina-
  tion method, or choice of target. Assassins 
  tend to stick close to their theme, with any 
  variation from their expected M.O. a big 
  clue that something strange is going on.
  DEATH-CULTIST
  More than just a dealer of death, the 
  Death-Cultist worships death in some 
  fashion. It might just be an affectation 
  intended to throw a scare into targets 
  or an unhealthy obsession with death-
  themed imagery: skull masks, black 
  clothing, crypt-like lairs, and so forth. 
  The assassin might belong to an actual 
  death-cult, worshipping a known or 
  fictional deity, such as an assassin cult 
  dedicated to St. Julian the Hospitaller, 
  patron saint of murderers. Some cult-
  ists might worship Death itself as an 
  embodied concept, whatever that 
  might mean in the context of the 
  setting. Some Death-Cultists have su-
  pernatural powers due to their faith and training, while 
  for others, it’s all just outward trappings.
  HUNTER
  For the Hunter, it is not the kill that matters, but the 
  thrill and challenge of the hunt. Hunters often start out 
  stalking and killing animals, for survival or for sport, 
  then move on to hunting “the most dangerous game”: 
  humans, especially superhumans. Although they of-
  ten justify themselves as “sportsmen,” villainous 
  Hunters are typically sadists who get a thrill 
  out of hunting and killing their prey. A Hunter 
  may have a primitive style, focusing on the 
  use of traditional hunting techniques and 
  tools used by an indigenous people, or may 
  take a more modern approach, using things 
  like firearms (or tranq guns), night-vision 
  scopes, and the like. Hunters are particu-
  larly likely to take an interest in heroes 
  with animal themes or powers as po-
  tential prey.
  REVENANT
  A Revenant is an undead assassin 
  that targets the living for various 
  reasons, most often vengeance 
  for the Revenant’s own death. 
  A Revenant might also seek out 
  targets it hated in life, such as 
  an undead soldier who assas-
  sinates military and govern-
  ment personnel from a nation 
  against which he fought a war, 
  even if that war is long since 
  over. Alternately, a Revenant 
  Assassin might go after targets 
  he once cared about, feeling they 
  have betrayed him.
  At a minimuma Revenant has Im-
  munity to Fortitude Effects and no 
  Stamina rank, being already dead. 
  Revenant Assassins may have addi-
  tional powers, particularly high ranks 
  in Regeneration or even Immortality 
  to keep coming back after being dam-
  aged or destroyed. Some also have var-
  ious Senses, allowing them to detect 
  and track their preferred targets with 
  uncanny accuracy.
  SLAYER
  Assassins 
  are 
  equal-opportunity 
  killers, while Slayers target a 
  particular type of victim. It 
  ASSASSIN
  7878
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  might be mutants, the undead, mystics, psychics, or 
  even superheroes in general, to name a few. A Slayer’s 
  reasons for choosing a particular target vary, from a re-
  ligious belief in cleansing the world of a terrible evil to 
  a personal vendetta extended against an entire group. 
  Many Slayers see themselves as righteous (if misunder-
  stood) and their foes—and anyone allied with them—as 
  evil. Others are akin to Hunters (previously) with a par-
  ticular type of chosen prey. The Favored Foe advantage 
  is all but required for Slayers, and they often have powers 
  suited to hunting and killing their preferred targets.
  VIGILANTE
  A Vigilante walks a gray line between “hero” and “villain” 
  as he assassinates criminals, acting as judge, jury, and es-
  pecially executioner. Some Vigilantes act out of a sense of 
  duty and justice (at least justice as they see it). Others are 
  driven more by vengeance, ruthlessly eliminating anyone 
  standing between them and their targets, making little 
  distinction between the innocent and the guilty (or at 
  least assuming anyone working against them is guilty by 
  association). Vigilantes often serve as dark reflections of 
  costumed heroes, who are also vigilantes of sorts. In the 
  Silver Age they are out-and-out villains, while in the Iron 
  Age they frequently became protagonists. The Modern 
  Age style tends to place Vigilantes in a gray area, posing 
  some moral quandaries for the heroes.
  WEAPON SPECIALIST
  For Weapon Specialists, the kill is simply an expression 
  of their mastery of a chosen weapon, their dedication 
  to a particular “art” of assassination. Choices for weapon 
  specialists range from all kinds of archaic weapons like 
  swords, knives, shuriken, and garrotes to modern firearms, 
  unique super-tech gadgets, or even particular unarmed 
  combat styles. A Weapon Specialist’s skill is so great as to 
  be almost superhuman, with advantages and even pow-
  ASSASSIN 
  PL10
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  3
  3
  4
  4
  8
  1
  2
  3
  EQUPMENT
  Arsenal: Array (16 points)
  • Flash-Bang Grenades: Ranged Burst Area Dazzle 4 • 16 points
  • Assault Rifle: Ranged Multiattack Damage 5 • 1 point
  • Combat Knife: Strength-Based Damage 2, Improved Critical  
  • 1 point
  • Fragmentation Grenades: Ranged Burst Area Damage 5  
  • 1 point
  • Heavy Pistol: Ranged Damage 4 • 1 point
  • Sleep Gas Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Sleep 4 • 1 point
  • Smoke Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Concealment Attack 4  
  • 1 point
  • Sniper Rifle and Targeting Scope: Ranged Damage 5, 
  Improved Aim, Improved Critical • 1 point
  • Tear Gas Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Affliction 4 • 1 point
  Body Armor: Protection 2 • 2 points
  Commlink: Feature 1 (Communication) • 1 point
  Mini-Tracers: Feature 1 (Tracking) • 1 point
  Rebreather: Immunity 2 (Suffocation), Limited • 1 point
  VEHICLE: MOTORCYCLE • 11 POINTS
  Medium; Str 1, Speed 6, Def 10, Tou 8; Smokescreen
  SKILLS
  Acrobatics 8 (+12), Athletics 8 (+11), Close Combat: Blades 4 
  (+12), Deception 9 (+12), Expertise: Assassin 8 (+9), Expertise: 
  Streetwise 8 (+9), Expertise: Tactics 6 (+7), Insight 8 (+10), 
  Intimidation 6 (+9), Perception 8 (+10), Ranged Combat: Guns 
  7 (+11), Sleight of Hand 8 (+12), Stealth 9 (+13), Technology 8 
  (+9), Treatment 2 (+3), Vehicles 5 (+9)
  ADVANTAGES
  Accurate Attack, Assessment, Benefit (Alternate Identity), 
  Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 8, 
  Evasion 2, Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Sniper Rifle), 
  Improved Grab, Improved Initiative 2, Power Attack, Precise 
  Attack 4 (Close and Ranged; Cover and Concealment), Ranged 
  Attack 4, Takedown, Throwing Mastery 4, Ultimate Aim, 
  Uncanny Dodge
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +12
  Assault Rifle +15
  Ranged, Damage 5
  Knife +12
  Close, Damage 5, Crit. 19-20
  Pistol +15
  Ranged, Damage 4
  Sniper Rifle +15
  Ranged, Damage 5, Crit. 18-20
  Unarmed +8
  Close, Damage 3
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  13
  FORTITUDE
  9
  PARRY
  13
  TOUGHNESS
  7/5*
  WILL
  11
  *Without Defensive Roll.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  56
  SKILLS 
  56
  POWERS
  0
  DEFENSES
  29
  ADVANTAGES
  38
  TOTAL
  179
  COMPLICATIONS
  Addiction: To performance-enhancing or emotion-deadening 
  drugs, or to the act of killing itself.
  Enemy: Rival assassins or vengeful victims.
  Honor: A rigid “assassin’s code.”
  Obsession: With completing a job.
  Reputation: A particular style that makes the assassin 
  predictable.
  7979
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  ers based around the things the Specialist can do with his 
  chosen weapon.
  In addition to conventional targets, Weapon Specialists 
  are prone to going after any hero who also specializes 
  in their chosen weapon, simply to prove their superior 
  skill (or get revenge for past losses, as the case may be). 
  A Weapon Specialist villain might have even trained with 
  the same teacher as a hero, or could be the hero’s teacher! 
  Similarly, a Weapon Specialist Assassin might be a failed 
  student of a hero, gone over to the side of evil.
  NAME IDEAS
  Caliber, Carnifex, Dirge, Finale, Hitman, Hunter, Killer, 
  Reaper, Slayer
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic elements associated with the Assassin in-
  clude the following:
  CODE OF HONOR
  Most assassins have some sort of honor code, primarily 
  as a plot device to keep them from simply killing heroes 
  outright with cowardly (but highly effective) methods 
  like sniping or remote-controlled explosives. The assas-
  sin either wants to test the target in honorable combat 
  (which usually means face-to-face) or has a compulsion 
  about giving targets a “fair chance,” whatever that may 
  mean in the killer’s own twisted terms. Some assassins 
  have a secret death wish and a tendency to either self-
  sabotage or set up potentially deadly confrontations 
  with their foes, such as giving clues about their plans 
  or whereabouts. Smart heroes can exploit an assassin’s 
  code of honor to at least ensure a fair fight. Many profes-
  sional assassins place a great deal of emphasis on “my 
  word is my bond,” and will not go back on an agreement 
  once they have made it.
  SIGNED IN BLOOD
  Assassins—like many supervillains—have sizeable egos, 
  particularly where their area of expertise is concerned. 
  They often like to “sign” their work in some fashion, so 
  everyone knows who pulled off such an impressive job. 
  This might involve leaving something at the scene—
  such as a calling card, note, or symbol—or killing in a 
  particular fashion. Such signatures serve as clues for he-
  roes investigating the killings and can alert them to an 
  old foe who is active again. Someone else might also use 
  an Assassin’s signature to try and mislead the heroes or 
  frame the villain, but runs the risk of having to deal not 
  only with the heroes but with an angry Assassin out for 
  revenge!
  IT’S A TRAP!
  Code of honor or no, Assassins are not stupid, and they try 
  and arrange confrontations in their favor whenever pos-
  sible. Heroes can expect an Assassin after them to set up 
  various traps, ranging from rigged battlefields to kidnap-
  ping loved ones for use as bait. An Assassin is not above 
  setting up various feints to test the heroes’ capabilities: 
  sending disposable hirelings after them to gather infor-
  mation, for example, or placing innocents in traps, forcing 
  the heroes to rescue them and demonstrate their abilities 
  (and limitations) for monitors and cameras. A cunning As-
  sassin might even infiltrate a hero team with an imposter 
  (like the Master of Disguise) to learn all about them before 
  making a move.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving an Assassin may include the follow-
  ing:
  MARKED FOR DEATH
  The heroes have crossed the wrong people, who want 
  them out of the picture, permanently. Guess who 
  they’ve hired? The Assassin might even tip the potential 
  victims off, either as a “professional courtesy” or out of 
  sheer arrogance. Even if the Assassin does not, the em-
  ployer might, or word could reach the heroes through 
  the grapevine. This is especially likely once the Assassin 
  starts sniffing around for information: rather than going 
  after the heroes right away, their new foe takes time to 
  do research, probe for weaknesses, and generally set the 
  targets up for the kill. Fortunately, this gives the heroes 
  time not only to prepare their defenses, but to go on 
  the offensive and take the Assassin out before he has a 
  chance to make his move.
  KISS, KISS, BANG, BANG
  A hero’s new love interest is a figure of mystery: suave, 
  smart, and sophisticated, with a wicked sense of hu-
  mor, and a job the interest is vague about that seems to 
  allow for a lot of free time. Not long thereafter, some-
  body makes an attempt on the hero’s life, using intimate 
  knowledge of his or her activities. Is the new love inter-
  est the Assassin in disguise? An informant? Somebody 
  trying to protect the hero from the Assassin? Or just a 
  coincidence? For a twist on this, perhaps the new love 
  interest is romancing someone else in the hero’s life: a 
  relative, friend, or even ex-romantic interest, in order to 
  get close to and find out more about the hero and per-
  haps to create a distraction.
  NOTHING TO LOSE
  The only Assassin more dangerous than the paid profes-
  sional is one with nothing left to lose. The Assassin might 
  be a fanatic willing to die for a cause, or someone with 
  a death wish, looking for a hero willing and able to use 
  lethal force. If the heroes are not willing initially, then per-
  haps the Assassin can find a way to encourage them, such 
  as threatening loved ones, ruining the heroes’ reputations, 
  or putting them in a kill-or-be-killed situation, especially if 
  lives other than their own are at stake. Of course, it’s possi-
  ble the slain Assassin might not rest easily and could come 
  back as a Revenant....
  8080
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  The Brute’s concept is as straightforward as the villain itself 
  is: a physically powerful engine of destruction, capable of 
  plowing a swath of devastation through the city and sur-
  rounding countryside until the heroes manage to stop it.
  The archetypal Brute is large and clearly physically power-
  ful, although still packing far more power than anything 
  its size should. Brute origins range from alien beings and 
  powerful robots to mystical creatures and atomic mutants, 
  but all share similar physical traits: big, strong, tough, and 
  not all that bright.
  THEMES
  Most Brute themes vary some element of the arche-
  type’s essential theme of “big, strong, and tough” so every 
  Brute the heroes encounter is not the same, even if their 
  Strength and Damage ranks are. Some of these themes 
  can even combine for a particularly unusual Brute adver-
  sary, such as a Fast, Mindless Brute, or a Titanic, Sympa-
  thetic one.
  TITANIC
  The Brute is big, but some are truly gigantic, towering like 
  the skyscrapers they walk amongst and threaten. The Ti-
  tanic Brute trades off ranks of Strength and Stamina for 
  Growth. Titanic Brutes tend to be rampaging monsters (and 
  may also be Mindless, see the following), but they can also 
  be foes able to change size. If so, the Brute’s Growth should 
  not be Permanent, allowing him to shrink to normal human 
  size, either voluntarily or as a complication.
  UNSTOPPABLE
  The Brute archetype is already tough, but this variation is 
  nigh-invulnerable, having an even greater degree of Im-
  pervious Toughness, or perhaps even Immunity to physi-
  cal damage! Punches, blasts, perhaps even nukes are not 
  enough to deal with an Unstoppable Brute; indeed, no 
  mere physical attack can do the job. This calls for the he-
  roes to get creative to deal with the Unstoppable Brute. 
  Perhaps it has some sort of weakness they can figure out, 
  such as extreme cold, high-frequency sound, or particu-
  lar wavelengths of radiation. Whatever the case, the GM 
  should provide some clues, and allow for the use of hero 
  points for inspiration to figure things out before it’s too 
  late.
  FAST
  “How could something so big be so fast?” is the phrase you 
  most often hear about the Fast Brute. Rather than big and 
  clumsy, this theme defies expectations by having higher 
  active defenses and ranks of Improved Initiative, if not 
  outright Quickness or Super-Speed. The Fast Brute might 
  merely have quick and predatory reflexes, or a measure of 
  tactical speed intended to outmaneuver opponents.
  SMART
  Although the classic brute is both big and dumb, there is 
  nothing that says this has to be the case. A smart brute is, 
  in many ways, far more dangerous, as he knows full well 
  how (and where, and when) to use his physical might to 
  his advantage. A Smart Brute uses tactics and knows to 
  go after opponents who can potentially target his weak-
  nesses (such as mentalists or mystics).
  MINDLESS
  The Mindless Brute makes the basic archetype look like 
  brilliant by comparison. It is a true “mindless engine of 
  destruction,” having no thoughts (or Intellect rank) at all, 
  only preprogrammed instructions or instincts. It might be 
  an animal or machine. Unfortunately for the heroes, this 
  tends to cover one of the Brute’s weak spots—namely, 
  its mind. Mindless Brutes are immune to interaction skills 
  and mental effects; characters may be able to trick the 
  Brute if they understand what drives it, but they certainly 
  cannot reason with or control it.
  DRIVEN
  While a Brute may just be out to wreck downtown (or the 
  state, or the planet...) or pound the heroes into the pave-
  ment, some are driven by other impulses. Knowing what 
  drives a Brute can be a key to overcoming it, or at least 
  luring it away from the most densely populated areas to 
  deal with it.
  A Brute may be driven to attack a particular target: going 
  after things that enrage or annoy it, for example, or pre-
  programmed to focus on superhumans, mutants, mystics, 
  or another class of opponent, particularly if the Brute was 
  originally designed as a weapon of sorts.
  SYMPATHETIC
  Just because a Brute is a tremendous force for destruction 
  does not mean it is evil—at least, not intentionally. Brutes 
  might turn out to be anything from pain-maddened 
  beasts lashing out in their agony to lost and confused 
  creatures unaware the tiny, screaming things around 
  them are actually people with thoughts and feelings of 
  their own. Some Brutes are essentially animals, perhaps 
  enslaved to a villainous master. Other Sympathetic Brutes 
  include aliens lost or stranded on Earth, unable to com-
  prehend the environment or even driven mad by some as-
  pect of it (such as industrial pollutants, or electromagnetic 
  “smog” from radio and cell phone transmissions). If the he-
  roes take the time to figure out what is going on with the 
  Sympathetic Brute, perhaps having seen some hints as to 
  its true nature, they might be able to remove the cause of 
  its rampage or otherwise reason with it rather than just 
  pounding on it until it drops.
  BRUTE
  8181
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  NAME IDEAS
  Brute, Joten, Minotaur, Ogre, Ox, Piledriver, Smasher, Tank. 
  Many Brutes—especially mindless ones—do not name 
  themselves but are instead named by the media, military, 
  first victim, etc. Of course, these names are often appropriate!
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic elements associated with the Brute include:
  THE MORE YOU FIGHT...
  ... the stronger the Brute gets. Many Brutes start out tough 
  but then get tougher as you fight them! The reasons for 
  this vary: the Brute might get stronger as he gets mad-
  der (ranks of Reaction Enhanced abilities). He may absorb 
  physical punishment, turning it into sheer strength or 
  mass, or seek out sources of energy ranging from heat and 
  electricity to the psychic energy of fear and panic, trans-
  forming it into greater power. The key point is, the longer 
  the fight against the Brute goes on, the more powerful 
  and difficult to defeat it becomes. Overcoming the Brute 
  typically involves cutting it off from its source of power, 
  which may at least reduce it to manageable levels if it 
  doesn’t stop it outright.
  YOU AND WHAT ARMY?
  More than most other super-foes, Brutes tend to attract the 
  military, which appreciates a big, nigh-invulnerable target 
  to shoot at. Unfortunately, conventional military forces are 
  nearly always useless against the Brute, serving only to an-
  ger or further empower him (see the previous bit). So the 
  heroes often have to deal not only with the rampaging 
  Brute, but with military hard-cases who do not care for cos-
  tumed civilians telling them how to do their job.
  If nothing else, military personnel and equipment serve 
  as great opportunities to show off just how tough and ca-
  pable the Brute is, in case the heroes are not getting the 
  message. The military can also be the ones to start a fight, 
  if it looks like the heroes are being entirely too reasonable 
  or successful in talking the Brute down. All it takes is one 
  hotshot military salvo to destroy delicate negotiations 
  and send the Brute off on another rampage.
  DR. JEKYLL, I PRESUME...?
  It is common for a Brute to have a normal identity, often 
  with the complication of transforming into the Brute, and 
  possibly back again, depending on the circumstances. 
  Some normal identities are completely separate personal-
  ities, unaware of what the Brute does and trying—some-
  what futilely—to contain it. Others are fully aware of their 
  Brute nature and revel in it, looking for ways to retain the 
  Brute’s power at all times. Having an effective innocent 
  trapped within the rampaging form of a Brute can create 
  additional complications for the heroes, if they are look-
  ing to find a way to separate the man from the monster.
  GETTING HIT WITH A TRUCK (LITERALLY)
  Although Brutes get along quite well with just their un-
  armed attacks, most of them lack ranged attacks to deal 
  BRUTE 
  PL13
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  18*
  17*
  1
  0
  4
  -2
  0
  -1
  POWERS
  Big: Growth 4 (Innate, Permanent) • 9 points
  Strong: Enhanced Strength 4, Limited to Lifting (100,000 
  tons); Leaping 12 • 16 points
  Strength Tricks: Strength Damage Array (18 points)
  • Shockwave: Burst Area Affliction 9 (Resisted by Fortitude; 
  Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated) • 1 point
  • Thunderclap: Burst Area Auditory Dazzle 9, Close Range  
  • 1 point
  Tough: Immunity 12 (Cold Damage, Disease, Heat Damage, 
  Poison), Impervious Toughness 12 • 24 points
  SKILLS
  Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+8), Intimidation 12 (+13*), 
  Perception 2 (+2), Ranged Combat: Throwing 8 (+8)
  ADVANTAGES
  Close Attack 2, Great Endurance, Improved Hold
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +1
  Shockwave —
  Close Burst, Dodge DC 19
  Thunderclap —
  Close Burst, Dodge DC 19
  Unarmed +8
  Close, Damage 18
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  8*
  FORTITUDE
  17
  PARRY
  8*
  TOUGHNESS
  17
  WILL
  9
  *Includes Growth modifiers.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  58
  SKILLS 
  12
  POWERS
  51
  DEFENSES
  24
  ADVANTAGES
  4
  TOTAL
  149
  POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
  Gullible: Easily tricked by anyone who seems friendly or 
  trustworthy.
  Identity: The Brute is an ordinary person who transforms.
  Temper: Dominated by unchecked emotion.
  8282
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  with bothersome foes who can fly or snipe at the Brute 
  from a distance. Fortunately, the urban environments 
  where heroes commonly fight are full of things to pick up 
  and throw at annoying heroes, especially when you are 
  strong enough to toss an SUV like a Major League fastball. 
  Brutes also use tricks like the Shockwave and Thunderclap 
  Alternate Effects of their Strength Damage to hit groups 
  of foes at a distance.
  TACTICS
  Brutes are not usually big on tactics beyond “hit it until it 
  stops fighting back.” Still, even dim or mindless Brutes of-
  ten demonstrate cunning in fights, using makeshift weap-
  ons to deal with foes they cannot safely hit (or reach), cre-
  ating barriers with vehicles or rubble to block dangerous 
  attacks, and so forth.
  The typical Brute fighting style also creates additional 
  headaches for heroes, since Brutes 
  tend to do things like hurl buses 
  full of people as weapons, cre-
  ate shockwaves that shatter windows and collapse build-
  ings, and so forth. Fighting a Brute anywhere around in-
  nocent people should provide plenty of opportunities for 
  heroics, as some characters rescue people imperiled by 
  the fight while others try to contain the Brute. On the up-
  side, the players are at least earning hero points for their 
  characters to turn the tables on the Brute eventually (the 
  ones they do not use to soak up all the damage coming 
  their way, that is).
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Brute may include the following:
  ON THE RAMPAGE!
  The classic and straightforward Brute adventure: the 
  Brute shows up and goes on a rampage, tearing up the 
  city or countryside until the heroes intervene and man-
  age to stop it. This can just be a ripping good fight using 
  parts of the terrain for cover and makeshift weaponry, or 
  a desperate struggle to delay the Brute from reaching a 
  densely populated area (or a particularly vulnerable tar-
  get such as a fuel depot or nuclear plant) as the heroes 
  search for a weakness or a way to stop it in time. 
  For an added twist, perhaps the Brute’s rampage 
  is not as random as it initially appears, and 
  some other villain arranged it to dis-
  tract the heroes from some other 
  aspect of his plans.
  MEET MY BIG FRIEND
  Somebody encounters the Brute 
  and manages to become his de 
  facto “friend” and therefore in-
  fluence what he does. This can 
  be anything from a Sympathetic 
  Brute mistaking an unscrupu-
  lous character for a real friend 
  to someone getting the magic 
  words or special device that con-
  trols a Mindless Brute. Naturally, 
  the newfound “handler” decides 
  to use the Brute’s abilities to fur-
  ther his own ends, maybe settling 
  a few scores along the way. Things 
  get more interesting if the Brute’s 
  newfound “friend” is not a villain, 
  but somebody like an angry child or 
  teenager, a homeless or mentally ill 
  person, or another relative innocent 
  with issues. For a “beauty 
  and the beast” option, 
  the Brute’s friend might 
  actually be a love-
  interest of sorts, 
  right up to a cli-
  matic confronta-
  tion at the top 
  of the tallest sky-
  scraper in the city.
  8383
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  RIGHT WHERE WE WANT HIM
  The military (see Classic Bits earlier in this section) fi-
  nally manages to come up with a tactic or experimental 
  weapon to capture and secure the Brute. Perhaps they 
  even rely on the heroes to do the job, showing up in the 
  aftermath to cart the Brute away with vague assurances 
  about “top men” handling things from hereon in. Either 
  way, the heroes quickly discover certain factions within 
  the government intend to turn the Brute into a weapon 
  or, worse yet, use it as a template to create more like it, but 
  under government control. What could possibly go wrong 
  with a plan like that? Chances are the heroes will find out 
  sooner or later—sooner if they decide to intervene and 
  later if they do not, and the results of the military’s failed 
  plan end up rampaging through the city.
  COMPOSITE
  Where one might fall, a thousand may prevail! The Com-
  posite is made of countless smaller pieces—grains of 
  sand, drops of water, individual animals, or tiny robots—
  that operate as a singular entity with a single mind and 
  will. Slithering, formless masters of their component ele-
  ments, they are tricky adversaries who often sidestep the 
  most common tactics employed by superheroes.
  Composites double as bruisers, but also benefit from their 
  unusual bodies. They can sneak through any opening 
  large enough to accommodate a single unit of their mass, 
  stretch and distort their forms, and shrug off certain kinds 
  of damage. A single intellect is shared across the entire 
  mass, or each unit holds a tiny piece of the Composite’s 
  identity or a single memory, and so long as one piece of 
  the Composite survives its encounter with heroes, it can 
  return to menace them again in the future!
  THEMES
  A Composite’s theme usually revolves around their physi-
  cal structure. A Composite made of stone may be immune 
  to electricity as a nonconductive material, while a Com-
  posite made of water would be immune to fire.
  You should consider what Complications accompany their 
  structure and what effects they may be vulnerable to. A 
  water-based Composite might be vulnerable to electrical 
  attacks and freezing, while one made of insects could be 
  controlled or repelled by effects that affect their compo-
  nent bugs.
  The default statblock assumes the Composite is made 
  from liquid or small, solid particles: water, sand, gravel, 
  oil, clay, coins, broken glass, and garbage are all longtime 
  comic book staples.
  CAUSTIC
  If the Composite is made of a heated or acidic substance, 
  their touch may cause devastating burns. They gain ranks 
  of Reaction Damage to represent their dangerous nature. 
  A Caustic Composite may be made of molten tar, burning 
  sulfur, or acid; or if also Gaseous, steam or poison gas.
  GASEOUS
  The Composite is already difficult to contain, but if made 
  from gas particles rather than a solid or liquid, they be-
  come almost impossible to contain. Gaseous Composites 
  have Insubstantial rank 2, often combined with ranks of 
  Flight and either Affects Corporeal on their Strength or 
  another means of inflicting damage, such as being Caus-
  tic or an Affliction or Weaken Stamina effect that repre-
  sents suffocating victims with their bodies.
  POSSESSION
  The physical pieces of the Composite rampaging through 
  the city may only be a visible manifestation of another, 
  more subtle being using magic, psychic powers, or other 
  powers to interact with the physical world. In this case, 
  the Composite itself is essentially a summoned creature, 
  maintained and commanded by another villain. It may be 
  a way for an Elder Evil to interact with our world before 
  summoned, a marionette created by a combination of the 
  Mastermind’s telekinesis and psychic senses, or created by 
  the Puppeteer’s influence applied to insects or animals. 
  This doesn’t change the game statistics of the Composite, 
  but the entity creating the animate swarm can simply 
  summon a new one as a standard action every time the 
  heroes defeat it, requiring them to track down and defeat 
  the true villain responsible. The controlling entity may 
  even be a Composite itself, with rank 4 Insubstantial and 
  no other way to interact with the physical world!
  SWARM
  Composites made from rats, bees, spiders, leeches, and 
  other tiny creatures may have additional abilities based 
  on their component species. Most will provide additional 
  Senses, and likely a new form of movement such as Flight, 
  Swimming, or Burrowing. Venomous or stinging creatures 
  may also provide a Reaction Affliction or Reaction Dam-
  age as individual pieces of the Composite attack anyone 
  who draws near. A Swarm Composite may also represent a 
  mass of tiny animals controlled or summoned by another 
  villain via magic or psychic powers, such as a swarm of 
  bats directed by a Vampire.
  TECHNOLOGY
  Tiny robots or powerful microscopic computer chips 
  making up the Composite’s body may allow the villain 
  to interact with computer networks or possess machines 
  in addition to its normal suite of abilities. Possessed ma-
  chines can be represented with the various robot minion 
  archetypes, or by using the statistics for vehicles found in 
  Chapter 7 of the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook.
  8484
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  NAME IDEAS 
  Aggregate, Avalanche, Backfill, Colony, Hydraulic Wom-
  an, Johnny Butane, Mulch, the Pack, Plague, Quarry, Rat 
  Queen, Throng
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following elements are often associated with Com-
  posite villains:
  A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
  Composites (especially those made from animals) can of-
  ten split one or more pieces off themselves to act inde-
  pendently, usually as spies but sometimes to lure heroes 
  into a trap. These smaller components can be treated as 
  minions, and are generally not combat-effective. It’s not 
  uncommon for these independent slices to go rogue or 
  even forget their creator, and become sympathetic to 
  the heroes, who must then protect this newborn sen-
  tient when its parent comes to re-absorb it.
  EVOLUTION
  Many Composites struggle to become greater 
  by evolving beyond humanity or reaching an 
  intellectual singularity. Composites like this of-
  ten grow cleverer as they grow larger, with in-
  dividual members no smarter than a 
  rat or cockroach, but by “networking” 
  thousands of minds together they 
  can develop intellects far beyond 
  humanity. An advanced Composite 
  may even transform into a Mas-
  termind, retaining its Composite 
  powers but gaining increased in-
  telligence and a suite of psychic 
  abilities.
  HUMAN AGAIN
  Some Composite villains were hu-
  mans caught in tragic accidents, 
  and can no longer return to their 
  normal, solid form. These villains 
  commit crimes just to survive or to 
  lash out at a cruel world, and many of 
  their schemes revolve around curing 
  themselves and regaining their lost 
  humanity.
  A THOUSAND FACES
  Some Composites have such 
  fine control over their elements 
  that they can take on human-
  seeming forms at will, while oth-
  ers temporarily develop this ability 
  after an accident or acquiring new 
  technology.
  WE ARE GREATER THAN I
  Multiple personalities and dissociative disorders some-
  times manifest in Composites who began their lives as 
  humans, especially if their mind is spread across multiple 
  brains, like a computer- or animal-based form. These per-
  sonalities may battle for control or—like their physical 
  body—may commune toward a single purpose, allowing 
  the Composite to multi-task.
  Conversely, Composites who have always existed as 
  multiple entities working together usually refer to 
  themselves as a collective and long to demonstrate 
  the superiority of their collaborative mind. These ant 
  colonies, rat nests, or nannite swarms are entire cities unto 
  themselves.
  8585
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  COMPOSITE 
  PL11
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  8
  9
  6
  2
  8
  -1
  4
  0
  POWERS
  Fusillade: Line Area on Strength Damage • 8 points
  Particulate Form: Elongation 2 (30 feet); Enhanced 
  Advantages 5 (Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard, 
  Evasion, Instant Up); Immortality 1 (Return after 2 weeks); 
  Immunity 40 (All Physical Damage; Limited to Half Effect); 
  Insubstantial 1 (Fluid); Movement 4 (Safe Fall, Slithering, 
  Wall-crawling 2) • 43 points
  Resilient: Immunity 20 (Life Support, Select one common 
  power descriptor) • 20 points
  SKILLS
  Acrobatics 4 (+10), Athletics 2 (+10), Close Combat: Unarmed 6 
  (+14), Perception 4 (+8), Stealth 2 (+8)
  ADVANTAGES
  Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard, Evasion, Improved 
  Grab, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Move-by Action, Power Attack
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +6
  Fusillade —
  Line Area, Damage 8
  Unarmed +14
  Close, Damage 8
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  11
  FORTITUDE
  13
  PARRY
  10
  TOUGHNESS
  11/9*
  WILL
  9
  *Without Defensive Roll.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  72
  SKILLS 
  9
  POWERS
  51
  DEFENSES
  16
  ADVANTAGES
  4
  TOTAL
  152
  POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
  Form Vulnerability: The Composite may take extra damage or 
  suffer unusual conditions from certain kinds of attacks.
  Identity: The Composite is an ordinary person who transforms.
  Impulse Control: The Composite’s distributed mind wars with 
  itself, making them erratic and easily confused.
  Insensate: The Composite lacks a sense of touch, which may 
  affect some skills checks and alienates them from human society.
  TACTICS
  In combat, Composites operate much like other melee-
  focused villains. They have more mobility than a Brute 
  or Hybrid, but their strategies often default to “hit it 
  again.” Where a Composite villain stands apart from other 
  villains is their resilience: they are resistant to physical and 
  energy damage and regenerate quickly, requiring heroes 
  to employ unusual tactics to stop or capture the villain. 
  Heroes can’t put handcuffs on a pile of rats, or expect a 
  woman made of water to stay put in a standard prison cell. 
  Composite villains often have Complications stemming 
  from their makeup that heroes must exploit, such as 
  freezing water or dispersing sand with strong winds.
  Thanks to the Composite’s elongation power, they can en-
  gage distant foes with melee attacks, and their flexibility 
  allows them to punch through or pelt every opponent in a 
  continuous line. This Fusillade ability allows them to direct 
  other applications of Strength over a 5-foot by 30-foot 
  area, such as Smash and Trip attacks. They commonly use 
  Extra Effort to change the shape of the Area extra applied 
  to their Strength damage.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving a Composite may include the fol-
  lowing:
  A QUIET SORT OF EVIL
  Composite villains can slip into and out of secure facilities 
  without triggering security devices or leaving the usual 
  trace evidence behind, creating an unusual mystery for 
  the heroes to solve—particularly if they are unaware of 
  the Composite’s existence, or only accustomed to random 
  violence from them. Composites with lower expectations 
  may focus on robbery, but those with ambition may per-
  form sabotage, espionage, or assassinations as mercenar-
  ies or agents for more powerful villains.
  MAXIMUM MAYHEM
  The Composite somehow buds or reproduces, creating an 
  offspring—this may be a natural experience for an alien or 
  a new mutation for a villain transformed into their current 
  state. This new creature lacks whatever compassion or 
  humanity that stops the original villain from committing 
  truly heinous acts, and wields considerably more power or 
  greater numbers. Can the heroes tackle this bigger threat 
  on their own, or will they team up with a former enemy 
  to stop the offspring before they can destroy the city (or 
  worse: reproduce again). Rampaging Composites may 
  even draw unexpected allies from other chaotic villains.
  NOW YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME
  With the help of technology or a mystic artifact, the 
  Composite manages to overcome the most obvious 
  weakness to its form that heroes have exploited in the past, 
  allowing them to now commit crimes with no apparent 
  way to stop them. The heroes will need to find some flaw 
  in these newly-reinforced defenses—perhaps something 
  related to the plot element shields the Composite—to 
  stop the Composite’s one-villain crime wave.
  8686
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CRIME LORD
  While some supervillains go for wanton destruction, world 
  conquest, or grandiose schemes, others prefer to work 
  quietly, behind the scenes, sinister spiders at the center 
  of a web of connections, influence, and corruption. Crime 
  Lords prefer not to get their hands dirty, letting others do 
  the work and take the risks while they reap the rewards. 
  That is not to say Crime Lords are not capable of handling 
  a physical confrontation, although most are not as power-
  ful as their superhuman foes. On the other hand, Crime 
  Lords tend to be the sort that world-spanning heroes of-
  ten overlook, being busy protecting the planet from alien 
  invasions and cosmic megalomaniacs.
  THEMES
  Crime Lords may be distinguished by the style and pro-
  clivities of their criminal empires; some may refuse to 
  indulge in the “dirty business” of drugs or the sex trade, 
  for example, while others prey on every dark instinct and 
  impulse in the human soul.
  HEAD OF THE CONSPIRACY
  More than a mere Crime Lord, this villain is the head of 
  a powerful criminal conspiracy. On the surface, it might 
  appear to be just another syndicate, but its mundane 
  criminal operations funnel resources into its true mo-
  tives. These goals range from subtly influencing society 
  to outright world domination, either covertly or openly, 
  once the time is right to enact the master plan. The Head 
  of the Conspiracy may even have various underlings who 
  are Crime Lords in their own right, each controlling just 
  one head of a vast hydra; the heroes stop the organization 
  in one place, only to find it springing up in another. Con-
  spiracies tend to adopt long-range plans, and some have 
  existed for a very long time. The Head of the Conspiracy 
  might be just the latest in a series, or an immortal, shad-
  owy mastermind who oversees plots spanning lifetimes.
  CULT LEADER
  Similar to the Head of the Conspiracy, a Cult Leader is 
  not just in it for the money. Indeed, profit is often a side-
  line to the cult’s real goals, which may range from world 
  domination to world destruction, or simply increasing the 
  Leader’s own power and influence. Some Cult Leaders are 
  true believers, as fanatical as their followers, if not more 
  so. Others are cynics using the beliefs of the cult to fur-
  ther their own ends, and playing a very dangerous game, 
  should their loyal followers ever discover the scope of 
  their betrayal.
  NOT FROM AROUND HERE
  Although the Crime Lord is typically a very human prob-
  lem, you can mix things up by creating a Crime Lord who 
  is not human at all, or at least not your run-of-the-mill 
  syndicate boss. For example, the Crime Lord might be an 
  alien, perhaps capable of assuming human form or pos-
  sessing a human host body. It could have either taken 
  over an existing criminal syndicate by impersonating and 
  replacing its leader, or created one for its own purposes. 
  Who knows what sorts of things aliens might consider 
  “contraband” from Earth? Otherwise harmless foodstuffs 
  or materials might be addictive drugs or weapons for 
  them. They might deal in human slaves, organs, or meat, 
  for that matter. Similarly, you can create a Crime Lord who 
  is from another dimension, another time, or a similar off-
  beat origin.
  THE NAPOLEON OF CRIME
  A common crossover for the Crime Lord is a touch (or 
  more) of the Mad Scientist archetype (later in this chap-
  ter). Not just ruthless, the Crime Lord is also a fiendishly 
  brilliant inventive mind, capable of coming up with devic-
  es, treatments, and techniques to commit crimes and deal 
  with those bothersome heroes. A Mad Scientist Crime 
  Lord might not just hire supervillain muscle, but also cre-
  ate it from time to time, from building robots and growing 
  clones to developing special treatments or devices. These 
  opportunities are often one-time deals, too unstable for 
  the inventor to use himself, but ideal for the right dupes. 
  These techniques can also conveniently eliminate any po-
  tential rival or evidence in the process—if a prototype’s 
  spectacular self-destruction should happen to take out 
  the heroes as well, so much the better!
  NAME IDEAS
  The Baron, The Cardinal, Crimelord, The Director, El Jefe, 
  Mister Big, Shadowboss
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic elements associated with the Crime Lord in-
  clude:
  YOU MADE ME A MONSTER
  The Composite has a special hatred for whatever 
  organization, villain, or mad scientist is responsible for 
  their origin, and begins a campaign of harassment and 
  violence against them. The heroes become involved either 
  to aid the accidental creator, or to save a city caught in the 
  crossfire. The creator takes some insight from the heroes 
  once they become involved, and develops a technique to 
  reverse the Composite’s mutation. But before the heroes 
  can attempt to capture the multitudinous menace, the 
  Composite kidnaps their creator and forces them to begin 
  the treatment. Is the cure a genuine shot at normalcy for 
  the villain? Or do the heroes discover that the technique is 
  intended to kill the Composite instead, and what do they 
  do with that information?
  8787
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  A TOUCH OF CLASS
  Crime Lords often pose as members of polite society, 
  maintaining the façade of “humble entrepreneur” and 
  “philanthropist” to the outside world. Even Crime Lords 
  who came from poor beginnings aspire to a degree of 
  class, and often enjoy hobnobbing with the rich and 
  famous who would once have never given them the 
  time of day. Having powerful and influential friends also 
  serves as a degree of protection; it is harder for the he-
  roes to bust in on a Crime Lord when he is having cock-
  tails with the mayor, a local Senator, and several captains 
  of industry.
  CAN’T TOUCH ME
  More than any other sort of villain, the Crime Lord often 
  hides behind the letter of the law, twisting it into a shield 
  against “vigilantes” like the heroes (as well as the legiti-
  mate authorities). With plausible deniability and an army 
  of highly paid lawyers, the Crime Lord can reliably squirm 
  out of any charges the heroes might bring, getting right 
  back to business as usual. It is not enough to know the 
  Crime Lord is responsible for something: you have to be 
  able to prove it. This makes dealing with a Crime Lord par-
  ticularly challenging for heroes used to a “nail ‘em and jail 
  ‘em” approach to crime-fighting.
  Another element of this bit is the Crime Lord often has 
  the resources for various traps, security safeguards, and 
  the like to make things more difficult for the heroes. 
  Some Crime Lords might not intend to put heroes into 
  deathtraps, but do so anyway when the do-gooders 
  come after them and stumble into the “home defense 
  system.”
  A major turning point in a hero team’s conflict with a Crime 
  Lord is when they finally get the vital evidence they need to 
  bring their nemesis to justice. Consider doing this when it is 
  clear the players are getting tired of the plotline, as it is an 
  important payoff. Just because they take down the Crime 
  Lord publicly does not mean things are over: some villains 
  manage to go underground while others even continue to 
  run their organization from their jail cell! The characters may 
  still have to dismantle the syndicate and deal with any of the 
  Crime Lord’s would-be successors.
  THE NEW HIRE
  Crime Lords prefer to delegate a lot of the messier tasks 
  of their business, including dealing with those annoy-
  ing costumed vigilantes busting up valuable operations. 
  This makes Crime Lords prime employers for mercenary 
  supervillains, as well as financiers to sponsor the creation 
  of new bad guys to take on the heroes. A Crime Lord can 
  gather a group of formerly unrelated villains together and 
  forge them into a team, or pay a Mad Scientist (see page 
  98) to whip up some new underlings in the laboratory. 
  Naturally, there will be nothing to link the Crime Lord to 
  these criminal elements, and should the heroes manage 
  to defeat them... well, there are always more where they 
  came from.
  TACTICS
  The Crime Lord’s watchword is “subtlety,” balanced against 
  a colossal ego and a need to have foes know who is re-
  sponsible for their downfall. Quite often, heroes only en-
  counter the Crime Lord in the form of taunting notes or 
  recordings, or via anonymous phone calls, hidden audio 
  systems, or video links.
  8888
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Confrontations between the Crime Lord and the heroes 
  tend to happen at the time and place of the villain’s choos-
  ing, typically with various traps and bodyguards close at 
  hand, or in a public place where the heroes are reluctant 
  to make a move without conclusive proof.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Crime Lord may include the fol-
  lowing:
  THE BOSS OF BOSSES
  The first task for an ambitious Crime Lord is unifying all 
  criminal activity in the city, nation, or even world under 
  the direction of one organization. It begins subtly, with 
  certain gangs and bosses united under new leadership 
  and others eliminated. As the Crime Lord’s targets start 
  fighting back, things erupt into a full-scale gang war, with 
  innocent people (and the heroes) caught in the crossfire. 
  As much as a group of crime-fighters might prefer to let 
  the various criminal gangs wipe each other out, they have 
  to consider the consequences. In fact, the Crime Lord may 
  even try to manipulate events so the heroes weaken or 
  eliminate some rival organizations, making the task of 
  uniting the rest that much easier!
  JUST BUSINESS
  The Crime Lord’s organization moves into a lucrative new 
  area of criminal enterprise. It might be some new designer 
  drug, unusual vice, or means of committing more mundane 
  crimes like robbery, such as cyber-crime or use of a new, 
  experimental technology. As the crime wave expands, the 
  heroes have the opportunity to intervene and try to cut off 
  the syndicate’s newest moneymaking venture. Of course, 
  that may be easier said than done, although taking out 
  black-market warehouses, secret drug labs, and other re-
  sources may make a difference. Naturally, the Crime Lord 
  does not take this challenge lightly and tries to eliminate 
  the heroes, or at least distract them with other matters.
  SO YOU WANT TO PLAY ROUGH?
  One means of emphasizing the Crime Lord’s considerable 
  social and “soft” power is for the villain to make a project 
  out of ruining the heroes’ lives. The Crime Lord gathers as 
  much information about them as possible, ferreting out 
  their secret identities, the names of family and friends, 
  their jobs, hobbies, and weaknesses or dark secrets, and 
  them exploits them viciously.
  Heroes find themselves evicted from their homes, their 
  credit ratings ruined, their reputations smeared (both in 
  CRIME LORD 
  PL8
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  4
  3
  1
  1
  8
  6
  5
  7
  EQUPMENT
  Heavy Pistol: Ranged Damage 4 • 8 points
  Smartphone: Features 2 • 2 points
  Walking Stick: Array (8 points)
  • Taser: Affliction 8 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, 
  Incapacitated) • 8 points
  • Bludgeon: Strength-Based Damage 2 • 1 point
  HEADQUARTERS: MANSION • 15 POINTS
  Huge; Tou 10; Features: Communications, Computer, Garage, 
  Gym, Infirmary, Library, Living Space, Power System, Security 
  System 2 (DC 25)
  VEHICLE: ARMORED LIMO • 11 POINTS
  Huge; Str 8, Speed 5, Def 8, Tou 10; Features: Alarm
  SKILLS
  Deception 8 (+15), Expertise: Business 7 (+13), Expertise: 
  Law 8 (+14), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+14), Expertise: Tactics 6 
  (+12), Insight 10 (+15), Intimidation 8 (+15), Perception 4 (+9), 
  Persuasion 8 (+15), Ranged Combat: Guns 6 (+7), Vehicles 5 (+6)
  ADVANTAGES
  All-Out Attack, Benefit (Status), Benefit 3 (Millionaire), 
  Connected, Contacts, Defensive Roll 5, Equipment 9, Great 
  Endurance, Languages 2 (French, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish), 
  Minions 10, Set-Up, Well-Informed
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +1
  Bludgeon +8
  Close, Damage 6
  Pistol +7
  Ranged, Damage 4
  Taser +8
  Close, Affliction 8, Resisted by Fortitude
  Unarmed +8
  Close, Damage 4
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  8
  FORTITUDE
  8
  PARRY
  8
  TOUGHNESS
  8/3*
  WILL
  8
  *Without Defensive Roll.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  70
  SKILLS 
  39
  POWERS
  0
  DEFENSES
  15
  ADVANTAGES
  36
  TOTAL
  160
  COMPLICATIONS
  Enemies: Rival criminal bosses and gang, police.
  Honor: Personal criminal code.
  Relationship: Family, a lover, or a secret child.
  Rivalry: With opposing criminals.
  Temper: When defied or challenged.
  8989
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  and out of costume). Professional organizations investigate 
  and take action against them. Authorities begin to distrust 
  them, and even their friends may turn away from them. The 
  Crime Lord may go so far as to publicly “out” the heroes, so 
  their other enemies can join in on the fun, making fugitives 
  out of the good guys in their own city. All the while, the 
  Crime Lord makes certain the heroes know just who is re-
  sponsible for their misfortunes, but also ensures they can-
  not prove it in a court of law. Will they step over the line to 
  exact revenge? If the Crime Lord fakes his own death in the 
  process, will it just turn out to be his last laugh?
  Obviously, this can be a series-changing plot, best re-
  served for fairly gritty or Iron Age-style games, although 
  it virtually ensures the Crime Lord will be a foe the players 
  grow to hate!
  ELDER EVIL
  While heroes often face off against foes who can rightly 
  be called villains, from time to time they confront true evil, 
  an embodiment of wickedness and corruption, or an alien 
  entity of such power it is beyond mere labels of good or 
  evil, but certainly not good for humanity as a whole. El-
  der Evils tend to be powerful master villains, operating 
  behind the scenes for some time before the heroes finally 
  confront them. Ideally, they never have to confront them 
  at all! Elder Evils may be imprisoned or barred from the 
  earthly plane by ancient wards or pacts, requiring the as-
  sistance of mortal cults or dupes (perhaps even the he-
  roes!) to break their bonds and permit them access. The 
  Cultists (see the minion archetypes, page 136) are suit-
  able followers of the Elder Evil.
  THEMES
  Elder Evils in the comic books tend to fall into one of three 
  major categories or themes: the Devil, the Evil God, and 
  the Eldritch Horror.
  THE DEVIL
  Maybe not the Devil, but a devil, certainly. The villain fits 
  the archetype of the mythic underworld evildoer, of-
  ten complete with horns, forked tail, cloven hooves, and 
  shroud of hellfire. Exactly how various demons and dev-
  ils fit into the cosmology of the setting is left up to the 
  GM: they might represent different religious or spiritual 
  beliefs, or have inspired said beliefs without necessarily 
  being bound by them.
  Devils are often tempters (see Classic Bits later in this 
  section); indeed, they may be prohibited from involv-
  ing themselves in mortal affairs without being asked or 
  invited in some fashion. In this case, they rely heavily on 
  cults and the occasional novice sorcerer to get a cloven 
  foot in the door. They’re often interested in souls, either 
  corrupting the good and innocent, or collecting the souls 
  of the willing in exchange for what the Devil can provide. 
  In either case, they can serve more as plot devices than 
  anything else.
  For Devils with game stats, you may want to substitute 
  Fire Control or Magic for the Aura of Madness power and 
  remove the Permanent modifier on the Growth power, al-
  lowing the Devil to become a threatening giant, or remain 
  relatively human-size. Devils often have Morph to tempt 
  victims in different guises as well.
  THE EVIL GOD
  Always willing to dip into the well of mythology, comic 
  books have turned most historical deities of death, war, 
  disease, or other unpleasant matters into supervillains at 
  some point or another. Usually the deity in question rules 
  over some extradimensional domain and wants to extend 
  greater power over the Earth and its inhabitants, usually 
  to their detriment. An Evil God is a natural enemy for a 
  heroic deity acting on Earth as a superhero. The archetype 
  also shows up in opposition to heroes empowered by or 
  following in the footsteps of mythological deities.
  An evil god’s powers are largely dictated by his or her 
  area of influence: death gods may have Darkness Control 
  or Magic, often legions of skeleton or zombie warriors or 
  ghostly minions. War gods tend to have considerable com-
  bat prowess, allowing them to go head-on with a team 
  of superhuman heroes. Sly tricksters focus on shapeshift-
  ing and illusions, allowing them to get away before the 
  heroes are even wise to their schemes. Modify the arche-
  type’s game stats accordingly, using the other archetypes 
  in this book as examples, such as Sorcerer for a death god, 
  Brute for a war god, and Mastermind for a trickster.
  THE ELDRITCH HORROR
  There are things in the unknowable realms beyond space 
  and time that care little if mortals exist at all... squamous 
  things, madness and amorphity in motion, whose very 
  forms defy rationality and the sight of which twists per-
  ceptions and minds... things whose very existence is sim-
  ply wrong.
  Whether such things even have names other than what 
  foolhardy mortal summoners attribute to them is a mat-
  ter for debate in the mystic community. Elder Evils answer 
  invocations when it suits them, not at the whim of a sum-
  moner reckless enough to reach across that final barrier.
  Physical descriptions are rather useless when dealing with 
  creatures with no true shape or form. GMs should use 
  whatever comes to mind during a scene involving Elder 
  Evils, the grosser and more disgusting the better: sharp-
  ened bills and hooks that slide in and out of view, razor-
  scaled carapaces that harden and melt without warning, 
  vents that open and close to spew sticky acidic goo or 
  flaming mucus, and so on. Similarly, add whatever addi-
  tional traits the Eldritch Horror may require to make it a 
  unique threat.
  9090
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  NAME IDEAS
  Asmodeus, Baal, Bargainer, Diabolus, K’thuul, Lord of Cha-
  os, Lord Shaitan, the Whisperer of Forbidden Secrets
  CLASSIC BITS
  Classic elements associated with the Elder Evil include the 
  following:
  CULTS
  As mentioned previously, Elder Evils are often limited in their 
  ability to visit and influence the mortal world, so they need 
  servants to do so. Since their power tends to inspire awe and 
  worship, these servants usually belong to some sort of cult. 
  The Cultist minion archetypes fit Elder Evils quite well.
  People join cults for various reasons; some search for 
  meaning or belonging, others opportunistically look for 
  power and influence. Truly apocalyptic cults want to end 
  the world, either because they believe it would be bet-
  ter off, or out of a foolish hope that their eldritch master 
  will spare them when the time comes for everyone else, 
  perhaps even making them rulers of the shattered post-
  apocalyptic world.
  Stopping the cult of an Elder Evil from achieving its pur-
  pose can form the basis of an adventure or even an entire 
  series. The moment where the cult completes the ritual to 
  summon its dread master to the world and the Elder Evil 
  appears makes for a great cliffhanger or chapter break in 
  the adventure!
  POWER
  The game traits provided here assume the Gamemaster 
  wishes to assign an Elder Evil any defined traits at all. Elder 
  Evils are ideal for use as Power Level X plot devices, with 
  powers and motives literally beyond human comprehen-
  sion. Indeed, this archetype could serve as a servant or 
  herald of such a greater Elder Evil.
  Given the variety found among such spawn of chaos, 
  you have carte blanche to change around the Elder Evil’s 
  game traits as you see fit to create a horror suitably pow-
  erful to challenge the heroes. In particular, you may wish 
  to change the Elder Evil’s Aura of Madness effects to oth-
  ers better suited to a particular theme, such as blinding 
  smoke, a burning aura, and talons of flame for an Elder Evil 
  associated with a fiery realm.
  Although Elder Evils are tremendously powerful, they 
  often have strong limitations as well. Even a plot device 
  demon might be unable to usurp a mortal’s free will, for 
  example. The demon can tempt and threaten, even maim 
  and destroy, but it cannot compel cooperation or a willing 
  acceptance of the corruption of one’s soul, which is the 
  creature’s ultimate goal. Similarly, other Elder Evils might 
  be held at bay by certain rituals, signs, or substances, 
  things the heroes can use to give themselves a breather 
  and come up with a plan to defeat the villain.
  ELDER EVIL 
  PL16
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  16*
  16*
  -1
  0
  7
  9
  9
  4
  POWERS
  Aura of Madness: Array (64 points)
  • Perception Range Damage 16, Resisted by Will • 64 points
  • Affliction 12 (Resisted by Will; Entranced, Stunned, 
  Incapacitated), Visual Perception Area, Reaction (looking at the 
  Elder Evil) • 1 point
  • Affliction 12 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Controlled—
  causes evil or irrational behavior), Visual Perception Area, 
  Reaction (looking at the Elder Evil) • 1 point
  Freedom of Movement: Flight 1 • 2 points
  Ghost Grasp: Strength Affects Insubstantial 2 • 2 points
  Inhuman Awareness: Senses 8 (Cosmic Awareness, Vision 
  Counters All Concealment and Illusion) • 8 points
  Massive: Growth 16, Permanent, Innate; Immunity 21 (Aging, 
  Life Support, Mental Effects); Protection 5, Impervious 12  
  • 71 points
  Voice of the Mind: Mental Communication 5, Dimensional 
  (Earth and the Elder Evil’s home dimension) • 21 points
  SKILLS
  Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+13), Expertise: Magic 12 (+21), 
  Intimidation 4 (+16*), Perception 8 (+17)
  ADVANTAGES
  Fearless, Improved Grab, Ritualist, Seize Initiative
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE -1
  Unarmed +13
  Close, Damage 16
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  4*
  FORTITUDE
  16
  PARRY
  6*
  TOUGHNESS
  21
  WILL
  16
  *Includes Growth modifiers.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  56
  SKILLS 
  15
  POWERS
  170
  DEFENSES
  27
  ADVANTAGES
  4
  TOTAL
  272
  POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
  Ancient: Bound by certain ancient covenants, rules, or 
  customs.
  Outsider: Must be summoned and can be banished.
  9191
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  TEMPTATION
  Elder Evils often seek less tangible things compared to 
  conventional villains. Although they have the power to 
  conquer worlds (and may do so, when summoned), many 
  are more interested in trafficking in souls or expanding 
  their extradimensional realms through complex schemes 
  or rituals. Just as they may need mortal agents (see Cults, 
  previously), so do many Elder Evils seek to tempt mortals 
  into serving them, directly or indirectly.
  The real challenge of dealing with an evil tempter is not to 
  give in, no matter how much the hero might want to do 
  so. The villain is certainly not going to make it easy, either. 
  While heroes can usually refuse such transparent ploys as 
  offers of godlike power or dominion over the Earth, it is 
  much more difficult to ignore opportunities to help oth-
  ers: bringing a loved one back from death, for example, or 
  curing someone of a fatal or debilitating disease.
  TACTICS
  Their sheer power makes Elder Evils less tactical foes. If 
  it comes to combat, they typically swat aside mortal op-
  ponents like insects, using parts of the terrain (vehicles, 
  buildings, trees, and so on) as makeshift weapons, when 
  they’re not just using their powers to blast the heroes into 
  oblivion.
  A lot of dealing with Elder Evils is about avoiding combat, 
  however. The heroes want to stop the Elder Evil from be-
  ing summoned or unleashed in the first place, while the 
  villain would prefer to tempt and corrupt the good guys 
  rather than destroy them outright. Both sides tend to 
  dance around each other, with a full-fledged fight mean-
  ing one or both of them have failed to achieve their pri-
  mary objectives.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving an Elder Evil may in-
  clude the following:
  WAKE THE SLEEPER
  The classic Elder Evil scenario involves a 
  ritual intended to summon the crea-
  ture from whatever hellish nether-
  world it calls home. The summoners 
  might be delusional enough to 
  believe the Elder Evil will serve 
  them (willingly or bound by 
  the power of the ritual) or, 
  at least, slay them last and 
  mercifully when it destroys 
  the world. Others are mad 
  nihilists who care nothing 
  for the fate of the world or 
  even wish to actively has-
  ten its end.
  For a twist, the summon-
  ers might be other heroes, 
  looking to bind the Elder 
  Evil or seal a rift to its realm, 
  but do so in secret to avoid 
  alerting its earthly worship-
  pers or panicking the general 
  public. When the player charac-
  ters stumble upon and interrupt 
  the ritual, things go badly wrong 
  and all the heroes need to work to-
  gether to prevent the Elder Evil’s escape.
  9292
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  WHOM THE GODS DESTROY
  Members of an Elder Evil’s cult begin shadowing a particu-
  lar hero, taking no hostile action. When confronted, one 
  admits the hero is the prophesized avatar of their master! 
  The cult claims the Elder Evil in fact engineered the hero’s 
  origin, and the hero’s powers derive from it. What’s worse, 
  the story could be true, in which case every time the hero’s 
  powers are used, the barrier between dimensions weak-
  ens a little more, bringing the Elder Evil closer to freedom. 
  Does the hero give up crime-fighting and all use of his 
  powers to safeguard the world, or is that simply what the 
  cult and its master would like him to believe?
  Like many heroes, some villains are embodiments of a 
  particular primal element, energy, or force. These range 
  from the primal elements of air, earth, fire, and water to 
  the forces of nature or the energies or elements of mod-
  ern science, like gravity and radiation. Elemental villains 
  are often the result of cosmic or scientific accidents, but 
  may also be the pinnacle of a lifelong quest to command a 
  particular force through scientific or mystical means.
  THEMES
  The Elemental’s theme revolves around the villain’s partic-
  ular power source: what energy or force does the Elemen-
  tal command? From whence does this power originate? 
  Some elementals are mystic embodiments of their power, 
  while others are mutants, magicians, or empowered by 
  technology (either devices or altered by scientific treat-
  ments or accidents).
  Roll on the Elemental Themes table or choose a suitable 
  type for the Elemental.
  NAME IDEAS
  See the individual elements on the Elemental Themes 
  table.
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some things regularly associated with 
  Elemental villains.
  THE UNDISPUTED MASTER
  Self-proclaimed “masters” of their particular focus, El-
  ementals are often supremely arrogant. They are so con-
  fident in their unmatched power they are often left at a 
  loss when confronted with a problem their powers cannot 
  solve. This isn’t to say Elementals are not clever (many of 
  them are), just that they tend to see everything in terms of 
  their power and what it can do.
  Elementals are particularly peeved by heroes who either 
  claim to rival their ability, or who possess an opposite 
  (but surely not equal!) power. So, for example, a Cold 
  Elemental might be the arch-foe of a hero with similar 
  powers—perhaps even gained from the same source as 
  the villain—or of a hero with fire-control powers. Part 
  of the villain’s motivation is to demonstrate superiority 
  over the rival hero.
  ELEMENTAL
  THE UNEXPECTED ATTACK
  Elementals are often able to use their unparalleled mas-
  tery in their particular specialty to pull off some unusual 
  attack or effect against the heroes, from debilitating de-
  hydration or heatstroke to electromagnetic interference 
  with brainwaves or fine gravitational control to disrupt 
  blood flow. The main idea is the attack tends to bypass 
  ordinary defenses to overwhelm the targets. Some El-
  emental villains have unusual attacks as regular parts of 
  their powers, typically some type of Affliction. This attack 
  is more in the form of a villainous “power stunt,” although 
  actually it should be considered a complication you in-
  clude in the adventure for the heroes to overcome. Thus, 
  when you invoke the Elemental’s unexpected attack, 
  award the affected player(s) a hero point.
  The idea is that the villain’s initial use of the effect catches 
  the heroes entirely off-guard and puts them at a serious 
  disadvantage, perhaps even defeating them outright the 
  first time (allowing the Elemental to escape or to capture 
  them). Later, the heroes are forewarned about the villain’s 
  ability and can use their own powers and ingenuity to 
  counter it. In particular, encourage players to make use 
  of power stunts, inspiration, and inventions (all potential 
  uses for the heroes points they have earned) to neutralize 
  the villain’s advantage.
  VULNERABILITY TO OPPOSITES
  An Elemental’s power also tends to imply certain vulner-
  abilities, usually to the opposite element or force: a fire 
  controller weakened by water or cold, an ice manipulator 
  vulnerable to fire, or a master of magnetism weakened by 
  heat, for example. Heroes may be able to exploit an Ele-
  mental’s weakness, although the villain will certainly take 
  steps to safeguard against it, especially once a weakness 
  is known; keep in mind even the villain might not know 
  about it initially!
  Some Elementals play a variation on this theme by re-
  versing or twisting the expected weakness. For example, 
  a Cold Elemental might act as a kind of “heat vampire,” 
  creating intense cold by draining the surrounding heat, in 
  fact being dependent on absorbing some heat in order to 
  function. Thus the villain is actually weakened by an in-
  tensely cold environment, and might, say, freeze solid in 
  sustained sub-freezing temperatures. Similarly, a Shadow 
  Elemental might “feed” on light, but lose power in com-
  plete and total darkness, as “shadows” only exist because 
  of light.
  9393
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  TACTICS
  Elementals tend to be ranged fighters, standing around 
  hurling blasts of their element while shielded by it as well, 
  rarely mixing it up in close combat. Elementals use their 
  powers to the fullest advantage, typically striking at foes 
  with various ranged attacks, from straightforward blasts 
  to more exotic effects.
  The Elemental’s biggest tactical vulnerability is reliance 
  on sustained effects. There is the potential for Elementals 
  to drop their guard if unable to focus and maintain their 
  powers.
  CAPERS
  The following are some adventure concepts involving the 
  Elemental:
  UNLESS MY DEMANDS ARE MET...
  With mastery over a particular force, the Elemental can 
  threaten and blackmail an entire city, state, nation, or even 
  the world! The Elemental starts off with a relatively showy 
  display of power: destroying an abandoned building, or un-
  leashing forces against a mostly deserted area, so the pop-
  ulace and authorities know the threat is for real. Claiming 
  credit, the Elemental then issues demands, such as ransom, 
  delivery of an item of technology (see the More Power! ca-
  per, following), or even some political concession, such as 
  the elimination of an environmental threat.
  The initial demonstration and the villain’s demands give 
  the heroes something to go on. They have to track down 
  the Elemental and neutralize the threat; otherwise, the 
  authorities may have no choice but to give in. Of course, if 
  the heroes are not careful, their battle with the Elemental 
  could be almost as devastating as the original threat!
  For an additional level of danger, some mad Elementals 
  make no demands: their threat is in deadly earnest, and 
  the only reason they provide a preview of it is to height-
  en public fear and panic, and so the survivors know who 
  has brought this down upon them. This is suitable for re-
  venge-obsessed or nihilistic Elementals. The heroes must 
  stop the villain before the threat is carried out.
  MORE POWER!
  Not satisfied with merely tremendous power, the El-
  emental seeks to attain absolute power. The method de-
  9494
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  ELEMENTAL THEMES
  D20
  ELEMENT
  1
  Air Control with wind blast (Ranged Damage 18), cyclone (Burst Area Damage 12), fog (Visual Concealment Attack 
  2, Cloud Area 16 – 120 mile radius), suffocation (Ranged Affliction 9, Concentration, Cumulative; Resisted by Forti-
  tude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), and jetstream (Line Area Move Object 12). Name Ideas: Aeolus, Aero, Jetstream, 
  Pneumatic, Silver Fog, Windshear, Zephyr
  2-3
  Cold Control with ice blast (Ranged Damage 18), ice sculptures (Create Object 18, Permanent), ice storm (Environ-
  ment 9: Intense Cold, Impede Movement –2 ranks, Visibility –2 modifier), ice block (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 
  12; Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree), 
  flash-freeze (Ranged Weaken Toughness 18, Affects Only Objects). Name Ideas: Absolute Zero, Coldsnap, Frigid, Ice 
  Queen, Mr. (or Ms.) Winter, Sub-Zero
  4-5
  Darkness Control with dark blast (Ranged Damage 18), darkness field (Visual Concealment Attack 4, Burst Area 
  9), shadow scrying (Remote Sensing 18, visual and auditory, Medium: darkness or shadow), shadow snare (Ranged 
  Cumulative Affliction 12, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condi-
  tion, Limited Degree), shadow-step (Teleport 18, Accurate, Medium: darkness or shadows). Name Ideas: Darkmane, 
  Shadowlord, Silhouette, Umbra
  6
  Earth Control with rock throwing (Ranged Damage 18), avalanche (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), rock-shaping 
  (Create 18), rock hands or chains (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, 
  Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree), earth-moving (Perception Ranged Move Object, 
  Limited to Earth and Stone). Name Ideas: Gaia, Earth Mother, Rockslide, Slate, Terra-Fist
  7-8
  Electrical Control with ball lightning (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), lightning flash (Ranged Burst Area Affliction 
  9; Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Hindered, Visually Unaware), power drain (Burst Area Nullify Elec-
  tronics 12), electrical aura (Damage 9, Reaction), taser blast (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude; 
  Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated). Name Ideas: Bolt, Gigahertz, Lightning, Megawatt
  9-10
  Fire Control with flame bolt (Ranged Damage 18), fireball (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), fire blast (Cloud Area 
  Ranged Damage 12), fire aura (Damage 9, Reaction), heat wave (Burst Area Cumulative Ranged Affliction 9; Resisted 
  by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated). Name Ideas: Firebug, Firestarter, Igneous, Pyro, Torch
  11
  Gravity Control with force blast (Ranged Damage 18), force burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), force beam 
  (Line Area Ranged Damage 12), force wave (Ranged Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 9; Resisted by Dodge; Dazed, 
  Stunned, Incapacitated), gravitic manipulation (Move Object 18). Name Ideas: Counterweight, Gravitar, Gravitas, 
  Heavyweight
  12
  Light Control with laser blast (Ranged Damage 18), laser burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), blinding light (Cu-
  mulative Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted by Dodge; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware), blinding 
  burst (as blinding light, but also Burst Area and rank 9), holographic projection (Visual Illusion 12). Name Ideas: Holo-
  gram, Lazer, Lightwave, Photon, Sunlord
  13-14
  Magnetic Control with magnetic blast (Ranged Damage 18), magnetic burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), mag-
  netic field (Perception Ranged Move Object 18, Limited to Metal), magnetic pulse (Burst Area Nullify Electronics 12), 
  metallic bonds (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12; Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Im-
  mobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree). Name Ideas: Attractor, Lodestone, Master Magnet, Polarity
  15
  Motion Control with kinetic blast (Ranged Damage 18), kinetic deflection (Deflect 18), kinetic drain (Ranged Weak-
  en Movement Effects 12, Broad), impart momentum (Move Object 18), momentum burst (Burst Area Move Object 
  12). Name Ideas: Erg, Go-Girl, Kinetron, Motion Master
  16
  Plant Control with animate plants (Summon), grow plants (Create 18, Permanent), pollen cloud (Burst Area Ranged 
  Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated), sicken or poison (Burst Area Ranged Afflic-
  tion 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), root transport (Teleport 18, Medium: Plants). Name 
  Ideas: Erl King, Flora, Forest Lord, Jack-in-the-Green, Rose
  17-18
  Radiation Control with radiation blast (Ranged Damage 18), radiation burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), blind-
  ing burst (Burst Area Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Un-
  aware), irradiate (Ranged Weaken Stamina 9, Progressive), meltdown (Ranged Weaken Toughness 18). Name Ideas: 
  Fusion, Meltdown, Nuke, Radion, Radium
  19
  Water Control with water blast (Ranged Damage 18), water burst (Burst Area Ranged Damage 12), hard water con-
  structs (Create 18), blinding splash (Burst Area Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually 
  Disabled, Visually Unaware), water movement (Perception Ranged Move Object 18, Limited to Water). Name Ideas: 
  Aqua, Riptide, Tsunami, Undertow, Wave
  20
  Weather Control with lightning bolt (Ranged Damage 18), thunderclap (Burst Area Ranged Affliction 12; Resisted 
  by Fortitude; Hearing Impaired, Hearing Disabled, Hearing Unaware), harsh weather (Burst Area Ranged Affliction 
  11; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated; Variable Descriptor: Weather), icing (Environment 18: Impede Movement –2), 
  precipitation (Environment 18: Visibility –5). Name Ideas: Coriolis, Cumulous, Nimbus, Stormfront, Stormlord, Stratos, 
  Thunder
  9595
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  pends on the villain and the plot hook you wish to use. 
  A legendary mystic idol or talisman might promise mas-
  tery over a particular element or force. A new technology 
  could offer the potential of increasing the Elemental’s 
  power, perhaps by channeling vast amounts of suitable 
  energy: an Electrical Elemental might seek out a new dy-
  namo or generator, while a Radiation Elemental is drawn 
  to an experimental cyclotron or even fusion reactor!
  Whatever the case, the Elemental jumps in power level 
  from 14 to 16, 18, or even off the scale altogether to PLX, 
  becoming a living embodiment of the element, able to 
  control unlimited amounts of it to any degree, anywhere. 
  Imagine a villain with complete command of all of the 
  electrical energy on Earth much less a foe able to com-
  mand and shape the gravitic forces of the entire solar sys-
  tem or galaxy! The heroes have to come up with a coun-
  ter-plan to remove the Elemental’s added power, while 
  surviving long enough to implement it.
  ELEMENTAL ASSISTANCE
  The Elemental stuns the world by performing a series of 
  good deeds, the exact nature of which depend on the ele-
  ment involved, but can include alleviating natural disasters, 
  bringing much needed rain or fertile soil to parched areas, 
  stopping wars or border skirmishes, restoring environ-
  mentally ravaged areas, building or repairing housing or 
  infrastructure, and so forth. The formerly feared supervil-
  lain claims to have reformed, and asks no reward for these 
  good deeds. However, the villain still refuses to surrender to 
  authorities, who have an increasingly difficult time trying to 
  arrest the criminal, given the groundswell of public goodwill 
  (and sovereign governments willing to provide asylum).
  ELEMENTAL 
  PL14
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  0
  3
  0
  1
  4
  4
  2
  4
  POWERS
  Elemental or Energy Control: Array (36 points) based on 
  theme (see Elemental Themes sidebar) • 40 points
  Elemental Movement: Flight 10 • 20 points
  Elemental Shield: Protection 15, Impervious 10, Sustained  
  • 25 points
  SKILLS
  Expertise: Magic or Science 6 (+10), Insight 8 (+11), Intimidation 
  10 (+14), Perception 8 (+11), Ranged Combat: Elemental 
  Control 4 (+10)
  ADVANTAGES
  Accurate Attack, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), 
  Ranged Attack 5
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +0
  Elemental Control +10
  Ranged, Damage 18 or other effect
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  10
  FORTITUDE
  13
  PARRY
  8
  TOUGHNESS
  18/3*
  WILL
  15
  *Without Protection bonus
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  38
  SKILLS 
  18
  POWERS
  85
  DEFENSES
  36
  ADVANTAGES
  8
  TOTAL
  185
  COMPLICATIONS
  Undisputed Master: Arrogant and competitive about 
  elemental mastery.
  Weakness: To opposite or related element.
  What is the Elemental’s scheme? The villain might be look-
  ing to garner public support and a new power base from 
  some grateful populace, making them dependent on 
  their benefactor’s continued aid. Perhaps the Elemental is 
  looking to make the heroes look bad in the bargain, won-
  dering aloud (and in front of the media) why they have 
  not taken more measures to improve the world for the 
  better. Who knows? Perhaps the Elemental actually has 
  had a change of heart and wants to help, but remains too 
  arrogant to answer to any outside authority, or to surren-
  der and answer for any previous crimes
  THE ELEMENTS OF EVIL
  The only thing worse than one elemental villain is an 
  entire group of them. Elements often come in paired 
  opposites (fire and water, light and darkness, etc.) or in 
  themed groups, such as the four classical elements of 
  air, earth, fire, and water, or a spectrum of “fundamental 
  forces” like electromagnetism, gravity, and nuclear force 
  (strong and weak). One elemental villain might begin 
  gathering those with similarly themed powers in order 
  to form a stronger team to deal with those troublesome 
  heroes. The Elemental’s new teammates could be equal-
  ly powerful, or lower power level underlings (perhaps us-
  ing the Elemental archetype from the Hero’s Handbook 
  as a basis). Certainly, a team of PL14 Elementals would be 
  a force to be reckoned with!
  The heroes have to find some way of overcoming a group 
  which may command considerable power, perhaps by ex-
  ploiting the Elementals’ innate weaknesses or even their 
  oppositions to each other. They may also be able to find 
  the source of the Elementals’ power and use it, either to 
  remove or weaken their foes’ powers, or to increase their 
  own long enough to defeat them.
  9696
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  HYBRID
  Like the Brute, the Hybrid is often a tragic figure, a 
  amalgam of human and beast. Some are creations of 
  science gone wrong while others are the victims of 
  mystical curses (such as lycanthropy). Some Hybrids revel 
  in their condition and the power it brings, while others 
  desperately seek a cure to restore them to normal, willing 
  to do whatever it takes to achieve it.
  THEMES
  Hybrid themes are based around the type of animal or 
  beast the villain resembles. The appearance may be strictly 
  cosmetic—with the character having just the traits listed 
  for the archetype—or it may include certain additional 
  traits. Roll on the Animal Types table or choose a suitable 
  species for the Hybrid..
  While the Hybrid is often a human transformed by sci-
  ence or sorcery, it may also be a natural creature, 
  perhaps an alien that resembles a humanoid 
  beast or a member of a super-evolved race of 
  beast-men. In this case, the Hybrid is usually a 
  confused stranger in the modern world, in need 
  of a means of returning home rather than restor-
  ing a humanity it never had.
  NAME IDEAS
  Generally something based on the Hy-
  brid’s animal associations (Ophidian for 
  a snake-man, for example, or Hammer-
  head for a shark Hybrid) or a general 
  description of the villain’s beast-like nature: 
  Feral, Primeval, Atavist, Fierce, Rabid, and so 
  forth.
  CLASSIC BITS
  Classic bits for the Hybrid include:
  THE CURE
  The Hybrid’s condition is often the re-
  sult of an accident or curse, leaving the 
  victim searching for a cure of some sort. 
  This may be a scientific formula or treat-
  ment, or a magical spell or talisman, 
  but the result is the same. The Hybrid 
  engages in a series of thefts and kid-
  nappings to get whatever is needed to 
  put a stop to the madness and reverse 
  the transformation. Heroes can offer to 
  help, and might be able to convince the Hy-
  brid to let them. More likely, however, the 
  villain is too far gone to trust anyone, and 
  has already committed serious crimes the 
  authorities are not going to simply forget.
  Finding the cure may be the end of the Hybrid, but there 
  is always the possibility of the transformation happening 
  again; perhaps the cure is only temporary, or circumstances 
  force the Hybrid to accept the transformation once again 
  in order to, for example, save a loved one or deal with a 
  threat. If the cause can be repeated or the transformation 
  is contagious then someone else could become the Hybrid, 
  perhaps even at the same time as the original!
  BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
  The Hybrid’s buried humanity is often obsessed with a par-
  ticular person. This may be a spouse, partner, child, or other 
  family member of its human self, or simply someone who 
  has shown the creature kindness and compassion, earning 
  its devotion in return. The Hybrid stalks this person, trying 
  to protect him or her in its own way—usually by threaten-
  ing or even killing any perceived danger. Eventually, the 
  creature may abduct the object of its obses-
  sion in order to keep that person 
  9797
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  ANIMAL TYPES
  D20
  ANIMAL (ADDITIONAL TRAITS)
  1
  Ant: STR +2, STA +2, Movement 2 (Wall-crawling 2) • +12 points
  2
  Ape: Protection 3, Movement 1 (Swinging) • +5 points
  3
  Bat: AGL +2, Flight 2, Senses 3 (Accurate Radius Hearing) • +11 points
  4
  Bear: STR +1, STA +1, Protection 2; +6 points
  5
  Cat: AGL +2, Movement 1 (Slow Fall) • +6 points
  6
  Chameleon: Concealment 4 (Visual, Blending), Movement 1 (Wall-crawling) • +6 points
  7
  Cheetah: AGL +2, Speed +2 • +6 points
  8
  Crocodile: STR +2, STA +2, Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation: Aquatic), Protection 2, Swimming 1  
  • +13 points
  9
  Dog/Wolf: AGL +1 • +2 points
  10
  Earthworm: Burrowing 2, +1 Regeneration rank, Senses 1 (Ranged Touch) • +4 points
  11
  Electric Eel: Damage 4 (electricity, Reaction), Immunity 1 (Drowning), Movement 1 (Environmental 
  Adaptation: Aquatic), Swimming 2 • +21 points
  12
  Elephant: STR +4, STA +4, Protection 4 • +20 points
  13
  Fly: AGL +2, Enhanced Advantages 2 (Improved Initiative, Seize Initiative), Flight 2, Senses 1 (Radius Vision) 
  • 11 points
  14
  Hawk: AGL +1, Flight 3 (Wings), Senses 1 (Extended Vision); Perception +2 • +7 points
  15
  Monkey: AGL +2, Movement 1 (Swinging); Acrobatics +4; +8 points
  16
  Octopus/Squid: STR +2, Concealment Attack 4 (ink, Visual, Cloud Area, Limited to underwater), Extra 
  Limbs 7, Immunity 2 (Drowning, Pressure), Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation: Aquatic), Protection 
  4, Swimming 3 • +30 points
  17
  Shark: AGL +1, STA +1, Immunity 1 (Drowning), Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation: Aquatic), 
  Protection 3, Swimming 2 • +12 points
  18
  Snake: AGL +2, Enhanced Advantages 2 (Improved Grab, Improved Hold), Movement 1 (Slithering), 
  Protection 2 • +10 points
  19
  Spider: STR +2, STA +2, Movement 3 (Swinging, Wall-crawling 2), Senses 1 (Ranged Touch), Web (Ranged 
  Cumulative Affliction 6; Resisted by Dodge;  Hindered and Vulnerable, Immobilized and Defenseless; 
  Extra Condition, Limited Degree) • +33 points
  20
  Whale: STR +6, STA +2, Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation: Aquatic), Senses 3 (Accurate Radius 
  Hearing), Swimming 1 • +22 points
  close by and safe. The heroes need to rescue the kidnap 
  victim, which only enrages the creature.
  True danger to the victim may cause the Hybrid to relent 
  and even surrender or sacrifice itself. This can lead to a 
  tragic ending, with the creature dead or presumed dead 
  after giving itself to save the object of its affection.
  CONTAGIOUS TRANSFORMATION
  In some cases, like recombinant DNA or a magical 
  curse such as lycanthropy, the Hybrid’s condition may 
  be contagious, usually to anyone bitten or scratched 
  by it. This leads to a slow transformation of the victim 
  into a similar hybrid creature. If these new Hybrids are 
  contagious, a plague of the creatures could quickly infest 
  an area, giving the heroes a major problem to deal with.
  Things get worse if the transformation not only affects 
  superhumans, but allows them to retain their powers! This 
  can lead to super-powered Hybrids able to shoot flames, 
  control minds, bounce bullets, and much more.
  You can handle the transformation as a plot device, 
  making it slow enough to not immediately overwhelm 
  characters, but fast enough to create a sense of urgency. 
  Alternately, you can handle it as an Affliction effect. See 
  the Vampire archetype for guidelines on this.
  ANIMAL MASTERY
  In addition to their various other powers, Hybrids often 
  have empathy with, and control over, creatures similar to 
  themselves. This is essentially the Communication (Animals) 
  effect or Summon Animals at a suitable rank, often Limited 
  to the same type of creature as the Hybrid’s basic stock. 
  So a reptilian Hybrid may be able to control other reptiles, 
  particularly snakes or alligators, while a feline Hybrid can 
  control cats, possibly including big cats like lions and tigers.
  UNEXPECTED IDENTITY
  One twist about the Hybrid has almost become cliché: 
  namely the villain’s human identity turning out to be 
  9898
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  HYBRID 
  PL10
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  6
  6
  5
  3
  8
  -2
  4
  1
  POWERS
  Claws: Strength-based Damage 2, Penetrating 6 • 8 points
  Healing Factor: Regeneration 10 • 10 points
  Animal Senses: Senses 6 (Acute Smell, Danger Sense, 
  Darkvision, Tracking, Ultra-hearing) • 6 points
  Bestial Speed: Leaping 2 (30 feet), Speed 4 (30 MPH) • 6 points
  SKILLS
  Acrobatics 10 (+15), Athletics 9 (+15), Close Attack: Claws 4 
  (+12), Expertise: Survival 12 (+10), Insight 8 (+12), Intimidation 
  12 (+13), Perception 10 (+14), Stealth 11 (+16)
  ADVANTAGES
  Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Evasion, Fearless, 
  Great Endurance,  Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Move-by 
  Action, Power Attack, Startle, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +9
  Claws +12
  Close, Damage 8, Penetrating 6
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  12
  FORTITUDE
  10
  PARRY
  12
  TOUGHNESS
  8/6*
  WILL
  10
  *Without Defensive Roll.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  62
  SKILLS 
  38
  POWERS
  30
  DEFENSES
  21
  ADVANTAGES
  14
  TOTAL
  165
  COMPLICATIONS
  The Beast Within: Subject to uncontrolled animal impulses.
  someone other than who you would expect. For example, 
  if the heroes think the Hybrid is the obsessed geneticist 
  experimenting with his own work, the creature will turn 
  out to be his lovely wife or daughter, either the victim of 
  an accident the scientist is attempting to protect while he 
  looks for a cure, or a willing test subject trying to prove his 
  theories (often without his knowledge).
  TACTICS
  The Hybrid’s tactics tend to be as its name implies: direct 
  and brutal. It attacks like a wild animal, relying on its 
  strength and speed.
  Still, when faced with multiple opponents, the Hybrid 
  can be a cunning foe. It often tries to lead pursuers into 
  ambush or takes advantage of the natural features of the 
  terrain, if it operates in the wilderness. So a Hybrid might 
  lead heroes into quicksand or sinkholes, off of cliffs, or 
  into riptides, as well as constructing crude traps such as 
  deadfalls and snares.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Hybrid may include the 
  following:
  THE HUNT
  After a few attacks by the Hybrid in which some people 
  have been hurt (but no one killed as yet), the authorities 
  agree to work with a noted bounty hunter and mercenary 
  who offers to track down the creature and bring it back, 
  dead or alive. A friend of the Hybrid’s human identity 
  comes to the heroes and begs them for help, saying the 
  Hybrid is not really responsible for his actions under the 
  influence of the beast. The mercenary is a heartless killer 
  who intends to make the Hybrid just another trophy for 
  his wall, unless the heroes intervene.
  KINGDOM OF THE BEAST
  The Hybrid is involved in a series of thefts of scientific 
  equipment and supplies, just like in The Cure bit, 
  perhaps even kidnapping experts in the field. Evidence 
  points to the villain’s human identity and the accident 
  or experiment that caused the initial transformation. 
  However, it turns out the Hybrid is not looking for a cure, 
  but a way of replicating the transformation on a much 
  wider scale! The villain is creating a formula or device that 
  will turn everyone in a city, nation, or even the world into 
  a human-beast hybrid like it is, with the Hybrid as ruler of 
  a new kingdom, unless the heroes find a way to stop it.
  THE VESSEL
  A Hybrid known to the heroes unexpectedly returns, 
  perhaps even after being cured in a previous adventure. 
  Shortly after the creature is sighted, however, it is captured 
  by parties unknown and whisked away. Evidence points to 
  the Hybrid’s transformation being deliberately arranged 
  and triggered by a secret mystical cult. The entity they 
  worship has a half-human, half-beast avatar that sounds 
  very much like the Hybrid. The cult members have taken 
  this as an omen that the creature is destined to be the 
  vessel of their god, and they intend to use the Hybrid in an 
  occult ritual to summon it into the world. The heroes have 
  to find the cult’s hidden lair and put a stop to the ritual, or 
  find a way to banish the cult’s patron after it has possessed 
  a physically powerful body to use in conjunction with its 
  own mystical abilities.
  9999
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  The Imp is less of a “villain” and more a high-level nui-
  sance or a bother—a foe intended more to make heroes 
  want to bang their heads against walls than anything 
  else. Some Imps are potentially deadly, but even these 
  like their elaborate games and twisted ideas of what 
  constitutes “fun.”
  Entertainment is the main idea of the Imp... for the Imp, 
  anyway. The character is generally bored and seeks chal-
  lenge or excitement by pestering the heroes in different 
  ways. Some Imps are deadly serious about this, looking 
  for ways to humiliate or even destroy their chosen oppo-
  nents, while others are just out for some fun, even if they 
  turn the world upside-down in the process.
  Thus the Imp tends to combine a childish sense of amuse-
  ment and cruelty with almost unlimited power. The Imp is 
  usually nigh omnipotent, making it that much harder for 
  heroes to get rid of him (or simply punch his lights out, as 
  they will no doubt be tempted to do).
  THEMES
  Some themes common with Imp adversaries include the 
  following.
  COSMIC BRAT
  The most common type of Imp is the bothersome pest 
  who just won’t leave and who is far too powerful for the 
  hero to get rid of any way other than according to the 
  rules of the Imp’s game (or trickery involving said rules). 
  The Imp may be an actual child (or at least look and act 
  like one) or an adult or other being with childish qualities. 
  Some Imps seem like adults at first, but demonstrate in-
  creasingly childish behavior, revealing their true nature.
  In addition to an inherent weakness or winning the terms 
  of the Imp’s game, the Cosmic Brat may have another limi-
  tation: sooner or later, Mom and Dad might come looking....
  PLAYER OF GAMES
  Some “Imps” are hardly deserving of the title, being almost 
  full-fledged devils, except these cunning figures are not 
  the primordial forces of evil (see the Elder Evil archetype 
  for that). Instead, they are nigh-omnipotent nuisances for 
  heroes in one manner or another, just as insistent on their 
  “game” (and their rules) as other Imps tend to be.
  One example is the Game-Master, a cosmic game-player 
  interested in various tests of wit and skill involving the 
  heroes. Sometimes they play against the Game-Master, 
  other times they are just pawns in one of his larger games, 
  pitting them against other heroes or villains on an oppo-
  site team.
  Another Player of Games is the Tester, who puts heroes in 
  situations similar to the Game-Master, but for purposes 
  of testing their abilities and limitations. This might be 
  scientific curiosity or some need to put heroes through 
  a “crucible” to refine their power and determination in 
  some fashion. Some Testers are self-appointed judges of 
  “worthiness,” and may seek to eliminate those who do not 
  meet their high standards.
  THE TRICKSTER
  Mythologies from many different cultures have stories of 
  trickster gods and spirits who use cunning and guile to 
  get into and out of a lot of trouble. A trickster Imp causes 
  problems for the heroes largely because he can, out of a 
  sense of boredom or to “lighten up” the otherwise overly 
  serious good guys. For some it’s childish good fun, for 
  others, it’s a vicious attempt to tear down the heroes and 
  make them look foolish.
  In spite of their tremendous power, tricksters tend to be 
  cowardly when confronted, and sometimes get caught up 
  in their own web of lies and deception. Smart heroes can 
  play on their weaknesses and might be able to get some 
  help from other members or factions of the trickster’s 
  “pantheon” (whomever they may be). Otherwise, it’s up to 
  the good guys to come up with some clever plan to out-
  trick the trickster.
  YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND!
  Sometimes an Imp means well, even if things do not work 
  out that way for the object of its attentions. Rather than 
  seeking to play against the heroes, the Imp wants to work 
  with them, becoming their new partner, teammate, or 
  sidekick. Unfortunately, as initially tempting as it might 
  appear to have an ally with unlimited power, the heroes 
  quickly learn that having the Imp on your side isn’t nearly 
  as helpful as it might seem.
  For one thing, the Imp still doesn’t understand human 
  limitations or customs, going around violating all kinds 
  of laws and procedures to get the job done. Then there’s 
  the inability to tell a serious supervillain from some rude 
  newspaper publisher who calls the heroes names (“But I 
  thought you said you didn’t like him?” “That’s no reason to 
  turn him into a rat!”) or problems that should not be solved 
  with superhuman powers (“You wished he loved you, now 
  he does!” “But it’s not real!”). Lastly, there’s the temptation 
  for the Imp to “liven things up” by making them even more 
  challenging for the heroes! After all, stopping a routine 
  mugging is dull, but thwarting a massive alien invasion by 
  an alliance of a dozen different races... now that sounds 
  awesome!
  NAME IDEAS
  Anansi, the Brat, Coyote the Trickster, Kilroy, Mister 
  Muggles, 
  Pooka, 
  Puck, 
  Rumpelstiltskin, 
  Sidekick, 
  Storytime, the White Rabbit
  IMP
  100
  100
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some things regularly associated with 
  the Imp:
  JUST LIKE MAGIC
  The exact descriptors of the Imp’s almost limitless power 
  are left up the nature of the character; it almost doesn’t 
  matter. An Imp could wield powerful magic, science so 
  amazingly advanced as to be indistinguishable from 
  sorcery, higher-dimensional forces, or simply the ability to 
  reshape reality at will. Whatever the source of the power, it 
  is, for all intents and purposes, limitless (with possibly one 
  exception, see One Weakness, following).
  C’MON, LET’S PLAY!
  Looking for entertainment, the Imp is more prone than 
  most antagonists toward playing games, often childish 
  or cruel (or both), such as high-powered versions of hide-
  and-seek, scavenger hunts, tag, checkers (perhaps played 
  with buildings or landmarks, or living “pieces”), or various 
  sports or board games. The Imp may pull mean pranks 
  intended to make heroes look bad or just show them up, 
  such as altering their powers or costumes, threatening 
  their personal lives, trying to expose a hero’s secret 
  identity, steal away a significant other, and so forth.
  IT’S MY IDIOM
  Although the Imp is capable of accomplishing nearly any-
  thing, he tends to stay within a particular theme or style. 
  For example, an Imp could be a shape-changer able to 
  turn into anything he can imagine; or the Imp might be 
  obsessed with 18th century pirate regalia, so all his vari-
  ous effects are associated with it (flintlocks, cannons, 
  parrots, peg-legs, and so forth), even when they’re 
  fantastic in nature (firing energy beams or growing 
  to giant size). There might be a reason for the Imp’s 
  particular style or it could just be a matter of taste. What-
  ever the Imp’s idiom, it often has something to do with his 
  weakness as well.
  PASSIVE AGGRESSION
  Although the Imp might have unlimited 
  power, even when it comes down to a 
  direct confrontation, Imps do not do 
  things like simply making heroes 
  vanish, turning them into stone (or 
  any other inert matter), controlling 
  their minds, or otherwise destroy-
  ing or defeating them outright 
  with nothing more than a thought. 
  Why? The exact reason varies, but 
  generally because it would offend 
  the Imp’s sense of “fair play” or make 
  the whole conflict too easy, especially 
  when the idea is provide some chal-
  lenge and entertainment.
  So when you are running a confrontation be-
  tween the Imp and the heroes, be creative when it comes 
  to challenging them. Instead of a big, damaging blast, the 
  Imp is more likely to bring buildings or statues to life to 
  fight the heroes, or enlarge ordinary urban rats or roach-
  es into giant monsters. Maybe the Imp transforms into 
  something the heroes can fight, such as a creature, giant 
  robot, or fighter plane, and gives them a fair shot. Even 
  when it comes to mind control, Imps are more likely to 
  force heroes to dance a jig uncontrollably than to simply 
  entrance them. It should be a challenge the players can 
  find a clever way around rather than just “make this resis-
  tance check or you’re dead.”
  101
  101
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  ONE WEAKNESS
  There is always a way to get rid of the Imp, and it is usually 
  fairly easy to suss out or even trick the Imp into admitting 
  what it is. Of course, it may then be a matter of fulfilling that 
  condition, but smart heroes can often exploit loopholes in 
  the requirement to get the cosmic pest to go away.
  The nature of the weakness can be almost anything: 
  learning and saying the Imp’s true name (or getting the 
  Imp to say it, perhaps backwards), winning a particular 
  contest, waiting for a particular time (such as an Imp who 
  only appears at night, or only on a particular night, like 
  Halloween), or confronting the Imp with some intangible 
  quality, such as love, hope, fear, or the like.
  Once the Imp’s weakness is triggered, he’s gone, at least 
  for a while. Some Imps have the same weakness, and it’s a 
  matter of knowing and using it when the Imp reappears. 
  Others change weaknesses, often within a theme, such 
  as the Imp who always leaves if you can beat him at a 
  game, but the game (and its rules) change with every 
  appearance.
  TACTICS
  Imps do not have a lot of use for tactics beyond “this 
  sounds like fun!” The Imp usually has enough power to do 
  just about anything, so the tactic of choice is usually the 
  one that makes things the most difficult for the heroes 
  but also gives them the opportunity to show what they’re 
  made of.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving an Imp may include the following:
  THERE’S A NEW HERO IN TOWN
  An amazing new superhero shows up in the same area as 
  the characters and begins showing them up with a dizzy-
  ing array of incredible powers. He wraps up a dangerous 
  hostage situation in no time, stops natural disasters, cap-
  tures escaped super-monsters, and so forth, all without 
  raising a sweat.
  As the heroes begin to suspect this new champion of 
  justice is too good to be true, they discover they are right: 
  he’s just a disguise for the Imp, who is actually creating 
  many of the crises in order to swoop in and handle the 
  problem! He might mean well, sincerely wanting to help 
  his idols (the heroes) but he’s too impatient to wait around 
  for actual things to happen. On the other hand, the Imp 
  might be maliciously messing with the “do-gooders” by 
  showing them up and making them look bad in public. 
  Either way, they have to figure out how to get rid of him 
  before his grandstanding creates a real disaster!
  THE IDEAS GUY
  It’s the heroes’ worst nightmare come true: the Imp 
  latches on to a cunning and dangerous supervillain (such 
  as the Psycho archetype) and, like a magical genie, starts 
  making all of his wishes come true! Now the guy who gave 
  the heroes trouble with limited or no powers of his own 
  has almost unlimited source of power! The heroes have to 
  contend with the problems their newly empowered foe 
  causes for them while trying to figure out how to separate 
  the Imp from the new “ideas guy” so they can deal with 
  them both.
  BUILDING BETTER HEROES
  In an effort to be “helpful,” the Imp decides heroes need 
  challenges to not only stay sharp, but to hone and 
  improve their skills. Therefore, he takes it upon himself to 
  become their “hero coach” and provide them with all sorts 
  of new and innovative challenges. At first, the good guys 
  might not know the Imp is behind it all. They just notice 
  an uptick in strange happenings and crises. The more they 
  deal with things, the worse they seem to get, however, 
  until the heroes cannot seem to catch a break. Only when 
  all seems lost (the Moon begins falling out of the sky 
  toward Earth, or a giant monster threatens to eat the Sun), 
  does the Imp appear to harangue the hopeless heroes 
  and tell them they need to meet this latest challenge! Lack 
  of gratitude might well turn the Imp away from helping 
  and back to just causing trouble, not that the heroes will 
  be able to tell the difference.
  CHALLENGE OF THE CHAMPIONS
  The Imp takes the role of referee in a contest (or series of 
  contests) between two or more teams of superhumans. 
  The teams could be the classic “heroes versus villains” or 
  various superhero teams competing, mixed groups of 
  heroes and villains, the heroes versus heroines, adults 
  versus teens, or anything else that catches the Imp’s fancy. 
  Perhaps the teams even vary from one contest to the 
  next. Similarly, the prize can be anything from the Imp 
  not wiping out life as we know it on Earth to the promise 
  of fulfilling the winner’s every wish, something the good 
  guys are not going to want their archenemies to get!
  This adventure is an excuse to put the heroes through any 
  series of contests you care to think up, including staging 
  interesting fights with various opponents in exotic locales, 
  around the world or in the far corners of the universe.
  IT’S A MAD, MAD WORLD
  A series of just plain weird things start happening to the 
  heroes: clouds made of actual cotton; cartoon characters 
  coming to life; inanimate objects talking to people and 
  developing temperamental personalities, and so forth. 
  The more surreal the idea, the better it is. After a series of 
  incidents that make everyone doubt their sanity, the Imp 
  shows up to explain how the physical world needed some 
  “livening up.” Incapable of fully understanding the divide 
  between imagination and solid reality, the cosmic visitor 
  has begun blurring it, causing dreams, imagination, and 
  nightmares to bleed over into the real world.
  The good guys have no end of crises and emergencies to 
  handle, along with ultimately convincing their strange 
  visitor to stop and put things back to normal.
  102
  102
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  JOBBER
  Not every villain is cut out to rule the world or bring 
  society to its knees, and not every villain wants to. For 
  many, villainy is a strict 9-to-5 day job. Once all is said 
  and done, they punch out and hit the bar to complain 
  about their kids’ braces and the overbearing mastermind 
  signing their checks. Others may simply have a schtick or 
  gimmick they love that’s never amounted to much more 
  than holding up jewelry stores and shaking down tourist 
  busses, continuing their villainous schemes for the art, 
  rather than for power or profit.
  The Jobber is a classic low-power goon who nonetheless 
  brings some powers to the fight. They are lieutenants who 
  lead minions or support more powerful villains with clear-
  cut agendas. The typical Jobber excels at something (see 
  the Jobber Themes table), and applies that skill to criminal 
  activities, but without the style or raw power of more 
  experienced villains. Some are happy with their brand 
  of “casual villainy,” never quite being leadership material, 
  while others resent their role as second-string evil. Some 
  earn a measure of respect working as the strong arms for 
  a criminal syndicate under a Crime Lord or Mad Scientist, 
  and just as many still trash talk and posture no matter how 
  many times they’re defeated.
  What they lack in terms of power, most Jobbers make up 
  for with personality. They lovingly embrace their gimmicks 
  with an appropriate costume for themselves and minions, 
  themed crimes, and strings of bad puns. Most inexplicably 
  escape prison with ease to haunt their favorite heroes 
  time and time again.
  THEMES
  A Jobber’s theme revolves heavily around whatever 
  particular power set they possess. Most have a particular 
  obsession or theme to their abilities that both limits 
  the theme and scope of their crimes and provides a 
  curiously savant-like mastery of some subject. A clock-
  themed Jobber may not be able to do multiplication in 
  his head but can track and predict timing within a tenth 
  of a second, while a Jobber with a freeze ray may build 
  it herself but otherwise be unable to change her own 
  oil or set the clock on her microwave. Consider where a 
  Jobber’s powers come from: Are they natural abilities? 
  Are they provided and maintained by another villain? Are 
  their abilities from a magic source, strange radiation, or a 
  strangely specific mastery of science?
  CAN’T TOUCH ME
  While Jobbers are generally considered a joke, most 
  have one unexpected area where they shine or easily 
  outmatch even veteran heroes. This is sometimes played 
  for laughs but other times represents a serious challenge 
  the heroes must overcome. The most common example 
  is the amphibious villain who is a joke on dry land but 
  extraordinarily powerful, swift, or skilled underwater. Other 
  Jobbers may be frustratingly difficult to catch in a chase 
  or possess oddly specific scientific expertise relevant to a 
  problem the heroes must solve, forcing them to persuade 
  or intimidate the Jobber into working with them willingly. 
  This ability is best reflected with advantages like Favored 
  Foe or Favored Environment—perhaps even allowing 
  Jobbers to stack two ranks of these advantages to improve 
  the provided circumstance bonus to +5.
  IT’S ALL THE SUIT
  Many Jobbers rely on advanced technology to provide 
  their powers, having no abilities of their own and instead 
  using a weapon, suit, or other gadget for their power. Con-
  sider where this technology comes from: Is it a mystical ar-
  tifact they found? A gift from a mad scientist? Equipment 
  provided by an employer? Or did they build it themselves? 
  If the technology is provided by someone else, consider 
  what happens if the Jobber goes rogue, or if their boss 
  is taken down. If the villain provides their own technol-
  ogy, can they provide a similar (less powerful) version of 
  that same technology to their minions, or even sell it to 
  other criminals? Also consider if their device is removable 
  or easily removed; a gravity gun can be disarmed, while a 
  villain with a wearable “cosmos rig” has to be taken down 
  before the heroes can take their powers away.
  THAT’S ODDLY SPECIFIC
  Many Jobbers rely on amazingly advanced technology 
  they build themselves, despite having no special genius 
  or other technical skills. Many could become wealthy 
  if they learned to apply their technological insights or 
  patented their creations, but somhow never manage to. 
  This savant-level tinkering is always limited to their theme 
  or represents one particular discovery they stumbled 
  across. It is considered a plot device rather than anything 
  requiring appropriate skills or advantages.
  NAME IDEAS
  See the individual elements on the Jobber Themes table.
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic elements associated with the Jobber include:
  CHECK THIS OUT
  Jobbers have a tendency to reinvent themselves along 
  their theme, returning with new skills, new advantages, 
  different minions, or changes to their powers. They 
  may upgrade or change out their arsenal of gimmick 
  weapons or learn a new alternate power, always keeping 
  heroes on their toes. These new abilities are an excellent 
  excuse to introduce plot devices used to kick off the real 
  adventure, such as a mirror-themed Jobber’s new ray gun 
  103
  103
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  accidentally swapping the heroes’ minds or a Nightmare-
  themed Jobber’s new sleeping dust trapping everyone in 
  a shared dream for the session.
  COLD OPEN
  A recurring narrative device in comics is to open with 
  the heroes already engaging a minor threat such as a 
  criminal gang caught mid-heist. Because they are neither 
  especially threatening nor especially subtle, Jobbers 
  make excellent leaders for otherwise ordinary criminals in 
  opening encounters like this, adding some special effects 
  to a short and exciting opening scene.
  DOUBLE TROUBLE
  Jobber powers sometimes straddle multiple themes, and 
  because the effects listed generally don’t stack you can 
  feel free to select two different themes to provide more 
  interesting power options and increased mobility, such as 
  a stilt-themed villain whose powersuit also provides them 
  with super strength, or an aerialist who throws trick feath-
  ers that explode or entangle targets.
  IT’S A LIVING
  For many Jobbers, crime is a day job and they still have 
  a regular life outside the suit. They hang out at bars with 
  other minor villains, hold down apartments, and may have 
  families to support. Some turn to villainy because their 
  expertise or powers ruined their chance at a normal life, and 
  a criminal record prevents them from finding legitimate 
  work, feeding a vicious cycle of criminal behavior. Many of 
  these “blue collar” villains are happy to leave business at the 
  office and sit down for a drink with heroes out of costume, 
  though they generally want to leave “shop talk” at the office 
  and discuss anything else, from sports to the local gossip.
  Most workaday Jobbers have shockingly mundane 
  concerns, like how to pay for healthcare, save for 
  retirement, or get their kids to respect them, and invariably 
  turn to villainy to solve these problems.
  MY RIGHT HAND
  Jobbers who take their career more seriously often serve 
  as lieutenants for more powerful villains, assisting them 
  in combat and leading their minions on jobs. While this 
  doesn’t necessarily make a Jobber more powerful, it 
  grants them access to better vehicles and equipment, and 
  may mean they can readily escape custody to rejoin their 
  criminal master. Those who lead minions usually have 
  higher ranks of the Intimidate skill.
  Multiple Jobbers—often with complimentary powers—
  may even serve the same master and provide a potent 
  one-two punch that helps a mastermind manage an en-
  tire team of heroes in combat. A villain who creates icy en-
  vironments, for example, would benefit from lieutenants 
  who can survive or thrive in icy conditions, while a villain 
  with powerful psychic powers and a fragile body may turn 
  to super-strong Jobbers to defend them. A Jobber who 
  can maneuver around on the ceiling pairs well with an-
  other who lays out sticky traps on the floor, and so forth.
  VILLAINS WITHOUT NUMBER
  Jobbers straddle the Power Level between villains 
  and minions, and can also represent “elite” minions of 
  JOBBER 
  PL8
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  2
  3
  1
  1
  4
  0
  1
  0
  POWERS
  Armored Costume: Protection 5 • 5 points
  Jobber Schtick: Powers based on theme (see Jobber Themes 
  sidebar)
  SKILLS
  Athletics 5 (+7), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+8), Intimidation 6 (+6), 
  Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Powers 7 (+8), Technology 
  4 (+4)
  ADVANTAGES
  Beginner’s Luck, Close Attack 2, Improved Initiative, Power 
  Attack, Takedown, Teamwork, Ultimate Effort (Toughness 
  checks)
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +5
  Jobber Attack +8
  Effect Varies
  Unarmed +6
  Close, Damage 2
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  8
  FORTITUDE
  9
  PARRY
  8
  TOUGHNESS
  8/3*
  WILL
  7
  *Without Protection bonus
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  24
  SKILLS 
  17
  POWERS
  varies
  DEFENSES
  23
  ADVANTAGES
  8
  TOTAL
  72+
  COMPLICATIONS
  Accident: The Jobber is especially prone to causing mayhem 
  and accidents, or losing control of their powers.
  Goober: No one seems to take the Jobber seriously.
  Quirk: The Jobber has a personality quirk or obsession related 
  to their power set.
  Responsibility: The Jobber has obligations to a more powerful 
  villain or group.
  104
  104
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  especially powerful villains, such as an Elder Evil’s demon-
  imbued shock troops or an Overlord’s royal guard. Simply 
  apply the minion rules (or don’t, if you want to use them 
  sparingly) and select a theme reflective of their employer.
  Even when they aren’t minions, Jobbers often flock 
  together for strength in numbers against a city’s heroes. 
  They are more likely than most villains to work well 
  together, forming a criminal league or gallery of rogues 
  who focus on one hero in particular they have in common.
  TACTICS
  When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like 
  a nail. Jobbers typically have one strategy and stick with 
  it, often getting creative in how to best apply their limited 
  powers. They select their targets, environments, or even 
  time of day based on what provides an advantage—
  especially those with movement powers. In combat, they 
  are direct and overconfident, opening up with their 
  strongest power before trying alternate powers or 
  maneuvers.
  While they easily outmatch local law enforcement, 
  Jobbers are rarely on equal footing with superheroes. 
  Jobbers often lead minions—either their own or other 
  criminals loyal to their employer—and use Aid actions 
  and Team Attack maneuvers with their minions to 
  match a hero’s power level. Others may use their 
  minions for cover—in this case, consider applying the 
  Interpose advantage to minions or even a mandatory 
  Interpose-like effect that allows a Jobber to sacrifice 
  an adjacent minion to block a hero’s attack.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving a Jobber may include:
  A CONTEST OF CRIMINALS
  Over a few drinks, several Jobbers decide to settle 
  which of them is the best by all targeting the same 
  treasure. The first to attack may provide a red 
  herring, making heroes believe that an unaffiliated 
  employer is after the treasure or that a wave of 
  theme-robberies is about to begin, but as more 
  and more villains make a run at the same target the 
  situation becomes more obvious. Once the heroes 
  get involved, the rules change, and the Jobbers 
  split into teams to see who can catch the most 
  heroes unprepared and take them down.
  HEROIC EFFORTS
  A Jobber accidentally manages to stop a crime in 
  progress while waiting to rob the same business, 
  leaving them basking in the adulation of a crowd 
  and smiling for news cameras. After this, he begins 
  fighting street crime. Do the heroes get involved 
  and help their old foe reform, or do they watch 
  and wait for him to relapse into his formerly 
  felonious ways?
  I MISS THE OLD GUY
  A long-running Jobber who has opposed the heroes 
  before finally retires, disappears, or dies. More a colorful 
  character than a dangerous criminal, her loss leaves 
  the hero community and local news feeling awkwardly 
  down. But soon, a new criminal picks up her mantle and 
  equipment, but with far darker, more violent tendencies, 
  sensible tactics, and possibly even powerful minions. This 
  new legacy Jobber may even have an increased power 
  level. What is their tie to the original villain and what is 
  motivating their new crime wave, and can the heroes stop 
  them from tarnishing the legacy of a far less dangerous 
  criminal that may even think of as a peer?
  105
  105
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  JOBBER THEMES
  D20
  ELEMENT
  1
  Aerialist with wings (Winged Flight 8), wing slash (Strength-Based Damage 4; Accurate 2), and avian senses (Sens-
  es 6 [darkvision, extended vision, infravision, tracking 2]). Name Ideas: Butcher Bird, Con-dor, Dragonfly, Flying Fox, 
  Kingfisher, Pinfeather, Rocketrix • 20 points
  2-3
  Energy Projection with energy blast (Ranged Damage 8), stun blast (alternate; Ranged Affliction 8, Resisted by 
  Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Energy Wall (alternate; Create 8), Blast Off (alternate; Leaping 5), and 
  energy battery (Immunity 10 [one energy type]); Name Ideas: Combustor, Lighter, Living Frost, Master Ohm, Mr. Hot, 
  Shakedown • 29 points
  4–5
  Glue/Traps with snare (Ranged Cumulative Affliction 8, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless 
  and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree), snare trap (alternate; Cumulative Affliction 7, Resisted by 
  Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree; Triggered), 
  and snare bomb (alternate; Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 6, Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, 
  Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree); Name Ideas: Adheser, Flypaper, Goo Girl, Handy 
  Man, Mountain Man, Snap-Trap, String King, Trapules, the Welder • 26 points
  6–7
  Leaping with super leaping (Immunity 5 [falling damage], Leaping 5, Speed 4) and power kick (Strength-Based 
  Damage 4, Accurate 2). Name Ideas: Bullfrog, Triathlete, Hare Trigger, Hopscotch, Kangarude, the Leapist, Pole Vault 
  • 20 points
  8–9
  Mirrors/Illusions/Shadows with projections (Visual Illusion 8), reflection/misdirection (Deflect 7; Redirection, 
  Reflect), illusion damage (alternate; Ranged Damage 7; Alternate Resistance [Will]), invisibility (alternate; Visual 
  Concealment 4); and mirror-step (alternate; Extended Teleport 10; Medium). Name Ideas: Adonis, Bloody Mary, 
  Chiaroscuro, Figment, Mirror Miser, Refractor, Shadowplay • 40 points
  10–11
  Poison with venom (Weaken Stamina 8, Resisted by Fortitude; Accurate), hallucinogenic poison (alternate; Af-
  fliction 8, Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled; Accurate), paralytic poison (alternate; Affliction 8, 
  Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Paralyzed; Accurate), poison spray (alternate; Line Area Weaken Stamina 4, 
  Resisted by Fortitude), and sneaky (Enhanced Stealth 10, Movement 1 [slithering or wall-crawling 2]). Naming Ideas: 
  Dr. Feelbad, Ghost Shrew, Injector, Mr. Medici, Pusher, Scorpion X • 19 points
  12–13
  Stilts/Spiders/Striding with long-legs (Elongation 4 [limited to legs], Speed 4), kickback (Strength-Based Damage 
  4; Accurate; Linked to Close Move Object 8 [limited to away]), and Teflon-coating (Immunity 1 [being climbed]). 
  Name Ideas: Bowlegged Man, the Crane, the High Heel, Leg Man, Lifts, Mommy Longlegs, Power Walker • 17 points
  14–15
  Spinning with whirlwind spin (Concealment 4 [visual; partial], Senses 1 [radius vision], Speed 6), dizzying embrace 
  (Affliction 8, Resisted by Will; Dazed, Defenseless, Incapacitated; Accurate), and tornado control (alternate; Close 
  Cone Area Move Object 4). Name Ideas: Brawllerina, Gustnado, Gyro-Master, Madame Centrifuge, Pinwheel, Spin 
  Cycle, Turnabout, Whirligig • 21 points
  16–17
  Strength with powerhouse (Enhanced Strength 7, Enhanced Advantage [Close Attack, Improved Grab]) and 
  resilient (Immunity 10 [life support; limited to half effect]). Name Ideas: Buffalo Gal, Crusher, Gravestone, Johnny 
  Legbreaker, Miss Grizzly • 26 points
  18–19
  Throwing Weapons with exploding ammo (Ranged Damage 8), entangle ammo (alternate; Ranged Affliction 8, 
  Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized; Extra Condition, Limited Degree), 
  flash ammo (alternate; Ranged Burst Area Affliction 8, resisted by Fortitude; Impaired, Debilitated; Limited Degree), 
  thrown flurry (alternate; Strength-Based Ranged Damage 6; Split 4), and swingline (alternate; Movement 2 [safe fall, 
  swinging]). Name Ideas: Boomerage, Captain Javelin, Deadeye, Throwing Star, Zuboshi • 20 points
  20
  Whips/Tentacles with lash line (Strength-Based Damage 6; Accurate 2; Fast Grab, Improved Grab, Improved Hold), 
  power pull (Enhanced Strength 6; Limited to Grappling and Pulling), and swingline (Movement 2 [safe fall, swing-
  ing). Name Ideas: Bullwhip, Cat-O-Nine, Chainbringer, Creeping Ivy, Filament, Lash Master, Man-O-War, Ribbondanc-
  er, Rocktopus, Urumi • 19 points
  THE NEW ORDER
  After the heroes take down a local crime lord, one or more 
  of the Jobbers in their employ decides to pick up the reins 
  and take over the organization. While not as criminally 
  brilliant as their ex-boss, the Jobber offers unique 
  firepower by creating replicas of their own power suite 
  at an appropriate rank for their minions. With power and 
  no subtlety, they begin a more overt and violent crime 
  wave than the ones the heroes just stopped, and taking 
  the Jobber down becomes even harder when they begin 
  outfitting their criminal headquarters with powered traps.
  YOU’RE NOT LAUGHING NOW
  A common element of the Jobber life is humiliating 
  defeat, and the Jobber has taken one too many quips or 
  right-hooks from their rival hero at this point. With some 
  outside help, they have upgraded their power significantly, 
  increasing their PL to 12 or higher (or consider using the 
  Elemental or Jumped-Up Nobody archetypes) and are 
  now rampaging through the city to draw out the heroes 
  or take revenge on old rivals. They’re eager to settle the 
  score and see how many jokes the heroes can crack 
  through a broken jaw.
  106
  106
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  If it were not for a strange twist of fate, the Jumped-Up 
  Nobody would be just that: no one of any consequence. 
  After a lifetime of frustration and obscurity, suddenly 
  a great Item of Power has found its way into his hands 
  and the nobody finally has a chance to be somebody, to 
  make the world sit up and take notice! Now he will show 
  them what real power can do! He’ll show them all!
  More often than not, the Jumped-Up Nobody is a tempo-
  rary villain, a character who gets his powers at the start of 
  the story and loses them by the end. Still, that does not 
  necessarily have to mean the end of the villain, since the 
  Nobody may be looking for a way to regain the lost power; 
  he might even succeed, if a return appearance is desired.
  THEMES
  The primary variations on the Jumped-Up Nobody in-
  volve the exact nature of the Item of Power. It can be a 
  book of spells, a magical talisman, cosmic artifact, piece 
  of advanced alien technology, or anything else the GM 
  cares to make up. Likewise, the Nobody could have come 
  by the Item in any number of ways. Some find them by 
  accident, literally in the mud at the character’s feet (or in 
  the trash, washed up on the beach, etc.). Others hunt for 
  the Item for years until they are rewarded with success. A 
  few stumble across an Item of Power meant for somebody 
  else, such as the hapless henchman who ends up with the 
  Item a villain has worked to acquire, or the cosmic mis-
  take that assigns something meant for a heroic wielder 
  to a less worthy subject. The Item often “imprints” on its 
  wielder such that no one else can use it.
  You can further customize the archetype by assigning differ-
  ent or additional powers to the Item of Power’s array. They 
  can round out the character’s arsenal of attacks and provide 
  some additional effects. You can also leave some or all of 
  them undefined and fill them in during game play as ideas 
  suggest themselves (see Classic Bits for more on this).
  POWER SOURCE
  Some Jumped-Up Nobodies don’t gain their power from 
  an item, but from another outside source. The classic ex-
  ample is a “D-list” sorcerer who has sold his soul to a de-
  mon or other entity in exchange for tremendous power. 
  Naturally, once the sorcerer is defeated, his master calls 
  the debt due, and he is dragged down into some hellish 
  afterlife. These Nobodies have the same sorts of powers, 
  just without the Removable modifier (and with a corre-
  sponding increase in cost). In its place, they may have an-
  other flaw, usually involving the temporary nature of their 
  powers or a price they must eventually pay.
  BLUNDERING NOBODY
  The default archetype assumes a villainous character, 
  but some Jumped-Up Nobodies are actually average or 
  even well-intentioned people suddenly gifted with enor-
  mous power without the ability to understand or control 
  it. They are like giants in a sandbox, capable of unleash-
  ing blasts that can level buildings or even worse with a 
  glance; they’re usually frightened by the circumstances, 
  then angry at being attacked, and therefore unable to 
  exercise the mental discipline needed to keep their new 
  powers in check. Heroes dealing with Blundering No-
  bodies have to keep them calm and under control while 
  containing their incredibly dangerous powers. It can get 
  even worse when the Nobody wants to “help out” by 
  joining the team before he or she is ready, and it appears 
  the influence of the Item of Power is starting to corrupt 
  the user....
  OMNIPOTENT NOBODY
  The most extreme type of Jumped-Up Nobody is a plot 
  device character with truly limitless power, even beyond 
  that of the item given in the archetype’s stats. The No-
  body might possess a literal plot device, an item capable 
  of turning thought into reality or granting wishes, or may 
  be granted untold power by an outside agency. The ba-
  sic principles of the archetype still apply, but coming up 
  with a way of defeating the villain is even more based on 
  the heroes figuring out the Nobody’s weakness and put-
  ting it into use, rather than engaging him in toe to toe 
  combat. It might require taking away the Item of Power, 
  or tricking the villain into over-extending his abilities or 
  using them in some way that ensures his defeat.
  NAME IDEAS
  Typically over-the-top and grandiose monikers like “the 
  Master,” or anything with Cosmic, Mega-, Power, Supreme, 
  or Ultimate in it.
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some classic bits associated with the 
  Jumped-Up Nobody villain archetype:
  SHOWS OF POWER
  Ignored before he possessed such might, the Jumped-Up 
  Nobody likes to show off with displays of now-amazing 
  power, such as blasting away at anyone foolish enough 
  to defy his pronouncements, or going after those who 
  previously tormented him and forcing them to grovel 
  and beg for their lives. “Subtle” tends to be something 
  the Nobody needs to grow into, and most rarely get the 
  time for it.
  When choosing additional powers for the archetype’s ar-
  ray, go for things that make a good show. Attack effects 
  such as various kinds of Damage or Move Object (usable 
  for throwing around massive objects, or hitting heroes 
  with them) are good choices.
  JUMPED-UP NOBODY
  107
  107
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  “I DIDN’T KNOW I COULD DO THAT!”
  Given their typically accidental origin stories, Jumped-Up 
  Nobodies rarely understand their powers very well. (It’s 
  not as if they come with a user’s manual.) They may have 
  no idea of what they can do until they try. You can use this 
  for comedic effect by showing the villain attempt some-
  thing with nothing happening, or having abilities produce 
  unexpected results, such as a shattering blast rather than 
  the delicate beam intended to carve the villain’s name 
  into a wall.
  You can also use this trope as a way of introducing new 
  powers (or Alternate Effects) for the villain, based on what 
  is going on in the adventure. Necessity is, as they say, the 
  mother of invention, so the Nobody is more likely to try 
  something if there’s a reason than just pulling out new 
  powers at random. If you feel this sudden power develop-
  ment constitutes a complication for the heroes, the equiv-
  alent of a villain “power stunt,” then award the players a 
  hero point for it.
  POWER CORRUPTS
  Even if a Jumped-Up Nobody doesn’t start out as a power-
  mad villain, they tend to end up that way, given the kind 
  of might at their command. The archetype is often used 
  as an example of the maxim “power corrupts,” with the 
  opportunity to fulfill any whim making the empowered 
  Nobody selfish and cruel, becoming increasingly 
  disdainful of self-control and the “little people” who are no 
  longer a threat or concern.
  Some Items of Power even actively corrupt their wielders, 
  their essences tainted by evil magic, or perhaps possessed 
  of malevolent intelligences of their own. The more the 
  villain uses the item, the worse the effects get. The heroes 
  should get an opportunity to convince the villain to turn 
  back and reject the tainted power, although it does not 
  necessarily have to succeed.
  TACTICS
  The Jumped-Up Nobody is a terribly unbalanced 
  character, and intentionally so. Note the 18 ranks of 
  Impervious Protection along with the Immunity and Mind 
  Shield granted by the Item of Power makes the archetype 
  highly resistant to a direct assault. He’s likewise highly 
  resistant to mental assault and immune to mere mortal 
  concerns like having to breathe.
  Still, he’s far from invulnerable. The Nobody’s weaknesses 
  lie in human frailties: a fairly low Fortitude defense and 
  a mediocre Insight modifier. Nobodies often forget just 
  how powerful they are, and old (human) habits die hard.
  Offensively, Jumped-Up Nobodies tend to go for big, 
  showy effects, especially dishing out a lot of damage to 
  blast their foes through buildings and across town. When 
  they go up against opponents with sufficient defense to 
  evade their direct attacks—given the relatively low +6 
  attack bonus—most are smart enough to go for area 
  JUMPED-UP NOBODY 
  PL12
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  1
  0
  0
  POWERS
  Item of Power: 135 points, Removable (–27 points) • 108 points
  Amazing Confidence: Enhanced Advantages 5 (Beginner’s 
  Luck, Ranged Attack 6); Enhanced Defenses 18 (Dodge 6, 
  Parry 6, Fortitude 6) • 25 points
  Energy Mastery: Array (36 points)
  • Energy Blast: Ranged Damage 18 • 36 points
  • Energy Burst: Burst Area Ranged Damage 12 • 1 point
  • Energy Bonds: Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction 9 
  (Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless 
  and Immobile), Extra Condition, Resisted by Dodge, Limited 
  Degree • 1 point
  • Transmutation: Ranged Transform 6 (50 lbs.), any material 
  into any result • 1 point
  Immunity 11 (Life Support, Own Powers) • 11 points
  Invulnerability: Impervious Protection 18 • 36 points
  Mental Shield: Enhanced Will 12, Impervious • 24 points
  SKILLS
  Expertise: Magic or Science 6 (+7), Expertise: Pop Culture 6 
  (+7), Insight 4 (+4)
  ADVANTAGES
  Beginner’s Luck, Ranged Attack 4
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +0
  Energy Blast +6
  Ranged, Damage 18 or other effect
  Energy Burst
  Ranged, Burst Area Damage 12
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  6
  FORTITUDE
  6
  PARRY
  6
  TOUGHNESS
  18/0*
  WILL
  12
  *Without Protection bonus
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  2
  SKILLS 
  8
  POWERS
  108
  DEFENSES
  0
  ADVANTAGES
  0
  TOTAL
  118
  COMPLICATIONS
  I’ll Show You! Angered by reminders of previous nobody 
  status.
  Short-Sighted: Has a lot of power, but doesn’t know what to 
  do with it.
  108
  108
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  attacks or to use any perception ranged effects they may 
  have in their array. The Area Perception Affliction attack 
  is there for just such a reason: it lets the Nobody entangle 
  a group of heroes in energy bonds (earth manacles, the 
  grasping skeletal hands of undead minions, or whatnot) 
  and then let them have it while their mobility is limited.
  CAPERS
  Capers involving the Jumped-Up Nobody might include 
  the following:
  I’LL SHOW THEM!
  With the power he now wields, the Jumped-Up 
  Nobody goes after a “hit list” of everybody 
  who ever crossed him, and it’s a long list. 
  The heroes’ first encounter with the vil-
  lain is when panicked calls for help come 
  from the people threatened by his ven-
  detta (directly or indirectly). The Nobody 
  might be kidnapping former tormenters 
  in order to give them a taste of their own 
  medicine, or simply going out and blast-
  ing them (or turning them to stone, or 
  into newts, or the like). Some of the vic-
  tims might also be the Nobody’s attempts 
  to show affection for those who were nice 
  to him. For example, he might kidnap the girl 
  he never had the courage to talk to, hoping to 
  finally win her love. Ideally, the heroes can fig-
  ure out a pattern to the attacks and anticipate 
  where the villain will strike next, perhaps allow-
  ing them the opportunity to lay a trap.
  MASTER OF THE WORLD!
  Using the Item of Power, the Nobody transforms the he-
  roes’ home city into his personal fiefdom, with himself 
  as its supreme ruler. The city might be surrounded by 
  an impenetrable shield, or even transported off the 
  earthly plane altogether. To add insult to injury, 
  the villain might also seize control of the minds 
  of the populace, remove the heroes’ powers, or 
  both. On the run in a strange version of their 
  familiar stomping grounds, the heroes must 
  rely on their skills, wits, and advantages to 
  figure out what’s happened and what they 
  can do to reverse it. This caper concept best 
  suits the Omnipotent Nobody version of the 
  archetype, given its scope.
  YOUNG GUN
  Following the tremendous rush of pow-
  er, the Jumped-Up Nobody goes look-
  ing to kick some capes and demonstrate 
  what a powerful super-being he is now. 
  Naturally, the costumes he finds are the 
  heroes, and he challenges them to a battle 
  for supremacy. He might do something 
  showy like take a bus, train, or building full 
  of people hostage to get the heroes’ attention and en-
  courage them to play along, or he might simply show up 
  at their headquarters or a public event and attack them. 
  Ideally, the Nobody wants an audience to witness his 
  inevitable victory; if they’re not cheering him on, well, 
  there’s always the possibility of a Visual Area Affliction 
  with a control effect....
  109
  109
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  The Mad Scientist is a classic villain archetype, isolated 
  by a combination of brilliance, arrogance, and madness, 
  driven to prove something by hatching schemes for 
  conquest and plunder. Some Mad Scientists are motivated 
  by a desire for revenge against a society that mocked and 
  rejected the fruits of their genius. Others want to carry out 
  experiments no ethical society could condone, arrogantly 
  disdainful of “lesser” intellects and their so-called scruples. 
  A few are motivated by sheer lust for power or knowledge, 
  no matter the consequences. Mad Scientists naturally 
  have formidable intellectual abilities but most rely heavily 
  on devices, equipment, and minions for physical matters.
  THEMES
  Mad Scientists tend to be distinguished by two things: the 
  ways in which they are “mad” and the areas of science they 
  focus on. There can be a considerable difference between 
  a geneticist obsessed with the creation of new life versus 
  a chemist looking to perfect a wonder drug to grant 
  superhuman powers, or a physicist seeking the secrets of 
  the universe’s creation (even if it means its destruction as 
  well). Some common Mad Scientist themes in the comics 
  include the following.
  ARMS MERCHANT
  Rather than directly confronting the authorities and 
  the heroes who back them up, a Mad Scientist might 
  prefer the quiet life of tinkering in a lab or workshop. 
  Unfortunately, their work costs, and often costs big, so to 
  arrange a source of income, the scientist sells high-tech 
  devices to customers willing to pay, usually providing 
  weapons to criminals and even other supervillains. A Mad 
  Scientist arms merchant can explain the widespread use 
  of super-tech gadgets in a setting when the heroes start 
  wondering, “Where are people getting all this stuff?”
  ASIAN MASTERMIND
  The Asian Mastermind is based on the “yellow peril” ste-
  reotype of pulp adventure stories translated into the 
  comic book medium. Typically the villain is an older Asian 
  scholar or scientist who styles himself after the mandarins, 
  daimyo, or other aristocratic or warrior classes of the past, 
  and wishes to combine modern science and ancient am-
  bition to conquer the world. Some Asian Masterminds mix 
  alchemy or Taoist sorcery with their science.
  CORPORATE CRIMINAL
  Not all Mad Scientists are solo acts, unable to profit from 
  their genius. A few manage to fit into the business world 
  and climb the corporate ladder, perhaps even to the very 
  top. These geniuses may become the heads of top-secret 
  research organizations, “black science” laboratories, gov-
  ernment projects, or even presidents or CEOs of major 
  corporations. So far as most of the world is concerned, 
  they are legitimate businesspeople and inventors, putting 
  their skills to work for the good of the company and the 
  world. The heroes quickly learn the truth when they come 
  face-to-face with the Corporate Criminal’s brand of mad 
  science in action.
  MONSTER-MAKER
  Ever since Frankenstein, a classic image of the Mad 
  Scientist is as “the modern Prometheus,” stealing fire from 
  heaven and creating new life in defiance of the laws of 
  nature. Advances in genetic engineering, biotechnology, 
  MAD SCIENTIST
  ANY SCIENCE CAN BE MAD, IF YOU’RE DOING IT RIGHT!
  In the comics, engineering sciences with their “big iron” (and later, life sciences, by way of Dr. Frankenstein) get all the at-
  tention. After all, Mad Scientists are always building (or growing) things to trouble the heroes. Still, that doesn’t mean the 
  other sciences cannot get in on the action. Indeed, it can be interesting to play around with ways to make other scientific 
  disciplines just as evil. Some possibilities to consider:
  • 
  Chemistry: Great for brewing up all sorts of concoctions, from acids to wonder drugs, indestructible polymers and 
  adhesives, or chemically created life forms (living embodiments of the periodic table of elements are a popular op-
  tion). Possibly mixed with alchemy and mysticism.
  • 
  Mathematics: While it often seems evil, mathematics might not seem all that powerful, until you realize that it is the 
  science underlying many other disciplines. Esoteric or “mad math” could grant a villain power over probability or 
  even the foundational building blocks of reality itself! A Mad Mathematician might quest for “The Implicate Theo-
  rem” or some other formula that unlocks unlimited power.
  • 
  Psychology: The science of the mind might produce methods of brainwashing, psychological prediction or “profil-
  ing,” or base-level reprogramming (through means like neurolinguistics, for example). Mad psychologists are often 
  obsessed with phobias or other mental disorders.
  • 
  Sociology: On a broader level than individual psychology, a “mad sociologist” (or perhaps a “mad anthropologist”) 
  could develop means of manipulating entire societies or subcultures, perhaps through “energized memes” or “social 
  engineering.” Such a villain could potentially take over the world without anyone even knowing it! Perhaps they 
  already have...
  110
  110
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  and nanotechnology have only solidified this kind of foe 
  in the comics, a maker of monsters in various forms.
  Of course, most Monster-Makers don’t see themselves 
  that way. In their view, they are expanding the boundaries 
  of knowledge regarding life and adding to the biological 
  diversity of the world. They are seeking new ways to un-
  derstand and control life, perhaps improving it, even to 
  the point of conquering death! Those who call them dan-
  gerous are short-sighted fools unable to see the value of 
  their work.
  Monster-Makers have the Minions advantage for their 
  various creations, perhaps in place of Equipment. Some 
  may have Summon as well, being able to call their mon-
  strous minions out of nowhere or control them directly. A 
  few have other innate powers, either direct control over 
  biology or improvements made to their own physiology, 
  using themselves as experimental subjects.
  A sub-type of the Monster-Maker is the Robot-Builder, 
  who creates new “life” out of steel, silicon, and plastic. 
  The Robot-Builder’s creations may be nothing more than 
  mindless machines or a true new form of intelligent life, 
  potentially threatening to displace its organic predeces-
  sors.
  SINISTER SIMIAN
  As apes are common characters in the comics, so are sim-
  ian super-criminals. The Sinister Simian is just that—an 
  intelligent (usually very intelligent) Mad Scientist ape. The 
  combination of intellect, super-science, and simian physi-
  cal traits makes for a formidable, if unusual, supervillain. In 
  addition to the usual Mad Scientist traits, add the physical 
  abilities and skills of an ape: STR 6, STA 4, AGL 3, Athletics 
  6 (+11), Growth 4, Protection 2, and Senses 2 (Low-light 
  and Acute Smell).
  Some Sinister Simians have innate powers other than just 
  their intellect, ranging from mental powers or mystical 
  abilities (perhaps associated with some mythological 
  ape-god or spirit) to more traditional super-powers. The 
  Simian might have the ability to assume human form 
  (Morph), either a human who turns into a super-simian or 
  an ape able to disguise itself as a human.
  NAME IDEAS
  Whatever it is, it should most definitely include a title like 
  “Doctor” or “Professor” (“I didn’t attend eight years of evil 
  university to be called ‘Mister’!”). It might be the villain’s 
  real name or a suitable “surname” like Arkana, Improbable, 
  Malevolence, Malific, Quark, and so forth.
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic elements associated with the Mad Scientist 
  include:
  SIGNATURE DEVICES
  Mad Scientists are intensely egotistical and competitive, 
  so they tend to develop distinctive modus operandi. In 
  particular, there are usually devices or technology asso-
  ciated with that Scientist and no other. So the Monster-
  Maker, for example, engineers unique life forms and bio-
  technology whereas the Robot-Builder creates machines 
  capable of independent action. Sometimes Mad Scien-
  tists have even more refined themes, like one who creates 
  only human-like androids and another who focuses on 
  nanotechnology, for example. One might be known for 
  inventing invulnerable force fields, while another special-
  izes in adhesives and chemical solvents.
  Signature devices can create adventure hooks when a 
  Mad Scientist feels threatened by a similar invention in 
  the same field, such as parallel development (or even 
  improvement) of the breakthrough signature technology. 
  Similarly, others may steal the villain’s technology, provid-
  MAD SCIENTIST 
  PL9
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  -1
  0
  0
  2
  2
  11
  3
  1
  SKILLS
  Expertise: Science 8 (+19), Insight 4 (+7), Ranged Combat: 
  Guns 4 (+6), Technology 8 (+19), Vehicles 4 (+6)
  ADVANTAGES
  Eidetic Memory, Equipment 20, Inventor, Second Chance 
  (Technology skill checks), Skill Mastery (Technology)
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +0
  Ranged Weapon +6
  Ranged, typically Damage 12 or 
  similar effect
  Unarmed +2
  Close, Damage –1
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  6
  FORTITUDE
  6
  PARRY
  4
  TOUGHNESS
  0
  WILL
  12
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  36
  SKILLS 
  14
  POWERS
  0
  DEFENSES
  23
  ADVANTAGES
  24
  TOTAL
  97
  POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
  Arrogant: Underestimates intellectual inferiors (which is 
  everyone).
  They Called Me Mad! Obsessed with success.
  111
  111
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  ing a clue for astute heroes and also provoking the villain’s 
  wrath when the theft is discovered!
  THE LAB
  Every scientist needs somewhere to work, and setting up, 
  maintaining, and supplying a lab or workshop is impor-
  tant. Heroes may be able to track a Mad Scientist by fol-
  lowing a trail of thefts or black-market purchases to sup-
  ply a lab, and it can offer clues as to the villain’s eventual 
  plans.
  ASSISTANTS
  In addition to a lab, 
  Mad Scientists often 
  need assistants to do 
  the grunt work around 
  the place. Some may 
  create their own, mak-
  ing do with robots, uplift-
  ed animals, or mole-men; 
  others need human as-
  sistance, often with at 
  least a minimal amount 
  of training. Assistants 
  may double as effective 
  minions, if they have other 
  useful abilities. Otherwise, they 
  are primarily part of the Personnel 
  feature of a lair.
  In some cases, a Mad Scientist needs 
  expert assistance, which usually involves 
  kidnapping other scientists or scholars and 
  forcing them to work on a particular proj-
  ect, allowing heroes the opportunity to 
  thwart the kidnappings or track the miss-
  ing scientists to the villain’s lair.
  RANTS
  Their tremendous egos make Mad Sci-
  entists especially prone to ranting and 
  bragging about their accomplishments 
  and their brilliance. After all, they want oth-
  ers to appreciate their genius and find it dif-
  ficult to pass up an opportunity to explain 
  their latest invention or scheme to the igno-
  rant dolts who think they can stop it. One of 
  the prime functions of assistants (other than 
  stepping and fetching) is to listen to their boss-
  es’ ongoing rants.
  TACTICS
  Mad Scientists tend to be behind-the-scenes bad 
  guys, troubling the heroes with the 
  spawn 
  of their fevered intellects while 
  they watch from afar in their hid-
  den labs. When the inevitable con-
  frontation does happen, the Mad 
  Scientist tends to flip a switch (or 
  whatever) that unleashes some fear-
  some new invention on the heroes, or else orders loyal as-
  sistants and minions to “get them!” A Mad Scientist with 
  the heroes in his clutches can go on for some time about 
  his brilliance, but catch one out in the open and he’s more 
  likely to cower behind his flunkies or try and make a break 
  for it.
  If you are keeping with the archetype’s listed power level, 
  then the Mad Scientist has the capacity for ranged attacks 
  with a rank of up to 12, or 9 for those not requiring an at-
  tack check. Modify this as suits the desired power level for 
  the character and series.
  Similarly, the archetype does not account for whatever 
  minions the Mad Scientist may have, from 
  hired goons to home-made monsters. 
  Include them to help run interfer-
  ence for the villain and provide the 
  heroes with more of a physical 
  challenge.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving 
  the Mad Scientist may 
  include the following:
  THEY CALLED ME MAD!
  The scientific community has 
  panned the Mad Scientist’s latest 
  discovery or invention, claiming it is 
  flawed, too dangerous, or simply won’t 
  work. The enraged scientist disappears, 
  along with all of the experimental 
  data and even prototypes, leading 
  the heroes to investigate. The (now 
  mad) scientist intends to provide 
  “those fools” with clear evidence 
  of success, most likely by using the 
  new invention on them! You can 
  choose almost any sort of new 
  scientific device or gadget, from 
  weather control to shrink ray, and 
  set the villain up to use it on an 
  unsuspecting world.
  INTELLECTUAL RIVALRY
  A hero famous for his or her intel-
  lectual and scientific accomplish-
  ments is being honored by the 
  city or a national organization. All 
  of this pomp and circumstance 
  surrounding such an “obvious 
  intellectual inferior” enrages the 
  Mad Scientist, who swears to 
  prove once and for all who is the 
  greater genius. Perhaps the vil-
  lain kidnaps whoever is giving 
  the award to force them to 
  acknowledge him, or simply 
  plans to attack the award 
  112
  112
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  ceremony with an army of robots or some new fiendish 
  device to show up his rival.
  THE VILLAIN-MAKER
  A sudden flood of black-market mad-science devices is 
  responsible for a crime-wave in the city. The heroes not 
  only have to deal with formerly two-bit criminals armed 
  with photonic blasters and quantum phase shifters (and 
  whatnot) but also discover the source of the gizmos. A 
  Mad Scientist Arms Merchant is turning a tidy profit from 
  sales of the devices. The heroes learn of an underground 
  auction and look to break it up, but have to deal with the 
  Scientist, his minions, and his customers in the process.
  Whether a rogue ninja, master of unarmed combat, or a 
  peerless mercenary soldier, the Martial Artist is often an 
  agent used to remove obstacles for a master villain or 
  organization. Usually, this includes the heroes. Some are 
  true masters themselves, the opposite numbers of martial 
  artist heroes, peerless mercenaries, or the leaders of secret 
  orders of assassins.
  Martial Artists are built for combat, and may be capable of 
  taking on superhuman foes with the right planning and 
  tactics. They’re often coldly professional, claiming there’s 
  nothing personal in their missions of mayhem. It’s just 
  their duty to their employer and their devotion to the arts 
  of combat and killing.
  THEMES
  Martial Artist themes tend to revolve around the 
  character’s combat style and background. You can use 
  the fighting styles mentioned in Chapter 7 as templates 
  for different sorts of Martial Artist villains, varying the 
  archetype’s advantages and other traits accordingly, even 
  adding appropriate weapons for fencers or stick-fighters, 
  for example.
  EVIL NINJA
  Black-clad ninja have been staples of the comic books for 
  decades. The villainous ninja archetype might be an in-
  heritor of the traditions and secrets of the fabled ninja of 
  medieval Japan, or a more modern interpretation of their 
  legend. Historical ninja worked as assassins—likely em-
  ployment for their modern successors as well. In addition 
  to their formidable collection of advantages and skills, a 
  ninja may also carry a selection of equipment including 
  a sword (the straight-bladed ninjato is their traditional 
  weapon) and the equivalent of a utility belt with throw-
  ing stars, smoke bombs, and other devices uses to carry 
  out their missions and ensure their escape. A ninja master 
  may also have lesser ninja as minions (see the Minion Ar-
  chetypes for details).
  KUNG FU REVENANT
  The Martial Artist is not a living person, but an undead rev-
  enant returned from the grave! Some revenants are mys-
  tical undead like zombies or Chinese “hopping vampires” 
  while others are products of scientific research or a fusion 
  of science and sorcery. In some sources, undead suddenly 
  seem to develop considerable hand-to-hand combat skills 
  as part of their unlife, which can create this type of villain. 
  Simply add Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) to the arche-
  type’s powers, along with any other undead traits (such as 
  Regeneration) it may have. If the Revenant does not recover 
  on its own, remove its Stamina score as well.
  A revenant may also represent other types of unliving 
  Martial Artists, like statues imbued with a semblance of 
  life and considerable fighting skill, or even kung-fu ro-
  bots programmed with the hand-to-hand styles of old 
  masters.
  SUMOTORI
  The Martial Artist archetype is built, like most Martial Art-
  ists, around speed, agility, and accuracy. One unarmed 
  fighter type is quite different: the criminal sumo wrestler 
  or sumotori. This massively built foe relies on strength 
  and sheer bulk rather than quickness, although he is of-
  ten far quicker than most expect. For this type of Martial 
  Artist, reverse the archetype’s Strength and Agility scores, 
  reduce base attack bonus by 2, and exchange Defensive 
  Roll advantage for the Protection effect (keeping Tough-
  ness the same).
  ULTIMATE FIGHTER
  The Ultimate Fighter is all about the “art” in “martial art-
  ist,” and all about the win after going one-on-one against 
  a tough opponent. Natural competitors, Ultimate Fighter 
  types test their skills in the crucible of the fighting ring 
  or cage-match, and they’re often driven to seek out new 
  challenges by taking on costumed heroes as opponents, 
  inside and outside the ring.
  The Ultimate Fighter may be a cold and heartless mer-
  cenary, interested only in proving he is the best there is 
  against any and all opponents, putting his skills to work 
  for the highest bidder. Alternately, the character might be 
  a reluctant warrior, masterfully trained but seeking peace, 
  until circumstances force him into the ring to earn money 
  or protect a loved one from criminal elements. The charac-
  ter is often young, with something to prove, although an 
  older fighter trying to hold on to his glory days is a good 
  alternative.
  NAME IDEAS
  Black Hand, Bloodsport, Golden Tiger, Shadow Dragon, 
  Steel Fist, Thunder Fist, White Crane
  MARTIAL ARTIST
  113
  113
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some classic bits associated with the 
  Martial Artist archetype:
  THE OLD RIVAL
  If one or more of the heroes are martial-arts experts, then 
  odds are good the Martial Artist knew them once. They 
  might have been students of the same master, probably 
  rivals although perhaps good friends back then. They 
  could also have been master-and-student, with either the 
  hero turning against a teacher who stepped over the line 
  or unable to save a student who followed the wrong path. 
  This kind of rivalry can add an interesting roleplaying 
  element to the Martial Artist’s appearance, along with an 
  opportunity for complications and hero points.
  THE SECRET TECHNIQUE
  Some Martial Artists know one or more eso-
  teric techniques, allowing them to perform su-
  per-human feats. Most often this technique is 
  some sort of close combat attack, with 
  an Affliction or Weaken effect. Some 
  have modifiers Alternate Resistance 
  and Progressive to represent attacks 
  that work on a target’s chi or life force. 
  Other secret techniques can justify a range 
  of powers based on sheer skill or mystical fo-
  cusing of the user’s chi. They include things 
  like walking up walls or across water, passing 
  through solid barriers, leaping great distanc-
  es, and rapid healing or resistance to injury.
  SENSE OF HONOR
  While they are ruthless killers, some criminal Martial Art-
  ists still have a sense of personal honor. Heroes may be 
  able to turn this to their advantage by having the villain 
  swear an oath to uphold a particular agreement, or by 
  challenging their foe to a fair contest or single com-
  bat. If the Martial Artist agrees, then 
  the outcome is binding. Honorable 
  villains can be counted on to 
  follow their codes, even if 
  they sometimes look for 
  ways out of them.
  STRIKING FROM THE 
  SHADOWS
  Martial Artists—especially 
  the ninja types—tend to 
  strike with surprise. Even 
  those who prefer a direct 
  confrontation are likely to 
  take advantage of a vulnerable 
  opponent. The surprise and feinting 
  rules from the M&M Hero’s Handbook 
  are particularly relevant to Martial Artists.
  TACTICS
  The Martial Artist is a close-in fighter with plenty 
  of tactical options, thanks to a full range of combat 
  advantages. Initially, the villain is likely to rely on surprise 
  and a Power Attack to inflict the maximum damage. After 
  mixing it up in melee combat, the Martial Artist relies 
  on a combination of high active defenses, Improved 
  Defense, and the Defensive Attack manuver to make it 
  more difficult for opponents to counter-attack. The Startle 
  advantage provides additional opportunities to catch 
  foes vulnerable. Do not overlook the Martial Artist’s ability 
  to use Redirect when fighting multiple opponents, setting 
  up situations where the heroes attacks hit each other as 
  114
  114
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  their foe dodges out of the way!
  Note that the archetype as written can have up to an 
  additional +2 Damage bonus (from weapons or other 
  Strength-based Damage effects) and an additional +1 
  Dodge defense while remaining at PL11.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Martial Artist may include the 
  following:
  THE BEST OF THE BEST
  An underground freestyle, no-holds-barred martial arts 
  competition is held at a particular place and time each 
  year, and the best unarmed fighters in the world are invit-
  ed to attend and fight each other for the prize of being de-
  clared the greatest combatant in the world. Naturally, the 
  Martial Artist—indeed, all of the great martial artists—are 
  there. Heroes known for their skilled fighting techniques 
  may attend as well, but they are expected to follow the 
  rules of the competition.
  The fight may be a simple grudge match for a trophy and 
  bragging rights, or there could be more going on than 
  meets the eye. Perhaps the organizers of the bout are of-
  fering a bigger prize, or are looking to gain something from 
  it. The winner might be chosen for ultimate power, or sacri-
  ficed to an evil force that values combat prowess. It might 
  be staged by aliens looking to recruit the Earth’s best fight-
  ers. The fights could offer valuable information to certain 
  parties, perhaps even allow a mimicking villain to copy the 
  moves and fighting styles of the world’s greatest!
  SECRETS OF THE MASTERS
  The already formidable Martial Artist begins searching 
  for a legendary scroll from a lost temple. This instruction 
  manual contains martial arts secrets lost to the ages and 
  can give the student untold powers: invisibility, immor-
  tality, the ability to kill with a mere touch, and more. The 
  clues to its location are scattered, requiring the villain to 
  gather various artworks and items now in museums and 
  private collections.
  A hidden order of monks and mystics might be charged 
  with protecting the secret, calling upon the heroes for 
  help in preventing the villain from finding the scroll. Per-
  haps the Martial Artist’s first step is to wipe out the scroll’s 
  guardians so they cannot stand in his way. The last survi-
  vor manages to reach the heroes and warn them of the 
  danger facing the world before he, too, perishes. Now 
  they are all that can stop the villain from becoming the 
  ultimate assassin!
  SCHOOL OF SHADOWS
  The heroes notice a disturbing increase in the quality of 
  hired muscle available to the criminal underworld: men 
  who are trained far beyond just street toughs and more 
  like professional soldiers or ninja (see the Ninja minions 
  on page 140 for examples). After a brush or two with 
  these “shadow ninja” goons, they investigate and learn 
  of a new “broker” offering muscle-for-hire to the high-
  est bidders. The Martial Artist is teaching crooks in the 
  “School of Shadows” how to fight, how to obey orders 
  and, worst of all, how to work as an actual team. The he-
  roes have to locate the secret school and break it up, all 
  the while dealing with the “Shadow Sensei” and the lat-
  est class of students, for whom this may be their gradu-
  ation exercise.
  MARTIAL ARTIST 
  PL11
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  4
  3
  6
  4
  10
  0
  2
  0
  SKILLS
  Acrobatics 10 (+16), Athletics 8 (+12), Close Combat: Unarmed 
  6 (+16), Insight 6 (+8), Intimidation 10 (+10), Perception 6 (+8), 
  Stealth 10 (+16)
  ADVANTAGES
  Accurate Attack, All-out Attack, Assessment, Defensive Roll 
  4, Evasion, Grabbing Finesse, Improved Defense, Improved 
  Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative 2, 
  Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Move-by Action, 
  Power Attack, Precise Attack 2 (Close; Cover and Concealment), 
  Prone Fighting, Quick Draw, Redirect, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics), 
  Skill Mastery (Athletics or Stealth), Startle, Takedown, Trance, 
  Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Break
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +6
  Unarmed +16
  Close, Damage 4
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  14
  FORTITUDE
  10
  PARRY
  15
  TOUGHNESS
  7/3*
  WILL
  12
  *Without Defensive Roll.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  58
  SKILLS 
  28
  POWERS
  0
  DEFENSES
  30
  ADVANTAGES
  32
  TOTAL
  148
  COMPLICATIONS
  Code of Honor: Fights by the rules.
  Obsession: The Martial Artist is often obsessed with vengeance 
  or a desire to be the very best fighter in the world.
  115
  115
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  MASTER OF DISGUISE
  The Master of Disguise is a specialist in deception, able 
  to appear as anyone, or perhaps even anything! The 
  Master of Disguise could be a spy or assassin for hire, a 
  thief relying on misdirection and deception to get the 
  job done, or a master villain using various guises to sow 
  dissent, confusion, and trouble.
  While not much of a direct threat to a group of superheroes, 
  the Master of Disguise is capable of doing quite a bit 
  of damage to their reputations and personal rela-
  tionships, given the opportunity. The villain often 
  works to “soften up” heroes for an employer, in-
  filtrating their group to learn about their abili-
  ties and weaknesses, then sowing mistrust and 
  conflict to keep the good guys busy while 
  the real scheme unfolds.
  THEMES
  While the typical Master of Dis-
  guise is fairly low-powered, 
  you can create a more formi-
  dable version by applying the 
  Mimic or Shapeshift powers, 
  allowing the villain to copy 
  others’ physical traits as well as 
  appearance. At the highest level, 
  the Master of Disguise becomes more of a 
  Mimic (see the Mimic archetype).
  DISGUISE DEVICES
  The villain’s power(s) may come from a 
  Device, such as a “chameleon belt” or 
  a series of realistic masks; apply the 
  Removable modifier to the villain’s 
  Morph effect. The villain’s powers 
  might also be dependent on a se-
  rum or other source.
  DOPPELGANGER
  In addition to looking like other 
  people, the Master of Disguise 
  has sufficient ranks of Mind 
  Reading to think like them as 
  well. In essence, the villain 
  can pull off a near-perfect 
  deception, 
  circumventing 
  discovery due to gaps in 
  knowledge, at least so long 
  as the victim fails to resist 
  the mental effect.
  Perhaps the villain has a 
  form of “mental mimicry” 
  able to fool unusual sens-
  es. This is essentially a 
  Limited form of Illusion 
  (affecting only the villain and only to match thought to ap-
  pearance). Unless the mind reader has a reason to believe 
  the villain is not whom he appears to be, there isn’t even a 
  resistance check!
  MASTER OF THE MARTIAL ARTS
  Although the archetype is a fairly formidable 
  fighter, some Masters of Disguise are true 
  adepts in the arts of combat. You may wish 
  to combine the traits for this archetype with 
  those of the Martial Artist to create an agile 
  and fearsome fighter capable of changing ap-
  pearance virtually at will to confuse opponents.
  NAME IDEAS
  Doppelganger, Effigy, Everyman, False-
  Face, Imitator, Incognito, Manikin, Mr. No-
  body, Nemo (meaning “no one”)
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some classic bits in-
  volving the Master of Disguise:
  “NO, I’M THE REAL ONE!”
  Sooner or later, the Master of Dis-
  guise will take on the appearance 
  of one of the heroes or a trusted 
  ally, and the genuine article and 
  the fake will be seen together. 
  How do the heroes tell them 
  apart?
  In the case of a player character, this 
  can be tricky to handle, since the players 
  obviously know who is playing the real 
  character and who is playing the villain! It 
  can be best to either encourage the player 
  to take on both roles and play them equally, 
  or for the GM to temporarily take control of 
  the player’s character, just the same as if the 
  hero were otherwise under a villain’s influ-
  ence, so the other players can’t tell the dif-
  ference quite so easily.
  The classic way the good guys figure out 
  the truth is the real hero’s willingness to sac-
  rifice for the greater good, and knowledge 
  of things the villain couldn’t possibly know. 
  Even in the case of a doppelganger possess-
  ing superior knowledge, the former method 
  usually works. Many players may be inclined 
  to simply capture or knock out both charac-
  ters and then sort out which of them is the 
  real thing!
  116
  116
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  “HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WASN’T ME?”
  Sometimes a Master of Disguise is foiled by a hero with 
  the right Senses effect to penetrate the villain’s disguise 
  and notice the deception: X-ray vision to see through a 
  mask, Scent for noticing the villain is not who he appears, 
  or abilities such as Mind Reading for sensing the thoughts 
  behind the guise.
  In general, if the villain genuinely wouldn’t know about 
  a hero’s particular sensory advantage, it’s best to let the 
  good guy learn the truth and act on it. Of course, if he has 
  the opportunity, the Master of Disguise might assume 
  that hero’s identity and proclaim he is the real one and 
  the other is a fake! (See the previous bit for details.) Other-
  wise, the villain gets caught red-handed.
  Once the Master of Disguise knows about a particular sen-
  sory advantage, either because it is public knowledge or it 
  was used against him before, you can be sure of him tak-
  ing it into account next time. The villain can prepare coun-
  termeasures, from special layered materials to chemical 
  sprays to mind-shielding devices, to fool or defeat heroes’ 
  Senses. This is just a villain doing his homework, unless 
  you truly didn’t take a Sense effect into account and do 
  not want to let the hero spoil things by revealing the vil-
  lain prematurely, in which case a hero point award for the 
  player is fair.
  QUESTION AUTHORITY
  “Thanks, heroes, we’ll take it from here,” says the police 
  officer, paramedic, or government official in the dark 
  suit and sunglasses. The good guys hear that all the time 
  and turn criminals and victims over without question. 
  Only with the Master of Disguise, they can later discover 
  they’ve been tricked, and the bad guy they thought they 
  were handing over to “authorities” has actually escaped!
  Used sparingly, this provides the villain with an excellent 
  opportunity to pull one over on the heroes. In some cases, 
  particularly in the midst of an adventure, you might want 
  to consider it a complication, especially if the good guys 
  don’t get an Insight or Perception check to discover the 
  villain. If so, award the players a hero point when they 
  learn the truth.
  Try not to overuse this trick, as it is likely to make the play-
  ers paranoid and mistrustful of everyone, unless that is 
  the specific effect you are going for. In that case, the vil-
  lain can often get edgy heroes to take the kind of extreme 
  steps likely to alienate them from the authorities and the 
  people who rely on them.
  TACTICS
  Although capable of handling fights against normal op-
  ponents, the Master of Disguise tends toward the better 
  part of valor when it comes to superhumans, opting to 
  retreat when discovered. The villain’s first line of defense is 
  to try and convince foes to look the other way, distracting 
  them long enough for a getaway.
  If that doesn’t work, then ideally the villain prefers to get 
  out of sight long enough to change appearance again, 
  either blending into a crowd or (if that’s not an option) 
  looking like someone else known to be in the area long 
  enough to get the heroes distracted and slip away once 
  more. For example, the villain might change appearance 
  and then tell the pursuing heroes, “He went that way!” 
  pointing down a corridor or dark alley. Only after the good 
  MASTER OF DISGUISE 
  PL7
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  2
  2
  4
  5
  7
  2
  2
  6
  POWERS
  A Thousand Faces: Morph (humanoid forms) • 15 points
  SKILLS
  Acrobatics 8 (+12), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+11), Deception 
  10 (+16), Insight 12 (+14), Intimidation 5 (+11), Investigation 
  10 (+12), Perception 10 (+12), Persuasion 4 (+10), Ranged 
  Combat: Guns 6 (+11), Sleight of Hand 10 (+15), Stealth 11 
  (+15), Technology 8 (+10), Vehicles 4 (+9)
  ADVANTAGES
  Daze (Deception), Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 4, Evasion 2, 
  Grabbing Finesse, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, 
  Improved Trip, Instant Up, Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), 
  Quick Draw, Redirect, Skill Mastery (Deception), Taunt, Ultimate 
  Effort (Deception checks), Uncanny Dodge
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +6
  Light Pistol +11
  Ranged, Damage 3
  Unarmed +11
  Close, Damage 2
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  10
  FORTITUDE
  6
  PARRY
  10
  TOUGHNESS
  4/2*
  WILL
  8
  *Without Defensive Roll.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  60
  SKILLS 
  51
  POWERS
  15
  DEFENSES
  19
  ADVANTAGES
  21
  TOTAL
  166
  POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
  Devious: Fond of overly complex plots.
  Vindictive: Wants to tear down others’ lives.
  Who Am I?: The Master of Disguise has identity issues from the 
  ability to be almost anyone.
  117
  117
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  guys realize they’ve been hoodwinked do they discover 
  evidence (a discarded mask or the unconscious form of 
  the real person) that the villain is long gone.
  When forced to fight, the Master of Disguise relies on 
  agility and confusion, particularly mixing things up in 
  close combat. The villain might assume a hero’s appear-
  ance and grab that character so the two of them are 
  mixed-up enough to momentarily confuse the hero’s 
  teammates.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Master of Disguise may include 
  the following:
  YOU STOLE MY LIFE!
  The hero starts having personal trouble, first with close 
  friends and associates who are upset about things they 
  say the hero has done, but which he can’t recall. In some 
  cases, he has a clear-cut alibi, being away on a mission or 
  the like. Things get worse when there are public sightings 
  of the hero causing trouble or even committing crimes! 
  Naturally, the police get involved and have to investigate, 
  and may want to arrest the hero on suspicion while they 
  do so. Resisting arrest only makes matters worse, but sur-
  rendering and being locked up, even for a short while, al-
  lows the hero’s foes to act unopposed.
  Of course, this is exactly what is supposed to happen, as 
  the Master of Disguise is impersonating the hero to cause 
  trouble and provide a distraction, either for one of his own 
  schemes or for a villainous employer.
  For a twist on this scenario, the villain might not be im-
  personating the character’s heroic persona, but his secret 
  identity, especially if he is someone of importance, such as 
  a wealthy industrialist, political figure, respected journal-
  ist or television personality, or the like. The villain simply 
  has the misfortune of choosing a target who is secretly 
  a superhero, although the incident might also clue the 
  Master of Disguise in on the hero’s secret, especially if, say, 
  the villain breaks into the hero’s home or place of business 
  and finds evidence of a double life.
  WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE...
  A villain or team of villains moves against the heroes in 
  a devastating lightning attack that targets their weak-
  nesses, secret identities, and even families and loved ones 
  in ways that practically ensure their defeat (and racks up 
  the hero point awards). The crushing blow comes when 
  the characters learn that a close friend and confidant of 
  the team has betrayed them, revealing all their secrets to 
  their archenemies! Now the heroes are left in the clutches 
  of the villains’ deathtrap while their foes go on an unre-
  stricted crime spree in the city.
  When they escape, the heroes find their supposed betray-
  er trapped in the villains’ lair as well. It turns out the per-
  son they thought was their friend was actually the Master 
  of Disguise, who kidnapped the real ally and infiltrated 
  the heroes lives to learn everything about them. This rev-
  elation is a great element to insert into a series retroac-
  tively; after all, so long as all the evidence is consistent, 
  there’s no way for the players to know their trusted friend 
  hasn’t actually been a disguised supervillain for the past 
  several months!
  MASTERMIND
  The Mastermind is a mentalist supervillain, possessing 
  considerable intellect and psionic abilities which compen-
  sate for a relative lack of physical prowess. Masterminds 
  tend to emphasize the cerebral over the merely physical, 
  making them effective foes of physically powerful heroes 
  (who might be more vulnerable to their powers), as well 
  as mentalist heroes, for whom they are a kind of dark re-
  flection.
  Some Masterminds have little outward sign of their mental 
  superiority, looking like ordinary people, while others have 
  clear examples of their emphasis on the mind, such as bald-
  ness, an enlarged cranium (often with pulsating veins), and 
  an atrophied, almost vestigial body. Taken to extremes, the 
  villain might have a transparent skull, a brain-like pattern 
  of folds on his head as though his brain were escaping, or 
  even being all brain, with no physical body at all! (See the 
  Brain in a Jar theme for an example of this.)
  THEMES
  The primary themes of the Mastermind, in addition to 
  “mind over matter,” are the source of the villain’s extraor-
  dinary mental prowess, and the exact types of powers the 
  Mastermind possesses.
  ALIEN MASTERMIND
  In keeping with the comic book concept that evolution 
  is headed toward the superiority of the brain over the 
  body (as described for the Evolved Mastermind), some 
  alien villains from advanced species and civilizations have 
  Mastermind qualities: an enlarged head or brain and ex-
  traordinary psionic powers. These powers may be native 
  to the villain’s species (perhaps with the Mastermind an 
  extraordinary example) or the villain could be a mutant of 
  some sort, or even an outcast.
  An Alien Mastermind typically has access to advanced 
  technology along with his other powers: assign the villain 
  appropriate devices for personal gadgets such as weap-
  ons, force fields (perhaps in place of the innate Psionic 
  Force Field power), and the like, as well as big equipment 
  such as a starship or outer space headquarters. The villain 
  could be alone in exile on Earth or the leader of an alien 
  armada bent on conquest.
  118
  118
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  BRAIN IN A JAR
  The Brain in a Jar is a truly 
  “cerebral” villain: a dis-
  embodied brain kept in a 
  container and sustained by 
  life-support equipment. In 
  addition to the listed traits, the 
  Brain has no Strength or Dex-
  terity (having no physical body) 
  but does have equipment 
  providing it with Immu-
  nity—Life Support at a 
  minimum, perhaps even 
  Immunity to Fortitude 
  Effects in general.
  The Brain is primarily 
  a plotting villain, op-
  erating through min-
  ions and underlings, 
  although capable of act-
  ing through Telekinesis. 
  The Brain may exult in its 
  current “evolved” state or 
  seek to acquire a new 
  body, perhaps target-
  ing one of the he-
  roes for this dubious 
  “honor”!
  The brain might be-
  long to some infamous his-
  torical villain (Hitler, Stalin, Mordred, 
  etc.), preserved over the years. Perhaps 
  the “brain” is actually just a disembodied intel-
  lect, such as an artificial intelligence, digitized 
  personality, or a spirit lacking a physical body. 
  In this case the “life support” is some other 
  equipment allowing it to function, such as a 
  computer or magical touchstone. Alternately, 
  the Brain might be an entire severed head kept alive in 
  a similar manner, or a villain with a massively enlarged 
  head but atrophied and useless body, left immobile and 
  in need of special life support while his mind is free to 
  roam and plot.
  EVOLVED MASTERMIND
  Comic book “evolution” often depicts far-future humans 
  as small and big-brained, with superhuman mental pow-
  ers. The Evolved Mastermind is an example of such a char-
  acter, either a “future being” from a potential future time, 
  or a present day human, hyper-evolved to this state by 
  scientific means, accidentally or by deliberate experiment. 
  For Silver Age villains, exposure to exotic radiation is often 
  the source of the hyper-evolutionary effect.
  Evolved Masterminds have a major superiority complex 
  around their “exalted” state. They often seek to rule the 
  world as their due, given that they are the most evolved 
  and developed intellect, and some even wish to bestow 
  the same “gift” on the rest of humanity, turning others 
  into beings like themselves. Whether or not it can actu-
  ally work is up to the GM, but generally superheroes aren’t 
  inclined to let villains “improve” the human race without 
  its consent.
  ILLUSIONIST
  The Mastermind’s powers are generally the combination 
  of telepathy and telekinesis listed for the archetype. The 
  Illusionist is a type of Mastermind focused on deception, 
  controlling victims’ perceptions, and therefore their real-
  ity. Typically, the Illusionist drops the Mind Control, Teleki-
  nesis, and Telekinetic Blast powers and replaces them with 
  Illusion 5 (all senses; Selective, Resistible by Will), Illusion 
  6 (all senses; Limited to One Subject, Resistible by Will), 
  and Morph 4 (any form; Continuous, Resistible by Will).
  With an Illusionist, heroes can never be entirely certain what 
  is real and what isn’t, and neither can anyone else. Illusionist 
  villains often rely on psychological attacks, particularly if 
  they can read opponents’ minds to learn their deepest fears 
  and desires. Illusionists’ schemes often involve tricking 
  heroes into doing the wrong thing, or otherwise framing 
  119
  119
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  them for criminal acts. They also delight in using illusions 
  to trick their foes into attacking each other, or that some 
  crisis is occurring when actually nothing is happening (or 
  something else entirely is going on).
  One variation on the Illusion is the Dream-Master, whose 
  mental powers only affect sleeping targets, but can trap 
  them in a “nightmare world” where the villain is seemingly 
  all-powerful.
  For a Mastermind who focuses on controlling others’ 
  minds, see the Puppeteer archetype.
  NAME IDEAS
  Brainscan, Cerebrax, ESPer, Mentallus, Mr. Mind, Professor 
  Psi, Psithon, Psyche
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some classic bits involving the 
  Mastermind archetype:
  CONTEST OF WILLS
  Quite often, the conflict between a Mastermind and one 
  or more heroes comes down to a contest of wills. Whose 
  mind is stronger: the heroes’ or the villain’s?
  MASTERMIND 
  PL13
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  -1
  0
  0
  0
  0
  9
  8
  2
  POWERS
  Levitation: Flight 2 (MPH) • 4 points
  Psionic Force Field: Protection 14, Impervious 10, Sustained 
  • 24 points
  Psionics: Array (26 points)
  Mind Blast: Perception Ranged Damage 6, Resisted by Will, 
  Subtle 2 • 26 points
  Mind Control: Perception Ranged Affliction 8 (Resisted by 
  Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Subtle 2 • 1 point
  Telekinesis: Perception Ranged Move Object 8, Subtle 2  
  • 1 point
  Telekinetic Blast: Ranged Damage 11, Indirect 3, Subtle  
  • 1 point
  Telepathy: Mind Reading 13 • 1 point
  Psychic Senses: Senses 4 (Danger Sense; Mental Awareness, 
  Extended 2) • 4 points
  SKILLS
  Expertise (Choose One) 4 (+13), Insight 10 (+18), Intimidation 
  8 (+10), Investigation 6 (+15), Perception 7 (+15), Persuasion 8 
  (+10), Ranged Combat: Telekinetic Blast 9 (+9)
  ADVANTAGES
  Contacts, Eidetic Memory, Ranged Attack 3, Second Chance 
  (Resistance checks vs. mental effects)
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +0
  Mind Blast —
  Perception, Damage 6
  Mind Control —
  Perception, Affliction 8
  Telekinetic Blast +9
  Ranged, Damage 11
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  9
  FORTITUDE
  10
  PARRY
  9
  TOUGHNESS
  14/0*
  WILL
  15
  *Without Protection bonus
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  36
  SKILLS 
  26
  POWERS
  62
  DEFENSES
  35
  ADVANTAGES
  6
  TOTAL
  165
  COMPLICATIONS
  Disdainful: Prefers to avoid physical conflict and effort.
  Superiority: The Mentalist is better than “lesser minds.”
  The process of resisting the Mastermind’s Mind Control 
  Affliction can reflect this kind of struggle. A team of 
  heroes can even cooperate to win it: allow the target’s 
  allies to make supporting Will resistance checks, granting 
  the primary character a circumstance bonus to resist the 
  villain’s power.
  TACTICS
  Masterminds often prefer to use their powers against 
  opponents from afar, rather than risking any sort of 
  physical confrontation. This is not always the case, 
  however, and some Masterminds are quite willing to prove 
  their superiority face-to-face, given that their Force Field 
  makes them effectively bulletproof and their Telekinesis 
  is capable of picking up cars and similar heavy objects to 
  wield as weapons.
  Even in a direct combat encounter, Masterminds prefer 
  to keep their distance from the heroes, making full 
  use of their mental powers. Note that the archetype’s 
  Perception Ranged Move Object effect is capable of 
  grabbing anything the villain can see, but grab checks 
  are still required to hold on to a struggling opponent, 
  and telekinetic attacks made with grabbed objects do 
  not hit automatically, but require a ranged attack check.
  Masterminds commonly use telekinesis to pin opponents 
  to a wall, ceiling, or floor or to hurl objects at them. Those 
  too strong or tough for such maneuvers receive the 
  villain’s Mental Blast, or become subject to Mind Control, 
  turning against the other heroes.
  120
  120
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Mastermind may include the 
  following:
  MIND OVER MATTERS
  The Mastermind has come up with a way of expanding his 
  Mind Control power, granting it enough area to blanket a 
  huge area like a city, nation, or even the entire world! To 
  build the full-size device, however, the villain needs cer-
  tain components, perhaps a power source, and so exerts 
  an improved mental influence to send various mind-con-
  trolled thralls to acquire them.
  For a classic “hero vs. hero” conflict, the Mastermind 
  might control another team of heroes. For a deeper mys-
  tery, the villain could control the characters without their 
  knowledge; they only learn about the incident when the 
  authorities come knocking on their headquarters with 
  some questions they want answered! This can also set up 
  a hero-fight, as another team aids the police in tracking 
  down the “fugitives”! The good guys have to deal with 
  the thralls or prove their own innocence while also track-
  ing down the Mastermind and putting the kibosh on his 
  scheme.
  PERCHANCE TO DREAM...
  A strange “sleeping sickness” is spreading rapidly through 
  the city and surrounding area: people are falling asleep 
  and then into a coma from which they cannot be awak-
  ened. Brain scans show considerable activity and rapid 
  eye movement indicates a dreaming state. The plague 
  even affects the heroes, should they happen to sleep any-
  where within the area.
  A Mastermind villain is exerting his influence, which is 
  only expanding as the number of victims under his sway 
  increases. Heroes who fall asleep are trapped in a night-
  mare world where they must find a way to save people 
  from the villain’s vampire-like drain on their mental en-
  ergies. The good guys in the waking world have to track 
  down the villain somehow, without succumbing to their 
  own fatigue and falling asleep as well.
  MIMIC
  Sometimes, imitation is the sincerest form of villainy. The 
  Mimic is a villain capable of duplicating one or more of 
  the heroes’ qualities—most often their powers, but some-
  times abilities, skills, advantages, and other traits as well. 
  Mimics are a kind of ready-made dark reflection, an exam-
  ple of what the heroes’ abilities could do, if turned to evil.
  In keeping with their imitative style, Mimic villains in the 
  comics are often artificial beings—such as androids or 
  clones—with little or no life experience, or aliens with 
  no real understanding of human life or culture save what 
  they absorb through imitation. This makes the Mimic a 
  way of looking at human foibles and virtues from an out-
  sider’s perspective. When a confused Mimic asks, “Explain 
  this thing you call ‘justice,’” how do the heroes respond?
  A Mimic’s power level is somewhat difficult to peg, being 
  highly variable. The archetype is set at PL 15 to allow for 
  targeted offensive traits (like Damage) of up to rank 20, 
  given a +10 attack bonus. However, you may wish to sim-
  ply treat the villain’s power level as fluid, changing it as 
  needed to reflect the Mimic’s current capabilities.
  THEMES
  Mimic themes revolve around the types of traits the villain 
  duplicates and how it does so. Different themes allow for 
  a wide range of different Mimics in a setting without too 
  much overlap between them.
  ANIMAL MIMIC
  An Animal Mimic does not duplicate the traits of other 
  people, but rather the abilities of animals, sometimes 
  limited to one at a time, others able to mix-and-match. 
  An Animal Mimic might be a spiritual champion of the 
  animal kingdom, or a super-science user of DNA/RNA 
  adaptations. Of all the various Mimics, this one has the 
  least interest in studying heroes, since it gains little from 
  doing so. It shares more in common with the Hybrid and 
  Elemental archetypes.
  ARTIFICIAL MIMIC
  An Artificial Mimic is not a living being, but a construct 
  such as an android, robot, or even magical golem of some 
  sort. It is designed to mimic the traits of others and alters 
  its structure to do so, perhaps using nanotechnology, 
  morphic materials, or a magical process such as alchemy 
  or transmogrification. In addition to its other traits, the Ar-
  tificial Mimic has Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects).
  POWER MIMIC
  This is the classic Mimic type: a villain able to duplicate 
  the subject’s powers, often the powers of multiple sub-
  jects at once. Power Mimics are often Limited to particular 
  power types or descriptors to give them a more coherent 
  theme and differentiate them from others with similar ca-
  pabilities. So one villain might mimic only mutant or mys-
  tical powers, while another can duplicate racial or species 
  traits, but not deviant powers possessed by individuals of 
  a species. Mimics able to copy all powers tend to be ei-
  ther limited to settings with a common power origin or 
  are also Unlimited Mimics, able to duplicate any power in 
  any amount (see the following).
  SKILL MIMIC
  Skill Mimics only duplicate powers with a “skill” or “training” 
  descriptor (or something similar). Instead, they primarily 
  121
  121
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  MIMIC 
  PL15
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  POWERS
  Mimic: Variable 20 (100 points), Continuous, Move Action  
  • 180  points
  Sense Powers: Senses 4 (Detect Powers, Ranged, Acute, 
  Analytical) • 4 points
  ADVANTAGES
  Assessment
  OFFENSE*
  INITIATIVE +0
  Unarmed +0
  Close, Damage 0*
  DEFENSE*
  DODGE
  10
  FORTITUDE
  10
  PARRY
  10
  TOUGHNESS
  10
  WILL
  10
  *Varies based on mimicked traits
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  0
  SKILLS 
  0
  POWERS
  184
  DEFENSES
  40
  ADVANTAGES
  1
  TOTAL
  225
  COMPLICATIONS
  Freakish: The Mimic is often an outcast due to its physical 
  appearance, origin, or manner.
  Identity Crisis: Mental or psychological confusion due to 
  mimicking different subjects.
  copy skill ranks and related traits like combat bonuses and 
  sometimes advantages, particularly those that come from 
  training. A Skill Mimic able to copy multiple subjects can 
  become incredibly skilled in many different areas, able to 
  rival a whole team of heroes. Some Skill Mimics are limited 
  to physical skills, others to mental or knowledge skills, 
  while some can do both.
  TAINTED MIMIC
  Tainted Mimics not only duplicate the powers of their 
  targets, but also their power-related complications and 
  weaknesses. This is a -1 cost per rank flaw and, if it’s ap-
  plied to the villainous Mimic’s power, looks like this:
  Mimic: Variable 20 (100 points), Continuous, Move Action, 
  Limit—Tainted Mimicry (Acquires subjects’ complications 
  and weaknesses as well as their traits) • 160  points
  Now, when the Tainted Mimic copies another character’s 
  powers, it has to take all of the complications related to 
  those powers. A Tainted Mimic that duplicates powers 
  from too many different subjects can quickly become 
  overwhelmed by inherent weaknesses.
  UNLIMITED MIMIC
  An Unlimited Mimic is a Power Level X character with 
  essentially limitless Variable points, although the effect 
  might still be limited in terms of what it can duplicate, 
  perhaps using one of the other themes.
  So an Unlimited Mimic might be able to duplicate an 
  endless number of powers, for example, possibly even 
  the powers of every superhuman in existence! Needless 
  to say, Unlimited Mimics grow exponentially in power as 
  they gather subjects, unless there is something that “re-
  sets” the Mimic’s tally and forces it to start over again (such 
  as having to have subjects in close proximity or line of 
  sight). The GM sets any limitations on the Mimic’s power 
  in accordance with the villain’s concept and the needs of 
  the adventure.
  VAMPIRE MIMIC
  Vampire Mimics do not just copy powers; they steal them! 
  In addition to the Mimic power, the villain has a long-
  lasting Nullify effect against the powers it copies. Some 
  Vampire Mimics must kill or even consume their victims in 
  some fashion in order to gain their powers, making them 
  particularly gruesome and dangerous foes.
  NEMESIS
  The Nemesis is a kind of Mimic who, rather than using the 
  heroes’ own powers against them, has the traits necessary 
  to counter their powers, replacing the Mimic power with 
  a Variable effect called Nemesis. This typically means a 
  Mimic specifically designed to be “the ultimate opponent” 
  for a wide range of foes, from a hero-fighting construct to 
  an alien super-gladiator. A Nemesis may be limited to one 
  foe at a time (the default and common limitation of the 
  power) or could potentially adapt to multiple opponents, 
  even an entire team of heroes.
  A variation on the Nemesis is a villain with super-adapta-
  tion abilities; however the heroes overcome the villain, he 
  effectively gains Immunity to it or adapts a power to deal 
  with it, forcing the good guys to come up with a new way 
  of beating him (or even affecting him) each and every time.
  SCAVENGER
  Scavenger villains are kind of “do-it-yourself” Mimics. They 
  pick up “discarded” powers to add to their arsenal and use 
  them against the heroes. The typical Scavenger collects 
  different devices and equipment, often stolen from their 
  prior owners, or copied from existing items. 
  However, a Scavenger could also collect the “residue” left 
  behind by certain powers, either by means of a device 
  122
  122
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  or power, allowing the villain to duplicate the effect. 
  Similarly, a Scavenger might even collect traits from 
  deceased subjects in some fashion, either like a Vampire 
  Mimic (previously) or a grave robber.
  NAME IDEAS
  Archetype, Doppelganger, Dupplex, Echo, Legion, 
  Template, Totem, Touchstone
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic elements associated with the Mimic include:
  FACE-OFF
  Some Mimics do more than just copy their subject’s 
  traits; they can also duplicate someone’s appearance, 
  essentially Morphing into the subject. Some Mimics do 
  this deliberately, to further confuse opponents about 
  who is the genuine article or even to replace a subject and 
  impersonate them. Mimicking multiple subjects often 
  results in a strange composite appearance for the Mimic.
  KNOW YOUR ENEMY
  Since Mimics often benefit from first- or even second-hand 
  knowledge of their subjects, they may make an effort 
  to observe a group of 
  heroes carefully and 
  gather 
  information 
  before confronting 
  them. The 
  Mimic 
  arranges means of 
  surveillance and in-
  telligence gathering 
  (spy-cams, 
  magical 
  scrying, hired minions, 
  etc.) and may also set 
  up particular encoun-
  ters to test the heroes’ 
  capabilities in various 
  ways. This can range from 
  staged crimes to phony tests for 
  scientific research or exhibitions 
  for charity or the like. The more 
  the villain learns, the more effec-
  tive he becomes, until the time is 
  ripe to confront the heroes and 
  defeat them with their own abilities!
  THE BAD WITH THE GOOD
  A common complication for 
  Mimics is a tendency to ac-
  quire their subjects’ weakness-
  es along with their strengths. 
  This may allow the heroes 
  to capitalize on their known 
  weaknesses to slow or over-
  come the villain, although 
  some Mimics learn to com-
  pensate in various ways, such as combining the traits of 
  two or more subjects to reduce or eliminate a particular 
  weakness; if one subject’s Protection is overcome by a 
  particular attack, and another’s is not, the Mimic might be 
  able to “layer” them to ignore or reduce the attack. If it los-
  es one set of powers, it can switch to others, and so forth.
  Sometimes this particular problem extends to taking on 
  some of the subjects’ personality traits (and related com-
  plications) as well as abilities, especially for Mimics that 
  are essentially blank slates otherwise. This might allow 
  heroes to appeal to their own better qualities to convince 
  the Mimic to change its planned course of action.
  TACTICS
  The standard Mimic tactic can be summed up as: “Study, 
  copy, strike.” The Mimic take the opportunity to do what-
  ever is necessary for it to duplicate a target’s traits, then 
  uses them against its foes in 
  the most efficient manner 
  possible. Mimics often use 
  novel combinations of traits 
  from different targets—such 
  123
  123
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  OVERLORD
  as super-speed and shrinking, or stretching and super-
  strength—to do things their individual subjects cannot.
  A Mimic capable of doing so may well imitate targets’ tac-
  tics as well as their traits, allowing the villain to use the 
  heroes’ most effective tricks against them.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Mimic may include the following:
  LEARNING CURVE
  The heroes encounter a new Mimic villain for the first 
  time. Their foe is either a relative innocent, unaware that it 
  is endangering people or causing harm, or else is deliber-
  ately looking to engage the heroes in order to study them. 
  In either case, the more the good guys fight the Mimic and 
  show off their abilities, the more their opponent learns 
  and can duplicate. Eventually, the Mimic will have copied 
  all of their abilities, gaining considerable power. The he-
  roes have to figure out a way to stop their foe without us-
  ing their powers, or come up with a plan to trick or disable 
  the Mimic before it can learn too much.
  THE RETURN
  A hero believed dead (perhaps even a former player char-
  acter) suddenly returns with no explanation or clear mem-
  ory of what has happened since his or her death. The res-
  urrected hero has some adjusting to do but, as time goes 
  on, things don’t seem right. Eventually, the good guys dis-
  cover the hero is not the genuine article, but the Mimic, 
  accidentally trapped in the hero’s form, suffering memory 
  loss from an accident or some overload of its powers. Ini-
  tially it truly believes it is the hero it appears to be, but 
  what happens when its real memories begin surfacing, or 
  the impersonation imposes too much mental strain?
  The Overlord is a true master villain, possessed of a bril-
  liant mind and formidable force of will. The Overlord’s am-
  bitions are nothing less than domination over the nation, 
  world, even the cosmos! Overlords tend to have extensive 
  headquarters; they may be wealthy business tycoons, and 
  some are already rulers of their own small nations! This 
  gives them considerable resources for their various world-
  conquering schemes.
  THEMES
  Overlord themes involve the villain’s origins and particular 
  goals or reasons for conquest. The Overlord archetype is 
  often connected with totalitarian and dictator archetypes 
  from history, especially recent history, building ties be-
  tween the Overlord and forces such as the Axis powers of 
  World War II or the Communist regimes of the Cold War.
  ALIEN OVERLORD
  From beyond the stars, the Alien Overlord comes to con-
  quer! The villain is a warlord or military leader of an alien 
  empire or invasion force, seeking to crush whole worlds 
  beneath his heel.
  The Alien Overlord’s powers may be innate, part of a non-
  human physiology or the result of an accident or genetic 
  experimentation (perhaps to create some type of super-
  soldier). Alternately, the villain may wear a high-tech 
  battlesuit of some type, like the Armored Overlord (fol-
  lowing). Some Alien Overlords have additional powers, 
  most commonly those of the Alien Mastermind; see the 
  Mastermind archetype for details.
  ARMORED OVERLORD
  A common archetype in the comics, the Armored Over-
  lord derives all of his listed powers from a device. This 
  is usually an advanced suit of power-armor, although it 
  can just as easily be a suit of ancient magical armor or 
  something else such as a pair of gauntlets, a belt (magi-
  cal or projecting a high-tech force field), a helmet, and so 
  forth. Apply the Removable modifier to the archetype’s 
  powers.
  Typically, the Overlord created the device himself, or 
  sought out and won it. If not the villain’s own work, you 
  might wish to lower the archetype’s Intelligence rank 
  somewhat. Armored Overlords are often initially moti-
  vated by a rejection of the same genius that allows them 
  to create or discover the powers they use to gain revenge 
  on the world.
  IMMORTAL OVERLORD
  For some Overlords, the process of conquering the world 
  (or dimension, or cosmos) is a long-term game indeed. The 
  Immortal Overlord has Immunity to Aging, at the least, 
  and often Regeneration or true Immortality, meaning 
  the villain may have lived for centuries or even millennia. 
  This may explain the Overlord’s considerable intellect and 
  wide breadth of knowledge, as well as formidable combat 
  skills.
  Immortal Overlords predictably take the long view of 
  things; their schemes can take considerable time to come 
  to fruition and they are often patient enough to even wait 
  out years in prison. After all, they will still be around long 
  after their present-day enemies are nothing but a memo-
  ry. They can afford to wait.
  A variant of the Immortal Overlord is the Temporal Over-
  lord, who may also be ageless, but appears throughout 
  history due to the ability to move back and forth between 
  different eras. Most often, the Temporal Overlord hails 
  from a far-future period, but parallel realities are also a 
  possibility.
  124
  124
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  META-SUPREMACIST
  Every Overlord comes with a massive ego and a belief in his 
  or her own superiority, but the Meta-Supremacist believes 
  in the superior nature of an entire class of beings, of which 
  the villain is the ultimate example, of course. This might be 
  a particular origin for super-powers in the setting, such as 
  mutants, psychics, or mystics, or a general belief that super-
  humans are clearly better than ordinary people and should 
  guide human society by right of their powers.
  A Meta-Supremacist may be a heartless and arrogant 
  conqueror, considering ordinary humans little more 
  than cattle, but some see themselves as champi-
  ons and defenders of an oppressed or threatened 
  people. If a class of superhumans is mistrusted 
  or persecuted in the set-
  ting, then a Meta-Supremacist villain may arise to defend 
  them... by conquering humanity!
  Some Meta-Supremacists have the power-sets of the El-
  emental or Mastermind archetypes rather than the one 
  given here, or some combination of the three power-sets, 
  although even more exotic powers are possible.
  NAME IDEAS
  Grandiose titles like Doctor, Emperor, King, Lord, 
  Master, and Professor are common for Overlords, 
  as are mythological names, particularly those of 
  deities. Examples include Doctor Genesis, the 
  Emperor, the Forever King, Lord Hyperion, Master 
  Khan, Professor Power, and War-Lord.
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic bits involving the Overlord archetype 
  include the following:
  CONSORTS
  What is a ruler without a consort to help establish and 
  carry on a dynasty? Oftentimes, an Overlord seeks a 
  suitable partner, and may choose a hero or supporting 
  character in the series to fill that role, whether the pro-
  spective consort wants to or not! Male Overlords may 
  kidnap a chosen female and either try to sweep her off 
  her feet or force her into marriage (although the latter 
  tends to be more of an artifact of the Golden and Silver 
  Ages). Female Overlords are often seeking a mate that is 
  truly a match for them, as well as a good potential father 
  for any future offspring.
  Of course, there’s nothing to say an Overlord can-
  not have an entire harem, or some sort of multiple 
  mate arrangement, especially for Alien Over-
  lords with entirely different customs, or Immor-
  tal Overlords who expect to out-live all their 
  mortal partners (and have no doubt done so 
  many times in the past).
  DEATHTRAPS
  Overlords are particularly given to “reward-
  ing” their enemies with a showy and in-
  volved death, placing them in deathtraps 
  that allow the villain time to gloat and 
  explain their glorious plans to 
  the only ones truly able to 
  appreciate them before the 
  end. Of course, the villain 
  often has to attend to those 
  plans for conquest or is 
  called away by some-
  thing, leaving the heroes 
  to their fate and giving 
  them the opportunity to 
  escape.
  125
  125
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  OVERLORD 
  PL15
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  13
  2
  1
  1
  8
  12
  7
  7
  POWERS
  Force Field: Protection 15, Impervious 10 • 25 points
  Life Support: Immunity 10 (Life Support) • 10 points
  Power Blast: Ranged Damage 15 • 30 points
  Propulsion: Flight 6 • 12 points
  Sensory Enhancements: Senses 11 (Accurate and Extended 
  2 Radio (radar), Darkvision, Direction Sense, Distance Sense, 
  Infravision, Radio, Time Sense) • 11 points
  SKILLS
  Close Combat: Unarmed 7 (+15), Expertise (Choose One) 8 
  (+20), Insight 8 (+15), Intimidation 8 (+15), Investigation 4 
  (+16), Perception 4 (+11), Persuasion 8 (+15), Ranged Combat: 
  Power Blast 7 (+8), Technology 12 (+24), Vehicles 4 (+5)
  ADVANTAGES
  Assessment, Equipment 20, Improvised Tools, Inventor, 
  Ranged Attack 7, Second Chance (Insight checks), Skill Mastery 
  (Technology), Takedown
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +1
  Power Blast +15
  Ranged, Damage 15
  Unarmed +15
  Close, Damage 13
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  13
  FORTITUDE
  14
  PARRY
  13
  TOUGHNESS
  17
  WILL
  16
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  102
  SKILLS 
  14
  POWERS
  88
  DEFENSES
  38
  ADVANTAGES
  33
  TOTAL
  296
  COMPLICATIONS
  Destined to Rule: The Overlord is obsessed with power and 
  rulership.
  Megalomania: Convinced of superiority and eventual success.
  RANTS
  Overlords are particularly fond of the sound of their 
  own voices, and tend to rant or ramble at the slightest 
  opportunity. When the heroes are not around for them to 
  threaten or gloat at, the villains rant to their underlings 
  (who know enough to either agree or keep their mouths 
  shut), and when no one else is available, they will often 
  rant out loud to themselves (or to the heroes, even if they 
  are not present and cannot possibly hear them: “So, you 
  think to approach my stronghold unnoticed, do you? 
  Little do you know that I have eyes everywhere!”). You 
  can use various rants, delivered in a haughty and arrogant 
  tone, to liven up encounters with an Overlord.
  STRONGHOLD
  Overlords typically have some kind of secret lair or strong-
  hold from which they launch their schemes of conquest. 
  Invest some of the villain’s equipment points in a suitable 
  headquarters, and stock it with appropriate minions.
  TACTICS
  In spite of their considerable personal power, Overlords tend 
  to be hands-off opponents, preferring to enact their schemes 
  from afar. Indeed, they often take great offense to any hero 
  who dares to lay hands on them, focusing their wrath on that 
  character before turning against other foes. The villain often 
  has various minions to do his dirty work, including defend-
  ing the Overlord’s lair and keeping the heroes busy.
  Of course, once it comes down to a direct confrontation, 
  the Overlord is no pushover. In early confrontations, 
  the Overlord often has a trap prepared to deal with any 
  interlopers. In the final match-up, the villain has to rely 
  more on his own abilities.
  Given their supreme arrogance, many Overlords refuse to 
  accept the ignominy of defeat and capture; they may rush 
  into the exploding ruins of their lairs, trying to salvage a 
  last-minute victory or save a priceless artifact or device. 
  Some even deliberately self-destruct, hoping to take the 
  heroes with them or, more likely, faking their own deaths 
  so they can return at a later date with a new scheme for 
  conquest.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Overlord may include the fol-
  lowing:
  KING’S GAMBIT
  As the first stage of an ambitious scheme, the Overlord 
  seeks to eliminate opposition by removing the heroes from 
  the board, sending various minions to capture or even kill 
  them outright. These might be fairly run-of-the-mill (albeit 
  tough) minions like those from the Minion Archetypes 
  section or hired or created supervillain lieutenants. Natu-
  rally, the threat to the heroes tips them off to the villain’s 
  scheme and gives them the opportunity to take action.
  If this is an early adventure in the series, it can even serve 
  as a way of getting the heroes together in the first place. 
  By attempting to eliminate the opposition, the villain in-
  stead unites them into a team to oppose him! Perhaps the 
  126
  126
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Overlord is successful in capturing some of the setting’s 
  more experienced or established heroes, leading to a 
  group of novices coming together to help them (and per-
  haps avenge and replace them, if the Overlord has killed 
  the captives or rendered them powerless).
  The Overlord’s plans for the heroes might involve more 
  than just getting them out of the way. Perhaps the cap-
  tives are brought back to the villain’s lair so they can be 
  brainwashed into an invincible superhuman army, or their 
  powers can be copied into an artificial Mimic (see the 
  Mimic archetype) or transferred to the Overlord himself, 
  making him virtually unstoppable.
  THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY
  Faced with a world- or even cosmos-destroying threat, the 
  Overlord reluctantly offers to help the heroes to overcome 
  it, since there is not much point in trying to conquer the 
  world when there’s no world left to conquer! Certainly, the 
  villain’s genius and considerable resources can be useful 
  in the fight.
  Of course, the Overlord is looking for just the right mo-
  ment to double-cross the heroes, either betraying them 
  to their common foe in exchange for some consider-
  ation (such as being made ruler over the Earth or some 
  other corner of the cosmic villain’s domain), or seizing 
  the cosmic foe’s power for himself and turning it on the 
  good guys. Just when the heroes have won and think the 
  universe is saved, the Overlord reveals it was all a larger 
  scheme to get the bigger threat out of the way and secure 
  power!
  SOVEREIGNTY
  The Overlord petitions the United Nations for recognition 
  as the head of a sovereign nation: either because the vil-
  lain really does rule some corner of the world, or perhaps 
  as a representative of a people (a good approach for the 
  Meta-Supremacist), or simply on the basis of the Over-
  lord’s sheer power. To the heroes’ surprise, the UN grants 
  it! Now the arch-villain is a head of state with diplomatic 
  immunity, who wastes no time establishing an “embassy” 
  in the heroes’ home city, perhaps in full view of their head-
  quarters just to taunt them.
  The Overlord carries out schemes against the heroes, who 
  can do nothing but turn the defeated villain over to the 
  “justice” of his home nation, unless they want to step out-
  side the law. Perhaps the entire exercise is an effort to get 
  the heroes to do just that, forcing them to violate interna-
  tional law and become vigilantes while the Overlord re-
  veals the foe they think they captured and punished was 
  nothing but a decoy or doppelganger. Maybe the villain 
  used underhanded means to get the UN to cooperate—
  anything from blackmail to mind control—but can the he-
  roes prove it and gets his diplomatic status revoked?
  PSYCHO
  The Psycho is, to put it bluntly, completely crazy. The vil-
  lain’s madness opened the door to a certain genius, how-
  ever, coupled with a particular obsession. The Psycho is an 
  excellent foil for edgy, driven heroes and often a dark re-
  flection of their own obsession with vengeance or justice. 
  The background of the Psycho is typically tragic—horri-
  bly scarred physically, psychologically, emotionally, or all 
  three. Psychos deal with their pain just like some heroes 
  do: by inflicting it upon others. The only difference is that 
  Psychos are less selective (or at least less socially accept-
  able) about their targets. This often leaves only a thin line 
  between them and obsessed vigilante heroes.
  THEMES
  A Psycho most often has a focus for his or her madness, 
  a way in which it manifests itself other than mere bloody 
  carnage. It is this obsession that leads the Psycho into a 
  career in supervillainy rather than just being a run-of-the-
  mill criminal. Psycho obsessions can be almost anything, 
  but are often either whimsical or connected to the Psy-
  cho’s condition in some way. For example, a villain who 
  snaps over an international crossword puzzle competition 
  or the like might become “Mr. Acrostic,” a criminal ob-
  sessed with crossword style puzzles and games.
  The Psycho tends to take an obsession to, well, crazy 
  lengths, making it into a motif for costume and weap-
  onry as well as a means of choosing crimes and leaving 
  clues for the heroes. For example, a Psycho obsessed with 
  threes might target the Holy Trinity Church, or memorabil-
  ia from a famous sports triple-play, for example. If you’re in 
  need of inspiration for a Psycho obsession, take a look at 
  the Psycho Obsessions table.
  REVENGE
  A common variation on the Psycho theme is a need for 
  revenge for whatever happened to leave the Psycho wan-
  dering in the fields of madness. This may or may not be 
  tied to the Psycho’s main obsession. For example, a bril-
  liant game designer robbed of his rightful credit for a par-
  ticular design might turn to crime with a variety of game-
  based gimmicks and seek revenge on the unscrupulous 
  publisher as his first crime, discovering that he enjoys the 
  challenge of this new “game” and transferring some of his 
  desire for revenge to the heroes who defeat him (but not 
  necessarily abandoning his original vendetta).
  Revenge-obsessed Psychos tend to want more than just to 
  kill the target of their revenge; they want their vengeance 
  to be poetic in some way. So if a Psycho is targeting the 
  police officer who gave her a parking ticket (leading to 
  some personal tragedy in her twisted view), better to 
  kidnap him and arrange for him to be crushed inside an 
  impounded car at a junkyard, rather than just killing him 
  and dumping the body somewhere. The lighter a story is 
  127
  127
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  in style, the more elaborate a Psycho’s revenge schemes 
  necessarily become.
  NAME IDEAS
  In addition to names based on the Psycho’s obsession 
  are ones referencing his or her mental condition: Cuckoo, 
  Loon, Madman, Noose, Nutcase, Screwloose, Straitjacket, 
  and so forth.
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following elements are often associated with Psycho 
  villains:
  DEATHTRAPS
  Psychos love deathtraps associated with their particular 
  obsession in some way. So a Halloween-themed Psycho 
  might trap the good guys in a “house of horrors” with a 
  PSYCHO OBSESSIONS
  D20
  OBSESSION
  1
  Animals: Obsession with pets or “animal friends,” targeting animal rights issues or the fur industry, a 
  preference for animals over people, perhaps a desire to be an animal or a focus on a particular type of 
  animal (such as cats, dogs, birds, and so forth).
  2
  Art: Equipment based on art supplies (paints, brushes, canvases, etc.) or art icons (famous works), ob-
  session with art critics or artists or particular styles.
  3
  Books: Obsessive collecting of different rare volumes, literary references, stalking authors, committing 
  crimes based on famous novels, perhaps a focus on a particular genre.
  4
  Clowns: Comedy props (squirting flower, seltzer bottle, cream pie, etc.), elaborate—and often deadly—
  “jokes” or pranks.
  5
  Computers (and possibly the Internet): Hacking and computer skills, complex programming, com-
  puter-crimes, perhaps even a delusion of being a robot.
  6
  Conspiracies: Spy-tech or “psychic” devices; complex schemes based around “the Truth” about the Con-
  spiracy and whoever is behind it, paranoid precautions and security measures.
  7
  Fear: A fascination with fears and phobia, fear-inducing weapons or techniques, setting up frightening 
  scenarios.
  8
  Finance: Either a “moneybags” or “poor-house” persona, obsession with obtaining or destroying wealth, 
  banking and finance gimmicks (bags with dollar signs, fountain pens, “free toasters,” barrels, bears and 
  bulls, etc.).
  9
  Gambling: Casino gambling props (cards, dice, chips, roulette wheels), targets casinos, poker tourna-
  ments, etc., cannot resist a gamble or game.
  10
  Games: Complex games (puzzles, board games, even RPGs) as crimes, use of game tokens as props and 
  weapons.
  11
  Halloween: “Spooky” devices and crimes intended to frighten or spook. Alternately, choose another 
  holiday or season as the villain’s obsession.
  12
  Heroes: Delusions of being a costumed hero or having powers, stalker-like obsession with a particular 
  hero or team, gadgets intended to duplicate various powers.
  13
  Medicine: Doctor or nurse lab coats or uniforms, medical instruments, paraphernalia, and terminology, 
  perhaps a germ-phobia or targeting the medical profession.
  14
  Occult: Mystical, occult, or “Satanic” paraphernalia and trappings, often delusions of supernatural pow-
  ers or possession by demonic entities (or is it a delusion...?)
  15
  Religion: Religious iconography and costuming, targets religious enemies or “heretical” members of a 
  particular religion. Perhaps an insane hatred of all religions.
  16
  Science Fiction: “Futuristic” gadgetry, interest in technology and fandom (conventions, Hollywood 
  premieres, etc.). Alternately, substitute another fan subculture.
  17
  Sports: Sporting equipment devices and weapons, crimes around major sporting events or team rivalries.
  18
  Stage Magic: Elaborate “magic tricks” and use of props such as top hats, magic wands, vanishing cabi-
  nets, and sawing people in half (often not a trick...).
  19
  Time (and timepieces): Brilliant split-second timing, devices based on clock-faces, hands (making pointed 
  weapons), springs, clockworks, ticking bombs, etc. Perhaps actual devices for controlling or affecting time.
  20
  Toys: Weapons and devices styled as toys: boomerangs, yoyos, tops, jacks, bouncy balls, pogo sticks, 
  etc. Crimes based on or targeting toys.
  128
  128
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  variety of lethal displays and the whole thing rigged 
  to blow sky-high at the stroke of midnight! Similarly, a 
  video-game-obsessed Psycho could place the heroes 
  in deathtraps based around various classic arcade 
  games.
  Psycho deathtraps also tend to come into play when 
  dealing with the villain’s other victims; the snares are 
  intended for particular targets who aren’t the crime-
  fighters! The heroes just blunder into these traps, rather 
  than being placed in them deliberately. The same goes 
  for heroes interfering in a Psycho’s “fun” in other ways. 
  So characters might run into things like exploding Easter 
  eggs or hallucination-inducing fear toxins as they try to 
  protect people from a rampaging Psycho.
  MINIONS
  Psychos tend to have at least a few minions around to do 
  the heavy lifting and run interference if necessary. They’re 
  typically hired goons, possibly dressed up to fit the villain’s 
  theme, although they can also be cult-like followers (Psychos 
  tend to have a strange sort of personal charisma) or equally 
  crazy, perhaps even buying into the villain’s particular 
  PSYCHO 
  PL9
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  4
  6
  3
  3
  9
  5
  5
  4
  SKILLS
  Deception 8 (+12), Insight 8 (+13), Intimidation 8 (+12), 
  Perception 4 (+9), Ranged Attack: Guns or Throwing 8 (+11), 
  Sleight of Hand 8 (+11), Stealth 8 (+11), Technology 6 (+11), 
  Vehicles 4 (+7), 
  ADVANTAGES
  Chokehold, Close Attack 2, Contacts, Daze (Intimidation), 
  Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard, Equipment 6, 
  Fascinate (Intimidation), Great Endurance, Improvised Tools, 
  Leadership, Minions 6, Set-Up, Startle, Taunt, Well-Informed
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +3
  Unarmed +11
  Close, Damage 4
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  10
  FORTITUDE
  9
  PARRY
  10
  TOUGHNESS
  8/6*
  WILL
  9
  *Without Defensive Roll.
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  78
  SKILLS 
  31
  POWERS
  0
  DEFENSES
  15
  ADVANTAGES
  29
  TOTAL
  153
  COMPLICATIONS
  Obsession: Utterly obsessed with something (see the Psycho 
  Obsession table).
  129
  129
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  delusions. A few Psychos have non-human minions based 
  on their obsessions, such as a sci-fi obsessed Psycho who has 
  cobbled together some robots, or a toy-obsessed one with 
  mechanical toys able to move and act on their own.
  Allocate points from the Psycho’s Minions advantage 
  as needed to suit the character’s particular brand of un-
  derlings, including increasing the rank to accommodate 
  more powerful or plentiful minions as you see fit.
  TACTICS
  Psychos tend to be cat-and-mouse opponents. Heroes 
  hear about their latest crime-spree and receive some 
  cryptic clue or taunting challenge. Then they must inves-
  tigate, figuring out the villain’s current plan and hideout 
  before eventually confronting the Psycho, either at the 
  site of the next intended crime or at the villain’s lair.
  In either case, the final confrontation often consists of dif-
  ferent cunningly designed traps and minions to keep the 
  heroes busy. The Psycho might take the opportunity to 
  rant to them, or instead seize the better part of valor and 
  look to escape while the good guys are occupied. Psychos 
  who manage to capture the heroes usually put them into 
  an appropriate deathtrap.
  When finally cornered, most Psychos are fierce fighters, 
  even if they lack superhuman strength and resilience. If 
  the final confrontation takes place somewhere potentially 
  dangerous (in a factory, atop a moving train, etc.), the Psy-
  cho will almost inevitably appear to die (lost in a fall or 
  explosion, for example), only to manage to return in the 
  future. Even a captured Psycho is rarely sent to prison, but 
  rather to an asylum of some sort, from which the villain 
  may eventually escape.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Psycho may include the following:
  IT’S MY PARTY...
  The Psycho begins a series of kidnappings, snatching 
  various people from their homes, workplaces, and even 
  public venues or on live television! Each crime is carefully 
  planned, providing the heroes with a suitable distraction 
  and the kidnappers with an escape route. No ransom de-
  mands or other forms of contact from the villain appear, 
  leaving the police baffled as to the motive. The heroes 
  must investigate the crimes in order to find out where the 
  victims are being held, and whatever pattern there might 
  be, in order to guess the next target.
  It turns out the villain is kidnapping people involved with 
  his or her particular obsession and getting them all to-
  gether for a crazy “dream dinner party” wherein the Psy-
  cho gets to meet and spend time with such a wonderful 
  group of interesting people! The victims are treading on 
  thin ice, since the slightest thing can send the villain over 
  the edge, and the heroes are running out of time before 
  the Psycho gets bored or angry and decides to end the 
  “party” early, by killing all of the guests!
  OH, WE’RE ALL MAD HERE
  A series of crimes involving the theft of various chemicals 
  gets the heroes’ attention, particularly when later crimes 
  leave victims affected by strange, but familiar, manias. 
  Investigation reveals the Psycho is developing—and test-
  ing—a chemical compound that induces madness. Hav-
  ing decided to “enlighten” the whole city, the villain plans 
  to release the compound into the water supply (perhaps 
  tainting a reservoir or processing plant) or even in the air 
  over the city via balloon or plane.
  Ideally, the heroes can piece together clues from the 
  crime scenes and early encounters with the Psycho’s 
  gang and find the villain’s new hideout. This gives them a 
  chance to prevent the release of the madness compound. 
  Otherwise, they also have to deal with a city full of people 
  suffering from the same sort of insanity as their foe!
  For a twist, perhaps the villain has already released the 
  chemical into the environment. However, it requires some 
  sort of activator, such as a binary compound released in 
  a spray or aerosol to match the one in the water supply, 
  or some sort of broadcast signal that triggers the latent 
  chemical in the system. If the heroes can stop the trigger 
  from being used, the substance should pass harmlessly 
  from everyone’s system, given time.
  PUPPETEER
  The Puppeteer is a manipulator of the first order. The typi-
  cal Puppeteer has Mind Control powers of some sort, of-
  ten far-reaching. Other Puppeteers are more subtle, ma-
  nipulating people through a web of influence, contacts, 
  blackmail, and extortion. 
  Physically, Puppeteers are little threat, but heroes rarely 
  confront them directly, dealing instead with their various 
  pawns and schemes. A Puppeteer may maintain the guise 
  of an ordinary citizen or even a hero to throw off suspicion.
  Although Mind Control is a formidable power in and of 
  itself, a Puppeteer backed into a corner may also use ex-
  tra effort to develop other power stunts, perhaps includ-
  ing a devastating Area Damage effect resisted by Will or 
  an Illusion sufficient to fool the heroes and provide an 
  escape route.
  THEMES
  Puppeteer themes revolve around how the villain controls 
  and manipulates people, what effect it has on them, and 
  what the heroes find when they work their way to the cen-
  ter of the villain’s web of influence.
  130
  130
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  FOCUS PUPPETEER
  While the archetype as given 
  can attempt to control subjects 
  simply by seeing them, a Focus 
  Puppeteer requires some talisman or 
  focus in order to establish control. This 
  could be the classic elements of sympa-
  thetic magic, such as hair or nail clippings 
  or a blood sample, perhaps incorporated 
  into a small doll or other representation of 
  the victim. It can also include a particular 
  device, or an artistic representation like a 
  sculpture, painting, or photograph. Imagine 
  a villain with a camera that really does capture 
  people’s souls, allowing him to control them 
  through their photograph!
  MINION MASTER
  Rather than directly controlling the heroes or 
  their allies, the Minion Master is a Puppeteer 
  with legions of loyal or mind-controlled 
  minions. These may range from large 
  numbers of low-powered oppo-
  nents to a small number of very 
  powerful minions, typically 
  “monsters” of some sort. The 
  villain may have some de-
  fensive capabilities, but 
  relies heavily on sending 
  wave after wave of min-
  ions against the heroes.
  PHANTOM PUPPETEER
  The Puppeteer is a 
  disembodied 
  entity, 
  having 
  Insubstantial 
  3 or 4, and exerting in-
  fluence over the material 
  world almost entirely through 
  mental power. The villain might be a 
  ghost or spirit, an astral form, energy being, or even an in-
  telligent virus or meme spread through physical or social 
  interaction. They tend to be among the most alien and 
  creepy of Puppeteers (along with the Spawn Puppeteer, 
  following).
  POD PUPPETEER
  Rather than controlling victims, the Pod Puppeteer re-
  places them with exact duplicates under its control. These 
  are often clones or alien replicants, although they can just 
  as easily be convincing androids or even mystical change-
  lings created out of previously inanimate matter. The 
  victims are generally kept alive and unconscious, either 
  to feed memories and life force to the duplicates, or as a 
  back-up in case a new duplicate is needed. The appear-
  ance of a Pod Puppeteer is often a prelude to an invasion 
  intended to replace all of humanity with duplicates.
  SEDUCTIVE PUPPETEER
  Although Puppeteers can be disembodied brains, alien 
  slugs, and hideous dwarfs with giant heads, they can also 
  be quite attractive. A Seductive Puppeteer exerts at least 
  some influence through sheer appearance and attractive-
  ness, often a sexual allure. The Puppeteer’s motif may in-
  volve acquiring a “harem” of thralls willing to do anything 
  to please the object of their affections. Of course, many 
  Seductive Puppeteers turn out to be truly hideous, their 
  appearance of beauty an illusion or some other manifes-
  tation of their powers.
  SOCIAL PUPPETEER
  Similar to the Seductive Puppeteer, the Social Puppeteer 
  manipulates people through Presence, interaction skills 
  and guile. In fact, the character might not have Mind Con-
  trol powers at all, simply a high Presence and skill rank. 
  Add some minor mental powers on top of that (perhaps 
  with the Check Required flaw), and you’ve got a formi-
  dable foe.
  131
  131
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  SPAWN PUPPETEER
  A Spawn Puppeteer does not control thralls directly, but 
  instead creates a type of “spawn” that does so: a parasite, 
  offspring, implant, or the like that takes control of the vic-
  tim, allowing the Puppeteer to issue commands. Spawn 
  Puppeteers are most often aliens, using parasitic spawn 
  to seize control over populations as a prelude to repro-
  duction or invasion, but they can also be mutants or even 
  technological, with their “spawn” being artificial or nano-
  tech implants they manufacture.
  NAME IDEAS
  Ant Queen, Chess-Master, Director, Marionette, Poppet, 
  Prime-Mover, Shadowplay, Voodoo, Web-Master
  CLASSIC BITS
  Some classic elements associated with the Puppeteer in-
  clude:
  MY FRIEND, MY ENEMY!
  The Puppeteer provides a perfect excuse for the comic 
  book classic of heroes fighting each other: the villain sim-
  ply controls one or more heroes and sets them against the 
  characters.
  There may be a strong temptation to have the Puppeteer 
  seize control of one or more of the player characters, 
  using them against their teammates. This can be fun 
  for some players, especially if they’re competitive, but 
  others just find it annoying, since it takes away the one 
  thing they control in the game (their character). It’s 
  best to make sure you have the player’s “buy-in” on the 
  idea in general before using this option. If you do use 
  a player character as the Puppeteer’s pawn against the 
  other heroes, be sure to at least award the player a hero 
  point for being a good sport and going along with the 
  complication. Chances are it will see use during the next 
  confrontation with the villain!
  NO, NEVER!
  In many scenarios where a hero is under a Puppeteer’s 
  control, the villain will order the thrall to do something 
  like attacking a friend or loved one, or dooming the 
  entire city or world to fall under the fiend’s control. At the 
  last moment, through a massive effort of will, the hero 
  manages to shake off the villain’s domination and resist 
  the command, at least long enough for fellow heroes to 
  take action.
  M&M handles this with both regular resistance checks 
  against Afflictions and in particular the Resistance aspect 
  of the extra effort rules, which permit an immediate 
  resistance check. Players can spend hero points to aid 
  these checks to break free of the villain’s control.
  TACTICS
  Puppeteers tend to be behind-the-scenes bad guys, using 
  their thralls to do their dirty work and take all the risks for 
  them, while they remain safely out of sight. Some (like the 
  Phantom Puppeteer) are literally beyond the heroes’ grasp 
  without some special measures.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Puppeteer may include the 
  following:
  PUPPETEER 
  PL10
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  -1
  0
  0
  0
  0
  3
  5
  5
  POWERS
  Mind Control: Perception Ranged Affliction 10 (Resisted 
  by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Cumulative, 
  Progressive, Subtle; Linked to Senses 1 (Communication 
  Link with Target) • 62 points
  SKILLS
  Deception 6 (+11), Expertise: Behavioral Sciences 8 (+11), Insight 
  8 (+13),  Perception 4 (+9), Persuasion 8 (+13), Stealth 4 (+4)
  ADVANTAGES
  Assessment, Connected, Contacts, Daze (Deception), Fascinate 
  (Deception)
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +0
  Mind Control
  Perception, Affliction, Will DC 20
  Unarmed +0
  Close, Damage –1
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  6
  FORTITUDE
  5
  PARRY
  4
  TOUGHNESS
  0
  WILL
  15
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  24
  SKILLS 
  19
  POWERS
  62
  DEFENSES
  25
  ADVANTAGES
  5
  TOTAL
  135
  COMPLICATIONS
  Cowardly: Prefers to avoid direct physical confrontations.
  Manipulative: Sees people as objects to manipulate.
  132
  132
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CAN’T FIGHT CITY HALL
  The public and the media in the city suddenly become 
  increasingly critical of the heroes and their activities. Edi-
  torials dig up every mistake they’ve ever made and head-
  lines over their photos read “Threat or Menace?” Not long 
  thereafter, the Mayor and other city officials come to see 
  the team. Rather than supporting them, the government 
  demands they leave the city immediately! Any security 
  clearance or other privileges they have are revoked, their 
  landlord tries to evict them, vehicles are ticketed or im-
  pounded, and so forth. If the heroes defy any of this legal 
  harassment, a warrant for their arrest is posted almost im-
  mediately and they become hunted fugitives.
  Naturally, the sudden change of heart on the part of the 
  city and its populace is the work of the Puppeteer, influ-
  encing key people to turn public opinion against the he-
  roes. The goal is to either chase them out of the city so the 
  villain can work there unopposed, or to force them into a 
  confrontation with otherwise innocent people that puts 
  the good guys on the wrong side of the law. Either they’ll 
  be jailed and out of the way or their reputations will be ru-
  ined and no one will believe them when they claim some 
  sinister puppet-master is secretly taking over the city!
  WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE...
  Another team of heroes (perhaps with a friendly rivalry 
  with the player characters) has gone on a sudden and un-
  explained crime spree! Authorities are baffled and largely 
  helpless against the world-famous heroes, so the charac-
  ters are the only ones who can stop them. This is a set-up 
  for the classic “hero vs. hero” battles of the comics, and a 
  great opportunity to use a group of non-player heroes.
  The rogue heroes are under the Puppeteer’s control, and 
  are stealing the components for the next stage of the vil-
  lain’s plans: a super-science gadget or magical artifact or 
  ritual to massively increase Mind Control range, allowing 
  the villain to take over the city, country, or even the entire 
  world! The good guys might be able to snap them out of 
  it, but otherwise they have to figure out how to stop them 
  without harming them too badly. Of course, then the Pup-
  peteer might decide the player characters would make 
  even better pawns....
  ROBOT
  A common theme in the comics onward is technology run 
  amok, when advances intended to improve the human 
  condition turn against humanity. The evil Robot is one 
  such advance, an artificial intelligence lacking in morality, 
  coldly devoted to the domination or even extermination 
  of humanity. Some Robots are alien in origin, but most 
  come from well-intentioned human experimentation 
  gone awry. Robots typically have formidable physical and 
  intellectual capabilities and a vast array of technological 
  weapons and devices at their command.
  THEMES
  The Robot’s themes tend to involve the nature of its cre-
  ation and what type of robot it is, ranging from a fairly 
  human-looking android to more industrial shapes or even 
  immobile computers, giant machines, or magical cre-
  ations.
  ANDROID
  To the casual observer, the Android looks like an ordi-
  nary human being. There might be some “tells”—such 
  as slightly glowing eyes, a plastic sheen, or a completely 
  expressionless face—but under most circumstances, the 
  villain can “pass” for a human, providing the opportunity 
  to blend in and move among us. Often, an Android’s hu-
  man façade is torn away during conflicts, revealing metal 
  and circuitry beneath.
  Some Androids might not only look human, but have the 
  capability to change their outward appearance, a combina-
  tion of the Robot and Master of Disguise archetypes. Add 
  the Morph effect to the archetype’s powers, and any skills 
  or advantages from the Master of Disguise you find ap-
  propriate. Perhaps the Android was originally intended as 
  a kind of “infiltration” unit. At the extreme level, it may be an 
  Artificial Mimic (see the Mimic archetype for details).
  EVIL COMPUTER
  The villain is an evil or amoral artificial intelligence that ex-
  ists as software running on a computer, rather than in a spe-
  cific robotic body. An Evil Computer may control a number 
  of different “slave” robots, perhaps even able to directly per-
  ceive whatever they do as a Remote Sensing effect.
  The Evil Computer is more like the Brain in a Jar version of 
  the Mastermind archetype, with powers such as Datalink 
  and various machine minions rather than mental powers 
  that target living beings. Evil Computers often make use 
  of the Rebuild and Return bit.
  GIANT ROBOT
  Rather than blending in, the villain is a huge robot, with 
  one or more ranks of (most likely Permanent) Growth. A 
  “small” giant robot (no more than Growth 6-7) may be a 
  master villain or lieutenant. Larger giant robots are nearly 
  always minions, although you can break type and go with 
  a giant robot master villain. In the latter case, the giant ro-
  bot tends to be a vehicle or supplemental body for the 
  true villain operating it from afar or within.
  MAGICAL CONSTRUCT
  In a superhero setting, a “robot” may actually be an ar-
  tificial construct given animation and intelligence by 
  133
  133
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  means other than technology. The Magical Construct is 
  a golem, animated statue, or even steampunk clockwork, 
  some creation of mysticism or “weird science” rather than 
  conventional technology. The game traits are largely the 
  same, although the Robot may have different skills, such 
  as Expertise: Magic in place of Technology, for example.
  A Magical Construct is often the lieutenant of an occult 
  master villain, while lesser Magical Constructs may be the 
  “robotic” minions of a mystic (see the Minion Archetypes 
  for examples). The Construct might also be a master vil-
  lain in its own right.
  ROBOTIC BRUTE
  The archetype as presented assumes the Robot is highly 
  intelligent and programmed with extensive technologi-
  cal information, but that does not have to be the case. A 
  robot villain might have only average intellect by human 
  standards, and little or even no knowledge other than its 
  programmed instructions. This can be by design of the 
  robot’s artificial intelligence or a limitation in its program-
  ming. For example, a robotic soldier may be only modest-
  ly intelligent and possess extensive tactical information, 
  but not much else. Robotic brutes tend to be lieutenants 
  or minions rather than master villains by nature. 
  See the end of this chapter for sample robot 
  minions.
  NAME IDEAS
  Artifice, Galatea, Mechanix, Tin-Man, 
  Techno, Tronix
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some classic bits associ-
  ated with the Robot archetype:
  REBUILD AND RETURN
  Robots are notoriously diffi-
  cult villains to get rid of; 
  never having been alive 
  in the first place, they’re 
  essentially 
  impossible 
  to “kill.” Even a destroyed 
  robot can potentially be 
  rebuilt, and robotic computer 
  “minds” 
  can be copied to backup files and downloaded 
  into new bodies, potentially including upgrades 
  and improvements.
  You can choose to treat this in game terms as Immor-
  tality. Alternately, you can simply consider it a plot de-
  vice, since most other supervillains find ways to myste-
  riously return from death as well. It is really only worth 
  defining as a power if the villain can use it during an 
  adventure, being destroyed and re-
  turning multiple times.
  Some Robots also learn from their 
  mistakes. They may improve their ca-
  pabilities based on prior defeats. So, for example, if the 
  heroes beat the Robot by melting it in the last encoun-
  ter, the new version may have potent heat shielding that 
  grants additional Protection or even Immunity to heat 
  damage. This can create a villain the heroes can never de-
  feat the same way twice.
  A CREATED RACE
  The Robot is often a unique entity, created by accident or 
  with a creator who is now dead (often by the creation’s 
  own hand). Many Robots seek to build others like them, 
  creating a “family” or even a “race” of sorts, subservient to 
  their maker, of course.
  The Robot typically lacks some key element, prevent-
  ing it from doing all the work itself. It might need the 
  creative genius of its original maker, or someone equally 
  skilled in robotics, the brainwave patterns of living hu-
  134
  134
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  mans on which to base new neural matrices, rare earth 
  elements, special technology, or the like. This gives the 
  Robot something to acquire and the heroes something 
  to guard, or recover if the Robot manages to get its arti-
  ficial hands on it.
  Even if the Robot manages to create others like it, they 
  often end up turning against their maker, being more in-
  nocent or sophisticated, capable of emotion and empa-
  thy for humanity. Thus the prodigal creations of the Robot 
  are new potential heroes. On the other hand, some might 
  have just as much ego and lack of empathy as their maker, 
  deciding they are superior by virtue of being later models. 
  In this way the Robot may end up creating new rival vil-
  lains as well!
  TACTICS
  Although intellectually brilliant, the Robot tends to be 
  something of a brute in combat, relying on inhuman 
  strength and durability, blasting away at foes it cannot 
  reach with its crushing grip. All the while the Robot lec-
  tures its foes on their innate inferiority and how the odds 
  are mathematically stacked against them.
  A cunning Robot sometimes takes advantage of its free-
  dom from the needs of the flesh, distracting foes with 
  brutal physical combat while also exposing them to envi-
  ronmental dangers such as airborne toxins, radiation, or a 
  slow depletion of oxygen, to name a few. By the time the 
  heroes realize their danger, it is usually too late to stop the 
  Robot from overwhelming and defeating them.
  Similarly, Robots often lair in places dangerous or lethal 
  for organic beings, such as radioactive or toxic sites, mak-
  ing it more difficult for heroes to locate and reach them. 
  Coincidentally, the hazards might also screen the lair from 
  things like sensors or certain superhuman powers.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Robot may include the following:
  THE BRIDE OF THE ROBOT
  It all begins with the theft of electronics parts and equip-
  ment, and the kidnapping of prominent roboticists and 
  technicians. Then an important female supporting char-
  acter goes missing, abducted in public by the Robot or its 
  minions! The heroes may have a chance to try and prevent 
  the abduction, but it can succeed as a complication, if 
  necessary, awarding the players one or more hero points.
  By the time the heroes manage to track the Robot to its 
  hidden lair, it has already completed the construction of 
  a mechanical “bride” and hooked its kidnapped victim to 
  a device intended to transfer her brain patterns—perhaps 
  even her memories and life force—into the new automa-
  ton to activate it. The heroes have to act quickly if they are 
  to save her!
  Even if they interrupt the process, the Robot’s “bride” 
  might still come to life, but with the unexpected “fault” of 
  having an all-too human sense of feeling. The Bride may 
  reject its creator-suitor, preferring to ally with the heroes 
  to defeat it. Or it could be dangerously insane, making it 
  just as much of a threat as the Robot, giving the heroes 
  twice the trouble!
  Even if the Bride is initially an ally, “she” may have a diffi-
  cult time adjusting to her new “life,” especially if she shares 
  ROBOT 
  PL13
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  15
  ---
  0
  2
  8
  10
  6
  1
  POWERS
  Armor: Protection 16, Impervious • 32 points
  Datalink: Comprehend Machines, Radio Communication 4, 
  Rapid 3 • 23 points
  Energy Beams: Ranged Damage 15 • 30 points
  Robot: Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) • 30 points
  SKILLS
  Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+11), Insight 6 (+12), Intimidation 12 
  (+13), Ranged Combat: Energy Beams 3 (+5), Technology 12 (+22)
  ADVANTAGES
  Accurate Attack, Assessment, Eidetic Memory, Power Attack, 
  Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), Ranged Attack 6
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +0
  Energy Beams +11
  Ranged, Damage 15
  Unarmed +11
  Close, Damage 15
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  10
  FORTITUDE
  Immune
  PARRY
  10
  TOUGHNESS
  16
  WILL
  13
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  74
  SKILLS 
  18
  POWERS
  115
  DEFENSES
  19
  ADVANTAGES
  11
  TOTAL
  237
  COMPLICATIONS
  Inhuman: Lacking both living physiology and human 
  emotions.
  Machine: Vulnerable to certain effects like electricity, 
  magnetism, and so forth.
  135
  135
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  some of the personality and traits of her original human 
  template, such as affection for one of the heroes. Driven 
  by a desire to have a normal life, the new robot may be-
  come unstable and dangerous, forcing the heroes to take 
  action.
  KILL ALL HUMANS!
  A government or corporate facility researching deadly 
  bioengineered diseases is locked down after a major se-
  curity breach releases a deadly cocktail into the air, kill-
  ing everyone in the facility. The lockdown has managed 
  to prevent the release of the pathogens into the general 
  environment, and steps are being taken to sterilize the fa-
  cility, but there is evidence the systems failure was caused 
  by a break in, by someone—or something—that man-
  aged to escape.
  Now the hunt is on for the thief of several types of deadly 
  microorganisms. The good news is the Robot engineered 
  the theft, and the villain (or its mechanical minion) is im-
  mune and therefore not a carrier. On the other hand, the 
  metal menace intends to reproduce the diseases and then 
  release an amount sufficient to wipe out all human life on 
  Earth!
  The heroes have to trace the theft, and later heists of the 
  necessary materials and equipment, back to the villain’s 
  hidden lair. (Use a suitable earthbound headquarters 
  from later in this chapter.) They have to stop the Robot 
  from releasing the bio-weapons, without doing so acci-
  dentally themselves. To further complicate matters, the 
  Robot might use captured humans as carriers, leaving 
  the heroes with the dilemma of whether or not they can 
  rescue these innocent people and what to do with them 
  once they have.
  SORCERER
  The mystical arts offer the potential of tremendous power, 
  and some fall victim to the temptation to misuse their arts 
  for evil. The Sorcerer is much like the Mystic hero arche-
  type but eager to strike deals with evil forces in exchange 
  for power or willing to explore and use forbidden secrets. 
  Some Sorcerers are ancient menaces, their lives unnatu-
  rally sustained by their sinister arts. Others are more con-
  temporary, but no less powerful or dangerous, having 
  bargained with powers beyond human ken for mystical 
  forces no mortal was meant to wield.
  THEMES
  Themes for the Sorcerer typically involve what type of 
  magic the villain commands, and the marks that power 
  has left on the Sorcerer’s body, mind, and soul.
  ALCHEMIST
  The alchemist works with mystical forces of transmutation 
  and transformation, seeking mastery of the primal ele-
  ments and the perfection of the legendary Philosopher’s 
  Stone, a talisman able to transmute and control the ele-
  ments and grant immortality. An alchemist villain typically 
  relies on various potions, powders, and other magical for-
  mulae to cast spells and rituals, although the character 
  may be so powerful as to possess the legendary Stone 
  and its abilities. A minor alchemist who stumbles upon 
  the Philosopher’s Stone is more of a Jumped-Up Nobody 
  archetype, but a masterful alchemist is easily the equal of 
  a full-fledged Sorcerer.
  DEMON SORCERER
  The Sorcerer is not human at all, but an infernal creature: a 
  demon, devil, or some similar being from a hellish dimen-
  sion. The villain may simply look different, having demon-
  ic features like red skin, horns, a forked tail, cloven hooves, 
  and so forth, or could have different physical game traits 
  as well, including increased Strength and Stamina, Protec-
  tion for improved Toughness, Immunity (up to or includ-
  ing Immunity to Fortitude Effects), and so forth. Demonic 
  Sorcerers are often vulnerable to certain holy rituals and 
  relics.
  NECROMANCER
  The necromancer works with the dead, particularly reani-
  mating corpses as zombie or skeleton minions (see the 
  Minion Archetypes) and summoning the shades of the 
  dead to provide knowledge and forbidden lore. Necro-
  mancers often survive by draining the life force of victims, 
  in a vampire-like fashion, and may intend to turn the en-
  tire world into a graveyard they can control.
  SEDUCTIVE SORCERESS
  The Seductive Sorceress matches sinful beauty with ar-
  cane power, often using her magic to sustain her youth-
  ful good looks and enhance her considerable charms. 
  Although the Sorceress often uses seduction to get her 
  way, she can be as ruthless and powerful as any Sorcerer, 
  perhaps even more so. Like the witches and sorceresses of 
  legend, she often has a penchant for enchanting men or 
  transforming them into her bestial servants.
  UNDEAD SORCERER
  Not even death can trap a true master of the mystic arts. 
  The Undead Sorcerer exists in a kind of half-life, either 
  trapped there by the decree of foes who bound and 
  entombed him, or through his own machinations, tran-
  scending the limits of mortality at the price of the plea-
  sures and aesthetics of the flesh. Undead Sorcerers are 
  almost universally hideous, desiccated corpses, although 
  some conceal their true nature beneath masks and heavy 
  robes or spells of illusion. Often the undead state is merely 
  136
  136
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  a steppingstone toward an eventual goal of apotheo-
  sis—the achievement of virtual godhood—even if the 
  whole world must be sacrificed on the altar of the 
  Sorcerer’s ambition.
  NAME IDEAS
  Arcanix, Eidolon, Infernus, Magus, Mor-
  gan, Umbrus, often with a title like 
  Doctor or Master in front of it for 
  men and Lady or Madame in front 
  of it for women. Some sorcerers 
  also draw names from myth and 
  legend.
  MYSTIC MINIONS
  More than heroic magicians, Sorcerers are prone to using 
  their powers to summon up various magical creatures as 
  minions to deal with bothersome pests such as superhe-
  roes. These minions include all sorts of monsters: animat-
  ed statues and suits of armor, demons of all shapes and 
  sizes, dragons, goblins, ghosts, and undead such as skel-
  etons and zombies. See the Minion Archetypes section 
  for inspiration.
  You can either assign the villain appropriate ranks in the 
  Minions advantage for the associated minions—cultists 
  or demons in particular—or a Summon spell with the 
  suitable qualities for the villain’s Magic array.
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some classic elements 
  involving the Sorcerer archetype:
  AGELESS EXPERIENCE
  If not actually immortal, Sorcerer vil-
  lains are often far older than they seem. 
  Mighty magics sustain the villain’s life far beyond a natu-
  ral span, whether the Sorcerer is an ageless beauty or a 
  hideous living corpse. Sorcerers often belong to a world 
  of myth and magic now all but forgotten, and may seek 
  to return to it, perhaps by transforming the modern world 
  into one better suited to their tastes.
  FORBIDDEN LORE
  Villainous Sorcerers by definition dabble with forces man 
  was not meant to know. Sorcerers seek power, usually in 
  the form of lost and forbidden occult knowledge. So the 
  villain is often after a particular tome, scroll, or magical 
  item, or the equivalent of the Item of Power wielded by 
  the Jumped-Up Nobody archetype. If such a talisman can 
  turn a virtual no one into a world-class supervillain, just 
  imagine what it could do in the hands of a masterful evil 
  Sorcerer!
  137
  137
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  RITUALS
  Rituals are a Sorcerer’s doomsday machines and infernal 
  devices; defeating an evil Sorcerer is often a matter of pre-
  venting the villain from acquiring the necessary elements 
  for a ritual, or stopping a ritual before it is complete and 
  unleashes whatever corrupt magical powers the villain 
  wishes to call upon.
  Rituals are usually elaborate, having to be performed at a 
  particular place and time, and needing exotic ingredients 
  ranging from a rare flower from the highlands of Tibet to 
  the heart of a pure maiden (symbolically or literally). Cir-
  cumstances often mean the Sorcerer has only one shot at 
  performing the ritual: the necessary astrological or cosmic 
  conjunction might occur only once every 3,000 years, for 
  example, or the primary ingredient is so rare that the rite 
  will use up all of it known to exist. This means if the he-
  roes are successful, the villain is not likely to try the same 
  scheme again. Unfortunately, there’s always another for-
  bidden ritual hidden in an arcane book or ancient scroll 
  somewhere.
  Exactly what the ritual is intended to do is up to the GM 
  and depends on the Sorcerer’s ultimate goals. Typically, 
  a ritual grants the villain almost limitless power, or sum-
  mons a being capable of doing so. For more nihilistic 
  Sorcerers, the ritual may be intended as a means of de-
  stroying the world, perhaps by unleashing eldritch mon-
  sters from beyond the veil of our reality, such as demons 
  or elder gods. See the Elder Evil archetype for some pos-
  sibilities.
  VANISHING ACT
  More than any other villain, Sorcerers are prone to simply 
  disappearing into thin air when their business is conclud-
  ed or they need a quick escape. The Mystic Passage spell 
  of the archetype’s Magic array is sufficient to permit the 
  Sorcerer to go virtually anywhere in the blink of an eye, 
  although limited to places the villain knows fairly well.
  This power allows the villain to escape earlier confronta-
  tions with the heroes leading up to the final encounter, 
  when the Sorcerer is usually too busy to pull another van-
  ishing act, or unwilling to abandon the culmination of a 
  scheme to the heroes.
  TACTICS
  Sorcerers almost universally prefer to fight at a distance, 
  overseeing a battle and using their spells to hinder or dis-
  able foes. As mentioned under Mystic Minions, they most 
  commonly summon up various creatures to engage their 
  enemies, allowing them to work their magic unhindered. 
  Sorcerers tend to favor broad area effects, particularly 
  trapping foes in webs of arcane force, hands of earth and 
  stone, or the cold grip of undead shades, allowing the vil-
  lain time to gloat and arrange a proper demise for the in-
  terfering heroes.
  Sorcerers often become invisible or teleport, vanishing 
  and reappearing elsewhere on the battlefield, or attempt-
  ing escape if the heroes gain the upper hand.
  SORCERER 
  PL14
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  -1
  0
  0
  2
  2
  3
  8
  2
  POWERS
  Magic: Array (36 points)
  • Mystic Blast: Ranged Damage 18 • 36 points
  • Mystic Bonds: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12 (Resisted by 
  Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile; 
  Extra Condition, Limited Degree) • 1 point
  • Mystic Passage: Teleport 18 • 1 point
  • Scrying: Remote Sensing 9 (visual, auditory, mental) • 1 point
  Mystic Levitation: Flight 4 • 8 points
  Mystic Senses: Senses 2 (Danger Sense, Magical Awareness) 
  • 2 points
  Mystic Shield: Protection 18, Impervious 12, Affects 
  Insubstantial, Sustained • 31 points
  SKILLS
  Deception 4 (+6), Expertise: Magic 16 (+19), Intimidation 9 
  (+11), Persuasion 4 (+6), Ranged Combat: Magic 3 (+5), Sleight 
  of Hand 4 (+6)
  ADVANTAGES
  Artificer, Ranged Attack 5, Ritualist, Trance
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +0
  Mystic Blast +10
  Ranged, Damage 18
  Mystic Bonds +10
  Ranged, Affliction 12
  Unarmed +2
  Close, Damage –1
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  10
  FORTITUDE
  11
  PARRY
  8
  TOUGHNESS
  18/0*
  WILL
  16
  *Without Mystic Shield
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  32
  SKILLS 
  20
  POWERS
  80
  DEFENSES
  35
  ADVANTAGES
  8
  TOTAL
  175
  COMPLICATIONS
  Arrogant: Superior and overconfident.
  Power Loss: Requires magical rituals or talismans.
  138
  138
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Sorcerer may include:
  THE LOST TREASURES OF POWER
  The Sorcerer kidnaps several friends or loved ones of the 
  heroes, holding them hostage in another dimension or 
  other inaccessible realm; the villain demands the heroes 
  do exactly as they are told, or the prisoners will be tor-
  mented in a hellish netherworld for eternity. The Sorcerer 
  wants them to find and recover certain mystical artifacts, 
  which are the key components of a grand ritual that will 
  bring the villain unlimited power and mastery over reality.
  In a series of encounters, the heroes—transported by the 
  villain’s magic—face a variety of mystic guardians and 
  traps protecting the talismans. They can visit exotic lo-
  cales, or even other dimensions or times, from European 
  castles to remote Asian monasteries or South American 
  ruins. The collection of items can be a series of short en-
  counters or even whole adventures of their own, with he-
  roes getting involved in local affairs or running into com-
  petition for the talismans.
  Eventually, their task complete, the heroes are summoned 
  into the Sorcerer’s presence, giving them the opportunity 
  to pull a double-cross (perhaps substituting fakes for the 
  real talismans) or arrange a distraction while they or their 
  allies rescue the hostages. The villain does not give up eas-
  ily, of course, trying to seize the desired items and com-
  plete the ritual or, at least, gain revenge on the heroes and 
  their friends.
  DEVILISH DOUBLE-DEALING
  The Sorcerer shows up unexpectedly and challenges the 
  heroes to a fight to the finish. The already-powerful villain 
  displays massive and previously unknown levels of power, 
  able to overcome the heroes with ease; either increase 
  the archetype’s power level to 20 (improving all PL-limited 
  traits accordingly) or simply make the villain a PL X plot 
  device, able to withstand anything the heroes can dish 
  out and capable of defeating the heroes, one per round.
  The villain’s victory is short-lived, however. It turns out the 
  desperate Sorcerer literally sold his soul to gain revenge 
  on the heroes—not once, but twice! The villain cut deals 
  with two different demon-lords, gaining virtually untold 
  power from each, but at the cost of surrendering his soul 
  to them once the day was done. Now both infernal pow-
  ers are coming to collect their due, and neither will be 
  satisfied with anything less than payment in full. The de-
  mon-lords will use the slight offered by the other’s pact to 
  engage in a struggle that will devastate the earthly plane, 
  unless the heroes can exercise something akin to the wis-
  dom of Solomon to prevent it!
  VAMPIRE
  The Vampire is a common villain in folk legend. Comic 
  book Vampires tend to focus less on the horror aspects 
  of the legend and treat them more as an exotic type of 
  super-human. The archetype is a powerful example of the 
  type, and may even be based on an existing Vampire from 
  legend, such as Count Dracula, Elizabeth Báthory (the 
  “Blood Countess” of Hungary), or the Nosferatu from the 
  film of the same name. Vampires have an array of mystic 
  powers and minions at their command, but also a number 
  of distinct vulnerabilities.
  THEMES
  More powerful Vampires have greater and more varied 
  powers. They may have higher Strength and a Mind Con-
  trol Affliction (dependent on sight) rather than Fascinate, 
  plus Magic or Weather Control. Some Vampires have the 
  Ritualist advantage, allowing them to perform magical 
  rituals (a good intermediate step before full-blown Mag-
  ic powers). Vampires fitting some of the Hollywood and 
  comic book interpretations of the legend may have the 
  ability to transform into a bat, wolf, or other shapes (typi-
  cally Morph with the Metamorph modifier).
  LIVING VAMPIRE
  Rather than a supernatural undead creature, the Vampire 
  is biological in nature: a mutant freak, alien humanoid, or 
  the result of a biological accident or experiment, perhaps 
  concerning tissue regeneration or blood-borne diseases. 
  The villain often has the various qualities of a Vampire, 
  particularly great strength, regenerative abilities, and a 
  need for human blood, but may lack some of the more 
  supernatural powers such as Insubstantial or Summon, 
  along with some of the weaknesses such as holy symbols 
  and perhaps even sunlight, although bright light usually 
  still pains Living Vampires (perhaps due to a skin condi-
  tion or more light-sensitive eyes).
  Living Vampires may revel in their new condition or, more 
  commonly, seek a cure for it. Usually this involves nighttime 
  thefts from hospitals and biomedical companies, perhaps 
  even kidnapping doctors and world-famous authorities 
  on mutation and blood diseases. In this regard, the Living 
  Vampire is quite similar to the Hybrid archetype.
  QUEEN OF THE DAMNED
  Although a great many Vampire villains are male, female 
  Vampires are common, often with a femme fatale element, 
  as they seduce their prey and lure them to their doom.
  A female Vampire may fixate on a hero as a potential 
  “consort,” seeking to transform him into a Vampire as well. 
  Some might even collect a number of “suitors,” creating a 
  kind of male harem of mind-controlled or influenced ser-
  vitor Vampires or thralls.
  139
  139
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  NAME IDEAS
  The Baron, The Blood Count (or Countess), DeGhul, Diable, 
  Nosferatu, Sangré, Schreck
  CLASSIC BITS
  The following are some classic bits associated with the 
  Vampire archetype:
  HAUNTED MANOR
  The archetypal lair for the Vampire is a spooky old castle or 
  manor house. Since Vampires have limited mobility dur-
  ing the daylight hours, they tend to remain fairly close to 
  their lair, so they can return to it before the sun rises. The 
  first sign an investigator gets of a Vampire moving into an 
  area may be the acquisition of a suitable lair there, a task 
  usually entrusted to one of the Vampire’s thralls.
  THRALLS
  Vampires often have various sorts of minions at their 
  disposal. In particular, their Summon allows them to 
  control swarms of bats and rats, or packs of wolves to do 
  their bidding.
  A Vampire’s other thralls include victims under its mental 
  influence, lesser Vampires of its creation, and possible 
  other monsters, such as an assistant or some creation of 
  the Vampire’s science or magic.
  If the Vampire’s bite is addictive or in some way grants 
  supernatural influence over the victim, assign the 
  archetype a suitable Affliction, Limited to victims of the 
  Vampire’s Drain attack. For an added complication for the 
  heroes, thralls can be supporting characters connected 
  with them, perhaps even other heroes who have fallen 
  under the Vampire’s sway.
  Lesser Vampire thralls have traits similar to the arche-
  type, although abilities, skills, and combat bonuses likely 
  differ somewhat. Newly made Vampires may 
  be under the control of their “sire,” or could 
  have a measure of free will, serving the 
  master Vampire for other reasons. A 
  Vampire able to create others of its 
  kind quickly can potentially assem-
  ble a small army of undead, given 
  the opportunity.
  Lastly, the Vampire might have min-
  ions that are other monsters, such 
  as demons, gargoyles, golems 
  (perhaps even a combination 
  of reanimated corpses as 
  a single flesh golem), skel-
  etons, werewolves, or zom-
  bies. A powerful Vampire 
  could even be the leader of a legion 
  of such nightmare creatures.
  TRANSFORMATION
  Although in many legends only those 
  slain by a vampire will become one, 
  in the comics, vampires often pos-
  sess the ability to slowly trans-
  form victims into Vampires over 
  time. They accomplish this ei-
  ther through the power of their 
  bite, or by feeding the victim 
  small amounts of the Vampire’s own blood, filled with cor-
  rupt, transformative power.
  You can treat the transformation like a slow, progres-
  sive Affliction, with the victim making Fortitude or Will 
  checks against it to fight it progression. After a number 
  of failed checks, the victim irrevocably becomes one of 
  the undead. Often, the proto-vampire falls into a death-
  like coma (incapacitated) as the final transformation 
  takes place, although there may still be time for heroes 
  to reverse the process with the right arcane ritual or other 
  technique. Slaying the “master” Vampire often serves to 
  free any victims.
  140
  140
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  You can usually treat this slow transformation as a plot 
  device and an aspect of the Vampire’s Weaken attack; set a 
  resistance difficulty appropriate for the series’ power level. 
  If you want to build it as a full-fledged power, treat it like an 
  Affliction. The victim makes one resistance check per day, 
  and three successive failed checks result in transformation 
  into a vampire over the course of the final 24 hours.
  TACTICS
  The Vampire as presented is a somewhat low-powered foe 
  for a group of superheroes, unless the characters are PL 8 
  or less. The villain tends to stay in the shadows, striking 
  from surprise and using gaseous form to slip in and out 
  of places and as a means of escape. The Vampire usually 
  prefers getting a single victim alone, using Fascinate in 
  preparation for a bite attack (with a fair grab bonus for 
  holding an ordinary human victim immobile).
  A Vampire expecting to confront a group of heroes relies 
  on assistance from thralls, perhaps even co-opting the le-
  gal authorities to provide protection. The Vampire likely 
  flees if confronted or thwarted in claiming a victim. If un-
  able to escape, the creature fights fiercely, summoning 
  whatever potential minions might be at hand.
  If you are looking for a more formidable Vampire to confront 
  the heroes as a team, increase the archetype’s power level 
  and associated traits (particularly combat bonuses and 
  defenses). Alternately, you can confront the good guys 
  with an entire team or “family” of vampires at roughly their 
  power level.
  CAPERS
  Adventures involving the Vampire may include:
  BRIDE OF THE VAMPIRE!
  After uncounted years of unlife, the Vampire has chosen a 
  woman worthy to be his bride and consort for all eternity: 
  a heroine of great power and beauty. He begins to visit 
  her in the night, slowly drinking her blood and beginning 
  her transformation into a vampire like him. Friends and 
  teammates notice changes in behavior and a general 
  malaise and do their best to help, but the heroine is in the 
  Vampire’s thrall and resists their efforts. Eventually, she 
  goes to join her new lord and master so he may complete 
  her transformation. If the heroes do not prevent it, the 
  Vampire will have a new super-powered thrall with all the 
  abilities of a vampire as well!
  This scenario works best with a non-player character as 
  the Vampire’s victim, unless a player is particularly willing 
  to play the role. With the player’s permission, it is a suitable 
  part for a character whose player is absent or otherwise 
  unable to participate, keeping the character involved 
  in the game. Naturally, it also works as a “Groom of the 
  Vampire” story as well, with a seductive female vampire 
  after a hero for her new consort.
  DAWN OF THE DAYWALKER
  The Vampire has located a legendary lost artifact reputed 
  to grant the undead immunity to their traditional weak-
  VAMPIRE 
  PL9
  STR
  STA
  AGL
  DEX
  FGT
  INT
  AWE
  PRE
  6
  ---
  1
  2
  6
  1
  3
  3
  POWERS
  Children of the Night: Summon Animals 2 (Bats, Rats, 
  or Wolves; Horde, Mental Link, Multiple Minions 6 (64 
  minions)) • 31 points
  Form of Mist: Insubstantial 2 • 10 points
  Spider-Climb: Movement 1 (Wall-crawling) • 2 points
  Undead Invulnerability: Immortality 10 (Not When Staked 
  or Beheaded), Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects), Impervious 
  Protection 7 (Limited: Not Versus Blessed, Magical, or Silver 
  Weapons), Regeneration 10 (Source: Blood) • 52 points
  Vampiric Bite: Weaken Stamina 9 (Resisted by Fortitude), 
  Limited to Draining 1 rank per round, Grab-based • 3 points
  SKILLS
  Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+9), Deception 7 (+10), Expertise: 
  Magic 4 (+5), Insight 6 (+9), Intimidation 9 (+12), Perception 8 
  (+11), Persuasion 10 (+13), Ranged Combat: Throwing 6 (+8), 
  Stealth 9 (+10)
  ADVANTAGES
  Animal Empathy, Fascinate (Deception), Fearless, Improved 
  Hold, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Startle
  OFFENSE
  INITIATIVE +5
  Unarmed +9
  Close, Damage 6
  DEFENSE
  DODGE
  9
  FORTITUDE
  Immune
  PARRY
  10
  TOUGHNESS
  7
  WILL
  9
  POWER POINTS
  ABILITIES
  34
  SKILLS 
  31
  POWERS
  98
  DEFENSES
  18
  ADVANTAGES
  7
  TOTAL
  188
  COMPLICATIONS
  Dependence: The Vampire must feed on blood or weaken.
  Weaknesses: Traditional vampires are destroyed by exposure 
  to sunlight and repelled by religious icons and certain plants 
  (particularly garlic).
  141
  141
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  Although the villain archetypes in this book provide a full 
  roster of threats for a team of heroes, many villains prefer 
  not to sully their hands with the dirty work of dealing with 
  heroic pests. They leave that to their various minions, who 
  also run interference, fetch needed components, or kid-
  nap “guests” the villain wishes to “entertain.” Heroes often 
  spend more time in an adventure interacting with min-
  ions than they do with their boss, since the minions tend 
  to compose the majority of the challenges leading up to 
  the final confrontation with the villain.
  This section offers a variety of ready-made minion 
  archetypes suitable for use with different villains, power 
  levels, and adventures. You can use them as given in 
  your own M&M games, or as examples for creating 
  or customizing suitable minions for your villains and 
  evil organizations. Keep in mind these characters are 
  intended to be treated according to the rules for minions, 
  so their effective power level is somewhat less than their 
  game traits indicate. Of course, you can choose to treat 
  a particularly exceptional minion or lieutenant as a full-
  fledged character, not subject to the minion rules.
  After its power level, each minion archetype has “MR” 
  which stands for “Minion Rank.” This is the rank of the Min-
  ion advantage or Summon effect needed to have a single 
  example of that archetype as a minion. Creatures with 
  a power point total less than 15 (including 0 points) are 
  listed as MR1.
  ANIMALS
  With various villains possessing powers like animal con-
  trol, shapeshifting, and mimicking the traits of different 
  animals, as well as a tendency to acquire pets, heroes may 
  encounter many different types of animals.
  All animals have certain game traits in common: they have 
  an Intellect rank of –5 or –4 (any creature with a higher In-
  tellect isn’t a normal animal). Most animals have a low Dex-
  terity rank, since they have no manipulative limbs. Animals 
  tend to have a higher than average Awareness, particularly 
  those in the wild that need to remain alert to either poten-
  tial threats or prey. Senses effects, particularly Low-light 
  Vision and Acute Smell, are common for many animals. 
  Aquatic animals are adapted for life underwater: they ef-
  fectively have Immunity to Drowning and the Movement 
  (Environmental Adaptation) effects. These are not account-
  ed for in their point totals, since they also lack the ability to 
  move and operate on land for any length of time.
  The archetypes here can serve as a baseline for creating 
  more exotic creatures. You can create similar animals from 
  a basic archetype, such as basing a rhino off the elephant’s 
  traits, or an antelope off the herd animal or horse. You can 
  create giant animals by adding ranks of Growth (and its 
  associated modifiers) to an archetype or robotic or un-
  dead animals by adding Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) 
  and removing the animal’s Stamina rank.
  Please note that all modifiers for Growth and Shrinking 
  have already been taken into account in the creatures 
  presented here.
  APE 
  PL4 • MR3
  STR 6 STA 4 AGL 3 DEX 1 FGT 3 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –1
  Powers: Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 2, Senses 
  1 (Accute Smell). Skills: Athletics 6 (+12), Perception 6 (+7). 
  Offense: Init +3, Unarmed +3 (Close, Damage 6). Defenses: 
  Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will 2. Totals: 
  Abilities 10 + Powers 12 + Advantages 0 + Skills 6 + Defenses 
  7 = Total 35 points.
  BAT 
  PL3 • MR1
  STR –5 STA 0 AGL 2 DEX –3 FGT 0 INT –5 AWE 2 PRE –3
  Powers: Flight 3 (16 MPH; Wings), Senses 2 (Accurate Hearing), 
  Shrinking 12 (Permanent, Innate). Skills: Perception 4 (+6), 
  Stealth 2 (+16). Offense: Init +2, Bite +0 (Close, Damage –5). 
  Defenses: Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude 0, Toughness –2, Will 2. 
  Totals: Abilities –18 + Powers 30 + Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + 
  Defenses 0 = Total 15 points.
  BEAR 
  PL6 • MR3
  STR 8 STA 4 AGL 1 DEX 0 FGT 3 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –2
  Powers: Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 2, Senses 
  2 (Low-light Vision, Acute Smell). Skills: Athletics 4 (+12), 
  Perception 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Claw +3 (Close, Damage 
  8). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 5, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will 
  3. Totals: Abilities 6 + Powers 13 + Advantages 0 + Skills 4 + 
  Defenses 13 = Total 36 points.
  Bears stand nearly 12 feet tall on their hind legs and weigh 
  in at 1,200 pounds. This archetype suffices for most spe-
  cies of bear. Polar bears have +1 Str and Environmental 
  Adaptation (Cold).
  nesses, such as holy water, garlic, wooden stakes, and—
  most of all—sunlight. A Vampire with this talisman would 
  be virtually indestructible, able to move about during the 
  day and immune to the concerns of others of its kind. The 
  heroes learn of the Vampire’s quest for the artifact when 
  an archeologist or renowned collector of ancient manu-
  scripts turns up missing or dead, and drained of blood.
  Then the race is on to keep the Vampire from acquiring 
  the item, as both parties visit libraries, museums, 
  tombs, and ruins to piece together the clues to its 
  location. Perhaps more than one villain is interested in 
  it, pitting the heroes against multiple foes and the bad 
  guys against each other. Eventually, it comes down to 
  a confrontation at the artifact’s resting place, where 
  the heroes have to keep it out of the wrong hands and 
  ensure it remains safe. Maybe the Vampire gets it, and 
  the good guys have to find a way of neutralizing a foe 
  who lacks any apparent weaknesses!
  MINION ARCHETYPES
  142
  142
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CAT 
  PL3 • MR1
  STR –4 STA –2 AGL 3 DEX –2 FGT 2 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –2
  Powers: Shrinking 8 (Permanent, Innate), Senses 1 (Low-light 
  Vision). Advantages: Benefit 1 (Athletics based on Agility). 
  Skills: Acrobatics 3 (+6), Athletics 3 (+6), Perception 4 (+5), 
  Stealth 2 (+13). Offense: Init +3, Claw +2 (Close, Damage –4). 
  Defenses: Dodge 7, Parry 6, Fortitude 0, Toughness –2, Will 1. 
  Totals: Abilities –12 + Powers 18 + Advantages 1 + Skills 6 + 
  Defenses 2 = Total 15 points.
  CROCODILE 
  PL7 • MR3
  STR 8 STA 8 AGL 1 DEX –2 FGT 4 INT –5 AWE 1 PRE –4
  Powers: Growth 8 (Permanent, Innate), Senses 1 (Low-light 
  Vision), Swimming 4. Advantages: Environmental Adaptation 
  (Aquatic). Skills: Perception 4 (+5), Stealth 12 (+5). Offense: 
  Init +1, Bite +4 (Close, Damage 8). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 6, 
  Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will 3. Totals: Abilities –10 + Powers 
  22 + Advantages 1 + Skills 8 + Defenses 15 = Total 36 points.
  The crocodile described here is up to 20 feet long, with 
  powerful, toothed jaws. The archetype also serves for 
  large alligators, including ones sometimes encountered 
  in city sewers in the comic books.
  DOG 
  PL2 • MR1
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX –2 FGT 2 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –2
  Powers: Senses 3 (Acute Smell, Tracking, Ultra-hearing), 
  Shrinking 2 (Permanent, Innate). Skills: Athletics 2 (+3), 
  Perception 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Bite +2 (Close, Damage 
  1). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 3, Toughness 1, Will 
  1. Totals: Abilities –4 + Powers 8 + Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + 
  Defenses 3 = Total 10 points.
  A popular sidekick among Golden-Age heroes, the trusty 
  dog is loyal and easily trained. These same traits make 
  them common adversaries, as criminals and legitimate se-
  curity forces employ them as guardians. Smaller lap dogs 
  are better represented with the cat, above.
  DOLPHIN 
  PL4 • MR3
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 3 DEX 1 FGT 2 INT –2 AWE 1 PRE –2
  Powers: Senses 4 (Accurate Hearing, Low-light Vision, Ultra-
  hearing), Swimming 4 (8 MPH). Skills: Athletics 8 (+9), Close 
  Combat: Unarmed 2 (+4), Perception 8 (+9). Offense: Init +3, 
  Unarmed +4 (Close, Damage 1). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 4, 
  Fortitude 5, Toughness 1, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 10 + Powers 8 
  + Advantages 0 + Skills 9 + Defenses 9 = Total 36 points.
  ELEPHANT 
  PL8 • MR2
  STR 10 STA 9 AGL 0 DEX –1 FGT 2 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –2
  Powers: Extra Limbs 1 (Trunk), Growth 9 (Permanent, 
  Innate). Skills: Perception 6 (+7). Offense: Init +0, Attack +2 
  (Close, Damage 10). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 0, Fortitude 
  9, Toughness 9, Will 6. Totals: Abilities –6 + Powers 20 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + Defenses 11 = Total 28 points.
  This archetype represents the African elephant. Indian el-
  ephants are –1 Str, but +1 Awe. This archetype also suits 
  prehistoric mammoths and mastodons, which have Envi-
  ronmental Adaptation (Cold).
  HAWK 
  PL4 • MR3
  STR –2 STA 0 AGL 3 DEX 0 FGT 3 INT –4 AWE 2 PRE 0
  Powers: Flight 4 (30 MPH; Wings), Senses 2 (Extended Vision, 
  Low-light Vision), Shrinking 8 (Permanent, Innate). Skills: 
  Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+7), Perception 6 (+8). Offense: 
  Init +3, Unarmed +7 (Close, Damage 2). Defenses: Dodge 7, 
  Parry 7, Fortitude 2, Toughness 0, Will 2. Totals: Abilities 8 + 
  Powers 23 + Advantages 0 + Skills 5 + Defenses 2 = Total 38 
  points.
  The statistics here may represent other birds of prey.
  HERD ANIMAL 
  PL3 • MR1
  STR 4 STA 4 AGL 0 DEX –4 FGT 0 INT –4 AWE 0 PRE –3
  Powers: Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), Speed 3 (16 MPH). 
  Skills: Perception 4 (+4). Offense: Init +0, Attack +0 (Close, 
  Damage 4). Defenses: Dodge 2, Parry 2, Fortitude 4, Toughness 
  4, Will 0. Totals: Abilities –22 + Powers 12 + Advantages 0 + 
  Skills 2 + Defenses 8 = Total 0 points.
  This archetype includes cows, bison, and buffalo, typically 
  5 to 6 feet tall at the shoulder, weighing 1,500 to 2,400 
  pounds.
  HORSE 
  PL3 • MR1
  STR 4 STA 4 AGL 1 DEX –4 FGT 2 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –3
  Powers: Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), Senses 2 (Extended 
  Vision, Low-light Vision), Speed 4 (30 MPH). Skills: Perception 4 
  (+5). Offense: Init +1, Attack +2 (Close, Damage 4). Defenses: 
  Dodge 2, Parry 2, Fortitude 5, Toughness 4, Will 1. Totals: 
  Abilities –14 + Powers 15 + Advantages 0 + Skills 2 + Defenses 
  6 = Total 9 points.
  This archetype represents most horses. Heavier work-
  horses have +1 Str. Trained war-horses have higher Fgt or 
  Close Combat skill. Exotic winged horses (like the mythical 
  Pegasus) have Flight with the Wings modifier. Characters 
  use Athletics to ride horses, unless the GM wishes to re-
  quire an Expertise: Riding skill.
  HYENA 
  PL4 • MR2
  STR 3, STA 4, AGL 1, DEX –3, FGT 4, INT –4, AWE 1, PRE 0
  Powers: Damage 1 (Bite; Strength-Based), Senses 4 (Acute 
  Smell, Low-light Vision, Tracking, Ultra-hearing). Skills: 
  Perception 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Bite +4 (Close, Damage 4). 
  Defense: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fort 6, Tou 4, Will 2. Totals: Abilities 
  12 + Powers 5 + Advantages 0 + Skills 2 (4 ranks) + Defenses 6 
  = 25 points.
  LION 
  PL6 • MR4
  STR 5 STA 2 AGL 3 DEX 1 FGT 4 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE 0
  Powers: Growth 2 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 4, Senses 
  2 (Acute Smell, Low-light Vision). Skills: Close Combat: 
  Unarmed 3 (+7), Perception 5 (+6), Stealth 8 (+9). Offense: 
  Init +3, Unarmed +7 (Close, Damage 5). Defenses: Dodge 6, 
  Parry 6, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 16 
  + Powers 11 + Advantages 0 + Skills 8 + Defenses 13 = Total 
  48 points.
  The lion may also be used to represent other large felines.
  143
  143
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  MONKEY 
  PL3 • MR2
  STR –1 STA –2 AGL 4 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –3
  Powers: Extra Limb 1 (Tail), Feature 1 (Use feet as hands), 
  Shrinking 6 (Permanent, Innate). Advantages: Benefit 
  1 (Athletics based on Agility). Skills: Acrobatics 7 (+11), 
  Athletics 4 (+8), Perception 4 (+5), Stealth 3 (+13). Offense: 
  Init +4, Attack +0 (Close, Damage –1). Defenses: Dodge 7, 
  Parry 5, Fortitude 2, Toughness –2, Will 2. Totals: Abilities –8 
  + Powers 15 + Advantages 1 + Skills 9 + Defenses 7 = Total 
  24 points.
  This archetype represents small, tailed monkeys like the 
  capuchin and spider monkey. Larger simians have fewer 
  ranks in Shrinking and correspondingly greater Str.
  OWL 
  PL2 • MR2
  STR –2 STA –2 AGL 2 DEX –2 FGT 1 INT –4 AWE 2 PRE –3
  Powers: Flight 3 (16 MPH; Wings, Subtle), Senses 2 (Low-light 
  Vision, Ultravision), Shrinking 8 (Permanent, Innate). Skills: 
  Perception 6 (+8), Stealth 2 (+12). Offense: Init +2, Attack +1 
  (Close, Damage –2). Defenses: Dodge 6, Parry 5, Fortitude 
  2, Toughness –2, Will 2. Totals: Abilities –12 + Powers 23 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 4 + Defenses 4 = Total 19 points.
  RAT 
  PL3 • MR1
  STR –4 STA 0 AGL 2 DEX –1 FGT 1 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –4
  Powers: Senses 2 (Low-light Vision, Acute Smell), Shrinking 10 
  (Permanent, Innate). Advantages: Benefit 1 (Athletics based 
  on Agility). Skills: Athletics 3 (+5), Stealth 1 (+13). Offense: Init 
  +2, Attack +1 (Close, Damage –4). Defenses: Dodge 7, Parry 6, 
  Fortitude 2, Toughness –2, Will 1. Totals: Abilities –18 + Powers 
  23 + Advantages 1 + Skills 2 + Defenses 4 = Total 12 points.
  SHARK 
  PL4 • MR3
  STR 2 STA 1 AGL 2 DEX 1 FGT 4 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –4
  Powers: Strength-based Damage 1, Protection 3, Senses 
  2 (Acute Smell, Low-light Vision), Swimming 4 (8 MPH). 
  Advantages: All-out Attack, Power Attack. Skills: Athletics 
  4 (+6), Close Combat: Bite 1 (+5), Perception 5 (+6). Offense: 
  Init +2, Bite +5 (Close, Damage 3), Slam +4 (Close, Damage 
  2). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fortitude 5, Toughness 4, Will 
  3. Totals: Abilities 6 + Powers 10 + Advantages 2 + Skills 5 + 
  Defenses 8 = Total 31 points.
  Many aquatic supervillains rely on shark minions for pro-
  tection and offense, while tyrants and mad scientists may 
  employ shark pools as traps to protect their layers. Mad 
  scientists in particular may “modify” their sharks to add cy-
  bernetic weapons or the ability to run across dry land. For 
  a giant shark, add Growth to the desired level and alter the 
  shark’s abilities appropriately. 
  SNAKE, CONSTRICTOR 
  PL4 • MR2
  STR 3 STA 1 AGL 2 DEX 0 FGT 3 INT –5 AWE 1 PRE –4
  Powers: Movement 1 (Slithering), Protection 2, Senses 2 
  (Infravision, Acute Smell). Advantages: Improved Grab. Skills: 
  Athletics 6 (+9), Perception 8 (+9), Stealth 8 (+10). Offense: Init 
  +2, Attack +3 (Close, Damage 3). Defenses: Dodge 5, Parry 5, 
  Fortitude 4, Toughness 3, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 2 + Powers 6 + 
  Advantages 1 + Skills 11 + Defenses 10 = Total 30 points.
  This archetype represents constrictor snakes large enough 
  to threaten a human, like boa constrictors and anacondas. 
  SNAKE, VIPER 
  PL4 • MR3
  STR –3 STA 0 AGL 3 DEX 0 FGT 3 INT –5 AWE 1 PRE –4
  Powers: Movement 1 (Slithering), Senses 2 (Infravision, 
  Acute Smell), Shrinking 8 (Permanent, Innate), Weaken 
  Stamina 4 (Progressive, Linked to Strength Damage, venom). 
  Advantages: Benefit 1 (Athletics based on Agility). Skills: 
  Athletics 4 (+7), Perception 7 (+8), Stealth 3 (+14). Offense: 
  Init +3, Attack +3 (Close, Damage –3 plus Weaken). Defenses: 
  Dodge 7, Parry 7, Fortitude 2, Toughness –2, Will 3. Totals: 
  Abilities –10 + Powers 33 + Advantages 1 + Skills 7 + Defenses 
  6 = Total 37 points.
  This archetype represents a wide variety of small, poison-
  ous snakes: asps, cobras, rattlesnakes, vipers, and so forth. 
  Feel free to vary the venom effect to suit the particular 
  breed, including using or adding an appropriate Affliction.
  SQUID, GIANT 
  PL8 • MR4
  STR 12 STA 12 AGL 2 DEX 0 FGT 4 INT –4 AWE 1 PRE –4
  Powers: Concealment Attack 4 (Visual, Cloud Area, Limited to 
  Underwater), Extra Limbs 4 (Tentacles), Growth 12 (Permanent, 
  Innate), Swimming 6 (30 MPH). Advantages: Improved 
  Grab. Skills: Perception 6 (+7). Offense: Init +2, Attack +4 
  (Close, Damage 12). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 2, Fortitude 
  12, Toughness 12, Will 4. Totals: Abilities –2 + Powers 43 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + Defenses 11 = Total 55 points.
  Giant squids are popular minions for seafaring heroes and 
  villains, usable for attacking ships and water-borne foes. 
  This archetype can also represent a giant octopus or simi-
  lar creature.
  144
  144
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  SWARM, DEVOURING 
  PL5 • MR2
  STR 2, STA 5, AGL 5, DEX –1, FGT 2, INT –4, AWE 0, PRE –5
  Powers: Damage 5 (Shapeable Area), Insubstantial 1 (Innate; 
  Permanent), Movement 1 (Wall-crawling). Offense: Init 
  +5, Shapeable Area Damage 5. Defense: Dodge 5, Parry 2, 
  Fortitude 5, Toughness 5, Will 0. Totals: Abilities 8 + Powers 18 
  + Advantages 0 + Skills 0 (0 ranks) + Defenses 0 = 26 points.
  *No effective Strength due to Insubstantial effect
  SWARM, IRRITATING 
  PL3 • MR1
  STR —* STA 0 AGL 3 DEX –2 FGT 0 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Burst Area Affliction 3 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, 
  Stunned, Incapacitated), Insubstantial 2 (swarm, Permanent, 
  Innate), Flight 2 (8 MPH). Offense: Init +3, Burst Area Affliction 
  (Fortitude DC 13). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 0, Fortitude 
  0, Toughness 0, Will —. Totals: Abilities –18 + Powers 21 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 0 + Defenses 0 = Total 3 points.
  *No effective Strength due to Insubstantial effect
  Rather than a single creature, a Swarm represents 
  hundreds or thousands of tiny insects or animals acting 
  as a single entity. The swarm is immune to direct physical 
  attack, although area effects and energy attacks still 
  work against it. It attacks by engulfing targets and using 
  its Affliction, which represents numerous stings or bites. 
  Targets Immune to Fortitude effects or with any rank of 
  Impervious Toughness can ignore the swarm’s attack. An 
  insect swarm that is incapacitated is dispersed.
  A Devouring Swarm causes physical damage to targets, 
  biting or clawing anything they overrun. Irritating Swarms 
  sting or poison, or overwhelm victims with fear.
  For non-flying creatures, remove the swarm’s Flight. 
  For unusual swarms like undead or robots, remove the 
  swarm’s Stamina and give it Immunity to Fortitude Effects.
  WHALE 
  PL8 • MR4
  STR 12 STA 0 AGL 2 DEX –3 FGT 2 INT –3 AWE 2 PRE –3
  Powers: Growth 12 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 1, Senses 4 
  (Accurate Hearing, Low-light Vision, Ultra-hearing), Swimming 
  5 (16 MPH). Skills: Athletics 2 (+14), Close Combat: Unarmed 
  2 (+4), Perception 10 (+11). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed +4 
  (Close, Damage 12). Defenses: Dodge -4, Parry -2, Fortitude 
  12, Toughness 13, Will 4. Totals: Abilities –6 + Powers 35 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 7 + Defenses 7 = Total 43 points.
  A roughly 50--foot long humpback or sperm whale. For 
  larger whales such as the blue whale, or smaller whales, 
  adjust the ranks of Growth.
  WOLF 
  PL3 • MR2
  STR 2 STA 2 AGL 2 DEX 0 FGT 3 INT –4 AWE 2 PRE –2
  Powers: Senses 3 (Acute Smell, Low-light Vision, Tracking). 
  Advantages: Improved Trip. Skills: Perception 4 (+6), Stealth 
  4 (+6). Offense: Init +2, Unarmed +3 (Close, Damage 2). 
  Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fortitude 4, Toughness 2, Will 2. 
  Totals: Abilities 10 + Powers 3 + Advantages 1 + Skills 4 + 
  Defenses 5 = Total 23 points.
  The wolf may also be used to represent other large canines.
  CIVILIANS
  Numerous innocent people are under the heroes’ protection, 
  but their game traits don’t often matter in the context of the 
  game. The following are some examples of “civilians” the he-
  roes may interact with on a regular basis, and can be used as 
  templates for similar types of characters in other situations.
  BYSTANDER  
  PL0 • MR1
  STR 0 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 0
  Equipment: Cell phone. Advantages: Equipment 1. Skills: 
  Expertise: Choose One 4 (+4), Expertise: Current Events 2 (+2), 
  Expertise: Pop Culture 2 (+2). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed +0 
  (Close, Damage 0). Defense: Dodge 0, Parry 0, Fort 0, Tou 0, 
  Will 0. Totals: Abilities 0 + Powers 0 + Advantages 1 + Skills 4 + 
  Defenses 0 = Total 5 points.
  The bystander represents the people that populate the 
  world, the sort a supervillain or other criminal might take 
  hostage or otherwise endanger. Customize the bystander by 
  choosing an expertise such as a profession or trade skill.
  REPORTER  
  PL1 • MR2
  STR 0 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT 2 AWE 2 PRE 1
  Equipment: Camera, computer, digital recorder, smartphone. 
  Advantages: Contacts, Equipment 1. Skills: Deception 4 (+5), 
  Expertise: Current Events 4 (+6), Expertise: Pop Culture 2 (+4), 
  Expertise: Streetwise 2 (+4), Expertise: Writing 4 (+6), Investigation 
  2 (+4), Perception 4 (+6), Persuasion 4 (+5), Stealth 4 (+4), Vehicles 
  2 (+2). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed +0 (Close, Damage 0). Defense: 
  Dodge 0, Parry 0, Fort 0, Tou 0, Will 2. Totals: Abilities 10 + Powers 
  0 + Advantages 2 + Skills 16 + Defenses 0 = Total 28 points.
  In a world filled with superheroes and supervillains, there 
  are always reporters around to get the latest story—or 
  just get in the way. The reporter archetype can also be 
  used for any other type of professional by swapping out 
  the Expertise specialties for others.
  SCIENTIST  
  PL1 • MR2
  STR 0 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 1 FGT 0 INT 4 AWE 1 PRE 0
  Equipment: Camera, smartphone. Advantages: Equipment 1. 
  Skills: Expertise: Current Events 2 (+6), Expertise: Pop Culture 2 
  (+6), Expertise: Science 6 (+10), Technology 6 (+10), Vehicles 2 
  (+3). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed +0 (Damage 0). Defense: Dodge 
  0, Parry 0, Fort 0, Tou 0, Will 2. Totals: Abilities 12 + Powers 0 + 
  Advantages 1 + Skills 9 + Defenses 1 = Total 23 points. 
  Scientists are specialists in their chosen field. This arche-
  type can be used as anything from an archaeologist to 
  zoologist, or for anything with a lot of knowledge about a 
  particular subject, such as a professor.
  CULTISTS
  Cults have a strong recurring role as threats in the com-
  ics, often in service to a powerful master villain or an even 
  greater plot-device-level threat. Some cults may be try-
  ing to infiltrate normal institutions to exert secret control 
  over society, while others may be trying to summon alien 
  masters from another dimesnion—or even trying to bring 
  145
  145
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  about the end of the world. Cultists are often fanatically 
  loyal to their cause, making them effective minions will-
  ing to do anything for their master.
  A cult need not be religious in nature: some are “cults of 
  personality” dedicated to a particular leader (typically a 
  master villain) while others are more political, social, or 
  cultural in nature. Trade out appropriate Expertise skills 
  and trappings for members of these cults, such as arcane 
  lore, civics, or even popular culture in place of theology 
  and philosophy.
  CULT ACOLYTE 
  PL1 • MR1
  STR 0 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 0
  Equipment: Dagger (Damage 1). Advantages: Connected, 
  Equipment. Skills: Close Combat: Dagger 1 (+1), Deception 
  4 (+4), Insight 3 (+3), Persuasion 4 (+4). Offense: Init +0, 
  Dagger +1 (Close, Damage 1), Unarmed +0 (Close, Damage 
  0). Defenses: Dodge 1, Parry 1, Fortitude 2, Toughness 0, Will 
  0. Totals: Abilities 0 + Powers 0 + Advantages 2 + Skills 6 + 
  Defenses 4 = Total 12 points.
  CULT INITIATE 
  PL2 • MR2
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 1
  Equipment: Dagger (Damage 1), Pistol (Damage 3). 
  Advantages: Connected, Equipment 2. Skills: Close Combat: 
  Dagger 1 (+1), Deception 4 (+5), Expertise: Cult Lore 4 (+4), 
  Insight 4 (+4), Persuasion 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Guns 1 
  (+1). Offense: Init +0, Dagger +1 (Close, Damage 2), Pistol 
  +1 (Ranged, Damage 3), Unarmed +0 (Close, Damage 1). 
  Defenses: Dodge 2, Parry 2, Fortitude 3, Toughness 1, Will 
  1. Totals: Abilities 6 + Powers 0 + Advantages 3 + Skills 9 + 
  Defenses 7 = Total 25 points.
  CULT ADEPT 
  PL3 • MR3
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 0 FGT 1 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 1
  Equipment: Dagger (Damage 1), Pistol (Damage 3). 
  Advantages: Connected, Equipment 2. Skills: Close Combat: 
  Dagger 2 (+3), Deception 6 (+7), Expertise: Cult Lore 6 (+6), 
  Insight 5 (+5), Persuasion 6 (+7), Ranged Combat: Guns 3 
  (+3). Offense: Init +1, Dagger +3 (Close, Damage 2), Pistol 
  +3 (Ranged, Damage 3), Unarmed +1 (Close, Damage 1). 
  Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fortitude 4, Toughness 1, Will 2. 
  Totals: Abilities 10 + Powers 0 + Advantages 3 + Skills 14 + 
  Defenses 11 = Total 38 points.
  The Acolyte, Initiate, and Adept represent the rank-and-
  file worshippers of a cult. Most have additional skills to 
  help them blend into society until called upon.
  CULT MASTER 
  PL4 • MR4
  STR 2 STA 2 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 2 AWE 0 PRE 2
  Equipment: Dagger (Damage 1), Pistol (Damage 3). 
  Advantages: Connected, Equipment 2, Quick Draw, Ritualist. 
  Skills: Close Combat: Dagger 3 (+4), Deception 6 (+8), 
  Expertise: Cult Lore 8 (+10), Insight 6 (+6), Persuasion 6 (+8), 
  Ranged Combat: Guns 3 (+4). Offense: Init +1, Dagger +4 
  (Close, Damage 2), Pistol +4 (Ranged, Damage 3), Unarmed 
  +1 (Close, Damage 2). Defenses: Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude 
  4, Toughness 2, Will 4. Totals: Abilities 22 + Powers 0 + 
  Advantages 5 + Skills 16 + Defenses 16 = Total 59 points.
  The term “Cult Master” is a bit of a misnomer, since many 
  so-called Masters are in fact servants of a master villain, 
  evil entity, or some other power. Still, compared to most 
  members of the cult, the Master has considerable power, 
  not the least of which is use of the Ritualist advantage and 
  the ability to perform magical rituals, using Expertise in 
  Cult Lore in place of Magic Expertise.
  ARCANE CULTIST 
  PL6 • MR6
  STR 2, STA 4, AGL 2, DEX 2, FGT 2, INT 4, AWE 1, PRE 2
  Powers: Shadow Magic Array (Ranged Damage 6 [Icy Shadows], 
  Ranged Affliction 6 [Paralyzing Fear; Hindered, Immobile, 
  Paralyzed; Resisted by Will], Teleport 3 [250 feet; Extended 
  [8 miles], Increased Mass 3], Move Object 6). Equipment: 
  Knife. Advantages: Artificer, Equipment 1, Extraordinary 
  Effort, Ritualist, Trance. Skills: Close Combat: Dagger 4 (+6), 
  Deception 6 (+8), Expertise: Cult Lore 6 (+10), Expertise: Magic 
  6 (+10), Ranged Combat: Spellcasting 4 (+6), Treatment 2 (+6). 
  Offense: Init +2, Icy Shadows +6 (Ranged, Damage 6), Knife 
  +6 (Close, Damage 3), Paralyzing Fear +6 (Affliction 6), Tendrils 
  of Darkness +6 (Move Object 6), Unarmed +2 (Close, Damage 
  2). Defense: Dodge 8, Parry 7, Fortitude 4, Toughness 4, Will 6. 
  Totals: Abilities 38 + Powers 15 + Advantages 5 + Skills 14 (28 
  ranks) + Defenses 16 = 88 points.
  While most cults grant their followers little true arcane 
  power, devotees of sorcerers, elder evils, and similar vil-
  lains may wield a degree of magic power that makes them 
  more dangerous than their robe-clad brethren. Rather 
  than serving some powerful master, an Arcane Cultist 
  may replace a Cult Master as the leader of a secret society. 
  Their shadow magic animates darkness to attack on their 
  behalf, but the description of their magic can be changed 
  to suit their cult or master.
  146
  146
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  DEMONS
  A “demon” is generally an evil creature from a hellish realm, 
  which resembles various places from human myth and 
  legend. Not all demons are created equal, nor are they 
  all the same. While some appear as the bestial, horned 
  monsters that immediately strike fear into those around 
  them, others look human... at first glance. When confronted 
  or angered  their true nature is revealed by a slip in their 
  façade: an intense fiery glow held within their eyes that 
  not even the contact lenses can mask. The majority of 
  demons—no matter their appearance—do share common 
  abilities, such as bat-like wings and a penchant for flinging 
  hellfire at their targets when in their natural form.
  DEMON, IMP 
  PL4 • MR5
  STR 1 STA 2 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 3 INT 0 AWE 1 PRE 0
  Powers: Strength-based Damage 2 (Claws), Flight 2 (8 MPH; 
  Wings), Immunity 18 (Acid Damage, Aging, Cold Damage, Fire 
  Damage, Poison, Disease), Senses 2 (Darkvision), Shrinking 4 
  (Permanent, Innate). Advantages: Defensive Roll. Skills: Close 
  Combat: Claws 2 (+5), Deception 4 (+4), Expertise: Magic 4 
  (+4), Insight 4 (+4), Perception 4 (+4), Stealth 4 (+9). Offense: 
  Init +1, Claws +5 (Close, Damage 3). Defenses: Dodge 5, Parry 
  5, Fortitude 5, Toughness 3 (2 without Defensive Roll), Will 3. 
  Totals: Abilities 20 + Powers 33 + Advantages 1 + Skills 11 + 
  Defenses 7 = Total 72 points.
  Imps are small demonic creatures, usually with bat-
  like wings, forked tails, and horns. Sorcerers commonly 
  summon them as spies and minions.
  DEMON, WARRIOR 
  PL6 • MR5
  STR 6 STA 5 AGL 1 DEX 0 FGT 5 INT –1 AWE 1 PRE 0
  Powers: Strength-based Damage 1 (Claws), Immunity 18 (Acid 
  Damage, Aging, Cold Damage, Fire Damage, Poison, Disease), 
  Protection 2, Senses 2 (Darkvision). Skills: Intimidation 4 (+4), 
  Perception 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Claws +5 (Close, Damage 
  7). Defenses: Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fortitude 7, Toughness 7, Will 
  5. Totals: Abilities 34 + Powers 23 + Advantages 0 + Skills 4 + 
  Defenses 10 = Total 71 points.
  Warrior demons tend to be human-sized, with powerful 
  builds and tough (often scaly or bony) hides. They have 
  horns, claws, and a vicious temperament. Evil Sorcerers 
  summon them as minions and foot soldiers.
  DEMON, BRUTE 
  PL8 • MR7
  STR 10 STA 5 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 6 INT –1 AWE –1 PRE –1
  Powers: Immunity 32 (Critical Hits, Fortitude Effects), Leaping 
  2, Impervious Protection 5. Advantages: Diehard, Improved 
  Grab, Power Attack. Skills: Intimidation 8 (+7). Offense: Init 0, 
  Unarmed +6 (Close, Damage 10). Defenses: Dodge 6, Parry 6, 
  Fortitude —, Toughness 10, Will 6. Totals: Abilities 36 + Powers 
  44 + Advantages 3 + Skills 4 + Defenses 13 = Total 100 points.
  Brute demons are dull-witted creatures that bully and 
  pummel their prey. Usually standing well over seven feet 
  in height, these demons are typically a rotted green in 
  color, with massive builds and dark eyes. They are known 
  to favor the use of grabs as they lay into their target.
  DEMON, TEMPTER 
  PL8 • MR9
  STR 0 STA 4 AGL 2 DEX 2 FGT 3 INT 1 AWE 2 PRE 5
  Powers: Affliction 8 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, 
  Controlled), Strength-based Damage 3 (Claws), Flight 2 (8 MPH; 
  Wings), Immunity 18 (Acid Damage, Aging, Cold Damage, Fire 
  Damage, Poison, Disease), Morph 1 (Human guise), Impervious 
  Protection 5, Senses 2 (Darkvision). Advantages: Attractive, 
  Close Combat 4, Diehard, Fascinate (Deception). Skills: 
  Deception 8 (+13), Expertise: Magic 6 (+7), Insight 8 (+10). 
  Offense: Init +2, Claws +7 (Close, Damage 3). Defenses: Dodge 
  7, Parry 7, Fortitude 7, Toughness 9, Will 7. Totals: Abilities 38 
  + Powers 48 + Advantages 7 + Skills 11 + Defenses 17 = Total 
  121 points.
  The Tempter Demon’s primary purpose is to lure the moral 
  into betraying their beliefs. Appearing as beautiful men 
  and women, They often keep their large, leathery wings 
  concealed under clothing. Otherwise, they tend to wear 
  very little, opting for leather straps or stylish clothing 
  when prowling for victims.
  DINOSAURS
  Dinosaurs are most commonly the minions of monster-
  makers who have resurrected them using cloning, or time-
  manipulating villains able to bring them from the distant 
  past into the present. They also show up in “Lost World” sce-
  narios where the heroes visit places where the giant beasts 
  still thrive or end up stranded in the distant past. Some vil-
  lains may specifically grant them other powers; by adding 
  Immunity to Fortitude Effects, you can easily create robotic 
  or undead dinosaurs as well.
  BRACHIOSAURUS 
  PL9 • MR3
  STR 17 STA 15 AGL –2 DEX –4 FGT 0 INT –5 AWE 2 PRE 0
  Powers: Line Area Damage 8 (Tail Smash; Alternate Effect of 
  Strength Damage), Growth 14 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 
  3, Senses 3 (Low-light Vision, Acute Smell, Ultra-hearing). 
  Skills: Perception 4 (+6). Offense: Init –2, Tail Smash (Dodge 
  DC 18, Damage 8), Unarmed +0 (Close, Damage 17). Defenses: 
  Dodge –5, Parry –5, Fortitude 15, Toughness 18, Will 2. Totals: 
  Abilities –10 + Powers 36 + Advantages 0 + Skills 2 + Defenses 
  6 = Total 34 points.
  One of the most massive land animals ever, the long-
  necked brachiosaurus is suitable as a template for similar-
  ly massive and placid dinosaurs such as the brontosaurus.
  DEINONYCHUS 
  PL6 • MR4
  STR 3 STA 3 AGL 4 DEX 0 FGT 8 INT –4 AWE 3 PRE 0
  Powers: Strength-based Damage 1 (Bite), Leaping 1 (15 feet), 
  Protection 1, Speed 2 (8 MPH), Senses 4 (Low-light Vision, 
  Acute Smell, Tracking, Ultra-hearing). Advantages: Improved 
  Grab, Improved Initiative. Skills: Perception 6 (+9), Stealth 4 
  (+8). Offense: Init +8, Bite +8 (Close, Damage 4). Defenses: 
  Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 7, Toughness 4, Will 5. Totals: 
  Abilities 34 + Powers 9 + Advantages 2 + Skills 5 + Defenses 
  10 = Total 60 points.
  Six-foot-tall carnivorous pack-hunters, deinonychus are 
  noted for their ability to chase down prey. They’re often 
  confused with their smaller  cousin, the velociraptor.
  147
  147
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  STEGOSAURUS 
  PL9 • MR4
  STR 11 STA 8 AGL 0 DEX –2 FGT 6 INT –5 AWE 2 PRE 0
  Powers: Strength-based Damage 1(Tail Strike), Growth 8 
  (Permanent, Innate), Protection 6, Senses 3 (Low-light Vision, 
  Acute Smell, Ultra-hearing). Skills: Perception 8 (+10). Offense: 
  Init +0, Tail Strike +6 (Close, Damage 12). Defenses: Dodge 2, Parry 
  4, Fortitude 13, Toughness 14, Will 5. Totals: Abilities 8 + Powers 
  27 + Advantages 0 + Skills 4 + Defenses 16 = Total 55 points.
  This archetype can serve for most of the larger, “armored” 
  dinosaurs such as the stegosaurus, ankylosaurus, and tric-
  eratops.
  TYRANNOSAURUS REX 
  PL11 • MR5
  STR 13 STA 12 AGL 0 DEX –1 FGT 8 INT –4 AWE 3 PRE 0
  Powers: Strength-based Damage 1 (Bite), Growth 10 
  (Permanent, Innate), Protection 2, Senses 4 (Low-light Vision, 
  Acute Smell, Track, Ultra-hearing). Advantages: Improved 
  Grab, Improved Initiative. Skills: Perception 8 (+11). Offense: 
  Init +4, Bite +8 (Close, Damage 14). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 6, 
  Fortitude 12, Toughness 14, Will 6. Totals: Abilities 22 + Powers 
  28 + Advantages 2 + Skills 4 + Defenses 15 = Total 71 points.
  The “king of dinosaurs,” the infamous “T. Rex” is the most 
  aggressive predator of its type. A slightly smaller version 
  can suffice for the similar allosaurus. Reduce Growth—and 
  therefore Strength, Stamina, and related traits—by 2 ranks.
  PTERANODON 
  PL5 • MR3
  STR 2 STA 2 AGL 4 DEX 0 FGT 6 INT –4 AWE 3 PRE 0
  Powers: Strength-based Damage 1 (Beak), Flight 3 (16 MPH; 
  Wings), Senses 3 (Extended Vision, Low-light Vision, Ultra-
  hearing). Skills: Perception 6 (+9). Offense: Init +4, Bite +6 
  (Close, Damage 3). Defenses: Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude 5, 
  Toughness 2, Will 5. Totals: Abilities 26+ Powers 7 + Advantages 
  0 + Skills 3 + Defenses 9 = Total 45 points.
  This archetype is a medium-sized flying dinosaur, al-
  though its wingspan is some 25 feet. You can create larger 
  pterosaurs by adding ranks of Growth to increase size and 
  other traits accordingly.
  MONSTERS
  “Monsters” is a catch-all category of creatures that show up 
  as minions, ranging from hostile plant-life to fantasy crea-
  tures and giant, monstrous versions of otherwise mundane 
  things. Comic book monsters may be creatures out of leg-
  end, the spawn of science run amok, aliens, beings from 
  other dimensions, or anything else the GM wants.
  ANIMATED TREE 
  PL8 • MR2
  STR 8 STA 8 AGL –2 DEX 0 FGT 4 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Extra Limbs 4 (Branches), Growth 8 (Permanent, Innate), 
  Immunity 2 (Suffocation). Advantages: Improved Grab. Offense: 
  Init –2, Attack +4 (Close, Damage 8). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 4, 
  Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will —. Totals: Abilities –16 + Powers 
  23 + Advantages 0 + Skills 0 + Defenses 10 = Total 17 points.
  This archetype represents a full-grown tree able to up-
  root itself and move about using its branches and roots. 
  Animated trees are common minions for plant-controlling 
  characters or those with nature-based powers.
  BLOB 
  PL8 • MR3
  STR 8 STA 8 AGL 0 DEX –4 FGT 4 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Reaction Damage 5 (When touched), Growth 8 
  (Permanent, Innate), Insubstantial 1 (Permanent, Innate), 
  Movement 1 (Slithering). Advantages: Improved Grab, 
  Improved Hold. Offense: Init +0, Attack +4 (Close, Damage 
  8, plus Reaction Damage 5). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 4, 
  Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will —. Totals: Abilities –20 + Powers 
  45 + Advantages 2 + Skills 0 + Defenses 8 = Total 35 points.
  This archetype is a slithering blob of acidic ooze. It might 
  be an escaped scientific experiment, a primordial creature 
  from the dawn of life on Earth, an alien visitor, or demonic 
  hellspawn. Larger and more powerful blobs are possibly 
  by adding additional ranks of Growth.
  148
  148
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  DRAGON 
  PL9 • MR6
  STR 12 STA 12 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 6 INT –2 AWE 1 PRE –1
  Powers: Ranged Damage 12 (Fiery breath), Flight 6 (120 MPH; 
  Wings), Growth 12 (Permanent, Innate), Protection 3 (Scales). 
  Skills: Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Fiery Breath 6 (+6). 
  Offense: Init +0, Bite and Claw +6 (Close, Damage 12), Fiery 
  Breath +6 (Ranged, Damage 12). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 3, 
  Fortitude 12, Toughness 15, Will 6. Totals: Abilities 8 + Powers 
  58 + Advantages 0 + Skills 5 + Defenses 17 = Total 88 points.
  This archetype is a fairly unintelligent monster. Some fan-
  tasy dragons, however, are highly intelligent: for these, in-
  crease the archetype’s mental abilities and provide it with 
  the necessary skills, including interaction skills, Insight, and 
  possibly Expertise: Magic. Some intelligent dragons are also 
  sorcerers with a Magic array and/or the Ritualist advantage. 
  The dragon may have a different descriptor to its breath 
  weapon than fire, perhaps even a Variable Descriptor, al-
  lowing it to make different types of attacks. You can make 
  larger and more powerful dragons by adding ranks of 
  Growth to the archetype.
  FAERIE, JINX 
  PL4 • MR4
  STR -1, STA 3, AGL 3, DEX 1, FGT 2, INT 0, AWE 3, PRE 0
  Powers: Luck Control 2 (Force a Re-roll, Negate Luck), Shrinking 
  4. Advantages: Hide in Plain Sight, Luck 4, Redirect, Startle. 
  Skills: Expertise: One Craft 4 (+4), Intimidation 10 (+8), Stealth 
  2 (+9). Offense: Init +3, Unarmed +2 (DC 14). Defense: Dodge 
  5, Parry 5, Fort 3, Tou 3, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 24 + Powers 14 + 
  Advantages 7 + Skills 8 (16 ranks) + Defenses 1 = 54.
  FAERIE, TRICKSTER 
  PL5 • MR6
  STR -2, STA 0, AGL 6, DEX 1, FGT 0, INT 0, AWE 2, PRE 0
  Powers: Feature 1 (bright glow), Flight 4 (30 MPH), Illusion 5 
  (Affects All Senses), Shrinking 8. Advantages: Improved Initia-
  tive, Set-up, Taunt. Skills: Acrobatics 2 (+8), Deception 8 (+8), 
  Expertise: Nature 4 (+4), Stealth 0 (+14). Offense: Init +10, Un-
  armed +0 (DC 13). Defense: Dodge 10, Parry 6, Fort 3, Tou 0, 
  Will 6. Totals: Abilities 18 + Powers 50 + Advantages 3 + Skills 7 
  (14 ranks) + Defenses 9 = 87 points.
  Faeries are capricious little creatures that dwell where 
  magic still runs thick, or in their own magical realms. 
  While not usually malicious, faeries love strong emotions, 
  including embarrassment, anger, and fear, and so they 
  rarely know when they’ve gone too far with their pranks. 
  Jinx faeries are withdrawn and grumpy, and cause bad 
  luck for anyone who disturbs them. Trickster faeries are 
  hyperactive and social, and love using their illusion pow-
  ers to sew chaos and steal food or shiny baubles.
  GARGOYLE 
  PL5 • MR3
  STR 2 STA 4 AGL 1 DEX 0 FGT 4 INT –2 AWE 0 PRE –2
  Powers: Flight 2 (8 MPH; Wings), Immunity 10 (Life Support), 
  Impervious Protection 2. Skills: Perception 4 (+4), Stealth 4 
  (+5). Offense: Init +1, Claws +4 (Close, Damage 2). Defenses: 
  Dodge 3, Parry 4, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will 4. Totals: 
  Abilities 14 + Powers 16 + Advantages 0 + Skills 4 + Defenses 
  8 = Total 42 points.
  Gargoyles are flying creatures with stony hides. They 
  may be animated from actual statues on the spur of the 
  moment or stone-like creatures that simply look like me-
  dieval gargoyles. Gargoyles that are true unliving con-
  structs have no Stamina rank, Immunity to Fortitude Ef-
  fects and Protection 6 for their Toughness bonus.
  GIANT FLYTRAP 
  PL9 • MR2
  STR 9 STA 9 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 6 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Extra Limbs 4 (Vines), Growth 9 (Permanent, Innate). 
  Advantages: Improved Grab. Offense: Init +0, Attack +6 (Close, 
  Damage 9). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 6, Fortitude 9, Toughness 
  9, Will —. Totals: Abilities –8 + Powers 23 + Advantages 0 + 
  Skills 0 + Defenses 8 = Total 23 points.
  This archetype is a giant version of the normally innocu-
  ous insect-eating plant, a popular minion for plant-con-
  trolling villains. Even larger and more powerful versions 
  are possible with additional ranks of Growth.
  GIANT INSECT 
  PL6 • MR1
  STR 4 STA 4 AGL 1 DEX –1 FGT 3 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), Movement 2 (Wall-
  crawling 2), Protection 1, Senses 4 (Darkvision, Acute Smell, 
  Tracking). Skills: Perception 6 (+6). Offense: Init +1, Bite +3 
  (Close, Damage 4). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 
  6, Toughness 5, Will —. Totals: Abilities –14 + Powers 18 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + Defenses 8 = Total 15 points.
  Various sorts of giant insects appear as a result of scientific 
  experiments, mutagens (like radiation or biochemicals), or 
  as visitors from alien worlds. This archetype is a baseline 
  giant insect. Add appropriate effects for particular types 
  of insects, such as Flight (Winged) for flying insects, 
  Affliction or Weaken effects for venomous insects, and 
  snare Affliction effects for web-spinning insects. For even 
  bigger creatures, add ranks of Growth. In spite of the 
  name, this archetype also serves for giant arachnids like 
  spiders and scorpions as well.
  TULPA 
  PL7 • MR5
  STR 2, STA —, AGL 6, DEX 0, FGT 6, INT —, AWE 7, PRE —
  Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects), Close Damage 7 
  (Mind Lash, Alternate Resistance: Will). Advantages: Close 
  Attack. Skills: Perception 4 (+11), Stealth 4 (+10). Offense: Init 
  +6, Mind Lash +7 (Close, Damage 7; Will Resists), Unarmed +7 
  (Close, Damage 2). Defense: Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude —, 
  Toughness 8, Will —. Totals: Abilities 12 + Powers 44 + 
  Advantages 1 + Skills 4 (8 ranks) + Defenses 8 = 69 points.
  Formed from psychic energy, tulpas are servants created 
  by psychics, or rogue thoughts that wander the astral 
  plane or mystic dimensions. More aggressive tulpas 
  may even spawn spontaneously from powerful fears or 
  nightmares, particularly in people with psychic potential. 
  Their touch inflicts agony to living minds. 
  Because they are created from the mind, tulpas can take 
  almost any form, particularly those created from dreams, 
  and may have additional powers related to their form, 
  such as special forms of movement, additional limbs, 
  and growth.
  149
  149
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  NINJA
  The ninja have been a staple of comic books since the 
  1980s, particularly as minions for sinister cults and in-
  scrutable Asian masterminds, although for a time they 
  showed up almost everywhere. Highly capable ninja can 
  be full-fledged villains in their own right (see the Martial 
  Artist archetype, for one example). Ninja minions tend to 
  have martial arts skills and weapons primarily as window 
  dressing; they’re capable fighters, but still no match indi-
  vidually for superheroes.
  The listed archetypes are armed only with traditional 
  ninja weapons: shuriken (throwing stars) and a ninja-to 
  (straight-edged sword). Modern ninja can also have more 
  conventional weapons; any weapon with a Damage rank 
  of 3 or less—such as a light pistol—may be added with-
  out changing the ninja’s overall power level.
  NINJA NOVICE 
  PL3 • MR4
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 2 DEX 2 FGT 2 INT 0 AWE 1 PRE 0
  Equipment: Sword (Strength-based Damage 3), Shuriken 
  (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1). Advantages:  Defensive 
  Roll, Equipment 2, Improved Initiative. Skills: Acrobatics 6 
  (+8), Athletics 5 (+6), Deception 4 (+4), Expertise: Ninja Lore 
  4 (+4), Intimidation 4 (+4), Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: 
  Throwing 3 (+5), Sleight of Hand 4 (+6), Stealth 6 (+8). Offense: 
  Init +6, Sword +2 (Close, Damage 4), Shuriken +5 (Ranged, 
  Multiattack Damage 1), Unarmed +4 (Damage 1). Defenses: 
  Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fortitude 3, Toughness 2/1 (without Defensive 
  Roll), Will 3. Totals: Abilities 18 + Powers 0 + Advantages 4 + 
  Skills 20 + Defenses 8 = Total 50 points.
  Novice ninja are essentially themed crooks primarily note-
  worthy for their stealth abilities, which make them good 
  at infiltration and surprise.
  NINJA ADEPT 
  PL4 • MR5
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 3 DEX 3 FGT 4 INT 0 AWE 2 PRE 0
  Equipment: Sword (Strength-based Damage 3), Shuriken 
  (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1). Advantages: Defensive 
  Roll 2, Equipment 2, Improved Initiative. Skills: Acrobatics 
  7 (+10), Athletics 6 (+7), Deception 6 (+6), Expertise: Ninja 
  Lore 6 (+6), Intimidation 4 (+4), Perception 4 (+6), Ranged 
  Combat: Throwing 4 (+7), Sleight of Hand 5 (+8), Stealth 7 
  (+10). Offense: Init +7, Sword +4 (Close, Damage 4), Shuriken 
  +7 (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 1), Unarmed +4 (Damage 
  1). Defenses: Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fortitude 4, Toughness 3/1 
  (without Defensive Roll), Will 4. Totals: Abilities 28 + Powers 
  0 + Advantages 5 + Skills 25 + Defenses 8 = Total 66 points.
  Adept ninja are solid mid-tier minions with fairly high 
  combat accuracy and impressive stealth and acrobatic 
  abilities for their power level.
  NINJA MASTER 
  PL5 • MR6
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 3 DEX 3 FGT 6 INT 0 AWE 2 PRE 0
  Equipment: Sword (Strength-based Damage 3), Shuriken 
  (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1). Advantages: Defensive 
  Roll 2, Equipment 2, Improved Initiative. Skills: Acrobatics 
  7 (+10), Athletics 6 (+7), Deception 6 (+6), Expertise: Ninja 
  Lore 8 (+8), Intimidation 5 (+5), Perception 4 (+6), Ranged 
  Combat: Throwing 6 (+9), Sleight of Hand 6 (+9), Stealth 8 
  (+11). Offense: Init +7, Sword +6 (Close, Damage 4), Shuriken 
  +9 (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 1), Unarmed +6 (Damage 
  1). Defenses: Dodge 7, Parry 7, Fortitude 5, Toughness 3/1 
  (without Defensive Roll), Will 5. Totals: Abilities 32 + Powers 
  0 + Advantages 5 + Skills 28 + Defenses 12 = Total 77 points.
  Master ninja are capable lieutenants for lower power 
  level games. Their attack bonus can make them a threat 
  against even more powerful characters, especially if they 
  are armed with special weapons, such as poison or attacks 
  aimed at a hero’s weaknesses.
  MYSTIC NINJA 
  PL7 • MR8
  STR 2, STA 2, AGL 4, DEX 4, FGT 8, INT 0, AWE 3, PRE 1
  Powers: Chi Powers Array (Concealment 10 [All Senses; Limited 
  to in Darkness], Illusion 5 [Shadow Duplicate; Affects Vision 
  and Hearing, Limited to recreating the ninja’s image], Focused 
  Strike [Penetrating 5 on Strength], Teleport 5). Equipment: 
  Shuriken, Smoke Grenade, Sword. Advantages: Close Attack, 
  Defensive Roll 3, Equipment 4, Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, 
  Improved Initiative, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment). 
  Skills: Acrobatics 7 (+11), Athletics 6 (+8), Deception 8 (+9), 
  Expertise: Ninja Lore 10 (+10), Intimidation 5 (+6), Perception 
  4 (+7), Ranged Combat: Throwing 6 (+10), Sleight of Hand 
  6 (+10), Stealth 10 (+14). Offense: Init +8, Shuriken +10 
  (Ranged, Damage 1, Multiattack), Sword +9 (Close, Damage 
  5, Penetrating), Unarmed +9 (Close, Damage 2, Penetrating). 
  Defense: Dodge 9, Parry 9, Fort 7, Tou 5/2 (without Defensive 
  Roll), Will 7. Totals: Abilities 48 + Powers 13 + Advantages 12 + 
  Skills 31 (62 ranks) + Defenses 15 = 119 points.
  Mystic ninjas are dedicated to the mastery of mysterious 
  martial arts techniques that grant them superhuman 
  powers, including the power to vanish into shadows, 
  summon shadow clones to confuse enemies, and cleave 
  through solid steel. They often represent lost societies or 
  ancient warrior clans concealed from history.
  150
  150
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  PUBLIC SERVANTS
  The heroes’ regular allies—and sometime rivals—are 
  those entrusted with public safety and the enforcement 
  of the law. These public servants have no special powers 
  or heroic code-names but all the same risk their lives 
  on a daily basis to do their jobs. Some take a dim view 
  of “costumed vigilantes” getting involved in what they 
  consider work for serious professionals, but most public 
  servants appreciate the help of heroes in dealing with 
  menaces no ordinary human beings can handle.
  GOVERNMENT AGENT  
  PL4 • MR5
  STR 1 STA 2 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 3 INT 2 AWE 2 PRE 2
  Equipment: Pistol (Ranged Damage 3), camera, cell phone, 
  computer, handcuffs. Advantages: Defensive Roll, Equipment 
  2. Skills: Athletics 4 (+5), Deception 2 (+4), Expertise: Behavioral 
  Sciences 3 (+5), Expertise: Civics 2 (+4), Expertise: Current 
  Events 2 (+4), Expertise: Government Agent 3 (+5), Expertise: 
  Streetwise 2 (+4), Intimidation 4 (+6), Investigation 6 (+8), 
  Perception 3 (+5), Persuasion 3 (+5), Ranged Combat: Chosen 
  Weapon 4 (+5), Technology 2 (+4), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense: Init 
  +1, Unarmed +3 (Close, Damage 1), Pistol +5 (Ranged, Damage 
  3). Defense: Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fort 3, Tou 3/2, Will 3. Totals: 
  Abilities 28 + Powers 0 + Advantages 3 + Skills 22 + Defenses 
  8 = Total 61points.
  Government agents include members of organizations 
  like the FBI, CIA, DEA, ATF, and even the DEO. Government 
  agents are well-rounded with a good selection of skills 
  and combat abilities.
  POLICE CHIEF  
  PL3 • MR4
  STR 0 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 2 AWE 2 PRE 3
  Equipment: Pistol (Ranged Damage 3), cell phone, handcuffs. 
  Advantages: Connected, Equipment 2. Skills: Athletics 2 (+2), 
  Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+8), Expertise: Current Events 4 (+6), 
  Expertise: Police Officer 6 (+8), Insight 8 (+10), Intimidation 4 (+7), 
  Investigation 6 (+8), Perception 6 (+8), Ranged Combat: Pistol 2 
  (+3), Treatment 2 (+4), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed 
  +1 (Damage 0), Pistol +3 (Ranged, Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 
  3, Parry 3, Fort 2, Tou 0, Will 4. Totals: Abilities 18 + Powers 0 + 
  Advantages 3 + Skills 25 + Defenses 9 = Total 55 points.
  The police chief can be a hero’s greatest ally or worst 
  enemy. Police chiefs may be dedicated public servants or 
  corrupt politicians on the take, depending on the location 
  and the style of your series.
  POLICE OFFICER  
  PL4 • MR4
  STR 2 STA 2 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 3 INT 0 AWE 1 PRE 1
  Equipment: Bulletproof vest (+4 Toughness vs. Ballistic), pistol 
  (Ranged Damage 3), tonfa, cell phone, handcuffs. Advantages: 
  Equipment 3. Skills: Athletics 3 (+5), Expertise: Current Events 
  2 (+2), Expertise: Streetwise 3 (+3), Expertise: Police Officer 4 
  (+4), Insight 4 (+5), Intimidation 2 (+3), Investigation 2 (+2), 
  Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Pistols 4 (+5), Treatment 
  2 (+2), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Unarmed +3 (Close, 
  Damage 2), Tonfa +3 (Close, Damage 3), Pistol +5 (Ranged, 
  Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 2, Parry 4, Fort 4, Tou 6/2, Will 2. 
  Totals: Abilities 22 + Powers 0 + Advantages 3 + Skills 17 + 
  Defenses 5 = Total 47 points.
  USING MINIONS
  Minions allow heroes to tackle large numbers of opponents and feel, well, super! But sometimes minions may feel like 
  they slow combat down rather than improve the game. If your heroes face a dozen PL 2 criminals who can only hit with 
  a roll of 19 or 20, what’s even the point? Sometimes, players may feel like minions are such a minor threat, they ignore 
  them entirely to focus on the primary villain. Sometimes feeling superhuman is the point, but other times you may 
  want to use minions more creatively to help their villainous commander. 
  You can reliably use 2 to 4 minions per player character hero in an encounter without overwhelming your players. Use 
  fewer minions if they are higher Power Level or if the minions have a full-fledged villain commanding them, and more 
  if the villains are particularly puny.
  Aid and Team Attacks
  Minions can use the Aid action and Team Attacks to assist one another or villains. With the Aid action in particular, they 
  only need to succeed at a DC 10 check rather than hit the PCs’ defenses. Enough minions can reliably provide a +2 or 
  even +5 circumstance bonus to their leader’s attack checks and defenses, making a villain difficult to defeat before all 
  their minions are dealt with. To save time and dice rolling, you may choose to count every two minions that contribute 
  to an Aid action as one Degree of Success.
  Ablative Minions
  Some supervillains may use their minions as protection from heroes’ attacks. Simply provide every minion with the 
  Interpose advantage, allowing them to intercept attacks meant for their leader. This is appropriate for leaders who 
  inspire great confidence in their minions, like the Crimelord, Overlord, and Puppetteer, but can represent any ruthless 
  villain who uses their own henchmen as personal shields.
  Minions and Takedown
  The Takedown advantage is intended to let heroes feel more powerful by pummeling multiple opponents in a single 
  action, but two ranks of Takedown combined with Speed or a ranged attack can easily sweep all the minions in an area 
  in a single round. If this is the case at your game, you may consider not allowing heroes to make Takedown attacks 
  against minions using a routine action; because the advantage requires a successful attack and has consequences for 
  failure, each attack should be rolled, with missed attacks ending the hero’s turn. You may also consider altering the 
  rules for Takedown, so that the total ranks in the advantage determines the maximum number of minions that can be 
  targeted in a round. You may also choose to have reinforcements arrive at a later point in the combat.
  151
  151
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  This archetype focuses primarily on uniformed beat cops. 
  Detectives, undercover. and plainclothes officers have 
  more ranks in Investigate and often in other social skills 
  like Persuasion and Intimidation.
  SWAT OFFICER  
  PL5 • MR4
  STR 2 STA 2 AGL 2 DEX 2 FGT 4 INT 0 AWE 1 PRE 1
  Equipment: Submachine gun, riot gear (+4 Toughness), tonfa, 
  cell phone, handcuffs. Advantages: Close Attack 2, Equipment 4. 
  Skills: Athletics 3 (+5), Expertise: Current Events 2 (+2), Expertise: 
  Streetwise 4 (+4), Expertise: Police Officer 5 (+5), Expertise: Tactics 
  5 (+5), Intimidation 4 (+5), Perception 2 (+3), Ranged Combat: 
  Submachine Gun 4 (+6), Stealth 4 (+6), Treatment 3 (+3). Offense: 
  Init +2, Unarmed +6 (Close, Damage 2), Tonfa +6 (Close, Damage 
  3), SMG +6 (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 4). Defense: Dodge 4, 
  Parry 4, Fort 6, Tou 6/2, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 28 + Powers 0 + 
  Advantages 6 + Skills 18 + Defenses 8 = Total 60 points.
  SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) squads are made 
  up of police officers with special training in squad-level 
  tactics and weapon-use. They deal with serious criminal 
  threats, including mutant criminals.
  ROBOTS
  Robots are the minions of choice for Mad Scientist types, 
  unless they have a specific focus—such as life sciences—
  that prohibits them. After all, robots feel no pain, do not 
  get tired, have no personal agendas, and don’t have to be 
  paid. They also generally can’t be subverted, except by re-
  programming them.
  The robot minions given here are non-intelligent, only 
  capable of carrying out specific programmed instruc-
  tions and orders, such as “guard this installation against 
  anyone who does not know the password” or “attack!” 
  More sophisticated intelligent robots are better handled 
  as individual characters, although an interesting twist 
  would be to have one of a villain’s robot minions unex-
  pectedly develop sentience (adding Intellect and Pres-
  ence ranks to the archetype).
  The archetype offers a basic model you can modify to 
  suit robots with particular tasks. Common add-ons in-
  clude sensor packages providing Senses, special Move-
  ment capabilities or Flight, and other weapons systems, 
  typically as Alternate Effects of the built-in weapons 
  package.
  ROBOT, DRONE 
  PL3 • MR3
  STR –1, STA —, AGL 1, DEX 0, FGT 0, INT —, AWE 1, PRE — 
  Powers: Ranged Damage 4 (Blaster), Immunity 30 (Fortitude 
  Effects), Shrinking 6 (Innate; Permanent). Skills: Perception 4 
  (+5), Ranged Combat: Blaster 2 (+2), Stealth 2 (+9). Offense: 
  Init +1, Blaster +2 (Ranged, Damage 4), Unarmed +0 (Close, 
  Damage –1). Defense: Dodge 6, Parry 4, Fortitude —, 
  Toughness 0, Will —. Totals: Abilities –26 + Powers 51 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 4 (8 ranks) + Defenses 3 = 32 points.
  Small, practical robots within the price range of more 
  down-to-earth criminals and organizations, drones work 
  as spies, sentries, and front-line defenses.
  ROBOT, SMALL 
  PL4 • MR2
  STR 0 STA — AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects), Protection 5, 
  Shrinking 4 (Permanent, Innate). Skills: Close Combat: 
  Unarmed 4 (+4). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed +4 (Close, Damage 
  +0). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude —, Toughness 5, 
  Will —. Totals: Abilities –28 + Powers 44 + Advantages 0 + 
  Skills 2 + Defenses 2 = Total 20 points.
  Small robots tend to have non-humanoid forms, more 
  often insect-like or snake-like, perhaps resembling 
  quadrupeds such as cats or dogs. They may be intended 
  for scouting or maintenance work, re-tasked to serve as 
  attack drones.
  ROBOT, MEDIUM 
  PL5 • MR2
  STR 5 STA — AGL –1 DEX –1 FGT 0 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects), Protection 10 
  (Impervious 6). Advantages: Close Attack 5. Offense: Init –1, 
  Unarmed +5 (Close, Damage 5). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 0, 
  Fortitude —, Toughness 10, Will —. Totals: Abilities –24 + Powers 
  46 + Advantages 5 + Skills 0 + Defenses 1 = Total 28 points.
  The stock robot is usually humanoid. Some are androids, 
  designed to look like humans, while others are more 
  clearly mechanical. They’re slow moving, but quite tough, 
  compared to most minions. Some robots may be equipped 
  with built-in ranged weapons (guns or blasters), giving 
  them Ranged Damage 5 and Ranged Combat 6 skill with 
  them, increasing cost by 13 points and making them rank 
  3 Minions.
  ROBOT, LARGE 
  PL7 • MR4
  STR 9 STA — AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 5 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Ranged Damage 8 (Built-in Weapons), Growth 
  4 (Permanent, Innate), Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects), 
  Protection 6. Skills: Ranged Combat: Built-in Weapons 6 (+6). 
  Offense: Init +0, Unarmed +5 (Close, Damage 9), Weapons +6 
  (Ranged, Damage 8). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 4, Fortitude 
  —, Toughness 10, Will —. Totals: Abilities –10 + Powers 61 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + Defenses 6 = Total 60 points.
  These hulking robots are easily a match for superheroes 
  when they work in pairs. They can also represent various 
  kinds of military and combat-oriented robots.
  ROBOT, COLOSSAL 
  PL10 • MR6
  STR 16 STA — AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 4 INT — AWE 0 PRE —
  Powers: Ranged Damage 11 (Built-in Weapons), Growth 16 
  (Permanent, Innate), Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects). Skills: 
  Ranged Combat: Built-in Weapons 6 (+6). Offense: Init +0, 
  Unarmed +4 (Close, Damage 16), Weapons +6 (Ranged, 
  Damage 11). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 0, Fortitude —, 
  Toughness 16, Will —. Totals: Abilities –22 + Powers 85 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 3 + Defenses 12 = Total 78 points.
  The Colossal Robot is a city-demolishing minion suitable 
  as the invention of a Mad Scientist or the basis for a giant 
  mecha. It can constitute a threat for a whole hero team, 
  especially if it is treated as a full-fledged villain capable of 
  sustaining multiple hits.
  152
  152
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  SOLDIER, GREEN 
  PL4 • MR2
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 3 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 0
  Equipment: Body Armor (Protection 4), Assault Rifle 
  (Ranged Multiattack Damage 5), Heavy Pistol (Ranged 
  Damage 4). Advantages: Equipment 6. Skills: Athletics 
  2 (+3), Expertise: Soldier 2 (+2), Perception 2 (+2), Ranged 
  Combat: Guns  2 (+3). Offense: Init +1, Pistol +3 (Ranged, 
  Damage 3), Rifle +3 (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 5), 
  Unarmed +3 (Close, Damage 1). Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 
  3, Fortitude 3, Toughness 5 (1 without armor), Will 2. Totals: 
  Abilities 14 + Powers 0 + Advantages 6 + Skills 4 + Defenses 
  6 = Total 30 points.
  The green soldier is newly trained, but still quite capable, 
  particularly with the benefits of their modern weapons 
  and armor. 
  ROBOT JOCKEY 
  PL7 • MR5
  STR 5/0*, STA 2, AGL 4, DEX 1, FGT 4, INT 0, AWE 0, PRE 0
  Powers: Piloted Robot (Removable; Ranged Damage 7 
  [Blasters], Enhanced Strength 5, Enhanced Advantage 9 
  [Close Attack 3, Ranged Attack 6], Protection 7, Senses 3 
  [Sensors; Darkvision, Radio]). Advantages: Accurate Attack, 
  Close Attack 3, Improved Smash, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 
  6. Skills: Perception 4 (+4), Technology 4 (+4), Vehicles 8 (+9). 
  Offense: Init +4, Blasters +7 (Ranged, Damage 7), Unarmed 
  +7/+4* (Close, Damage 5/0*). Defense: Dodge 5, Parry 4, 
  Fortitude 2, Toughness 9/2*, Will 0. Totals: Abilities 22 + 
  Powers 34 + Advantages 3 + Skills 8 (16 ranks) + Defenses 1 
  = 68 points.
  *without Piloted Robot
  The Robot Jockey is a staple minion of mad scientists, 
  invading alien forces, and law enforcement agencies 
  tasked with policing superbeings. Each one pilots a small 
  robotic vehicle that provides strength, durability, weapon 
  systems, and sensors. Many power suits also provide 
  some form of movement power and additional senses 
  appropriate to their mission, or specialty weapons 
  that inflict Affliction instead of Damage.
  SOLDIERS
  Soldiers are professional trained fighters used in 
  military operations, as opposed to toughs and crooks 
  (following), who are primarily hired muscle intended to 
  intimidate and deal with criminal matters. Villains and 
  organizations sometimes have both as minions, with 
  soldiers handling the more direct fighting, and crooks 
  the enforcement and internal matters. Ultimately, 
  use whichever archetypes work best for the 
  situation and modify accordingly.
  The archetypes’ equipment represents 
  just their essential weapons and 
  armor. Assign additional equipment 
  as needed for particular missions, 
  including different weapons, as 
  appropriate.
  MILITANT  
  PL4 • MR3
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 1 AWE 1 PRE 1
  Equipment: Light pistol, 9 points of equipment as needed. 
  Advantages: Equipment 3. Skills: Close Combat: Unarmed 
  4 (+5), Deception 4 (+5), Expertise: Choose One 3 (+4), 
  Expertise: Demolitions 6 (+7), Intimidation 3 (+4), Ranged 
  Combat: Pistol 4 (+5), Technology 4 (+5), Vehicles 4 (+5). 
  Offense: Init +1, Unarmed +5 (Close, Damage 1), Pistol +5 
  (Ranged, Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fort 4, Tou 1, 
  Will 2. Totals: Abilities 16 + Powers 0 + Advantages 3 + Skills 
  16 + Defenses 10 = Total 45 points.
  This archetype represents any sort of militant 
  from militia members to terrorists—anyone 
  who’s trained and ready to kill or die for their 
  cause. More capable militant leaders are 
  supervillains in their own right, often possessing 
  advanced equipment or powers.
  153
  153
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  SOLDIER 
  PL5 • MR3
  STR 1 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 3 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 0
  Equipment: Body Armor (Protection 4), Assault Rifle 
  (Ranged Multiattack Damage 5), Heavy Pistol (Ranged 
  Damage 4). Advantages: Equipment 6. Skills: Athletics 4 
  (+5), Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+5), Expertise: Soldier 4 
  (+4), Intimidation 2 (+2), Perception 4 (+4), Ranged Combat: 
  Guns 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Pistol +5 (Ranged, Damage 
  3), Rifle +5 (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 5), Unarmed +5 
  (Close, Damage 1). Defenses: Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fortitude 5, 
  Toughness 5 (1 without armor), Will 5. Totals: Abilities 14 + 
  Powers 0 + Advantages 6 + Skills 10 + Defenses 15 = Total 
  45 points.
  SOLDIER, VETERAN 
  PL6 • MR4
  STR 2 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 4 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 0
  Equipment: Body Armor (Protection 4), Assault Rifle (Ranged 
  Multiattack Damage 5), Heavy Pistol (Ranged Damage 4). 
  Advantages: Equipment 6, Improved Initiative. Skills: 
  Athletics 4 (+6), Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+7), Expertise: 
  Soldier 7 (+7), Intimidation 4 (+4), Perception 6 (+6), Ranged 
  Combat: Guns 6 (+7). Offense: Init +5, Pistol +7 (Ranged, 
  Damage 3), Rifle +7 (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 5), 
  Unarmed +7 (Close, Damage 2). Defenses: Dodge 7, Parry 
  7, Fortitude 6, Toughness 5 (1 without armor), Will 5. Totals: 
  Abilities 18 + Powers 0 + Advantages 7 + Skills 15 + Defenses 
  19 = Total 59 points.
  SOLDIER, ELITE 
  PL7 • MR5
  STR 3 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 5 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 0
  Equipment: Body Armor (Protection 4), Assault Rifle (Ranged 
  Multiattack Damage 5), Heavy Pistol (Ranged Damage 4). 
  Advantages: Equipment 6, Improved Initiative. Skills: Athletics 
  4 (+7), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+9), Expertise: Soldier 8 (+8), 
  Intimidation 4 (+4), Perception 6 (+6), Ranged Combat: Guns 
  8 (+9). Offense: Init +5, Pistol +9 (Ranged, Damage 3), Rifle +9 
  (Ranged, Multiattack Damage 5), Unarmed +9 (Close, Damage 3). 
  Defenses: Dodge 9, Parry 9, Fortitude 6, Toughness 5 (1 without 
  armor), Will 6. Totals: Abilities 22 + Powers 0 + Advantages 7 + 
  Skills 17 + Defenses 23 = Total 69 points.
  UNDERWORLD
  The criminal scum of the city’s underworld comes in 
  many different varieties, from run-of-the-mill street 
  criminals and gangs to organized crime bosses and 
  their lieutenants, guards, and professional killers. Their 
  backgrounds may vary, as well as their allegiances to a 
  particular mob, syndicate, or gang, but the following ar-
  chetypes provide the major types of criminals heroes are 
  likely to encounter in their nightly patrols and ongoing 
  investigations.
  Criminals aren’t limited to the archetypes presented 
  here. Boss’s often recruit various Bystanders, such as 
  politicians and journalists, for their exclusive access and 
  influence. Cities rife with corruption likely have many 
  Public Servants on the local Crime Lord’s payroll. Espe-
  cially powerful criminals may hire Soldiers or buy exotic 
  Animals to guard their fortified estates, or even hire a 
  Mad Scientist to provide them with Monsters
  BODYGUARD 
  PL4 • MR4
  STR 3 STA 2 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 4 INT 0 AWE 2 PRE 1
  Equipment: Brass knuckles (Strength-based Damage 1), 
  Handcuffs, Pistol (Damage 3), Pepper spray. Advantages: 
  Chokehold, Equipment 2, Interpose, Quick Draw. Skills: 
  Athletics 2 (+5), Expertise: Bodyguard 6 (+6), Intimidation 4 
  (+5), Perception 6 (+8), Ranged Combat: Guns 4 (+5). Offense: 
  Init +1, Pistol +5 (Ranged, Damage 3), Unarmed +4 (Close, 
  Damage 3, 4 with brass knuckles). Defenses: Dodge 6, Parry 
  6, Fortitude 5, Toughness 2, Will 3. Totals: Abilities 28 + Powers 
  0 + Advantages 5 + Skills 11 + Defenses 11 = Total 55 points.
  The bodyguard is paid to stick close to the boss and 
  provide cover—with his own body, if necessary. A fair 
  number of supervillain bodyguards are women, and this 
  archetype works just as well for them (add the Attractive 
  advantage—or not—as you prefer).
  BOSS 
  PL4 • MR4
  STR 0 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 0 FGT 2 INT 3 AWE 2 PRE 4
  Equipment: Bulletproof vest (+4 Toughness vs. Ballistic), heavy 
  pistol, cell phone. Advantages: Benefit 5 (Millionaire, Status: 
  Crime Lord), Connected, Equipment 3, Well-informed. Skills: 
  Expertise: Criminal 8 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+9), Expertise: 
  Current Events 2 (+5), Intimidation 6 (+10), Perception 2 (+4), 
  Persuasion 4 (+8), Ranged Combat: Pistols 4 (+4). Offense: Init 
  +1, Unarmed +2 (Close, Damage 0), Heavy Pistol +4 (Ranged, 
  Damage 4). Defense: Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fort 3, Tou 5/1, Will 5. 
  Totals: Abilities 26 + Powers 0 + Advantages 10 + Skills 16 + 
  Defenses 8 = Total 60 points.
  Sitting on top of the criminal underworld are the bosses—
  mob lords, mafia dons, yakuza oyabun, and triad dragons, 
  among other—who command legions of specialized 
  criminals and civilian assets. These are men and women 
  who’ve come up through the ranks and now run the show. 
  Physically a boss is no match for a hero, but their connec-
  tions, resources, and knowledge of the underworld can 
  be problematic. The boss presented here is a fairly small 
  fish, who presents an organizational threat and likely con-
  trols a large swath of territory within a city; Gamemasters 
  should make any changes needed to increase the crime 
  lord’s power and influence for the series.
  The Crime Lord archetype, presented earlier, represents 
  the ultimate evolution of the boss.
  CRIMINAL 
  PL2 • MR3
  STR 1 STA 0 AGL 2 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 1 AWE 0 PRE 1
  Equipment: Leather jacket (+1 Toughness), pistol (Ranged 
  Damage 3), knife, cell phone. Advantages: Equipment 2. 
  Skills: Athletics 4 (+5), Expertise: Choose One 4 (+5), Expertise: 
  Streetwise 4 (+5), Expertise: Current Events 2 (+3), Perception 4 
  (+4), Stealth 6 (+8), Technology 4 (+5), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense: 
  Init +2, Unarmed +1 (Close, Damage 1), Knife +1 (Close, Damage 
  2, Crit. 19-20), Pistol +1 (Ranged, Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 3, 
  Parry 3, Fort 2, Tou 1/0, Will 0. Totals: Abilities 14 + Powers 0 + 
  Advantages 2 + Skills 16 + Defenses 5 = Total 37 points.
  This archetype represents run-of-the-mill career criminals. 
  Gamemasters should shuffle the criminal’s skill ranks 
  around to specialize as needed.
  154
  154
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CROOK 
  PL3 • MR3
  STR 2 STA 2 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 2 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE -1
  Equipment: Leather jacket (+1 Toughness), pistol (Ranged Damage 
  3), cell phone. Advantages: Equipment 2. Skills: Athletics 4 (+6), 
  Expertise: Choose One 4 (+4), Expertise: Criminal 2 (+2), Expertise: 
  Streetwise 4 (+4), Expertise: Current Events 2 (+2), Intimidation 4 
  (+3), Stealth 2 (+3), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense: Init +1, Unarmed +2 
  (Close, Damage 2), Pistol +1 (Ranged, Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 
  2, Parry 2, Fort 4, Tou 3/2, Will 0. Totals: Abilities 14 + Powers 0 + 
  Advantages 2 + Skills 13 + Defenses 3 = Total 32 points.
  Crooks can be used as muggers, gangsters, gang 
  members, and henchmen for supervillains. They rely on 
  muscle. This stablock can also be used as any type of hired 
  muscle from a bodyguard to security guards.
  GANG LEADER 
  PL2 • MR3
  STR 1 STA 0 AGL 2 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 1 AWE 0 PRE 1
  Equipment: Leather jacket (+1 Toughness), pistol (Ranged 
  Damage 3), knife, cell phone. Advantages: Equipment 2. 
  Skills: Athletics 4 (+5), Deception 4 (+5), Expertise: Choose 
  One 4 (+5), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+5), Expertise: Current 
  Events 2 (+3), Perception 4 (+4), Stealth 6 (+8), Technology 
  4 (+5), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense: Init +2, Unarmed +1 (Close, 
  Damage 1), Knife +1 (Close, Damage 2, Crit. 19-20), Pistol +1 
  (Ranged, Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fort 2, Tou 
  1/0, Will 0. Totals: Abilities 14 + Powers 0 + Advantages 2 + 
  Skills 18 + Defenses 5 = Total 39 points.
  Useful as the leader of a small gang of criminals or crooks. 
  Give the gang leader more ranks in Deception, Expertise, 
  and Persuasion if he leads a larger gang. Most small-
  time gang leaders rely on their wits and connections 
  to keep them safe and aren’t exceptional combatants, 
  but Gamemasters should feel free to add extra combat 
  options or skill to noteworthy gang leaders they intend 
  to face off against the heroes, perhaps even granting 
  them minor super powers.
  For an even more influential and powerful gang leader, 
  use the boss archetype.
  GOON 
  PL4 • MR3
  STR 4 STA 5 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 3 INT –1 AWE –1 PRE 0
  Equipment: Pistol (Ranged Damage 3). Advantages: Close 
  Attack 1, Equipment 2. Skills: Intimidation 6 (+6), Ranged 
  Combat: Guns 4 (+4). Offense: Init +0, Pistol +4 (Ranged, 
  Damage 3), Unarmed +4 (Close, Damage 4). Defenses: Dodge 
  2, Parry 3, Fortitude 5, Toughness 5, Will 1. Totals: Abilities 20 
  + Powers 0 + Advantages 2 + Skills 5 + Defenses 6 = Total 33 
  points.
  Similar to crooks, goons are the bruiser-types, even bigger 
  and stronger, specializing in brutal, bare-knuckle beat-
  downs, but still none too bright.
  Some villains might make goons more of a threat by 
  enhancing them, either with their own powers or outside 
  resources. Examples include Strength- and Stamina-
  enhancing drugs (boosting those abilities as high as 
  6) or things like magical enhancements to defenses. 
  Othervillains may provide unique weapons, armor, or 
  gadgets that add special attacks.
  HIRED KILLER 
  PL6 • MR5
  STR 2 STA 2 AGL 2 DEX 4 FGT 5 INT 1 AWE 1 PRE 1
  Equipment: Garrote (Chokehold and Improved Hold 
  advantages), Sniper rifle (Ranged Damage 5, Improved Critical). 
  Advantages: Improved Aim, Equipment 3. Skills: Deception 
  6 (+7), Expertise: Criminal 6 (+7), Perception 5 (+6), Ranged 
  Combat: Guns 3 (+7), Stealth 8 (+10). Offense: Init +2, Rifle +7 
  (Ranged, Damage 5, Crit. 19-20), Unarmed +5 (Close, Damage 
  2). Defenses: Dodge 9, Parry 9, Fortitude 5, Toughness 2, Will 
  7. Totals: Abilities 36 + Powers 0 + Advantages 4 + Skills 14 + 
  Defenses 20 = Total 74 points.
  The hired killer is tasked with removing obstacles from 
  her employer’s path, usually with a high-range sniper rifle, 
  although some prefer bombs, poisons, or other means. 
  This archetype is suitable for a skilled contract killer, mob 
  trigger-man, terrorist sniper, or the like. For truly world-
  class killers, see the Assassin villain archetype.
  155
  155
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  STREET INFORMANT 
  PL2 • MR3
  STR 0 STA 0 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 1 AWE 1 PRE 1
  Equipment: Leather jacket (+1 Toughness), knife, pistol 
  (Ranged Damage 3), cell phone. Advantages: Contacts, 
  Equipment 2. Skills: Athletics 4 (+4), Expertise: Criminal 4 (+5), 
  Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+7), Expertise: Current Events 4 (+5), 
  Perception 4 (+5), Stealth 2 (+3), Vehicles 4 (+5). Offense: Init 
  +1, Unarmed +1 (Close, Damage 0), Knife +1 (Close, Damage 
  +1, Crit. 19-20), Pistol +1 (Ranged, Damage 3). Defense: Dodge 
  3, Parry 3, Fort 2, Tou 1/0, Will 1. Totals: Abilities 12 + Powers 0 + 
  Advantages 3 + Skills 14 + Defenses 6 = Total 35 points.
  Street informants are the eyes and ears of the under-
  world. They aren’t usually involved in anything illegal, but 
  they know what’s going on. They’re not the most physi-
  cally capable or violent members of the criminal element, 
  but they’re useful contacts and can fill the role of street 
  toughs and gang members.
  TOUGH 
  PL3 • MR2
  STR 1 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 2 INT –1 AWE 0 PRE 0
  Equipment: Pistol (Ranged Damage 3). Advantages: 
  Equipment 2. Skills: Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+4), 
  Intimidation 3 (+3), Perception 4 (+4), Ranged Combat: Guns 3 
  (+3). Offense: Init +0, Pistol +3 (Ranged, Damage 3), Unarmed 
  +4 (Close, Damage 1). Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fortitude 4, 
  Toughness 0, Will 2. Totals: Abilities 4 + Powers 0 + Advantages 
  2 + Skills 6 + Defenses 12 = Total 24 points.
  Whether in a rumpled suit with a shoulder-rig for the gun 
  or biker leathers with chains, the basic tough is a staple of 
  criminal henchmen. Not overly bright, toughs have some 
  basic combat capabilities. For the most part, they are 
  around to keep heroes busy long enough for their boss to 
  finish a job, or just get away.
  ZOMBIES
  Zombies are typically animated human corpses given a 
  semblance of life through magic or sometimes by scien-
  tific means (exposure to a disease or toxic waste, for ex-
  ample). They’re a common threat on their own in hordes 
  as well as serving as minions of necromantic villains.
  The following zombie archetypes are all based on humans. 
  You can easily create other kinds of zombies and undead 
  creatures by taking another archetype, removing its Stami-
  na rank and applying Immunity to Fortitude Effects and suf-
  ficient Protection to make up for its lost Stamina in terms of 
  Toughness defense. This way you can make zombie animals 
  or zombie dinosaurs, or you can create intelligent undead 
  that retain their various advantages, skills, and equipment, 
  such as zombie soldiers or undead cultists risen from the 
  grave to follow their sorcerous master.
  ZOMBIE 
  PL2 • MR1
  STR 2 STA — AGL –1 DEX –1 FGT 1 INT — AWE –1 PRE —
  Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects), Protection 3. 
  Offense: Init –1, Unarmed +1 (Close, Damage 2). Defenses: 
  Dodge 0, Parry 1, Fortitude —, Toughness 3, Will —. Totals: 
  Abilities –30 + Powers 33 + Advantages 0 + Skills 0 + Defenses 
  1 = Total 4 points.
  This archetype is a typical low-level zombie. They are not 
  much a threat to superheroes, but can be to ordinary peo-
  ple, particularly given their immunity to most things that 
  concern living beings.
  Variations on the basic zombie archetype include making 
  them flesh-eaters (no real change in game traits, apart 
  from the gruesome visuals) and making their condition 
  contagious, either to anyone killed by them, or even any-
  one scratched or bitten (suffering at least an injured result 
  from damage).
  SKELETON 
  PL2 • MR2
  STR 2 STA — AGL 1 DEX 0 FGT 1 INT — AWE –1 PRE —
  Powers: Immunity 45 (Fortitude effects, Cold Damage, Half 
  Damage from Slashing and Piercing Attacks), Protection 2. 
  Advantages: Improved Initiative. Offense: Init +5, Unarmed 
  +1 (Close, Damage 2). Defenses: Dodge 1, Parry 1, Fortitude 
  —, Toughness 2, Will —. Totals: Abilities –24 + Powers 47 + 
  Advantages 1 + Skills 0 + Defenses 0 = Total 24 points.
  Skeletons are essentially fleshless zombies, faster and 
  more agile because of it, and even more resistant to vari-
  ous forms of harm. The kind of skeletons that show up to 
  fight heroes are often those of ancient warriors, and so 
  may be equipped with appropriate armor and weapons, 
  improving their damage and Toughness by +2 each and 
  increasing their power level by 1 (although minion rank 
  remains the same).
  MIND-CONTROLLED ZOMBIE 
  PL0 • MR2
  STR 0 STA 0 AGL 0 DEX 0 FGT 0 INT — AWE 0 PRE 0
  Powers: Immunity 30 (Will Effects). Offense: Init +0, Unarmed 
  +0 (Close, Damage 0). Defenses: Dodge 0, Parry 0, Fortitude 
  0, Toughness 0, Will 0. Totals: Abilities –10 + Powers 30 + 
  Advantages 0 + Skills 0 + Defenses 0 = Total 20 points.
  Otherwise ordinary people brainwashed or controlled by 
  malevolent forces, these “zombies” are living people but in 
  a profound trance that leaves them mindless and utterly 
  obedient to their master’s will. As a side effect it complete-
  ly shields them against mental powers and interaction tar-
  geting Will (such as Intimidation).
  Although not as powerful as even conventional undead 
  zombies, mind-controlled zombies make up for it in two 
  areas. First, they tend to be numerous, perhaps even the 
  entire population of a city or world! Second, because they 
  are innocent people, heroes tend to be reluctant to hurt 
  them or even risk seriously harming them.
  TEMPLATES
  Minions are flexible and readily-available opponents for 
  your adventures, but don’t always fit your exact needs. To 
  make quick adjustments, apply one of the following tem-
  plates to change a minion’s statistics and abilities on the 
  fly to create new kinds of opponents. For example, adding 
  the Flying template to a Lion creates the griffon of Greek 
  mythology.
  Each template includes a PL adjustment to help you de-
  termine how dangerous your new creation will be, but 
  156
  156
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  this is only an estimate. Some minions—especially those 
  that rely on firearms for their damage—may not see their 
  offensive power level increased substantially. See what 
  statistics are affected, use your best judgment as a Game-
  master, and adjust the final numbers where you see fit.
  When you apply a template, consider if it adds a new 
  Complication to a minion. Do Bestial minions become 
  more easily enraged? Can Aquatic minions stay above 
  water indefinitely, or are they limited to only a few minutes? 
  Does a Flying minion have wings that can be targeted?
  AQUATIC 
  TEMPLATE • 9 POINTS
  PL Adjustment +0
  Statistic Adjustments Immunity 1 (Drowning), Movement 
  1 (Environment Adaptation [underwater]), Swimming 6 (30 
  MPH)
  Combat Adjustments None
  Aquatic minions are perfectly adapted to an underwater 
  environment, where many superheroes have a distinct 
  disadvantage. They may represent a mystical underwa-
  ter race like Lemurians or merfolk, or be minions of more 
  powerful aquatic villains who provide them with technol-
  ogy, magic, or gene therapy to adapt them to the sea.
  BESTIAL 
  TEMPLATE • 22 POINTS
  PL Adjustment +2
  Statistic Adjustments STR +4, STA +4, Ranged Attack 2, 
  Senses 2 (Acute Smell, Low-Light Vision), Speed 2 (8 MPH)
  Combat Adjustments Close Damage +4, Ranged Attack +2, 
  Fortitude +4, Toughness +4
  Bestial minions possess phenomenal strength and dura-
  bility, able to rend opponents with their bare hands, but 
  also possessing keen senses and reflexes. They may rep-
  resent mythical animal-human hybrids like a minotaur, 
  gene-spliced soldiers, or powerful alien beasts.
  ELITE 
  TEMPLATE • 16 POINTS
  PL Adjustment +1
  Statistic Adjustments STR +1, STA +1, AGL +1, DEX +1, FGT 
  +1, INT +1, AWE +1, PRE +1
  Combat Adjustments Increase all skill modifiers, attack 
  modifiers, and defenses by +1 
  Elite minions are a cut above the rest: faster, stronger, and 
  smarter than others like them. Those with powers usually 
  have their primary offensive abilities increased by +1 rank 
  as well.
  FLYING 
  TEMPLATE • 11 POINTS
  PL Adjustment +0
  Statistic Adjustments Favored Environment (airborne), 
  Flight 5 (60 MPH)
  Combat Adjustments None
  Flying minions are swift and maneuverable masters of the 
  skies. Their flight may be derived from technology, such 
  as soldiers with jet packs, or the result of natural (or un-
  natural) wings.
  GIANT 
  TEMPLATE • 11 POINTS
  PL Adjustment +2
  Statistic Adjustments Growth 4 (Permanent, Innate), 
  Protection 2 (Impervious Protection 6)
  Combat Adjustments Close Damage +4, Dodge –2, 
  Fortitude +4, Parry –2, Toughness +6
  Minions of unusual size stand twice their normal height 
  and possess incredible strength and resilience. They may 
  be unusually large “dire” versions of ordinary animals, or 
  towering alien beings.
  MYSTICAL 
  TEMPLATE • 12 POINTS
  PL Adjustment +0
  Statistic Adjustments Magic Array (10pp; Concealment 5 
  [all visual and auditory senses], AE: Teleport 5 [Extended; 
  Medium]), Senses 1 (Magic Awareness)
  Combat Adjustments None
  Mystical minions are creatures of magic who can fade 
  from sight and step great distances through shadows, 
  mirrors, or other mystically-themed mediums. Most also 
  possess a magical-themed Affliction, Damage, or Move 
  Object effect in addition to the two spells listed here, with 
  ranks appropriate to the PL.
  ROBOTIC 
  TEMPLATE • 20 POINTS
  PL Adjustment +0
  Statistic Adjustments Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects)
  Special: Remove the creature’s STA score. Replace Toughness 
  defense with equal ranks in Protection
  Combat Adjustments None
  Mad scientists may construct robotic versions of common 
  minions or animals, while aliens may hunt alongside 
  mechanical animals, and museums or movie sets may 
  feature lifelike robotic dinosaurs. 
  ZOMBIE 
  TEMPLATE • COST VARIES
  PL Adjustment +0
  Statistic Adjustments No Stamina, Intellect, or Presence
  Powers: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects)
  Combat Adjustments none
  This template can be added to any creature to turn it into 
  a zombie. It assumes the creature also loses any Intellect- 
  or Presence-based skills, but that it retains its relative 
  Toughness: apply ranks of Protection to make up for any 
  Toughness lost due to having no Stamina rank.
  Example: A necromancer in the Lost World raises 
  a zombie tyrannosaurus rex! The creature loses 
  its Stamina (from 12 to —) as well as Intellect and 
  Presence but gains Immunity 30 (Fortitude) effects. 
  The GM gives it an additional 2 ranks of Protection 
  to make up for the loss of its Stamina, keeping its 
  Toughness at rank 14, so the creature has a net 
  increase in cost of 12 points, increasing the regular 
  archetype’s cost to 83 points (from 71). Now, of 
  course, the monstrous dinosaur is tireless and 
  immune to attacks which target Fortitude...
  157
  157
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  CHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPES
  
  158
  158
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  When talking about the “plot” of a Mutants & Masterminds  adventure you can be talking about one of two things. The 
  first is plot in terms of story: how events develop and build on each other, flowing from one event to the next. The other 
  use of plot refers to the plans developed by villains, ranging from a simple heist or revenge scheme to a complex plot 
  to take over the world!
  Villainous plots are often the driving force behind an adventure. The general assumption in superhero stories is that the 
  good guys are defenders of the status quo. While they might patrol the streets and monitor the police bands on alert for 
  crime, they generally do not act until there is a problem to solve or a threat to confront. Thus it isn’t until a villain puts a 
  plot into motion that the adventure really begins.
  This chapter looks at six major types of villainous plots, including how the heroes learn about them, what they can do 
  about them, and many different variations you can use. It also looks at some of the successful (and challenging) ele-
  ments of creating a Mutants & Masterminds adventure and provides plenty of ideas you can use as inspiration for the 
  creation of your own adventures. With the material in this chapter, you have potentially endless villainous schemes to 
  challenge the heroes in your game! 
  CONQUEST
  “The world will soon be mine!”
  The goal of many a master villain is to conquer and rule the world (or even the galaxy or universe, for the truly ambi-
  tious). The motives vary from sheer arrogance and power-lust to a sincere belief that the world would be better off with 
  the villain in charge of things, able to fix problems the petty and squabbling governments cannot.
  ROADS TO CONQUEST
  Comic book supervillains have tried nearly every way 
  imaginable to take over the world, and comic book writers 
  have invented more than a few. Here are some of the roads 
  a villain might take toward world conquest, although they 
  are by no means the only possibilities. Feel free to come 
  up with your own mad schemes!
  THREAT
  By far the most common scheme for taking over the world 
  is by threat: the villain comes up with some sort of dooms-
  day device, capable of destroying or laying waste to the 
  world (or at least civilization as we know it) and then 
  threatens to unleash it if the world does not surrender im-
  mediately to his rule. Typically, the villain provides at least 
  one demonstration of the threat in order to prove it exists, 
  and sets a deadline for world leaders to respond, giving 
  the heroes some time to take action. This demonstration 
  might be the tell for the plot, or it could come earlier, with 
  the villain’s plans to acquire the necessary resources for 
  the threat, or even the threat itself.
  DOOMSDAY DEVICE
  A “doomsday device” is any generic device capable of de-
  stroying the world, or at least ending human civilization, 
  sufficient threat for a world-conqueror. Exactly what the 
  doomsday device does varies, and is largely up to your 
  imagination. Possible doomsday devices include:
  • 
  A generator of natural disasters: earthquakes, vol-
  canoes, tidal waves, hurricanes, and so forth, either 
  targeted wherever the villain wishes, or affecting the 
  entire world.
  • 
  Melting the polar ice caps to flood the coastal areas 
  of the planet, even putting most of the world under 
  water—perfect for the aquatic villains.
  • 
  Technology able to launch long-range nuclear weap-
  ons from the world’s arsenals, or simply set them off 
  in their silos, provoking a thermonuclear war and a 
  lingering “nuclear winter.”
  • 
  A railgun able to hurl asteroid-sized rocks at targets 
  on Earth, or a tractor beam able to pull asteroids or 
  comets toward Earth, causing devastation with their 
  impacts.
  • 
  Shifting the Earth or the Moon out of their orbits, 
  wreaking havoc with weather patterns and causing 
  massive natural disasters.
  • 
  Blotting out or blocking the sun so its light cannot 
  reach Earth, causing plants to die and the world to 
  slowly freeze.
  • 
  An artificial singularity or a black hole, capable of 
  consuming all matter and crushing the Earth, solar 
  system, or even entire universe into nothingness.
  • 
  Self-replicating “gray goo” nanotechnology, able to 
  break down all matter at the molecular level and use 
  the raw material to make more of itself until it con-
  sumes the entire world.
  159
  159
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  BIO-WEAPON
  Life can sometimes be the greatest threat to itself, and 
  minds can devise many biological hazards capable of wip-
  ing out human life on Earth. Villains with expertise in biol-
  ogy or powers over living creatures and processes might 
  use them as weapons, as might ecological foes who con-
  sider themselves “champions of the environment.” Some 
  possible bio-weapons:
  • 
  An engineered disease, capable of spreading quickly 
  through the population and causing almost certain 
  death. Once released, it becomes almost impossible 
  to stop without a vaccine or medical treatment (and 
  perhaps not even then).
  • 
  A means of killing all plant life on Earth, ensuring the 
  world’s slow suffocation as the cycle of oxygen re-
  plenishment is disrupted. Alternately, causing plants 
  to super-oxygenate the atmosphere could lead to di-
  sastrous levels of volatility.
  COMPUTER CRASH
  The modern world is more heavily dependent on comput-
  ers and telecommunications than ever. Even a brief disrup-
  tion of the world telecommunications network could have 
  tremendous cost both economically and even in lives. Tech-
  savvy villains may seek to use this dependence to their ad-
  vantage with one or more of the following threats:
  • 
  A computer virus designed to infect and disable 
  computers worldwide, spreading across the Internet.
  • 
  Control over computers and machines sufficient to 
  control the world’s arsenal of military or even nuclear 
  weapons to use them as a threat.
  • 
  Seize the world’s financial markets, threatening to 
  wipe out the global economy in one fell swoop.
  • 
  Control or threaten to disrupt worldwide air-traffic 
  control, sending numerous planes into fiery crashes 
  and effectively grounding all air travel.
  BLACK MAGIC
  Although mad science tends to be the preferred means 
  of threatening the world, it is far from the only one. Mysti-
  cal master villains can get into the game, too, with magic 
  capable of doing anything science can, and more, such as:
  • 
  Raise an army of undead, demons, or other magical 
  creatures capable of destroying humanity, and prob-
  ably quite eager to do so.
  • 
  Wield supernatural control over the elements, suf-
  ficient to create world-threatening natural disasters.
  • 
  Transform ordinary people or animals into monsters 
  (similar to the Invasion approach) or threaten to turn 
  people to stone or some similar mystic curse.
  • 
  Overthrow the laws of science and institute a world 
  ruled by magical powers. This often shifts over into 
  full reality alteration (see that section, following).
  THE DOOMSDAY BLUFF
  In a world where super-criminals with doomsday ma-
  chines are a regular and common threat, the authorities 
  have to take any and all such threats at least somewhat 
  seriously. This means a villain could actually try to bluff 
  the world into surrendering! It would probably take more 
  than just an idle threat broadcast over the Internet or the 
  like, but a villain might be able to produce a small-scale 
  threat (such as the destruction of an uninhabited island, 
  for example) and then claim to be able to reproduce it on 
  a larger scale. After all, the only way of knowing for certain 
  that any villain’s doomsday threat is for real is by calling 
  his bluff and having him go through with it!
  MIND CONTROL
  If everyone in the world has to do as you command, then you 
  already have conquered it! Some villains use various means 
  of mind control to take over the world, although some find it 
  unsatisfying; ruling over a world of mindless puppets is not 
  WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE
  One world-conquering scenario that can be interesting to explore in an RPG is having the heroes decide to take over the 
  world! People have long been aware that superheroes have the potential power to conquer nations or even the entire 
  planet—of grave concern to some—and some comics have explored this theme.
  Heroes usually start out with the best of intentions: perhaps the world is in dire straits following an alien invasion or other 
  disaster and is in need of strong, decisive leadership, or the world is sliding into chaos and headed for disaster—such as 
  a global war—unless the heroes intervene. The good guys might simply be tired of doing their best and not really having 
  much effect; they decide taking over is the way to bring about real change for the good of everyone, whether they want 
  it or not.
  This scenario can pit heroes against heroes as some favor the takeover plan and others oppose it. It also creates unusual 
  alliances as some villains oppose the heroes’ plans—they don’t want the competition! Other villains might support the 
  takeover, especially in exchange for a pardon or a place in the “new world order.”
  Implementing or opposing a heroic takeover scenario can form the basis for an entire Mutants & Masterminds series, from 
  the first steps of the plan through its consequences and permutations. The heroic conquerors might realize the error of 
  their ways and abandon their plans, or they might have to be forcibly overthrown, fighting to the finish, with the future 
  of the world hanging in the balance.
  160
  160
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  the same as forcing an enemy to capitulate, and there is of-
  ten no one to lord it over! On the other hand, some villains 
  are just fine with the concept of everyone in the world as 
  their puppets, and are willing to take full advantage.
  Techniques of villainous mind control vary, but the key ele-
  ment in nearly all of them is a mode of transmission—get-
  ting the effect to reach every person in the world. Gaining 
  access to the medium is typically the plot’s tell, allowing 
  the heroes to figure something is up, and giving them a 
  means to do something about it by interfering with the 
  carrier medium. Some mind-control media include:
  • 
  Broadcasting on radio or television waves or, in the 
  21st century, over cell phones or other wireless de-
  vices. This could be a subliminal signal or some sort 
  of “super-hypnosis.”
  • 
  Biochemical agents placed in food, water, or even in 
  the air. This often involves dosing sources of drink-
  ing water or creating a new “food craze” with a mind-
  control additive that subliminally encourages people 
  to introduce others to it, spreading the effect.
  • 
  Enhancement of existing mental powers using tech-
  nology or arcane devices or rituals. For example, a 
  psychic villain might use a “mento-web” to exert con-
  trol over nearly every mind on Earth, just as an evil 
  sorcerer might use a potent mystic gem or long-lost 
  rite to cast a spell over the entire world.
  • 
  Orbital satellites beaming down mind control rays on 
  a hapless and unsuspecting populace.
  • 
  Sheer superhuman charisma or ability to control 
  people who see or hear the villain, with influence 
  spreading as public appearances do. This is the same 
  as broadcasting control, if the power works over the 
  airwaves. Otherwise, the villain has to do things the 
  old fashioned way, arranging a lot of public appear-
  ances in different parts of the world, which gets hard-
  er as people figure out what is happening.
  • 
  A “contagious” form of mind control that spreads 
  from person to person like a disease. It might be 
  psychic or due to some physical agent (biochemical, 
  nanotech, etc.).
  HEROES HUNTED
  A common theme of the mind control scenario is the he-
  roes, for one reason or another, are the sole exceptions to 
  the villain’s absolute rule. Perhaps it is some quirk of bio-
  chemistry or circumstance, such as being off-world when 
  the mind control is established. The villain might also de-
  liberately exclude the heroes in order to enjoy turning the 
  whole world against them. They retain their free will but 
  are alone against an entire planet loyal to their enemy, in-
  cluding friends, loved ones, and even other heroic allies! 
  Hunted fugitives, the heroes have to figure out some way 
  of undoing the villain’s control and freeing the world be-
  fore it is too late.
  INVASION
  Some villains like to achieve their conquests the old fash-
  ioned way: through sheer military might. This approach 
  involves building up an army or other invasion force and 
  using it to conquer the world nation by nation, or all at 
  once through a massive invasion. Sometimes a sufficient-
  ly large and powerful army is enough of a threat for the 
  world to surrender without a single battle being fought—
  although for the most militaristic villains, that takes all the 
  fun out of it.
  THE INVASION FORCE
  The key to an invasion is an army or invasion force, strong 
  enough to overwhelm conventional military forces, but 
  which the heroes might be able to defeat in some fash-
  ion. The build up or formation of the invasion force might 
  be the scheme’s tell, where the heroes learn about the 
  plot and have a chance of stopping the army before it is 
  unleashed. Otherwise, the invasion’s tell is usually some-
  thing else (see The Weak Point, following). Types of inva-
  sion forces include:
  • 
  Mercenaries or other human soldiers, but equipped 
  with high-tech or otherwise superior weaponry to 
  make them more than a match for a conventional army.
  • 
  Clones, often equipped with high-tech as well, al-
  though part of their advantage comes from superior 
  numbers and the ability to replenish their losses (as-
  suming a fairly rapid cloning process). They are often 
  conditioned for absolute loyalty.
  • 
  Aliens—an army of alien soldiers, often loyal to an 
  extraterrestrial warlord master villain. The aliens may 
  have superior technology as well as super-powers of 
  their own. An extreme example is a small alien army 
  of very powerful soldiers, each of them PL 12 or more 
  and equivalent to a whole battalion of conventional 
  troops!
  • 
  Robots, in shapes and sizes from small to giant, with 
  various weapons and capabilities. Perhaps the villain 
  has a means of transforming ordinary machines such 
  as cars or appliances into mechanical soldiers!
  • 
  Plants, capable of moving and attacking on their own. 
  They might be ordinary vegetation animated by some 
  process of the villain’s, elemental spirits, alien plant-
  beings, or the like. Perhaps the villain is capable of stir-
  ring the slumbering forces of nature to attack!
  INVASIONS AND MASS COMBAT
  If you are running an invasion scenario and the heroes are expected to join in the fight against the invaders directly, you 
  may find the optional mass combat rules (found in Chapter 7) useful. They can handle large numbers of invaders and help 
  determine the characters’ overall effect on the course of the battle.
  161
  161
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  scheme is often some sort of weak point of the invasion 
  force. The attacking animals are afraid of fire. Plant sol-
  diers are vulnerable to herbicides. Aliens are allergic to 
  Earth germs. Zombies are driven off by salt or religious 
  icons. Flashbulbs free mind-controlled soldiers from 
  the villain’s thrall. Whatever it may be, the weak point 
  is enough to potentially turn the tide of the invasion in 
  favor of the defenders, provided the heroes figure it out 
  and make use of it in time.
  REALITY ALTERATION
  For some villains, it is not enough to simple conquer the 
  world; no, they have to remake the world in their own 
  twisted image, as supreme ruler of a new reality! Like 
  other world conquest schemes, reality-alteration scenar-
  ios tend to have two tells: one when the villain first puts 
  the plan into effect, giving heroes a chance to prevent the 
  changes to reality from coming about, the other after the 
  change has occurred, giving heroes the opportunity to 
  put things back the way they were (ideally without any-
  one else knowing anything has happened at all).
  What are some of the ways villains seek to control and al-
  ter reality?
  • 
  Acquire a particularly powerful cosmic or magical 
  device capable of reordering reality to fit the user’s 
  wishes. Examples include ancient vessels of magical 
  power, mysterious cosmic artifacts, complex spells or 
  rituals, alien “wishing machines,” powerful genies or 
  similar entities, and so forth.
  • 
  Animals, either ordinary non-human creatures or 
  beasts altered or enhanced in some fashion. For ex-
  ample, a villain might have animal control powers or 
  world-wide mind control that only affects lower life 
  forms, but sufficient to turn them into a conquering 
  army!
  • 
  Monsters, usually giant ones capable of taking on 
  armies and flattening cities, although massive numbers 
  of smaller monsters work, too. The villain may be ca-
  pable of calling creatures from the hidden depths, the 
  inner-earth, other dimensions, and the like, or simply 
  growing them in laboratories until they are needed.
  • 
  Mind control victims, turned into utterly loyal sol-
  diers for the conqueror’s cause. If a mind control 
  technique is not powerful enough to conquer the 
  world all at once, it can still raise a powerful army for 
  the villain to take over the rest of the world through 
  brute force. People may be initially reluctant to fight 
  back against mind-controlled innocents.
  • 
  Zombies! A massive army of the undead is a clas-
  sic, best suited for the evil sorcerer, necromancer, 
  or death-god type, but also suitable for some mad 
  scientists. You can substitute skeletons, demons, or 
  other occult creatures as well.
  THE WEAK POINT
  If the heroes do not get to prevent the invasion from 
  happening in the first place, then the flaw in the villain’s 
  162
  162
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  Access a “higher” or “lower” level of reality in order to 
  change the world as we know it. This might include 
  divine or mystic dimensions, or other layers of the 
  cosmos, such as the ability to “redraw” reality from 
  the vantage point of the fourth, fifth, or higher di-
  mensions.
  • 
  Travel in time and change history, rewriting the pres-
  ent into an alternate world where events follow a 
  path set out by the villain. Classic examples include 
  preventing archenemies from gaining their powers 
  (thus ensuring there is no one to oppose the villain) 
  or helping to make sure a previous scheme succeeds, 
  giving the villain a second chance at success.
  • 
  Overthrow a higher cosmic entity (even a deity or 
  the equivalent) and seize its power, using the being’s 
  might to recreate the cosmos according to the vil-
  lain’s wishes. A villain might even trick the heroes into 
  weakening or defeating the chosen target!
  • 
  Destroy the universe (or even an omniverse of every 
  possible universe) in order to trigger a cycle of re-
  creation the villain can direct. See the Destruction 
  schemes for ways the villain might go about this.
  • 
  Create a virtual world—an extremely realistic com-
  puter simulation the villain controls, changing “real-
  ity” at a whim. Some villains find this an unsatisfying 
  cheat, no equal for altering and ruling the real world, 
  but others try to take their friends and foes there to 
  enjoy the experience of absolute power, planning on 
  trapping the heroes and returning to take over the 
  real world!
  • 
  Shrink the whole world down and put it inside a 
  bottle or other container (mystic gem, portable 
  hole, etc.) so the villain literally “holds the world in 
  the palm of his hand”! This often allows the villain to 
  control the environment but, even if it doesn’t, it is 
  difficult to defy someone who can crush the world as 
  easily as we might break a fragile glass bottle.
  The reality-alteration effect itself is the very definition of a 
  plot device. It requires no game stats, since it can literally 
  do anything! The only chance the heroes have of prevent-
  ing it is by stopping the villain from fulfilling the require-
  ments of the effect, be it acquiring a particular device or 
  changing a particular historical event. If they cannot do 
  so, then they need to deal with the altered reality and find 
  a way to undo it.
  ALONE IN A WORLD NOT THEIR OWN
  Typically, if a villain’s reality alteration scheme succeeds, 
  then the heroes are the only ones (apart from the villain) 
  unaffected by the whole thing, or at least able to do some-
  thing to put things right once again.
  The heroes might be immune to the effect by virtue of 
  being involved in the process in one way or another. For 
  example, their proximity to the device or effect, or pre-
  vious contact with it, could shield them in some way. If 
  the villain uses time- or dimension-travel, and the heroes 
  are in pursuit, then they remain “outside” of the changes 
  that happen back home and find an altered world when 
  they return. Their powers might protect them from the 
  world-altering effect, or the villain could even deliber-
  ately exclude them, providing an opportunity to gloat 
  over their defeat!
  Sometimes the heroes are affected right alongside ev-
  erything else, transformed into alternate versions of 
  themselves, or even wiped out of existence altogether! 
  In this case, the players take on the roles of the alternate 
  characters, or even entirely new ones native to this real-
  ity, and they get a chance to find out what really hap-
  pened and fix it.
  Something informs the heroes that all is not right with 
  the world. They might remember their previous existence, 
  transformed physically but not mentally, for some of the 
  previous reasons described. A particular trigger or circum-
  stance could “awaken” them to an awareness of what has 
  changed, especially for heroes with superhuman senses. 
  Someone else from their original reality might find a way 
  to get a message to them, or they could have even sent 
  one to themselves!
  RULING THE WORLD
  Of course, there’s the question of what to do with the 
  world once you have it in the palm of your hand, or un-
  der your power-armored heel. This, more than anything, 
  tends to trip would-be conquerors up, when they discover 
  holding on to the world isn’t the same as getting it in the 
  first place.
  In the event that a villain’s scheme of conquest is suc-
  cessful, the plotter is faced with the prospect of actual 
  rulership of his newly conquered realm. Depending on 
  the nature of the series, you may be able to spin this 
  WHOSE UNIVERSE IS IT ANYWAY?
  A mind-bending approach to a reality alteration scenario is to confront the heroes (and the players) with the possibility 
  that their “default” reality is not what it appears! What if, rather than getting a tell about a potential reality alteration, 
  someone tries to warn the heroes that the world they have been adventuring in for the whole series is actually not what 
  it is “supposed” to be? This gives the players a better sense of what it is like to have to doubt the reality that has been all 
  you have known your entire life, which characters often must do in an alternate world scenario.
  What will they do about it? Presumably, unless the series started out in a grim world ruled by villains, the heroes will 
  wonder if the “real” world is that much better off than their own. Perhaps the whole thing is merely a ruse to get the heroes 
  to trigger a change in reality to suit the villain’s larger plans, or the “real” world is actually worse than the one in which the 
  heroes now reside.
  163
  163
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  WHY DESTROY?
  There are a number of reasons why villains choose to in-
  flict destruction and devastation on the world. For some, it 
  is merely a side effect of the attainment of their true goals.
  POWER
  Perhaps the most common motive for widespread destruc-
  tion is the attainment of power. This is beyond just con-
  quest (as described in the Conquest section); the villain 
  doesn’t use the threat of destruction to attain power, but 
  the devastation itself in some fashion. Even if the world was 
  willing to surrender, the villain might not consider it!
  Here are some ways in which destruction might aid a vil-
  lain in acquiring great power:
  • 
  The process of destroying the target unleashes tre-
  mendous forces, perhaps the equivalent of convert-
  ing all matter in the affected area into usable energy 
  the villain can then capture. This can range from part 
  of a city to an entire universe!
  • 
  The villain gains the ability to re-create the destroyed 
  target, shaped and re-ordered as he sees fit. A villain 
  might plan to destroy the universe, for example, in 
  order to re-form it in his own image.
  • 
  The destruction of the target is a sacrifice or offer-
  ing to a higher being willing to grant the villain great 
  power in exchange. Of course, there is a chance this 
  offer is actually just a ploy to get a gullible mortal 
  pawn to unleash destruction on the world, in which 
  case the villain might be willing to help the heroes 
  prevent it if they can reveal the truth.
  • 
  The devastation is merely a side effect of something 
  else the villain is doing. For example, a foe might 
  want to reach a powerful artifact at the center of the 
  Earth, but the only way of doing so is to crack the 
  world open like an egg. Similarly, a villain’s ritual or 
  process for attaining godlike power might have the 
  secondary effect of unleashing enough energy to 
  destroy the world. The villain doesn’t care; he’ll just 
  create another world, if he feels like it.
  • 
  The true target is not an area, but a specific individ-
  ual, group, or object the villain considers a threat. 
  The rest is just “collateral damage.” For example, it’s 
  not hard to imagine an alien empire devastating an 
  entire world in order to eliminate a particular super-
  human they consider dangerous, or a mystic villain 
  seeking to destroy an ancient and powerful artifact, 
  even knowing that doing so will unleash a cascade 
  of destructive occult energies able to annihilate a 
  continent.
  SURVIVAL
  Some villains destroy because they need to do so in order 
  to survive. Indeed, it can be questionable whether or not 
  such foes are “villains” at all. Often they are merely follow-
  ing their own instincts and nature. Others might have a 
  choice in the matter and it is frequently the heroes’ role 
  to convince their destructive foe to take a different path. 
  Then there are the truly selfish villains who destroy in or-
  der to extend their own lives beyond their natural means. 
  Some examples of survival-based destroyers include:
  • 
  A cosmic entity that devours life force, planets, or 
  even stars in order to feed. This galactic scourge 
  might be just a massively powerful eating-machine 
  with nothing resembling sentience, or a vastly intel-
  ligent and experienced being driven by impulses be-
  yond its control.
  • 
  A villain sustaining his life by draining or sacrificing 
  the lives of others. This might be part of a mystical 
  pact or ritual, or a scientific process requiring massive 
  amount of biological material or life-force “energy.” 
  The destroyer is essentially a vampire on a massive 
  scale; perhaps the energy requirements grow expo-
  nentially as time goes on, and the villain is willing to 
  kill all life in the world or even the universe if it means 
  just one more day of existence for him.
  DESTRUCTION
  “Soon it will all be over... forever!”
  The greatest threat a group of heroes can face is a foe willing to destroy a city, nation, world, or even the entire universe 
  in pursuit of some mad scheme. The stakes could not possibly be higher, since a tremendous number of lives hang in 
  the balance should the heroes fail. Some villains are willing to commit such acts of destruction to attain their goals 
  (reasoning “there are always sacrifices”) while others seek annihilation simply for its own sake, perhaps even intending 
  to end their own existence in the bargain.
  out into an ongoing plot. For example, a villain might 
  manage to conquer and hold on to control of a city or 
  country, forcing a stalemate with the heroes and world 
  powers. Later adventures can deal with attempts to 
  “dethrone” the villain and restore the legitimate govern-
  ment, and the repercussions thereof.
  A villain might even manage to conquer the whole world, 
  and then relinquish it once he finds out what the job en-
  tails! This works especially well for a scenario where every-
  thing returns to the way it was before the scheme even 
  started, leaving no one the wiser that the villain had the 
  world for a time, before giving it up.
  164
  164
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  A being whose very presence is toxic in some fashion: 
  radioactive, contagious, or inflicting some sort of mad-
  ness. It might still have to go out among other crea-
  tures if only to stave off going mad from loneliness, 
  knowing that all it touches or passes are doomed.
  • 
  Alien larvae that use worlds as “incubators” but 
  then erupt from the planetary crust to consume 
  everything on the surface, much like hungry grubs 
  or caterpillars. Then they metamorphose into their 
  space-faring adult form to seek out new planets and 
  continue the cycle.
  • 
  A race or entity from outside our universe who feels 
  threatened by our existence and believes destroying 
  our universe is the only means to ensure we never pose 
  a threat. Alternately, a dying universe might seek to re-
  vive or restore itself by draining or taking over ours.
  • 
  A villain imprisoned in such a fashion that escape re-
  quires destruction on a massive scale. This might be 
  a sacrifice of sorts to re-empower the villain (particu-
  larly suitable for exiled gods of war or death), or the 
  process of breaking the prison could do tremendous 
  damage to the world or even the fabric of reality.
  NIHILISM
  For the nihilist, destruction is its own reward. A nihilistic 
  villain seeks to destroy in order to make an offering to the 
  gods or concepts of death, to create perfect order and 
  peace by ending all life, or to satisfy the urge to prove that 
  all existence is ultimately meaningless.
  Nihilistic villains are some of the most dangerous because 
  total destruction is their goal rather than just being a means 
  to an end. Heroes might be able to talk power-mad or sur-
  vival-driven foes out of their schemes, or find other options, 
  but it is difficult to convince a true nihilist otherwise.
  Nihilists are also often tremendously powerful, in order to 
  carry out their plans, although that does not have to be 
  the case. A nihilistic villain could be a mad (but otherwise 
  human) genius who has created some type of doomsday 
  weapon, for example.
  SUICIDE
  The villain seeks to end his own existence and taking a lot 
  of others with him (perhaps even all of creation) is just a 
  side effect or a fringe benefit, depending on how you look 
  at it. Many nihilists (previously) are also suicidal, the final 
  stage of their work being to end their own lives once they 
  have destroyed everything else. Other suicidal villains 
  don’t particularly care whether or not anyone else dies, 
  but they won’t be dissuaded by the possibility that they 
  will destroy entire civilizations.
  Suicidal destroyers are, unfortunately, usually quite tough, 
  since if it were easy to disable or kill them, they would 
  have already managed it on their own. Some are hell-
  bent on taking a lot of others with them and going out 
  in a blaze of glory, in which case they may not have any 
  special protection. However, the typical suicidal villain is 
  looking for a way to die, and it usually involves something 
  big enough to kill everyone else, too. Examples include 
  immortal or regenerating characters tired of continually 
  living, imprisoned and exiled gods seeking oblivion, and 
  cosmic beings tied to the very existence of the universe, 
  who can only “die” if everything comes to an end.
  THE THREAT
  Once you know why the villain wants to destroy, the next 
  question is: how? See the Threat and Doomsday De-
  vice sections of the Conquest scheme for various ideas 
  on how a villain might attempt to destroy the world. The 
  difference here is the bad guy is not just threatening, but 
  fully intends on following through and actually carrying 
  out the threat!
  TEST RUN
  Fortunately for the world, villains rarely ever come up with 
  a doomsday weapon in secret and then throw the switch, 
  making the first anyone learns of it the moment when the 
  world ends. Instead, complex destructive plots usually 
  involve steps that give the authorities and heroes some 
  warning of what is coming. These include acquiring the 
  doomsday method itself, any necessary components, and 
  potentially testing it to make certain it will work when it 
  is supposed to.
  If the villain does not invent the threat, then it is most like-
  ly stolen, the first potential clue for the heroes. If a scientist 
  known for his work with artificial singularities suddenly 
  goes missing, for example, or the Department of Defense 
  loses top-secret research on an alien super-weapon, the 
  heroes know something bad is about to happen and can 
  start investigating. They might even be on-hand when the 
  villain steals the first stage of the threat, telling them ex-
  actly who is behind it!
  Once the villain has the concept or plan for the threat, 
  then comes the means of building or activating it. That 
  could require getting particular parts, equipment, or ex-
  otic supplies. Again, when a series of thefts adds up to the 
  equipment needed to build a bomb capable of turning 
  reality inside-out, or the components of a ritual to throw 
  open the gate to the Elder Gods, the heroes have a good 
  idea of what’s coming and can begin taking steps. Perhaps 
  they figure out the next link in the chain and set a trap, or 
  use the opportunity to track the villain back to his lair and 
  find any hostages along with the rest of the stolen goods.
  Finally, once the villain has the means, there may be a 
  need to test the method, especially if it has never been 
  used before. So, for example, if the villain’s doomsday de-
  vice is supposed to shift the entire world into a nightmar-
  ish other-dimension, the bad guy might try it out first on 
  a smaller section of real estate—the heroes’ headquarters, 
  for example. The test is an opportunity to show off to the 
  players the very real nature of the threat and what it could 
  do on a larger scale, while also giving them another chal-
  lenge. Now the good guys have to deal with a minor di-
  saster (like finding their way back to Earth) and still stop 
  the villain in time.
  165
  165
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  DOOMSDAY
  Eventually, it comes to the moment of truth: the villain is 
  ready to bring about terrible destruction and the heroes 
  are the only ones who can prevent it.
  Unless you are willing to allowing for the possibility that 
  the villain will actually destroy things, the best way of 
  handling this final confrontation is to make thing difficult 
  for the heroes, but hand out lots of hero points as you 
  do so, giving the players opportunities to spend them in 
  last-ditch efforts to put a stop to the villain’s plans. Place 
  roadblocks in their way and encourage them to use extra 
  effort, inspiration, and the other options hero points pro-
  vide to find ways around them. This helps make for a more 
  exciting conclusion than just showing up and knocking 
  the villain for a loop.
  Often, villains are hoist on the petard of their own dooms-
  day plans: when the heroes stop the doomsday device it 
  turns its destructive impulses inward, for example, or the 
  villain loses control of whatever terrible forces he has un-
  leashed when the heroes disrupt his concentration. This 
  provides a good opportunity for a mysterious death as the 
  bad guy plunges into the heart of the Annihilation Reactor, 
  or is seemingly dragged off into some hellish netherworld.
  KIDNAPPING
  “There’s no escape for you now!”
  Rescuing someone held captive by a supervillain can be one of the greatest challenges that heroes face. Dealing 
  with danger comes with the superhero game, but things are different when there are potentially innocent victims 
  caught in the crossfire. Kidnap victims often have no superhuman powers to protect them, and heroes pledged to 
  keep them safe sacrifice a certain amount of leverage. They must proceed cautiously, and their usual method of just 
  bursting through a wall could get the victim killed. This becomes even more potent when the villain abducts some-
  one personally important to one or more of the heroes; loved ones have a tendency to end up captured and held for 
  ransom or used as bargaining chips.
  The primary things to consider in a kidnapping scheme 
  are: who gets abducted, why, how, and what (if anything) 
  does the kidnapper want in exchange for their safe return?
  THE MOTIVE
  The reason for the kidnapping comes first, since it tends to 
  dictate the choice of target. There are a number of reasons 
  why a villain would seek to kidnap someone:
  RANSOM
  The first, and most common, reason for kidnapping is to 
  use the victim as a bargaining tool in order to get some-
  thing. This might be money, information, material re-
  sources, or even another, less accessible, target willing to 
  surrender or trade places with the hostage. See The Ran-
  som section for details on these various options.
  Ransom targets are chosen for their value to the party 
  with whom the kidnapper wishes to negotiate. The loved 
  ones of notable wealthy individuals are potential targets 
  for financial ransoms, for example. Sometimes the ran-
  som people expect is not the one the villain is seeking; 
  for example, a CEO’s daughter is seemingly kidnapped for 
  monetary ransom, when the kidnapper is actually looking 
  for top-secret access to the executive’s hidden files on an 
  illegal research project.
  RESOURCES
  Sometime the kidnapper is looking to negotiate a ran-
  som directly with the target of the abduction. This can 
  be as simple as demanding the electronic transfer of 
  funds or a more involved interrogation to find out some-
  thing the victim knows, such as a password, vital piece 
  of technical information, or the location of a stolen item, 
  for example. The target is sometimes not an innocent in 
  the whole matter, such as when the hero is unaware the 
  victim stole something from the villain, leading to the 
  kidnapping.
  Kidnap victims who give up what the abductor wants usu-
  ally serve no further purpose, meaning the villain might 
  let them go or seek to eliminate them. Often, the kidnap-
  per keeps the target around to ensure the information 
  acquired was accurate or in case they are needed further 
  to attain the villain’s ultimate goal, giving the heroes a bit 
  more time.
  REVENGE
  The villain has a grudge or vendetta and the abduction 
  is the first step toward revenge. In this case, the target 
  is either also the focus of the kidnapper’s vengeance, or 
  simply a means to an end. So, for example, a villain might 
  abduct the man he blames for ruining his life, or he may 
  kidnap one or more of that man’s loved ones, intending to 
  make him suffer by taking out his anger on them.
  The exact nature of the kidnapper’s revenge can be as 
  simple as killing the victim or as elaborate as the villain’s 
  imagination (and that of the GM) can dream up. Revenge 
  schemes tend toward the elaborate, both because it satis-
  fies the villain’s need for the victim to suffer and because 
  it’s more dramatically interesting, providing the heroes 
  with time to actually do something about it.
  166
  166
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  REVELATION
  The last sort of catchall category for kidnapping schemes 
  is for those where the villain wants the victim(s) to learn 
  or witness something. So a super-criminal might kidnap 
  a woman only to reveal that he is actually her father, for 
  example, or an obsessed stalker might kidnap the object 
  of his “affection” in hopes of winning her over. This type of 
  kidnapping is often the culmination of a subplot involving 
  the relationship between the villain and a hero, where the 
  hero learns what is really going on.
  If and when the revelation does not go as the villain 
  planned, this type of kidnapping can turn into another 
  type. Thus the spurned abductor decides to get revenge 
  by placing the former object of his affection in a death-
  trap, or to hold a victim for ransom after revealing a ter-
  rible truth, for the double-impact of returning the target, 
  but not entirely “unharmed.”
  THE VICTIM
  The victim of a kidnapping depends a great deal on the 
  type of scheme: someone wealthy and connected for a 
  ransom, someone involved with the kidnapper in some 
  fashion for revenge or revelation. Chances are good the 
  heroes will interact with the victim at least somewhat if 
  they are successful, so give some thought to whom it is.
  For added involvement, the kidnap victim can be some-
  one connected to the heroes, or even a friend-of-a-friend, 
  rather than a complete stranger. An abduction is that 
  much more forceful if the heroes have a personal stake in 
  finding the victim safe and sound. Sometimes the charac-
  ters do not discover this connection until after the crime 
  has occurred; for example, a third party might reveal the 
  kidnap victim is a hero’s long-lost sibling in order to en-
  courage the good guys to help, or simply out of concern 
  that the hero know the truth before it is too late.
  MISTAKEN IDENTITY
  A common element of kidnappings in the comics is a case 
  of mistaken identity; the villain abducts the wrong person 
  based on faulty information. It may be the person taken 
  bears a startling resemblance to the intended victim, or 
  the kidnapper was misinformed in some fashion. Perhaps 
  a villain thinks he has stumbled upon a hero’s secret iden-
  tity and kidnaps that target; imagine the hero’s surprise 
  when she learns the villain thinks he is holding her hos-
  tage, or the villain’s shock when the hero shows up for real!
  Mistaken identity often involves heroes in the kidnap-
  ping because one of their supporting cast gets targeted, 
  perhaps even the hero’s civilian identity. This can turn an 
  otherwise routine case for the police into something that 
  gets superhuman attention.
  SUPERHUMAN VICTIMS
  In a typical M&M setting, a kidnap victim may be a fellow 
  superhuman, particularly a well-known hero, or even 
  167
  167
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  a villain! A common plot device is to set up a situation 
  wherein non-player character heroes are abducted and the 
  player characters have to come to their rescue. It’s a good 
  way to introduce new heroes in a setting with established 
  good guys, demonstrating to the established crime-fighters 
  that the newcomers have what it takes to get the job done.
  In a somewhat more gritty setting, it’s also a way of thin-
  ning the ranks of the costumed hero set at the same time. 
  The player characters might not be able to save the vic-
  tims, only avenge them, or the kidnapped heroes may de-
  cide it is time to hang up their capes and cowls and turn 
  things over to the new kids, especially if the abduction 
  involved terrible revelations that have shaken their con-
  viction in their heroic calling.
  Capturing and holding a super-powered victim tends to 
  require special preparation and resources. The kidnapper 
  may need to overcome certain protective powers (includ-
  ing superhuman senses that might warn of an attack) and 
  prevent the target from using powers to escape or fight 
  back. The simplest measure is to keep a captured victim 
  unconscious using drugs or similar measures, although it 
  leaves the villain without an audience for taunts and rants, 
  and certainly does not work for a revelatory kidnapping. 
  Other abductors may have power-nullifying countermea-
  sures or knowledge of the target’s weaknesses, if any.
  THE ABDUCTION
  The actual capture of the victim often takes place before 
  the heroes are even alerted to the crime. Indeed, it is the 
  kidnapping itself that gets the crime-fighters involved. So 
  they learn about it after the fact, meaning you should con-
  sider how the villain did it and what the heroes can find 
  out from witnesses, examination of available evidence, 
  and so forth. This sets up an investigative phase where 
  the heroes’ main job is to figure out who the kidnapper 
  is, their motivation, and where the victim is being held in 
  order to stage a rescue.
  Occasionally, the heroes are around when the kidnapping 
  occurs, although they may or may not have much chance 
  to prevent it, depending on the nature of the scenario. If 
  you intend to focus on the good guys rescuing the vic-
  tim, then having the heroes present when the crime hap-
  pens is primarily a reason to hand them clues directly and 
  award the players hero points when the villain inevitably 
  escapes with the victim. If the heroes can prevent the ab-
  duction initially, then the adventure becomes about safe-
  guarding the victim against another attempt while track-
  ing down the villain (or perhaps using the target as bait 
  and setting a trap).
  THE RANSOM
  Kidnappers demand a variety of things as ransom for the 
  return of their target(s)—assuming the abduction of the 
  target was motivated by a desire for ransom of some kind, 
  and not an end unto itself (as with the revenge and revela-
  tion types).
  CASH
  The simplest and most straightforward ransom is cash, 
  and lots of it. The kidnapper may demand a particular 
  kind of currency, delivered in a particular way, like the 
  stereotypical “small, unmarked bills” left at a drop point. 
  Others may demand more exotic forms of payment, rang-
  ing from electronic credit transfers to shares of common 
  stock, bearer bonds, or even valuable items.
  A demand for a monetary ransom may turn out to be 
  a cover for some other goal, such as luring the person 
  meant to deliver the ransom into a trap, or acquiring a 
  valuable piece of jewelry that is also a powerful magical 
  artifact or part of some larger scheme.
  A common twist on the monetary ransom is for the kid-
  napper and the “victim” to turn out to be secretly working 
  together to scam a large sum of money out of a rich rela-
  tive or other associate. They then either disappear togeth-
  er, or the “victim” is returned home, only to vanish a short 
  while later. This arrangement often ends in a double-cross 
  of some sort to further complicate matters.
  KIDNAPPING AND SECRET IDENTITIES
  A common twist in the comics is for a hero’s secret identity to become the target in a kidnapping attempt, often one 
  aimed at the hero! This is particularly common if the secret identity is known to be a “friend” or person of importance to 
  the heroic identity. Kidnappers might believe they are abducting a costumed crime-fighter’s best friend, employer, or 
  relative without knowing they have in fact captured the hero himself! Such schemes either end up succeeding due to 
  blind luck, the hero’s inability to take action without exposing his secret, or a hero’s willingness to play along with the 
  scheme in order to find out what is really going on and prevent anyone else from being endangered. After all, if the initial 
  attempt fails, the kidnappers might go after one of the hero’s other friends or loved ones.
  The primary conflict comes in dealing with the kidnappers without exposing the hero’s secret. There may also be some 
  real danger, if the hero isn’t invulnerable or the kidnappers have weapons capable of harming him. For example, a 
  powered-armor heroine abducted in her secret identity is without the benefits of her suit, and as vulnerable as any 
  other ordinary person. Even a hero with special protection has to be careful, lest the criminals discover it and put two 
  and two together.
  Teammates can assist in the rescue operation as well as covering for the captured hero’s absence, perhaps using 
  disguise, shape-changing, illusions, or even clever computer and audio/video tricks. An even more involved version 
  can have multiple heroes captured in their secret identities, which gets even trickier if they are kept secret from each 
  other!
  168
  168
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  INFORMATION
  Rather than mere cash, the kidnapper may demand infor-
  mation in exchange for the victim’s safe return. In the right 
  hands, passcodes and similar secrets can be more valu-
  able than any portable sum of money. Obsessed villains 
  might demand a heroic foe unmask in front of them, or on 
  nationwide live television, for that matter. They can ask for 
  the secret of a hero’s powers, her closely guarded weak-
  ness, nuclear launch codes, the formula for Coca-Cola ... 
  nearly anything that is potentially valuable to someone.
  OBJECT
  The ransom can be something the kidnapper wants other 
  than money or information, from a personal keepsake to 
  the Eiffel Tower, assuming the victim’s friends and fam-
  ily are in a position to provide it. The value of the desired 
  object might be obvious to everyone, or just to a select 
  few—perhaps only the villain. As with cash, the apparent 
  value might also be a blind for some other purpose. A sor-
  cerer demanding a rare Indian ruby could have plans to 
  use it as a component in an arcane ritual rather than just 
  keeping it or selling it on the black market.
  ANOTHER VICTIM
  A common villain trick in the comics is to kidnap some-
  one important to a hero in order to lure him into a trap 
  or situation of the villain’s choosing. The victim is merely 
  bait, although the villain won’t necessarily let a useful 
  bargaining chip go while dealing with the hero. Some-
  times the kidnapper tries to kill both hero and victim! 
  Other villains claim more of a sense of “fair play,” releas-
  ing the “pawn” in their scheme in order to capture the 
  more important piece.
  A cunning villain does not even have to actually abduct 
  someone. The bad guy could simply fake the abduction 
  of someone the hero cares about. Perhaps the support-
  ing cast member is incommunicado and the villain uses a 
  doctored video or an android simulacrum. After the hero 
  has rushed to the rescue, the “victim” turns up safe and 
  sound, wondering what’s happening!
  THE DROP
  The planned delivery of the ransom is often a key dramat-
  ic moment in a kidnapping scenario. The heroes may seize 
  upon it as their chance to get at the villain, or at least a 
  lead to track the victim’s location. The abductor may even 
  insist that a hero deliver the ransom for some reason, from 
  a simple power trip to luring the hero into a trap.
  The typical ransom drop is placed in a predetermined 
  place, from a trash bin to a train station locker, allowing 
  the kidnapper or his associates to retrieve it later. The kid-
  napper may require a drop-off that moves in some fash-
  ion, such as a subway train car, dump truck, delivery van, 
  or the like, allowing for a pick-up anywhere along its route 
  and making pursuit more difficult. Of course, this need is 
  lessened if the villain has some means of appearing and 
  disappearing at will, making the drop perhaps the only 
  shot the heroes will get at him. A common trick is to place 
  a bug or tracer in or on the ransom, using it to track the 
  villain back to his lair and, hopefully, the victim.
  EXTORTION
  “Unless you meet my demands, the city will pay a terrible price!”
  Extortion, using force or leverage to demand something from a victim, is actually a very common crime, but much of 
  what might be called extortion is covered by other sections of this chapter, particularly conquest, kidnapping, and 
  theft. In this section, “extortion” is focused on using some kind of threat other than kidnapping to get something the 
  villain wants from a victim. It may involve an ongoing relationship where the villain “squeezes” the target, using threats 
  to ensure compliance. The longer it goes on and the deeper the victim gets, the more difficult it can be to get out from 
  under the extortionist’s influence.
  An extortion scheme has two main elements: what the vil-
  lain wants and the threats used to get it from the victim(s). 
  Let’s look at the threats first.
  THREATS
  The key things about an extortion threat are believability 
  and degree of discretion. In the first case, the threat offered 
  by the extortionist has to be credible. If the target does not 
  feel threatened, or thinks the villain may be bluffing, then 
  there’s less of a tendency to go along with the demands. 
  This is why villains often demonstrate their threat in ad-
  vance to prove they are in earnest and capable of doing 
  what they claim. So a villain looking to extort money out 
  of a city with the threat of a powerful weapon, for example, 
  may use the weapon on a smaller target where everyone 
  can see it, then send demands to City Hall.
  Related to and often restraining believability is discretion. 
  Sometimes the villain wants to avoid notice, so no one 
  else finds out about the extortion. This means more of a 
  subtle threat that can be conveyed to the target behind 
  the scenes without anyone else finding out. Villains going 
  for this sort of extortion tend toward blackmail; after all, if 
  the information they have gets out, it’s useless in terms of 
  exerting influence over the target, so both sides have an 
  interest in keeping things quiet.
  169
  169
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
  Overt threats tend to take the form of super-powered 
  terrorism, with villains promising death and destruction 
  (often on a massive scale) if their demands are not met. 
  The Threat section of the Conquest scheme offers a wide 
  range of potential threats also usable for extortion. Rather 
  than demanding outright surrender, the villain may re-
  quire money or some other ransom to stave off the threat 
  (see Demands, following).
  Other threats are devastating, but somewhat less de-
  structive. For example, a villain with transmutation abili-
  ties might threaten to flood the world markets with huge 
  amounts of gold or other precious metals or commodities, 
  essentially reducing the value of such things to almost 
  nothing overnight. This could have a devastating impact 
  on global economies and serve as a sufficient threat to 
  extort cooperation from governments and businesses. 
  Similarly, a villain could threaten to release certain na-
  tional secrets, or disrupt other important infrastructure, 
  ranging from blacking out global radio or satellite com-
  munications to crashing the entire Internet. Perhaps the 
  villain can influence weather patterns enough to cause all 
  kinds of trouble, or can incite machines to “revolt” against 
  humanity.
  BLACKMAIL
  Blackmail threats tend to be subtle, since much of the 
  threat is contained in even knowing the potential for 
  blackmail exists. Essentially, the villain knows (and is able 
  to prove) something someone would prefer to keep se-
  cret, and threatens to release that information if demands 
  are not met.
  The blackmail information can range from merely embar-
  rassing (but with serious personal consequences, such as 
  evidence of an affair or indiscretion) to devastating, such 
  as proof of serious crimes. For example, a villain may learn 
  that a certain pillar of the business community in fact 
  earned much of his wealth through criminal means, and 
  threatens to expose the truth unless the tycoon agrees to 
  a big payoff.
  Blackmail scenarios are often morally ambiguous, since 
  they can put the heroes in the position of defending one 
  criminal from another. Frequently the information the vil-
  lain threatens to reveal is personal and private. It might be 
  a youthful indiscretion, or a mistake the victim has long 
  since repented that has come back to haunt them.
  A variation on the blackmail scenario is for a villain to 
  blackmail one or more of the heroes! The most common 
  information is knowledge of a hero’s secret identity, which 
  a villain can potentially auction off to the highest bidder, 
  unless a hero is willing to pay hush money or otherwise 
  meet the blackmailer’s demands to keep quiet. An extor-
  tionist might learn of other skeletons in a hero’s closet, 
  ranging from a secret criminal past to knowledge about 
  the hero’s true origins, such as being related to a notorious 
  villain. How the heroes deal with the threat of blackmail 
  can be a major turning point and a test of their convic-
  tions. In the comics, would-be blackmailers often end up 
  either dead or robbed of their memories, or at least of 
  whatever proof they might have, rendering their threat 
  harmless. Keep in mind, however, that such scenarios 
  have the potential to significantly alter a character’s life 
  and career.
  DEMANDS
  Once the threat is established, there’s the matter of what 
  the extortionist wants in exchange for holding off. Are the 
  victims willing to meet the villain’s demands and, if so, for 
  how long? Or will they choose to call the extortionist’s 
  bluff, hoping the villain really is bluffing and won’t carry 
  out the threat? The range of demands varies depending 
  on the extortionist’s goals.
  CASH
  The most common demand is for cold, hard cash, usually 
  as much of it as the extortionist thinks the victim is willing 
  and able to hand over. As with the Ransom discussed for 
  Kidnapping schemes, different villains require different 
  kinds of currency, from small bills to bearer bonds or elec-
  tronic transfers, handed over in various ways.
  Commonly, extortionists (especially blackmailers) tend to 
  get greedy. Once they get an initial cash payment, they 
  are tempted to milk the scheme—and the victim—for all 
  they can. So one payment may turn into several, slowly 
  bleeding the victim dry. The criminal may even demand a 
  “payment plan” up-front, expecting regular sums of mon-
  ey to stave off the threat. A common motive for murder 
  is to eliminate an extortionist and put an end to their de-
  mands, while also ending the threat (at least until some-
  body else finds out about it).
  OBJECTS
  Rather than money, an extortionist may be interested in 
  something else, usually a particular rare or hard-to-get 
  item or piece of information. Thus a villain might extort 
  the owner of a particular corporation to acquire some 
  new piece of technology or a component in one of the 
  villain’s other schemes. An arch-foe could threaten the 
  city with destruction in an effort to force a hero to unmask 
  in public, or even just admit responsibility for the actions 
  that led to the villain’s vendetta.
  Heroes may try and stage a fake hand-off of a demand in 
  this case to draw the villain out, or at least buy them enough 
  time to find the extortionist and nullify the threat. So passing 
  off a fake for the item the mad scientist needs to complete 
  his doomsday device may not only offer the good guys a 
  chance at capturing him, but can also thwart his long-term 
  plans... if the villain doesn’t catch the switch right away.
  FAVORS
  Lastly, the extortionist may ask for certain favors or ser-
  vices from the victim. This is generally limited to blackmail 
  170
  170
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  MURDER
  “Some might call this justice... I think of it as fun.”
  Outright killings are often more of a threat in the comics than an actual reality, although in some Iron Age and modern 
  comics the body counts can be quite high. Still, murder (or, at least, attempted murder) is a common crime, and it is up 
  to the heroes to ensure it remains just attempted rather than successful.
  THE MOTIVE
  Why does the villain want to kill someone? The motive is 
  the driving force behind the scheme, so it is the first thing 
  to consider. People are willing to kill for any number of 
  reasons, but the assumption for a murder scheme is a pre-
  meditated crime, one the heroes can potentially thwart, 
  which limits the range of motives somewhat.
  REVENGE
  One of the most common motives for murder is revenge: 
  the villain feels wronged by the target and intends to ex-
  act vengeance. The good thing from the heroes’ perspec-
  tive is that a quick and unexpected death is not usually 
  enough to satisfy revenge-obsessed villains. No, the vic-
  tim has to know who is responsible and why. This means 
  either a series of threats or near-misses intended to instill 
  terror in the victim, along with taunting threats to make 
  clear who is responsible, or else a kidnapping scheme (see 
  Kidnapping) that culminates in the death of the victim, 
  once the villain has had time to rant and rave and perhaps 
  torment the target before finally finishing the deed.
  Sometimes a villain’s revenge killing may almost be justi-
  fied, such as a monster created by callous scientific experi-
  mentation going after the scientists or the management-
  threats, wherein the blackmailer initially asks for some-
  thing fairly innocuous. Once the victim is committed, of 
  course, each additional favor digs the hole deeper, as they 
  only give the criminal more material with which to black-
  mail the victim, until eventually the villain can demand 
  almost anything.
  A villain such as the Crime Lord (see page 82) may have 
  an extensive network of blackmail and extortion, provid-
  ing leverage throughout a city’s government and judicial 
  system. This is part of what makes the villain so danger-
  ous, and one of the prime reasons why only an incorrupt-
  ible and unknown (i.e., masked and mysterious) vigilante 
  working outside the system can take that villain down.
  171
  171
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  types responsible. Still, heroes dedicated to the idea that 
  killing is wrong should look to prevent the crime and con-
  vince the attacker not to sink to the level of the real crimi-
  nals. There is a fine line between “justice” and “revenge,” 
  especially in the world of masked vigilantes, and a hero 
  who crosses that line may become a fugitive from the law 
  for executing criminals rather than bringing them to jus-
  tice (a version of the Assassin or Martial Artist archetypes 
  as vigilantes).
  JUST BUSINESS
  Murder-for-hire is a lucrative job for villains with the right 
  abilities, and heroes may face off against mercenaries 
  and assassins. They range from non-powered but highly 
  skilled (and equipped) professionals such as the Assas-
  sin archetype (see page 76) to superhumans willing to 
  use their powers to make a literal killing as mercenaries. 
  Usually the good guys are tipped off by either a failed first 
  attempt at a hit or the first in a series of assassinations of 
  related targets. They might also learn about a known killer 
  coming into their territory from underworld or police con-
  tacts and take the proactive step of trying to find the vil-
  lain before anyone dies.
  Professional killers generally do not have it in for the he-
  roes unless they happen to get in the way of the job. Then 
  all bets are off, unless the killer has a particular honor 
  code about not taking out “bystanders” or simply “not do-
  ing freebies,” letting the good guys live because nobody is 
  paying to have them killed!
  In fact, sometimes the hired killer is gunning for the he-
  roes themselves. Master villains often hire assassins to 
  remove heroic obstacles to their plans, and the first the 
  heroes may learn of a villain’s scheme is when someone 
  takes a shot at them. Capturing and interrogating the as-
  sassin can provide clues to kick off the investigation and 
  move the plot along.
  MAKING AN EXAMPLE
  Criminals use murder as a means of terrorizing others and 
  keeping them in line by making an example of someone. 
  The classic Silver Age master villain casually kills under-
  lings who dare to question his judgment as an example 
  to the others, while criminal syndicates murder those who 
  refuse to toe the line or choose to defy them.
  Knowing this, a potentially defiant underling or target 
  may seek out a group of known superheroes for pro-
  tection from the villain’s inevitable wrath. Consider the 
  agent of a criminal organization, willing to spill all that 
  he knows in exchange for protection from the agency’s 
  assassins, or the target of an extortion racket willing to 
  testify in court, provided the heroes can keep him alive 
  long enough to do so.
  COVERING TRACKS
  A victim may be marked for death for knowing too 
  much, information that could potentially damage the 
  killer’s future plans. For example, some victims of extor-
  tion schemes (see Extortion) try to kill the blackmailer to 
  put an end to the threat. Villains often kill to cover their 
  tracks, eliminating witnesses to their crimes, or killing the 
  one expert who could figure out their scheme before it is 
  too late, and in so doing triggering an investigation that 
  brings the heroes right to their doors.
  This motive is the one most likely to end up with the good 
  guys investigating a murder rather than trying to prevent 
  one, but a potential target who knows of the danger may 
  come looking to trade information for heroic protection. 
  Sometimes this ends with the heroes as witnesses to the 
  murder, with the victim managing to gasp out one final 
  clue. In other cases, the good guys can protect the target 
  long enough to make use of the information and take 
  down the villain.
  THE PROTECTION
  The primary obstacle between the killer and the target is 
  often the heroes, but the villain’s plans must take into ac-
  count any other protection the target might have. High-
  profile types such as government officials, executives, 
  and celebrities often have hired bodyguards or the direct 
  protection of law enforcement. Witnesses to crimes and 
  criminals willing to enter protective custody also have po-
  lice protection, or even that of a federal agency.
  Many of the same measures discussed under The Secu-
  rity in the Theft scheme are also used to protect people, 
  although security measures also decrease the ability of 
  someone to move about freely and without notice.
  A target’s protection may prove sufficient to thwart the 
  initial attempt, but so narrowly that the heroes get called 
  in to help deal with the problem before the killer tries 
  again.
  THE EXECUTION
  When it comes down to exactly how the killing will be 
  carried out, the answer is usually some sort of direct con-
  frontation, although not necessarily between the person 
  who orders the killing and the victim. Proxies are often 
  used, from hired assassins to killer robots, but the key is 
  the attempted killing is something the heroes can prevent 
  through quick and decisive action. Comic book murders 
  rarely use exotic poisons, for example, unless the heroes 
  are likely to have the means of preventing the poisoning 
  or saving the victim. A method that leads to a big fight 
  generally works better than one that does not.
  As with many things, the villain’s motif may dictate the 
  preferred method of execution. A professional assassin 
  might use a sniper rifle from a distant rooftop, setting up 
  a shot with great precision; a hero notices the targeting 
  laser at the last instant and pushes the victim out of the 
  way, or leaps in the path of the bullet. Conversely, a crimi-
  nal obsessed with chess might send the victim a booby-
  trapped chess set or even go for an elaborate deathtrap 
  where the victim is forced to play a live game of chess 
  against murderous robot “pieces” that “take” other pieces 
  in the game by smashing or destroying them!
  172
  172
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  “Hello there, my pretties...”
  Some villains do not want power, revenge, or attention ... they simply want things, and they are willing to steal them. 
  Indeed, theft may be the only way of getting certain rarities, and a lot of super-criminals simply find it easier to use their 
  abilities to steal rather than for honest work.
  In other cases, theft is merely a means to an end for villains, providing them with either needed cash or various resourc-
  es to further their other schemes. These thefts may tip off the authorities—and the heroes—about the villain’s plans, 
  giving them a chance to investigate and do something before it is too late.
  The primary elements of a theft scheme are the target, what is between it and the thief (the security), and dealing with 
  the goods after they have been stolen.
  THE TARGET
  The target of a theft may be something obviously valu-
  able, such as cash, or an item whose value is known only 
  to the thief (and, perhaps, its owner). Some targets are 
  common but well protected, others rare.
  CASH
  Cold, hard cash is still a thief’s favorite target, although 
  it is more difficult than every for modern thieves to get 
  away with large amounts of paper currency and still be 
  able to spend it. Countermeasures such as tracking serial 
  numbers, dye packs to permanently stain bills, ultraviolet 
  imprints, and so forth make it easier to render cash both 
  traceable and useless to the thief.
  On the other hand, things like automatic teller machines 
  (ATMs) can make stealing small amounts of cash relatively 
  easy, especially for super-powered villains able to simply 
  rip an ATM out of a wall or lift a freestanding one and carry 
  it away! The crook can then simply crack open the case 
  and pull out the cash at leisure.
  Thieves looking for cash tend to target places and people 
  with a lot of it: banks, major retailers, armored cars, and so 
  forth. There is also the modern option of stealing cash elec-
  tronically, although this is a harder crime for superheroes 
  to thwart, unless they have computer- or electronic-related 
  powers (for a confrontation with the thief in cyberspace, for 
  example), or they can track the villain back to his lair.
  VALUABLES
  “Valuables” is a catch-all for things with a significant mon-
  etary value that are not usable as cash, ranging from 
  jewelry and precious metals to antiques, electronics, and 
  more. The items’ value might be more historic or senti-
  mental than strictly material; rare valuables are more dif-
  ficult to sell, but also tend to have wealthier buyers inter-
  ested in acquiring them.
  This category can also include commodities, such as crude 
  oil or other materials transported and sold in bulk. They’re 
  rarely the targets of supervillain attacks, however, unless 
  the villain in question is leading a band of modern pirates 
  or is otherwise interested in such resources (say, a villain in 
  need of raw materials to build a new nation-state).
  THEFT
  THEMED THEFTS
  One way of differentiating thieves in an M&M series, especially one with a Silver Age flavor, is to give them a strong modus 
  operandi and a tendency toward “themed” crimes. So, rather than just stealing anything of value, for example, the Luna 
  Moth always goes for items of feminine luxury, like jewelry, rare perfumes, furs, and high fashion, while the Trawler hunts 
  the ocean floor for shipwrecks, perhaps even causing one or two to provide opportunities for “salvage.” Doc Holiday 
  steals whatever is most prominent on the calendar—rare and priceless ornaments for Christmas, national treasures on 
  Independence Day, and so forth—while Scrounge is only interested in the gadgets and devices of other costumed types.
  Themed thefts provide villains with a degree of character and style, and they also help out the heroes, who may see a 
  particular crime and immediately think of the villain behind it. They make the bad guys who just go after mere cash seem 
  that much more pedestrian. Themed thefts also provide the occasional opportunity to play against expectations, having 
  one villain use another’s M.O. as a frame-up or to throw the heroes off-track. Don’t do this too often, however, or you’ll 
  make the themes less useful overall.
  As discussed under Motive, villains out for revenge are 
  not likely to be satisfied with quick and clean killings. 
  They want the opportunity to confront the victims, per-
  haps toy with them, draw out their torment. The same 
  is also true of many serial-killer types, who often go for 
  particular victim profiles and have complex rituals for 
  carrying out their crimes. In terms of plot, these proclivi-
  ties give the heroes the opportunity to locate the victim 
  and arrive just in the nick of time to prevent the villain 
  from following through.
  173
  173
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  In addition to prototypes, thieves may be interested in tech-
  nological components, useful for creating said prototypes, 
  and furthering a villain’s own schemes. So a mad scientist 
  who comes up with a design for an anti-gravity device may 
  need certain items to actually build it, and have no choice 
  but to steal them. The same goes for a great many villainous 
  inventions, and the theft of the technology helps to clue 
  heroes in on what the bad guy is planning.
  THE SECURITY
  Sometimes there’s next to nothing standing between the 
  villain and the target, in which case the theft is a simple 
  matter of actually taking it. Most of the time, however, 
  there is some kind of security in place to prevent theft, 
  something the villain needs to get around.
  Barring the use of various powers, the primary trait for 
  getting past security measures is the Technology skill 
  (M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 75) and professional thieves 
  will have as much training with it as reasonably possible. 
  As a general guideline, someone with a +10 skill modifier 
  can expect to overcome most common locks and simple 
  alarms, a +20 modifier makes a character a major profes-
  sional thief, while a +30 modifier is sufficient to beat virtu-
  ally any security system in the world, with enough plan-
  ning and preparation.
  LOCKS
  Locking systems restrict access, from keeping doors and 
  windows closed to sealing display cabinets or shutting 
  entire vaults and their contents. They include not only the 
  latches on doors, windows, and other means of entering 
  or leaving a building, but also locks on safes, vaults, and 
  even containers holding items.
  While older locks may still be simple mechanical tumblers 
  or pin designs, more modern locks are often electronic 
  and may include “keys” such as fingerprint, palm-print, 
  and retinal scanners, along with voice identification and 
  similar measures. A clever thief may be able to fake the 
  information needed to open the lock (especially if the 
  thief is a shapeshifter or illusionist) without having to 
  overcome it through other means.
  Some locks may present particularly difficult challenges, 
  such as a magical seal only certain individuals can open, 
  or a sophisticated encryption key with a complex math-
  ematical formula. In some cases, it might be necessary for 
  the thief to steal the key before being able to stage the 
  theft of whatever is protected by the lock! Alternately, a 
  frustrated thief might come after the key after discover-
  ing no other way around it.
  ALARMS
  Alarms alert guards, owners, and others of a potential 
  theft. They are triggered by something, ranging from 
  simple electrical circuits broken by opening doors or win-
  dows to sophisticated sensors capable of facial recogni-
  tion or picking up human body heat, for example. If an 
  THEFT AS PRELUDE
  Often, a theft is merely the first step in a villain’s larger 
  scheme, and the first clue the heroes get of something 
  afoot. Therefore, the theft often takes place before the start 
  of the adventure. The good guys get called in or otherwise 
  hear about the crime, and the investigation begins.
  One offbeat way of staging this is to run a “prelude” 
  scene wherein the players take the roles of security 
  guards, bystanders, or other people who witness the 
  theft. Then play out the crime, perhaps with one or more 
  “citizen heroes” trying to stop the thieves. If the players 
  do a good job, in spite of certain defeat, award them 
  each a hero point, starting the good guys off with a 
  slight advantage. You can also more easily skip over the 
  police recap of what happened, since the players were 
  “there” to see for themselves.
  You can do the same sort of prelude and include one or 
  more of the heroes, who might be present in their secret 
  identities. Circumstances prevent them from stopping the 
  crime, but they learn enough to tell their teammates where 
  to start looking and get a jump on the thieves’ next target.
  INFORMATION
  Information has always been a valuable commodity, from 
  personal and state secrets to industrial espionage. In the 
  modern world, information can be both easier to secure 
  and simpler to steal and transport than ever. “Stealing” 
  information generally means something recorded, from 
  a notebook to a compact disc or computer hard drive. 
  Digital information might also be stolen over the Internet, 
  although security generally takes that possibility into ac-
  count, often isolating the information offline and making 
  it inaccessible in that way.
  The value of the information depends a great deal on 
  what it is. Personal information might be used for black-
  mail, especially if it is embarrassing or incriminating. Al-
  ternatively, it could be exploited for identity theft, used to 
  acquire other valuables or information, such as emptying 
  someone’s bank account, or gaining access to a secure 
  vault. Political or technical information may be valuable 
  in its own right to certain parties, particularly competing 
  nations and businesses.
  HIGH TECHNOLOGY
  Closely related to the theft of information is that of high 
  technology, typically one-of-a-kind prototypes or pro-
  duction models. This may be instead of or in addition 
  to stealing the plans and technical specifications of the 
  technology. Just about any high-tech invention found in 
  a comic book super-science lab is a potential target. If 
  a scientist invents a matter-duplicating ray as a way of 
  ending world hunger or economies based on scarcity, 
  you can be sure a villain will see it as the key to endless 
  personal wealth or power. The same applies to technol-
  ogy for invisibility, telepathy, memory alteration, tele-
  portation, and just about every other well-intentioned 
  scientific project.
  174
  174
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  alarm is triggered, it sets off a predetermined alert, rang-
  ing from flashing lights and loud klaxons to a silent alarm 
  flashing on a monitoring panel elsewhere.
  In game terms, alarms have a trigger, often based around 
  a passive Perception score for a sensor connected to the 
  alarm. For example, an alarm may go off in a door is opened 
  while it is active. Alternately, an alarm may have a computer-
  controlled camera, with a routine Perception check of 18, 
  providing a DC for checks such as Stealth to avoid detection.
  Attempts to disarm alarms use the guidelines given for 
  the Technology skill. In some cases, a failed attempt to 
  disable an alarm also sets it off. For others, the tampering 
  is only detected if the alarm itself is monitored.
  Some thieves may be so brazen as to set off an alarm de-
  liberately once the theft is complete, in order to taunt the 
  guards or owners, perhaps even to bring witnesses run-
  ning just in time to see the thief escape. In other cases, 
  the first “alarm” raised is when someone notices the theft!
  SENSORS
  Sensors provide information about the environment 
  around a protected object or area. Unlike alarms, sensors 
  are not usually triggered by anything, but are on all the 
  time. They may be monitored by computer or by a living 
  operator, with orders to trigger an alarm or take some other 
  action if an intruder or other sensor information is detected.
  The primary problems sensors create for thieves are 
  acting as a kind of alarm (previously), where someone 
  monitoring the sensor may discover the theft in progress, 
  and capturing information about the thief and the theft 
  that investigators may use after the fact to track down 
  the missing item(s) and whomever took them. The latter 
  is not so much of a concern if the thief wants everyone 
  to know who did it. If not, then the sensors must be dis-
  abled, but in such a way that it does not raise suspicions. 
  The Concealment power comes in very useful for a thief 
  in these situations, and a silent, invisible intruder can get 
  away with a great deal without fear of detection.
  GUARDS
  Guards serve as sentries to both keep watch (or moni-
  tor the sensors and alarms that do) and to take action to 
  stop and capture thieves. In a superhero setting, guards 
  do not have to be ordinary humans, but can be almost 
  anything—robots, demons, animated statues, trained an-
  imals, or the like—that suits the owner’s proclivities and 
  resources. Still, the most common guards will be ordinary 
  hired humans. See the Minion Archetypes in Chapter 3 
  for some useful game information and ideas on who (or 
  what) might be standing guard.
  THE HEIST
  Actually committing the theft can involve one of a num-
  ber of different approaches, depending on the circum-
  stances and the villain. The major ones are a break-in, a 
  hold-up, or trying to take the target as it is moved from 
  one place to another (en route). Any of these approaches 
  might be done subtly or using brute force.
  BREAK-IN
  A break-in involves getting into where the target is kept, 
  taking it, and leaving, with or without anyone else know-
  ing you have done it. The subtle break-in approach is the 
  classic “cat burglar” where a stealthy thief disables locks 
  CLASSIC THEFTS
  The following are some classic comic book style thefts 
  you can use in your own M&M game:
  BANK
  Perhaps the ultimate comic book theft is holding up 
  a bank, so much so it has become cliché. Comic-style 
  bank heists—where criminals in ski-masks carrying guns 
  ransack the place, stuffing money into sacks, with the 
  getaway car idling out front—are relatively rare in reality. 
  That doesn’t mean you can’t run such a scenario for your 
  heroes, however. You can liven it up with twists such as 
  having one or more of the heroes in the bank in their 
  secret identities when the robbers show up, or the crooks 
  associating with one or more villains to back them up.
  JEWELERS
  Next to a bank, a jewelers is the most popular theft target: 
  jewelry is valuable, portable, and relatively easy to fence, 
  since it can often be melted down or broken up. Modern 
  gemstones often have microscopic serial numbers or ID 
  tags to help identify and track down stolen goods, some-
  thing criminals may or may not take into account.
  CHARITIES
  One of the lowest lows for villains is robbing a charitable 
  event with a lot of cash on-hand, not only taking the 
  money, but also depriving the most worthy and needy 
  people from getting it. High-society charity events also 
  tend to offer plenty of wealthy people with other valu-
  ables (jewelry, etc.) or worthy of ransom themselves.
  TECHNOLOGY
  It’s quite common for villains to steal technology (or 
  technological information). It is usually so they can use 
  the tech or incorporate it into another scheme, although 
  some just want to sell it to the highest bidder. Some 
  technology thefts can lead to whole new villain origins, 
  such as a criminal using a stolen military power-suit to 
  become a new supervillain.
  ARTIFACTS
  In the same vein as technology, ancient artifacts tend 
  to go missing, stolen not just for their historic or mone-
  tary value, but often for arcane secrets or powers they 
  contain. In the comics, private collections, museums, 
  and art galleries are always having run-ins with thieves 
  looking to get their hands on the Mask of Mysteries or 
  the Scarab of Life Eternal.
  175
  175
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  and alarms, slips into a secure area, takes the item, and 
  slips back out again. The first anyone learns of the theft 
  is when the target turns up missing sometime later, al-
  though break-ins often encounter unexpected trouble if 
  the thief manages to set off an alarm along the way.
  The brute force approach is to simply smash in through 
  any defenses, ignore alarms, disable guards, and take 
  what you want, using force against anyone foolish 
  enough to stop you. It’s the preferred method for villains 
  lacking in subtle skill, who generally don’t care if anyone 
  notices them (or actually prefer their actions be noticed), 
  especially if said villains are physically powerful enough to 
  ignore obstacles such as concrete walls and guards armed 
  with nothing more than firearms. A brute-force break-in 
  may partake of some of the less violent techniques—es-
  pecially if, say, picking a lock happens to be faster than 
  trying to break through it—but it aims for expediency.
  HOLD-UP
  A hold-up is much like a break-in, except it involves deal-
  ing with people present at the crime scene, usually forc-
  ing their cooperation. So, for example, sneaking into a 
  closed bank, disabling the alarms, and opening the vault 
  to empty it is a break-in, whereas coming into the bank 
  while people are present, threatening them to ensure 
  compliance, and perhaps forcing them to help you emp-
  ty out the vault is a hold-up.
  The simplest hold-up is essentially a mugging, where the 
  thief takes something from someone by threat of force, 
  with or without actually using it against the victim. More 
  complex hold-ups can easily turn into hostage situations 
  as the criminals try to enforce cooperation from the vic-
  tims but also have to deal with alerted heroes or authori-
  ties. A break-in gone wrong can turn into a hold-up situ-
  ation, if someone happens to notice what the thieves are 
  doing and confronts them.
  Hold-ups are brute-force arrangements by nature. Some 
  are more carefully planned set-ups using only the threat 
  of force, while others are more impromptu affairs where 
  the villains gladly make examples of any would-be heroes 
  among the hostages, and do not particularly care who 
  gets hurt in the process.
  EN ROUTE
  One of the easiest times to steal something is often 
  when it is in the process of being moved from one place 
  to another. There is usually less security and you can 
  sometimes simply grab whatever it is being moved in: hi-
  jack an armored car, snatch a briefcase or package from 
  a courier, and so forth. That is not to say targets en route 
  have no security with them; breaching an armored car 
  is still tricky, but it is easier than opening a time-locked 
  bank vault.
  As an additional benefit, an en route theft usually pro-
  vides for a quick getaway. Rather than being trapped in 
  a bank or other building, the villains likely have vehicles 
  or movement capabilities of their own and can simply run 
  once they have what they came for. This can turn the con-
  frontation into a chase scene.
  FENCING THE GOODS
  Once the theft is carried out, there comes the question 
  of what to do with the stolen goods. If the primary mo-
  tive for the theft was money, then the villains need to 
  “launder” cash and fence stolen valuables, turning them 
  into spendable funds. If the theft was done for-hire, 
  then there is the matter of turning the goods over to the 
  thief’s employer.
  These occasions provide opportunities for the heroes, 
  since they can cover known fences and dealers in the 
  kinds of goods stolen, hoping to pick up on signs of the 
  thieves setting up a meeting. They can likewise attempt 
  to trace the stolen goods, using means such as electronic 
  tracking devices, or various superhuman senses.
  The fencing of stolen goods can also provide an opportu-
  nity for investigators after the fact. Take the example of a 
  stolen gemstone that is then sold to a private buyer who 
  brags about it to the wrong person. Heroes can backtrack 
  from the buyer to the fence who sold the stone, perhaps 
  learning who originally brought it in. This can lead to a 
  breakthrough in an investigation where a thief’s identity 
  is unknown, or provide information on a known thief’s 
  whereabouts.
  ADVENTURE ELEMENTS
  It’s harder to provide challenges for heroes able to fly and ignore gunfire, and some powers can short-circuit plots alto-
  gether, if they are not handled properly. On the other hand, super-powers also provide plot hooks and opportunities for 
  new rewards players can earn during the game.
  There are a couple things to keep in mind running M&M adventures. The first is to allow heroes the opportunity to actually 
  use their abilities. The second is to keep the game from becoming entirely about those abilities and not the heroes.
  SPOTLIGHT TIME
  An important part of having powers is the opportunity 
  to use them. After all, each player has devoted points to 
  powers, so they should be able to have fun with them. 
  Therefore, every adventure should ideally offer “spotlight 
  time” to each hero, letting them all show off their abilities.
  This means spotlighting the particular abilities of each 
  hero. You can spotlight combat-related abilities with a fight, 
  but that doesn’t necessarily suit the skulker, who needs to 
  176
  176
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  sneak around, or the clairvoyant, who wants a chance to 
  demonstrate his unique insight. It also includes any non-
  powered characters in the group. They need spotlight time 
  just as much (if not more!) than the ones with powers.
  Try and ensure each adventure has opportunities for all of 
  the heroes to shine, whatever their powers and abilities 
  may be. This usually means some get to take center stage in 
  one scene, then step aside for others in another part of the 
  adventure. Sometimes it’s impossible (or just impractical) 
  to include spotlight time for everyone in the same adven-
  ture. When this happens, at least try and balance things out 
  over the course of multiple adventures. If you run a com-
  bat-intensive game where the skulkers and thinkers don’t 
  have much to do, try to have an espionage-style adventure 
  not long thereafter to give them their time in the spotlight.
  If there are particular powers or abilities you don’t think 
  you’ll be able to spotlight in the series at all—either be-
  cause you don’t like the type of adventures involving 
  them or because they don’t fit into your idea of the game’s 
  style—you’re better off asking players not to create he-
  roes with those powers right from the beginning. That 
  way, you can be sure to include everyone and the players 
  won’t feel neglected or cheated of opportunities for their 
  characters to shine.
  THE HUMAN TOUCH
  While it’s important to allow the heroes to show off their 
  powers, it is equally important to have adventures and 
  encounters where the heroes’ powers don’t really matter, 
  where it’s the human and not the superhuman element 
  that’s significant.
  Focusing on interpersonal relationships and subplots is a 
  good way of doing this. Provide a recurring supporting cast 
  for the series to give the heroes opportunities to interact and 
  form relationships. Encourage the players to roleplay and in-
  teract in-character during the game. Then you can include 
  subplots to give the heroes a human touch: a powerful wiz-
  ard worries about his ailing mentor and hopes to find a cure 
  for the ravages of age; a teen superhero is hiding her powers 
  from her family and trying to get a date for the prom while 
  battling supervillains downtown; the monster-slaying hero 
  has to reconcile his love for a beautiful and seductive vam-
  pire, who may or may not be leading him on; and so forth.
  You can also introduce challenges in adventures where 
  the heroes’ powers don’t make any real difference. Be-
  ing immune to bullets and able to pick up buses doesn’t 
  necessarily give a hero an immediate solution to a tense 
  hostage or rescue situation. Divinely granted powers may 
  not help a hero resolve a schism over religious doctrine. 
  Being able to read minds may actually complicate matters 
  for a heroine trying to have a “normal” relationship with 
  a non-psychic… especially when she suspects there’s 
  something her significant other isn’t telling her.
  When creating adventures, ask yourself these two ques-
  tions: What are the best opportunities to spotlight the 
  characters’ capabilities, and what are the best opportuni-
  ties to spotlight the characters as individuals?
  POWERS AS PLOTS
  Powers also serve as plot hooks, providing ideas for dif-
  ferent adventures and complications. Some of the more 
  common power-based plots include the following:
  177
  177
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  • 
  Secret Origin. Clues may arise about the true origin 
  or source of a mysterious power. Perhaps someone 
  turns up claiming to be a long-lost relative with simi-
  lar or identical powers and knowledge of a charac-
  ter’s true origins. A religious cult might attach itself to 
  a hero, proclaiming him their messiah and fervently 
  believing his powers are divinely given (whether 
  they are or not). Conversely, monster-hunters may at-
  tack, claiming the hero’s powers are actually a sign of 
  demonic influence, or even possession. Some claims 
  may be misguided, delusional, or attempts to scam 
  the hero, but others may be true (at least, from a cer-
  tain point of view).
  • 
  Power Alteration. Some incident alters a hero’s 
  powers in some way, creating new opportunities 
  and headaches. Examples include sudden temporary 
  increases or decreases in power rank, shifts in power 
  focus (a fire-controller switches over to harnessing 
  cold or water for a time), temporary loss of powers 
  altogether, or the sudden acquisition of new 
  powers. An accident may even cause a group of 
  characters to switch powers! Such alterations are 
  usually temporary, lasting no more than one or two 
  adventures, and resolved by the end of the story. Still, 
  some power alterations may be permanent, or lead 
  to less serious lasting changes once they’re resolved.
  • 
  Power Improvement. Chances to improve powers 
  can lead to adventures. Heroes may seek out teach-
  ers, guides, or experts to assist them. They may need 
  rare elements or devices to expand or alter their 
  powers, and some improvements may only be pos-
  sible under certain conditions or at specific times. A 
  patron may require a quest or similar undertaking 
  before granting additional power. Conversely, he-
  roes may take up a task to remove flaws or even rid 
  themselves of an unwanted or uncontrolled power. 
  Antagonists may dangle opportunities for power 
  improvement in front of the heroes as bribes or 
  temptations.
  • 
  Uncontrolled Power. An uncontrolled power can 
  certainly cause complications. A normally controlled 
  power can also become uncontrolled as a complica-
  tion due to accident, injury, and so forth. This can 
  create problems during an otherwise routine adven-
  ture, as the hero and his allies try to cope with the 
  unpredictable power. Perhaps a particularly inauspi-
  cious event (celestial alignment, passing comet, holy 
  day, sunspots, dimensional shift, or whatever) causes 
  some or even all powers to become uncontrolled for 
  a while!
  MEANINGFUL CHALLENGES
  How do you offer meaningful challenges to heroes able to 
  shrug off bullets, fly through the air, see through walls, or 
  read minds? (Or all of the above!) Some traditional adven-
  ture challenges become almost meaningless when super-
  powers get involved, so you need to either adjust the level 
  of challenge according to the powers or find new things 
  to challenge the heroes.
  178
  178
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  THREAT OF FORCE
  In many settings a gunshot or dagger thrust is a serious 
  concern. This isn’t the case when you’ve got sufficient 
  Toughness to shrug off such puny weapons, or even great-
  er attacks, without even flinching. How do you threaten 
  heroes who are practically invulnerable, or possess com-
  bat traits great enough to win any fight they get into?
  The first, and most obvious, way is using overwhelm-
  ing force. A hero is immune to bullets? How well can he 
  handle a bazooka or a shoulder-fired missile? He is one of 
  the world’s greatest martial artists? What about one of his 
  close rivals, or even one of the handful of fighters in the 
  world better than him?
  Oftentimes threats of force are a matter of scale: there’s 
  nearly always a greater force to use against the character, 
  although it’s difficult to justify that force all the time. An or-
  dinary mugger isn’t going to be carrying hand-grenades, 
  and the guards at a top-secret facility aren’t all going to be 
  among the top ten unarmed fighters in the world. Such 
  routine challenges just aren’t challenging for someone 
  with extraordinary powers, which is just as it should be.
  One concern with overwhelming force is it can be too 
  overwhelming; the hero virtually immune to gunfire 
  might be seriously hurt by an anti-tank rocket. This be-
  comes especially true when dealing with very powerful 
  attacks and defenses. There’s a huge difference between a 
  conventional weapon and a tacnuke, for example. Beware 
  that you don’t overwhelm characters when trying to chal-
  lenge them.
  When high Impervious Toughness scores are an obstacle, 
  you can use more exotic sorts of attacks, either Afflictions 
  or modifiers like Alternate Resistance. Tough heroes may 
  still need to breathe, or have other weak spots. Again, be 
  careful attacks bypassing the target’s Toughness aren’t 
  too powerful. Still, having unusual attacks show up from 
  time to time can keep players on their toes and prevent 
  them from becoming complacent in their invulnerability.
  Then there are always threats of force against others. 
  Sure, the hero may be nigh-invulnerable, but odds are his 
  friends and loved ones, or even his teammates, aren’t. Ene-
  mies may take hostages, or threaten the hero with attacks 
  he could surely survive, but which will also devastate the 
  surrounding area. Even if you can walk away unharmed 
  from a nuclear blast, do you really want one to go off in 
  the middle of your home town? The collateral damage 
  around an otherwise invulnerable target can be as serious 
  as personal injury in some ways, perhaps even worse. This 
  is typically an advantage villains have over heroes; many 
  care nothing for collateral damage or harm to others and 
  so take full advantage of their own invulnerability.
  MYSTERIES
  Powers like Mind Reading and Remote Sensing can make 
  a mockery of any mystery in an adventure. With a single 
  successful check, the hero has it all figured out. Game 
  over. How do you pose a mystery for such abilities?
  The most straightforward means is to prevent the powers 
  from solving the problem. For example, perhaps the mur-
  derer has amnesia and doesn’t know he’s the guilty party 
  (keeping a mind-reader from solving it). Or the criminal 
  has powers of his own and uses them to cover his tracks 
  with, for example, a version of Nullify, clearing any trace 
  evidence effects like Postcognition or other Senses might 
  pick up later. These tend to be rather brute-force methods, 
  since they render the powers the player paid points for 
  relatively useless. You shouldn’t over-use them or players 
  may rightly feel cheated.
  A more complex option is to make the powers key to 
  solving the mystery without making it an easy solution. 
  Perhaps it’s a crime or riddle so baffling that powers are 
  required to even have a chance of figuring it out (a good 
  reason for the heroes to get involved in the first place: the 
  problem is beyond the conventional authorities). Perhaps 
  a medium can contact the spirit of a murder victim, but 
  there are spiritual obstacles in the way. A special ritual is 
  necessary to contact the victim, and even then things are 
  not what they appear. For example, the victim may have 
  actually committed suicide, but a guilty relative arranged 
  things to look like murder to cover up the truth.
  Finally, you can start a mystery based on an extrasensory 
  ability. Perhaps someone has a precognitive vision of his 
  own death, and has to figure out how and when it will 
  happen in order to prevent it. A telepath may pick up a 
  stray thought from someone in a crowd, suggesting a 
  threat of violence. Now he must find the criminal before 
  his scheme can go forward, and also find solid evidence to 
  take to the authorities, since mind-reading doesn’t consti-
  tute sufficient cause to arrest or convict someone!
  TIME AND DISTANCE
  Many challenges in adventures involve issues of time and 
  distance: heroes have to travel from place to place (often 
  through perilous terrain), cross yawning chasms, ford 
  rushing rivers, and get where they’re going in the nick of 
  time. Such challenges are far less serious for those able to 
  fly, teleport, or walk through solid walls, to say nothing of 
  heroes able to travel through time or jump across dimen-
  sional barriers!
  In some cases, the ability to ignore trifles (like travel time) 
  suits M&M games just fine. For example, superheroes 
  rarely worry about getting from place to place; they make 
  the trip “between panels” in a negligible amount of time. 
  On the other hand, some challenges rely on travel to one 
  degree or another. If heroes can bypass every wall, fence, 
  gate, and locked door with ease, then those things aren’t 
  viable challenges.
  While lesser challenges of time and distance are simply 
  irrelevant to those with the right powers, you can pose 
  others. For example, if a teleporter needs to see or prop-
  erly visualize his destination, then a maze or a location an 
  indeterminate distance underground may make it more 
  difficult (and risky) to make the jump. Perhaps a hero can 
  assume insubstantial form to pass through a wall, but risks 
  drawing the attention of evil wraiths, able to attack him 
  179
  179
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  in that form; and should one of them happen to stun him 
  while he’s inside the wall….
  SOCIAL TABOOS
  Tremendous power allows its wielder to ignore many of 
  the rules of society, both written and unwritten. This is 
  particularly true for those largely immune to harm and 
  having no need of society’s protection or support. With 
  the power to do as they please, heroes may wonder: why 
  should they follow society’s rules? Who’s going to stop 
  them, if they don’t?
  Probably no one, if the violations of social taboo are rela-
  tively minor and infrequent. Throughout history, the pow-
  erful have been able to get away with a great deal more 
  than the weak and powerless. Odds are the same is true 
  of those with superhuman powers. However, the greater 
  the violation, the more likely someone or something will 
  intervene to put a stop to it. Possibilities include the fol-
  lowing:
  • 
  Peers. The first, and most likely, reaction comes from 
  the character’s close friends, family, and associates 
  (possibly including other player characters). Unless 
  the violator is a hermit with no social life, and his vio-
  lations are comparatively minor, he will face the dis-
  approval of those close to him. The GM can use the 
  reactions of these characters to tell players they’re 
  making inappropriate choices.
  • 
  Role Models. A useful way of getting the message 
  about socially unacceptable behavior across to play-
  ers is through a role model, someone the character 
  looks up to or respects. This might be a teacher, men-
  tor, elder statesman, or other experienced NPC. The 
  reprimand might come in the form of a stern lecture, 
  the cold shoulder, or even stronger measures. For 
  example, an experienced hero might feel compelled 
  to bring a wayward peer back to the straight-and-
  narrow (or to the justice of a court!).
  • 
  Social Outcry. After the people closest to the of-
  fender, society in general reacts to any misdeeds. The 
  offender may be shunned in polite society at best, or 
  face legal prosecution at worst. A negative reputa-
  tion is a virtual certainty, affecting reactions toward 
  the character accordingly. In the extreme, there may 
  even be an entire social movement against the char-
  acter (or supers in general).
  • 
  Higher Powers. The ultimate social arbiters may be 
  higher beings, either actual gods or others acting in 
  their stead. In settings where higher powers intervene, 
  they may do so to prevent abuses of power, especially 
  if they control those forces! Characters with divine 
  abilities may lose them for misbehaving, and wielders 
  of other powers may still face higher judgment if they 
  flout social and moral codes. GMs should feel free to 
  give players due warning of such punishment, either 
  in the form of tales of others who have suffered it in 
  the past or a “first warning” from the Powers That Be 
  when they stray too close to crossing the line.
  NORMALS
  When the heroes have powers, it can be difficult to make 
  normal people much of a challenge. That’s in keeping 
  with the comic book superhero genre, where heroes 
  mow through hordes of minions and lesser opponents, 
  and stand head-and-shoulders above ordinary humanity. 
  However, when you want to have an otherwise normal 
  person pose a challenge, how do you do it?
  The solution lies in the definition of “normal.” While some-
  one may be entirely normal physically, and have no powers 
  of any kind, that doesn’t mean he can’t challenge a super-
  powered character, or even a group of them. Just consider 
  some of the advantages a normal person might have:
  • 
  Numbers. One advantage of normal people: there 
  sure are a lot of them. No matter how powerful a 
  hero is, the normal population outnumbers him by a 
  considerable amount. He may be able to take down 
  one soldier easily, but what about ten, a hundred, or 
  even a thousand? What about an entire army? While 
  throwing armies at the heroes shouldn’t be common-
  place (except in the most over-the-top adventures), it 
  is a potential threat leveled against supers who get 
  out of hand. Even on a smaller scale, numbers can 
  make a difference. Trained fighters will use flanking 
  techniques, try and gang up on their opponents, and 
  otherwise seek to take advantage of their superior 
  numbers.
  • 
  Resources. Wealth (and associated resources) can be 
  a great leveler. While a normal antagonist might not 
  have the power to face the heroes in a head-on con-
  frontation, he may be able to hire people who can, 
  as well as bodyguards to keep any super enemies at 
  bay. A wealthy foe can buy out businesses (or simply 
  ruin them), bribe people to cause trouble, and spend 
  money on things like media smear campaigns and 
  whatever countermeasures are available for powers in 
  the series.
  • 
  Equipment. Wealth and resources can also provide 
  all sorts of useful technology. This includes counter-
  measures against powers and other things that help 
  even out a mismatch. How much equipment can 
  help depends on what’s available: a normal person 
  might only have access to common equipment, but 
  some can also afford various devices, edging into the 
  realm of having artificial powers of a sort.
  • 
  Influence. As useful as material resources, if not 
  more so, is the goodwill of the community. A normal 
  adversary with a good reputation and a lot of influ-
  ence can cause plenty of trouble, and there’s very 
  little the heroes can do about it unless they want to 
  provoke a tremendous public backlash. For example, 
  they may know a certain philanthropic businessman 
  secretly hates them and is trying to ruin them, but if 
  they move openly against him, they’ll only support 
  his claim that they are a menace to society, and the 
  authorities will try to protect him! The same can be 
  true of an ambitious politician, or a crime-lord mas-
  querading as an “honest citizen.”
  180
  180
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  Blackmail. Many people have skeletons in their clos-
  et, and the powerful can have very dark secrets. Per-
  haps someone uncovers a secret about the heroes 
  important enough to provide leverage, especially if 
  the blackmailer had the foresight to ensure it will get 
  out should something happen to him.
  • 
  Dependents. A hero’s dependents—friends, family, 
  and loved ones—can become targets of foes looking 
  for leverage or influence over him. A foe simply out 
  for revenge may resort to striking at his target’s loved 
  ones, knowing it will hurt far worse than if he simply 
  killed the hero outright!
  • 
  Vulnerabilities. Powers often come with weak-
  nesses. In addition to the various countermeasures 
  that might take away or neutralize a hero’s powers, 
  there may be other things a knowledgeable enemy 
  can use against him. A demon vulnerable to holy rel-
  ics might confront a normal foe who has surrounded 
  himself with them, for example, and who seeks ref-
  uge on holy ground. A hero weakened by a mysteri-
  ous glowing mineral finds his worst foe has acquired 
  a supply he keeps close at hand. A vampire hero must 
  deal with a crusading priest supplied with garlic, holy 
  water, and wooden stakes, and so forth.
  Normal adversaries may combine some or all of these ad-
  vantages. For example, a government official designed 
  as a foil may wield the influence of the law and have the 
  support of public opinion (as well as law enforcement). 
  A criminal businessman may have considerable wealth, 
  some equipment, and the willingness to use both to ferret 
  out his enemies’ secrets. The “demon-hunting” priest com-
  bines the resources of the church with intimate knowl-
  edge of his prey’s weaknesses and a flock of fanatically 
  loyal followers.
  MEANINGFUL REWARDS
  Just like many challenges seem insignificant to heroes 
  with the power to move mountains, so too the rewards 
  of wealth, influence, and so forth may not matter much to 
  them. What’s the use of wealth when a hero has no mate-
  rial wants or needs? What influence equals the power to 
  control minds? Gamemasters need to consider appropri-
  ate rewards for powerful heroes.
  These rewards are in addition to the simple enjoyment of 
  playing the game, of course, which is a reward everyone 
  gets! It may well be enough for some players, who don’t 
  really care about getting rewards other than having fun. This 
  section addresses options for those players who do care, 
  and might find rewards otherwise lacking in a M&M game.
  ACHIEVEMENT
  Those with great power are capable of achieving great 
  things, and players may want those achievements for 
  their heroes. If so, you can make accomplishing a particu-
  lar goal a reward of sorts. Encourage the players to come 
  up with lists of goals or things the heroes want to accom-
  plish. You can then work them into the overall series, in-
  troducing them as subplots or even building adventures 
  around them.
  The best goals for this purpose are ones you can break 
  down into steps, allowing the heroes to accomplish them 
  a little at a time until they reach the ultimate goal. Some 
  goals may be short-term and others long-term, possibly 
  lasting for the duration of the series.
  For example, a group of heroes may have cleaning up 
  crime in a city as their overall goal. Each also has indi-
  vidual goals: vengeance against an old enemy, attain-
  ing honor and recognition, redemption, finding a lost 
  parent, and so forth. Achieving each goal provides a 
  sense of accomplishment. The goals also suggest stories 
  and may even create conflict in the game; for example, 
  maybe they learn that the hero’s lost parent has ties to 
  another hero’s nemesis. Gamemasters can use goals as 
  story hooks while players can use them as roleplaying 
  cues, and they may suggest complications for earning 
  hero points.
  KNOWLEDGE
  Most stories have their mysteries and unanswered ques-
  tions. Finding the answers to those questions can be a 
  suitable reward. What is the secret source of powers in the 
  world? What is the true origin of a hero or villain? What 
  happened to the mentor who vanished years ago? What 
  is the real nature of the conspiracy?
  Like other achievements, knowledge may come in stag-
  es. You learn the name of a higher-up in the conspiracy, 
  leading you to his superior, and so forth toward the heart 
  of the matter. Investigations of an ancient ruin turn up 
  fragments of information about a lost artifact, pointing 
  toward additional clues as to its whereabouts, and so 
  forth.
  Knowledge can also come in the form of useful facts: 
  things like the true name of a spirit, a villain’s secret weak-
  ness, or a clue to a hero’s missing past. These rewards help 
  guide adventures and plots: once the heroes uncover the 
  villain’s weakness, or learn the secret to unlocking their 
  own hidden powers, then they’re ready for the big con-
  frontation. Before that point, their nemesis may seem all 
  but invincible.
  POWER IMPROVEMENT
  In a game focused on powers, opportunities for power 
  improvement make suitable rewards, particularly unusual 
  or limited opportunities. For example, if power improve-
  ment is normally a slow and steady process, then a trans-
  formation granting additional power makes an excellent 
  and immediate reward. The same is true of things like 
  finding a teacher, discovering information necessary to 
  learn a new ability, or earning the favor of a higher power, 
  who grants access to new abilities or powers.
  181
  181
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  CHAPTER 4: PLOTS
  
  182
  182
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  AVALANCHES
  The combination of high peaks and heavy snowfalls make 
  avalanches a danger in many mountainous areas. While 
  avalanches of snow and ice are common, it’s also possible 
  to have an avalanche of loose rock and soil (a landslide). 
  Unless specified otherwise, the term “avalanche” covers 
  both here.
  Characters can spot an avalanche with a DC 5 Perception 
  check (modified by distance). It’s possible to hear an ava-
  lanche coming even if you can’t see it. Under optimum 
  conditions (no other loud noises occurring), a character 
  who makes a DC 15 Perception check can hear an ap-
  proaching avalanche.
  An avalanche consists of two distinct areas: the bury zone 
  (in the direct path of the debris) and the slide zone (the 
  area the debris spreads out to encompass). Characters in 
  the bury zone take Damage 8, half that if they make a DC 
  15 Dodge check. They are subsequently buried. Charac-
  ters in the slide zone take Damage 4, or none if they make 
  a DC 15 Dodge check. Characters in the slide zone who fail 
  their Dodge checks are also buried.
  Characters must make an additional Toughness check 
  each minute while buried. The initial DC is 15 (equal to 
  Damage 0), increasing by +1 per check. If a character is 
  incapacitated, a failed Toughness check changes the char-
  acter’s condition to dying.
  Characters who aren’t buried can try to dig out others. 
  Each minute, a character can clear a volume rank of debris 
  equal to Strength rank. So Strength 10 can clear 1,000 cu-
  bic feet of debris in one minute (time rank 3). Armed with 
  an appropriate digging tool, a character can clear debris 
  twice as fast as by hand (increase volume rank by 1). You 
  may allow a buried character to free himself with a DC 25 
  Strength check. Bonuses to lifting Strength, such as from 
  Power-lifting, apply to this check.
  The typical avalanche has a width of 120 to 500 feet (dis-
  tance rank 2 to 4), from one edge of the slide zone to the 
  opposite edge. The bury zone in the center is half as wide 
  as the avalanche’s full width (–1 distance rank). Avalanch-
  es move at around speed rank 5, for those attempting to 
  outrun them.
  COLLAPSES
  Characters caught in the collapse of a building, tunnel, 
  cave, or similar structure face damage and the possibility 
  of being buried in the debris. Underground cave-ins are 
  dangerous not only because of tons of falling rock, but 
  also the possibility of being cut-off from the surface.
  A collapse buries anyone in the middle of the collapsing 
  area, while sliding debris damages anyone in the periph-
  ery of the collapse. The slide zone is generally about half 
  the radius of the bury zone. Treat being caught in a col-
  lapse like an avalanche (previously), including characters 
  getting buried and dug-out.
  A hero strong enough to lift the collapsing mass over-
  head may be able to hold it up, at least until any support 
  structures crumble, resulting in a rain of debris. Effects 
  improving Toughness can protect against the damage 
  Not all of the threats Mutants & Masterminds heroes face are villains they can fight. Sometimes they must deal with 
  other challenges, as outlined in the Challenges section of the M&M Hero’s Handbook. This chapter looks at challenges in 
  greater detail. In particular, it looks at two types of challenges common in the superhero comics: disasters (natural and 
  otherwise) and traps, both capture traps and villainous deathtraps.
  As a Gamemaster, you can use these challenges to liven up the plots of your adventures and provide some ideas of 
  things to throw at your players during a game. The challenges in this chapter also offer some examples to base your 
  own unique challenges upon.
  DISASTERS
  The M&M Hero’s Handbook covers the basic environmental hazards heroes may encounter. This section expands on 
  those dangers with true disasters that can befall a group of heroes. These challenges also provide some ideas for rescue 
  missions, allowing heroes to save innocent people threatened by disaster.
  Indeed, some disasters are deliberately arranged by villains, either as distractions to keep heroes busy while the vil-
  lain is off doing something else or as part of a villain’s larger scheme. For example, a bad guy looking for a mystical 
  artifact in an ancient mountain shrine might trigger an avalanche or landslide that threatens a village or vacation 
  lodge below. While the heroes rush off the save innocent lives, the villain absconds with the loot to start the next 
  phase of the plan. These kinds of complications should earn the players hero points for doing the right thing when 
  they happen.
  183
  183
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  of a collapse like any other sort of damage; sufficient Im-
  pervious Toughness can even shield against the collapse 
  altogether.
  EARTHQUAKES
  An earthquake knocks people down, collapses structures, 
  opens cracks and fissures in the ground, and more. The 
  specific effects depend on the nature of the terrain:
  AVALANCHE
  Cliffs and mountainsides may crumble, creating land-
  slides. See Avalanches.
  COLLAPSE
  Buildings and other structures may collapse, the same for 
  caves or tunnels. See Collapses. Building fires also often 
  follow in the wake of an earthquake, see the following 
  section for details.
  FISSURE
  Each person standing in the area of the quake must make 
  a DC 15 Dodge check or fall prone. Fissures may open in 
  the earth, and anyone in the area has a chance to fall in 
  (Difficulty 20 Dodge check to avoid such a fissure).
  FIRES
  Large fires, such as building fires or forest fires, pose three 
  main dangers: heat, flame, and smoke.
  HEAT
  Characters caught in a fire are exposed to extreme heat 
  (see M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 186). Those wearing 
  heavy clothing or armor take a –5 circumstance penalty 
  on their resistance checks. Characters with Immunity 
  (Heat) are unaffected.
  FLAME
  Characters engulfed in a fire must make a DC 15 Dodge 
  check each round. A failed check results in the character’s 
  clothing and/or hair catching fire. This inflicts Damage 1 
  immediately. Each subsequent round, the burning char-
  acter must make another resistance check. Failure means 
  additional rank 1 fire Damage, up to a maximum of rank 6 
  Damage. Success means the fire has gone out. Once the re-
  sistance check succeeds, the character is no longer on fire, 
  but still has to make a check each round while engulfed.
  A character on fire may automatically extinguish the 
  flames by jumping into enough water to douse them. 
  If no body of water is at hand, rolling on the ground or 
  smothering the fire with blankets or similar materials 
  grants the character another check with a +5 circum-
  stance bonus.
  184
  184
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  SMOKE
  Fires produce a great deal of smoke. A character breathing 
  heavy smoke must make a Fortitude resistance check each 
  round (DC 15, +1 per previous check, up to a maximum of 
  rank 8) or become stunned, spending that round choking 
  and coughing. A character who chokes for two consecu-
  tive rounds makes a Fortitude check against Damage 1. 
  Also, smoke obscures vision, providing concealment to 
  characters within it (see Concealment, M&M Hero’s Hand-
  book, page 192).
  FLOODS
  During a flood, rivers become wider, deeper, and swifter. 
  A flooded river imposes a –5 circumstance penalty to Ath-
  letics checks to swim.
  SWEPT AWAY
  Characters failing an Athletics check to swim in a flood 
  are swept away by it at a speed rank of 1. An Athletics 
  check with two or more Degrees of Success can arrest 
  their motion, catching onto a rock, tree limb, or other 
  protrusion—they are no longer being carried along by 
  the flow of the water. Escaping the flood requires a total 
  of 3 Degrees of Success on an Athletics check before three 
  degress of failure.
  FOG
  Whether a low-lying cloud or a mist rising from the 
  ground, fog provides partial concealment for everything 
  in the area it covers. (See Concealment, M&M Hero’s Hand-
  book, page 192.)
  LAVA
  Contact with lava or magma inflicts Damage 4. Immersion 
  of any part of the character’s body inflicts Damage 15, 
  while immersion of more than half of the character’s body 
  inflicts Damage 18.
  Immunity to heat damage also serves as immunity to 
  damage from lava or magma. However, a creature im-
  mune to heat damage might still suffocate if completely 
  immersed.
  PRECIPITATION
  Bad weather slows or halts travel and makes it difficult to 
  navigate. Most precipitation is rain, but in cold conditions 
  it can manifest as snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation of any 
  kind followed by a cold snap in which the temperature 
  drops below freezing may produce ice.
  RAIN
  Heavy rain reduces visibility by half, resulting in a –5 cir-
  cumstance penalty on Perception checks.
  SNOW
  Falling snow has the same effects on visibility as rain, and 
  reduces ground movement speeds through the area by 1 
  rank. Heavy snow has the same effects and also restricts 
  visibility like fog. It reduces ground movement speeds by 
  2 ranks.
  SLEET
  Sleet has the same effect as snow: –5 circumstance pen-
  alty to visibility and –1 rank of ground movement speed 
  through the area.
  HAIL
  Hail does not reduce visibility, but the sound of falling hail 
  makes auditory Perception checks more difficult (–5 cir-
  cumstance penalty). Sometimes (at the GM’s option or on 
  a natural 20 on a d20 roll) hail becomes large enough to 
  deal Damage 0 (per storm) to anything out in the open. 
  Once on the ground, hail has the same effect on move-
  ment as snow.
  QUICKSAND
  A character approaching a patch of quicksand at a normal 
  pace is entitled to a DC 15 Perception check to spot the 
  danger before stepping into it, but characters moving at 
  twice their normal pace (two move actions) don’t have a 
  chance to detect quicksand before blundering in.
  Characters in quicksand must make a DC 10 Athletics 
  check every round to tread water in place, or a DC 15 
  check to move 5 feet in whatever direction is desired. Two 
  or more Degrees of Failure and the character sinks below 
  the surface and begins to drown (see Suffocation, M&M 
  Hero’s Handbook, page 186).
  Characters below the surface of quicksand may swim back 
  to the surface with a successful Athletics check (DC 15, +1 
  per consecutive round of being under the surface, up to a 
  maximum of +10).
  Pulling out a character trapped in quicksand can be difficult. 
  A rescuer needs a branch, pole, rope, or similar means to 
  reach the victim. Make a DC 15 Strength check to success-
  fully pull the victim, and the victim makes a DC 10 Strength 
  check to hold on. If the victim fails to hold on, he must make 
  a DC 15 Athletics check to stay above the surface. If both 
  checks succeed, the victim is pulled 5 feet closer to safety. 
  Effects like Flight, Elongation, or Movement (Water-walking) 
  naturally make quicksand rescues much easier!
  STORMS
  The combined effects of precipitation (or dust) and wind 
  that accompany storms impose a –10 circumstance pen-
  alty on Perception checks. Storms make ranged attacks 
  with muscle-propelled weapons impossible; other ranged 
  attacks have a –5 circumstance penalty on attack checks. 
  Storms extinguish unprotected flames. They cause pro-
  185
  185
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  
  tected flames, such as those of lanterns, to dance wildly 
  and have a 50% chance to extinguish them. Storms are 
  divided into the following types: 
  DUSTSTORM
  These desert storms differ in that they have no precipita-
  tion. A duststorm blows fine sand that obscures vision, 
  smothers unprotected flames, and can even choke pro-
  tected flames. There is a 10% (a 1 or 2 on a d20 roll, or 
  at the GM’s discretion) chance for a duststorm to be pow-
  erful enough to inflict Damage 0 each round to anyone 
  caught out in the open without shelter and to also pose 
  a choking hazard (the same as suffocation, see the M&M 
  Hero’s Handbook, page 186).
  SANDSTORM
  A sandstorm reduces visibility and imposes a –5 circum-
  stance penalty on Perception checks. A sandstorm deals 
  Damage 0 per hour to anyone caught in the open, and 
  leaves a thin coating of sand in its wake. Driving sand 
  creeps in through all but the most secure seals and seams, 
  to chafe skin and contaminate carried gear.
  THUNDERSTORM
  In addition to wind and precipitation (usually rain, but 
  sometimes also hail), thunderstorms are accompanied by 
  lightning that can pose a hazard to characters without prop-
  er shelter. As a rule of thumb, assume one bolt per minute 
  for a one-hour period at the center of the storm. Each bolt 
  causes electricity rank 1–10 Damage (roll d20 and divide by 
  2, rounding up, to determine effective rank). Ten percent of 
  thunderstorms (a 1 or 2 on a d20 roll, or at the GM’s discre-
  tion) are accompanied by a tornado (see the following).
  WIND
  The wind can create a stinging spray of sand or dust, fan a 
  fire, and blow gases or vapors away. If powerful enough, it 
  can knock characters down, interfere with ranged attacks, 
  or impose penalties on some checks. Wind challenges are 
  categorized as follows:
  LIGHT WIND
  A gentle breeze, having no real game effect.
  MODERATE WIND
  A steady wind with a 50% chance of extinguishing small, 
  unprotected flames, such as candles.
  STRONG WIND
  Gusts that automatically extinguish unprotected flames. 
  Such gusts impose a –2 circumstance penalty on ranged 
  attack checks with thrown weapons and on auditory Per-
  ception checks.
  SEVERE WIND
  In addition to automatically extinguishing unprotected 
  flames, winds of this magnitude cause protected flames 
  (such as those of lanterns) to dance wildly and have a 50% 
  chance of extinguishing them as well. Ranged weapon at-
  tacks and auditory Perception checks are at a –5 circum-
  stance penalty.
  WINDSTORM
  Powerful enough to bring down branches if not whole 
  trees, windstorms automatically extinguish unprotected 
  flames and have a 75% chance of blowing out protected 
  flames. Ranged attacks with thrown or muscle-powered 
  weapons are impossible, and other ranged attacks are at a 
  –5 circumstance penalty. Auditory Perception checks are at 
  a –10 circumstance penalty due to the howling of the wind. 
  HURRICANE
  All non-powered flames are extinguished. Ranged attacks 
  with thrown or muscle-powered weapons are impossible, 
  and other ranged attacks are at a –10 circumstance penalty. 
  Auditory Perception checks are at a –20 penalty (all char-
  acters can hear is the roaring of the wind). Hurricane-force 
  winds often fell trees and even buildings (see Collapses).
  TORNADO
  All flames are extinguished. All ranged attacks are impos-
  sible, as are auditory Perception checks. Characters in close 
  proximity to a tornado who fail a DC 20 Strength check are 
  sucked toward the funnel. Those who come in contact with 
  the funnel cloud are picked up and whirled around for 1–10 
  (d20/2 round up) rounds, resisting Damage 4 each round, 
  before being violently expelled (falling damage may also 
  apply, see the M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 186). While a 
  tornado’s rotational speed can be as great as speed rank 7, 
  the funnel itself moves forward at an average of speed rank 
  3. A tornado uproots trees, destroys buildings, and causes 
  other similar forms of major destruction.
  UNDERWATER
  Land-based characters have some difficulties under water. 
  The following applies whenever a character is swimming, 
  walking in chest-deep water, or walking along the bottom.
  CLOSE ATTACKS
  Close attacks underwater have a –2 circumstance penalty 
  on attack checks. Characters with Movement (Environ-
  mental Adaptation (Aquatic)) ignore this penalty.
  RANGED ATTACKS
  Attacks with ranged weapons through water take a –2 
  circumstance penalty on attack checks, in addition to the 
  normal penalties for range.
  186
  186
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  ATTACKS FROM LAND
  Characters swimming, floating, or treading water on the 
  surface, or wading in water at least chest deep, have 
  partial cover from opponents on land. A completely sub-
  merged creature has total cover against opponents on 
  land.
  FIRE
  Effects with a fire descriptor are ineffective underwater. 
  The surface of a body of water also blocks the effect of 
  any such power.
  INVISIBILITY
  A solid invisible body displaces water and leaves a visible, 
  body-shaped “bubble” in the water. The invisible character 
  still has partial concealment, but not total concealment.
  PERCEPTION AND STEALTH
  How far you can see underwater depends on the water’s clar-
  ity. As a guideline, creatures can see 60 feet (distance rank 1) 
  if the water is clear, and half that (30 feet or distance rank 0) 
  if it’s murky. Moving water is murky, unless it’s a particularly 
  large, slow-moving river. It’s difficult to find cover or conceal-
  ment to hide underwater (except along the bottom).
  TRAPS
  Heroes encounter two types of traps when dealing with villains and their lairs. One, the deathtrap, is handled in its own 
  section, since it is a particular challenge all its own. The other type is the capture trap, not intended to kill intruders, but 
  merely render them helpless so the villain can dispose of them in a leisurely fashion with a proper deathtrap (and vil-
  lainous soliloquy explaining the details of their impending doom and the brilliance of the plan they can no longer stop). 
  Capture traps often turn into deathtraps once the heroes are captured and the villain has the opportunity to explain 
  their inevitable demise.
  CAPTURE TRAPS
  Capture traps generally either render their targets immo-
  bile in some fashion (limiting their movements or contain-
  ing them) or render them helpless and easily contained by 
  villains or minions, usually by leaving them unconscious, 
  stunned, paralyzed, or the like.
  CONTAINERS
  Container traps close the victims off in a small area from 
  which they cannot easily escape. It may be as simple as 
  walls sliding from the ceiling or walls to cut off escape 
  routes, or it can be as complicated as an enclosing force 
  field, magical ward, or similar effect. The key is the targets 
  are contained inside the trap, but otherwise have their 
  freedom of movement and their normal abilities (but see 
  Nullifying, following).
  A container trap is often just a prelude to another sort 
  of trap to ensure the targets are neutralized and cannot 
  easily escape. After all, even a tempered steel cage would 
  be hard-pressed to contain heroes with superhuman 
  strength and power blasts (to say nothing of the ability 
  to pass through solid objects or transmute them). Con-
  tainers prepared for specific targets often have counter-
  measures to deal with their powers, such as:
  DAMAGING AURA
  A container may have some secondary effect to keep 
  trapped heroes from touching or attacking the sides of 
  the container. Examples include electrified or superheat-
  ed surfaces, a thin layer of acid or some other damaging 
  material (which does not affect the container itself), or ra-
  zor spikes. It might also have an energy field with one of 
  the effects listed under Stunners, following.
  ENERGY REFLECTION
  The trap reflects back attacks used against it, causing the 
  attacking hero to suffer their effects. It may do so through 
  some sort of unique energy reflective material, a force 
  field, sympathetic magic spell, or some other effect.
  A particularly vicious sort of reflection trap is a container 
  surrounded by a net or web or monofilaments (wires 
  only a single molecule thick). Anyone physically 
  pushing against or hitting the net will be slashed to 
  ribbons, perhaps even losing a limb! This is Damage 
  proportionate to the force used (that is the damage 
  suffered by the hero equals the damage of the physical 
  attack) with massive ranks of Penetrating (at least 20, 
  enough to effect heroes in virtually all M&M games). On 
  top of it, the monofilaments might be able to conduct 
  other forms of energy like heat or electricity to reflect 
  them or use them to further empower the trap.
  SEALED
  The container is “sealed” against certain effects such as 
  Insubstantial, Movement (Dimensional Travel or Perme-
  ate), or Teleport, preventing victims from simply vanish-
  ing from the trap. The seal could be entirely passive like a 
  Nullify effect (see Nullifying, following) or active, giving it 
  a feedback effect: a character attempting to use a power 
  to escape the trap and failing suffers damage against For-
  titude or Will (like the Feedback flaw).
  187
  187
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  
  NULLIFYING
  One way to ensure a capture trap can hold super-powered 
  targets is to simply take away their powers! Capture traps 
  often involve some sort of Nullify effect (see M&M Hero’s 
  Handbook, page 121) although the descriptors, and the 
  types of powers affected, vary from one trap to another. 
  Villains expecting particular heroes will tune traps to tar-
  get and remove their powers specifically.
  SNARES
  Snare traps, unlike containers, seek to immobilize targets, 
  severely restricting their freedom of movement. They are 
  Affliction effects that hinder and immobilize, with de-
  scriptors ranging from grappling steel tentacles and fast-
  hardening foam to paralysis beams and capture-webs. 
  Trapped heroes may be able to break out of snares with 
  sufficient strength or damaging powers, and the snares 
  might impose additional conditions to further restrain 
  their targets.
  STUNNERS
  Stunners are capture traps inflicting some form of dam-
  age or effect capable of leaving targets unconscious, al-
  lowing the villain to collect and imprison them at will.
  Stunner traps may use simple Damage, or an Affliction 
  effect that ends in incapacitated. Descriptors are as wide 
  as those effects permit, anything from automated weap-
  ons (firing non-lethal ammunition) to gas attacks, vertigo 
  beams, sonic screamers, and much more. A stunner trap 
  often has the Alternate Resistance modifier, targeting For-
  titude or Will rather than sheer Toughness, better allowing 
  it to overcome targets. Many are also Area effects, filling 
  an entire room or corridor so the attack cannot miss and 
  is more difficult to avoid. Lastly, stunner traps tend to be 
  ongoing, affecting targets in their area each round until 
  the target escapes or the trap is shut down.
  DEATHTRAPS
  The heroes are defeated after a terrible battle and at the 
  villain’s mercy. What does the fiend do? Well, simply kill-
  ing the helpless heroes outright would make for a very 
  short series, wouldn’t it? Similarly, killing off the title hero 
  in a comic book is not usually an option (at least, not for 
  very long). So comic book writers perfected the art of the 
  deathtrap: putting heroes in perilous situations requiring 
  cunning, skill, and effort to escape so they can come back 
  and take the villain down for the count.
  Deathtraps are a staple of the superhero genre, and an im-
  portant element of any major villain (at least, any villain like-
  ly to ever manage to defeat the heroes). This section takes a 
  look at the concept of deathtraps, details on how to handle 
  them, and provides a selection of premade classic death-
  traps for you to try out on heroes the next time they get a 
  little cocky and think they’ve got the villain on the ropes!
  THE CLOSING WALLS
  So common a deathtrap it has become cliché: the heroes 
  are trapped in a room and the walls begin closing together. 
  If they cannot escape in time, they will be crushed between 
  them! In some variations the walls might have spikes or 
  some hazard that prevents the heroes from touching them 
  (red-hot, having a powerful electrical charge, etc.) to make 
  it harder to stop them from closing. In others, the ceil-
  ing lowers rather than the walls close, or the entire room 
  shrinks somehow. The victims have to find a way out of the 
  room before the walls finish closing in, often delaying or 
  holding them off long enough for them to do so.
  THE CREATURE PIT
  The victims are cast into an environment with danger-
  ous or deadly creatures. This includes (but is not limited 
  to) alligators or crocodiles, lions, snakes, tigers, wolves, 
  or flesh-eating insects. It can also include any number of 
  more exotic creatures such as dinosaurs, alien monsters, 
  gladiators, mutants, cyborgs, or robots. The victims may 
  be expected to fight (although they may be restrained or 
  handicapped in some fashion) but are also expected to 
  lose and suffer a terrible death.
  If the threat in the Creature Pit is almost instant and certain 
  death (say a massive swarm of poisonous, flesh-eating in-
  sects), then this trap is a kind of Deadly Conveyor (see the 
  following) with the tension coming from being lowered or 
  put into it. If creatures are things the heroes can fight, it is 
  more of a Death in the Arena trap (see the following).
  THE DEADLY CONVEYOR
  The Deadly Conveyor is the classic deathtrap: the vic-
  tims are helpless as they move slowly towards inevitable 
  CAPTURE COMPLICATIONS
  One simple and direct way of handling capture traps is 
  as a kind of complication (see the M&M Hero’s Handbook, 
  page 27). In this case, the heroes do not get an opportu-
  nity to detect, avoid, or escape the trap; instead, the GM 
  simply explains the circumstances, tells the players their 
  heroes are captured, and gives each player a hero point 
  for the complication. This has the advantage of simplify-
  ing matters (all you need to do is describe what happens) 
  and speeding up play, but it may also be somewhat less 
  dramatic, skipping over a potential opportunity for the 
  heroes to struggle against the odds.
  A player who refuses the hero point can theoretically at-
  tempt to evade the trap, but that is made more difficult 
  by the capture of the other heroes, leaving just one (or 
  maybe two) characters to deal with it on their own. If you 
  want to run a “single hero escapes and rescues the rest” 
  scenario, allow one character this option to get away.
  If all the players refuse to go along with the capture, 
  then perhaps it is best to re-think the scenario and come 
  at it from another angle (and to ask the players how they 
  want to deal with the issue of capture complications in 
  future adventures).
  188
  188
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  doom. Originally, it was strapped to a log and headed for 
  a sawmill’s whirling blade. Other variations include the 
  following: on a smelting factory conveyor belt headed 
  for a dip in molten metal, suspended above (and slowly 
  lowered into) a vat of acid, and strapped to a table with 
  a laser beam creeping closer and closer. The options are 
  nearly endless, but the key elements are restraining the 
  victim(s) and the slow approach of inevitable destruc-
  tion, long enough to heighten the peril.
  A variation on the Deadly Conveyor is the Deadly Con-
  tainer, where the victims are trapped in an area, and a 
  fatal threat gets closer and closer to entering that space. 
  Examples include a chamber about to be flooded with 
  molten magma, radiation, or rocket exhaust, or slowly be-
  ing crushed by the pressure of the sea floor, until tons of 
  water burst through the walls. The Deadly Container dif-
  fers slightly from the Killing Jar (following) in that once the 
  danger gets in, it’s generally all over in an instant, rather 
  than prolonging the victims’ suffering.
  DEATH IN THE ARENA
  As a somewhat less certain deathtrap intended to enter-
  tain the villain and any cohorts or minions, the heroes 
  are placed in an arena and expected to fight to the death 
  against various opponents. The choice of foes is as wide 
  as the imagination, from fairly conventional gladiators 
  (especially for Roman- or history-themed villains) to ani-
  mals, robots, evil duplicates, super-powered fighters, or 
  monsters.
  This trap is somewhat like a Creature Pit, but the victims 
  are expected to put up a fight (and, presumably, an enter-
  taining show). They might even be permitted a chance to 
  win as a means of escape, but other Arenas simply pile on 
  greater and greater challenges until there is no chance for 
  the heroes to make it out alive—unless the come up with 
  an alternative plan.
  THE FATAL FRIEND
  In a fiendish twist the villain makes a friend or loved one 
  into the instrument of the heroes’ doom! The Fatal Friend 
  scenario typically involves an ally or supporting character 
  mind controlled or mesmerized into activating the fatal 
  trap to finish off the heroes, or even attempting to kill them 
  directly (for characters capable of it). The friend may not be 
  conscious of what is happening, or could struggle against 
  the villain’s influence, perhaps encouraged by the victims.
  This trap is either a variation on the Deadly Conveyor (with 
  the Fatal Friend holding the switch that will save or de-
  stroy the heroes) or Death in the Arena, with the Friend as 
  the opponent the heroes must fight to the death, banking 
  on their unwillingness to hurt someone they care about.
  In some variations, the Fatal Friend is tricked into the role; 
  the villain’s influence might convince the Friend the he-
  roes are actually monsters, for example, or villains, robot 
  doubles, evil twins, or whatnot. In others, the Fatal Friend 
  is not the characters’ friend at all, but an impostor—say, a 
  robot double or shapeshifter—intended to fool them into 
  fatally hesitating and falling victim to the rest of the trap.
  189
  189
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  
  THE GAUNTLET
  This trap tempts victims with the promise of escape: all 
  they need to do is cross the length of a corridor or room 
  to reach the other side. Unfortunately, the entire route is 
  mined with deadly traps intended to prevent them from 
  ever reaching their goal.
  Most of a gauntlet is made up of weapons: flamethrowers, 
  automated guns, spring-loaded arrows, spears or darts, 
  spike-throwers, gas projectors, lasers, and so forth. These 
  are conventional attacks, although the GM might want to 
  encourage a more active resistance on the heroes’ part by 
  having them make defense checks against a fixed attack “dif-
  ficulty class” rather than rolling attack checks for the weap-
  ons. Acrobatics and Technology checks are also appropriate 
  for running a gauntlet, and attack checks can be attempted 
  to disable the various weapons with counterattacks.
  Other gauntlet traps include pits opening in the floor 
  (possibly lined with spikes or dropping victims into a crea-
  ture pit or killing jar trap) or triggers for another sort of 
  deathtrap, such as barriers that drop down and set up a 
  Closing Walls scenario.
  THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF MADNESS
  Rather than attacking them physically to kill them out-
  right, the villain uses this deathtrap to mount an assault 
  on the heroes’ sanity, seeking to destroy their minds and 
  wills. The name of the deathtrap comes from a common 
  version: a crazed kaleidoscopic display of flashing multi-
  colored lights and deafening sound designed to overload 
  the senses. It can also include subliminal conditioning, 
  fear-inducing weapons or toxins, exposure to a sanity-
  threatening dimension, imagery tailored to personal pho-
  bias, and so forth. The key element is an ongoing mental 
  or sensory assault. The heroes have to endure the assault 
  as they find a way to stop it and escape.
  If the effect of the Kaleidoscope of Madness is immedi-
  ate and irrevocable, then it is a kind of Ticking Time-Bomb, 
  with a mental rather than physical effect, and it is the lead-
  up to the unleashing of the assault that is the deathtrap. 
  If the effect is resistible, at least for a while, then it can be 
  seen as a kind of Gauntlet or Killing Jar affecting the mind 
  rather than the body.
  THE KILLING JAR
  The victims are trapped in a room with no exits while the 
  room slowly fills with a deadly substance, such as sand, 
  water, or toxic gas. Eventually, the room will fill completely 
  and the victims will suffocate, but before then they will 
  have plenty of time to experience the terror of their situ-
  ation as the breathable space in the room shrinks (or the 
  gas has its effect) and they inch ever closer to their doom. 
  Escaping the trap involves escaping any restraints and 
  finding a way out of the room before it’s too late.
  THE TICKING TIME-BOMB
  Another classic deathtrap: the helpless heroes are left 
  by a bomb that is counting down to a fatal explosion, 
  from the old-school bundle of dynamite with a clock-
  face attached to it to a modern suitcase nuke or super-
  science weapon. Sometimes the “bomb” is some other 
  danger, such as an overloading nuclear reactor or even 
  an out-of-control metahuman about to “go critical.” It is 
  usually an explosion; other threats tend to shift over to 
  the Deadly Container trap (previously). The challenges to 
  THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE ENDING
  For added zest, some villains combine different deathtraps into one. Pick any two of the examples and put them together, 
  such as a Killing Jar (a sealed chamber filling with water) along with a Creature Pit (the water has sharks or cybernetic alli-
  gators in it!). Or Death in the Arena (the heroes are set to fight combat robots) with The Ticking Time-Bomb (all the robots’ 
  power cores are set to explode within a minute, win or lose). The Multiple-Choice Ending is a good complication to spring 
  on your players if they figure out the initial deathtrap too easily and you want to provide some additional challenge and 
  tension. It also helps to keep some of the classics from becoming too stale.
  THE UNINTENDED DEATHTRAP
  Some bad guys aren’t clever or resourceful enough to 
  deliberately set up a deathtrap. They may not have a 
  tricked-out lair equipped with a crocodile pit or a giant 
  laser cannon or what have you. That does not mean, 
  however, that these villains cannot put heroes in death-
  trap-style situations.
  For example, a hero fights a ruthless mercenary super-
  villain in an abandoned building. During the fight, stray 
  attacks set the building on fire. Then the villain manages 
  to get in a lucky shot and pins the hero to a wall. Before 
  he gets a chance to deliver the finishing blow, part of 
  the burning ceiling caves in, separating them. The mer-
  cenary dives out the window and down the fire escape 
  to a waiting getaway vehicle, where his employer calls 
  to ask if the job is done.
  “Don’t worry,” the bad guy growls, “there’s no way he’ll 
  survive that!”
  The same sort of thing can happen in any situation 
  where a villain leaves a hero to a “certain death”: for ex-
  ample, knocked into the tiger cage at the zoo, lying in 
  the path of a lava flow, trapped in a building or vehicle 
  that’s about to explode, or with a foot caught in the 
  tracks in front of an oncoming train.
  As the Gamemaster, you decide if an unintended death-
  trap counts as a complication (and therefore merits a 
  hero point award). Generally, it does, although it may be 
  a part of the complication of being defeated by the vil-
  lain. If the situation keeps the heroes busy while enabling 
  the villain’s escape and the furtherance of the plot, it’s a 
  good idea to slip the player(s) a hero point. They’ll want it 
  to deliver payback to the bad guy later on.
  190
  190
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  the heroes are to get loose from their bonds and find a 
  way to disarm or remove the bomb without endanger-
  ing anyone else.
  THE WIND TUNNEL OF DOOM
  This is a surprisingly common deathtrap, although it often 
  shows up as an unintentional one (see The Unintended 
  Deathtraps sidebar). The victims are trapped in a tunnel 
  with a whirling fan at one end, creating a powerful suction 
  that pulls them toward the fan and its spinning blades, 
  which are almost certain to cut any vulnerable targets to 
  ribbons. The heroes have to hang on against the wind and 
  find some way of stopping the fan or escaping the tunnel 
  before they are pulled in.
  GETTING TRAPPED
  Instead of a “fate worse than death,” deathtraps are gener-
  ally “a fate instead of death”—or at least a means of de-
  laying a hero’s death. For the villain, it draws things out 
  and helps ensure enemies will suffer spectacularly. For the 
  story, it does the same thing, but ensures the heroes get 
  another chance at a comeback.
  Ending up in a deathtrap requires the hero to suffer a defeat 
  of some kind. It might be as simple as getting knocked out 
  in a fight with the bad guy; the hero wakes up in a fiendish 
  deathtrap! This is a good option if the heroes lose to the vil-
  lain in one of the earlier encounters in an adventure.
  On the other hand, if you’re planning on putting the he-
  roes in a deathtrap as part of the adventure, then you 
  might not want to give them a fighting chance to avoid 
  it. That means going the “certain capture” route. In this 
  case, you use a complication to arrange for the heroes’ 
  defeat and capture so they can end up in the deathtrap. 
  This can happen any way you would like, such as taking 
  one of the capture traps and springing it on them, but not 
  giving them a chance to avoid or resist it—essentially a 
  built-in complication. That is why you award the players a 
  hero point for the set-up, as a kind of “thank you” for going 
  along with one of the major elements of the genre. Then 
  they can also use that hero point later when it comes to 
  dealing with the deathtrap.
  Finally, there may be cases where the “capture trap” is also 
  the deathtrap. For example, the heroes might come to res-
  cue a supporting character, following the clues to a villain’s 
  hidden lair. They get into the room where the person is held, 
  only to discover a holographic decoy! Then the armored 
  doors slam closed and the villain’s voice comes over a hid-
  den loudspeaker, chuckling evilly and telling them they are 
  now doomed! The trap is sprung. This sort of capture, even 
  thought it does not render the heroes unconscious or help-
  less first, still rates a hero point if you choose to spring it on 
  the players with essentially no chance of avoiding it with a 
  good Perception check or Dodge check.
  EVADING TRAPS
  Assuming the heroes have a chance to avoid falling into 
  the trap in the first place (see Capture Complications for 
  discussion of this), how do they avoid and overcome traps?
  Detecting a trap is a Perception skill check. Avoiding the 
  trap once it is discovered might require a Technology 
  check to disarm or disable it, or another appropriate skill 
  check, such as Acrobatics to get through a triggered trap 
  area without setting it off. A suitable Expertise skill check 
  might allow a character to deal with a trap as well.
  Avoiding a trap that gets triggered usually requires a 
  Dodge resistance check, reflecting the characters dodg-
  ing out of the way or ducking at the very last second. 
  Similarly, the check can include things like holding one’s 
  breath or clasping a hand over the nose and mouth (for 
  gas and suffocating traps) or bracing yourself for an im-
  pact or otherwise preparing for the trap’s effect. This cov-
  ers most area effect traps that allow a check for half effect.
  Other sorts of traps may call for different resistance 
  checks, such as Fortitude to overcome gas attacks and 
  other toxins (perhaps following the initial Dodge check 
  to simply get out of the affected area) or to resist things 
  like sonic stunners. Will checks may apply to certain psy-
  choactive chemical weapons or “psionic” technology that 
  directly affects the mind.
  FIGURING OUT THE TRAP
  Once the heroes are in the trap, then comes realizing the 
  nature of the trap and the potential fate awaiting them if 
  they do not escape. If the heroes were unconscious when 
  captured, they all regain consciousness. In fact, their cap-
  tor will almost certainly insist upon it, since one of the 
  main ways the heroes will learn about the nature of the 
  deathtrap is directly from the trapper.
  “IT’S A TRAP!”
  One case where the players should be able to avoid a deathtrap is if one of them figures out on their own that a situation 
  is a trap and chooses, in character, to warn the others and try to avoid it. Note, the “in character” part is important: lots of 
  M&M players can figure out when in an adventure a villain would likely spring a trap, but that does not necessarily mean 
  they, as players, do not want their characters to face that challenge. After all, if it were entirely up to the characters, they 
  would probably take a lot fewer risks!
  When players make this decision, essentially what they are telling you is: “We do not want our characters to get caught up 
  in this particular trap right now.” If you want to be certain, you can offer the players a hero point each for going along and 
  letting their heroes fall into the trap. If they refuse, then that should be that. If you do not want to let them refuse, then it’s 
  generally best to plan the trap as a complication so they do not even have the option in the first place. By the time anyone 
  realizes it is a trap, it is already too late.
  191
  191
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  
  “NOW THAT YOU ARE IN MY POWER...”
  If there is one thing supervillains love more than anything, 
  it is a captive audience. The only way it could be better 
  is if the captive audience was made up of hated enemies 
  helpless to resist and about to perish at the villain’s own 
  hand. When things are going that well, it is time to gloat.
  Yes, supervillains are not only sore losers, they are not 
  particularly graceful winners, either, and they love an op-
  portunity to lord it over the heroes who have frustrated 
  and thwarted them in the past. What better moment than 
  when you have them right where you want them and are 
  about to remove those bothersome heroes as an obstacle 
  once and for all? At least part of the reason why villains 
  gloat before they unleash a deathtrap is because they sin-
  cerely believe they won’t get another chance, at least not 
  with these heroes.
  So, while the heroes are groggily regaining consciousness, 
  or casting about trying to figure out what their foe has in 
  mind for them, put on your best melodramatic tone and 
  tell them in character as the villain exactly what you have 
  planned for them, in loving detail.
  Here’s the payoff for the players: if the heroes listen to 
  the villain gloat and rant or, better yet, encourage it, they 
  might get valuable time and information when it comes 
  to getting out of the deathtrap.
  Have any player who interacts, in character, with the vil-
  lain (even if it’s just a defiant “You’ll never get away with 
  this!”) make a skill check using Perception, Insight, or an 
  interaction skill such as Deception, Persuasion, or even 
  Intimidation. The skill used depends on the approach the 
  hero takes in dealing with the villain, but generally players 
  should focus on their heroes’ strengths. The DC is the vil-
  lain’s  routine Insight check (10 + Insight bonus), although 
  you can give players a circumstance bonus for good role-
  playing and targeting the bad guy’s ego.
  A successful check awards the player a hero point usable 
  only to help escape from the deathtrap. If the player does 
  not spend it by the time the heroes escape, it is lost.
  “OF COURSE YOU KNOW...”
  In the process of gloating, the villain should essentially 
  tell the heroes the nature of the deathtrap and what is 
  expected to happen to them. This is essential for some 
  deathtraps, since if the actual result of the trap were to 
  occur in-game, the heroes would be dead! So the villain’s 
  taunts and threats are a primary way for the players to get 
  a feel for the danger their heroes face.
  The villain may also take the opportunity to gloat about 
  plans that will reach fruition after the heroes’ inevitable 
  demise, reasoning they will not be able to do anything 
  about it and, again, it is the bad guy’s last chance to brag 
  before this particular captive audience. This is your chance 
  to lay out the villain’s plans for the players, filling in any 
  parts they might have missed or not figured out from ear-
  lier in the adventure so they know just what to do after 
  their heroes have escaped the deathtrap.
  Once all the gloating is done, the villain may leave the 
  heroes to their fate, having to oversee the next stage of 
  the master plan (“I would stay and enjoy your demise, but 
  my robot armies await ... farewell!”). Sometimes, the cap-
  tor stays around to watch, giving the heroes an immedi-
  ate second chance against the villain after they escape the 
  trap, although the villain might try and flee or move up 
  the timetable in response.
  ESCAPING THE TRAP
  Escaping from a deathtrap requires a series of checks rath-
  er than a single die roll or resistance check. The exact traits 
  checked depend on the nature of the trap and the victim’s 
  tactics in the escape attempt.
  WHAT IF THE DEATHTRAP SUCCEEDS?
  In superhero stories, it is generally a foregone conclu-
  sion that the hero will escape from the deathtrap some-
  how, and it’s a major plot twist if that does not happen. 
  The tension comes from how the hero will manage to 
  escape at the very last moment, rather than any real be-
  lief that he will fail. In an RPG such as Mutants & Master-
  minds, however, it can be difficult to make deathtraps 
  seem like much of a challenge if there’s no real penalty 
  for failure. If the players cannot come up with a way out 
  of the trap, what happens then?
  Ultimately, it depends on the style of your series and 
  your game. You can always let the chips fall where they 
  may and mercifully draw the curtain on the demise of 
  the character(s) in the deathtrap. Perhaps the players’ 
  new heroes—who go after the infamous super-criminal 
  responsible for the callous killings of so many of their 
  fellow crime-fighters—will be more successful. For 
  certain, players will be on their toes when it comes to 
  deathtraps in the future!
  You can also have it seem like the deathtrap is fatal, but 
  have it turn out to be otherwise. Perhaps it is a hoax or 
  illusion on the villain’s part, intended to psychologically 
  torture or break down the heroes. Maybe they do perish, 
  but a higher power intervenes and restores them to life, 
  possibly with some strings attached. Maybe, at the very 
  last moment, time suddenly stops so a cosmic entity can 
  offer the heroes a second chance.
  For a somewhat less heavy-handed outcome, try a last-
  minute save from another hero or heroes, or a member 
  of the supporting cast. Perhaps one of the villain’s hos-
  tages manages to get free and release the heroes, or 
  the villain’s daughter (who is in love with a hero) does 
  so. This is not necessarily a cop-out; there are plenty of 
  times when a hero’s significant other, friend, or even pet 
  has saved him from otherwise certain death.
  Finally, you can choose to impose a hero point “surcharge” 
  on any or all of these last-minute rescues. At the very least, 
  you should probably consider taking back the hero point 
  awarded to the players for putting their characters in the 
  deathtrap in the first place, since they didn’t overcome the 
  challenge. If it means saving a hero from otherwise certain 
  death, you can potentially charge all of the player’s re-
  maining hero points, even though that probably means a 
  tougher fight against the villain, or at least a longer one, as 
  the player has to earn back some of those points!
  192
  192
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  ESCAPE EXAMPLE
  Essentially, the GM sets a Difficulty Class for the trap and a 
  number of successful checks needed to escape. The char-
  acters must achieve that number of successes before roll-
  ing a total of three failures. The more successes required, 
  and the higher the DC, the more the heroes must struggle 
  to overcome the deathtrap before it is too late. Each failure 
  brings the heroes closer to doom as the trap progresses.
  The base Difficulty Class is equal to the series power level 
  (so a PL 11 series would have a deathtrap DC of 11 as well) 
  and the base number of successes is equal to half the 
  power level, rounded up (six for the aforementioned PL 
  11 series, or 11 divided by 2, rounded from 5.5 up to 6). 
  You can increase both the DC and required successes for 
  more difficult traps.
  The traits checked are based on the means of escaping 
  from the trap. The GM may require certain checks, while 
  the players can propose others based on whatever plan 
  they come up with. For example, stopping a trap might 
  require a Technology check at some point, but clever play-
  ers could substitute another skill check (such as Expertise 
  or Sleight of Hand) or even a power check. Figuring out 
  how to deal with the trap may be an Expertise check, but 
  perhaps the heroes can get the information out of the 
  villain using Deception instead. The key to handling the 
  escape sequence is to be flexible and adjust according to 
  what the players think up rather than forcing them into a 
  preconceived notion of how it should go.
  TEAM CHECKS
  Since escaping a deathtrap requires building up a certain 
  number of successes while avoiding failed checks, it is 
  generally a good idea for characters who do not have a 
  decent chance of success to not do anything, since they 
  may only make matters worse. For example, a hero with 
  only a +0 modifier on the required check has a better than 
  average chance of adding to the failures tally rather than 
  the successes.
  However, one option is for the character to make a team 
  check for one of the others involved in the escape (see 
  Team Checks, M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 16). A suc-
  cessful check provides a bonus to the lead character but, 
  more importantly, a failed check does not count toward 
  failures on the escape attempt. Thus, characters can help 
  out without hindering their teammates.
  The sinister Doctor Shock, seeking revenge on the Rook 
  for past defeats, has captured three of his Sentinels team-
  mates—Victor, Ultramarine, and Dragoneye—and placed 
  them in manacles after disabling Ultramarine’s power 
  armor. The heroes were left in a chamber beneath Emer-
  ald City when Doctor Shock activated an army of his new 
  Shocktroopers; as the mad doctor left, he opened a wa-
  ter main which is flooding the chamber, threatening to 
  drown the heroes!
  Dragoneye’s powers are nullified by the imprisoning 
  chains (one of his complications). Their best hope is to ei-
  ther jam the mechanism allowing water to pour into the 
  room, or to reboot Ultramarine’s armor in time. Unfortu-
  nately, the brave heroine is without her cybernetic helm 
  and cannot reach the armor’s vital systems with her hands 
  bound. Some teamwork is clearly needed!
  The GM decides this particular trap is challenging; a DC 13 
  deathtrap, needing 7 successes before 3 failures. That means 
  these PL10 heroes are potentially in serious trouble.
  “Victor,” Ultramarine says, “can you reach the access panel 
  at the small of my back?”
  “I think so,” the man of action replies.
  Victor’s player tells the GM he’s going to make a Technology 
  check, which the GM approves. He rolls the die and gets a 9, 
  plus Victor’s skill bonus of +5 for a 14—success!
  “Pull out the two leads, the black one and the white one,” 
  Ultramarine instructs.
  “Dragoneye, give me a hand here,” Victor says.
  “I’ll try.”
  The GM tells Victor’s player to make a Sleight of Hand 
  check, which is a Dexterity check for him. Fortunately, he’s 
  got Dexterity 5, so when he rolls a 10 he gets a 15 for an-
  other success.
  Dragoneye, on the other hand, only has Dexterity 3, and his 
  player rolls an 8 for an 11—a failure!
  “Sorry!” Dragoneye says as Ultramarine yelps.
  “Maybe you should let me,” Victor says. “Hold this lead 
  steady.”
  Not wanting to risk any more failures, Victor’s player sug-
  gests Dragoneye provide assistance, which his player readily 
  agrees to. The GM says Ultramarine’s player may do the same 
  by offering instructions.
  “Cross the circuits in the following order...” Ultramarine 
  begins.
  Victor does not have sufficient Expertise, so he must make 
  Intellect checks with a +2 bonus (his Intellect rank). Fortu-
  nately, Ultramarine has a +13 bonus, and her player rolls an 
  18 on the die. A total of 31 provides a +5 circumstance bonus. 
  Dragoneye’s player rolls a 10, which—with his Intelligence of 
  3—is equal to the DC and does not reduce the circumstance 
  bonus. Victor’s player rolls a 6... with the total +7 modifier it’s 
  just enough! They now have three successes.
  Ultramarine talks her teammates through the process as the 
  water rises. They roll one more failure, leaving no more mar-
  gin for error, but then Victor’s player manages three more 
  successes with the aid of his teammates, leaving just one 
  more to go.
  Not wanting to leave things to chance, Victor’s player spends 
  a hero point on the last roll, ensuring an 11, for a total bonus 
  of 13, which is just enough: the armored avenger’s battlesuit 
  reactivates, and she is able to shatter the chains binding her 
  and the other Sentinels, allowing them to rocket up out of 
  the chamber before the water pulls them under entirely.
  “Now let’s go after Doc Shock,” Ultramarine says, looking 
  over the now-empty chamber that held the Shocktrooper 
  army and the massive hole in the wall. “I doubt his trail will 
  be hard to follow.”
  193
  193
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES
  
  194
  194
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  Creating adventures for Mutants & Masterminds is a lot like creating a story for any other medium: Consider who your 
  characters are and what they want, then decide what obstacles stand in their way. Because the protagonists of any 
  Mutants & Masterminds game are the player character heroes, the Gamemaster must decide what villains, NPCs, and 
  events the heroes encounter, spurring them to action. The biggest challenge is formulating the villain’s plot and 
  deciding how they react once the heroes get involved.
  The most common—and perhaps hardest—job as a Gamemaster is creating adventures, the stories heroes play through 
  in the Mutants & Masterminds games. Each adventure should present a self-contained story, but also bring in enough 
  familiar terrain, themes, or characters to feel like it’s a part of a continuing saga. As the Gamemaster, you serve as your 
  players’ eyes and ears into the world, describing what they experience. Knowing how the world and its villains react to 
  player actions is important.
  This chapter begins by looking at basic story elements and where to get ideas for adventures and continues by laying 
  out the most common adventure design techniques used by Gamemasters. Some of the advice may be familiar to 
  Gamemasters who have studied creative writing. A good adventure also hinges on the unique way player characters 
  contribute to the story, and this chapter explains how to negotiate with your players and adapt your plans to their 
  actions at the table. Most of the major elements of Mutants & Masterminds can be divided into Challenge, Conflict, 
  Investigation, and Roleplaying, and this chapter dives into building scenes around each of these ideas to present a fun 
  and varied experience for your players.
  Every Gamemaster has their own secrets and techniques for good adventure design. This chapter isn’t intended to re-
  place whatever skills experienced Gamemasters have developed, but provides tools and ideas to get new Gamemasters 
  started while shoring up the skills of old hands.
  ADVENTURE DESIGN
  As a Gamemaster, you can approach your adventures as 
  an outline or a toolkit (both approaches are described 
  later), but both techniques require a few basic elements.
  CONCEPT
  At the heart of every adventure lies a simple concept. The 
  so-called “elevator pitch,” a one- or two-sentence idea you 
  could explain to get someone excited in the time it takes 
  for an elevator to reach your stop. “Thieves steal jewels and 
  unleash an ancient curse.” “Crashed aliens build a portal to 
  bring an invading army to Earth.” “The hero’s loved ones 
  are taken hostage by gun-toting mole rats.” You can add 
  extra details as the story develops, but the central concept 
  should be straightforward, punchy, and fun.
  Once you have a central idea, build up from there. Who 
  is the antagonist that threatens the PCs and forces 
  them to confront the scenario? A villain? A natural di-
  saster? An enthusiastic but ultimately misguided hero? 
  A ticking clock? Look at later chapters for more ideas 
  on handling Adversaries, Plots, and Challenges. Decide 
  what your antagonists need, and how they accomplish 
  it, and at what point the heroes become aware of their 
  activities.
  Ideas for plots and characters can come from all around 
  you. Obviously comic books and superhero TV shows and 
  movies are the easiest to borrow superhero plots from, 
  but good ideas can come from science fiction, historical 
  drama, romance, or any other genre of media. 
  Classic literature can inspire character depth: You can 
  borrow the single-minded obsessiveness of Moby Dick’s 
  Ahab to color a superhero crossing the line to take down 
  their longtime nemesis with your players in the middle, 
  or your villain may train a protégé to enact her revenge 
  against a whole caste of people in the style of Miss Hav-
  isham from Great Expectations. The real news may inspire 
  heroic adventures as you ask how superheroes would 
  change the same events, or how supervillains may be 
  behind seemingly innocent human interest stories. Vid-
  eo games may give you ideas for fun missions, charac-
  ters, or locations.  Your local urban legends and tall tales 
  may inspire adventure ideas, villains, strange events, or 
  NPCs. Even architecture can inspire ideas, as anyone who 
  has walked through a stylish hotel lobby or ultramodern 
  convention center and thought “this would look good in 
  a movie” knows.
  FLESHING IT OUT
  Once you have your core concept, you can begin to have 
  fun with the details. What NPCs will the heroes interact 
  with? Can you add challenges or opponents that allow 
  each hero to shine in turn? What sort of fun scenes can 
  help define the story and give the players a headache?
  195
  195
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Every adventure needs a beginning, middle, and end. 
  While the Gamemaster may think the adventure begins 
  when the villains hatch the scheme, for your players—the 
  protagonists of your story—the adventure begins when 
  they get involved. How do the heroes become involved 
  in the adventure? Does a robbery grab their attention? 
  Does an informant tip them off to trouble? Does a hench-
  person have second thoughts and approach them with 
  details about the villain’s master plan? Is the disaster self-
  evident? What are your heroes doing when everything be-
  gins? Don’t be afraid to ask your players how they want to 
  get involved—especially what their heroes are doing as a 
  new day dawns—and you might be surprised how many 
  good ideas and story hooks they offer.
  Endings are easy to imagine: They’re the exciting climax 
  with whatever villain is behind the whole adventure. Think 
  of an exciting place for the showdown and what kinds of 
  resources the villain ideally has to aid them. Accept that 
  your heroes’ actions may change all these plans, and be 
  prepared to be flexible.
  Middles are more challenging. You must guide your play-
  ers from the beginning to the end in a way that feels 
  natural. Think of what clues you can drop and when, and 
  what resources the villain spends to stop the meddling 
  do-gooders. If the heroes succeed at given scenes, does 
  that affect their final confrontation at the adventure’s cli-
  max? Perhaps if they defeat the hired mercenary sent to 
  stop them, that character isn’t around to help defend the 
  villain at the climax. If the heroes stop the theft of a vital 
  component, does the villain gather their forces and attack 
  the heroes directly? Most adventures that last an evening 
  have two to five scenes filling out their middle, so try and 
  present different opportunities for different skills, powers, 
  and personalities to shine.
  COMPLICATING MATTERS
  Look at your players’ heroes and decide if any of their 
  Complications make sense in the adventure you’re 
  designing. Does an old nemesis or rival show up? Does 
  the villain use a hero’s weakness? Are one or more heroes 
  stuck in their secret identities as events unfold, requiring 
  creative thinking before they can help out? Your heroes’ 
  Complications can help you fill out interesting scenes that 
  feel personal or be springboards for adventure ideas all on 
  their own. How do your heroes react if they discover their 
  stodgy day-job boss actually funded the creation of their 
  newest supervillain?
  Remember that Complications help your players earn 
  Hero Points, so don’t shy away from using them. A well-
  spent Hero Point can mean the difference between defeat 
  and victory in the final confrontation!
  HANDLING DEFEAT
  In comic book stories, heroes don’t win every fight or find 
  every clue, and the same goes for Mutants & Masterminds 
  adventures. You should decide what defeat means in 
  any given scene of your adventure. Whenever possible, 
  defeat should lead the heroes into a detour rather than a 
  dead end. Lower-power villains likely flee with their loot 
  if they defeat the heroes, while masterminds may take 
  them prisoner or lock them in an improbable deathtrap 
  the heroes must escape. Missing clues in an investigation 
  means the heroes are delayed and give the villain more 
  time to gather their power, not that the villain can never 
  be found. Failing to win over the public on an issue means 
  the heroes will operate with increased scrutiny and angry 
  mobs, not that they’re run out of town.
  BALANCING ENCOUNTERS
  It can be challenging to know exactly how threatening a 
  villain is for your hero. Power Level only provides a rough 
  estimate, and different powers and modifiers will affect 
  the danger level of every encounter. In theory, a PL 10 
  hero has about a 55% chance of defeating a PL 10 villain, 
  and a 45% chance of being defeated—a tough fight, but 
  one the hero is likely to win thanks to advantages like 
  Hero Points. The rules assume a villain is roughly twice as 
  dangerous for every +2 increase in their PL, so a PL 12 vil-
  lain would be a tough fight for two PL 10 heroes, while a 
  PL 14 villain should be a tough fight for four PL 10 heroes. 
  Conversely, four PL 6 minions should cause at least mo-
  mentary concern for a single PL 10 hero. So a PL 12 villain 
  and eight PL 6 minions should present a respectable fight 
  that four PL 10 heroes would likely win.
  But the above is just an estimate. Mutants & Masterminds 
  is a complex system that allows for many exceptions. a 
  PL 10 villain whose attacks affect a wide area may en-
  danger multiple heroes every turn and can defeat mul-
  tiple heroes with a few bad Toughness checks. An ice-
  themed villain vulnerable to heat likely won’t last long 
  against a hero with fire powers. A hero with the Take-
  down advantage might clear the scene of minions in a 
  single action or two. There is no hard-and-fast rule for 
  challenging your players that covers every possible char-
  acter build. Use the above benchmarks as a guideline, 
  and be prepared to learn and try different combinations 
  in the future. Luckily, in Mutants & Masterminds, failure 
  rarely means death. Instead, heroes receive a Hero Point 
  for their defeat and get to try again.
  THE OUTLINE APPROACH
  The outline approach positions the Gamemaster as an 
  author or director and the player characters as actors in 
  your story, riding through a pre-set sequence of events 
  to a final destination. This approach has all the benefits 
  and drawbacks of a rail-shooter style video game, as the 
  heroes advance through the story with their decisions 
  and actions tallying up to a final success or defeat. This 
  approach is often simpler for new Gamemasters—as it 
  has fewer moving parts to track—but can make players 
  feel like their decisions and initiative don’t matter. Most 
  published adventures are written using the outline 
  approach, guiding Gamemasters through a pre-written 
  story (sometimes with advice for how to handle things 
  when players wander too far afield).
  196
  196
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  To create an adventure as an outline, imagine each of 
  the scenes as a chapter in a story, or a scene in a movie. 
  One scene leads into another, ideally dropping enough 
  hints about what the next scene is that your players make 
  the transition naturally and feel like they’re making their 
  own decisions. The player heroes become involved, jump 
  from exciting scene to exciting scene, and finally arrive 
  at the climax, just as they would if they were characters 
  in a book. The Gamemaster makes notes for themselves 
  ahead of time about what each scene is and what there is 
  for the heroes to do—ideally with multiple possibilities, as 
  they may succeed or fail at different approaches.
  The sample adventure Power Play on page 260 is present-
  ed as an outline-style adventure.
  FOR EXAMPLE
  If you have a mad scientist who wants to hold the world 
  ransom with a weather-control satellite, you must decide 
  who that scientist is and how far along they are in the pro-
  cess. Are they trying to settle a grudge? Greedy? Proving 
  their theories? Have they built the satellite yet? Is it in orbit? 
  Can this mad scientist create other minions empowered by 
  their weather-control technology, do they have the power 
  to handle things first-hand, or do they hire goons to run 
  errands for them? Let’s call our villain Dr. Stormsurge (and 
  use the Mad Scientist archetype from Chapter 3), who 
  turned to villainy after their former employer—Front Dy-
  namics—stole their designs and ruined their reputation. 
  Front Dynamics has already launched the weather-control 
  prototype, and now Dr. Stormsurge is going to hack into it 
  and use it to target properties owned by Front Dynamics. 
  Dr. Stormsurge knows that Front Dynamics will push back, 
  so they’ve used the same weather-controlling technology 
  to empower a few friends into superbeings—Sirocco and 
  Windshear (using the Energy Controller and Speedster 
  hero archetypes from the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook, respec-
  tively)—and arm a few high-tech guards (using the Robot 
  Jockey minion type). Dr. Stormsurge has established a se-
  cret lab in an old missile silo (see the headquarters maps in 
  Appendix: Villainous Lairs) as a stronghold. Most of the 
  threat the players face will be weather-related dangers.
  Scene 1 (Challenge Scene): The heroes become involved 
  when they witness a freak tornado form in the city. They 
  must rescue civilians trapped in its path and minimize the 
  destruction. They may stop the tornado itself (likely with 
  creative power checks), but if not, they’ll have to simply 
  keep its path clear and stop any disasters in its wake. Sev-
  eral industrial buildings are destroyed and the heroes can 
  try to investigate afterward, but all signs point to this be-
  ing a one-in-a-million weather anomaly.
  Scene 2 (Challenge Scene): The heroes can attend to 
  whatever personal business they like (a mini roleplay 
  scene, if you want to get technical), but the next day a 
  sudden thunderstorm targets a private airport outside 
  of town, endangering workers with sudden flooding, 
  fires started by strikes, and planes about to crash as the 
  air traffic control tower is struck by lightning. Once again, 
  the heroes must protect whomever they can and may at-
  tempt to end the disaster with power checks, otherwise 
  they must wait it out.
  Scene 3 (Investigation Scene): Two impossible weather 
  events in two days is too big a coincidence, and the he-
  197
  197
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  the fight, or even create warmer 
  conditions that the scientist’s 
  preparations leave the villain 
  forces vulnerable to. How they 
  handle this fight may lead to fu-
  ture adventures, such as busting 
  Front Dynamics for their illegal 
  business practices, but those are stories for another time.
  THE TOOLKIT APPROACH
  The toolkit approach positions the Gamemaster as a ref-
  eree rather than an author, allowing the players more 
  freedom in how they solve their problems and adjusting 
  the world and the villain’s plan accordingly. If the outline 
  approach is a book, then the toolkit approach is more 
  like a sandbox video game, where heroes can explore on 
  their own, encounter enemies out of order, and possibly 
  stumble across bigger problems than they can handle. 
  This approach generally feels more realistic and allows 
  players greater control and investment in the campaign, 
  but also requires more research and improvisational 
  skills on the part of the Gamemaster, or else a large ar-
  chive of villains, NPCs, and locations they can draw on at 
  a moment’s notice.
  The toolkit approach requires the Gamemaster to build 
  a “kit” for each adventure, know who the villain is, their 
  personality, their resources, and a rough schedule of the 
  villain’s plans, as well as likely locations the PCs will visit 
  and information on relevant NPCs. Because the heroes 
  can quickly go “off script” to investigate new angles and 
  people, other creative tools, like name generators, NPC 
  personality lists, or a handy folder of urban maps are all 
  useful when the players select an unexpected strategy. 
  roes can now investigate. The 
  airport is owned by a scientific 
  think-tank called Front Dynam-
  ics, as was one of the buildings 
  destroyed by the tornado. The 
  right Expertise skills or Investi-
  gate can help the PCs uncover 
  records of a secret weather-control device FD has been 
  working on for over a year, while Persuasion-based skills 
  may let them learn that a disgruntled employee was let 
  go from the project several months ago. Front Dynamics 
  insists their weather satellite is still entirely under their 
  control, and even if it weren’t, it’s only a prototype and not 
  powerful enough to cause such widespread (and expen-
  sive) destruction.
  Scene 4 (Conflict): Once the PCs begin investigating, Dr. 
  Stormsurge is convinced the interlopers are working for 
  Front Dynamics and sends Windshear and half their ro-
  bot jockeys out to confront the heroes and scare them 
  away from helping Front Dynamics. Once it becomes 
  obvious the heroes are winning, Windshear and any re-
  maining robot jockeys retreat, but they have mentioned 
  enough about Dr. Stormsurge in the fight banter that 
  the heroes know the scientist is operating from a nearby 
  missile silo.
  Scene 5 (Mixed Challenge/Conflict Scene): As the PCs 
  arrive at their lair, Dr. Stormsurge activates the weather 
  control satellite to create a hail storm, pelting the area with 
  light damage and making the terrain slick while equipping 
  themselves and their minions with technology to compen-
  sate. The PCs must battle Dr. Stormsurge, Sirocco, Winds-
  hear (if he escaped the last scene) and any remaining robot 
  jockeys to finally end the threat to the city. Heroes can de-
  activate the weather satellite to improve conditions during 
  “When in doubt have a man come through 
  a door with a gun in his hand.”
  -Raymond Chandler
  THE DREADED BLOCK
  One of the worst opponents any Gamemaster can face is the dreaded block. Writer’s block, gamer’s block, general execu-
  tive disfunction—whatever you call it, the part of your brain responsible for fun ideas and connecting dots simply refuses 
  to work. Coming up with fun ideas on a regular schedule can be challenging, even stressful. It’s natural that your brain 
  rebels now and then.
  If you’re out of ideas for a new adventure, look at your favorite inspiration. Read a comic. Watch a movie. Stream 
  a few episodes of your favorite TV show—superheroes or not—and just let yourself get excited. If nothing else, 
  you can steal the plot and hope your players don’t notice. You may also want to look for a random writing prompt 
  generator on the internet and see if the hooks it provides strike your interest. If time is short, consider picking up 
  a published adventure and either using it as-is or dropping in your own villains and supporting cast. You can even 
  let your players do most of the work for the night by dropping some plot device in their laps—like a time-traveling 
  pocket watch or duplication machine—and see what they do with it, assembling your own plot later from whatever 
  ideas they spark.
  Sometimes block strikes in the middle of a game session. Your players take an unexpected action or you lose your 
  place in the notes and suddenly all your energy and momentum just stops as you try and fail to figure out what to do 
  next. In this case, it’s perfectly acceptable to call a break and review your notes. If that doesn’t help, you can always 
  throw in a random element of danger—such as a trap or a challenge or an assassin sent to attack your heroes (or their 
  loved ones). Your players may even speculate about what’s going on if you act cagey, providing you with inspiration 
  for what just happened, or you can leave it random and mysterious, with vague allusions to a plot thread you can use 
  in the future.
  You can always ask your players to fill in the blanks on a new scene or development. They provide plenty of brain power 
  you should be eager to tap. If one player seems left out of this new direction, ask them to describe the scene, the NPC their 
  partners encounter, or some weird story element that complicates things. You might not have any idea how to portray 
  the gas station attendant who witnessed last night’s robbery, but you can simply tell your player they know this NPC and 
  ask them how.
  198
  198
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  The Gamemaster needs to be ready to react organically as 
  the PCs wander through the plot, and feed them enough 
  information regardless of the approach they take to keep 
  the adventure moving forward, but players must also be 
  willing to accept that the Gamemaster may need a fifteen 
  minute break during a session to review their notes and 
  decide how a new scene plays out. Scenes generally flow 
  more organically from one to the next, and while some 
  will be pre-arranged (such as an attack the villain has al-
  ready prepared, or a negotiation the PCs must find their 
  way into the middle of), how they occur, and the fallout 
  are more open to interpretation.
  The Gamemaster might want to jot down a few notes on 
  how to handle whatever possibilities they can think of, but 
  there’s no sense in going into detail: there’s no guarantee 
  any given NPC, location, or plot element will come up, and 
  they’ll likely invent a few on the fly. Ideally, a Gamemaster 
  can cannibalize their unused notes into new plans—if the 
  heroes skip fighting guards in the cannery, for example, the 
  Gamemaster can use that map later for a robotics factory 
  or that minion statblock to represent a crime lord’s goons.
  The sample adventure The Island of Doctor Sersei on page 
  274 is presented as a toolkit-style adventure.
  FOR EXAMPLE
  Using the same scenario, characters, and resources, we 
  wouldn’t break the adventure down into specific scenes, so 
  much as events that will happen according to a schedule, 
  and then figure out what’s going on with Dr. Stormsurge 
  and their minions as time goes on. Each event is separated 
  by a few days, assuming the heroes don’t get involved.
  • 
  Event 1: Dr. Stormsurge tests the weather-control 
  satellite by creating a heat wave that wipes out one 
  of Front Dynamic’s experimental farms. Because this 
  is away from the city, the heroes likely never learn 
  of it, but it may come up in their investigations, and 
  they may want to visit the farm later. Stormsurge sent 
  Sirocco to observe the test, and so if the PCs inves-
  tigate, they may find the webcam and monitoring 
  equipment Sirocco set up, as well as her garbage.
  • 
  Event 2: Dr. Stormsurge uses the weather control sat-
  ellite again to create a tornado in the city’s industrial 
  district, destroying a facility owned by Front Dynamics.
  • 
  Event 3: Dr. Stormsurge uses the weather control 
  satellite to create a thunderstorm at Front Dynamics’s 
  private airport on the edge of town.
  • 
  Event 4: Dr. Stormsurge uses the weather control sat-
  ellite to create a downburst to destroy the mansion 
  of Front Dynamic CEO Eli Thrust.
  • 
  Event 5: Front Dynamic, having failed to re-take con-
  trol of the satellite from Dr. Stormsurge, launches a 
  private rocket to knock it out of orbit.
  Dr. Stormsurge is paranoid and reactionary, certain that 
  Front Dynamics controls the authorities and—by exten-
  sion—the superheroes in the city. If the heroes get in-
  volved, Dr. Stormsurge immediately targets them, perhaps 
  with bizarre weather at public appearances or their head-
  quarters (if it is publicly known), but likely by sending one 
  of their super-powered lieutenants and some robot jockeys 
  to scare them. The heroes can investigate Front Dynamics 
  once they recognize them as the common element in all 
  the weird weather attacks, and learn about Dr. Stormsurge’s 
  history with the company. They may even take the scien-
  tist’s side and win them as an ally by taking down Eli Thrust 
  (and in this case, the Gamemaster should be ready to give 
  Thrust a few super-powered or technologically-advanced 
  guards of his own). If the heroes can’t track Stormsurge by 
  the time Front Dynamic’s rocket knocks the satellite out of 
  alignment, the scientist may launch their own satellite or a 
  rocket of their own to reclaim the technology (or incorpo-
  rate it into a space station, taking the adventure into orbit). 
  The adventure ultimately resolves when the heroes en-
  sure Dr. Stormsurge no longer threatens the city, whether 
  they ally with the scientist, defeat them, or temporarily 
  drive them into space.
  SCENE TYPES
  Mutants & Masterminds roughly divides game events into four types of scenes: Challenge, Conflict, Investigation, and 
  Roleplay, each described in detail over the next several pages. 
  • 
  Challenge scenes are scenes that use skill checks, ability checks, and/or power checks to overcome or bypass a 
  barrier. 
  • 
  Conflict scenes are scenes that place the heroes in direct competition with other characters, including combat. 
  • 
  Investigation scenes are scenes that use skill checks, ability checks, and/or power checks to uncover information. 
  • 
  Roleplay scenes are scenes that use player interaction to uncover information, overcome barriers, or generally 
  have fun.
  These aren’t hard and fast categories—simply ways of thinking about the challenges and story opportunities you pres-
  ent at your table—and can easily be combined or changed to suit your game style.
  Generally, adventures mix and match scene types, with an evening’s game using anywhere from three to eight scenes 
  for one adventure.
  199
  199
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  CHALLENGE SCENES
  Examples of Challenge scenes include:
  • 
  Escaping a flooding room, crushing chamber, or oth-
  er villainous deathtrap.
  • 
  Stopping a tidal wave as it rushes toward the city, or 
  clearing citizens out of the area so no one is hurt.
  • 
  Breaking into a secure building with different alarms, 
  guards, and even traps.
  • 
  Repairing an alien device or performing a magic ritu-
  al that can stop a rampaging kaiju.
  Creating a fun Challenge scene only requires understand-
  ing what the heroes want, what keeps them from getting 
  that prize, and what steps they can take to reach their 
  goal. Sometimes a challenge is simple: A locked door 
  can be circumvented with a Technology check to pick 
  the lock, a Strength check to bash it open, or powers like 
  Insubstantial. Other challenges might be more complex: 
  Getting into a secret government base means using Ex-
  pertise or Persuasion to learn its location, Sleight of Hand 
  to steal a base guard’s ID, Deception to craft a disguise, 
  and Stealth to sneak in to restricted areas. You must de-
  cide if everyone needs to succeed at a check to bypass the 
  challenge (everyone needs to sneak past the guards one 
  way or another), or if only one person needs to succeed 
  (there’s only one doomsday device to diffuse).
  You can decide the ideal way to solve each step of the 
  problem, but be flexible with your players if they want to 
  try a different approach or use a power or skill in a creative 
  way. Be fair when assigning check DCs to these new solu-
  tions; an outlandish plan may be much more difficult, or it 
  may be easier because it’s a tactic no one would think to 
  defend against.
  You should also decide beforehand how much time the 
  heroes have and how many failed checks they get before 
  they fail. In general, heroes need twice as many successes 
  to succeed as they need failures to lose, so heroes may 
  need 4 Degrees of Success before they accumulate two 
  failures for a simple task, or 10 Degrees of Success before 
  they have five failures for a very complex challenge. Alter-
  natively, instead of forcing the characters to fail the scene 
  at a certain point, you can place some slowly-escalating 
  consequences on failure, such as Toughness checks to re-
  sist increasing damage with every failed check.
  Challenge scenes are an opportunity for everyone to get 
  creative. Player input and planning can come up with fun 
  solutions, while the Gamemaster must decide how these 
  new tactics interact with the scene. If the heroes want to 
  enter the secret base by burrowing through the earth, the 
  Gamemaster should decide if the base has seismographs 
  that can detect them, or sensors to detect superbeings, or 
  burrowing defenders. Think on your feet and ask yourself 
  the important questions: Is it fair, and is it fun?
  Challenge scenes make excellent consequences for failure 
  in other scenes: An investigation went poorly, and now 
  the PCs must rush across the city as fast as possible to 
  reach the villain before the bomb goes off. The heroes fail 
  to win over the alien prince and are locked in the armada 
  brig. The villain defeats the heroes, and seals them inside 
  an overly-elaborate death trap that will surely finish them 
  off while she oversees the final stages of her plan.
  SUCCESS AND FAILURE
  Success in a Challenge scene should have obvious re-
  wards. The benefits of success are usually the whole 
  purpose of the Challenge scene: the heroes escape the 
  deathtrap, or rescue civilians, or find the secret informa-
  tion they need. You should feel free to reward heroes for 
  exceptional creativity or good luck as well, including Hero 
  Points, temporary (or even permanent) equipment, ad-
  ditional information, or positive morale that provides a 
  circumstance bonus to certain checks in the next scene.
  Failing a Challenge scene should never bring the entire 
  adventure to a screeching halt, but it should usually have 
  consequences: It may mean the villain gathers more re-
  sources, or the heroes go into the next scene with a con-
  dition or damage, or cost the heroes a resource like Hero 
  Points (requiring them to edit the scene to resolve the 
  challenge). Alternatively, the failure keeps pushing the 
  story forward but triggers a new scene type, like a fight 
  breaking out or a tense Roleplay scene as the heroes 
  plead their case.
  AWARDING HERO POINTS
  The Gamemaster should award Hero Points in a Chal-
  lenge scene whenever a player suggests a particularly 
  fun or insightful solution, whenever failing the challenge 
  makes the situation much more hazardous, or whenever 
  the Gamemaster throws in new or unexpected challenges 
  to keep the scene from being too easy. You should also 
  reward heroes who make the challenge more difficult for 
  themselves by trying to live up to a heroic ideal, like refus-
  ing to leave another prisoner behind or using their turn 
  to comfort an NPC instead of make progress on the chal-
  lenge sequence.
  Challenge scenes generally present some danger the heroes must escape or some goal they want to accomplish, often 
  with a ticking clock or consequences for failure. While some are easily resolved with a single skill check or power use, 
  most require multiple checks or challenge sequences to resolve and get the heroes to their goal. Challenge scenes are 
  often broken down into action rounds or other small units of time, with each check representing a character’s efforts 
  during that period of time.
  200
  200
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  PLOT TWISTS TABLE
  Sometimes a failed skill check doesn’t end the chal-
  lenge scene, it just makes the scene more interesting. 
  Likewise, if things are too easy or predictable, you might 
  throw in an unexpected twist. Roll a d20 and consult the 
  following table, or pick the most interesting result.
  D20
  RESULT
  1–2
  Family 
  Arrival: 
  A 
  friendly 
  NPC 
  somehow becomes involved in the 
  challenge; your daughter’s field trip just 
  happens to be to the museum you must 
  rob, your boss gets caught by goons.
  3–4
  Bad Timing: An Unrelated Villain 
  Arrives; another villain needs the same 
  information you do, a C-list villain robs 
  something nearby.
  5–6
  Okay, Creepy: The hero stumbles 
  across 
  something 
  unsettling 
  but 
  unrelated, delaying you briefly; you 
  find a guard’s hero-worship shrine to 
  you; this bathroom hasn’t been cleaned 
  in months.
  7–9
  Well THAT Wasn’t It: The challenge 
  randomly gets harder in a way related 
  to the check the PC just made; you 
  accidentally fry the keyboard, you insult 
  the mayor’s mother.
  10–12
  Disaster Strikes: Another, smaller 
  challenge interrupts and needs to be 
  tended to; you set off an alarm that now 
  needs to be disabled, you break into the 
  kitchens and must pass yourself off as a 
  new chef or health inspector.
  13–14
  Oversight: 
  A 
  superior, 
  journalist, 
  bureaucrat, or concerned citizen’s 
  group becomes involved; student 
  protesters make the guards edgy, your 
  commanding office buzzes you on the 
  radio to demand an explanation.
  15–17
  That Hurt: The check goes wrong, 
  and the hero picks up a condition 
  like Entranced, Fatigued, Hindered, or 
  Unaware; crossing the wrong wires gives 
  you a zap, someone flipped the lights 
  on before you could remove your night 
  vision goggles.
  18–19
  What Was That?: A guard, villain, 
  or dangerous monster shows up to 
  investigate; your cologne is too strong, 
  museum patrons mistake you for an 
  exhibit.
  20
  I Did Not Need to See That: The hero 
  learns some useful scrap of information 
  as part of their failed check, but is also 
  disturbed by the context, leaving them 
  Impaired for the rest of the scene; 
  that mystical secret was not meant to 
  be known by a mortal mind, the villain 
  keeps his password in the folder with his 
  vacation pictures folder.
  201
  201
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  Conflict scenes place heroes in direct competition with other characters to achieve a goal and move the story forward. 
  The most common examples of this are fight scenes, where heroes use their skills and fantastic powers in exciting slug-
  fests, but a conflict scene can also be a race, debate, or cooking competition. Any action-focused scenario that places 
  the PCs primarily against opponents who can react and adapt to them qualifies as a conflict scene.
  an opposed roll; a success for the pursuer brings them 
  closer while a success for the prey widens the lead. A 
  battle of the bands might be treated like combat, with the 
  audience essentially being minions each band “attacks” 
  with Expertise skill checks to win them over. As always, be 
  flexible and be fun, and as with Challenge scenes, be open 
  to new input from your players. The scenes presented later 
  in this chapter present several ways of using the rules for 
  alternative Conflicts.
  SUCCESS & FAILURE
  Success in Conflict scenes usually amounts to survival and 
  pushing the story forward: The heroes defeat the villain’s 
  minions or win the competition and gain its rewards. In a 
  fight, capturing some of the villains or their minions means 
  the mastermind or organization involved can’t use those 
  same forces again (for now). Unlike many roleplaying 
  games, Mutants & Masterminds doesn’t generally allow 
  players to loot their enemies—take their weapons, armor, 
  or quantum manipulators—but in some fights taking a 
  tool or plot device from a villain may be the whole point 
  of the conflict, while at other times it can be fun for a 
  hero to pick up a defeated enemy’s weapon for a scene 
  or two. Player characters generally only retain powers and 
  equipment they have paid Power Points for, and so “loot” 
  like this generally breaks down or runs out of fuel quickly.
  The consequences of failure depend heavily on who the 
  heroes’ opponents are and their agenda. Villains trying to 
  escape with their loot are likely to leave defeated heroes 
  where they fall, while evil masterminds may imprison 
  them, and mad scientists might strap them to tables for 
  fun experiments. The consequences for failure in non-
  combat Conflicts are more similar to Challenge scenes, 
  with failure costing the heroes resources, information, or 
  pride. Some fights are true battles for survival, with failure 
  meaning a hero’s death, but these should be the exception 
  unless your campaign is especially gritty or dark.
  AWARDING HERO POINTS
  The Gamemaster should award Hero Points in a Conflict 
  scene whenever you use the environment to make the 
  situation worse for the PCs or bring in reinforcements to 
  help a villain. You can also give out a Hero Point to grant 
  your villain the benefits a hero would normally get for 
  spending one, such as shaking off a condition or rerolling 
  a die; award this Hero Point to the player character most 
  directly affected. If the villain wins, award every hero in-
  volved a Hero Point.
  CONFLICT SCENES
  Some examples of Conflict scenes include:
  • 
  Brawling with supervillains in the street.
  • 
  Chasing down escaping bank robbers as they make 
  their getaway.
  • 
  A cosmic dance-off.
  • 
  A training session in the Doom Room.
  • 
  Arm wrestling for the fate of California.
  The key to any conflict scene is knowing who opposes 
  the heroes and what their motivation is. It’s important to 
  know the antagonists’ skills and powers, but it’s just as im-
  portant to have a feel for their Complications, personality, 
  and goals. A team of professional thieves will have differ-
  ent strategies than an anarchist looking to tear down the 
  system, even though either of them could be holding a 
  bank hostage. Some criminals only want to get away, and 
  want to distract the heroes long enough to make their 
  escape. Unscrupulous sorts may threaten or endanger 
  civilians and force the heroes to choose between saving 
  innocent people or pressing the fight. Other antagonists 
  may be cunning master planners who have three escape 
  routes planned out beforehand and seem to vanish with-
  out a trace once the fight turns against them. Outside of 
  a fight, knowing the adversary’s personality means know-
  ing if they are likely to cheat at competitions, how they 
  will react to interactions, and whether they’re the sort of 
  character to prepare secret surprises for their opponents.
  Understanding where a conflict happens can help add 
  fun options. A battle in the park means trees and rocks 
  may serve as cover while bushes can offer concealment, 
  benches and statues are available for super-strong char-
  acters to throw, and lakes can change the fight environ-
  ment. A rooftop chase becomes more treacherous in the 
  middle of the night if a hero doesn’t have nightvision or a 
  light source. Make sure whatever environment rules you 
  use are imposed on the villains as well as the heroes.
  BEYOND COMBAT
  While combat is the most common Conflict scene in 
  Mutants & Masterminds, other conflicts can arise. By and 
  large, use the way combat works to model other kinds 
  of conflicts: Characters all roll initiative, time is tracked in 
  rounds or turns of some sort, and characters make action 
  rolls on their turns, with the affected character resisting 
  with another roll. For a chase, action rolls might be effect 
  checks using a movement power, or an Athletics or 
  Vehicles skill check, with the target being chased making 
  202
  202
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  THAT WAS TOO EASY TABLE
  Sometimes players roll a lucky critical success on the first 
  turn of combat, or your master villain flubs a Toughness 
  check and ruins what should have been a challenging 
  final battle. If the heroes seem to have too easy a time 
  with defeating your villain for a Conflict scene, consider 
  rolling on this chart to figure out why their encounter 
  went too smoothly (and award them a Hero Point).
  D20
  RESULT
  1
  It Was All a Dream: The fight was 
  somehow a fake; the entire fight was a 
  dream, hologram, or illusion meant to 
  distract or test the heroes, leading to 
  an Investigation as to what happened 
  or a new Conflict.
  2–3
  You Don’t Understand: The villain 
  was on-scene to try and stop the same 
  crime because they had a personal 
  stake in the adventure, or they were 
  blackmailed into helping by someone 
  else.
  4–5
  Deadman’s Switch: The villain’s defeat 
  initiates some disaster (their base col-
  lapses, a bomb countdown begins, an 
  experiment runs out of control), start-
  ing a Challenge scene.
  6–7
  This Isn’t Even My Final Form: The vil-
  lain’s true power is revealed in defeat, 
  and they begin a new Conflict in with 
  more power.
  8–9
  All According to Plan: The PCs 
  winning somehow furthers the villain’s 
  true goal, possibly setting up a major 
  plot hook for the next adventure.
  10–11
  He’s a Robot?: The supposed villain 
  was a robot, clone, or other duplicate 
  sent for unknown reasons.
  12–13
  We’ve Gone Too Far: The PCs acciden-
  tally injured or (apparently) killed the 
  villain, possibly triggering a Roleplay 
  scene dealing with the consequences.
  14–15
  NOW They Show Up: The proper au-
  thorities arrive on the scene, and the 
  PCs must negotiate with or evade 
  them.
  16–17
  Merely a Test: This was just the villain 
  testing the heroes to gauge their abili-
  ties, with a pre-planned escape and a 
  feigned defeat.
  18–19
  The True Master: The apparent villain 
  was only a minion for a more powerful 
  villain lurking in the shadows, waiting 
  to confront the heroes after they tired 
  themselves out battling the puppet.
  20
  Wrong Place, Wrong Time: The he-
  roes or the villain are accidentally in 
  the wrong time or dimension, and de-
  feat the villain well before or well after 
  the crime in question. Getting back 
  may be an adventure on its own.
  203
  203
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  Players will generally begin an Investigation scene with 
  one big question, and the temptation is generally to an-
  swer that question once they have succeeded at a pre-
  determined number of skill checks. For short investiga-
  tions, this solution is practical and fast. For more detailed 
  investigations, break that central question into many 
  smaller questions and answer one with each successful 
  check. If the heroes want to know who robbed the bank, 
  tease out the villain’s identity by revealing the powers 
  used, the equipment they had, and a lead on where they 
  came from—enough information to push the story for-
  ward while letting players speculate on the details and 
  feel satisfied if their guesses were right. Always be ready 
  to steal your player’s speculations and adjust your own 
  plot if they happen across a twist more clever than what 
  you’d planned.
  No mystery is entirely unsolvable. Every person leaves 
  traces of themselves as they pass through an area, and 
  even more evidence if they try to conceal their presence. 
  Your goal in an Investigation scene is never to hide infor-
  mation from your players, only to make obtaining it fun 
  and interesting.
  SUCCESS & FAILURE
  Most Investigation scenes boil down into Challenge se-
  quences, with bits of information doled out as the reward 
  for each successful test. Successful investigations might 
  provide heroes with enough information to lay an am-
  bush or trap, or provide additional information on their 
  target—floor plans of a villain’s lair, passwords, or guard 
  schedules. Alternatively, they may uncover resources like 
  new contacts or single-use equipment to help with the 
  rest of the adventure.
  Failure in an investigation should never lead the PCs to a 
  complete dead-end, but may leave them chasing down a 
  dangerous false lead before learning the truth, potentially 
  leading to a Challenge or Conflict scene. Alternatively, a 
  failed Investigation may point the heroes in the correct 
  direction, but they arrive so late that the villain has addi-
  tional time to prepare, recruiting additional villains, laying 
  a trap, or otherwise making the climax more difficult.
  AWARDING HERO POINTS
  The Gamemaster should award Hero Points in an Investi-
  gation scene whenever a player makes a particularly good 
  insight, observation, or leap of logic that moves the plot 
  forward. You should also award a Hero Point whenever 
  you throw in a new complication to keep the Investigation 
  INVESTIGATION SCENES
  Like Challenge scenes, Investigation scenes focus on skill use. the difference revolves around the pacing and reward. 
  Investigation scenes focus on uncovering knowledge rather than bypassing barriers or escaping danger. Investigation 
  scenes generally don’t have the tight time requirements of a Challenge scene, and so time can be tracked more loosely; 
  each hero’s efforts may amount to ten minutes’ work, or an hour’s, or a full day of chasing down leads.
  Some examples of Investigation scenes include:
  • 
  Searching a crime scene and using various skills to 
  analyze what was found.
  • 
  Hacking into a computer system.
  • 
  Uncovering remnants of a civilization that vanished 
  thousands of years ago.
  • 
  Communing with spirits to learn about a supernatural 
  menace.
  Investigation scenes are generally reactive; the heroes in-
  vestigate in the wake of something else happening. It may 
  be the scene of a recent crime or a ritual chamber sealed 
  500 years ago, but in either case the players want to learn 
  what already happened. The Gamemaster’s job is to know 
  what happened, what traces of it would be left behind, 
  and how the heroes find and understand those traces. The 
  Investigation skill is the most obvious tool for Investiga-
  tion scenes, but the Perception skill can also be used to 
  find clues and patterns, while various Expertise skills can 
  be just as handy for recognizing their significance. The 
  technology skill can be used to trace electronic crimes 
  or tell when a lock or security system has been tampered 
  with (and how), while Treatment can reveal the source of 
  injuries, illness, or poisons if a mystery involves living crea-
  tures. Presence-based skills like Deception, Intimidate, 
  and Persuasion can all be useful for getting information 
  out of witnesses or suspects. Powers like Senses can be 
  especially useful, granting one or more automatic suc-
  cesses during an Investigation scene depending on what 
  the hero can detect.
  Some powers may make Investigation scenes too easy, 
  or redundant. Senses (Postcognition) allows a hero to see 
  exactly what happened, while Mind Reading allows a hero 
  to dive into a suspect’s mind to determine what they saw 
  or if they are lying. You may want to consider the ethical 
  ramifications of using powers to violate peoples’ privacy 
  in your game, but you should generally allow players to 
  enjoy the powers they’ve invested Power Points into. You 
  don’t need to address every mystery in perfect detail; in-
  stead look at these powers as new means of doling out in-
  formation. Postcognition can reveal that a masked wom-
  an pulled the trigger on the murder victim—and even 
  enough of their conversation beforehand to seed some 
  leads—but uncovering who she was or why she killed him 
  still requires old-fashioned detective work. Likewise, he-
  roes may still need skills like Deception or Persuasion once 
  inside a suspect’s memories to tease out information; the 
  criminal just can’t shut up or refuse to answer like they can 
  in real life.
  204
  204
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  NEW LEADS TABLE
  No detective can catch every clue, and sometimes the 
  best-laid trails go cold. If comic book heroes lose track of 
  the investigation or can’t seem to catch a clue, the plot 
  often drops new leads into their lap to get them back 
  on track. If your players are struggling, consider provid-
  ing a new clue, lead, or solution by way of one of the 
  following.
  D20
  RESULT
  1
  Accident: A complete accident allows 
  the heroes to stumble into a new lead, 
  often by accidentally damaging some-
  thing important to a hero.
  2–3
  Convenient News Report: Television 
  or social media picks up a relevant 
  news story that directs the heroes to 
  the trouble they seek.
  4–5
  Anonymous Source: An unknown 
  figure offers the information without 
  revealing their identity. Are they a 
  concerned citizen, a heroic mentor, or 
  a rival villain?
  6–7
  Interested Party: Some antagonist 
  from the hero’s life will provide infor-
  mation in exchange for a treasure or 
  future favor.
  8–9
  Helpful Authorities: The police, a 
  sheriff, or a government agency have a 
  lead and would like the hero to follow 
  up on it.
  10–11
  Reluctant Authorities: The authori-
  ties reveal they have more information 
  than the heroes, but won’t share, pos-
  sibly forcing a Challenge or Roleplay 
  scene to obtain it.
  12–13
  Seen Too Much: A friend or family NPC 
  saw something, but was injured or 
  captured in the process, and may need 
  medical attention or rescue.
  14–15
  Right Place/Right Time: The heroes 
  happen to arrive somewhere with a 
  clue or a knowledgeable NPC.
  16–17
  Heroic Cooperation: Another hero—
  maybe a condescending old hand or 
  an eager would-be sidekick—has in-
  formation to share.
  18–19
  Enemy 
  of 
  My 
  Enemy: 
  Another 
  supervillain wants to take down the 
  target of the PC investigation, and 
  offers them free information.
  20
  Fan Support: The hero’s fans hear 
  about the investigation and do their 
  own snooping to pass the information 
  along to the hero.
  scene from being too easy for the heroes, or whenever a 
  player does an especially good job of thinking in-charac-
  ter, especially in ways that complicate the Investigation. 
  205
  205
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  Some examples of Roleplay scenes include:
  • 
  Talking down an angry mob.
  • 
  Negotiating with a captive villain to find out where 
  she hid the doomsday device.
  • 
  Navigating a tense press conference.
  • 
  Picking your kid up from school on game day.
  • 
  Being a kid at the big game, and deciding whether or 
  not to use your powers to help your team win.
  Most Roleplay scenes revolve around dialogue as the 
  heroes interact with their supporting cast, authorities, 
  captive villains, reporters, or the general public. They may 
  mentor their child after a hard day of school, run errands 
  for a sickly uncle, describe their adventures to a skeptical 
  reporter, or talk down an angry mob. Beyond dialogue, 
  Roleplay scenes may involve tough character-building 
  moments and choices, often tempting or requiring a 
  hero to discreetly use their powers in their everyday. 
  Sometimes this is for personal satisfaction—cheating 
  on a test, getting the raise you need, getting the cute 
  guy to notice them. Other times it’s a matter of life and 
  death—saving a friend from an accident, stopping a 
  speeding car, or deciding whether to share information 
  only a superhero would know while maintaining a secret 
  identity. Players can generally narrate their activities with 
  fewer or no dice rolls, with the Gamemaster acting as the 
  final judge for what is reasonable or mediating disputes 
  when two or more players argue. As always, don’t forget 
  your responsibility to keep the game moving and fun for 
  everyone.
  The challenge for a Roleplay scene comes from how much 
  a character reveals (do they tell the police everything they 
  know, even if it may leak their secret identity?) and what 
  choices they make—perhaps they can’t stop a carjacking 
  and still get to work on time. Roleplay scenes are generally 
  freeform, and Gamemasters don’t need to track time 
  beyond vague estimates, just as “over the course of the 
  evening” or “in the next hour.” Likewise, while skills and 
  powers may come up—especially skills like Persuasion 
  and Insight that revolve around character interaction—
  these should generally measure a hero’s success or lead to 
  plot twists rather than stymieing their progress. 
  Because Roleplay scenes involve tracking many freeform, 
  moving parts and active characters, they can become 
  confusing or overwhelming. When portraying multiple 
  NPCs, make notes for each character’s distinctive speech 
  patterns, grimace, or accent in addition to a character 
  sheet you may already have. Props, including character 
  portraits and minis, but also distinctive headwear, glasses, 
  and other quick costume details can help everyone keep 
  track of who is speaking. For Roleplay scenes intended 
  to communicate important facts, Gamemasters should 
  make lists of what needs to be said and look for natural 
  opportunities to slip those plot points into the scene.
  One of the biggest challenges with running Roleplay 
  scenes is dividing your attention and table time between 
  your players equally. One player will often stand out as the 
  dramatist while more introverted players may retreat into 
  the background. If a player seems shy or doesn’t want to 
  participate, that’s fine, but make sure you make space for 
  them if they do and prevent other players from interrupt-
  ing or hogging the spotlight.
  SUCCESS & FAILURE
  Success in Roleplay scenes is generally measured by par-
  ticipation. So long as a player felt like they got to partici-
  pate as much as they were comfortable with, some mea-
  sure of success should emerge, whether that’s obtaining 
  new information, overcoming a plot barrier, or just having 
  fun and earning a few Hero Points.
  When things do go wrong in a Roleplay scene, it should 
  deepen the story and complicate the heroes’ adventure 
  rather than slow down the adventure. Nothing makes an 
  awkward date even worse quite like a kidnapping, while a 
  hero who sticks their foot in their mouth while talking to 
  the FBI might suddenly find all their government contacts 
  going quiet for the adventure. 
  AWARDING HERO POINTS
  Roleplay scenes are an opportunity for a character’s 
  Complications to shine without endangering their lives. 
  Gamemasters should draw on those Complications often 
  and shamelessly in Roleplay scenes, and even take the op-
  portunity to introduce temporary Complications a char-
  acter must navigate for the rest of an adventure, like visit-
  ing family, powers going haywire, or an unknown family 
  legacy popping up. Every use of a Complication earns the 
  character a Hero Point for later, and Gamemasters should 
  award additional Hero Points whenever a player puts their 
  heart and soul into portraying their character. Keep intro-
  verted players in mind during Roleplay scenes as well, and 
  award Hero Points when a player keeps the table on-task 
  and moving forward, or when quiet contributions help ev-
  eryone have fun.
  ROLEPLAY SCENES
  Roleplay scenes allow heroes to overcome a barrier or uncover information by use of character drama and description 
  rather than skill checks, and help the campaign feel more realistic as character traits outshine mechanical bonuses. 
  Roleplay scenes are especially important when drama or major reveals in the storyline shouldn’t be ruined by a single 
  bad roll of the die. They help highlight a character’s unique flavor, abilities, background, and melodrama, and provide 
  players a valuable opportunity to earn Hero Points.
  206
  206
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  NPC PERSONAL AND VERBAL QUIRKS
  Sometimes heroes go looking for new friends when you 
  don’t have anything prepared. If you need a memorable 
  hook for an NPC, roll on one or both of these tables.
  D20
  PERSONAL QUIRK
  1
  Always chewing on a toothpick, gum, 
  or candy
  2
  Constantly mentions their romantic 
  partner
  3
  Big fan of one hero
  4
  Big critic of one hero
  5
  Goes off on tangents; can’t focus
  6
  Dresses for the wrong decade
  7
  Acts younger than they seem
  8
  Talks to someone who isn’t there
  9
  Has a colorful catchphrase 
  10
  Won’t make eye contact
  11
  Flirtatious
  12
  Talks in an old-fashioned style
  13
  Clearly biased against a group
  14
  Pushy about a product
  15
  Thinks villains are sexy
  16
  Loud about a political belief or con-
  spiracy
  17
  Seems distant or dreamy
  18
  Knows the hero or the hero’s non-he-
  roic identity
  19
  Always thinking about food and refer-
  encing restaurants
  20
  Might be in the wrong comic/attitude 
  seems counter to the campaign mood
  D20
  VERBAL QUIRK
  1
  “...like you do.”
  2
  “I tell you...”
  3
  “Don’t you know?”
  4
  “Sorry.”
  5
  “Yeah, no.”
  6–7
  “Quite.”
  8–9
  “That’s fair.”
  10–11
  “...you know.”
  12–13
  Long pauses 
  14–15
  “Absolutely.”
  16
  “...I mean, technically.”
  17
  “Whatchucallit...”
  18
  “Could be, yeah.”
  19
  “Know what I mean?”
  20
  Excessive profanity
  207
  207
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  You may plan out combined scenes in advance, such as a 
  fight where the heroes must also rescue civilians in harm’s 
  way, or emerge spontaneously as the players find creative 
  solutions to other scenes, perhaps attempting to rewire 
  an alien’s spaceship while fighting off their champion.
  SUCCESS & FAILURE
  Success and failure are generally gauged and rewarded as 
  they would be for the component scenes. Succeeding at a 
  Conflict/Investigation scene means that the heroes defeat 
  opponents and uncover valuable information, jointly 
  moving the plot forward. Bear in mind that combined 
  scenes will often see one component end in failure while 
  the other leads to success, and you should consider how 
  to deal with that. 
  In some cases, this may simply make the other half of 
  the scene more difficult. Failing at the Challenge half of 
  a Challenge/Conflict scene means the heroes never de-
  crease the villain’s maximum power and face a far greater 
  challenge in the Conflict than they needed to. Refusing 
  the compromise or relying on a Complication during an 
  Investigation/Roleplay scene may mean the Investigation 
  takes more time and risks failure. Alternatively, it’s pos-
  sible for mixed successes to complicate the final victory. 
  The heroes may disarm the doomsday weapon during the 
  final showdown, but at the cost of letting the mastermind 
  escape or even defeat and capture them, or the heroes 
  may focus on defeating the villain but the weapon goes 
  off, leading to widespread destruction they must now 
  help minimize. Neither outcome is entirely a win nor a 
  loss, instead leading to new scenes and more complicated 
  stories.
  CHALLENGE/CONFLICT
  Challenge/Conflict scenes generally make for fun, dy-
  namic climaxes to adventures, where the heroes can use 
  their skills to alter the battlefield or victory requires com-
  pleting a task that the antagonist is violently opposed to. 
  They provide a vital role for heroes who are less combat-
  inclined, or whose powers the villain may be invulnerable 
  to. They also allow you to increase the stakes in a con-
  frontation; the heroes must battle an opponent not just 
  for the sake of victory or capture, but to stop some event 
  they have laid in motion. Whatever danger you present, 
  be sure to reduce both the threat of the Conflict’s antago-
  nist and the number of successes your Challenge requires 
  to reflect the fact that heroes can’t devote their whole at-
  tention to either one.
  Examples of Challenge/Conflict scenes include:
  • 
  Completing an ancient ritual while an invading de-
  mon army attempts to overwhelm the heroes.
  • 
  Disarming a bomb while battling the villainous mas-
  termind.
  • 
  Battling robots downtown while protecting civilians 
  from collateral damage.
  • 
  Racing another starship to a mysterious location, 
  tweaking and repairing your ship’s systems as they 
  overheat.
  CHALLENGE/INVESTIGATION
  Scenes combining elements of a Challenge and an Investi-
  gation often revolve around specific barriers the PCs must 
  first find before they can uncover. Investigation scenes 
  normally rely on skill and effect checks to uncover infor-
  mation, and so combined scenes often add consequences 
  to failed skill checks or else place specific barriers in the 
  PCs’ way whose defeat doesn’t yield any new information 
  so much as open new avenues in the investigation.
  Examples of Challenge/Investigation scenes include:
  • 
  Tracking down a courier with a thumb drive contain-
  ing all your leads.
  • 
  Hunting for a weather control device while saving 
  the city from the destruction it causes.
  • 
  Gambling for information against a cheating oppo-
  nent.
  • 
  Performing a dangerous heist to recover clues.
  CHALLENGE/ROLEPLAY
  Roleplay scenes often include a few dice rolls to see how 
  well a hero performs various tasks or how believable their 
  bluffs are, but Challenge/Roleplay scenes generally raise 
  these stakes to include consequences for failure and/or 
  rewards for success beyond the Hero Points and charac-
  ter development Roleplay scenes normally provide. They 
  may involve witty banter or tense standoffs, but these 
  combined scenes generally present a situation where 
  players must be creative in applying their skills to solve 
  problems and Gamemasters must be equally creative in 
  interpreting the results. A failed check may steer the tone 
  of the interaction or raise new challenges that must be 
  addressed before talks can continue. As Gamemaster, you 
  COMBINED SCENES
  At the table, few scenes fall neatly into a single category. Your heroes will try to negotiate with a sympathetic villain even 
  as they battle him, roleplay with one another and supporting cast as they work through an investigation, and split up to 
  solve a mystery and gather the ingredients for a magic ritual at the same time. Combined scenes give players a choice in 
  how to showcase their heroes’ talents and personalities, as well as additional ways to solve their problems. Consult the 
  previous pages for each of the component scenes for advice on how to construct the individual parts.
  208
  208
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  should decide early on how many Degrees of Failure end 
  the interaction and how many Degrees of Success yield 
  the best positive impression.
  Examples of Challenge/Roleplay scenes include:
  • 
  Negotiating with a sympathetic criminal syndicate to 
  ally against your mutual enemy.
  • 
  A cooking competition littered with smack-talk, sup-
  port, and narration.
  • 
  Talking to a hostile AI to keep it distracted while 
  teammates hack into it.
  • 
  Plunging into a comatose ally’s brain and navigating 
  their mental landscape to coax them back to life.
  CONFLICT/INVESTIGATION
  Sometimes information is protected, and when violence 
  or competition is required to reveal important clues or 
  protect the investigators, Gamemasters can combine the 
  elements of Conflict and Investigation scenes for action-
  packed reveals. More than just roughing up a criminal and 
  fighting off guards before forcing an informant to talk, 
  Conflict/Investigation scenes blend the head-to-head 
  competition into the process of revealing information, 
  and rarely does a single fight reveal every bit of available 
  information. Instead, a fight may reveal one piece of data 
  while sleuthing uncovers more, or multiple opponents 
  each only have a single clue, or part of the team must hold 
  a threat at bay while others uncover information.
  Examples of Conflict/Investigation scenes include:
  • 
  Fighting off assassins while grilling your informant.
  • 
  Chasing down a masked criminal to finally reveal 
  their identity.
  • 
  Keeping a regenerating monster subdued while 
  teammates study it.
  • 
  Defending an unconscious teammate from alien 
  predators while they search the astral plane for clues 
  about the beasts’ origins.
  CONFLICT/ROLEPLAY
  Heroes love to banter during fights in the comics, and it’s 
  hard to draw a distinct line between a fight scene with 
  smack-talk and a combined Conflict/Roleplay scene, so 
  be flexible in interpreting it. The defining difference is of-
  ten that the player’s own in-character dialogue can affect 
  the course of the fight without the need for dice rolls; an 
  impassioned speech or dramatic reveal is enough to alter 
  the plot, redoubling a villain’s attack, persuading criminals 
  to surrender, or driving a wedge between antagonists.
  Examples of Conflict/Roleplay scenes include:
  • 
  Character-building banter while training in the 
  Doom Room.
  • 
  Persuading a fallen hero to reform even as you battle 
  their rampage.
  • 
  Talking the mastermind’s mercenary into switching 
  sides mid-battle.
  • 
  Distracting the conqueror from her mission of de-
  struction with a dance-off.
  INVESTIGATION/ROLEPLAY
  Most Investigation scenes rely on skills and powers to 
  uncover information, with players’ descriptions adding 
  fun and flavor. But sometimes a well-placed word, com-
  promise, or exchange of information opens doors as part 
  of that investigation without the need for a twenty-sided 
  die. Investigation/Roleplay scenes often evolve organi-
  cally from Investigation scenes, but you may also present 
  heroes with opportunities to learn more during investi-
  gations by compromising their morals or falling back on 
  their Complications.
  Examples of Investigation/Roleplay scenes include:
  • 
  Grilling a suspect as part of an investigation.
  • 
  A tense romantic encounter where each member has 
  an agenda, but also burning passions.
  • 
  Exploiting your relationship with your father the 
  nurse to access a suspect’s medical records.
  • 
  Using magic or psychic powers to commune with the 
  spirit inside a clue.
  209
  209
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  The Chase focuses on catching escaping villains before 
  they get away.
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE
  The Power Corps has stolen a hard-drive containing valu-
  able data from ASTRO Labs. Upon spotting the heroes, the 
  power-armored mercenaries make a run for it and split up, 
  forcing the heroes to give chase.
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  The simplest way to involve the heroes is for them to re-
  spond to an emergency call from ASTRO Labs. They arrive 
  just in time to see the Power Corps split up and fly off, giv-
  ing the heroes the opportunity to chase. The heroes might 
  instead be at ASTRO Labs for other reasons when the theft 
  occurs, perhaps in their secret identities.
  PROBLEM POWERS
  If one or more of the heroes has a significantly higher (or 
  lower) movement speed rank than the Power Corps—
  who have Flight 7—then The Chase might seem like it’s 
  over before it begins! There are a few ways you can handle 
  this problem.
  Make sure the heroes have some movement options. If 
  they split up and one or more of the heroes cannot move 
  fast enough to keep up with the Power Corps, feel free 
  to have ASTRO Labs lend them several sky-bikes—anti-
  gravity “motorcycles” with Flight 7. If a limited number of 
  heroes have enough movement speed to give chase, you 
  might want to split the Power Corps into larger groups, 
  rather than having them all scatter in different directions.
  If your heroes are fast, use the situations described in 
  Road Hazards to justify slowing down the faster heroes. 
  Because the villains split up, one or two swift heroes won’t  
  necessarily eliminate the whole chase, and catching up to 
  the Power Corps members is just the first step! The first 
  Power Corps members the heroes catch are probably not 
  the ones with the stolen hard-drive.
  SCENE: RUNNING THE NUMBERS
  Read the following aloud to the players:
  When you arrive at the ASTRO Labs facility, there’s 
  no question as to the cause of the alarm: several 
  members of the infamous Power Corps mercenary 
  team hover in the air outside, near a  good-sized hole 
  punched in the side of the building. The armored 
  criminals apparently spot you as you arrive, and im-
  mediately scatter. The boot jets from their power 
  armor roar as they fly off in different directions! 
  Set the number of Power Corps members to match the 
  number of heroes—they probably don’t need their full 
  complement of eight for a simple tech-heist. Either as-
  sume the other mercenaries are on another job, waiting at 
  the group’s meet-up point, or reserved as back-up. 
  If you don’t have access to the Power Corps’ statblock 
  (available in Threat Report or the Basic Hero’s Handbook), 
  use the Battlesuit archetype from Chapter 2 of the Deluxe 
  Hero’s Handbook.
  THE PURSUIT CHALLENGE
  The Power Corps members split up and rocket off, forcing 
  the heroes to give chase. The pursuit itself is a challenge, 
  a series of checks measuring maneuverability and speed.
  Remember that the heroes and villains are navigating 
  the canyons and hazards of a crowded city, not matching 
  speed in a straight-off chase, and so control is as impor-
  tant as raw speed.
  Time: 1 round
  Checks: Acrobatics (for Flight or Leaping), Athletics (for 
  Speed or Leaping), or Vehicles (for heroes piloting a vehi-
  cle) opposed by the Acrobatics check of the Power Corps 
  member. If one side has a significant speed advantage, 
  apply a circumstance modifier to their pursuit checks: a 
  2-rank advantage grants a +2 circumstance bonus, while 
  5+ ranks of difference grant a +5 bonus instead.
  The following pages present ready-made scenes to 
  challenge heroes, filling in a number of superhero tropes 
  like chase scenes, crowd control, and mass invasions. Each 
  scene shares a few common sections:
  • 
  In This Exciting Issue describes the adventure, giv-
  ing you the details of the plot and villains involved..
  • 
  Involving the Heroes offers you some advice on 
  how to draw the player characters into the story.
  • 
  Scenes are the individual parts of an adventure. The 
  scenes presented here are only one section of a pos-
  sibly larger adventure. 
  • 
  Variations describes adjustments you can make to 
  the adventure to make it a whole new challenge or 
  add a fun twist if you want to re-play it.
  You can use a scene here as a short adventure, as a part of 
  a larger adventure, or borrow the rules for your own ideas. 
  EXAMPLE SCENES
  THE CHASE
  210
  210
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Success: If the hero generates 6 Degrees of Success, the 
  hero catches up with the villain, although this doesn’t 
  mean they’re defeated yet! If the hero catches up with the 
  villain, roll for initiative and shift to a Conflict scene.
  Consequences: If the fleeing villain obtains 6 Degrees of 
  Success, the villain escapes.
  ROAD HAZARDS
  The pursuit is more than just a test of speed. The Power 
  Corps pull off various maneuvers to slow the heroes down 
  or shake them. Each round of the pursuit, choose one of 
  the following or roll randomly to determine what the vil-
  lains do to make things more difficult for the heroes.
  d20
  Challenge
  1–3
  Blast Back: The villain hurls an energy bolt 
  that blows up a vehicle or building cornice, 
  collapses a tunnel, or otherwise hurls damage 
  the heroes’ way. The hero must roll a DC 20 
  Dodge check. If they fail, they suffer rank 10 
  damage, and lose a number of successes from 
  their threshold equal to their Degree of Failure 
  on the Damage Resistance Check.
  4–6
  Collision Course: The villain flies straight at 
  an obstacle, like the side of a building, before 
  swerving at the last moment. Roll an opposed 
  test of the villain’s Acrobatics against the hero’s 
  Acrobatics or Vehicles (as suits their mode of 
  movement). If the villain wins, the hero collides 
  with the obstacle, suffering rank 8 damage, or 
  their speed rank +1 (whichever is higher), and 
  loses one success from their success threshold.
  8–10
  Duck Out: The villain uses quick maneuvers, 
  attempting to lose the hero. Roll an opposed 
  check of the villain’s Deception against the 
  hero’s Insight or Perception (whichever is 
  higher). Add the resulting Degrees of Success 
  to the threshold of the winner of the test.
  11–13
  Endangered Civilians: The villain endangers 
  civilians, cutting the line of a window-washing 
  platform, knocking someone off a balcony, or 
  using a power blast to send debris falling to 
  the street below. If the hero pauses to save 
  civilians, they lose a success from their success 
  threshold, but gain a Hero Point.
  14–16
  Flying Low: The villain swoops down to street 
  level, flying among busy traffic on the city 
  streets. The pursuing hero needs to roll an 
  opposed test of their pursuit skill against the 
  villain’s Acrobatics. If the villain wins, the hero 
  loses the villain’s Degree of Success from their 
  accumulated successes.
  17–19
  Tight Maneuver: The Power Corps member 
  makes a tight turn, bank, or flies through 
  a narrow space. Roll an opposed test of 
  the villain’s Acrobatics against the hero’s 
  Acrobatics, Athletics, or Vehicles (as suits their 
  mode of movement). If the villain wins, the 
  hero must succeed at a DC 15 Perception check 
  to stay on their trail or the villain gains another 
  success.
  20
  No hazard this round
  THE MEET-UP
  The Power Corps members who escape have arranged 
  to meet up at an abandoned airstrip outside the city. 
  Any captured member of the Corps gives up the loca-
  tion to the heroes with a successful Intimidation check 
  against them. Heroes may also be able to use their skills 
  and powers to track the villains other ways—encourage 
  the players to be creative! This can lead to another con-
  flict encounter with the remaining villains, including any 
  of the eight members who were not originally present. If 
  outnumbered two-to-one, the Power Corps surrenders.
  Hero Points: Award a Hero Point to any hero whose target 
  escapes. Award a Hero Point to any heroes who come up 
  with a clever plan to locate the escaped villains.
  VARIATIONS
  The Chase works as a model for similar kinds of chase 
  scenes where the heroes pursue villains. You can adapt 
  it by changing the setting of the pursuit and the chal-
  lenges the heroes face, or replacing the flying villains with 
  criminals on souped-up motorcycles or aquatic creatures 
  diving into the ocean. You can reverse it for scenes where 
  the heroes are being pursued, or make it into a race where 
  whoever has the higher success total is ahead, and who-
  ever reaches the threshold first wins.
  You can also change things in the adventure by changing 
  the villains and what they have taken. It might be a dan-
  gerous device, creating complications of its own during 
  the pursuit for everyone.
  211
  211
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  The Frame-Up places the heroes on the wrong side of the 
  law as they are accused of crimes they didn’t commit.
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE
  Agents of AEGIS (the American Elite Government 
  Intervention Service) or a similar law-enforcement 
  organization show up at the heroes’ headquarters or 
  public appearance to arrest them on suspicion of a series 
  of thefts. The authorities have video surveillance evidence 
  implicating the heroes. Do the heroes surrender peacefully, 
  or do they go on the run in hopes of clearing their names?
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  Involving the heroes in this scenario is straightforward: 
  The authorities show up to arrest them! This is easy if the 
  hero team has a public headquarters. It gets more compli-
  cated if the heroes are less public. The team might make a 
  public appearance at a charity event, arrive at a television 
  studio for an interview, or some other activity the govern-
  ment agents can track. If the team is in communication 
  with the authorities, AEGIS might call them in for a meet-
  ing and arrest them when they arrive! If nothing else, the 
  heroes might hear about a warrant for their arrest. They 
  have the choice of going right to the On the Run section 
  or turning themselves in for the Surrender Peacefully op-
  tion without confronting the agents sent to arrest them.
  SCENE: YOU HAVE THE RIGHT…
  Read the following to the players:
  Monitor systems report the arrival of the AEGIS 
  agents before they reach the front entrance. Given 
  there are nearly a dozen of them, decked out in full 
  field-gear and carrying a battering ram, you’re sure 
  they’re not here for a social visit.
  Let the players decide what they want their heroes to do. 
  If they go out to meet the government agents or let them 
  in to speak with them, they find out the squad is under 
  the command of Agent Derek Berrindino, a hot-shot who 
  is none too fond of superheroes, and enjoying the pros-
  pect of taking the team “down a peg or two.” He brusquely 
  identifies himself and informs the heroes they are under 
  arrest on suspicion of larceny, breaking-and-entering, and 
  other charges. He orders the agents with him to cuff the 
  heroes and read them their rights.
  AEGIS AGENTS
  Agent Derek Berrindino uses the Government Agent 
  archetype from Chapter 3, except he carries a blast 
  rifle (ranged, damage 8) and wears an armored vest (+4 
  Toughness) for the raid, increasing him to Power Level 6.
  Berrindino’s AEGIS team consists of eight agents who use 
  the SWAT Officer archetype from Chapter 3, except their 
  weapons are energy blasters and instead of handcuffs 
  they have power-nullifying manacles able to exert a rank 
  10 effect that prevents the wearer’s powers from working; 
  heroes can use extra effort to roll their highest power rank 
  against DC 20 to overcome the nullifier. If they succeed, 
  they can use their powers for one round (ideally to es-
  cape). If they fail, they do not overcome the effect.
  Additionally, the AEGIS squad is backed up by three more 
  agents in power armor; use the Robot Jockey archetype 
  from Chapter 3. The power-suit wearers stand back, but 
  step in if things get violent (see Fight Back, following).
  SURRENDER PEACEFULLY
  If the heroes choose to surrender to the agents, they are 
  taken into custody and brought to the local AEGIS head-
  quarters for processing. If the arrest is made in public, it 
  doesn’t take long for the media to fixate on it, and smart-
  phone videos of the heroes being led away in cuffs play on 
  all of the networks. The heroes are put through the process 
  of being booked and placed in holding cells. Exactly how 
  much information the feds are allowed to collect depends 
  on your setting, and whether or not there are any laws 
  in place to protect the identities of costumed heroes. At 
  worst, the authorities will unmask the heroes, take mug 
  shots and fingerprints, and ask them for identification and 
  their real names. In a more four-color world (like the Earth-
  Prime setting) known heroes get the benefit of the doubt 
  and can maintain their secret identities—for now.
  The heroes are permitted to make a call and provided with 
  a lawyer, if they do not already have one—or if one of the 
  heroes is the team’s lawyer in their secret identity! Unfortu-
  nately, the wheels of the justice system grind slowly, and ev-
  eryone involved wants to avoid any appearance of treating 
  the heroes with favoritism. So the prosecutor assigned to 
  their case makes an argument that they are most definitely 
  a (possibly literal) “flight risk” and must be kept imprisoned 
  until their arraignment, which seriously limits the heroes’ 
  option. If the heroes choose to wait things out regardless, 
  the real villains might go to ground (so as not to give away 
  their deception) or they might try and make things worse 
  for the heroes by staging a “jail-break” for them and either 
  capturing the heroes or leaving them to face the authorities 
  while their “criminal allies” escape.
  FIGHT BACK
  If the heroes do anything that can be construed as “resist-
  ing arrest” or threatening, they give Agent Berrindino the 
  opportunity he’s craving, and he orders his squad to take 
  the team down by force. Although the AEGIS agents likely 
  outnumber the heroes, chances are they’re outclassed 
  when it comes down to a fight. If the heroes win, they 
  must decide whether to go on the run (following) or wait 
  THE FRAME-UP
  212
  212
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  and surrender to Berrindino’s back-up, which is twice as 
  many agents and armor pilots. Chances are that a fight 
  against the AEGIS agents also gets caught on video and 
  shows up on the news almost immediately.
  ON THE RUN
  If the heroes prefer not to entrust their fate to AEGIS and 
  the legal system, especially when it’s clear they’ve been 
  set up, they can choose to go on the run so they can 
  investigate and clear their own names. It shouldn’t be 
  overly hard for a team of heroes to escape from the AEGIS 
  agents, especially if they have various movement powers 
  or a team vehicle at their disposal. They may have to adopt 
  a lower profile to avoid the police, offering opportunities 
  for heroes with stealth and disguise abilities to show off.
  SCENE: INVESTIGATION
  The heroes must prove their innocence, ideally by track-
  ing down the real perpetrators and finding evidence of 
  their impersonation. Part of this process involves the fol-
  lowing challenge sequence:
  Time: 1 hour
  Checks: Investigation (DC 15) is the primary check, but 
  various other abilities can come into play, depending on 
  how the heroes approach things, including interaction 
  skills, Expertise, and Technology, as well as unusual senses.
  Success: If the heroes obtain 5 Degrees of Success, they’re 
  able to track down where the real thieves have taken 
  their ill-gotten gains. This lets the heroes confront the real 
  villain(s), possibly getting either a confession or evidence 
  they can use to clear themselves.
  Consequences: If the heroes accumulate 3 Degrees of 
  Failure, the authorities are on to them and an AEGIS team 
  similar to the previous one that came to arrest them 
  shows up and tries to take them into custody.
  VARIATIONS
  Things get interesting for The Frame-Up in terms of who 
  has framed the heroes, how they did it, and why. The fol-
  lowing are some possibilities you can consider. Exactly 
  what the villains are stealing, and why, is left for the GM 
  to decide based on their larger plans. As a default, they’re 
  robbing banks, jewelers, or wealthy homes, either for the 
  money or just the opportunity to frame the heroes.
  IMPOSTERS
  While the criminals look like the heroes, they’re actually 
  imposters, and any appearance that they have the he-
  roes’ powers are either faked or mimicked. For example, 
  the Power Corps from the Basic Hero’s Handbook might 
  be using advanced hologram generators to look like the 
  heroes, faking some of their abilities with their armor. A 
  group of villains with the traits of the Master of Disguise 
  or Mimic archetypes from Chapter 3 could be doing the 
  same, possibly with those powers granted by a master 
  villain, or a team of Jobbers with visually-similar powers 
  may be wearing copies of the heroes’ costumes.
  EVIL TWINS
  The criminals committing the thefts not only look like the 
  heroes, but are them—their “evil” twins or duplicates. They 
  could be clones, evil versions of the heroes from a parallel 
  universe, robot or android duplicates, or magical simula-
  cra, to name a few possibilities. Villains like Overshadow 
  and Malador the Mystic from the Basic Hero’s Handbook or 
  villain archetypes like the Elder Evil, Imp, Mad Scientist, 
  Overlord, Robot, or Sorcerer from Chapter 3 might be 
  using the evil twins to accomplish their goals while at the 
  same time getting the bothersome heroes out of the way. 
  The thefts can be connected to the villain’s larger scheme, 
  or just an added bonus to framing the heroes.
  MIND CONTROL
  On the other hand, perhaps the heroes are guilty, after a 
  fashion. They might have been mind-controlled or other-
  wise influenced into committing the crimes (and leaving 
  evidence so they would get caught), with their memories 
  of the whole experience erased! This could be the work 
  of a Basic Hero’s Handbook villain like Malador’s sinister 
  sorcery, Mindfire’s telepathic powers, or even Luna Moth 
  with a modified version of her pheromone formula. Simi-
  larly, the Mastermind and Puppeteer archetypes from 
  Chapter 3 are well-suited to this scheme.
  213
  213
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  Hearts & Minds is a one-scene Mutants & Masterminds sce-
  nario focusing on a different kind of conflict between he-
  roes and their rivals: social competition. The heroes have 
  to succeed by winning over hearts and minds, rather than 
  using fists and energy blasts.
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE
  An alien refugee has been taken into police custody fol-
  lowing an incident where a bystander was injured by the 
  alien. Now an angry mob is forming, looking to exact vigi-
  lante justice on the “alien monster” unless the heroes can 
  find a way to defuse things before they get out of hand.
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  If the heroes are a known group, authorities may contact 
  them regarding the alien, asking for their advice or 
  assistance. If you want, you can even run a short prelude 
  to this scene where the heroes are around when the alien is 
  first discovered and have to help capture it in the first place. 
  This gives them some additional investment in its fate. 
  Otherwise, the heroes may simply hear about the capture 
  of the alien and reports in the media about a growing 
  demonstration outside the jail where it is being held, with 
  authorities concerned the situation might turn violent.
  PROBLEM POWERS
  A scenario like Hearts & Minds is largely aimed at the heroes 
  not using their powers to solve a problem, but there are 
  some powers that might come into play and influence 
  the outcome. In particular, heroes with mind- or emotion-
  influencing powers might try and use them to “convince” 
  an audience to go along with them. Generally, most 
  heroes understand that such influence is problematic and 
  may come back to haunt them at a later point, but feel free 
  to have someone else point this out if none of the players 
  do. Likewise, heroes resorting to force and intimidation 
  to make their case might enhance a fearsome reputation, 
  but are not likely to win over a lot of people in the long 
  run. They might have later problems when it comes to not 
  having the public’s trust.
  SCENE: WEB OF FEAR
  Read the following aloud to the players:
  Reports of the capture of an alien being—a multi-
  limbed spider-like creature—in the downtown 
  area are all over the news. Apparently, the creature 
  was found by some public works personnel in a 
  maintenance tunnel, and managed to bite one of 
  them before it was captured by police. The injured 
  worker is in critical condition in the hospital. 
  Meanwhile, an increasingly agitated crowd has 
  been gathering outside the police station where the 
  creature is being held, with many people demanding 
  action be taken to eliminate it, or at least interrogate 
  it to ensure there isn’t an invasion of some sort in 
  progress. Police are deploying outside the station in 
  case the scene turns violent.
  Hero Points: If the heroes have any Relationship compli-
  cations with law enforcement, media, or governmental 
  authorities, those characters might be involved in this 
  scene to give them added motivation.
  THE ALIEN
  The alien is an immature skr’ee, a four-limbed spider-like 
  species. An absentee parent placed its egg-sac in the 
  maintenance tunnel. Skr’ee care for their young commu-
  nally, but there are no others of its kind around. How it got 
  there in the first place may be a mystery for the heroes to 
  solve but for now the young skr’ee is alone, frightened, 
  and dependent solely on instinct and genetically-encod-
  ed race memories, without even a name to call itself.
  The skr’ee has ability and skill ranks of 0 along with Move-
  ment 2 (Wall-crawling), Senses 4 (Darkvision, Acute Smell, 
  Tracking) and a venomous bite (Cumulative Affliction 6, 
  Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, 
  Incapacitated). Victims must make an initial resistance 
  check, followed by another every hour, with the Affliction 
  progressing a degree with a failed check. A successful re-
  sistance check ends the effect.
  THE MOB
  A large crowd of people 30 people strong has gathered 
  outside the police station. As videos of the initial skr’ee 
  incident go viral, people begin to panic about what is be-
  ing done about the “alien invader” the police have in cus-
  tody, whether or not they can hold it, or even if the alien 
  is somehow influencing people or “using” the police for 
  its own protection. Fear, anger, and rumors are spreading, 
  and the crowd is growing, shifting into an angry mob. Use 
  the Bystander archetype from Chapter 3.
  THE AGITATOR
  Egging the mob on is Conrad Zoraz, an anti-alien advo-
  cate who argues all alien beings are a potential threat to 
  humanity and that governments must take more action 
  to eliminate alien presences on Earth. Zoraz is a xeno-
  phobe who believes all outsiders are dangerous, and that 
  humanity has a moral obligation to destroy aliens rather 
  than allowing them to “infiltrate” Earth. He isn’t much of a 
  direct threat; base his abilities off the Reporter archetype 
  in Chapter 3 with Presence 2 and Expertise: Aliens 6 (+8) 
  in addition to the other listed skills.
  HEARTS & MINDS
  214
  214
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  THE CHALLENGE
  The heroes must convince the crowd to calm down and 
  let the authorities or the heroes handle the alien, ideally 
  before things get violent. This is a challenge sequence 
  with the following parameters:
  Time: 1 minute
  Checks: Deception (if the heroes lie to the crowd), Intimi-
  dation (to threaten the crowd), Persuasion (to convince 
  everyone). Some types of Expertise might work, too. The 
  DC of the first check is 12 but, after that, Conrad Zoraz 
  steps forward to question and counter the heroes, and the 
  following checks become opposed by Zoraz’s own. He has 
  a +6 bonus with Deception and Persuasion and a +8 with 
  Expertise: Aliens.
  Success: The heroes need 5 successes to calm the crowd 
  and convince them to leave peacefully.
  Consequences: If the heroes fail two checks, the crowd 
  becomes a violent mob and tries to rush the police sta-
  tion, but can be calmed with a successful check. If the he-
  roes fail four checks, there’s no convincing the mob any 
  longer and the heroes must use other means to resolve 
  the situation. Deceiving or intimidating the mob can tem-
  porarily defuse the situation but may have consequences 
  for the heroes and their reputations later.
  This initial incident can easily lead into a follow-up adven-
  ture. Once the heroes have handled the crowd, you can 
  decide whether or not they have to get the infant skr’ee 
  back home (if they have or can borrow a means of space 
  travel) or just keep things calm until another hero can 
  handle it. They may also find or manufacture an antidote 
  for the skr’ee’s venom.
  VARIATIONS
  The basic concepts of Hearts & Minds can work for other 
  social competitions.
  BATTLE OF THE BANDS
  Rather than winning over an angry mob, the heroes 
  could be trying to win over an audience in a performance 
  competition. This could range from Hero High characters in 
  a band looking to defeat their rivals to a group of heroes 
  in an interstellar music competition to save the Earth! The 
  heroes make a team check of their relevant Expertise skill(s) 
  for the performance, with the DC based on how difficult the 
  audience is to win over. Whoever gets the largest Degree of 
  Success after a total of 3–5 checks is the winner!
  THE DEBATE
  One or more heroes are engaged in a public debate. This 
  could be arguing with a prejudiced demagogue like Con-
  rad Zoraz over the rights of aliens, mutants, robots, or any 
  other group, arguing a legal case before a judge, or de-
  bating an opponent in front of a third party the heroes 
  must sway, like the ruler of an alien empire. Each check is 
  opposed and the side that gets 5 successes first wins the 
  debate. Three or more successive failures on the part of 
  the heroes might anger their audience, leading to them 
  also being thrown in jail, a dungeon, or a gladiator pit!
  THE FEAR-MONGER
  For a bigger challenge, the heroes might be up against 
  a foe with far greater interaction skills or powers that al-
  low them to control people’s emotions! From the Basic 
  Hero’s Handbook, Luna Moth’s Pheromone Capsules might 
  do this, as could Malador’s Curse of Transformation, and 
  Mindfire might power-stunt a version of her Terrifying 
  Hallucination to do the same. From this book, the Elder 
  Evil, Imp, Mastermind, and (especially) Puppeteer vil-
  lain archetypes could do it, and the Jumped-Up Nobody, 
  Mad Scientist, Psycho, Sorcerer, and Vampire arche-
  types could easily use Extra Effort for a power stunt.
  RALLY
  Rather than calming an angry mob, the heroes have to 
  rally a frightened crowd to find their courage and stand 
  up to some danger. If they get 5 successes, the bystanders 
  all rush to their aid and help the heroes against the villain, 
  providing them with a needed distraction or opportunity 
  to escape the villain’s trap, for example. Along with skill 
  checks, uses of advantages like Inspire and Leadership 
  can count as one success each, and suitably heroic ac-
  tions, such as a use of Interpose to protect someone, can 
  also count as one or more successes.
  215
  215
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  Incredible Shrinking Heroes is a one-scene Mutants & Mas-
  terminds scenario where the heroes must overcome larg-
  er-than-usual challenges, because they have become so 
  small! It offers advice for dealing with heroes operating at 
  different sizes.
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE
  The heroes track down the secret laboratory of a mad 
  scientist and raid it, only to fall into a trap that shrinks 
  them down smaller than mice! What’s worse, another of 
  the scientist’s experiments, cybernetic lab rats, stalk the 
  heroes through the now-giant (to them) laboratory.
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  The heroes have been on the trail of a mad scientist. Use 
  the Mad Scientist archetype from Chapter 3. The villain 
  is at-large and the heroes have found a lead to his latest 
  hideout, so they’re off to apprehend him before he can do 
  any further harm!
  Alternately, you can start this adventure immediately after 
  the heroes have been captured by a villain, either the mad 
  scientist or another bad guy willing to trade them off to 
  the scientist as experimental subjects. They’re subjected 
  to the shrinking field as part of a deliberate experiment, 
  but the scientist is called away by something, allowing the 
  heroes the opportunity to escape.
  PROBLEM POWERS
  Heroes with Growth ranks sufficient to counteract the 
  Shrinking effect may seem to overcome the scene’s 
  unique challenge. The simplest solution is to say that the 
  scaling effect of the shrinking field also nullifies or reduces 
  those powers. This means a growing or shapeshifting hero 
  cannot simply return to normal size, but they can grow 
  “giant” compared to their tiny default size. Heroes with 
  high ranks of movement powers find their top speed 
  scaled down to match their new size. You should award 
  the affected player(s) a Hero Point for this complication.
  SCENE: A SMALL PROBLEM
  Read the following aloud to the players:
  You’ve finally got a break on a case you’ve been 
  working, a lead to the location of a criminal 
  laboratory hidden beneath the city streets. Now 
  that you know where it is, even its steel-reinforced 
  secret door is no match for your abilities. The dimly-
  lit chamber beyond hums with the electrical power 
  stolen from the city’s grid. A second steel door slides 
  down, closing the way you came, and a bright flash of 
  shimmering light fills your vision, inducing a sense of 
  vertigo, as the room spins around you!
  You find yourselves in a vast chamber—the ceiling 
  hundreds of feet overhead—with strange, massive 
  buildings surrounding you that … no, not buildings—
  workbenches and furniture. You haven’t been trans-
  ported. You’re in the same room, only seeing it from 
  the floor-level, only an inch tall! You hear the rattling 
  of a cage door opening somewhere in the room and 
  claws scrabbling against the tile floor...
  Hero Points: Award the players a Hero Point for the trap: 
  the field of an experimental shrinking ray, which has re-
  duced them in size to just a couple of inches tall.
  LITTLE HEROES, BIG CHALLENGES
  The heroes are essentially under the effect of 16 ranks of 
  Shrinking, reducing their size rank by 4 (see Shrinking in 
  the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook). However, rather than applying 
  the modifiers for the Shrinking effect, it’s easier to simply 
  treat the world around them as larger, turning inches into 
  yards from the characters’ perspective. Thus the 30-by-30 
  foot lab becomes roughly a half-mile wide from the heroes’ 
  perspective—several city blocks! The three-foot high coun-
  tertops are the equivalent of 100-foot tall buildings, while 
  the spaces underneath them are like caverns with 15-foot 
  ceilings. The lab’s eight-foot ceiling and light fixtures are 
  now a staggering 300 feet overhead.
  There is a lot of scientific bric-a-brac in the lab the heroes 
  can interact with, including:
  • 
  Glassware: Beakers, flasks, and test tubes are now 
  huge compared to the heroes. It takes a proportion-
  ate Strength of 4 to lift a test tube and 6 for a beaker 
  or flask, more if they are full. The heroes are small 
  enough to climb inside any of the glassware as well 
  (or fall into it accidentally). At this size, glass is as 
  tough as stone (Toughness 5).
  • 
  Bunsen Burners: Burners emit a Line Area Damage 
  10 effect, if the heroes can ignite one. Turning the gas 
  on takes Strength 3 and a Standard action.
  • 
  Chemicals: The smallest chemical bottles take 
  Strength 4 to lift, while larger ones require Strength 
  7 or more. Tipping over a chemical container releases 
  its contents in a Cone Area from the mouth of the 
  container. Usually the effect is something like Dam-
  age 8 each round for anyone in the area, although 
  some chemicals might cause Afflictions instead. Play-
  ers can spend Hero Points to edit the scene and de-
  fine the effects of a particular chemical.
  • 
  Sinks: Countertop basins are 30 feet deep from the 
  heroes’ perspective and 60 feet across. Turning on 
  the facets takes Strength 5, and heroes are small 
  enough to be washed down the drain. Swimming or 
  moving against the current from the spigot is a DC 18 
  Athletics check.
  THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING HEROES
  216
  216
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  Dissection Instruments: A tray with scalpels, nee-
  dle-like probes, and other instruments. A hero could 
  wield one like a bulky spear (Damage 3), or the whole 
  tray could be knocked over, striking the floor below 
  with a Damage 6 attack in the equivalent of a 30-foot 
  Burst Area.
  • 
  Laser Pointer: Takes Strength 4 to lift, but can be 
  used as the equivalent of a rank 8 Dazzle attack 
  against a single target.
  RATS!
  A small pack of cybernetically altered lab-rats—one for 
  each hero—are released from their containment to attack 
  the shrunken intruders. At the heroes’ current size, the 
  rats are monsters the size of elephants, with vicious claws, 
  brain-implants to control their behavior, and cybernetic 
  tails that can make grab or Trip attempts from the equiva-
  lent of 30 feet away.
  CYBER-RATS 
  PL9
  STR 10, STA 10, AGL 3, DEX 0, FGT 6, INT -4, AWE 1, PRE -4
  Powers: Brain Override Implant Enhanced Will 7, Cyber-
  Claws Damage 2, Cyber-Tail Elongation 2 (30 feet, Limited 
  to Tail), Enhanced Senses Senses 2 (Acute Smell, Low-light 
  Vision), Frickin’ Lasers Ranged Damage 10 
  Skills*: Athletics 3 (+6), Stealth 1 (+4); *The rats’ Athletics skill 
  is based on their Agility rather than their Strength
  Offense: Init +3, Claws +6 (Close, Damage 12), Frickin’ Lasers 
  +0 (Ranged, Damage 10), Unarmed +6 (Close, Damage 10)
  Defense: Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fort 10, Tou 10, Will 8
  Totals: Abilities 44 + Powers 32 + Advantages 0 + Skills 2 (4 
  ranks) + Defenses 7 = 85
  Complications: Rat: The lab-rats are just ordinary animals 
  otherwise and, at normal size, have the traits of ordinary rats 
  with a Damage 1 laser that has only a 3-foot range.
  GETTING BIG
  The emitter for the shrink ray is located near the ceiling on 
  the opposite side of the lab from the entrance, aimed in 
  a wide beam at the area where the heroes entered. They 
  must cross the room, get up to the top of the counter, and 
  access the ray’s control systems in order to reverse it. They 
  need to be in the area of effect, back where they started, 
  when the ray goes off.
  Resetting the shrink ray is complicated by the fact that 
  the controls are huge and hard to manipulate from the 
  heroes’ perspective. It takes at least Strength 4 to perform 
  the necessary manipulations, so some of the heroes might 
  have to work in tandem to do so. Resetting the ray is a 
  challenge as follows:
  Time: 1 round
  Checks: Technology (DC 16)
  Success: If the heroes obtain 6 Degrees of Success, they’re 
  able to reactivate the ray for a short burst (one round) 
  with up to a one-minute (10 round) delay.
  Consequences: If the heroes accumulate 4 Degrees of 
  Failure, they short out the device and it takes an addition-
  al DC 18 Technology check for them to start the process 
  over again. If they short it out a second time, the shrink ray 
  is fried without extensive repairs.
  VARIATIONS
  The Incredible Shrinking Heroes can work for other adven-
  tures where the characters are reduced in size from their 
  normal world.
  LAND OF THE GIANTS
  Heroes might visit a “land of the giants” in a hidden cor-
  ner of the world or another dimension with a vastly larger 
  scale, and people wander through “forests” of grasses 20-
  feet tall with giant insects. A fast and messy way to make 
  a creature the “giant” version of itself is to simply add +8 
  to Strength and Stamina, though you may want to make 
  specific statblocks for important creatures or characters.
  BODY WARS
  The heroes shrink to cellular size cells to enter someone’s 
  body, either to treat a serious medical issue, or to deal 
  with another microscopic intruder. White blood cells are 
  the equivalent of the Blob archetype from Chapter 3, and 
  the heroes need life supports suits (or a vehicle) to navi-
  gate the circulatory system to their destination.
  217
  217
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  SHADOW Invasion is a one-scene Mutants & Masterminds 
  scenario pitting the heroes against the forces of a clone 
  army trying to take over their city.
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE
  The evil organization SHADOW invades the city! This sce-
  nario makes use of the Mass Combat rules in Chapter 7, 
  as the heroes confront hundreds of SHADOW’s clone sol-
  diers. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with those rules. 
  With conventional authorities overwhelmed, it is up to the 
  heroes to stem the tide of the invasion before it is too late 
  and SHADOW has seized control.
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  The heroes most likely get involved in this adventure 
  when SHADOW’s forces attack and they are called upon 
  to help stem the invasion! You can always start things off 
  slowly, as the heroes investigate leads they pick up, sug-
  gesting that SHADOW is about to launch a major opera-
  tion. As they are interrogating informants and searching 
  the city, the invasion begins. If you have run Shadows of 
  the Past from the Basic Hero’s Handbook, you can make this 
  adventure a sequel: The elimination of the old SHADOW 
  base in Shadows of the Past has triggered a failsafe mecha-
  nism and a SHADOW cloning facility has begun turning 
  out an invasion force, unleashing them upon the city! The 
  heroes have to find the hidden clone-factory and shut it 
  down to stop the flow of soldiers.
  PROBLEM POWERS
  Heroes with powers affecting a substantial area have an 
  added advantage in overcoming an enemy force (see 
  Powers under Forces in Action in the Mass Combat 
  section of Chapter 7). You may want to take that into 
  account when running the adventure. In the case of 
  damaging area powers, the heroes can only be so effective, 
  since the attackers are invading the city and mixed among 
  thousands of innocent civilians who are in the line of fire, 
  so this advantage should not be overwhelming.
  SCENE: SHADOW STRIKES
  Read the following aloud to the players:
  Morning is ordinarily a quiet time: few emergencies 
  other than the occasional rush-hour accident and 
  this morning is no different—at first. But then the 
  distant sound of weapons-fire reaches you. A lot of 
  weapons-fire, followed by sirens and fearful cries 
  from a panicked crowd of morning commuters. You 
  spot the black-and-gray-clad troops moving through 
  the streets in the distance, sweeping everything out 
  of their way. It’s an invasion!
  SHADOW is sending waves of clone troops into the city via 
  teleportal and they are moving out with perfect precision 
  to seize targets of strategic value, particularly police sta-
  tions, military installations, and government buildings. In 
  terms of the mass combat rules, each SHADOW force is a 
  company of 100 veteran troops, giving them a Force rank 
  of 7. There is one company in the invasion force per player 
  character. Each company has the following mass combat 
  traits:
  SHADOW Clone Troops: Attack 11, Damage 13, Defense 4, 
  Toughness 9, Initiative 4, Morale 3* 
  *See description
  The combined force includes some heavy weapons, hover 
  tanks, sky-bikes for air-support, and the like, which are all 
  abstracted in the force’s traits. Essentially, so long as he-
  roes are in the area of a SHADOW company, it can poten-
  tially attack them, and be attacked in turn.
  By default, the SHADOW clone troops are immune to 
  morale checks, succeeding on them automatically. They 
  are programmed and psychically linked and cannot be 
  swayed from their orders, nor will they surrender under 
  normal circumstances.
  If the heroes are all together when the adventure begins 
  (at their headquarters, for example), have one company 
  appear close enough to begin to attack them. They quick-
  ly learn of other companies of SHADOW troops appear-
  ing throughout the city, so they may want to split up in 
  order to deal with them. Using the mass combat rules, 
  you can treat each company as an individual “opponent” 
  for the heroes, keeping in mind that forces can split into 
  smaller groups: essentially, each time a force splits in half, 
  it creates two groups with the same traits, but –1 Attack, 
  Defense, and Toughness.
  Hero Points: If the heroes begin this scenario in their se-
  cret identities and break away to change before they can 
  engage, award them a Hero Point.
  IN THE LINE OF FIRE
  The invasion allows plenty of opportunities for heroism, 
  as there are a lot of innocent people in harm’s way, and 
  plenty of things for heroes to do other than just fight 
  SHADOW troopers. Pose any or all of the following 
  challenges to the heroes:
  • 
  They must rally and coordinate overwhelmed civilian 
  police and emergency forces. This could be as simple 
  as a DC 15 or better Persuasion or Intimidation skill 
  check to snap them out of their shock, or a challenge 
  sequence intended to accumulate at least 4 Degrees 
  of Success to get them all working together.
  • 
  They must calm panicked crowds. Again, this could 
  be a simple interaction skill check (especially Persua-
  sion) or a challenge sequence.
  SHADOW INVASION
  218
  218
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  Use the guidelines from the Disaster Strikes! scenario 
  from the Basic Hero’s Handbook for heroes saving 
  people from buildings damaged by weapons-fire.
  • 
  Abandoned or damaged cars or other debris may be 
  blocking streets or bridges. It takes at least Strength 
  8 to clear it in one round. Lower Strength can clear 
  the way in +1 time rank per –1 Strength rank, down 
  to Strength 5 clearing the blockage in one minute (10 
  rounds).
  • 
  People may be trapped in damaged vehicles, threat-
  ened by fires or even explosions. Getting them clear 
  requires breaking through a Toughness 8 barrier and 
  making a DC 15 Acrobatics or Dodge check to avoid 
  Damage 5 from the flames.
  THE HIGH GROUND
  One SHADOW company is aiming to seize control of the 
  highest building or point in the city. There they set up 
  equipment that projects a force field dome over the en-
  tire city to prevent outside aid from reaching it. The dome 
  is Impervious Toughness 16, meaning most conventional 
  weapons won’t even scratch it. If they succeed, the heroes 
  are largely on their own with whoever they rally inside the 
  city, and they must take down the dome by destroying the 
  machinery projecting it, which is Toughness 10.
  VICTORY
  If the heroes defeat every company of SHADOW troopers, 
  they stop the invasion. They may also be able to achieve 
  victory by other means, like finding a way to disrupt the 
  troopers’ psychic connection. This could be mental conflict 
  like that in the War of the Minds scenario in this chapter. 
  Similarly, the heroes might find a technological means 
  of backtracking the clones’ teleportal signatures and 
  reversing the teleport so all of the SHADOW troopers are 
  transported instantly back to where they came from. This 
  should be a Technology skill challenge requiring access to 
  some of the invaders’ equipment, probably salvaged after 
  defeating at least one company. Let the players come 
  up with their own plans for achieving victory over the 
  invaders, and encourage them to get creative.
  VARIATIONS
  SHADOW Invasion is a useful template for other types of 
  invasion scenarios where the invaders are not clones but 
  aliens, demons, mole-people, or some other force. The 
  following are some common variations you can use.
  ALIEN INVASION
  Rather than clones, the invaders are alien troops, either 
  landing in ships or teleporting down from orbit. Their 
  abilities are similar to the forces of SHADOW troops, 
  although they might have unusual powers or weaknesses. 
  They may be led by an alien Overlord or Brute champion 
  from the villain archetypes.
  COMMANDERS
  In addition to the ordinary troops, one or more supervil-
  lains may lead the assault, ranging from super-powered 
  toughs like the Assassin, Brute, Jobber, or Martial Artist 
  villain archetypes who fight alongside companies, to true 
  leaders like the Overlord, Sorcerer, or Mastermind.
  INFERNAL INVASION
  The invasion is made up of magical creatures like de-
  mons, gargoyles, or city fixtures and appliances animated 
  by fiendish magic. A supernatural invasion is generally 
  the handiwork of a supernatural villain like Malador the 
  Mystic, or a villain archetype like the Sorcerer or the 
  Jumped-Up Nobody (perhaps using an ancient demon-
  summoning tome or magic item). The invaders may have 
  additional advantages over mundane troops, having cer-
  tain Immunities (such as to fire) but they may also be vul-
  nerable to magical countermeasures. 
  PLEASE AND TANKS
  In addition to the soldier companies, you may want to add 
  military vehicles like tanks, APCs, and military helicopters 
  as individual opponents the heroes must destroy to add 
  variety to the encounters. Assume the pilot has a Vehicle 
  skill modifier and ranged attack bonus of +8.
  219
  219
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  War of the Minds is a one-scene Mutants & Masterminds 
  scenario involving a psychic struggle within a character’s 
  mind, where the heroes’ extraordinary powers and abili-
  ties may not help them in the same ways they do in the 
  physical world! It offers guidelines for scenes and adven-
  tures taking place outside of the physical realm.
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE
  Called to the bedside of a comatose teen injured during 
  a psychic villain’s crime spree, the heroes find themselves 
  draw into a mindscape where the teenager struggles 
  against the psychic manifestation of the villain’s power 
  and the victim’s own psychic potential. They must help 
  her overcome her trauma to return to the waking world.
  The inciting villain may be Mindfire (Basic Hero’s Hand-
  book) or the Mastermind archetype from Chapter 3, or a 
  supernatural villain wielding mind magic via extra effort.
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  You can set up this adventure by pitting the heroes 
  against the villain in question and having them rescue 
  some injured bystanders during or after the fight. Hani 
  Egal is among the injured. The heroes later visit Hani in the 
  hospital or are called to her bedside. Alternately, you can 
  assume all of the previous and just tell the players about 
  the encounter, as in the introduction to this scene, and 
  move on with the encounter with Hani’s unusual abilities. 
  Heroes may particularly be called in if they have known 
  medical, healing, or psychic abilities, but in any case, 
  Hani’s doctor feels that the presence of the heroes the girl 
  admires might do her and her family some good.
  SCENE: MIND WARP!
  Read the following aloud to the players:
  Hani Egal is thirteen. She was with her parents when 
  she was caught in the crossfire of the villain’s assault. 
  Hani was among those injured in the ensuing con-
  flict. She has been in a coma, unconscious and unre-
  sponsive since her arrival, and it is unclear when—or 
  even if—she will regain consciousness.
  Hani’s parents, Daahir and Faduma Egal, are Somali 
  immigrants. They both sustained minor injuries but are 
  more concerned for their daughter. Dr. Amara Patel is 
  Hani’s attending physician. She tells the heroes Hani is 
  physically in no danger. She suffered only minor cuts and 
  abrasions from debris. The real concern is that she has 
  been unconscious since being brought into the hospital 
  and has shown no signs of regaining consciousness. Dr. 
  Patel cannot explain the cause of the coma and, although 
  she intends to run other tests, feels the only real course of 
  treatment is to wait and hope Hani recovers.
  INTO THE MIND ZONE
  When the heroes visit Hani’s hospital room and approach 
  her bedside, her trapped mind recognizes and reaches 
  out to them, pulling the heroes into her mindscape, where 
  she struggles with a psychic impression of the villain she 
  encountered that still haunts her.
  Hani Egal’s small frame is almost lost in the broad 
  whiteness of the hospital bed. The only sounds in the 
  room are the quiet beeping and humming of monitors, 
  but as you approach the bedside, Hani seems to stir, a 
  faint groan escaping her lips as she exhales. Suddenly, 
  the world seems to turn inside out and you feel like 
  you’re falling, plunging through a kaleidoscopic swirl 
  of color. The ground lurches out from under you and 
  then just as quickly, you find yourself standing on a city 
  street. There’s debris scattered around and panicked 
  people fleeing from the figure who floats above the 
  street, laughing at their terror!
  Award the players each a Hero Point for the setback of 
  becoming trapped in Hani’s mindscape. They’ll need it, as 
  they quickly discover that the “rules” in this psychic realm 
  are different from those in the physical world:
  • 
  The heroes’ minds are linked by Hani’s mind and a 
  remnant of the psychic villain’s telepathic influence. 
  Nothing they experience is what it appears to be, 
  but that makes it no less “real.” The heroes can 
  suffer damage and other conditions while in the 
  mindscape, potentially even death.
  • 
  Physical abilities are essentially irrelevant here. 
  The heroes think they have their usual traits. A 
  weak imagination or will may even leave them less 
  powerful than normal:
  • 
  Strength becomes the lower of its usual rank 
  or Presence.
  • 
  Stamina becomes the lower of its usual rank 
  or Intellect.
  • 
  Agility and Dexterity become the lower of 
  their usual rank or Awareness.
  • 
  A hero who specifically attempts to exert their will 
  can use their mental ability rank in place of the 
  appropriate physical ability if the mental rank is 
  higher. So a hero with Str 0 and Awe 6 could act as if 
  they had Str 6 in the mindscape.
  • 
  Since the mindscape is purely imaginary, heroes can 
  exert their will and imagination to potentially make 
  anything happen. In game terms, a player can spend 
  a Hero Point to momentarily gain any power effect or 
  ability, up to their Power Level! This includes things 
  the hero would normally never be able to do in the 
  physical world. At the Game Master’s discretion, 
  heroes can also do this by taking an entire round 
  concentrating, and rolling a Will check with a DC 
  WAR OF THE MINDS
  220
  220
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  equal to 10 + the desired power rank. This can be 
  useful if the players are short on Hero Points.
  • 
  The heroes’ normal powers are unreliable, requiring a 
  successful DC 15 Will check to activate.
  The villain in Hani’s mind is an illusion—a collection of Nani’s 
  overwhelming fear and lingering bits of psychic energy—
  who immediately attacks, taunting the heroes and telling 
  them they should never have entered “her domain.” Keep 
  in mind the heroes’ normal powers are unreliable; this is the 
  perfect opportunity to hit them with new Complications 
  like Disability or Power Loss, allowing the villain to bypass 
  their defenses or otherwise overwhelm them. The psychic 
  enemy clearly has the “home field advantage.”
  While the heroes can fight, and even defeat the villain, her 
  psychic manifestation is feeding off of Hani’s power and 
  fear. In the mindscape, the villain effectively recovers from 
  defeat or even “death,” disappearing and reappearing 
  a minute (10 rounds) later completely unharmed, with 
  all her abilities restored. Until they can get Hani to eject 
  the telepathic influence, the heroes cannot permanently 
  defeat this manifestation of the villain.
  EVER CHANGING SETTING
  Because the encounter occurs inside Hani’s mind, the 
  backdrop can change according to Hani’s thoughts. The 
  scene begins in the city because she is still fixated on her 
  dangerous encounter, but fleeing heroes may enter mem-
  ories of Nani’s home or school, their family vacation, or 
  their original home in Somalia. Clever heroes may be able 
  to use this to their advantage by asking Hani to think of 
  safe places or places the villain may be at a disadvantage.
  OVERCOMING FEAR
  The heroes have to find a terrified Hani Egal—or her psy-
  chic self—hiding from the battle, much as she did in the 
  real world. Then it is a challenge for the heroes to convince 
  Hani to use her own power to stand up to the villain:
  Time: 1 round
  Checks: The heroes can use Presence or any Presence 
  skills to try and convince Hani, although Persuasion is 
  best. The Difficulty of the check is 15. At the GM’s discre-
  tion, other actions taken by the heroes while convincing 
  Hani may offer support and a circumstance bonus.
  Success: If the heroes obtain 8 Degrees of Success, Hani 
  gathers her courage and stands between them and the 
  villain, shrugging off her psychic attacks and demanding 
  that she get out of her mind! The heroes suddenly find 
  themselves regaining consciousness in Hani’s hospital 
  room as she wakes up for a joyful reunion with her family.
  Consequences: If the heroes accumulate 4 Degrees of 
  Failure, the villain appears in the real world, seizes Hani, 
  and vanishes before the heroes recover from the psychic 
  shock. The heroes must track the villain down in order to 
  confront her and rescue Hani. Use the Search the City 
  challenge from the Basic Hero’s Handbook as a guideline.
  VARIATIONS
  War of the Minds can form the basis for a number of dif-
  ferent adventures where most of the action takes place 
  in an otherworldly realm where the heroes’ abilities may 
  be different. You can easily substitute the Elder Evil or the 
  Imp for a psychic villain. 
  PERCHANCE TO DREAM
  You can substitute a “dream realm” for the “psychic realm” 
  described in this adventure, using the same guidelines. 
  Perhaps Hani’s condition is part of a magical “sleeping 
  sickness” that’s spreading across the city or the world.
  VIRTUALLY REAL
  Instead of a psychic plane, the heroes visit a virtual real-
  ity inside a computer system. Rather than Will, they might 
  use the Technology skill to reflect their ability to “hack re-
  ality” to perform power stunts. They could be caught in 
  some type of virtual simulation, or go into one in order to 
  rescue trapped scientists or experimental subjects.
  FREE SPIRITS
  The heroes visit an “astral plane” or other conceptual magi-
  cal realm where the mind and spirit are more important 
  than the body. They might be aided in doing so by a magi-
  cal ritual or spell, or the assistance of a magician NPC.
  221
  221
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  ONE HUNDRED ADVENTURE IDEAS
  Stuck for an idea or just not sure what to do for your next adventure? Look over this list and pick something that sounds 
  interesting or roll 2d20, ignoring the “tens” digit, to generate a number between 1 and 100 (treating a roll of two zeroes 
  as “100”). Instant adventure idea!
  1. 
  An asteroid, meteor, or comet is on a collision course 
  with the Earth.
  2. 
  An intelligent super-virus begins taking over the 
  minds of people exposed to it.
  3. 
  The heroes’ archenemies band together to take out 
  their foes by trading opponents.
  4. 
  Atlantis invades the surface world because of 
  pollution of the oceans and underwater weapons 
  testing.
  5. 
  A super-villain attempts to trigger a nuclear war.
  6. 
  A vigilante is assassinating criminals in the city and 
  the heroes must enforce the law.
  7. 
  Criminals have stolen advanced weapon prototypes 
  they are using to commit robberies.
  8. 
  A “monster” threatening the city turns out to be a 
  confused alien infant.
  9. 
  An omnipotent entity comes to Earth looking to have 
  some fun “playing” with a group of heroes.
  10. A fire rages through the city, threatening lives and 
  property.
  11. Mercenary villains are hired to capture or kill the 
  heroes.
  12. A tidal wave or tsunami threatens a coastal area.
  13. A villain transforms people in the city into creatures (de-
  mons, zombies, plants, etc.) under the villain’s control.
  14. A vampire is on the loose, feeding on innocent vic-
  tims in the city at night.
  15. A would-be sorcerer botches a spell, opening a gate 
  to a demonic netherworld.
  16. Cultists are kidnapping people to use as sacrifices to 
  their evil god(s).
  17. Villains commit crimes posing as the heroes to black-
  en their good names.
  18. Shapeshifting aliens infiltrate the government and 
  law enforcement and outlaw the heroes.
  19. A villain attempts to use mass mind-control to take 
  over a city, country, or the world.
  20. A rampaging monster is let loose on the unsuspect-
  ing city.
  21. An earthquake strikes a major city, causing numerous 
  disasters and opportunities for looters.
  22. Another team of heroes has gone missing.
  23. Aliens invade the Earth. The “aliens” might also be from 
  another dimension, demons, mutant monsters, etc.
  24. A scientific accident creates giant insects that swarm 
  through the city.
  25. A villain captures the heroes in order to “play” against 
  them in a life-or-death game.
  26. The rightful ruler of an alien empire comes to Earth 
  seeking help to reclaim her throne.
  27. An alien warrior arrives looking for a worthy opponent 
  to challenge him.
  28. A villain attempts to steal all of the heroes’ powers for 
  himself.
  29. The heroes are kidnapped to become gladiators in an 
  alien arena.
  30. A mythic god starts a modern cult of worshippers, but 
  isn’t exactly what he seems.
  31. An accident sends the heroes to a parallel Earth where 
  good is evil and vice versa.
  32. A villain attempts to melt the polar ice caps to flood 
  the entire world.
  33. A murderous spirit goes on a killing spree, possessing 
  innocent host bodies.
  34. A hero is infected with lycanthropy, slowly 
  transforming into a were-creature.
  35. A villain steals a powerful weapon and attempts to 
  blackmail the government with it.
  36. A secret and corrupt government black-ops 
  organization tries to co-opt or eliminate the heroes.
  37. A new crime lord begins consolidating power in the 
  city.
  38. Assassination attempts are made against govern-
  ment or public figures.
  39. A villain steals the components necessary for a 
  procedure or ritual intended to vastly increase his 
  powers.
  40. A super-human with out of control powers steals the 
  components necessary for a cure.
  41. Villains abduct the heroes’ loved ones in an attempt 
  to blackmail them or lure them into a trap.
  42. The heroes are trapped in their own headquarters, 
  which is counting down to self-destruction.
  43. The heroes are pulled into a dream world where their 
  deepest fears and desires come to life.
  44. A strange meteorite causes mutations and unusual 
  phenomena.
  45. An alien “world killer” weapon is headed for Earth.
  46. A powerful hero turns to evil for no apparent reason. 
  Is he an imposter, possessed, or something else?
  47. Alien bounty hunters come to Earth looking to collect 
  a price on a hero’s head.
  222
  222
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  48. A mythic figure challenges a hero to a contest of skill 
  or ability to prove who is better.
  49. The heroes need to find a particular rare device or 
  item to save a friend’s life.
  50. The heroes discover a lost or hidden civilization iso-
  lated from the rest of the world.
  51. Subterranean creatures “steal” buildings by pulling 
  them down into the Earth.
  52. New super-villains are actually aliens trying to get the 
  supplies they need to repair their crashed starship.
  53. The entire population of a small town has mysteri-
  ously vanished without a trace.
  54. A young and powerful superhuman needs guidance 
  in the responsibilities of great power.
  55. A major new rock star is mentally influencing fans 
  through hypnotic music.
  56. A villain blackmails the heroes into assembling the 
  scattered parts of a powerful device or key.
  57. An innocent man on death row appeals to the heroes 
  as his last hope.
  58. Someone is sabotaging various high-tech companies 
  without setting off any of their security.
  59. Archeologists inadvertently unleash a terrible force 
  from the past during a dig.
  60. A popular new nightclub in town is a front for criminal 
  activity.
  61. A psychotic killer leaves taunting clues for the heroes 
  and the police.
  62. Thieves hijack a shipment of valuables (gold, cash, 
  jewels, etc.).
  63. Terrorists seize control of a site with numerous hos-
  tages and begin issuing demands.
  64. A ceremony to publicly honor the heroes is disrupted 
  by super-villains.
  65. A deceased hero (or villain!) leaves an unusual be-
  quest to someone in his will.
  66. On Halloween night the city is threatened by a plague 
  of ghosts, zombies, or other monsters.
  67. Someone conducts a media smear campaign against 
  the heroes.
  68. The heroes are invited to participate in a sporting 
  event or competition for charity.
  69. A hero’s powers begin to go out of control.
  70. Villains kidnap an important person for ransom, per-
  haps even a hero in his secret identity!
  71. The heroes forget their super-heroic identities for 
  some reason.
  72. Everyone in the city suddenly develops super-powers 
  while the super-powered people lose theirs.
  73. The heroes are asked to help safeguard an impor-
  tant diplomatic meeting threatened by terrorists. 
  74. Super-villains hold up a bank or attempt a robbery.
  75. A villain tries to steal all the parts of an ancient map to 
  a hidden treasure.
  76. An object on display in a museum turns out to be a 
  powerful mystic artifact.
  77. A scientific experiment causes time to behave 
  strangely, perhaps mixing the past, present, and fu-
  ture.
  78. A hurricane, tornado, or other severe weather threat-
  ens.
  79. Animals of all kinds suddenly turn against humanity.
  80. Damage to a tanker threatens to spill oil or chemicals 
  into the ocean.
  81. A new designer drug on the streets gives addicts tem-
  porary super-powers.
  82. Two warring alien races want to use Earth as a battle-
  field for their conflict.
  83. A traveling circus or carnival is actually a cover for a 
  criminal organization.
  84. A villain places an indestructible force field around a 
  city to turn it into a personal fiefdom.
  85. An accident involving mutagens alters a hero’s powers.
  86. A villain brings cartoon, movie, or literary characters 
  to life.
  87. New threats are actually the mental projections of a 
  young mutant unable to control her powers.
  88. Supervillains seize control of a small, isolated nation 
  and the heroes are asked to oust them.
  89. An accident splits the heroes into good and evil twins.
  90. A villain poses as a hero to infiltrate the heroes’ team.
  91. A hero’s actions or legal rights are called into ques-
  tion.
  92. A villain kidnaps an NPC hero as the final component 
  of a fiendish device.
  93. A villain suddenly seems to turn over a new leaf. Is it 
  for real or a scam?
  94. The heroes are shrunk down to miniature size right 
  before they have to deal with another crisis.
  95. Super eco-terrorists are threatening targets and the 
  heroes have to defend them.
  96. An omnipotent being pits the heroes against their 
  archenemies to determine whether good or evil is su-
  perior.
  97. A cosmic crisis threatens to destroy the entire fabric of 
  reality.
  98. The heroes are displaced in time and have to get back 
  home without changing history.
  99. A villain asks for the heroes’ aid against another, more 
  dangerous, villain. 
  100. A super-villain assembles an army of villains to con-
  quer the Earth.
  ONE HUNDRED ADVENTURE IDEAS
  223
  223
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  CHAPTER 6: ADVENTURES
  
  224
  224
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  UNLIMITED POWER POINTS
  This variant is recommended only for fairly experienced 
  groups interested in setting aside some of the limitations 
  of the hero creation system. The Gamemaster sets the 
  power level for the series, with its limits on character traits. 
  However, players are given an unlimited number of power 
  points to create their characters within those limits. In es-
  sence, they don’t need to track power point costs, since 
  they have as many as they need.
  This provides considerable flexibility, of course, since 
  some character concepts may be more or less expensive 
  than others. It also has considerable potential for abuse, 
  so Gamemasters should review the players’ characters 
  carefully and discourage characters able to do anything in 
  order to encourage teamwork and cooperation.
  On the other hand, having an unlimited power point bud-
  get can free up some players from fretting over how to 
  “conserve” points or how to spend a handful of unspent 
  points rather than “wasting” them. It can open up hero con-
  cepts that might require a few more points than the players 
  would otherwise have, or encourage looking at concepts 
  that are less “point efficient” but might be fun to play.
  UNLIMITED POWER LEVEL
  This variant is also recommended only for fairly expe-
  rienced groups interested in setting aside some of the 
  limitations of the hero creation system. The Gamemaster 
  may choose to remove power level and all its associated 
  restrictions from the series, allowing players to spend 
  their power points in any way they wish (with the GM’s 
  final approval).
  This allows for considerable freedom in character design, 
  but may lead to unforeseen problems in game balance or 
  in some characters having major advantages over others 
  in play (or, conversely, major disadvantages due to over-
  spending elsewhere). The Gamemaster should carefully 
  monitor such free-form character creation (even more 
  than usual) and players should be prepared to modify 
  their character designs as needed to fit the Gamemaster’s 
  guidelines for the series.
  FREE EQUIPMENT
  In some series settings, the GM may wish to give equip-
  ment no cost in power points, just a monetary cost us-
  ing Wealth. So characters can have whatever equipment 
  they can afford and the GM allows, keeping in mind some 
  items may be legally restricted or simply unavailable. This 
  option is best suited to series where equipment doesn’t 
  need to compete with innate powers, balancing the cost 
  of a gun or bullet-proof vest against being able to shoot 
  energy blasts or being invulnerable. Examples include su-
  per-spy games or pulp era adventures where powers and 
  devices are fairly rare and most characters have equip-
  ment or some sort.
  Mutants & Masterminds is a game all about options: the hero creation system is designed to give players complete 
  control over the type of characters they want to play, and the power design system is intended to allow you to build 
  a wide range of powers to do just what you want them to do. This breadth of options requires group cooperation and 
  Gamemaster oversight, but it is worthwhile for the flexibility and freedom it provides, making for a more fun and enjoy-
  able game.
  Of course, not every game system suits every player, Gamemaster, or group. That’s why this chapter (and other M&M 
  source material) offers you some options for changing or adding to the existing game rules to suit you particular tastes. 
  Want an even more flexible game where players can create any character within a particular power level? How about 
  more detailed guidelines for things like martial arts, mass combat, or character reputation? Options for more lethal 
  damage or playing with different dice mechanics? They’re all here in this chapter.
  Just as the chapter title says, everything in here is optional. While you’re never under any requirement to use any part 
  of the rules as-written; this material in particular is not considered an “official” part of the game rules. Other M&M books 
  may refer to it, but again only as an option to consider, rather than an expected part of the rules. It is up to the individual 
  GM and game group whether or not to adopt any of these options and, if so, how. Read an option over carefully before 
  you apply it to your M&M game, and feel free to change it if it doesn’t work out like you want. The power is in your hands!
  HERO CREATION
  Mutants & Masterminds hero creation is intended to produce relatively balanced characters within the guidelines set for 
  a particular power level. Some may prefer a looser and more open-ended approach, however, in which case the follow-
  ing options may be useful.
  225
  225
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Devices may still exist in this type of series, and the GM 
  may still charge power points for them, since devices 
  are unique items that exceed the capabilities of normal 
  equipment. Note, however, some series settings may con-
  sider some devices “equipment.” For example, a high tech 
  setting in the far future may have advanced equipment 
  (see Tech Levels in this chapter). Likewise, a fantasy set-
  ting may have magical equipment that doesn’t exist in our 
  world but is common there. These things aren’t devices if 
  they’re commonly available to everyone in those settings.
  FIGHTING STYLES
  HARD VS. SOFT STYLES
  Most fighting styles, particularly unarmed styles like mar-
  tial arts, can be divided into “hard” and “soft” categories. 
  Hard styles focus on a strong offense and direct, powerful 
  attacks to disable an opponent as quickly as possible. They 
  tend to be built around advantages like All-out Attack and 
  Power Attack that enhance accuracy and damage at the 
  cost of defense and precision. Soft styles, conversely, fo-
  cus on a strong defense and the use of holds, throws, and 
  similar indirect attacks to restrain an opponent. Soft styles 
  tend to be built around advantages like Accurate Attack 
  and Defensive Attack, providing defense and precision 
  over power and strength. Advantages like Improved Hold 
  and Improved Trip are common in soft styles.
  There’s no specific game effect as to whether a style is hard 
  or soft; it’s entirely a matter of description (much as it is with 
  real-world martial arts). Some styles are blends of the two 
  approaches, and most soft styles have offensive moves just 
  as many hard styles have defenses, throws, or holds.
  UNARMED VS.  
  WEAPON STYLES
  Some fighting styles focus on fighting unarmed, others 
  with a particular weapon or weapons, and a few with 
  both. Like the distinction between hard and soft styles, 
  the distinction between unarmed and armed fighting 
  styles is largely one of flavor and description. Combat 
  advantages work the same whether you’re using them 
  unarmed, armed, or with powers. The GM may choose to 
  apply certain situational modifiers based on a style’s usual 
  weapons as needed.
  SKILLS AND STYLES
  Some fighting styles teach particular skills in addition to 
  advantages. A true expert in the style is likely to have at 
  least some training in these associated skills although, like 
  the style’s advantages, you can choose how many points 
  (if any) to invest in them.
  The most common skills for fighting styles are, of course, 
  various Close Combat skills. Other common skills include 
  In Mutants & Masterminds you can use various collections of advantages to duplicate different armed and unarmed 
  fighting styles, including various styles of martial arts. This section expands upon that idea and offers some suggestions 
  for putting together your own fighting styles.
  Acrobatics, Deception (primarily aimed at feinting in com-
  bat), Intimidation (primarily aimed at demoralizing an op-
  ponent in combat), Insight (primarily aimed at detecting 
  and avoiding the previous two effects), Ranged Combat, 
  and Sleight of Hand (for quick hand movements and feint-
  ing dependent upon them).
  CREATING FIGHTING STYLES
  Creating a fighting style is a simple matter of building a list of 
  the style’s advantages, plus any associated skills, and weap-
  on elements (if that option is in use). Characters trained in 
  a style invest power points into its traits. They don’t have to 
  take all of them at once; indeed, most students do not gain 
  complete mastery of a fighting style all at once.
  Generally speaking, a complete style should consist of be-
  tween a half dozen and a dozen or so advantages; fewer usu-
  ally isn’t enough to constitute a coherent style, while more 
  tends to represent branching out to master multiple styles of 
  combat, unless you want to create a “master style” or secret 
  martial art for your game encompassing every combat ad-
  vantage. (True masters of such a style should be rare indeed!)
  A number of sample fighting styles are presented here. 
  You can use them in your game as-is, modify them to suit 
  your own view of the style, and use them as models for 
  creating new fighting styles of your own.
  AIKIDO
  Aikido is a Japanese martial art school founded by Sensei 
  Morihei Uyeshiba in the 1920s. It is the epitome of a “soft” 
  martial arts style, strongly focusing on “flowing” with an 
  attack and using the attacker’s momentum against him. 
  Aikido emphasizes throws and evading attacks, along 
  with a few holds for “guiding” an attacker to the ground.
  Advantages: Defensive Attack, Evasion, Fast Grab, Grab-
  bing Finesse, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved 
  Trip, Uncanny Dodge
  BOXING
  Called “the sweet science” by some, modern boxing is a 
  fairly brutal and direct fighting style involving powerful 
  226
  226
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  punches and evasive footwork, usually close in with an 
  opponent. Feinting is a common skill, used to get an op-
  ponent to lower his guard for a devastating attack.
  Skills: Deception
  Advantages: All-out Attack, Defensive Attack, Improved 
  Defense, Improved Smash, Power Attack, Takedown
  CAPOEIRA
  The national martial art of Brazil, Capoeira originated with 
  ritual dancing among African slaves. When these slaves 
  rebelled, they developed an unarmed fighting style and 
  disguised it as folk dancing. Capoeira involves many hand-
  stand moves, allowing practitioners to use it while their 
  hands were bound or chained. It’s usually practiced to 
  music like a dance form.
  Skills: Acrobatics
  Advantages: Agile Feint, Defensive Attack, Improved 
  Grab, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Prone Fighting
  ESCRIMA
  This Philippine stick-fighting style typically uses a pair of 
  short batons, but is also practiced with a balisong knife or 
  unarmed (and may include them as weapon elements at 
  the GM’s discretion). It focuses on deflecting or blocking 
  attacks and fast strikes to the body.
  Advantages: Accurate Attack, Defensive Attack, Im-
  proved Disarm, Improved Hold, Power Attack, Quick Draw, 
  Weapon Bind
  FENCING
  “Fencing” is used here to describe western sword-fighting 
  styles in general. Traditional fencing uses a slim, slight 
  sword like a foil, but characters in Mutants & Masterminds 
  can fence with whatever sort of sword the GM approves, 
  including Japanese kenjutsu sword-fighting. The style fo-
  cuses on speed, with a combination of defensive blocks 
  and offensive strikes and thrusts, along with feints to 
  fake-out your opponent. The more “swashbuckling” style 
  of fencing also involves Acrobatics and Agile Feint.
  Skills: Sleight of Hand
  Advantages: Accurate Attack, Defensive Attack, Im-
  proved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, 
  Power Attack, Taunt
  JUJITSU
  This style, also known as judo, grew out of a number of 
  Japanese fighting styles over hundreds of years, and 
  spread to the western world in the 19th and 20th cen-
  turies. Its primary techniques focus on throws and holds 
  to put an opponent on the ground and keep him there. 
  There are hundreds of modern sub-styles teaching vari-
  ant techniques, allowing you to justify including most un-
  armed combat advantages in it.
  Advantages: Accurate Attack, Defensive Attack, Im-
  proved Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Im-
  proved Trip
  KARATE
  Karate originated on the Okinawa Islands. When Japanese 
  conquerors forbade the natives from carrying weapons, 
  they focused on this style of unarmed combat. Karate in-
  corporated various farming tools that could be discretely 
  carried as weapons, including the staff, nunchaku (thresh-
  ing flail), kama (sickle), rope or chain, and tonfa (mill-
  wheel handle). Modern karate tends to focus on unarmed 
  techniques. It spread widely to the west after American 
  soldiers learned it in Japan after World War II. Karate is a 
  “hard” style focusing on powerful punches and kicks. A ka-
  rate teacher is called sensei and the practice hall or school 
  is a dojo.
  Advantages: All-out Attack, Improved Defense, Improved 
  Disarm, Improved Smash, Instant Up, Power Attack
  OPTION: WEAPON ELEMENTS
  If you want a more detailed way of defining what weapons or attacks are usable with what fighting styles, you can use 
  the following guidelines.
  Each fighting style gets one “weapon element,” an attack it’s intended to work with, automatically at no cost. So an un-
  armed style works automatically with unarmed attacks. An armed style must choose a particular weapon (or narrow 
  category of weapons, like blades, at the GM’s discretion). Adding another weapon element to the style is an advantage 
  (called Weapon Element), allowing you to use that style with an additional type of attack.
  Example: The kung fu style is defined as unarmed, so all of its advantages are usable with unarmed attacks automatically. 
  However, various types of kung fu also teach the use of weapons, including nunchaku, swords, and staves. Each of these 
  types of weapons is considered a Weapon Element advantage for the style. A character must have the advantage in order 
  to use the style’s combat advantages in conjunction with those weapons.
  Note that characters can spend a hero point to emulate the Weapon Element advantage like any other advantage, grant-
  ing a one-time use of a different attack in conjunction with a particular fighting style when the character does not have 
  that attack as a standard weapon element.
  This option is best for fairly realistic games where it’s important to differentiate between otherwise similar martial artists. For 
  more general superhero settings, it’s probably more detail than the setting or characters require.
  227
  227
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  
  fighting style can be used for other modern, constructed 
  styles taught to commandos and military personnel.
  Advantages: All-out Attack, Chokehold, Improved De-
  fense, Improved Disarm, Improved Hold, Improved Trip, 
  Power Attack
  KUNG FU
  Kung fu means, essentially, “hard work” or “great skill.” It is 
  the common name of an ancient Chinese style of mar-
  tial arts dating back a thousand years or more. It’s most 
  famously associated with the Shaolin Temple, where it 
  was taught beginning in the sixth century AD. It spread 
  to the west with Chinese immigration in the 1800s, but 
  did not become popular among westerners until the mid-
  1900s. There are hundreds of kung fu variants and styles, 
  many based on the movements of animals (Crane, Drag-
  on, Leopard, Mantis, Monkey, Snake, and Tiger, to name 
  some). A kung fu teacher is called a sifu and the practice 
  hall is called a kwoon.
  Skills: Expertise: Concentration
  Advantages: Defensive Attack, Improved Critical, Im-
  proved Defense, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Instant 
  Up, Power Attack, Startle
  MUAY THAI
  Also known as Thai kickboxing, Muay Thai is a brutal fight-
  ing style of kicks, knee- and elbow-strikes, and punches. 
  It relies on blocks for defense and has no holds or throws, 
  the intention being to beat an opponent to a pulp as 
  quickly as possible.
  Advantages: All-out Attack, Improved Critical, Improved 
  Defense, Power Attack, Takedown
  NINJUTSU
  Not a “fighting style” per se, ninjutsu is associated with 
  Japanese ninja and similar stealthy assassins. The ninja 
  fighting style is technically called taijutsu, but the style 
  here assumes the broad range of “ninja” training. It does 
  not include whatever superhuman capabilities the GM 
  wishes to grant ninja; those are better acquired as powers.
  Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth
  Advantages: Chokehold, Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, Im-
  provised Weapon, Startle, Takedown
  SUMO
  Sumo wrestling is a Japanese martial art, usually practiced 
  by large, heavy fighters. The object of a match is to push 
  the opponent out of the fighting ring or pin him down 
  within the ring. Sumo matches tend to be short, but in-
  volve a great deal of lengthy ritual. Unlike most Asian mar-
  tial arts, sumo focuses heavily on strength and size.
  Advantages: Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved 
  Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Trip, Power Attack
  KRAV MAGA
  Krav Maga was developed about 40 years ago for use 
  by the Isreali Defense Forces (and later Isreali police and 
  Mossad intelligence agents). It’s a highly practical style 
  borrowing moves from many different fighting styles 
  and focused entirely on quickly and efficiently disabling 
  an opponent. It lacks the “forms” of other fighting styles, 
  since it’s intende solely for fighting, not for show. This 
  228
  228
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  FAME OR INFAMY
  Reputation rank represents a character’s notoriety. Those 
  with a Reputation 4 or higher can be considered well 
  known within their professional and social circles. Wheth-
  er the character is famous or infamous depends on the 
  point of view of the person recognizing the character.
  REPUTATION AND SECRET IDENTITIES
  Characters with secret identities effectively have two 
  separate reputation ranks: one for their costumed identity 
  and another for their secret identity. The character should 
  use whichever value is appropriate. One reason many su-
  pers maintain secret identities is to leave their Reputation 
  (and the recognition that comes with it) behind for a while 
  to live a “normal” life.
  REPUTATION CHECKS
  Most of the time, the character doesn’t decide to use repu-
  tation. The GM decides when your reputation is relevant 
  to the scene or encounter. When it becomes relevant, the 
  GM makes a reputation check for an NPC that might be 
  influenced in some fashion by your character’s notoriety. 
  A reputation check is calculated as follows: 
  d20 + reputation rank + the NPC’s Int modifier. 
  The GM may substitute an Expertise skill bonus for the Int 
  modifier if your activities, and therefore reputation, ap-
  ply to a particular field. Non-intelligent characters do not 
  make checks to recognize someone’s reputation, nor do 
  characters unable to interact.
  The standard DC for a reputation check is 20. If the NPC 
  succeeds on the check, he or she recognizes the character. 
  That recognition grants a bonus or penalty on subsequent 
  interaction skill checks based on the NPC’s reaction. A 
  character with Reputation 19 or more is instantly recog-
  nizable and known to virtually everyone.
  SKILL CHECKS
  When an NPC recognizes you and has a positive opinion 
  of your reputation, you get a bonus on Deception and 
  Persuasion checks equal to half your reputation bonus, 
  rounded down.
  When an NPC recognizes you and has a negative opinion 
  of your reputation, you get a penalty on Deception and 
  Persuasion checks equal to half your reputation bonus, 
  rounded down, but gain a bonus of the same amount to 
  your Intimidation checks, since the subject is more likely 
  to believe the worst about you.
  The bonus or penalty only applies when you are interact-
  ing outside of combat with an NPC who recognizes you 
  and is therefore aware of your reputation. Those unaware 
  of your reputation are unaffected by it either way.
  NPC REPUTATIONS
  Players decide how their characters act. Sometimes, howev-
  er, it’s appropriate for the GM to call for a skill check using an 
  interaction skill affected by reputation. For example, an NPC 
  might use Deception to lie to the heroes, who, in turn, use In-
  sight to detect the lie. If an NPC tries to intimidate a hero, the 
  GM can use the NPC’s Intimidation check result to determine 
  which heroes see the NPC as intimidating and which don’t. 
  Similarly, a Persuasion check can tell the GM which charac-
  ters find an NPC persuasive and which don’t. Players may 
  also want to know if their heroes recognize a particular NPC. 
  Reputation checks can be useful in these situations.
  The GM should make a reputation check to see if player char-
  acters recognize an NPC in secret. This prevents the players 
  from using the results of reputation checks as a means of 
  measuring the importance of every NPC they encounter.
  TAE KWAN DO
  The name of this Korean martial art means “the way of 
  kicking and punching.” It’s a forceful fighting style, widely 
  taught in schools throughout the world. As its name im-
  plies, tae kwan do relies on both powerful strikes and vari-
  ous types of kicks, including side and flying kicks.
  Advantages: All-out Attack, Defensive Roll, Improved De-
  fense, Power Attack, Takedown
  WRESTLING
  Wrestling focuses on grabs and holds to restrain an op-
  ponent, rather than direct physical attacks, although a 
  wrestler who gains the upper hand can do a fair amount 
  of damage to a foe.
  Advantages: Chokehold, Improved Disarm, Improved 
  Grab, Improved Hold, Power Attack, Weapon Bind
  REPUTATION
  This system models how well known a character is and how that reputation affects interaction with others.  A good 
  reputation can be a useful advantage, but a bad one can be a troublesome hindrance.
  Reputation affects non-combat interaction checks between characters by providing a modifier. A positive reputation 
  makes others more likely to favor and help the character, while a negative reputation makes the character’s social en-
  treaties less effective.
  229
  229
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  
  Modify the results of the NPC’s interaction skill checks by 
  their reputation bonuses when they interact with charac-
  ters who recognize them.
  DETERMINING REPUTATION
  Determining a character’s reputation is based on two fac-
  tors: power level and points invested in the Benefit (Re-
  nown) advantage.
  As a default, all characters have a reputation bonus equal 
  to their power level. For heroes this is the power level of 
  the series. For NPCs, it is their power level relative to the 
  series; more powerful characters tend to be better known. 
  So heroes in a PL11 series have a base Reputation of 11 
  (meaning their reputation comes into play on a roll of 9 or 
  better with a DC 20 reputation check).
  Each rank in the Benefit (Renown) advantage increases a 
  character’s reputation by +2.
  EVENT-BASED REPUTATION
  Reputation also changes based on the things characters 
  do, at least the things other people know about. When 
  a character performs some important action, the Game-
  master can assign a Reputation modifier based on it. 
  This can range from +1 for acts of local fame (saving the 
  city, stopping a major crime wave, etc.) to +4 or more for 
  things like saving (or trying to take over) the world. Keep 
  in mind that the Reputation bonus only measures how 
  well known a character is, not how people feel about the 
  character.
  The GM can likewise decrease a character’s Reputation 
  for staying out of the limelight, lying low, and otherwise 
  not attracting attention for a while. People move on and 
  forget about old headlines. Still, a hero or villain with a sig-
  nificant Reputation usually has to be out of circulation for 
  years before most people forget.
  WEALTH BONUS
  WEALTH RANK
  FINANCIAL CONDITION
  0
  Impoverished
  1–4
  Struggling
  5–10
  Middle class
  11–15
  Affluent
  16–20
  Wealthy
  21–30
  Rich
  31 or higher
  Filthy rich
  WEALTH
  SAMPLE PURCHASE DIFFICULTIES
  ITEM
  PURCHASE DC
  Flashlight
  4
  Restaurant meal
  4
  Common household item
  4-5
  Casual clothing
  8
  Cell phone
  9
  Professional services
  10 + skill rank
  Weapon
  10 + point cost
  Expensive clothing
  12-15
  Tool kit
  13
  Plane ticket
  14
  New computer
  22
  New automobile
  28
  House
  30
  Mansion
  36
  WEALTH BONUS
  A character’s base Wealth rank is 8. The Benefit (Wealth) 
  advantage (see the M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 82) in-
  creases Wealth by 4 per rank. Decreases to base Wealth 
  grant power points, similar to decreasing an ability: 1 
  point for Wealth 4, 2 points for Wealth 0.
  Over the course of play, your Wealth rank may decrease 
  as you purchase expensive items. A character’s Wealth 
  rank can never fall below 0, and there is no limit to how 
  high Wealth rank can climb. If your Wealth is 0, you don’t 
  have the buying power to purchase any item or service 
  with a purchase DC of 10 or higher, and you can’t make 
  routine Wealth checks (basically, any spending is signifi-
  cant for you).
  MAKING PURCHASES
  Wealth rank reflects buying power. Every item and service 
  has a purchase Difficulty Class based on how expensive 
  and hard to get it is. To purchase something, make a Wealth 
  check against the purchase DC. As a general guideline, 
  equipment purchase DC equals 10 + the equipment’s point 
  Mutants & Masterminds, like the comics, doesn’t pay much attention to money. A character’s wealth has little or no im-
  pact on the game. It is mainly for background color and whatever advantages the GM sees fit to provide based on the 
  Benefit advantage. However, some may prefer to keep track of character wealth and resources in more detail, in which 
  case the following system may be used.
  Every character has a Wealth rank which reflects buying power—a composite of income, credit rating, and savings. A 
  character’s Wealth serves as the basis for a Wealth check, used to purchase goods and services.
  230
  230
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  cost. The GM sets the Wealth check DC for any particular 
  purchase, using the examples given here as guidelines.
  THE WEALTH CHECK
  A Wealth check is a d20 roll plus your current Wealth rank. 
  Wealth rank is fluid; it increases as you gain Wealth and 
  decreases as you make purchases.
  If you succeed on the Wealth check, you purchase the 
  item. If you fail, you can’t afford the item at this time.
  You can make a routine Wealth check, just like any other 
  routine check (see M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 13). This 
  means you can automatically purchase any item with a DC 
  equal or less than your Wealth +10.
  If you purchase an item with a purchase DC higher than 
  your current Wealth rank, your rank decreases by 1 point 
  for every 5 points the purchase DC exceeds your current 
  Wealth rank (1 point for 1–5 points higher, 2 points for 
  6–10 points higher, etc.). Lost Wealth rank returns at a rate 
  of 1 point per month.
  You can try again if you fail a Wealth check, but not until 
  your character has spent an additional number of hours 
  shopping equal to the purchase DC of the object or ser-
  vice, looking around for a better deal.
  SHOPPING AND TIME
  Buying less common items generally takes a number of 
  hours equal to the purchase DC of the item, reflecting the 
  time needed to locate the item and close the deal. Get-
  ting a license or buying a legally restricted item may also 
  increase the time needed to make purchases.
  FINANCIAL AID
  You can help someone else purchase an item by making 
  a DC 10 Wealth check, just like a team check. If the at-
  tempt is successful, you provide the purchaser with a +2 
  bonus on their Wealth check, +5 for three or more degrees 
  of success. If you assist a Wealth check for an item with a 
  purchase DC higher than your current Wealth rank, it de-
  creases as normal.
  WEALTH AND INVENTING
  Gamemasters may wish to add a Wealth check to the in-
  venting process (M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 159). Once 
  the inventor has come up with a design for the device, 
  make a Wealth check to obtain the necessary components 
  (purchase DC = device’s point cost). A failed check means 
  you can’t afford the materials. Spending a hero point to 
  jury-rig the device out of materials at hand allows you to 
  skip the Wealth check.
  This requirement for inventing explains why so many vil-
  lains look to steal the components they need!
  MONEY TALKS
  Wealth can be quite influential. To reflect this, the GM 
  might wish to allow Wealth rank to substitute for an in-
  teraction skill bonus like Deception, Persuasion, or even 
  Intimidation in situations where the character’s wealth 
  and influence can be brought to bear, either through 
  bribery, more subtle shows of wealth, or “charitable do-
  nations.”
  Example: Hieronymus King is fabulously wealthy 
  (Wealth +30). When negotiating with certain balky 
  government officials, Mr. King makes it clear he can 
  compensate them for their trouble. The GM decides to 
  use King’s Wealth rank in place of his Persuasion bo-
  nus, allowing him to seal the deal quickly and easily.
  Alternately, instead of substituting Wealth rank for a skill 
  bonus, you can choose to treat Wealth as providing a cir-
  cumstance bonus to the relevant skill check, much like a 
  team check.
  SYSTEMS
  The options in this section affect how Mutants & Masterminds is played, from resolving checks using different 
  randomizers or die rolls to variants on different sub-systems of the game rules. Most of these options can be plugged 
  into the existing M&M rules without affecting the rest of the game significantly, except as noted in the discussion of 
  the variant itself.
  ABILITY STRAIN
  With this option, characters can choose to suffer a tem-
  porary reduction in an ability rank in order to gain a brief, 
  one-time bonus with an ability check, essentially “push-
  ing” the ability beyond its normal limits, resulting in some 
  strain from which the character must recover. Ability 
  strain is in addition to the effects of spending hero points 
  in play, allowing characters to go that extra distance when 
  the odds are against them.
  When attempting an ability check, you can accept a tem-
  porary –1 penalty to your ability rank to receive a +1 bonus 
  on your check. The penalty goes into effect the round after 
  the results of the check (successful or not). You can gain up 
  to a maximum bonus of +5 (and therefore a maximum pen-
  alty of –5) in this way, but you cannot suffer a penalty great 
  enough to debilitate the ability (lowering it below -5).
  Once you’ve strained an ability to its limit, you can’t do so 
  again until it is fully recovered. A strained ability regains 1 
  rank per hour until back to its normal rank.
  231
  231
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  
  ABILITY STRAIN AND EXTRA EFFORT
  Additionally, at the Gamemaster’s option, ability strain can 
  serve as a substitute for the fatigue caused by extra effort 
  (see M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 19). This may be across the 
  board or only for particular abilities (such as physical abili-
  ties or only Stamina). Allowing ability strain for extra effort 
  in conjunction with fatigue gives players some additional 
  options and the opportunity to use extra effort much more 
  without their heroes passing out from the fatigue.
  ABILITY STRAIN AND POWERS
  At the GM’s option, ability strain can be expanded to 
  power effects, suffering the same penalty to gain a one-
  time bonus with the effect. So a character might take 
  a +3 bonus to a Damage effect that imposes a –3 rank 
  penalty thereafter, recovering at a rate of 1 rank per hour. 
  This option adds some flexibility to power use and extra 
  effort, at the cost of requiring some additional book-
  keeping and tracking.
  ALTERNATE DICE
  Mutants & Masterminds is designed to use only a single 
  20-sided die. This has certain effects on game play. A 
  20-sided die produces a “flat” probability curve; the chanc-
  es of rolling a 20 on the die are the same as rolling a 1, 
  7, 12, or any other number: 1-in-20 or 5%. The chances 
  of rolling a particular number or better differ, of course 
  (which is where Difficulty Classes and modifiers come in), 
  but the chances of any particular number coming up on 
  the die are the same.
  This produces a certain amount of randomness in the 
  flow of the game. A character might make several suc-
  cessful checks in a row only to suddenly fail. Anyone 
  might get a lucky shot (or, conversely, manage to miss 
  the mark). Things like hero points and routine checks 
  help to limit this randomness in some cases. There are 
  also situations where the difficulty or difference in abili-
  ties is so great the die roll hardly matters. The “wildness” 
  of the d20 roll contributes to the comic book feel of the 
  game, where sudden strokes of luck or reversals of for-
  tune are common.
  These alternate die-rolling methods (either 3d6 or 2d10) 
  produce more predictable results, with less of the ran-
  domness (and, to a degree, suspense) of a flat roll like 
  1d20. These more reliable results make certain aspects of 
  the game more predictable and routine.
  Gamemasters who want to switch over to an alternate 
  die-rolling method may wish to change the DCs of some 
  tasks slightly, since the chance of achieving a very high 
  roll are somewhat less with a bell curve. For example, if us-
  ing 3d6 instead of 1d20, reduce DCs about 20% to reflect 
  the generally lower rolls that will occur (plus the fact that 
  3d6 only goes to 18 rather than 20). Regardless of the die-
  rolling option, characters should still be allowed to make 
  routine checks and spend hero points to improve their 
  rolls, as outlined in the standard rules.
  Also note combats tend to be longer using a bell-curve 
  die roll since the chances are lower that characters will fail 
  resistance checks badly enough to knock them out or dis-
  able them quickly. These results tend to occur after char-
  acters have taken some hits, unless overwhelming dam-
  age is involved.
  All the game systems in this book assume 1d20 as the die 
  roll. Simply substitute the alternate dice (3d6 or 2d10) and 
  adjust DCs as needed to change the die-rolling system.
  HIGH-LOW ROLLS
  Another means of adding a “bell curve” to M&M die roll-
  ing is by using high-low rolls: in place of any single d20 
  roll, roll three 20-sided dice and take the middle number 
  (dropping the highest and lowest). If two or more dice 
  come up the same number, use that number (since the 
  third die is by definition higher or lower).
  This method tends to produce results weighted more to-
  ward the middle range, with 10 as the average. Rolling a 
  “natural 20” requires two of the dice to come up 20 (about 
  a 1-in-400 chance or 0.025% rather than 1-in-20 or 5%). 
  The same is the case for a “natural” 1. Generally, this means 
  characters achieve the effect of their routine checks more 
  often, but succeed at high Difficulty tasks less often, and 
  have fewer critical successes or failures. High-low rolls in-
  volve more dice, but are only slightly more involved than 
  rolling and reading a single d20.
  Spending a hero point with high-low rolls allows the play-
  er to keep the best die roll of the three dice rather than the 
  middle roll. So a roll of 4, 11, and 18 would normally count 
  as an 11. Spending a hero point makes it an 18 instead. If 
  all three d20 rolls are below 11, take the highest and add 
  10 to get the result of spending a hero point on that roll.
  You may wish to have something special occur on the rare 
  occasion that a high-low roll comes up with the same re-
  sult on all three dice: a major or automatic success on a 
  high roll or a serious or automatic failure on a low roll.
  KNOCKBACK
  Super-powerful attacks can send opponents flying. A 
  character failing a Damage resistance check by two or 
  more degrees may be knocked back. The distance is based 
  on the rank of the effect and the target’s mass and du-
  rability. Take the Damage rank and subtract the target’s 
  Toughness rank. Subtract the target’s Growth rank (if 
  any). In addition, an effect such as a Feature defined as 
  extra weight or density should subtract its rank. Add the 
  Strength modifier of a character with Shrinking (so +2 for 
  a character with Shrinking 8, for example).
  Knockback = Damage - Toughness - modifiers
  The target is knocked back that distance value. A result 
  of –5 or less results in no knockback. –4 or –3 means the 
  character falls prone in roughly the same spot (although 
  a knockback distance of a few feet may matter if the char-
  232
  232
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  acter is standing on a ledge, for example). So a knockback 
  result of 5 means the character is knocked back 900 feet! 
  (distance value 5).
  The character suffers additional damage equal to the 
  knockback result or the Toughness of any obstacle (such 
  as a wall), whichever is greater. The obstacle suffers dam-
  age equal to the original attack (which may damage or 
  break it). If the character breaks through the obstacle, he 
  keeps going the remainder of the knockback distance. 
  If the obstacle is another character, treat the result as a 
  slam attack (see M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 198) doing 
  damage equal to the original attack to both parties. The 
  character ends up prone and must get back up normally.
  You can choose to inflict less than your attack’s maximum 
  knockback (just like you can choose to do less than your 
  attack’s maximum damage).
  Example: Junkpile strikes Ultramarine with an 
  enormous rusting fist resulting in two Degrees 
  of Failure on her Damage resistance check. The 
  armored avenger may suffer some knockback. 
  Junkpile’s strike does Damage 16. Ultramarine has 
  Toughness 12 and no other modifiers for size or 
  immovability. So the knockback result is 4, send-
  ing Ultramarine flying 500 feet and striking a wall 
  before she skids to a stop. The wall’s Toughness is 
  8, and it suffers Damage 16 (equal to the original 
  attack). Ultramarine breaks through it and goes 
  the remaining distance. She has to resist Damage 8 
  (the wall’s Toughness), which she does easily. She’s 
  dazed and prone as Junkpile continues his ram-
  page. Ultramarine picks herself up, flies back to the 
  scene, and blasts Junkpile with her blue-green laser 
  using the Power Attack maneuver for +2 Damage 
  and scores a critical hit! Her laser does Damage 10 
  damage, +2 for the Power Attack, +5 for the criti-
  cal, or 17 total. Junkpile has Toughness 16. He also 
  has Growth 4 for a total knockback modifier of –20 
  and a result of –3. If the blast dazes Junkpile, it will 
  knock him prone (and drive him back a mere 3 feet 
  (distance value –3) if that’s important). If it weren’t 
  for the critical hit, the knockback result would be 
  –8 and have no effect.
  LETHAL DAMAGE
  The 
  default 
  Mutants & Masterminds 
  rules 
  don’t 
  differentiate between lethal and non-lethal damage; 
  Damage is Damage, and it can all potentially kill, but 
  killing a character is difficult. For those who want more of 
  an element of risk and realism in their damage, there is the 
  option of categorizing some Damage as Lethal. This is a +0 
  modifier by default, but is permanent like other modifiers, 
  so once a Damage effect is lethal, it cannot be used for 
  non-lethal damage. Instead, take the non-lethal version as 
  an Alternate Effect of the Lethal Damage.
  The key difference with Lethal Damage is that it inflicts ad-
  ditional conditions on a failed resistance check, as follows:
  • 
  Failure (three degrees): In addition to being stag-
  gered, the target is disabled. 
  • 
  Failure (four degrees): In addition to being incapac-
  itated, the target is dying.
  233
  233
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  
  All of the conditions from lethal damage also recover at a 
  slower rate: one hour per condition rather than one minute. 
  Effects like Healing and Regeneration speed this up normally.
  INSTANT DEATH
  At the GM’s option, a resistance check against lethal dam-
  age that fails by 5 or more degrees can result in immedi-
  ate death, rather than changing the character’s condition 
  to dying. This is suitable for series with more realistic lethal 
  damage; such massive damage is almost certain to kill 
  poorly protected or unlucky characters. The players can, of 
  course, still spend hero points to improve such poor resis-
  tance checks.
  LETHAL KNOCKBACK
  For greater realism, you may wish to have lethal attacks 
  use only half their Damage rank when determining 
  knockback. This reflects that lethal attacks tend to have 
  less overall “push” compared to non-lethal attacks.
  HERO POINT TRADEOFFS
  Run into that situation where you really need a hero point, 
  but have none left? In such instances, the GM may choose 
  to apply the following option: a player may ask the GM for 
  a hero point in exchange for a complication to follow im-
  mediately after that point is used. In essence, the player is 
  “borrowing on credit” and “paying” for the hero point with 
  the complication. Hero points acquired in this way can be 
  spent normally.
  Example: Ultramarine’s player is out of hero points 
  and really wants to make her next shot count. So 
  she asks the GM for a point in exchange for an 
  immediate complication. The GM agrees and Ul-
  tramarine makes her next attack against the vil-
  lain using the hero point to help ensure a hit. The 
  overcharge on her armor’s laser shorts out some 
  systems, however, and the GM imposes a power 
  loss complication, saying Ultramarine’s weapon is 
  out of commission until she can make a Technol-
  ogy check to bring it back on-line.
  MASS COMBAT
  FORCES
  The mass combat system sums up the actions and traits 
  of a number of less powerful combatants and treats 
  them as a single more powerful “individual” for the pur-
  poses of combat and conflict. This combined entity is 
  called a force.
  While the basic Mutants & Masterminds combat rules handle the one-on-one superhero vs. supervillain clashes of the 
  comic books quite well, large-scale battles, whether between armies or a small handful of superhumans against an 
  army, are on a different scale altogether. Even superheroes can find themselves overwhelmed by a sufficient force, but 
  some can take on entire armies and win! Things can get a little hectic for the Gamemaster, when a fight involves dozens 
  or even hundreds of participants!
  The following optional rules are designed to assist Gamemasters in simulating mass battles between large forces.
  Like individual characters, forces have their own traits, 
  measuring their capabilities. In general, the traits of a 
  force are based on the components making up that force 
  (individual soldiers, for example), with certain traits gain-
  ing a modifier based on the overall size of the force.
  FORCE SIZE
  The most important quality of a force is its size, how 
  many individuals make up that particular force. Game-
  masters may choose to treat an entire group as a single 
  force or split the group up into smaller forces, as suits 
  the needs of the story. Sometimes having the characters 
  deal with several smaller forces can be much more in-
  teresting than a single massive force, particularly if more 
  than one character is interacting with the force(s) at the 
  same time.
  FORCE RANK
  A force’s size determines its Force rank. A force’s size, read 
  on the volume column of the Measurements Table (see 
  M&M Hero’s Handbook, page 11), gives the force rank. So 
  a force of two individuals is Force rank 1, four individuals 
  MILITARY UNIT SIZE
  UNIT TYPE
  APPROX. NO. OF 
  TROOPS
  FORCE RANK
  Corps
  20,000–50,000
  14
  Division
  9,000–15,000
  13
  Brigade
  6,000–8,000
  12
  Regiment
  3,000–4,000
  11
  Battalion
  500–1,000
  9
  Company
  140
  7
  Platoon
  30–50
  5
  Squad
  10
  3
  234
  234
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Force rank 2, eight individuals (a squad) rank 3, and so 
  forth. The Military Unit Size table shows the Force ranks 
  for common military units. Generally speaking, it’s easier 
  to break entire armies down into corps, divisions, or bri-
  gades and use their Force modifiers.
  TROOP QUALITY
  Troop quality refers to the overall abilities of the individu-
  als making up a particular force and forms the basis for the 
  force’s traits. There are three levels of troop quality: green, 
  trained, and veteran. Gamemasters may want to divide 
  a larger force into smaller forces in order to differentiate 
  them by quality. For example, a battalion of 750 soldiers 
  might be made up of three forces: a force of 50 veteran 
  troops, a force of 200 trained troops, and a force of 500 
  green troops.
  Green troops are inexperienced and largely untrained, 
  unfamiliar with combat and working together as a unit. 
  Conscripts and average people are green quality, as are 
  troops in societies where armed conflict is rare.
  Green Troops: Attack 1, Damage 4, Defense 1, 
  Toughness 0, Initiative 0, Morale –3
  Trained troops have experience and training in combat 
  and unit tactics. Most trained military fall into this cate-
  gory, along with police officers and others experienced in 
  combat situations.
  Trained Troops: Attack 2, Damage 5, Defense 2, 
  Toughness 1, Initiative 2, Morale 0
  Veteran troops have considerable experience and train-
  ing in warfare, tactics, and working together as a unit. 
  They include special-forces units and other elite military 
  units.
  Veteran Troops: Attack 4, Damage 6, Defense 4, 
  Toughness 2, Initiative 4, Morale 3
  ATTACK
  A force’s attack bonus is the total of its base attack rank 
  for troop quality and its Force rank, so a larger force has a 
  greater attack bonus than a smaller one of the same qual-
  ity. A force’s total attack bonus is based on a large number 
  of troops making simultaneous attacks, using coordinat-
  ed tactics, and so forth. It doesn’t assume all the troops 
  attack or even hit at once; like other traits, it abstracts the 
  force’s capability.
  DAMAGE
  A force’s damage rank is the total of its base damage rank 
  and Force rank. This assumes larger forces of troops have 
  both more attacks and more powerful weapons, so it 
  takes into account that a large force is likely to be using 
  grenades, rocket launchers, and eventually tanks, bombs, 
  and other heavy weapons in addition to man-portable ar-
  maments. The force’s damage capabilities are generalized 
  and summed up as single damage rank.
  Generally speaking, a military force’s Damage is Lethal 
  (see Lethal Damage, earlier in this chapter), unless the 
  GM decides the force is specially armed with stun-damage 
  and incapacitating weapons (more likely in a comic book 
  setting, but becoming more plausible in the real world). A 
  force’s Damage works just like an individual Damage ef-
  fect and is resisted in the same way.
  DEFENSE
  A force’s defense represents how difficult it is to inflict a 
  successful attack on that force, like a character’s active de-
  fenses. A force’s defense is used against both close (Parry) 
  and ranged (Dodge) attacks. Defense is based entirely on 
  the force’s quality, with no modifier for Force rank. A larg-
  er force is easier to “hit” overall, but can also suffer more 
  damage than a smaller force (represented by also apply-
  ing the force modifier to Toughness).
  TOUGHNESS
  Add the Force rank to base Toughness rank for troop qual-
  ity to determine the force’s total Toughness resistance 
  check bonus.
  For a force as a whole, this Toughness doesn’t represent 
  the ability to shrug off damage so much as how long a 
  force can suffer damage and continue fighting. See Force 
  Damage for details on force Toughness checks.
  INITIATIVE
  A force’s Initiative modifier is likewise based solely on 
  troop quality, unaffected by Force rank. A force uses its 
  Initiative modifier just like a character, and all parts of the 
  force are assumed to act together as a unit during its turn 
  in the initiative order.
  SURPRISE
  Under the right conditions, such as a well-planned am-
  bush—the GM may rule that a force is surprised at the 
  start of a combat. This has its normal effects: the attacker 
  gets to take an action during the surprise round before 
  combat begins. The force is not vulnerable unless the 
  GM feels the entire force was caught by surprise, in which 
  case the force’s defense may be halved for the surprise 
  round.
  MORALE
  A force has a modifier to its morale checks based on troop 
  quality, unmodified by Force rank. When the force must 
  make a morale check, apply its morale modifier to the 
  check. See Morale Checks later in this section for details.
  235
  235
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  
  FORCES IN ACTION
  When one or more forces are involved in a conflict, the 
  combat shifts to battlefield rounds. Each battlefield round 
  is approximately ten times the length of an ordinary six-
  second action round, or one minute (time value 3), and 
  represents a considerable amount of maneuvering and 
  activity on the battlefield during that time.
  Individual characters and forces can take the normal al-
  lotment of actions during a battlefield round: one move 
  action and one standard action (possibly trading the stan-
  dard action for an additional move action). Free actions 
  and reactions are also allowed, up to the limits imposed 
  by the GM.
  A force makes an attack just like an individual does: a d20 
  roll, plus the force’s attack bonus, against the Difficulty 
  Class of the target’s Defense +10, whether the target is 
  another force or an individual character. A force may also 
  move before or after an attack. Typically a force’s move-
  ment is limited so long as a significant portion of the force 
  is on foot. Vehicle equipped forces may be able to move 
  more quickly as the GM’s discretion.
  MANEUVERS
  A force can use particular maneuvers in battle, much 
  like individual characters. These maneuvers are similar in 
  many ways to character-scale maneuvers.
  ALL-OUT ATTACK
  This works like the character maneuver: for each –1 the 
  force takes to defense, it adds +1 to its attack bonus. 
  Green forces can take up to a –2 penalty, while trained and 
  veteran forces can take up to a –5 penalty (as if they had 
  the All-out Attack advantage).
  DEFENSIVE ATTACK
  This also works like the character maneuver: for each –1 
  attack, the force gains +1 defense. Green forces can take 
  up to a –2 penalty, while trained and veteran forces can 
  take up to a –5 penalty (as if they had the Defensive Attack 
  advantage).
  CHARGE
  A force can charge as its standard action, just like a charac-
  ter, with the same –2 modifier to the force’s attack check at 
  the end of the charge.
  SPLIT
  A force can choose to split off into smaller forces with re-
  duced Force rank, but greater maneuverability and free-
  dom of action. A force must be made up of troops of the 
  same quality; the force uses the traits of its least qualified 
  troops if it has troops of mixed quality.
  Splitting a force is a standard action. When a force splits, 
  it becomes two forces, each with a portion of the troops 
  of the original force. Each separate force has its Force rank 
  recalculated according to its new troop compliment. If the 
  original force suffered any damage, both of the split forces 
  have the same damage.
  COMBINE
  Two forces may also choose to combine to form a single, 
  larger, force. Combining forces is a standard action that re-
  quires the forces be adjacent. This increases the force’s size, 
  and therefore Force rank, normally. For example, if two forc-
  es of 250 troops combine to form a single force, that force 
  has a force modifier one higher than the original forces.
  If any of the forces are disrupted (see Force Damage) when 
  they combine, the combined force has the highest total of 
  hits from among its components. The components’ hits are 
  not added together. Disabled forces cannot combine.
  COORDINATED ASSAULT
  Two or more forces may attempt to make a coordinated 
  assault on a target. This works like a team check (see M&M 
  Hero’s Handbook, page 16): Each assisting force makes a 
  normal attack check against the target. A successful check 
  inflicts no damage, but grants the coordinating force a cir-
  cumstance bonus on its attack against that same target.
  Note that a coordinated assault does not increase the at-
  tack’s damage, only the likelihood of a successful attack, 
  so several small forces looking to increase their damage 
  potential are better off combining into a larger force with 
  a higher Force rank (see Combine, previously).
  FLANKING
  Two forces may attempt to catch an opponent in between 
  them, flanking that opponent. If two forces are located on 
  opposite sides of a target, each force gains a +2 circum-
  stance bonus to attack checks against that target.
  FORCE DAMAGE
  Forces successfully attacked during a round attempt 
  Damage resistance checks as per the standard M&M rules. 
  The results of Toughness checks are found under the 
  Force Damage table below.
  Each round’s attacks are considered to happen simultane-
  ously in mass combat. Therefore, the effects of damage 
  are not applied until the start of the following round.
  FORCE DAMAGE
  TOUGHNESS CHECK ...
  EFFECT
  Succeeds
  No Effect
  Fails (one degree)
  Disrupted
  Fails (two degrees)
  Disrupted + Stunned
  Fails (three degrees)
  Disrupted + Staggered 
  + Demoralized
  Fails (four or more degrees)
  Destroyed
  236
  236
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  DAMAGE CONDITIONS
  The stunned and staggered conditions are the same for 
  forces as for characters (see M&M Hero’s Handbook, pages 
  18 and 19, respectively). The other conditions suffered by 
  forces are as follows:
  DISRUPTED
  Casualties and wounded are starting to add up and it is be-
  ginning to feel the pinch of lost manpower. Cohesion is start-
  ing to break down under stress, making it difficult to relay 
  orders from component unit to component unit. Moreover, 
  the loss of officers or other leaders is adversely affecting 
  the force’s ability to fight effectively. The sight of dead and 
  wounded comrades has begun to hurt the force’s morale.
  As a result, each disrupted condition enforces a –1 penalty 
  to all the force’s checks, including further Toughness and 
  morale checks. The penalties for multiple disrupted condi-
  tions are cumulative with each other and with any other 
  penalties incurred.
  DEMORALIZED
  The force has been damaged to the point where it can no 
  longer fight effectively. It may not attack other opponents, 
  but may still attempt resistance checks and take actions to 
  retreat from the field of battle.
  DESTROYED
  A destroyed force has had its morale completely broken. 
  Scattered elements may continue to fight, but their im-
  pact on the battle is negligible as the majority of the force 
  has been killed, captured, or has taken flight in a disorga-
  nized retreat. The force in question is obviously done in 
  the battle at hand—and likely for all battles to follow, for 
  that matter.
  PLAYER CHARACTERS AND FORCE DAMAGE
  As a general rule, player characters—whether ordinary 
  grunts or superhumans—are considered separate from a 
  force with regard to damage. Damage to the overall force 
  does not directly impact the heroes, except insofar as it 
  weakens the support they can expect.
  Gamemasters should handle possible damage to the 
  heroes individually according to the standard M&M rules. 
  So a mortar bombardment would require a Toughness 
  check from the overall force, and the GM might call for 
  Dodge and Toughness checks against a particular instance 
  of Burst Area Damage for the player characters.
  MORALE CHECKS
  Certain events require a force to make a morale check 
  to determine if it is still willing and able to continue the 
  fight. A failed morale check has the same effects as a failed 
  Toughness check, given on the Force Damage table, from 
  disrupted (one degree) to destroyed (four or more de-
  grees).
  A morale check is a d20 roll plus the force’s morale modi-
  fier (based on troop quality). The Difficulty Class for mo-
  rale checks starts out at 10, but each disrupted condition 
  the force suffers imposes a –1 morale check modifier. 
  237
  237
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  
  Forces must make morale checks after any of the follow-
  ing events:
  • 
  The force fails a Toughness check.
  • 
  The force fails to inflict damage against any target for 
  two successive battle rounds.
  • 
  The force suffers a serious setback or reversal (in the 
  opinion of the Gamemaster).
  Additionally, the Gamemaster may impose circumstance 
  modifiers to the morale check based on the conditions. 
  An especially effective use of Intimidation or powers by 
  a superhuman foe may apply a –2 (or greater) penalty to 
  a force’s morale checks, while the presence of a skilled 
  leader with a successful Expertise (tactics or leadership) 
  check may add a similar bonus to the force’s morale 
  checks.
  ADVANTAGES
  The effects of most combat advantages are not incorpo-
  rated into the mass combat rules. The Gamemaster might 
  assign the Improved Critical advantage to a veteran unit, 
  or Precise Attack to a platoon of expert marksmen. For the 
  most part, however, combat advantages don’t apply when 
  dealing with mass battles, and the average soldier doesn’t 
  have that many of them, anyway. They’re difficult to bring 
  to bear in the chaos of mass combat in any meaningful way.
  General and skill advantages are too small-scale and in-
  dividual to figure into these rules. Sure, it’d be no fun to 
  suffer the effects of the Taunt advantage from an entire 
  regiment of troops, but it’s hard to hear even the most 
  cutting comment over machine-gun fire. In any case, their 
  targets are probably more worried about being shot and 
  killed than they are about the enemy making fun of them.
  POWERS
  For the most part, power effects work on forces like indi-
  viduals, with a few exceptions:
  • 
  Damage effects do damage against the force as a 
  whole, even if the effect does not normally have an 
  area. The wielder is assumed to be making multiple 
  attacks with that power during the battle round. Dam-
  aging effects with the Area extra inflict +2 damage to 
  a force, with each additional Area rank increasing this 
  bonus by +1, but the total additional damage cannot 
  exceed the target force’s Force rank (since the area ef-
  fectively encompasses the entire force at that point). 
  Essentially, the attack’s additional area “cancels out” 
  the force’s Toughness bonus for being a large group.
  • 
  Non-damaging powers that do not normally affect an 
  area have a negligible effect on a force in battle. The 
  character can only use such powers if they have the 
  sufficient Area ranks to encompass the entire force. 
  So a character with a mind controlling Affliction, for 
  example, could not attempt to control an entire force 
  unless he possessed sufficient Area ranks for the 
  power to affect the entire force. The GM can allow 
  238
  238
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  these powers to operate normally at the individual 
  scale; they just don’t have much influence on the out-
  come of force-level conflicts. Of course, the GM is free 
  to allow plausible power-use in a mass combat situa-
  tion, if it can reasonably affect the outcome.
  • 
  A particularly spectacular or destructive use of pow-
  ers may impose a modifier to a force’s morale checks 
  at the GM’s discretion, either a penalty for an enemy 
  force of a bonus (rallying the troops) for an allied force.
  • 
  Impervious Toughness is compared against the force’s 
  total damage (including the Force rank) before deter-
  mining whether or not the character has to make a 
  Toughness resistance check against the force’s attack. 
  This is one of the advantages of larger forces: they can 
  overcome—through superior numbers and firepow-
  er—Impervious Toughness that would render a target 
  immune to the attacks of a smaller force. So, for ex-
  ample, a character with Impervious Toughness 20 can 
  ignore the damage of a platoon of green troops (Dam-
  age 9 total) but not that of a trained platoon (Damage 
  10) that knows how to apply its firepower.
  SAMPLE CONFLICT
  A force of 100 trained troops is defending a military 
  base from Bruiser, a super-powered mercenary. The 
  troops have a Force rank 6 for their numbers. This 
  gives the force the following traits:
  Troops: Attack 8, Damage 11, Defense 2, Toughness 7, 
  Initiative +2, Morale +0
  Unfortunately for them, Bruiser is a physically pow-
  erful foe with the following traits:
  Bruiser: Attack 9, Damage 13, Defense 9, Toughness 11 
  (Impervious), Initiative +2. As an individual character, Bruiser 
  doesn’t have a morale bonus or make morale checks.
  The troops win initiative and attack Bruiser. They 
  roll an 11 on their attack check for a total of 19, 
  which is a hit, so Bruiser makes a Toughness check 
  (DC 26, the force’s Damage 11, plus 15). He gets a 
  22 and suffers a –1 check penalty, grunting angrily 
  at the “bugs” stinging at him.
  Then the mercenary counterattacks: he only needs 
  to roll a 3 or better to hit the troops, given his attack 
  bonus, and does so. The force makes a Toughness 
  check (DC 28 for Bruiser’s Damage 13). They roll a 
  19, and manage to suffer only a disrupted result. 
  However, the force has taken damage, so they 
  must make a morale check (DC 10). The GM rolls 
  and gets a 9. They suffer an additional disrupted 
  result from the display of Bruiser’s power.
  The troops attack again and hit. The villain makes 
  another Toughness check (modified for his check 
  penalty) and succeeds, shrugging off their assault. 
  He counterattacks and the force makes another 
  Toughness check. This time they roll only a 10, 
  which fails the check by three degrees, meaning 
  the force is demoralized. The GM rules that Bruiser’s 
  fierce onslaught overturns vehicles, smashes bun-
  kers, and sends the remainder of the force packing.
  Mere minutes after his arrival, Bruiser leaves a dev-
  astated military base behind, carrying away what 
  he came to get from the top-secret lab. Only a few 
  scattered troops remain to tell others of the villain’s 
  assault so they can go after him.
  THE LIMITS OF THE MASS COMBAT SYSTEM
  The mass combat rules are intended to provide quick 
  “shorthand” for Gamemasters to handle conflicts be-
  tween superhumans and large forces. It can be quite 
  tedious to run combats involving dozens, much less 
  hundreds or thousands, of troops, and it’s unfair not to 
  give large forces at least a chance against super-pow-
  ered foes. Seen one-on-one, no soldier has a prayer 
  against a power level 10 superhuman with significant 
  offensive and defensive powers, but working as a unit, 
  a force of soldiers should have a chance (even if only a 
  slight one).
  The system is necessarily abstract, boiling down mul-
  tiple rounds of normal combat into longer battle rounds 
  that resolve many different exchanges of attacks and 
  maneuvers in one or two die rolls. It’s quite possible to 
  resolve a conflict between a character (or a small group) 
  and an entire army in just a couple battle rounds (as 
  seen in the example previously). It also summarizes the 
  inclusion of things like equipment, weapons, and tactics 
  with few additional rules.
  The GM is responsible for providing the description of the 
  battle and what exactly occurs, while the system provides 
  a general outline of things (who won and by how much, 
  etc.). Gamemasters who feel that the mass combat system 
  tends to run too quickly should try breaking a single large 
  force into two or more smaller forces and running the 
  battle with those, giving the individual characters a few 
  more “opponents” to overcome. This is particularly true 
  for battles involving multiple super-powered characters. 
  As a rule of thumb, try to give each character involved in 
  the battle either a superhuman foe or a single force as an 
  opponent, preventing the characters from “ganging up” 
  on a single force and quickly ending the battle.
  As with all game systems, the mass combat system is not 
  meant as a substitute for common sense. If a particular 
  outcome seems unreasonable, the GM should feel free 
  to modify it as needed to suit the series and the story. In 
  fact, Gamemasters don’t have to use this system at all if 
  they’re not looking to play out a battle in game terms. If 
  a particular large-scale engagement is just background 
  color for one of your adventures, it’s perfectly fine for it 
  keep it that way, providing the occasional complication 
  for the heroes, but nothing more.
  The mass combat system is not intended as a war game 
  for resolving military conflicts between armies; its main 
  intent is as an individual vs. force system. It’s far better to 
  handle large-scale military engagements as background 
  color, modified according to the actions of the heroes 
  and their major foes. There are plenty of far better and 
  more detailed games for playing out actual battlefield 
  conflicts, if that’s what you’re looking to do.
  239
  239
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  CHAPTER 7: OPTIONS
  
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  While some super-powered criminals make do with a flop-
  house, cheap motel, or abandoned squat in the heart of 
  the city, having a true lair is a real sign you have arrived 
  in the world of supervillainy. Master-criminals often have 
  complexes to rival powerful nations, concealed in mysteri-
  ous and inaccessible parts of the world, or else hidden in 
  plain sight, right under the heroes’ noses, perhaps even 
  out in the open, protected by diplomatic immunity or a 
  façade of innocence.
  This section looks at the various types of lairs villains 
  may have and offers a number of pre-constructed lair 
  archetypes, complete with maps, for M&M Gamemasters 
  to use in their own games. Just choose a lair and have one 
  of your villains move in and set up shop!
  BUILDING LAIRS
  When confronted with a massive underground complex 
  threaded throughout a tropical island volcano one some-
  times cannot help but wonder: who builds all this stuff?
  In a four-color style series, the question can be hand-waved 
  away. It hardly matters how the lair got there—it’s there, 
  the villain is a menace, and the heroes have a job to do. 
  That’s what really matters; the rest is mere details and trivia.
  However, some games thrive on details, and a more re-
  alistic series might give some consideration to where vil-
  lainous lairs come from, and how to use that information 
  to create further story hooks for the game. Possibilities 
  include the following:
  MINIONS
  The easiest explanation is that a villain’s minions do all 
  the grunt work of constructing (and, presumably, main-
  taining) the lair. This is particularly efficient for bad guys 
  with non-human minions, such as robots or summoned 
  magical creatures, able to work tirelessly and with great 
  precision. It is certainly not difficult to believe an army of 
  robots with industrial fabrication capabilities can hollow 
  out a mountain and set up a high-tech complex. Myths 
  and legends are full of stories of genies, demons, and oth-
  er creatures creating palaces and castles virtually out of 
  thin air for their masters.
  Even ordinary human minions can construct a lair, given 
  time and the right resources. Of course, it is more likely 
  for such workers to slip-up, both in terms of construction 
  and security. Word about the project might leak out, if 
  only in the underworld as the villain looks for potential 
  workers. Heroes might be able to pry information about 
  the lair from current or former workers, unless the villain 
  takes some countermeasures to ensure their silence, such 
  as altering their memories or even imprisoning or killing 
  everyone who worked on the project!
  AGENCY
  An outside agency can construct a lair for a villain, possi-
  bly without knowing what the headquarters will actually 
  be used for, or by whom!
  In this case, the agency is most likely a legitimate con-
  struction company or division of a larger business, such 
  as a multinational corporation. The villain has sufficient 
  influence to get the project authorized and underway 
  without anyone the wiser, or at least without anyone will-
  ing to question orders from above. In some cases, particu-
  larly when the agency is the villain, the whole project is 
  completely “legitimate” under the guise of their normal 
  operations, such as a government “black ops” project or a 
  criminal corporation.
  REUSE AND RECYCLE
  Supervillain lairs tend to be fairly short-lived; even if they are not destroyed in a massive explosion or super-fight when 
  the bad guy is brought down, they are likely abandoned or placed under protective custody after their owner goes to 
  prison or mysteriously disappears, presumed dead. Four-color settings may be littered with abandoned and former hide-
  outs, and why go to the trouble of building a new headquarters when you can just move in and occupy an old one?
  Of course, reusing an abandoned lair has its drawbacks, not the least of which is that heroes already know where it is and 
  are certain to come sniffing around at some point. For some villains, this may be a feature rather than a detraction, since it 
  is the perfect opportunity to lure said heroes into a trap! Other problems with a “used” lair include repairing previous dam-
  age and dealing with any leftover traps or machinations set up by the previous occupant. On the other hand, a recycled 
  lair can be a form of hiding in plain sight, since heroes may not think to check a place they already consider “cleaned out”.
  From a practical point of view, reusing supervillain lairs in your M&M series can cut down on the amount of game-prep-
  aration work you need to do. Just pull out the map and game information for a prior hideout and put it back to work for 
  this week’s villain. The players may be able to take advantage of their prior knowledge about the place, but it can just as 
  easily trip them up, if the new occupant has taken that into account and prepared accordingly.
  Old villain hideouts are not the only reusable ones, either. A particularly daring bad guy might take over a defunct heroic 
  base and turn it into a new lair! This is particularly poetic if the villain adopts one of the player characters’ old hangouts, 
  figuring it is the last place where the heroes would think to look for them!
  240
  240
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  A “technokinetic” villain, for example, able to mold and 
  shape technology, can easily create a high-tech head-
  quarters out of collections of junk and spare parts, or even 
  raw materials. Similarly, a transmuter or earth controller 
  can easily bore tunnels, create walls and structures, and 
  so forth. Inventor villains may create robotic construction 
  crews or industrial fabricators and use them to build the 
  lair (see Minions, previously).
  The most common powers associated with lair building 
  tend to be magical. Powerful spells and rituals can create 
  palaces and strongholds out of thin air, summon ancient 
  temples and sunken cities from their resting places, or 
  open up portals to other dimensions and realms where 
  the villain can hold sway. Such a magical lair is often 
  linked to the villain’s power, such that upon defeat the lair 
  crumbles, collapses, or simply vanishes, at least until sum-
  moned anew.
  INHERITANCE
  Lastly, a supervillain might well inherit a suitable lair from 
  a relative, mentor, or other source. Of course, where vil-
  lains are concerned “inherit” may well mean “steal” if the 
  bad guy chooses to kill off a relation or former ally to gain 
  control of the place.
  Inherited lairs tend to be relatively mundane—mansions, 
  family estates, or the like—although they can be as exotic 
  as castles or even full-blown supervillain headquarters 
  inherited from another bad guy. The new owner has to 
  deal with any deficiencies or legacies connected with the 
  place, making changes or upgrades as needed.
  In addition to inheriting a lair, a villain might also seek out 
  an abandoned headquarters and take up residence there. 
  See the Reuse and Recycle sidebar for more on this.
  Alternately, an agency may exist for the express purpose 
  of constructing supervillain lairs, a kind of “villain’s con-
  tractor” handling such tasks in exchange for a fee. It is cer-
  tainly one way to make a great deal of money off a “cap-
  tive audience” of customers, although negotiations may 
  be required to avoid customers who promise payments 
  they cannot deliver, especially if they are arrested before 
  their big schemes come through! The Foundry from Free-
  dom City can serve as such an agency, given its consider-
  able resources and tireless robot workforce.
  ENTITY
  A single fairly powerful entity might be capable of and 
  willing to create lairs for supervillains, either for a price or 
  for reasons of its own. Such a being could potentially be 
  a powerful villain in its own right, but perhaps it chooses 
  instead to work behind the scenes.
  In the World of Freedom setting, an amoral analog of Dr. 
  Metropolis (from Freedom City) could fill this role. Per-
  haps Junkpile (from Threat Report) develops sufficient 
  intelligence to understand the needs of others and seeks 
  to fulfill them. Similarly Master Metropolis (the good 
  doctor’s evil twin from Anti-Earth) could do the same, 
  or another as yet unknown “urban elemental” could fill 
  the niche. The wish-granting Mr. Infamy could provide 
  bad guys with incredible lairs, seemingly created out of 
  nowhere, although his “gifts” tend to come with hidden 
  price tags attached. The same can be said of the goddess 
  Eris from Threat Report.
  POWER
  Some villains are fortunate (or focused) enough to have 
  powers suited to creating their own lair to suit their needs. 
  241
  241
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. TICKET BOOTH
  2. CONCESSION 
  STAND
  3. GRAVITRON
  4. FERRIS WHEEL
  5. BALLOON DARTS
  6. RING TOSS
  7. PITCHING BOOTH
  8. BEAN BAG TOSS
  9. WATER PISTOLS
  10. HORSE RACIING
  11. ROLLER COASTER
  12. HAUNTED HOUSE
  13. HALL OF 
  MIRRORS
  14. MERRY-GO-
  ROUND
  242
  242
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  AMUSEMENT PARK 
  9 POINTS
  Size: Colossal • Toughness: 5 (typically) • Features: Deathtraps, 
  Power System, Secret, Workshop
  A staple for villains with funhouse, circus, or arcade 
  themes is the abandoned amusement park, either closed 
  down for the season or shut down for good because of 
  hard times or changes in entertainment interests. The 
  villain either buys the place for a song or moves in when 
  nobody is looking and modifies things to suit, usually by 
  “upgrading” the harmless carnival games and rides and 
  making them into dangerous weapons and deathtraps.
  FEATURES
  The main features of an Amusement Park lair are the vari-
  ous rides and attractions, turned into tools of villainy!
  FERRIS WHEEL
  The primary role of the Ferris wheel in an amusement 
  park lair is a big object to break or hit someone with, al-
  though if there are any customers in the park (see Behind 
  the Scenes under Variations), then a fully loaded Ferris 
  wheel will almost inevitably break loose from its moor-
  ings, requiring a hero to come to the rescue (and earn a 
  hero point for doing so).
  A 30-foot Ferris wheel weighs around 60 tons and car-
  ries a maximum of 120 riders (adding another approxi-
  mately 12 tons, fully loaded). It takes Strength 12 to hold 
  up, although bracing and extra effort can enhance lesser 
  Strength to do the job. Larger and more complex Ferris 
  wheels are heavier and harder to lift.
  HALL OF MIRRORS
  The classic hall of funhouse mirrors is often a place where 
  the villain will lure heroes or flee when pursued. The doz-
  ens of confusing reflections provide characters in the 
  place with visual concealment (Hero’s Handbook, page 
  192) allowing for, among other things, Stealth checks and 
  surprise attacks. The mirrors can reflect light-based ef-
  fects, making them suitable for certain stunts or to cause 
  complications for characters with light-based powers.
  A more exotic hall-of-mirrors trap causes the funhouse 
  mirrors to create distorted duplicates of the characters, 
  which step out of the mirrors to attack: a Summon effect 
  that creates a near-exact duplicate of the onlooker. It is 
  commonly magical, although the duplicates can be prod-
  ucts of super-science as well.
  HAUNTED HOUSE
  A scare ride with various special effects, a haunted house 
  may be modified with robotic or “live” versions of classic 
  movie monsters to attack trespassers (zombies, skeletons, 
  giant spiders, werewolves, etc., see Chapter 3). It could 
  also create realistic Illusion effects (with a appropriate Will 
  resistance DC for the series power level) or fear-causing 
  devices (an Affliction effect with a similar Will DC).
  SHOOTING GALLERY
  One of the classic carnival games, this booth for target-
  shooting might be turned into a lethal back-and-forth 
  where helpless heroes are shot at, having a certain amount 
  of time to escape. Perhaps one of the heroes’ teammates 
  or loved ones is mesmerized into being the shooter! For 
  heroes immune to ordinary bullets, the “gallery” might use 
  specialized ammo or specific weaknesses instead.
  THRILL RIDES
  This includes roller coasters, tilt-a-whirls, and various other 
  rides intended to induce terror and nausea in their scream-
  ing “victims.” Villains often convert them into deathtraps, 
  spinning or caroming off into terrible crashes as the he-
  roes struggle to get loose. You can treat the ride’s effects 
  like an Affliction effect causing conditions like dazed and 
  stunned. The heroes might need to escape from “safety” 
  restraints (requiring a Damage effect or Sleight of Hand 
  check) while struggling against the side effects to get free 
  of the ride before it is too late.
  VARIATIONS
  Variations on the Amusement Park lair may include:
  BEHIND THE SCENES
  In this scenario, the amusement park is not abandoned, 
  but continues to operate while also serving as cover for 
  the villain’s activities. The bad guy might hide in plain 
  sight as one of the acts or operators of the park, or stay out 
  of sight. He might be pulling the strings of everyone else 
  working at the park, or remain hidden even from them, 
  save for a select few allies or henchmen. Exactly why the 
  villain hides out in a functioning amusement park de-
  pends on the villain. For some it is the only game in town; 
  others might need the fair-goers in some way, whether to 
  feed off their psychic energy, to use them as mesmerized 
  pawns, or simply to be close to the life and fun and laugh-
  ter they can never have. Whatever the case, having a park 
  full of innocent people can pose all sorts of complications 
  for the heroes as they try to deal with the bad guy without 
  anyone getting caught in the crossfire.
  UNDER THE BIG TOP
  Rather than an amusement park, the villain’s lair is a cir-
  cus, with a similar midway hosting carnival games and 
  the like, but also a big top with clowns, acrobats, and 
  trained animals such as lions and elephants, any or all 
  of which could be part of the villain’s overall theme. The 
  AMUSEMENT PARK
  243
  243
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. BRIDGE
  2. BATTLEMENTS
  3. GUARD HOUSE
  4. COURTYARD
  5. LIVERY
  6. SEA TOWER
  7. GRAND FOYER
  8. THRONE ROOM
  9. DINING HALL
  10. LIBRARY
  11. KITCHEN
  12. STORAGE
  13. SITTING ROOM
  14. TROPHY ROOM
  15. SERVANTS 
  QUARTERS
  16. GUARD BARRACKS
  17. MEETING ROOM
  18. CONSERVATORY
  19. GUEST CHAMBERS
  20. ROYAL SUITE
  21. TORTURE CHAMBER
  22. HIDDEN LAB
  23. RITUAL CHAMBER
  244
  244
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  CASTLE 
  10 POINTS
  Size: Huge • Toughness: 10 • Features: Holding Cells 
  (dungeon), Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, 
  Security System
  The dark castle on a hilltop, illuminated by flashes of 
  lightning from the roiling clouds overhead, is a classic 
  villainous lair. Castles suit “old world” bad guys, either 
  villains who are literally from the past (such as immortal 
  sorcerers or ghostly “black knights”) or those with old-
  world ties, such as self-proclaimed European nobility.
  Although one does not typically associate castles with 
  North America (settled by Europeans well after the great 
  age of castle-building was over), there are still a great 
  many castle-like structures in the United States. Techni-
  cally speaking, these are not true castles, as they were 
  not designed as medieval fortress-manors. They are 
  more properly private mansions or estates build as re-
  productions or along the same lines as European-style 
  castles.
  Many of these private castles were built during the 19th 
  century, as the estate-homes of American business ty-
  coons and robber barons looking to emulate European 
  style and sophistication, declaring themselves a kind of 
  “American nobility.” Some are “follies,” deliberately built for 
  appearances and decoration rather than function. Later 
  castles were built as or became public buildings or tourist 
  attractions.
  Although American castles are often situated on isolated 
  estates, others can be found in the midst of urban areas, 
  such as New York City’s Belvedere Castle, a folly built in 
  Central Park and used by the U.S. Weather Bureau to col-
  lect meteorological data in the park. It’s not hard to imag-
  ine a “private investor” taking over such a castle and con-
  verting it into a supervillain lair!
  FEATURES
  Some important features of a castle lair include:
  DUNGEON
  Any castle worth its portcullis has a dungeon: dank and 
  dark cells with chains bolted to the walls, complete 
  with optional rats and cobwebs. This is where the villain 
  imprisons captured heroes as well as hostages and 
  where the good guys come to rescue them. The dungeon 
  might be guarded (by anything from goons to robots to 
  actual ogres) or the locks and chains may be considered 
  sufficient to hold prisoners.
  A dungeon may also serve as a deathtrap, if the prison-
  ers are faced with a threat like a ticking bomb or a swarm 
  of flesh-eating beetles, for example. But the more likely 
  castle deathtraps are found in...
  THE LABORATORY
  Ever since the days of Dr. Frankenstein, Gothic castles 
  have been associated with mad scientists challenging 
  the limits of nature and tampering with forces Man Was 
  Not Meant to Know. Therefore a castle lair often comes 
  equipped with a laboratory for the archfiend to experi-
  ment. It is either filled with scientific apparatus, sparking 
  or crackling with power, or—for mystical villains—with 
  a magic circle and workbenches of arcane potions and 
  powders. The centerpiece is a cage or worktable where 
  heroes can be bound as they await the mastermind’s at-
  tention.
  SECRET PASSAGES
  Castles frequently have secret or hidden passages or 
  chambers, either part of the original structure, or added 
  by their new occupants to suit their needs. The classic 
  entrances and exits include rotating bookshelves in li-
  braries or laboratories, shifting fireplaces, flagstones 
  that serves as concealed elevators, and doorways hid-
  den in otherwise ordinary seeming stone- or woodwork. 
  Villains typically use these passage as escape routes, or 
  to conceal their lair within an otherwise normal-seeming 
  structure.
  VARIATIONS
  Alterations to the castle theme involve variations to suit 
  the occupant’s style, be it high-tech, mystical, or of a dif-
  ferent cultural background.
  HIGH-TECH CASTLE
  Just because a place looks like a castle does not mean it 
  is limited to the materials and technology of the Middle 
  Ages! Since mad scientists are also often fond of castles, 
  chances are good a fortress lair may have some hidden 
  surprises: anything from electronics and computers con-
  cealed inside the walls to a turret converted into a mis-
  sile silo! Supposedly empty suits of armor make excellent 
  guard robots (see the Robot minion archetypes in this 
  book). Stone structures may be reinforced with advanced 
  stone-like materials, or conceal layers of strange alloys or 
  super-metals beneath them.
  CASTLE
  master villain might style himself “the Ringmaster” or 
  could be another member of the circus troupe. Maybe 
  the lion they call “the King of Beasts” is smarter than 
  anyone thinks and a “king” in truth, with the power to 
  control the minds of humans and animals! Maybe the 
  clown all the kids find scary is something really scary, like 
  a demon in human form. The possibilities are many. See 
  Chapter 3 for game information on elephants and lions, 
  along with other animals suitable as additional features 
  for a circus lair.
  245
  245
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. MAIN ENTRANCE
  2. HALL OF THE GUARDIANS
  3. THE DESCENT
  4. PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
  5. FALSE DOOR
  6. COLLAPSING  MAZE
  7. TRAPPED MAZE
  8. KEY ROOM
  9. LAST STAIR
  10. ALTAR CHAMBER
  11. PRIEST ROOM
  12. ROYAL CRYPTS
  13. KING’S REST
  246
  246
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  HIDDEN TEMPLE 
  8 POINTS
  Size: Huge • Toughness: 10 • Features: Deathtraps, Holding 
  Cells (dungeon or tombs), Isolated, Secret
  Many supervillains want to be worshipped like gods, but 
  not all of them have their very own temples. Some mega-
  lomaniacal bad guys do, and use the hidden (and often 
  ancient) structures as lairs from which to launch their 
  schemes of conquest and domination.
  A temple lair is most often hidden by virtue of being in 
  some ancient and forgotten corner of the world: a ruin 
  deep in a desert canyon, concealed beneath layers of 
  jungle growth, or at the bottom of a ravine created by an 
  earthquake, and so forth. The temple may have been the 
  villain’s tomb or prison for centuries before unwitting ex-
  plorers ventured where they should not have and awak-
  ened the evil there. In other cases, a godly foe raises the 
  ruins of a temple in order to restore it to its former glory.
  A few other hidden temples are new—created by the vil-
  lain’s power or built by minions—or nearly new, having been 
  raised or restored, such as a sorcerer lifting an ancient temple 
  from beneath the desert sands or the bottom of the sea.
  FEATURES
  While not particularly high-tech, hidden temples do have 
  a number of useful features, some originally intended to 
  hamper the villain, but which turn into challenges for the 
  heroes instead.
  GUARDIANS
  If the temple was originally a prison, then it may well have 
  guards, able to wait out centuries or even millennia and 
  keep watch over their prisoner. This typically means un-
  living guardians, such as animated statues, undead war-
  riors, or even ancient robots. Alternately, they may be 
  kept in suspended animation, revived only to defend their 
  charge, like statues that suddenly become flesh upon 
  sensing an intruder.
  See the minion archetypes in this book for potential guard-
  ians. Examples include gargoyles, golems, robots (also suit-
  able as magical constructs such as animated statues or suits 
  of armor), warrior demons, skeletons, or zombies.
  TRAPS
  Also potentially guarding the temple are various traps, 
  usually placed along the entry route to protect the tomb 
  or central chamber. Once the temple is converted to a lair, 
  the villain may use the traps to defend against intruders 
  or as deathtraps for imprisoned heroes. Classic hidden 
  temple traps include closing walls, a gauntlet, killing jars, 
  and the kaleidoscope of madness, although a creature 
  pit filled with deathless monsters is also an option (see 
  Deathtraps in Chapter 5 for details).
  WORSHIPPERS
  What is a temple without worshippers? Often, a villain’s 
  very next step after raising or creating the temple lair is to 
  gather a group of fanatical followers there. They may be 
  the remnants of the villain’s ancient cult, perhaps respon-
  sible for his return, or otherwise innocent people who 
  have fallen under the sway of their new “god.” Worshippers 
  are typically minions (using the archetypes in this book), 
  either ordinary humans or minor creatures such as the 
  undead remnants of the temple’s ancient worshippers, 
  raised from the dead to serve their master once again.
  VARIATIONS
  Some variations on the Hidden Temple lair include the fol-
  lowing:
  OTHERWORLDLY
  An otherworldly hidden temple is very well hidden, in an-
  other realm or dimension altogether! The temple may lie 
  on a dimensional rift or fold, or on the mysterious border 
  between one realm and another, such as the shadow-
  lands between life and death. Its current state could be 
  the work of its creator, or part of whatever banished the 
  temple (and its occupants) from the world long ago. This 
  means reaching the temple requires some special route or 
  means, such as a mystic ritual or the appropriate power(s). 
  Add the Dimensional Portal feature to the temple, if it is 
  HIDDEN TEMPLE
  SHOGUN’S CASTLE
  Nothing says a “castle” has to be European in origin. It 
  could just as easily be in the style of medieval Japanese 
  castles, or from some other historical background that 
  suits the villain.
  SORCERER’S CASTLE
  Mystical and fantasy villains often have castles right out 
  of fairy tales and sword and sorcery yarns, complete with 
  animated gargoyles, flaming moats, armored knights, and 
  even dragons lairing down in the dungeons! You can use 
  the gargoyle and dragon creature archetypes from Chap-
  ter 5 for inspiration.
  VAMPIRE’S CASTLE
  The Gothic castle is the archetypal lair of the Vampire 
  (page 130). It may appear abandoned: covered in dust 
  and cobwebs, lit only by flickering candlelight and silvery 
  moonlight, with coffins tucked away in the crypts below. 
  Minions include various sorts of undead, lesser vampires 
  (often “consorts”), or entranced servants.
  247
  247
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. RECEPTION DESK
  2. STORAGE
  3. OFFICES
  4. MESS HALL
  5. MAINTENANCE
  6. CHIEF ENGINEER
  7. CHIEF ORDERLY
  8. LAUNDRY
  9. SHOWERS
  10. PHYSICAL THERAPY
  11. GROUP THERAPY
  12. HUMAN SERVICES
  13. INFIRMARY
  14. HEAD NURSE
  15. HEAD PHYSICIAN
  16. HEAD OF SECURITY
  17. WARDEN’S OFFICE
  18. MINIMUM 
  SECURITY
  19. SECURITY POST
  20. NURSE STATION
  21. COMMON AREA
  22. HIGH SECURITY
  23. VIOLENT WARD
  24. MAXIMUM 
  SECURITY
  25. ACTIVITY YARD
  26. CATWALKS
  248
  248
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  INSANE ASYLUM 
  10 POINTS
  Size: Huge • Toughness: 5 • Features: Holding Cells, Infirmary, 
  Laboratory, Living Space, Secret, Power System, Security System
  More than a few villains end up in asylums once the he-
  roes catch them, but how many would think to set up 
  shop there? It’s an idea so crazy ... well, you’d have to be 
  mad to try it! Still, some bad guys may use the very asy-
  lums intended to hold and treat them as hideouts, enjoy-
  ing the symbolism or the irony of it. They work well for 
  characters with a motif of fear or madness, such as the 
  Psycho archetype. Villains occupy two types of asylums: 
  abandoned ones or those still operating.
  The abandoned asylum may have shut down due to lack of 
  funding, some scandal over patient treatment, or a terrible 
  incident such as a murder that took place there. Comic book 
  asylums tend to come in either Victorian Gothic or 1950s 
  Industrial styles, the former a spooky combination of tur-
  rets, wrought ironwork, and creaking staircases; the latter 
  cinderblock walls with steel hatches for doors and barred 
  windows, all painted in generic industrial gray, tan, green, 
  or pale blue. The villain may adapt some of the asylum’s 
  facilities to create traps and use its cells to hold hostages.
  A functioning asylum controlled by a supervillain is almost 
  more frightening, in some ways. Obviously, the criminal 
  has to operate behind-the-scenes (or the asylum exists in a 
  truly corrupt setting, where the authorities don’t really care 
  who runs things). Perhaps the director or another impor-
  tant official is the villain’s secret identity, or the villain has 
  kidnapped and replaced that person, leaving him locked 
  up in a cell and raving about how someone has stolen his 
  life! As another example, maybe a psychologist obsessed 
  with curing “aberrant” behavior crosses the line, turning the 
  asylum he runs into the secret lair of his costumed alter ego.
  FEATURES
  Apart from being downright creepy, an asylum’s main 
  features involve its ability to hold people against their will 
  (possibly enhanced by the new “management”) and the 
  various facilities normally used to treat patients.
  PADDED CELLS
  In addition to most hospital-style rooms, an asylum has 
  the classic “rubber room,” essentially a cell with padding 
  on the floor and walls to prevent patients from injuring 
  themselves if they become violent or have fits. They are 
  typically of concrete or brick construction underneath 
  (Toughness 7) with steel doors (Toughness 9), although a 
  villain might reinforce them to hold super-powered pris-
  oners (and the same would be the case in an asylum that 
  routinely deals with superhumans). A super version of a 
  “rubber room” might includes some kind of reflection field 
  or material, causing any attempts to break out of the room 
  to rebound against the character.
  STRAITJACKETS
  The accompaniment to a padded cell is a straitjacket, de-
  signed to hold the wearer’s arms close to the body and 
  limit mobility and the ability to manipulate things. A typical 
  straitjacket is Toughness 4 with its reinforced straps, making 
  it difficult for a wearer to break without proper leverage or 
  damage (since the straps pull against the wearer as well). 
  Slipping out of a straitjacket is a DC 25 Sleight of Hand check.
  Straitjackets are excellent camouflage for means of neu-
  tralizing a wearer’s powers, housing either dampening 
  circuitry and some mystical enchantment. Villains might 
  use power-nullifying straitjackets to keep heroes prisoner, 
  or even in an effort to convince them they are legitimate 
  patients and their “super-powers” and costumed identities 
  are all just a delusion!
  TREATMENT FACILITIES
  Facilities normally used to treat the mentally ill in an asy-
  lum’s care can become deathtraps and torture devices in a 
  villain’s hands. Examples include:
  • 
  Chairs and tables with restraining straps (Toughness 
  5, Sleight of Hand DC 20).
  • 
  Electroshock (or electroconvulsive) equipment, ca-
  pable of delivering shocks for an Affliction or Dam-
  age effect of rank 1–6 or more.
  • 
  Psychopharmaceuticals used to treat various condi-
  tions, able to sedate, weaken the will, and disrupt 
  concentration (Affliction effects, Fortitude or Will 
  save to resist, as appropriate).
  An asylum may have one or more full-fledged operating 
  rooms for surgical procedures, although some do not have 
  any. This can add an array of surgical instruments, drugs, 
  and complications such as anesthetics to the arsenal.
  INSANE ASYLUM
  possible to navigate to and from it with nothing more 
  than an appropriate skill check. Otherwise, this is covered 
  by Isolated. In either case, add the Concealed feature.
  OVERT
  This temple lair is far from hidden, instead, it appears right 
  smack in the middle of an urban area, either erupting 
  from the earth where the temple once stood in ancient 
  times, or created out of thin air by the villain’s power. It 
  stands as a proclamation of its creator’s divine might and 
  a challenge to any who would oppose it, providing both 
  the authorities and the heroes with a clear target. Unfor-
  tunately, just finding a godlike villain is often not the hard 
  part of overcoming him! Remove the Isolated feature from 
  the temple’s stats.
  249
  249
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. HANGAR
  2. MACHINE SHOPS
  3. WORKSHOPS
  4. STORAGE
  5. MESS HALL
  6. MASTER’S  
  QUARTERS
  7. BARRACKS
  8. LABORATORIES
  9. GEOTHERMAL 
  STATION
  10. ARMORY
  11. DOCKS
  12. GUEST ROOMS
  13. LIBRARY
  14. HOLDING CELLS
  15. SECURITY
  16. COMPUTER 
  SYSTEMS
  17. TRAPPED HALL
  18. MISSILE DEFENSE
  250
  250
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  ISLAND 
  13 POINTS
  Size: Awesome • Toughness: 5 • Features: Defense System, Dock, 
  Hangar, Isolated, Living Space, Power System, Security System
  There are few lairs more private than your own island (at 
  least still on Earth), and some villains manage to buy, claim, 
  or even create an isolated island retreat where they can “get 
  away from it all,” including those bothersome heroes.
  Often, an island lair is merely a setting for another type of 
  headquarters, such as a castle, hidden temple, mansion, 
  mountain (or volcano) lair, underground complex, or the 
  like. The majority of the island’s space may be unused or 
  largely ignored, filled with wilderness or barren stretches. 
  In this case, you may want to reduce the lair’s effective size 
  and ignore the extra land, or apply the Grounds feature as 
  a midway measure to reflect the added space.
  FEATURES
  An island lair’s main features are its relative isolation and 
  size, offering lots of places to put the villain’s real hideout, 
  or even multiple bases or facilities on the same island.
  DEFENSE SYSTEMS
  The first challenge in storming a villain’s island lair is ac-
  tually reaching it; the island may have various defensive 
  systems intended to keep unwanted visitors away. These 
  may include air- and sea-based weapons systems. Exam-
  ples include:
  • 
  Surface-to-air missiles for shooting down planes 
  and flying heroes, inflicting Damage appropriate to 
  the series power level and possibly having Area and 
  Homing capabilities (with Homing usually based on 
  heat sensors or radar). Aquatic versions include guid-
  ed torpedoes. See page 173 of Hero’s Handbook for 
  some examples.
  • 
  Electromagnetic pulse weapons or similar devices in-
  tended to disable boats and aircraft (or at least their 
  navigational and communications systems), a Nullify 
  Electronics effect. This type of system might provide 
  “mysterious losses at sea” for heroes to investigate.
  • 
  Creature minions acting as guard dogs, ranging from 
  trained or mind-controlled dinosaurs to sea mon-
  sters, ordinary sea life (such as sharks), or various 
  types of robots (possibly mimicking sea creatures, 
  like robot sharks or robotic giant squids). See the 
  Minion Archetypes in this book for some options.
  LOCATION
  An island’s location affects its style and overall useful-
  ness as a villain lair. Ideally, the island is in international 
  waters, not claimed by a particular nation or power, or at 
  least largely ignored so no one notices a secret installa-
  tion there. The villain might legitimately purchase the is-
  land through proxies or a front company before setting 
  up shop there.
  Tropical islands offer good weather (except during hur-
  ricane season) and often a prime location near the equa-
  tor, important for some schemes and doomsday weap-
  ons. They tend to be hard on equipment and technology, 
  however, and volcanic magma taps used to provide 
  power can also overload and cause an eruption if things 
  happen to go wrong—virtually assured once the heroes 
  show up.
  Arctic islands, conversely, tend to be plenty isolated, but 
  are far from civilization, requiring special transport, and 
  installations have to be properly shielded from the ele-
  ments. Any waste heat often shows up too easily on scans 
  of the area.
  TERRAIN
  Unlike many lairs, islands have terrain, which can provide 
  opportunities and challenges of its own. Some island ter-
  ISLAND BASE
  In some settings, an asylum’s treatment facilities might in-
  clude experimental super-science gadgets such as virtual 
  reality rigs or “mind probes” able to read or even rewrite 
  dreams, thoughts, or psychological conditions. Naturally, 
  in the wrong hands, these devices can be instruments of 
  terror and torture.
  VARIATIONS
  Although the asylum has one of the strongest themes, 
  similar lairs use full-fledged hospitals or even prisons.
  HOSPITAL
  A hospital is a similar, but more extensive, facility; it may 
  even have a psych-wing similar to the asylum in form and 
  function. A small, private clinic may even have a layout es-
  sentially the same as the asylum building, but with more 
  conventional patient rooms and treatment facilities.
  PRISON
  A prison can serve as a secret lair the same as an asylum. 
  An abandoned prison facility is sturdy, with usable infra-
  structure and a good motif for “law and order” or jailer vil-
  lains (such as Warden from Freedom City). A working prison 
  might fall under the influence of an unscrupulous warden 
  or governor, or a convict on the inside could exert control 
  over the place, either through various powers or social 
  means. The Lockdown sourcebook details a super-prison 
  following this concept and the Freedom City sourcebook 
  describes the Blackstone super-prison as an example.
  251
  251
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. MAIN ENTRANCE
  2. SLIDING DOORS
  3. CONCEALED 
  ENTRANCE
  4. MISSILE SILO
  5. BARRACKS
  6. LIVING QUARTERS
  7. BLAST LOCK
  8. ARMORY / STORAGE
  9. GALLEY
  10. OFFICERS 
  QUARTERS
  11. CONTROL ROOM
  12. DECONTAMINATION
  13. INFIRMARY
  14. LABS/WORKSHOPS
  15. POWER STATION
  252
  252
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  MISSILE SILO 
  11 POINTS
  Size: Large • Toughness: 10 • Features: Communications, 
  Computer, Concealed, Fire Prevention System, Hangar (of 
  sorts), Power System, Security System, Workshop
  A missile silo is typically an underground shaft wide and 
  tall enough to accommodate a large rocket with an explo-
  sive warhead (sometimes conventional, but potentially 
  nuclear) and its support materials. Some missile silos are 
  built above ground, but most are underground, both for 
  security and safety. A hatch opens and closes to allow the 
  missile to launch from the silo, and the rest of the facility 
  is accessible via an elevator and/or ladder opening onto 
  the surface.
  A missile silo turned into a supervillain’s lair was either 
  constructed in secret for that purpose, or done without 
  the knowledge of the original owner(s). It’s certainly pos-
  sible, especially in a four-color setting, for some post-Cold 
  War era silos to have been decommissioned, then taken 
  over by the villain. Other missile silo lairs still belong to 
  their government owners, either used covertly by crimi-
  nals without their knowledge, or provided to said crimi-
  nals by a government “black ops” organization.
  FEATURES
  The central feature of a missile silo is, naturally, the silo it-
  self and the missile or rocket it contains.
  LAUNCH!
  A missile silo large enough to serve as a headquarters 
  generally holds an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 
  or the equivalent. These rockets have vast range, able to 
  reach other continents or carry payloads into Earth orbit, 
  suitable for any number of villainous schemes. Most of-
  ten, the missile is used to carry a weapon to threaten or 
  destroy an Earth-based target, or to carry a payload such 
  as a satellite into orbit (which the villain can use to beam 
  mind-control rays or the like down onto Earth).
  Heroes may need to prevent the launch of the missile, 
  or chase after it if they are unable to prevent the launch. 
  Stopping the launch sequence might be a simple matter 
  of a Technology skill check (possibly a challenge sequence 
  involving Technology). You can use the guidelines for dis-
  arming a deathtrap given in Chapter 5, especially if the 
  missile launch will trigger such a trap (see the following). 
  Heroes may also be able to damage the missile or launch 
  systems: figure Toughness 10-12 for most of the materials 
  involved. However, damaging the missile might cause an 
  explosion, the same with tactics such as preventing the 
  launch hatch from opening. The blast is likely to have a 
  damage rank from 10–15 or more, depending on the mis-
  sile and its payload.
  Chasing after a missile requires Flight 7 or using another 
  power such as Teleport to reach the missile and grab 
  onto it. You can use the challenge rules to model chas-
  ing after a missile but, generally, a hero either has suf-
  MISSILE SILO
  rain offers interesting new environments for chase scenes 
  or combats, from outracing snowmobile-riding minions 
  on a frozen isle to fighting on the slopes (or in the caldera!) 
  of an active volcano in the tropics. See the Environment 
  effect in Hero’s Handbook and the information in Chapter 
  5 of this book for further inspiration on how the terrain 
  can challenge heroes.
  VARIATIONS
  Variations on the island lair include changing the nature 
  of the island, its inhabitants, or its level of concealment.
  ARTIFICIAL ISLAND
  An island lair might be entirely artificial, a colossal float-
  ing platform or the top of a manmade mountain on the 
  sea floor. The island’s surface is typically covered with 
  dirt and either real plants and sculpted terrain or artificial 
  landscaping to make it look like a real island. Features of 
  the artificial landscape might conceal elements such as 
  listening outposts, buildings, weapon emplacements, and 
  secret entrances or launch bays.
  An artificial island might even be mobile, with propulsion 
  systems capable of moving it slowly across the oceans to dif-
  ferent positions or exotic means such as anti-gravity systems 
  that allow it to hover or fly. In this case, the island might also 
  have some means of concealment to hide its movements 
  from satellite surveillance and other methods of detection.
  HIDDEN ISLAND
  Sometimes just being on a small, uncharted island hun-
  dreds of miles from civilization is not enough, especially 
  for arch-villains wanted by authorities around the world. 
  So an island lair might also be hidden from the outside 
  world with the addition of the Concealed feature. The lair 
  might be concealed on or in the island so it appears com-
  pletely uninhabited, or the island itself might be hidden 
  in some fashion, by an artificial fog bank, holographic or 
  mystic illusion, or some similar measure.
  INHABITED ISLAND
  Although villain lairs are typically uninhabited, an island 
  could be inhabited when the bad guy takes up residence. 
  The locals might be previous residents, now under the vil-
  lain’s boot and in need of rescue, or they could be loyal sub-
  jects, especially if it is an island-nation under the “rightful” 
  rule of an authoritarian overlord. A mad scientist type might 
  populate an island with various creations, like the Island of 
  Dr. Moreau (from the book of the same name), populated 
  with the animal-men created by the island’s master.
  253
  253
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. STATION HOUSE
  2. WAITING ROOM
  3. LIBRARY
  4. STORAGE
  5. BATHROOMS
  6. KITCHEN/DINING
  7. GUARD COMMONS
  8. BARRACKS
  9. STORAGE
  10. WORKROOM
  11. LABORATORY
  12. MEETING ROOM
  13. PRIVATE STORAGE
  14. MASTER BEDROOM
  15. OFFICE
  16. RESEARCH LIBRARY
  17. SUBWAY PLATFORM
  18. SUBWAY RAILS
  254
  254
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  ficient speed or range to catch the missile or not. Extra 
  effort may be required to put on a final burst of speed 
  to catch up, since the missile’s flight speed remains fairly 
  constant.
  Once the hero has caught up, he can attempt to disarm 
  or otherwise interfere with the missile’s systems, requiring 
  a Technology check, or damage the missile or push it off 
  course. Treat it as Toughness 10 for damage purposes. 
  Changing its course takes a Strength check with a DC of 
  25. Two or more Degrees of Success is sufficient to divert 
  the missile toward another target, including crashing it 
  into the ocean or an uninhabited area, or even sending it 
  hurtling out of the atmosphere.
  OUT OF THE FRYING PAN...
  A common villainous deathtrap is to place heroes at 
  the bottom of a silo, beneath the rocket’s exhaust ports, 
  where they will be flash-fried when the rocket launches. 
  In terms of the material in Chapter 5, this is a Deadly Con-
  tainer variant on the Deadly Conveyor deathtrap. Damage 
  from the rocket blast is about rank 12–15, so particularly 
  tough heroes, or those immune to the intense heat, may 
  potentially survive it. Heroes are typically restrained in 
  some fashion to keep them from escaping the blast, al-
  though an impromptu deathtrap may simply leave them 
  unconscious at the bottom of the silo, able to wake up just 
  in time to find an escape route.
  VARIATIONS
  The large size version of the missile-silo lair given here 
  should be considered the minimum size and capabilities. 
  Some missile silos are much larger, even capable of hold-
  ing and launching multiple rockets, or having an entire 
  underground complex and support structure. Such a base 
  would probably also have a sizeable staff, perhaps includ-
  ing soldier minions (see the Minion Archetypes in this 
  book for ideas).
  A missile silo can also be part of a larger headquarters, 
  such as an island or mountain lair, with the silo concealed 
  inside the mountain or other high ground, or in a castle 
  lair, concealed inside a converted turret. See those lair ar-
  chetypes for details.
  SUBWAY STATION 
  SUBWAY STATION 
  5 POINTS
  Size: Medium • Toughness: 8 • Features: Concealed, Power 
  System, Workshop
  With mole monsters, earthquakes, and various other disas-
  ters, a superhero city can end up with various underground 
  facilities such as subway stations declared unsafe or derelict 
  and closed off to the public, but potentially useful for an en-
  terprising supervillain. Whether classic art deco, cleaned up 
  and classy, or urban post-apocalyptic, an abandoned subway 
  station is a convenient lair often right under the heroes’ feet.
  FEATURES
  The primary selling point of a subway station is the con-
  cealment of hiding in plain sight, along with convenienc-
  es such as built-in power connections and ways of getting 
  in and out. Other features associated with the lair include:
  STATION INTERIOR
  Concrete walls and floor (Toughness 6), concrete support 
  pillars (Toughness 7), ticket booths (weight rank 6, Tough-
  ness 8), turnstiles (weight rank 2, but anchored down and 
  must be broken to lift, Toughness 6), and vending ma-
  chines (weight rank 4, Toughness 7).
  SUBWAY CAR
  Size: Gargantuan • Strength: 10 • Speed: 3 • Defense: 6 • 
  Toughness: 11 • Interior materials Toughness 4 (plastics) and 1 
  (glass), doors Toughness 7 (light metals and glass). Weight rank 
  11. An entire subway train is weight rank 14 or more.
  GOT A TRAIN TO CATCH!
  A staple of comic book action is stopping a runaway train 
  before it crashes. To do this in Mutants & Masterminds, use 
  the following guidelines:
  Strength check DC = 10 + vehicle Str + Speed
  The character(s) trying to stop the train makes a Strength 
  check against a DC of 10 + train’s Strength and current 
  Speed ranks. Each Degree of Success reduces the vehicle’s 
  speed by 1 rank. Extra effort is good for a +2 bonus on the 
  check, along with the normal use of hero points for re-rolls 
  or avoiding the fatigue of extra effort. At the Gamemaster’s 
  discretion, characters can add ranks of Flight for additional 
  stopping power (since the vehicle is essentially using that 
  guideline for its forward momentum).
  Characters can use powers other than sheer Strength to 
  try and stop a moving train. Substitute a power rank check 
  for the Strength check.
  Example: Captain Thunder has only seconds 
  (two rounds) to stop a runaway monorail before 
  it jumps the tracks and crashes! Catching up 
  to it, he tries to slow and stop the train with his 
  tremendous Strength. The monorail has Str 
  10 and Speed 3, for a DC 23. Captain Thunder 
  has a Strength 14. The GM also lets his 6 ranks 
  of Flight apply to momentum, giving him an 
  additional +6. His player rolls a 9, for a total of 
  29, two Degrees of Success. The train loses 2 ranks 
  of Speed, but doesn’t stop (it’s still at Speed 1). 
  With only moments to go, Cap’s player decides to 
  255
  255
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. CONTROL TOWER
  2. TURBO THRUSTERS
  3. FLIGHT DECK
  4. WEAPON MOUNTS
  5. LIFTS
  6. HANGAR
  7. PLANNING ROOMS
  8. MACHINE SHOPS
  9. WORKSHOPS
  10. OFFICES
  11. SHIP’S STORES
  12. BRIDGE
  13. OPERATIONS
  14. CREW QUARTERS
  15. OFFICER QUARTERS
  16. INFIRMARY
  17. MESS HALL
  18. PROVISONS
  19. LAUNDRY
  20. THRUSTER MOTOR
  21. COMPUTER/
  ELECTRONIC 
  SYSTEMS
  22. POWER CORE
  23. COOLING SYSTEMS
  24. PROPUSION 
  SYSTEMS
  25. ENGINEER 
  QUARTERS
  26. ESCAPE PODS
  256
  256
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  SKY FORTRESS 
  16 POINTS
  Size: Huge • Toughness: 15 • Features: Communications, 
  Computer, Concealed, Defense System, Hangar, Holding Cells, 
  Living Space, Power (Flight 4), Power System, Security System, 
  Workshop
  Part vehicle, part floating headquarters, and part military 
  carrier, the sky fortress is the lair for the villain whose mot-
  to is: “The one who controls the skies, controls the world!”
  FEATURES
  The sky fortress is essentially a flying aircraft carrier: a mas-
  sive vehicle with a flat top-deck usable as a takeoff and 
  landing strip for smaller aircraft it stores on board. The 
  lower decks have crew quarters and facilities while the 
  main control tower has the bridge and central systems. A 
  series of massive turbofan engines provide lift, often as-
  sisted by super-science anti-gravity or similar systems, al-
  lowing the sky fortress to fly almost indefinitely.
  The sky fortress has a default Toughness 15, but could have 
  a Toughness score of up to 18, with as much as half of that 
  score being Impervious (allowing the vessel to ignore dam-
  age from lesser weapons). It has an effective Strength rank 
  of 20 and it requires a similar lifting Strength to lift or move 
  the vessel, particularly should the sky fortress’ engines fail.
  AIRCRAFT
  The sky fortress carries a complement of aircraft capable 
  of launching from the deck of the vessel and returning to 
  land there. The type of aircraft depends on the style of the 
  fortress and its owner. They might be modern fighter jets, 
  pulp weird-science planes, or even WWI vintage biplanes. 
  The aircraft are used to raid or strafe targets on the ground 
  or to defend the sky fortress from attack. See Chapter 7 
  of the M&M Hero’s Handbook for examples of aircraft a sky 
  fortress may carry.
  WEAPONS
  A sky fortress may have batteries of different weapons, ei-
  ther for attacking incoming aircraft (or airborne heroes) 
  or for bombardments or attacks against targets on the 
  ground. These may include, but are not limited to:
  • 
   Machine Guns: Ranged Multiattack Damage 6
  • 
  Heavy Gun Batteries: Ranged Damage 10–12, Burst 
  Area 6
  • 
  Air-to-Air Missiles: Ranged Homing Damage 10–12, 
  Burst Area 8
  If the owner of the sky fortress has a “signature” weapon, 
  the vessel may also be equipped with it—anything from a 
  freeze ray to a lightning cannon. The game traits for such 
  weapons are left for the GM to develop as needed.
  CONCEALMENT
  The sky fortress has the Concealed feature, since a giant 
  hovering aircraft carrier is more than a little conspicuous. 
  The default assumption is the fortress creates its own ar-
  tificial cloud cover, which surrounds the vessel and hides 
  it from prying eyes, although the fortress is still visible to 
  measures such as radar.
  More extensive concealment may actually make the sky 
  fortress invisible and conceal it from ground-based and 
  aerial radar systems as well. This means the lair is a potential 
  air-traffic hazard, and the first the heroes may learn of it is 
  when an unsuspecting aircraft accidentally collides with it!
  VARIATIONS
  Most of the variations on the sky fortress are cosmetic, 
  such as a turn-of-the-century “steampunk” style vessel re-
  liant on propellers and strange anti-gravity elements and 
  equipped with autogyros or biplanes. The game traits are 
  essentially the same, although the GM may wish to modify 
  the lair’s Toughness and vehicle qualities accordingly.
  ALIEN SKY FORTRESS
  An alien invasion force might have a “sky fortress” of sorts 
  using a starship or landing craft as a launching point for 
  its forces. The image of a massive alien ship hovering over 
  a city is a common one in the comics. You can use the 
  sky fortress as a basis for such an alien base, substituting 
  SKY FORTRESS
  exert extra effort, for a +2 bonus, but rolls only a 
  2! That’s a result of 22, not enough. So his player 
  spends a hero point and rolls again, getting a 13. 
  That’s a result of 33, more than enough to reduce 
  the train’s Speed to 0 and bring it to a halt.
  VARIATIONS
  The Subway Station archetype is also useful for similar un-
  derground structures with rooms and often tunnels.
  BOMB SHELTER
  The structural stats for a subway station can also serve as 
  those of a good-sized bomb shelter, although the latter 
  typically has less space and only one, or maybe two, 
  entrances. A bomb shelter prepared with extra shielding 
  against radiation might be a useful, and thematic, lair for 
  a villain with radiation-based powers (such as Hiroshima 
  Shadow from Freedom City or Fallout from Threat Report), 
  blocking any radioactive signature from detection. 
  Likewise, the shelter can shield the occupants from 
  various exotic sensors or Senses effects from the outside.
  257
  257
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  1. ELEVATORS
  2. ANTECHAMBER
  3. ENTRY HALL
  4. FOYER
  5. LIBRARY
  6. WAITING ROOM
  7. MASTER OFFICE
  8. BATHROOM
  9. JACUZZI
  10. SITTING AREA / BAR
  11. ESCAPE ELEVATOR
  12. MASTER BEDROOM
  13. GUEST BEDROOM
  14. THEATER
  15. PANTRY
  16. FREEZER
  17. KITCHEN
  18. CLOSET
  19. DINING ROOM
  20. BALCONY
  258
  258
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  SKYSCRAPER PENTHOUSE 
  5 POINTS
  Size: Small • Toughness: 5 • Features: Fire Prevention System, 
  Gym, Library, Living Space, Security System
  Not every villain has the means or even the desire for a 
  hidden volcano lair, a secret underwater base, or a reno-
  vated missile silo. Some prefer to live the high life in style, 
  in the city rather than apart from it, and overlooking the 
  dominion they will eventually rule (or already do, in their 
  estimation).
  The exclusive penthouse is the lair of the wealthy and 
  influential super-criminal, typically a Crime Lord (see the 
  archetype on page 82). It may be paid for by legitimate 
  wealth or part of the villain’s criminal enterprise.
  FEATURES
  The interior of a penthouse is generally sheetrock or plas-
  ter over wood (Toughness 4) with wooden interior doors 
  (Toughness 3), possibly a steel-case outer door (Tough-
  ness 8). The windows are either ordinary glass (Toughness 
  1), Plexiglas (Toughness 2), or possibly bullet-proof glass 
  (Toughness 7).
  There are plenty of things for combatants to throw about, 
  from furniture to expensive electronics and kitchen 
  appliances. The owner of the penthouse may have some 
  bodyguards or other private security on-hand, see the 
  Soldier or Crook archetypes in the Minion Archetypes 
  section.
  A LONG WAY DOWN
  One of the more important elements of the skyscraper 
  lair is its height, dozens or even more than a hundred 
  stories above the street below. Reaching it from the out-
  side is no challenge for flying heroes, but poses some 
  problems from others, especially if they should happen 
  to be thrown from a window or over a balcony railing 
  during a conflict!
  Rules for falling are found on page 186 of the Hero’s Hand-
  book. The maximum falling damage is 16 (a DC 31 Tough-
  ness check), likely for a fall from a penthouse. Catching a 
  falling character is a Dexterity check (DC 5), fairly easy pro-
  vided you can reach the character in time. Heroes may use 
  movement effects to do so. Falling characters can likewise 
  use such powers to save themselves, including teleport-
  ing safely to the ground or another floor of the building, 
  or using a swing-line to arrest their fall and land on a ledge 
  or nearby building.
  Acrobatics can lessen falling damage somewhat: each 
  Degree of Success reduces the fall’s damage rank by 1. 
  Acrobatics may also be useful to catch onto a flagpole, 
  cable, ledge, or other protrusion to arrest a fall. The DC 
  is equal to 15 plus the falling damage at that height (not 
  the total amount of the fall). So if there is a flagpole 60 
  feet down from where the hero falls, amounting to falling 
  damage 6 (4 + twice the distance rank of 1), then the DC of 
  the Acrobatics skill check to catch it is 21 (15 + 6).
  VARIATIONS
  Variations on the skyscraper penthouse are usually based 
  on where it is, keeping a somewhat similar layout.
  EXCLUSIVE APARTMENT
  Rather than the top floor, the apartment may be part of 
  an exclusive high-rise on one of the upper floors, with 
  one or more floors above it as well as below. In some 
  ways, this improves security, since it’s impossible to land 
  on the roof of the apartment and you have to work your 
  way down through the floors above or up through the 
  floors below.
  MODERN MANOR
  The layout of the penthouse could also be for a small 
  freestanding house located on a hilltop, cliff side, or other 
  overlook, away from the prying eyes of the public. It’s bet-
  ter suited as a getaway rather than a villain’s main lair.
  PENTHOUSE OFFICE
  Rather than a residence, a penthouse could be an office 
  for a CEO or other important executive, high atop a com-
  pany headquarters. It is ideal for the villainous corporate 
  raider or similar variations on the Crime Lord or Mad Sci-
  entist. The office may even still have some living space for 
  occasions when its owner needs to stay over or perhaps 
  have a guest—even an unwilling one.
  SKYSCRAPER PENTHOUSE
  space fighters and shuttles for the vehicles on board, and 
  replacing the vessel’s weapons with blaster- or laser can-
  nons, “photonic” missiles, and similar technology.
  FLOATING CASTLE
  The technological sky fortress can also serve as a 
  template for a magical “floating island” or “flying castle” 
  headquarters. Just change the descriptions, substitute 
  flying minions like demons, gargoyles, or dragons for the 
  aircraft, and spellcasting lieutenants or magical devices 
  for the weapon batteries. The island’s Concealment may 
  still be a magically created cloud or veil of invisibility. Its 
  structure can be arcane-reinforced masonry and rock, 
  tougher than steel plate. This type of lair suits the Sorcerer 
  archetype well.
  259
  259
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  APPENDIX: VILLAINOUS LAIRS
  
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  Each of these adventures is divided into Secret Origins, 
  In This Exciting Issue, Involving the Heroes, Scenes, 
  Conclusion, and Cast:
  • 
  Secret Origins describes the adventure background 
  and the villain’s plot and resources in more detail 
  than the heroes may necessarily be aware of.
  • 
  In This Exciting Issue describes the adventure, giving 
  you the details of the plot and villains, and telling you 
  what happens if the PCs don’t get involved.
  • 
  Involving the Heroes offers you some advice on 
  how to draw the player characters into the story.
  • 
  Scenes are the individual parts of the story. 
  • 
  Conclusion tells you how to wrap up the story.
  • 
  Cast offers details on the NPC villains and, where 
  necessary, statblocks. 
  You can also use each adventure here as a toolkit to build 
  your own adventures, pulling out elements, scenes, or 
  characters for your own adventures. You can also bulk 
  up these adventures by using the villains involved in 
  other adventures, either before or after running these 
  adventures as described. The Island of Dr. Sersei can feel 
  more like a culmination of several adventures if the heroes 
  have already defeated the not-so-good doctor or her 
  minions on previous occasions.
  You don’t need to know the rules or the adventures per-
  fectly. If you’re not sure how to handle a situation, just 
  make up a sensible solution and look up the exact rules 
  later. It’s more important to keep the adventure rolling 
  and keep the players engaged. If you get stuck or frustrat-
  ed, take a five-minute break to review your notes. You’re 
  a player, too, after all, and it’s just as important for you to 
  have a good time.
  POWER PLAY
  commander—the 
  cold-blooded 
  warrior 
  Oleander—
  the Black Rose Syndicate eventually tracked NegaWatt 
  down and made him a simple offer. They would use the 
  information gained during their years spent studying 
  the villain’s powers to restore him to full strength, and in 
  exchange he would use those powers to support their 
  upcoming bid to take over the city’s underworld and 
  unite—or eliminate—all the competing gangs. Their initial 
  attempt to restore NegaWatt’s powers was a partial success, 
  granting NegaWatt only enough electrical control to black 
  out a single building or—with considerable effort—a city 
  block. For a full restoration of the villain’s legendary powers, 
  the Syndicate would need additional resources.
  The adventure begins as the Black Rose Syndicate makes 
  its opening moves to seize control of the city’s underworld. 
  They target the resources of other crime lords and hit the 
  strongest gangs hard and fast, using NegaWatt’s powers 
  to disable security systems, disrupt communications, and 
  wipe out electronic assets. Thanks to this assistance, many 
  of the gangs believe the Black Rose have supernatural 
  powers. Those gangs who agree to work for the Syndicate 
  have been given seemingly random criminal missions—in 
  fact gathering resources to help fully restore NegaWatt’s 
  powers—to prove their loyalty. It is this spike in criminal 
  activity that first attracts the heroes’ attention.
  A bold new power makes its move to claim control of the city’s criminal underworld. But their string of heists is more 
  than random robberies—they’ve partnered with the notorious supervillain NegaWatt in a plan to bring the presumed-
  dead villain back to full power and hold the city hostage! Can the heroes stop the return of a long-vanished threat with 
  the backing of an international criminal enterprise, or will they become yet more pawns in NegaWatt’s Power Play?
  Power Play is a sample adventure that uses the outline approach to adventure design, providing an organized, linear 
  stream of events for players.
  SECRET ORIGINS
  Ten years ago, the electrically empowered supervillain 
  NegaWatt was the unparalleled lord of lightning. In his ul-
  timate bid for power, he held the city’s infrastructure hos-
  tage until his defeat at the hands of the Freedom League 
  (the Freedom League does not appear in this adventure, 
  and you can swap in whatever hero group you like based 
  on the city and setting you use). The League believed 
  NegaWatt died in the confrontation—his body was never 
  found after he seemingly fell to his death in the bay. But in 
  fact the villain was discovered by the criminal Black Rose 
  Syndicate. For years, they held NegaWatt in a medically 
  induced coma while he healed, studying his powers all 
  the while. But when NegaWatt awoke, he escaped, only to 
  discover that his electrical super powers had been all but 
  obliterated in his encounter with the Freedom League.
  The Black Rose has never had a strong presence in the 
  city, but has always coveted the various resources the city 
  holds—and they had hoped NegaWatt might be their key 
  to seizing them. NegaWatt’s sudden departure threw a 
  wrench in those plans.
  After deposing the leader responsible for allowing 
  NegaWatt’s escape and replacing him with a new 
  260
  260
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE…
  The heroes are called in to help with a bizarre heist, as 
  members of a small-time gang in the city have stolen 
  several tanker trucks of liquid nitrogen and make their 
  getaway along the freeway. After subduing the thieves, 
  they learn that a new crime syndicate in town—the 
  Black Rose Syndicate—is strong-arming other gangs 
  into performing random thefts. Further investigation 
  reveals these seemingly unconnected events might 
  not be independent after all, and that this new crime 
  organization plans to produce superconductors on a 
  massive scale. 
  As the heroes trace the stolen goods or stay abreast of 
  conflicts in the city, they stumble across another heist in 
  progress—this one personally conducted by the Black 
  Rose Syndicate, though another of the city’s gangs has 
  taken its own action to stop the theft. Whether the heroes 
  side with the Syndicate or the established gang, fight it 
  out or talk one or both sides down, they draw the atten-
  tion of the Black Rose Syndicate’s members and are lured 
  into a deadly trap.
  In an unexpected alliance, one of the city’s smaller crime 
  lords, Barbie Sinclair, sends the heroes a message, asking 
  to parlay. She explains the Black Rose Syndicate’s recent 
  aggressions and that the new organization has called a 
  meeting of the city’s gangs. The heroes can infiltrate or 
  disrupt the meeting, where they learn the Syndicate’s 
  local leader, a woman named Oleander, now demands 
  the gangs and criminals of the city unconditionally 
  submit to the Black Rose Syndicate or be destroyed by the 
  resurrected villain NegaWatt. 
  Further investigation reveals that NegaWatt is largely 
  without his legendary electrical powers, but the items 
  being stolen across the city could be combined with 
  an enormous burst of electrical energy to restore his 
  former abilities. Investigations also reveal the Black 
  Rose Syndicate has quietly infiltrated the city’s Transit 
  Authority, which among other things controls incredibly 
  powerful electrical transformers used to power the entire 
  city’s subway and electrical bus systems. The heroes 
  must confront the Black Rose Syndicate’s top leaders 
  as they begin to restore the villain’s power—and if they 
  don’t act fast enough, they must also overcome a newly 
  empowered NegaWatt to save the city.
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  Heroes can become involved in this adventure in any 
  number of ways:
  • 
  The most obvious hook is for local heroes to respond 
  to the in-progress liquid nitrogen heist, either as 
  law enforcement called in to assist or simply being 
  nearby when trouble breaks out. 
  • 
  Technological heroes may have had important 
  components stolen from them; in this case, simply 
  add these thefts to the list in Scene 2.
  • 
  Proactive heroes may be aware that the city’s 
  underworld has recently fallen into chaos, whether 
  through watching one particular gang that has 
  started feeling the Black Rose Syndicate’s pressure 
  or simply noticing a general increase in unrest and 
  disorder. 
  261
  261
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  SCENE 1 
  CONFLICT SCENE
  HANDLE WITH CARE
  The heroes are called in to assist the local police force in 
  preventing an in-progress heist! Several members of the 
  local Nine Titans street gang have stolen a trio of tanker 
  trucks filled with liquid nitrogen and are careening down 
  the interstate to make their getaway. Characters with ve-
  hicles or powers that allow them to keep pace with a high-
  speed chase can make their own way to the site; others 
  are conveyed by helicopter to an overpass to get the drop 
  on the trucks as they pass below. Read or paraphrase the 
  following once the heroes are in position and have sight 
  of the trucks.
  The hurried description from the police scanner 
  checks out: three full-size tanker trucks careen down 
  the highway, their silver tanks reflecting the flashing 
  red-and-blue lights of the police cruisers in pursuit. 
  As a cruiser draws close to the cab of one truck, a 
  pistol-wielding arm reaches out the window and 
  fires wildly. The cruiser’s front tire explodes, and as it 
  veers off to the shoulder, a billowing cloud of white 
  fog blasts out from the tanker, covering the police 
  vehicle in a thick layer of frost while a goon clinging 
  to the tank itself laughs maniacally. The other cruisers 
  hang back as the distance to the speeding tanker 
  trucks swiftly closes.
  The heroes need to stop the heist, hopefully keeping the 
  stolen goods intact—though the tanker trucks must be 
  handled delicately (see Hazardous Cargo). 
  If a character incapacitates a truck’s driver, they’ll need to 
  take over operating the vehicle to bring it to a halt. Barring 
  additional complications, finding a safe place to stop one 
  of the speeding commercial vehicles and bringing it to a 
  halt requires a successful DC 15 Vehicles check or DC 20 
  Strength check.
  Once the trucks and their cargo have been recovered, the 
  heroes can question any remaining members of the Nine 
  Titans to learn more about the reasoning behind the heist.
  HAZARDOUS CARGO
  The tanker trucks are all full of liquid nitrogen. A criminal 
  on the back of the truck can spray the stuff at a vehicle or 
  a character, an attack which inflicts rank 8 damage. Stray 
  bullets that puncture a tank can cause an ongoing jet of 
  the same effect, targeting anyone who comes into range. 
  Should a tanker truck crash (due to an intentional collision, 
  a failed Vehicles check, or other explosive effects), the 
  resulting explosion does area damage 8.
  TACTICS
  There are, in fact, nine Nine Titans spread across the three 
  trucks. Three are occupied with driving the trucks, though 
  they are all armed and won’t hesitate to fire at anyone 
  trying to stop them. The others are riding as passengers 
  in and behind the cab and are much more prepared to 
  fight off meddling heroes, going so far as to grab the tank 
  hoses and spray liquid nitrogen at anyone who interferes 
  with their heist.
  If only one truck remains, the criminals riding in it turn 
  their hoses onto the freeway, creating an ice slick that 
  drives two cars into dangerous spins and threatens to 
  cause severe accidents. If a hero pauses to save civilians, 
  award them a Hero Point.
  If captured, the Titans are uncooperative, knowing that 
  the Black Rose Syndicate will bail them out if they keep 
  quiet but will hunt them down if they talk. Powers like 
  Mind Reading or Postcognition, or a DC 15 Expertise 
  (Streetwise) check, reveals that the Nine Titans’ boss is 
  called Cronus, and that the gang members are hoping he’s 
  not too angry with their failure.
  Success on a DC 15 Intimidation check scares the crooks 
  more than the Black Rose Syndicate does, convincing 
  them to share what they know. The Titans explain that a 
  new criminal organization called the Black Rose Syndicate 
  is moving into everyone’s territory. The Titans have been 
  promised protection and positions in the new syndicate 
  in exchange for completing this job, but they don’t know 
  much beyond that. 
  Good roleplaying or tricks supplies the same information, 
  which gives the heroes a leg up in Scene 2.
  NINE TITANS (9) 
  PL 3
  Use the Crook archetype from Chapter 3 for the Nine Titans. 
  These crooks have a Vehicles modifier of +5. 
  WRAP-UP
  The heroes’ goal is to prevent the Nine Titans from get-
  ting away with the liquid nitrogen, or at least prevent any 
  major injuries among motorists. Ideally, the heroes also 
  learn about the new syndicate in town, but failing to do 
  so won’t impede their progress. The police gratefully ap-
  prehend any Titans captured by the heroes. 
  SCENE 2 
  INVESTIGATION SCENE
  GETTING DIRT
  Once the heroes have dealt with the stolen liquid nitrogen 
  tankers, they likely want to learn more about this new syn-
  dicate and the reasons behind the theft. They can work as 
  a team, or split up—this latter method allows each char-
  acter to shine.
  There are several avenues of investigation available to in-
  quisitive heroes. 
  CONNECTING THE DOTS 
  While the Nine Titans don’t know why the Black Rose 
  charged them to steal a massive quantity of liquid nitro-
  262
  262
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  gen, the heroes might suspect a pattern behind the rob-
  beries. With a successful DC 13 Investigation check (which 
  the heroes can perform as a routine check), they discover 
  a series of thefts of seemingly random and unrelated 
  items over the past few weeks, including the following:
  • 
  A theft similar to what the Nine Titans attempted, in 
  which operatives successfully made off with several 
  tanker trucks of liquid oxygen.
  • 
  A report from a ceramics manufacturer in the sub-
  urbs indicating a large number of kilns stolen from 
  a warehouse.
  • 
  A missing train transporting a wholesale shipment of 
  microwave ovens imported from China.
  • 
  An elaborate heist in which a series of Victorian-era 
  statues were stolen from city hall. City officials have 
  tried to deflect attention from the embarrassing af-
  fair by claiming the statues’ removal was part of a 
  larger redecoration.
  • 
  A subway station offline for weeks after much of its 
  electrical cabling disappeared.
  • 
  A local grocery distribution center’s entire stock of 
  canned and smoked fish products has disappeared 
  from the company warehouse.
  While these thefts initially seem unconnected, a success-
  ful DC 25 Technology check reveals that most of the thefts 
  involve items related in one way or another to the cre-
  ation of superconductors. While the liquid oxygen, liquid 
  nitrogen, and kilns have practical application in the man-
  ufacturing process, the stolen statues were made from a 
  barium-copper alloy, and the yttrium oxide filters in the 
  microwave ovens can be used as a base for a supercon-
  ductor. The missing fish products are unrelated (in fact, an 
  error in the distribution center’s inventory management 
  software has led to the entire supply being delivered to a 
  small suburban grocer who now struggles to deal with the 
  sudden influx of preserved seafood).
  TRACKING THE GOODS
  Using the Inventor or Ritualist feats, the heroes can easily 
  assemble a plot device to track these missing items. They 
  must know what was stolen and, if they haven’t deter-
  mined what the goods are being used for, must succeed 
  at a DC 10 Technology check to determine that the rarest 
  of the stolen materials (and thus the best for tracking) is 
  the yttrium from the microwaves. 
  The most basic creation would be Senses 3 [Ranged 
  Detect Yttrium] for a single Power Point and requiring 1 
  hour to design and 4 hours to assemble for an invention, 
  or 4 hours to design and 10 minutes to cast as a ritual. This 
  version is largely useless beyond 50 feet, which won’t do 
  the heroes much good at this point. The easiest addition is 
  to add Tracking to the Senses power, allowing the heroes 
  to follow the rare element to wherever it has gone now, 
  though they are limited by their movement powers. This 
  increases the creation’s cost to 2pp and doubles the time 
  needed to create it.
  While devising a gadget or ritual is only one potential se-
  cret to success, learning the exact location of the stolen 
  goods leads to the confrontation in Scene 3.
  TITAN SHAKEDOWN
  The heroes may have learned the name of the Nine Titans’ 
  boss in Scene 1 and can learn his location with a DC 15 
  Investigation or Expertise (Criminal or Streetwise) check. 
  Otherwise, a DC 18 check is required to learn his name 
  and location.
  Cronus (real name: Malcolm Getty; use the statistics for 
  a Gang Leader in Chapter 3) has retired from the active 
  aspects of gang life to focus on administrative tasks, and 
  as such has lost some of his nerve in the face of opposi-
  tion. If shown any demonstration of superhuman abilities, 
  or if a character succeeds at a DC 15 Intimidate check, he 
  spills the beans.
  The Nine Titans’ boss shudders and holds his hands 
  up to placate any hostilities. “All right, hold up. You’ll 
  find it all out soon enough anyway—just don’t tell ‘em 
  it was me who told you. There’s a new mob in town, 
  part of a big ring called the Black Rose something, 
  taking orders from a freak by the name o’ ‘Oleander.’ 
  They’re takin’ over the city’s underworld, one gang at 
  a time. Now, me and the Titans, we’re happy enough 
  to work with ‘em, but others aren’t so much. Ash Cats, 
  for one, they’ve been makin’ all kinds of noise and 
  puttin’ up a fight. Bad call, if you ask me. I wouldn’t 
  want to get on the Black Rose’s bad side—thought 
  they were normal enough, but last few weeks, seems 
  they’ve got a bit of, you know, super something on 
  their side. 
  The Ash Cats’ resistance to the Black Rose Syndicate leads 
  to Scene 3, where the two gangs battle openly in the 
  streets. Cronus can answer other questions, but he knows 
  little more than what he already revealed.
  WRAP-UP
  By the end of their investigation, the heroes should know 
  about the recent thefts and perhaps the connections be-
  tween them, as well as the existence of the Black Rose 
  Syndicate. Whether through tracking the goods or fol-
  lowing up on a separate tip, the heroes should proceed to 
  Scene 3. Award each character a Hero Point for tracking 
  down the trouble before it escalates.
  Decide if the heroes can learn anything about the Black 
  Rose Syndicate with appropriate Expertise checks. No 
  matter the skill results, they won’t know anything about 
  the organization working locally.
  If the heroes fail in their investigation, the party eventu-
  ally hears about a confrontation between two gangs. This 
  news might come from one of their contacts, from a TV 
  report, or even as “unrelated” information gained in an 
  otherwise failed attempt to gather information, but the 
  heroes arrive late to a confusing scene and suffer a –5 cir-
  cumstance penalty to Initiative checks.
  263
  263
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  SCENE 3 CONFLICT/ROLEPLAYING
  SHOWDOWN ON THE STREETS
  The heroes arrive on the scene, either having traced the 
  stolen goods or receiving a tip from an ally.
  A semi-tractor hauling a full-sized trailer has come 
  to a stop in the middle of the road, and two groups 
  face off alongside it. One side is dressed almost com-
  pletely in black, with only a few flashes of color on 
  their hands and costumes. The opposing team better 
  fits the image of a street gang, its members sport-
  ing spiked leather jackets and carrying makeshift 
  weapons—except for the woman in a sharp-edged 
  super suit standing at the truck’s front end, lifting it 
  so its spinning wheels are just barely off the ground. 
  She drops the truck with a resounding crash as the 
  two forces close in, stomping into the fray.
  THE GANGS
  The black-clad fighters are members of the Black Rose 
  Syndicate. They’ve stolen this truck and its cargo—a load 
  of old CRT television sets whose picture tubes contain 
  a high concentration of yttrium. This particular squad is 
  accompanied by NegaWatt himself, who bolted for the 
  shadows when the heist was interrupted. He now watches 
  the conflict, waiting for a signal to unleash his powers.
  The more traditional street gang is the Ash Cats, a minor 
  operation that claims a rough industrial part of town as 
  its turf. They’ve recently acquired the services of a minor 
  supervillain named Shrapnel when they need heavy 
  hitting (or to move a particularly large or heavy object). 
  They responded to the theft of this truck on principle, as 
  it was stolen from a recycling facility in their territory, and 
  they mean to teach these trespassers a lesson.
  If the heroes tracked down the cargo on their own, they 
  can intervene in the conflict. The Ash Cats can be talked 
  down from the fight if the heroes can convince the Black 
  Rose Syndicate to turn over the stolen truck. The Syndi-
  cate doesn’t care much about the truck, only its cargo, and 
  the Ash Cats care far more about the truck—and their rep-
  utation—than the old TVs. A successful DC 20 Persuasion 
  check convinces the Syndicate members to hand over 
  the vehicle and for everyone to go their separate ways. 
  However, the Black Rose Syndicate will not back down if 
  the conflict has already started (as is the case if the party 
  found out about the conflict from other means).
  In the event of a full-fledged combat, the heroes can side 
  with either gang or subdue both forces. During the fight, 
  one of the Syndicate members makes an elaborate hand 
  gesture. A moment later, NegaWatt uses his Nullify Elec-
  tronics power at rank 8 to momentarily disrupt the he-
  roes as well as Shrapnel, making it look like the gestures 
  caused the effect. A character who succeeds at a DC 15 
  Insight check realizes that the Black Rose is in fact signal-
  ing someone else, though they can’t tell who or where.
  Heroes who defeat the Black Rose Syndicate find that 
  each member wears a distinctive style of street fighting 
  gloves in various colors with a stylized rose embroidered 
  in black thread across the back of the hand. (The color is 
  an indication of rank within the organization—a hero who 
  succeeds at a DC 15 check with an appropriate Expertise 
  skill, such as Tactics or Martial Arts, recognizes this sys-
  tem and the order of colors, from lowest to highest: blue, 
  green, red, white, yellow, silver.) The members are also all 
  carrying or wearing gas masks, which becomes relevant in 
  Scene 4 if the PCs follow them.
  TACTICS
  There are a number of Ash Cats here equal to the number 
  of heroes. Shrapnel wades into any fray, throwing punch-
  es and soaking whatever her opponents dish out.
  The Black Rose Syndicate force is the same size as that 
  of the Ash Cats, in addition to their hidden asset of Nega-
  Watt in the background. 
  Each gang prefers to focus its attacks on the members 
  of the other gang. The Black Rose first works to contain 
  the threat Shrapnel presents unless the heroes join in the 
  fight, in which case they turn their attention on the more 
  dangerous foe. If the heroes have Shrapnel occupied and 
  the Syndicate sees an opening, they ignore the Ash Cats’ 
  rank-and-file members and attempt to flee with their sto-
  len cargo—if they haven’t made use of NegaWatt’s Nullify 
  Electronics power yet, they do so now. They otherwise 
  flee rather than be taken into custody, hoping to lure the 
  heroes into a trap (see Scene 4).
  If the heroes side with the Black Rose Syndicate or try to 
  take on both gangs, the Ash Cats fight only until it be-
  comes clear that they are outmatched, whereupon they 
  recognize that a single truck isn’t worth their lives and sur-
  render.
  ASH CATS 
  PL 3
  Use the Tough archetype from Chapter 3 for the Ash Cats. 
  They all carry chains, pipes, or other simple weapons: Makeshift 
  Weapon +4 (Close, Damage 2)
  SHRAPNEL 
  PL 8
  See the Cast section.
  BLACK ROSE ENFORCER 
  PL 4
  See the Cast section.
  WRAP-UP
  The heroes can put an end to gang violence that might 
  endanger nearby civilians. They may also have the oppor-
  tunity to learn more about the Black Rose Syndicate—es-
  pecially the fact that they seem to have some supernatu-
  ral powers (or clever trickery) at their command.
  If the heroes capture any members of the Ash Cats, the 
  street gang is all too happy to share what they know 
  about their new rivals, in particular that the Black Rose has 
  264
  264
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  been using a nearby abandoned factory (see Scene 4) to 
  meet with lower gangs and collect useless stolen goods.
  SCENE 4 
  CONFLICT SCENE
  GOING DOWN IN FLAMES
  The heroes might reach this scene in several ways. They 
  might follow the Black Rose Enforcers here from Scene 
  3 or learn of the factory from the Ash Cats. Alternatively, 
  their efforts to track the stolen yttrium could lead them 
  to the materials stored in this warehouse. In these cases, 
  the Black Rose Syndicate sets the entire building ablaze to 
  trap the heroes. If the heroes are stumped, the Syndicate 
  sets the warehouse ablaze to cover their own tracks, and 
  the heroes are again called by the police to respond to the 
  fire, as emergency responders have been stymied. 
  Flames blaze from the already-worn industrial fa-
  cility, some flaring in shades bright crimson and 
  distinctive green. Smoke hangs thick in the air, and 
  shadowy figures slip through the darkness. Car horns 
  and shouts rise up from a nearby intersection, where 
  one of the city’s electric buses seems to have stalled 
  in the center of the intersection, blocking traffic.
  THE FACTORY
  This factory has been abandoned for several years, mak-
  ing it a perfect location for the Black Rose Syndicate to 
  process their stolen materials. The extraction and distil-
  lation require a substantial array of chemical reagents, 
  which are not only flammable but combust in particularly 
  dangerous ways.
  The Black Rose Syndicate team here is led by an assas-
  sin named Lanius, who delights in laying traps for his 
  foes and outsmarting them in combat. Lanius has set the 
  warehouse on fire for two reasons: he hopes to cover the 
  evidence of the Black Rose Syndicate’s efforts here, but 
  he’s also hoping to lure the heroes into the blaze to defeat 
  them, discouraging further investigation. To ensure that 
  the heroes are the ones to respond, he has worked with 
  NegaWatt to disable several of the city’s electric buses 
  at particularly inconvenient intersections, causing traffic 
  hang-ups and preventing emergency responders from 
  interfering. If the heroes don’t encounter the traffic jams 
  and stopped buses in their own journey to the warehouse, 
  they hear about them over police scanners, from the fire 
  department (once they finally arrive on the scene), or later 
  through news reports. This both reinforces NegaWatt’s 
  powers and foreshadows the fact that the city’s transit au-
  thority has a significant source of electricity.
  Most of the Black Rose’s stolen goods have been moved 
  after rendering down the TVs, microwaves, and stolen 
  statues for their base elements, though the kilns remain. 
  Most of the factory is open floor—valuable manufactur-
  ing equipment having long ago been auctioned off. Cat-
  walks remain 30 feet overhead, with several ladders lead-
  ing up to them.
  WHERE THERE’S SMOKE...
  The inside of the burning warehouse counts as extreme 
  heat, requiring a successful Fortitude save every round 
  to avoid becoming Fatigued (see the Deluxe Hero’s 
  Handbook, page 238). Sudden bursts of flame serve as a 
  hazard (Damage 6, with the risk of the hero catching on 
  fire unless they succeed at an additional DC 15 Dodge 
  check), awarding the targeted player a Hero Point. 
  The fire’s smoke is especially dangerous thanks to 
  the factory’s thick coating of industrial chemicals; the 
  Fortitude check to resist the smoke (see Fires in Chapter 
  5) begins at DC 18. The factory is lit with strangely colored 
  flames as the fire burns off residual barium and yttrium. A 
  character who succeeds at a DC 15 Expertise (Science) or 
  Technology check recognizes the effect and knows that 
  inhaling those fumes is harmful. 
  If the heroes arrived at the warehouse without waiting for 
  the scenario to prompt them (that is, by following the En-
  forcers from Scene 3 or tracking the yttrium), Lanius sets 
  the place on fire when they arrive. In this case, none of the 
  hazards listed here affect the first three rounds of combat.
  Extinguishing the fire requires a total of five successful DC 
  20 checks using appropriate powers.
  TACTICS
  Lanius is supported by four Black Rose Enforcers and any 
  Enforcers who fled from Scene 3. They all have gas masks 
  in addition to their listed equipment, which allows them 
  to ignore the dangers presented by the smoke, but they 
  are still affected by the extreme heat. Lanius begins in the 
  upper catwalks of the factory, trying to pick off heroes 
  through the fire with his sniper rifle.
  The Enforcers are accustomed to Lanius’ creative approach 
  to problem-solving, but they all withdraw once more than 
  one hero is down; they don’t want to get stuck in the 
  building for any longer than they have to. The Enforcers 
  also flee if Lanius flees or is defeated, but otherwise stay in 
  the fight as long as their leader does.
  Should the heroes succumb to the blaze, Lanius and his 
  accomplices escape. First responders make their way to 
  the site soon thereafter and drag the fallen characters 
  from the building.
  ROLEPLAYING LANIUS
  Lanius is a cruel and violent man who likes being paid to 
  apply his poor social skills in creative ways. He’s loud and 
  likes to taunt his targets once they’ve been lured into a 
  trap. While he leads with his sniper rifle, he likes to change 
  tactics and weapons often, and especially enjoys incapaci-
  tating an opponent with tear gas or a flash-bang then us-
  ing his Power Attack advantage with a heavier weapon.
  Lanius has no regard for his minions’ safety, but cares a 
  great deal for his own. If singled out, he’ll try to escape 
  using a smoke grenade.
  265
  265
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  LANIUS 
  PL 10
  See the Cast section.
  BLACK ROSE ENFORCER 
  PL 4
  See the Cast section.
  WRAP-UP
  Any surviving Black Rose members scatter when they flee 
  the fight, but eventually reconvene at the old opera house 
  where the Black Rose Syndicate plans a larger gathering 
  (see Scene 6). Otherwise, emergency services arrive on 
  the scene shortly after the conflict is resolved, with the 
  police taking any prisoners the heroes have apprehended 
  and taking reports of the situation.
  If Lanius defeats the heroes, they are either left to their 
  fate in the warehouse (where fire fighters eventually 
  pull them from the blaze), or taken prisoner so Oleander 
  can humiliate them and point out how useless the city’s 
  champions are against the Black Rose during her gather-
  ing of the city’s gangs (see Scene 6), requiring the heroes 
  to formulate their own cunning escape plan.
  SCENE 5 
  ROLEPLAY SCENE
  THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY
  The leader of the Ash Cats invites the heroes to her “of-
  fice”—an old diner in a blue-collar district—to parlay. If 
  the heroes have some kind of publicly available contact 
  system or regular underworld contacts, she uses that 
  channel. Alternatively, if the heroes talk to the police af-
  ter the events of Scene 4, an officer might come by, say 
  they’re free to go, and quietly pass them a note with the 
  invitation. 
  In any case, the heroes are invited to “Matt’s,” a 24-hour 
  greasy-spoon diner near the railyards in the industrial part 
  of town.
  The fluorescent lights overhead flicker, and the clatter 
  of plates and mugs behind the counter muffles the 
  murmur of conversation from the diner’s handful of 
  patrons. At the large corner booth, a burly woman in 
  sturdy work clothes and bandana looks up and gives 
  a nod in your direction.
  MEETING BARBIE
  The leader of the Ash Cats is a burly, 
  hard-bitten woman named Barbie 
  Sinclair. A hero who succeeds at a DC 
  15 Expertise (Police Officer) or Expertise 
  (Streetwise) check recalls much of this 
  information and knows that while 
  Barbie’s ventures aren’t particularly 
  objectionable as far as crime lords go, 
  neither is she particularly friendly. The 
  Ash Cats mostly work in smuggling 
  and breaking legs on behalf of the  
  local unions.
  Barbie sits at the table by herself, but 
  most of the diner’s other patrons are 
  in fact Ash Cat members—including 
  four Bodyguards and a pair of 
  Elite Soldiers (use the appropriate 
  archetypes from Chapter 3)—ready 
  to jump to her defense if the heroes 
  turn violent. If Shrapnel escaped 
  Scene 3, she has joined the gang 
  members here and lurks in the dish 
  room, watching over the meeting. 
  So long as the heroes remain calm 
  and don’t present any threat, these 
  guardians mind their own plates of 
  hash browns and eggs.
  This scene is an opportunity for the 
  heroes to catch up on any information 
  they missed up until this point. Feel 
  free to add to the discussion below 
  as necessary to fill in any gaps in the 
  heroes’ knowledge. 
  266
  266
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  With a gesture to thank the server for fresh coffee, 
  Barbie leans back and crosses her meaty arms. “So. 
  There’s a new crime scene in town. You heard? Yeah, 
  the Black Rose Syndicate. International org, I hear. 
  Never much of a presence here, but now they’re 
  moving in on all our territory. Ugly stuff. The usual, 
  you know, but then they deal in some bad business. 
  Got some hard-nose French twig named Oleander 
  running their local arm. Hurt lots of people, real 
  people, you know? Not just them cloud-nine types.
  “The gangs that go along end up on weird runs. ‘Steal 
  some microwaves.’ ‘Get those cable spools.’ Weird. But 
  Black Rose doesn’t like to hear ‘no.’ They got some 
  strong fighters, and now it seems they got a super. A 
  real one, not just a jobber in a suit, you know?”
  Barbie pauses to take a swig of coffee, waiting to see if the 
  heroes have any questions for her. Once they’ve gotten up 
  to speed, she continues.
  Barbie slaps a hand on the table. “Well, here’s the 
  deal. Tomorrow night, there’s a big meet-up. Them 
  Black Rose called up damn near every crew in town 
  and told them to show up at the old opera house—
  you know, the abandoned art deco place? I bet 
  they’ll make their demand. Probably claim control of 
  the city, kill anyone who refuses, all that.” She leans 
  in. “Lot of folks there. Bet they wouldn’t notice a few 
  more, you know? Good upright heroes like you, I’m 
  sure you want to know all about these new mugs.” 
  She leans back and watches expectantly. 
  She hopes that the heroes infiltrate the meeting to learn 
  more about this rising new power, with the unspoken 
  goal that—sooner or later—the heroes take on the Black 
  Rose Syndicate. If they imply or suggest attacking the 
  Syndicate at this meeting, she pushes back: “That’s a big 
  fight. Messy. Like ‘fight every goon in the city’ messy. Even 
  odds the gangs decide to join up against you lot instead 
  of against the Black Rose.”
  The heroes might object to helping some of the city’s 
  criminal elements or ask why they should care that villains 
  are attacking one another. Barbie pragmatically offers her 
  perspective: “Right now, we all know our place. No one’s 
  big enough to put down the others. We all stick to our 
  turf. But one big name? There’s no stopping it. Bigger jobs. 
  Bad ones. Lots of folks get hurt—us, people on the streets, 
  bystanders. That’s a harder nut for you lot and the boys in 
  blue to crack, you know?” 
  While she strongly encourages the heroes to attend the 
  upcoming opera house meeting, Barbie doesn’t want to 
  bring the heroes with her, and she laughs outright if the 
  heroes make the offer. “More problems than it’s worth. I 
  don’t want Black Rose to know who sent you, and if the 
  other gangs know we’re in cahoots, they’ll make my life 
  hell. No way.” 
  Barbie hopes the heroes can disrupt the Syndicate’s plans 
  and maintain the status quo, but she admits that if the 
  Syndicate isn’t stopped, the Ash Cats will fall in line with 
  their demands for the sake of survival.
  WRAP-UP
  The heroes should learn about the upcoming meeting at 
  the opera house and plan to infiltrate or otherwise spy on 
  this meeting. They likely also have more reason to go af-
  ter the Black Rose Syndicate—to maintain the status quo 
  within the city and prevent an escalation in crime.
  SCENE 6 
  CHALLENGE SCENE
  SETTING THE STAGE 
  Whether they take the time to plan out their moves in ad-
  vance or simply rush in, the heroes eventually make their 
  way to the old opera house. 
  The old opera house was once a magnificent speci-
  men of art deco architecture, but its tiles are cracked 
  and missing in places, and without any of the lights, 
  it stands as a stark silhouette against the city’s back-
  ground glow. Despite the abandoned ambience, 
  tonight it has attracted a motley audience. A posse 
  of loud motorcycles pulls up, their riders swaggering 
  in through the glass doors, while a series of shadowy 
  figures slips up from the sewers and sidles toward a 
  side entrance. At each entrance, a pair of black-clad 
  fighters wearing bright-red gloves stands, carefully 
  watching all who enter.
  GETTING IN
  Sneaking into the opera house on the ground floor 
  requires a pair of successful DC 20 Stealth checks: the first 
  to get into the building itself, and the second to find a 
  good place to watch the meeting from. On a failure, a trio 
  of Black Rose Syndicate Enforcers (see the Cast section) 
  finds the heroes. Climbing (DC 15 Athletics), flying, or 
  using other powers to reach the second floor reduces 
  the Stealth check DC to 15; the Black Rose guards on the 
  upper levels and roof are less attentive and less frequent. 
  The fact that there are so many gangs in attendance 
  means that the heroes can disguise themselves. A char-
  acter who disguises themselves as a member of an exist-
  ing gang in the city must succeed at a DC 20 Deception 
  check to avoid being noticed by actual members of that 
  gang. Heroes posing as members of a fictional gang can 
  convince attendees they belong at the meeting with a 
  successful DC 10 Deception check to disguise themselves, 
  but they must succeed at a DC 15 Deception check to get 
  past the Black Rose doorkeepers, who know the guest list.
  Other powers can provide a variety of other options for 
  gaining access to the meeting or the presentation, wheth-
  er generating portals into the building, lurking by an 
  HVAC vent and using super hearing, or crafting a magical 
  or technological device to spy on the meeting remotely.
  Once the presentation starts, a character can attempt a 
  DC 20 Stealth check to get into the green room, which of-
  fers a prime listening location. The room is mostly clean, 
  267
  267
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  save for an overfull trash can including a few dozen old 
  pamphlets from the 1980s boasting of the city’s then-new 
  electric transit infrastructure.
  From the opera house floor, a hero can slip a tracker on 
  one of the Black Rose guards or grab their phone with a 
  successful DC 20 Sleight of Hand check. The guards use 
  their +6 Perception bonus on their attempt to notice the 
  theft.
  WE DON’T WANT TROUBLE
  The Black Rose Syndicate doesn’t want this dramatic show 
  being disrupted or devolving into a brawl, so any initial 
  encounters with the heroes (such as catching them sneak-
  ing around or seeing through their disguises at the door) 
  are surprisingly polite. The guards firmly ask the heroes 
  to leave, but characters who promise not to cause any 
  commotion (requiring a successful DC 15 Deception or 
  Persuasion check) can persuade the Syndicate to let them 
  stay; impose a circumstance penalty if the heroes are do-
  ing anything especially suspicious or fighting with other 
  gangs. Only after repeated or blatant disruptions does 
  the Black Rose turn to force; sending enough Black Rose 
  Enforcers to outnumber the heroes two-to-one to eject 
  them from the building as quietly as possible.
  In the event that the heroes entirely disrupt the meeting, 
  whether by trying to attack Oleander or large groups of 
  the gang members in attendance, setting the opera house 
  on fire, organizing a police raid, or so forth, the Black Rose 
  Syndicate and the attendees flee. This is the only situation 
  in which NegaWatt employs his power, again using Nullify 
  Electronics 8 to black out the opera house’s interior and 
  facilitate escape while deterring pursuit. This outcome 
  likely precludes the heroes from gaining key information 
  and allows NegaWatt to return to full power uninterrupt-
  ed before the heroes confront him (see Scene 8).
  OLEANDER’S ULTIMATUM
  As the heroes and the city’s criminals settle into the opera 
  house seating, Oleander begins her address to the crowd.
  As the city’s assembled underworld—perhaps a 
  thousand people—settle on the floor of the dark 
  opera house, a sudden, brilliant spotlight illuminates 
  the stage. Once the afterimages of the sudden light 
  fade, a handful of black-clad fighters can be seen 
  across the stage, along with a scowling man in a 
  power suit with long, whiplike tendrils trailing from 
  each hand. In front of them all, a woman dressed in 
  black with silver gloves looks out over the crowd.
  After a tense silence, the woman speaks. “Good, 
  those of you here tonight show uncanny wisdom. I’m 
  glad to see you can all follow orders. I am Oleander, 
  poisoned blossom of the Black Rose and leader of the 
  United States branch of the Syndicate. I’m delighted 
  to have your support. To those of you who have 
  already been helping us execute our plans—you 
  have my gratitude. To the rest of you, I assure you, 
  your chance to prove your loyalty is coming soon.
  “I’m sure you’ve all been wondering what this—the 
  Black Rose Syndicate, the missions, this meeting—
  is all about.” She grins with a fierce, cold ambition. 
  “Ten years ago, the supervillain NegaWatt held the 
  city hostage. It was only due to the meddling of the 
  Freedom League that his plan failed. Eyewitness ac-
  counts claim NegaWatt was killed in that confronta-
  tion—but, I think we can all appreciate how unreliable 
  eyewitnesses can be. NegaWatt lives!” A projection 
  shines to life across the ragged curtain behind her, 
  showing a scarred man, laughing manically. “Tonight, 
  we will once again take the city’s precious power grid 
  hostage—and as part of the ransom, we will demand 
  no less than the immediate and permanent exile of 
  all heroes from the city!”
  A murmur of surprise rushes through the assembled 
  criminal underworld. When the muttering subsides, 
  Oleander speaks once more. “As you are all now 
  subsidiary arms of the Black Rose Syndicate, I’m 
  looking forward to your complete cooperation as we 
  move to fully seize control over our new territory. And 
  you shall be the army with which we occupy this city. 
  And I assure you, any of you who aren’t interested 
  in cooperation will find yourselves facing a rather 
  shocking end as NegaWatt personally erases you 
  from the city.” With a sudden crackle of electricity, the 
  stage lights flare to near-blinding, and the stage falls 
  into darkness. By the time the house lights recover, 
  the stage is empty.
  The heroes might be familiar with the lash-wielding 
  figure accompanying the Black Rose Syndicate. A 
  successful DC 15 Expertise (Police Officer or Streetwise) 
  check identifies the man as a mid-range Jobber named 
  Strand. If the character gets 2 Degrees of Success, they 
  also know that Strand is hardly ever seen without his 
  partner, Jumpstart, and that Strand appearing here alone 
  suggests something strange at work. (In fact, the Black 
  Rose Syndicate is holding Jumpstart hostage to secure 
  Strand’s cooperation; see Scene 8 for more information 
  about how the heroes can leverage this information.)
  EXIT, STAGE LEFT
  After the presentation, the Syndicate members leave the 
  stage through a back door, making their way out of the 
  opera house via stagehand routes. A dull roar of murmurs 
  and hushed conversation spreads through the audience, 
  with a few vocal opinions carrying above the fray, but 
  eventually the assembled underworld disperses. 
  The characters might try to follow Oleander back to her 
  hideout after the meeting, although it might be difficult 
  (she has Perception of +8 and her Enforcers are +6). One of 
  the Enforcers watches Oleander’s back during this tracking 
  process. The route they’re taking has 6 turns where they 
  might realize they’re being tailed. Each turn, the heroes 
  and the Enforcer attempt an opposed check. The first time 
  the Enforcer succeeds and notices the heroes are following 
  them, the heroes can pretend they just happen to be 
  headed in the same direction with a successful Deception 
  check (opposed by the Enforcer’s Awareness check).
  268
  268
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  WRAP-UP
  The heroes now have the knowledge necessary to propel 
  them to Scene 7—and the motivation to act quickly! If 
  they find a way to follow a member of the Black Rose 
  Syndicate, they have the option to bypass Scene 7 and 
  go directly to Scene 8. Savvy groups may still want to 
  perform some investigation before confronting the 
  Syndicate’s leadership to get an edge in the fight.
  If you want to add additional drama or danger, you can 
  have one or more villains recognize the heroes as they 
  try to exit the opera house, leading to a harrowing fight 
  against dozens of criminals as they attempt to escape.
  SCENE 7 
  INVESTIGATION SCENE
  COUNTDOWN TO BLACKOUT
  After learning about the Black Rose Syndicate’s 
  partnership with the notorious supervillain Nega-
  Watt and their plans to hold the city hostage, the 
  heroes likely want to find out more about their 
  opponents. Even more importantly, they need to 
  locate the Syndicate’s lair so they can stop them be-
  fore they restore NegaWatt to full power and hold the 
  city hostage! 
  FINDING THE BLACK ROSE
  There are several avenues this investigation can take, but 
  time is of the essence. 
  If the heroes aren’t able to track the Black Rose Syndicate 
  to their base of operations within 3 hours, Oleander flips 
  the switch to begin NegaWatt’s repowering process (see 
  Scene 8), and brownouts flicker over the city. 
  The heroes can split up and work independently to con-
  duct their investigation. Not only does this allow each 
  character to play to their own strengths, but it means the 
  party can explore more avenues of research in less time. 
  Heroes who lack investigation-focused skills may instead 
  opt to aid their more skilled teammates.
  There are two major areas the heroes might want to 
  investigate. The first is the villain NegaWatt himself; 
  characters digging into the villain’s history may 
  uncover his weakness to water. The second of the 
  two is more urgent: beginning the search for the 
  Black Rose Syndicate’s base of operations.
  RESEARCHING NEGAWATT
  A hero can attempt a DC 10 Investigate or 
  DC 15 Expertise (Criminal or Supervillains) 
  check to learn more about NegaWatt and 
  his history. Each check takes one hour; 
  though the initial check takes no time 
  for heroes with the Connected or Well-
  Informed advantages. 
  A character who gains at least one Degree of Success at 
  either check learns about NegaWatt’s previous attempt 
  to hold the city hostage and his demand of a huge cash 
  payment to restore power to the city. With two Degrees 
  of Success, they also uncover the details of his defeat at 
  the hands of the Freedom League, which ended with 
  him trapped underwater beneath collapsing rubble. 
  Media reports from the time indicate he drowned, but 
  his body was never recovered. Three Degrees of Success 
  reveal the origin of the supervillain’s powers during an 
  accident in a superconductor lab in the late ‘90s, which 
  exposed the then-mundane researcher to a tremendous 
  jolt of electricity. A character who gains three or more 
  Degrees of Success realizes that NegaWatt’s loss of pow-
  ers after being submerged suggests the villain has a 
  weakness to water. 
  269
  269
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  Heroes who have mentorship from an older hero might 
  be able to contact them to learn the first two points of 
  information above. 
  If the party previously determined that the materials sto-
  len at the behest of the Black Rose Syndicate were being 
  used to construct massive superconductors, they may re-
  alize that NegaWatt isn’t at full power. If they also learned 
  his origin story, they might guess the villain is planning to 
  recreate the original accident that granted his super pow-
  ers. There aren’t many places in the city that could provide 
  a surge of electricity large enough, narrowing down their 
  search substantially. 
  MISSED CONNECTION 
  Savvy heroes might have noticed in previous scenes that 
  the city has an electrically powered public transit system, 
  whether from noticing the strategically stopped buses 
  in Scene 4 or by finding the outdated transit brochures 
  in the Black Rose’s possession in Scene 6. Once they’ve 
  made this connection, it takes only a successful DC 10 
  check using Investigate or a relevant Expertise to find the 
  location of the Transit Authority’s largest substation and 
  guess that this would provide a suitable base of opera-
  tions for electric-based endeavors.
  FOLLOWING THE TRAIL
  Heroes who successfully planted a tracker on a Black Rose 
  Syndicate member during Scene 6 can track the Enforc-
  ers to the Transit Authority power substation they’ve been 
  using as a base of operations. They might also have been 
  able to follow Oleander herself to this location if they man-
  aged to tail her away from the opera house (see Scene 6). 
  A character who lifted a Syndicate cell phone can hack the 
  device with a successful DC 15 Technology check (requir-
  ing one hour) to track the location data of the phone itself, 
  which reveals that the owner had spent substantial time 
  around a given location—the Black Rose substation.
  Attempts to continue tracking yttrium in the city are dif-
  ficult due to the residue floating over the city from the 
  burned factory. If the heroes managed to prevent the 
  blaze in Scene 4, they can use their tracking device or 
  ritual to find the Transit Authority power substation.
  WRAP-UP
  By the end of their investigation, the heroes should know 
  that the Black Rose Syndicate is operating out of a Transit 
  Authority substation. They have likely also discovered that 
  the gang is planning a massive event involving electricity, 
  superconductors, and NegaWatt—and whether they 
  truly understand the villains plans or not, this should be 
  enough to spur them to make a move on the Black Rose 
  hideout!
  Once brownouts begin across the city, a successful DC 10 
  Technology check is all that’s required for the heroes to 
  trace the disruptions to their source, though NegaWatt 
  will be fully restored by the time they arrive.
  SCENE 8 
  CONFLICT SCENE
  A SHOCKING CONCLUSION
  Amidst flickering streetlights, the heroes make their way 
  to the Transit Authority substation that now serves as 
  Oleander’s secret base of operations. Here, the Black Rose 
  Syndicate begins their process to repower NegaWatt!
  The interior of the nondescript substation resembles 
  a spaceship as much as a modern facility. In addition 
  to the massive banks of transformers are huge pieces 
  of equipment with countless dials, levers, blink-
  ing lights, and readouts. Fat hoses snake across the 
  floor, leaking plumes of white gas as their coolants 
  leak under the high pressure. Bundles of massive 
  cables, sparking here and there, connect the trans-
  formers and the other equipment. The entire set-up 
  is focused on a pod-capsule with a hinged lid and a 
  giant latch, just large enough to hold a single person. 
  Though the pod’s window is only partially translu-
  cent, the form of a human figure can just barely be 
  seen within.
  The capsule at the center of the room is NegaWatt’s re-
  powering pod. If the heroes aren’t fast enough, the repow-
  ering process completes and the villain emerges, ready to 
  join the fray against whatever heroes remain.
  THROW THE SWITCH
  If the party couldn’t find the substation until the brown-
  outs began, they arrive as NegaWatt emerges from his 
  rejuvenation pod, and must confront the supervillain as 
  well as Oleander and her team.
  Assuming the heroes didn’t fail in their investigation, Ole-
  ander flips the switch to begin NegaWatt’s rejuvenation 
  as her first action as soon as the heroes initiate combat. 
  This causes brownouts across the city and gives the PCs 
  3 rounds before NegaWatt emerges, fully charged. A hero 
  can disrupt the process with a successful DC 15 Technol-
  ogy check or appropriate power stunts, delaying the vil-
  lain’s apotheosis by 1 round for each success or use. If the 
  party delays him until the end of their fight, they can at-
  tempt a DC 25 Technology check (requiring a full minute) 
  to safely draw off the remaining power, preventing him 
  from regaining his full power.
  Destroying the rejuvenation equipment wakes up a fully 
  repowered NegaWatt immediately, but he’s disoriented 
  from the uncontrolled revival and attacks targets at ran-
  dom. In this case, the Black Rose Syndicate withdraws and 
  leaves the PCs to deal with the problem.
  TACTICS
  If the heroes worked quickly and effectively in the last 
  scene, the Black Rose Syndicate has had little time to 
  gather its strength, and the PCs find themselves facing 
  off against a relatively limited force. The longer they take 
  270
  270
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  investigating, the more their enemy can gather, adding 
  more and stronger foes to the final battle.
  Regardless of when the heroes arrive at the substation, 
  they face Oleander and a number of Black Rose Enforc-
  ers equal to the number of heroes, as well as Lanius (from 
  Scene 4) if he escaped his prior confrontation with the 
  heroes. If it took the heroes over an hour to track down 
  the hideout in Scene 7, Oleander also has the Black Rose 
  Master and the jobber Strand defending her.
  ROLEPLAYING OLEANDER
  Oleander is smug and overconfident, having bested sev-
  eral French heroes before her assignment to this new 
  American operation. The heroes have been a thorn in her 
  side since they began interfering in her plans, and once 
  they arrive in her headquarters here, she excoriates them 
  for interrupting her plans and promises them a swift de-
  struction, directing her minions to attack and launching 
  headlong into the fray herself. Her dialogue is clipped and 
  controlled, and she shows little emotion beyond pride. In 
  combat, she works with her Black Rose Enforcers, having 
  them use Aid actions to defend her.
  While determined, Oleander isn’t unreasonable; she beats 
  a hasty retreat if NegaWatt falls or if the heroes take out all 
  her Black Rose allies. 
  ROLEPLAYING NEGAWATT
  If restored to full power, NegaWatt joins the battle with 
  incredible glee. His primary offensive power is a ball light-
  ning blast that he hurls at groups of heroes regardless of 
  lesser Black Rose members in the area. He also delights in 
  deactivating electronics with his Nullify Electronics ability. 
  NegaWatt is vulnerable to water and avoids it at all costs. 
  The villain is delighted to have his powers back and de-
  termined to make the most of them; if the heroes defeat 
  Oleander or the majority of the Black Rose members, he 
  withdraws and tries to make his escape. 
  If he wakes from his re-empowerment early and emerges 
  confused, he attacks nearby characters at random and 
  fights until defeated. 
  ROLEPLAYING STRAND
  Strand has long tendrils extending from each hand, 
  which he wields as whips. He and his partner Jumpstart 
  (another Jobber, with the Jumper theme) were well 
  integrated into the city’s underworld when the Black Rose 
  Syndicate turned up and declared dominance. Jumpstart 
  and Strand initially tried to resist, but Oleander captured 
  Jumpstart and now holds him hostage to ensure his 
  partner’s cooperation. If asked directly, Strand will explain 
  Jumpstart’s situation while continuing to fight.
  Strand focuses on limiting the heroes’ mobility, but his 
  heart isn’t in the fight. He flees alongside Oleander if she 
  retreats or if the heroes subdue Oleander and he thinks 
  he can take advantage of the opportunity to free Jump-
  start. A hero who learns about Strand’s predicament and 
  promises to help free Jumpstart can gain Strand’s aid in 
  the fight.
  OLEANDER 
  PL 11
  See the Cast section.
  NEGAWATT 
  PL 14
  See the Cast section.
  LANIUS 
  PL 10
  See the Cast section.
  STRAND 
  PL 8
  Use the Jobber archetype with the Whip theme from Chapter 
  3 for Strand.
  BLACK ROSE ENFORCER 
  PL 4
  See the Cast section.
  BLACK ROSE MASTER 
  PL 5
  Use the Mystic Ninja archetype from Chapter 3 for Black Rose 
  Master.
  EPILOGUE
  Shortly after the confrontation concludes, the city po-
  lice show up, accompanied by specially outfitted SWAT 
  team members prepared to take NegaWatt into custody 
  (assuming the villain wasn’t slain in the fight with the he-
  roes). This second defeat is an utter humiliation for the vil-
  lain, especially if he successfully regained his powers, and 
  he vows to enact his revenge upon the city and the he-
  roes. In response, the city authorities arrange to have him 
  placed into another medically induced coma and held 
  under constant surveillance, thus ensuring that he lacks 
  the ability to override prison systems or collude with third 
  parties to secure an escape. 
  With Oleander defeated, the Black Rose Syndicate lacks 
  the leadership necessary to continue its bid for control of 
  the city’s underworld. Furthermore, the leaderless United 
  States branch of the Syndicate falters as several members 
  vie for leadership, weakening the organization’s profile 
  nationwide. While they may rise in power again—espe-
  cially if any particularly skilled rising stars claim leadership 
  over the enterprise—for now the city is safe.
  If Oleander or NegaWatt escape, they hold a deep grudge 
  against the heroes, working together (if they both survive) 
  or independently to take revenge on the heroes and 
  reclaim their power over the city. Their efforts may lead 
  them to dabble further in experimental super-science 
  in the hopes of developing sufficient powers to defeat 
  the heroes in a later confrontation, making them more 
  dangerous—and desperate. 
  If the heroes are defeated, Oleander refrains from slaying 
  them, preferring instead to humiliate them and set an 
  example. She instead demands they either join the Black 
  271
  271
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  Rose Syndicate or leave town, confident that the powers 
  of her restored ally NegaWatt will keep them in line. She 
  uses their defeat as proof of her power to the other gangs, 
  rapidly solidifying her control over the city. Though the 
  heroes may have lost the day, their stories have not end-
  ed—whether their tales involve working to undermine 
  the Black Rose Syndicate from within or a daring escape 
  and ultimate showdown.
  CAST
  The following are the major characters encountered in 
  Power Play, including their backgrounds and the relevant 
  game stats from this book you can use to represent them.
  THE BLACK ROSE SYNDICATE
  An organized crime operation, the Black Rose Syndicate 
  formed more than 200 years ago as a secret society of no-
  bles fleeing revolutionaries, teaching themselves deadly 
  combat arts and seizing control of various criminal gangs 
  to conceal themselves and cling to power. Over time, they 
  became far worse than corrupt nobility, evolving into a 
  cultish sect of warriors and assassins convinced of the su-
  periority of their bloodlines. Today they work primarily in 
  extortion, smuggling, drugs, and (depending on the tone 
  of your campaign) slavery.
  The Black Rose are envisioned here as a French organiza-
  tion born from the French Revolution, but depending on 
  your campaign they work just as well as a secretive ninja 
  clan, ambitious Russian gangsters, or even home-grown 
  American extremists. Either way, their preferred weapons 
  are silence and ancient weapons, as well as fear.
  OLEANDER 
  Fleur Epine, known as Oleander, is a deadly martial art-
  ist, having worked her way up through the ranks of the 
  Black Rose Syndicate through a combination of physical 
  skill and organizational savvy. She seized control of the 
  United States branch of the enterprise after maneuvering 
  the previous leader into a series of strategic fumbles—
  which she was conveniently in place to salvage. She is dis-
  ciplined, skilled, ruthless, and slow to anger, but a raging 
  storm once she finally reaches her limit.
  OLEANDER 
  PL 5
  Use the Martial Artist archetype from Chapter 3 for Oleander.
  LANIUS
  Wanted on three continents, Lazzaro “Lanius” Bloise, a.k.a. 
  “The Butcher,” is a notorious killer for hire. Oleander’s op-
  posite in most respects, he is unsubtle and bombastic, 
  prone to gloating. While he has no powers, he is among 
  the greatest sharpshooters in the world
  LANIUS 
  PL 10
  Use the Assassin archetype from Chapter 3 for Lanius.
  BLACK ROSE MASTER
  The Master is in fact the previous leader of the United 
  States branch of the Black Rose Syndicate, Josh Ros-
  sander. Oleander kept him around both to delight in her 
  own power and to maintain his institutional knowledge. 
  Josh resents Oleander’s authority and hates working for 
  her, but he knows that he’s only alive because she finds 
  him useful, and he secretly thinks he’ll be able to someday 
  regain control of the organization. Heroes who pick up on 
  this adversarial relationship might be able to persuade 
  Josh to help them, or at least to not interfere.
  BLACK ROSE MASTER 
  PL 7
  Use the Mystic Ninja archetype from Chapter 3 for Black Rose 
  Master.
  BLACK ROSE ENFORCERS
  The Enforcers practice a martial art known as savate, a 
  blend of boxing and kicking with an unusual absence of 
  knee strikes. They carry simple batons.
  BLACK ROSE ENFORCERS 
  PL 4
  Use the Ninja Adept archetype from Chapter 3 for Black Rose 
  Enforcers, with the following changes:
  Power Kick: Strength-based damage 3
  Equipment: Combat Baton (Close Damage 2, Improved Trip) 
  Throwing Knives (Ranged Multiattack 1)
  Offense: Init +7, Baton +4 (Close, Damage 3), Power Kick +4 
  (Close, Damage 4), Shuriken +7 (Ranged, Damage 1)
  THE ASH CATS
  The Ash Cats are a small, ragtag street gang operating 
  out of the city’s industrial district, with a few dozen 
  dedicated members and twice as many willing informants 
  or collaborators. They focus mostly on smuggling and 
  racketeering—especially on behalf of the local labor 
  unions—and even act as much as a neighborhood watch 
  for the poorest corner of town as they do a criminal outfit. 
  Their rank-and-file membership consists almost entirely 
  of Toughs (see Chapter 3), but a few Bodyguards and 
  Elite Soldiers work closely with their leader, Barbie.
  BARBIE
  Barbara Ann “Barbie” Beaty grew up in the working-class 
  slums and watched the local economy slide from bad to 
  worse as she worked as an engine mechanic, competing 
  in strongwoman contests on the side. Now in her mid-40s, 
  she took over the Ash Cats to intimidate other criminals 
  and keep her neighbors safe. Now she oversees several 
  criminal groups, including bikers who double as smugglers 
  and enforcers, illegal gambling, and some protection 
  rackets, but forbids drugs and orders her crew to let 
  ordinary folks be. Barbie is corrupt and criminal, but sees 
  herself as a cultured, old-fashioned criminal who respects 
  the unwritten rules that crooks and cops used to live by.
  272
  272
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  Barbie may serve as a recurring foil to the heroes. She’s 
  a criminal, but also a useful (and antagonistic) source of 
  information and even extra muscle.
  BARBIE 
  PL 8
  Use the Crime Lord archetype from Chapter 3 for Barbie, with 
  the following modifications:
  Working Class Crook: Barbie doesn’t have the full resources 
  of a Crime Lord. Her equipment is limited to a heavy pistol, 
  brass knuckles, smartphone, a car, and her headquarters uses 
  the statistics for an Urban Fortress (see Chapter 7 of the Deluxe 
  Hero’s Handbook) rather than the listed mansion.
  Offense: Init +1, Brass Knuckles +8 (Close, Damage 5), Heavy 
  Pistol +7, (Ranged, Damage 4), Unarmed +8 (Close, Damage 4)
  SHRAPNEL
  Deborah Wong worked in one of the city’s rail yards, 
  looking the other way on behalf of the Ash Cats’ smug-
  gling operations, until a misdirected railcar left her with 
  debilitating injuries. The company denied her worker’s 
  comp, blaming the accident on her own negligence, and 
  Wong wanted revenge. The Ash Cats loaned her some 
  of the funds for a heavy-duty mobility suit and helped 
  her upgrade it into a fighting system, and after tearing 
  apart her former bosses’ homes, Shrapnel now repays 
  the gang by providing serious muscle when they 
  need it.
  SHRAPNEL 
  PL 8
  Use the Jobber archetype with the 
  Strength theme from Chapter 3 for 
  Shrapnel, with the following changes:
  Shrapnel Suit: All of Shrapnel’s powers 
  have the Removable flaw.
  Offense: Init +5, Powerhouse Punch +7 
  (Close, Damage 9)
  NEGAWATT
  Daniel Watt was a mild-mannered researcher 
  at a superconductor lab in the late ‘90s when an ac-
  cident transformed him into a living superconductor. 
  Smart enough to use his powers to good effect, he led 
  a successful life as the increasingly feared supervil-
  lain NegaWatt for many years before his attempt 
  to hold the entire city hostage led to a humiliat-
  ing defeat at the hands of the Freedom League; 
  he was knocked into the bay and trapped un-
  der falling rubble, which left him comatose 
  for years. The prolonged submersion also 
  burned out his electricity powers, leaving 
  him with barely a joy-buzzer. He’s bitter and 
  desperate to be feared again, and agreed to 
  the Black Rose Syndicate’s offer without any 
  major plans for a betrayal—although if Ole-
  ander dies in her gang war, he’s all too happy 
  to step into the power vacuum and control 
  the city’s underworld himself.
  NegaWatt is arrogant and aggressive. He still overcom-
  pensates for his years of frustration as a softspoken nerd, 
  ultimately becoming the same kind of bully he used to 
  hate. While very intelligent, he is hotheaded and easily 
  goaded into making mistakes.
  NEGAWATT 
  PL 14
  Use the Elemental archetype from Chapter 3 with the 
  Electrical theme for NegaWatt.
  Complication: Weakness Ordinary water causes NegaWatt’s 
  powers to short out, inflicting damage. A small spray from a 
  faucet or garden hose inflicts rank 2 damage. A bucket of 
  water inflicts rank 4 damage. A fire hose inflicts rank 8 damage. 
  Full submersion inflicts rank 10 damage every round. His 
  Toughness save is reduced by half against water-based attacks 
  and his Impervious extra does not apply.
  273
  273
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  SECRET ORIGINS
  Doctor Sybella Sersei is a brilliant, if unorthodox, expert 
  in genetics and recombinant DNA. Fascinated with the 
  science and development of life, she devoted herself to 
  studying and protecting it, becoming a kind of “genetic 
  artist” who works with the complex tapestry of biology. 
  Dr. Sersei envisions a harmonious ecosphere, existing in 
  near-perfect sustained symbiosis, continuing to diversify 
  and express in endless variation due to natural selection 
  and evolution. Unfortunately, her world does not exist—
  yet. The proliferation of humanity on Earth has had vast 
  impact on the natural world: mass extinctions, eradication 
  of natural environments, climate change, overpopulation, 
  and runaway resource consumption, to name a few.
  Dr. Sersei became an outspoken advocate for the environ-
  ment—for the preservation of life itself—but it became 
  clear that, as with other visionaries, no one was willing 
  to listen to informed opinion, much less take the actions 
  necessary to reverse the planet hurtling towards its inevi-
  table doom. People and nations simply lacked the politi-
  cal will and determination. Dr. Sersei decided to take mat-
  ters into her own capable hands. Significant adjustments 
  were needed in order to preserve the tapestry of life. Left 
  to their own devices, the chances were good those “ad-
  justments” would simply mean nature finding a way to 
  wipe out humanity. Dr. Sersei didn’t want that, but hard 
  choices and radical changes were required.
  So Dr. Sersei left academia and its corporate sponsorship 
  behind. She needed money and resources for her research 
  and acquired them by whatever means she could, selling 
  her gene-splicing expertise to the highest bidder—quick-
  ly branding her a criminal. She tried to raise awareness 
  and slow the deterioration of the planet but was branded 
  an eco-terrorist. She needed assistance in her work and 
  proof of the potential that would save the planet, so she 
  became a creator, the gardener of her own Eden on a hid-
  den island.
  IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE…
  Now, after considerable time consolidating her position 
  and delving into different avenues of research Dr. Sersei 
  has hit upon an opportunity. Old connections within 
  the scientific community have brought her attention to 
  valuable new research into genetically engineered viral 
  THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR SERSEI
  An eccentric yet brilliant geneticist harbors ambitions to change the path of human evolution and save life on the 
  planet from climate change. But her experiments have gone too far and now threaten everyone—the heroes must 
  raid The Island of Doctor Sersei to put a stop to them. This is a moderately complex Mutants & Masterminds adventure 
  presented as an open-ended sandbox as the player characters explore a fortified island overrun by a mad scientist’s 
  strange creations. It contains the information you need to run it, in conjunction with material in this book and the Basic 
  or Deluxe Hero’s Handbook. It also provides several examples of challenge sequences and using creatures and minions 
  effectively in an adventure.
  payloads, designed to be inserted into insect life and 
  delivered to various plants as a means of enhancing and 
  protecting crops. However, the same technology would 
  provide Sersei with the means of delivering an engineered 
  retrovirus of her own creation to a widespread population.
  She has arranged to steal the necessary technology and 
  information. With it, Dr. Sersei can spread a virus that ac-
  tivates certain latent introns in the human genetic code, 
  causing widespread mutation into various human-animal 
  “chimeras” with a mixture of genetic traits. The process is 
  far from perfect, though—fatal in most subjects, which 
  Sersei considers a feature, rather than a flaw. Once spread 
  widely, her chimera virus will kill off the majority of the 
  world’s population, at the same time mutating those re-
  maining into forms able to occupy different ecological 
  niches and environments, both diversifying the human-
  oid ecosphere and reducing competition for land and 
  resources. Isolated on her island, Dr. Sersei will be able 
  to oversee the process and re-educate the surviving new 
  population of Earth, teaching sustainability and respect 
  for the environment and culling out undesirable traits un-
  til the perfect balance is achieved.
  Dr. Sersei’s plan requires the rapid breeding of engineered 
  mosquitoes to carry the chimera virus and their transpor-
  tation via drone capsules world-wide to begin “seeding” 
  the viral propagation throughout the environment. Once 
  the infected insects are released, there will be virtually no 
  stopping a pandemic of world-ending proportions!
  The breakdown of Island of Doctor Sersei is somewhat 
  different than more linear M&M adventures, since what 
  happens depends heavily on the heroes’ approach to the 
  island, reaching Dr. Sersei’s lab, and what they do when 
  they get there. Rather than chronological scenes, the 
  scenes in this adventure are largely based on the area the 
  heroes are in: approaching and on the island, dealing with 
  the rebel chimeras who might offer them assistance in 
  their underground hideout, or in Dr. Sersei’s headquarters 
  complex itself. Familiarize yourself with the whole set-up, 
  since the heroes might take any number of approaches, 
  and slot the scenes in as appropriate.
  INVOLVING THE HEROES
  Heroes can become involved with The Island of Doctor Ser-
  sei in a number of ways, depending on the sort of Mutants 
  & Masterminds game you run.
  274
  274
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  If the heroes are a traditional superhero team, 
  the authorities alert them to the recent GenTech 
  theft and the location of the island, allowing them 
  the opportunity to investigate. If the heroes are 
  government operatives or directly employed by law-
  enforcement, they might be assigned the case by 
  their superiors. Otherwise, a contact within GenTech 
  or the authorities might reach out to the heroes 
  about the theft and their concerns about what it 
  could mean.
  • 
  The heroes may have tangled with Dr. Sersei or her 
  creations in the past, but remain unable to locate her 
  base of operations until some lead points them to 
  the villain’s small island.
  • 
  If The Island of Doctor Sersei is your first M&M 
  adventure or the kick-off to a new series, you can 
  use the background as part of the team’s origin 
  and motives. Dr. Sersei conducted many genetic 
  experiments in the course of her research, and could 
  have created the hero’s powers. This is particularly 
  appropriate for heroes with animal-based powers of 
  some sort. Likewise, heroes with powers involving 
  animals or the natural world might receive warnings 
  or premonitions of something happening on an 
  isolated island in need of their attention.
  • 
  You could also start off the adventure with the 
  players taking the roles of rebellious chimeras on 
  Sersei’s island—victims of her experiments, either 
  with Roof’s small rebel band or on their own (see 
  Scene 3 for details). Rather than the outside world 
  being aware of Dr. Sersei’s scheme, the chimeras 
  may be the world’s only hope, thwarting her plans 
  from within her domain. This is a great opportunity 
  to start a series with animal-hybrid heroes, either all 
  one type or a group of mixed types. You can also mix-
  and-match by introducing other characters: escaped 
  prisoners mutated by the doctor’s technology or 
  outside agents sent to the island to investigate.
  AEAEA
  Dr. Sersei calls her island home “Aeaea” (eh-EE-uh), after 
  the island of the sorceress Circe from Greek mythology. 
  You can set the island in any tropical or sub-tropical region 
  you wish—or any region, if you also provide the island 
  with some type of independent environment to maintain 
  a constant livable temperature. By default, Aeaea is pre-
  sumed to be a small volcanic island in the South Pacific 
  (ideal for campaigns set in the western United States, Can-
  ada, Australia, or east Asia), but other possible locations 
  include the Aegean Islands (for European campaigns), the 
  Caribbean (for eastern United States and South American 
  campaigns), or the Canary Islands (for African campaigns).
  TERRAIN FEATURES
  Aeaea is a lush, tropical volcanic island, with a high 
  volcanic cone dominating the northwestern end of the 
  island and a broad stretch of jungle filling the rest. The 
  whole of the main island is not large, about a quarter of a 
  mile across. Several smaller islands are scattered across a 
  strait along the southeastern side of Aeaea. The island has 
  tall sea cliffs, broken by stretches of rocky beach.
  275
  275
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  foliage. Any unusual energy discharges or noises are 
  automatically detected. The sensors can pin-point 
  the location of anything they detect and provide a 
  live video feed to monitors in the base. A new DC 15 
  Stealth check allows characters to disappear off of the 
  sensor grid and full visual and auditory Concealment 
  allows them to do the same.
  • 
  Cloaking: The installation on the slopes of the 
  volcano is concealed by a cloaking field projector, 
  essentially rendering it invisible to all visual senses. It 
  requires a DC 25 Perception check to notice anything 
  unusual about the area, slight distortions indicative 
  of the field’s operation. The field does not provide any 
  physical barrier, and characters climbing the slopes 
  of the volcano can literally run into the unseen walls 
  of the structures there. If this happens, the character 
  must make a damage resistance check against a 
  Damage rank equal to their movement speed rank.
  DR. SERSEI’S CREATIONS
  The whole of Aeaea serves as a “living laboratory” for Dr. 
  Sersei, meaning the jungle is home to a variety of danger-
  ous creatures, primarily of her creation. You can have vir-
  tually any of the Animals, Dinosaurs, or Monsters from 
  Chapter 3 living on the island, particularly the following:
  • 
  Animals: Ape, Bear, Crocodile, Insect Swarm, Lion, 
  Monkey, Shark, Snake (Constrictor), Snake (Viper), 
  Squid (Giant)
  • 
  Dinosaurs: Deinonychus, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosau-
  rus Rex
  • 
  Monsters: Blob, Giant Flytrap, Giant Insect (or Spider)
  If you want to check for a random encounter with crea-
  tures, roll 1d20 for each scene the heroes are on the island. 
  On a roll of 15 or greater, they encounter something. Many 
  of the creatures on the island are the subjects of particular 
  experiments, so they may have unusual abilities, or even 
  be chimeric hybrids combining two or more creatures 
  into one. Feel free to surprise the heroes with bears with 
  laser eyes (Ranged Damage 8) for example, or teleporting 
  monkeys (Teleport 5, Turnabout) that steal their equip-
  ment and disappear.
  All of the experimental creatures on the island are im-
  planted with special electronic chips in the upper spine. 
  These allow Dr. Sersei to track the creatures, monitor their 
  vitals and other data, and deliver a tiny electrical current 
  sufficient to stun the creature for as long as it is applied. 
  Island patrols and the chimeras working for Sersei have 
  remote control units allowing them to stun the local crea-
  tures in order to keep them at bay or capture them as 
  needed. If the heroes discover this and get hold of one of 
  the remotes, they needn’t be concerned with most of the 
  local wildlife.
  TRAPS
  Along with the weapon systems and creatures, there are 
  a number of traps hidden on the island. Ordinarily, these 
  Concealment: The heavy jungle foliage on much of 
  the island provides partial concealment under normal 
  circumstances, and total concealment for characters 
  using the foliage to hide or moving through the jungle 
  at night. The jungle canopy provides total concealment 
  for characters beneath it relative to observers above and 
  vice-versa.
  Movement: The jungle and the slopes of the volcano slow 
  ground movement speed ranks by 1 unless the character 
  has the Environmental Adaptation or Sure-Footed effects. 
  Climbing the sea cliffs is a DC 17 Athletics check, allowing 
  the character to move at ground speed rank –2 as a move 
  action. Flying movement over or near the island may trig-
  ger the defense systems (see Defenses, following).
  DEFENSES
  Dr. Sersei has taken steps to secure her privacy and keep 
  intruders away from the island, along with alerting her 
  to their presence. Aeaea’s prime defenses are a series of 
  weapons batteries, passive sensors, and a cloaking field 
  covering the installation on the slopes of the volcano.
  • 
  Weapons: A series of concealed weapons batteries 
  protects the island, capable of firing surface-to-air 
  missiles (+10 attack bonus, Ranged Damage 10, Burst 
  Area 7, Homing 6). A launcher is Toughness 10 and two 
  or more Degrees of Failure on a damage resistance 
  check renders it inoperative. Two underwater 
  launchers on either side of the concealed undersea 
  entrance can fire torpedoes with the same stats.
  • 
  Tractor Beams: The hangar in the main base and 
  the concealed location on the smaller south island 
  are equipped with tractor beam projectors (Move 
  Object 9) which can lock onto and grab objects, 
  either to deflect them or to pull them in. If the tractor 
  beam is able to capture an incoming vehicle, it may 
  be drawn into the hangar or the strait in order for Dr. 
  Sersei’s mercenaries or chimeras to capture the crew. 
  If a vehicle is able to fight free or avoid the tractor 
  beams, it is shot down.
  • 
  Sensors: A network of passive sensors blankets 
  the island, requiring a DC 15 Stealth check to avoid 
  detection. The terrain provides no benefit for this 
  check, as the sensors scan through the jungle 
  PROBLEM POWERS
  Part of the adventure involves reconnaissance and 
  exploration, and some powers may make that too easy 
  or allow the heroes to skip over that element of the 
  adventure entirely. In particular, movement powers like 
  Flight, Speed, and Teleport might make the heroes too 
  mobile, and abilities like Quickness and Remote Sensing 
  might eliminate the need to search. Scene 1 involves 
  the island’s defense systems disabling incoming aircraft, 
  encouraging the heroes to take a stealthy approach. The 
  heroes might also encounter various traps and hazards 
  if they’re too hasty in searching the island. See Scene 1 
  for more ideas on encouraging heroes to scout and 
  explore the island.
  276
  276
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  are used to test or contain creatures, but they serve just 
  as well for intruders moving through the jungle. Some of 
  the island’s large predators have learned that the traps 
  can snare smaller prey for them, and so there is a 50/50 
  chance of encountering a dangerous animal after running 
  into a trap.
  The traps take two forms: pits and cages.
  Pit Trap: A DC 15 Perception check is necessary to notice 
  the false terrain covering the 10-foot by 10-foot opening 
  of a pit trap, 10 feet deep. A character who fails to notice 
  the pit trap and moves through its area must succeed on 
  a DC 15 Dodge resistance check to avoid falling into it. 
  The fall itself requires a DC 16 Toughness resistance check 
  against damage. Furthermore, the metallic walls and floor 
  of the pit trap emit an electric current each round to stun 
  captives: a rank 6 Cumulative Affliction effect (Resisted 
  and Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapaci-
  tated). Climbing the smooth metallic walls of the pit trap 
  to get out is a DC 20 Athletics check, unless the trapped 
  character has some movement ability to simply jump or 
  fly out.
  Cage Trap: The flattened walls of a barred cage lie be-
  neath a thin layer of soil, debris, and undergrowth. When 
  a character passes over a pressure plate in the middle of 
  the cage, the walls spring up and lock together, forming 
  a 20-foot by 20-foot cage around them (and anyone with 
  them). A modified tractor beam emitter in the center of 
  the top of each wall shines down into the cage, creating 
  a field designed to harmlessly hold creatures in place. The 
  field has a total effective Strength of 12, but each deacti-
  vated emitter reduces that Strength by 3 ranks. Charac-
  ters can take an escape action and make a DC 22 Strength 
  check to break free from the tractor field’s grip for one 
  round. The emitters are Toughness 5 and DC 15 to hit with 
  attacks (effectively Defense 5 due to their small size). The 
  cage itself is Toughness 10.
  PATROLS
  Dr. Sersei employs some three dozen hired mercenaries to 
  safeguard the island and do some of the grunt work. They 
  usually operate in three shifts of twelve each, and often 
  patrol the jungle in groups of four. The doctor supplies 
  the mercenaries with various “bio-hacking performance 
  enhancers” which improve their physical training benefits, 
  but also make the mercs more pliable, and thus easier to 
  keep under control. See the Cast section for details on 
  the mercenaries. The patrols make use of sky cycles which 
  carry a pilot and passenger, detailed in Area 1 of Scene 4.
  SCENE 1 
  CONFLICT
  FIERCE LANDS, FIERCE MEN
  As the adventure begins, read or paraphrase the following:
  The genetic activist Dr. Sersei has threatened the 
  world multiple times in her crusade to protect 
  humanity from itself, but all reports suggest she 
  now controls a deadly, mutagenic virus and ballistic 
  missiles with which to spread it across the world. Her 
  stronghold is hidden somewhere on the abandoned 
  island far below.
  TACTICS
  If the heroes approach the island openly by air or sea, 
  the tractor beam attempts to lock on and capture them 
  or their vehicle. If successful, they’re drawn to the smaller 
  island across the strait from Aeaea, where a squad of eight 
  mercenaries led by Rajah, the tiger chimera (see the Cast 
  section), wait to capture them.
  Once the tractor beam activates, several nearby 
  pteranodons—the results of Dr. Sersei’s early experiments 
  on local fauna—spot an opportunity for an easy meal by 
  cracking open what looks to be an injured bird. There is 
  one pteranodon for each hero.
  PTERANODONS 
  PL 5
  Use the Pteranodon archetype from Chapter 3.
  277
  277
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  SHOT DOWN
  If the tractor beam does not successfully trap the charac-
  ters, the island’s missile or torpedo batteries open fire un-
  til the targets are either destroyed or disappear from their 
  sensors. The heroes may need to abandon their transpor-
  tation to avoid being blown up along with it, or damage 
  to their vehicle might cause it to sink or crash onto the 
  island. 
  Once a vehicle is downed, a “welcoming committee” of Ra-
  jah and his squad of mercenaries investigates any crash-
  site for evidence of survivors, arriving five minutes later.
  If the heroes manage to destroy all of the island’s defenses 
  during their approach, all of Dr. Sersei’s chimeras and mer-
  cenaries attack the heroes in force, hoping to hold them 
  off long enough for the doctor to implement her plan. The 
  heroes need to fight their way through them to reach Ser-
  sei’s base on the volcano in time to stop her from launch-
  ing her viral weapon—or at least in time to set off in pur-
  suit of it. See Scene 3 for details.
  MERCENARIES (8) 
  PL 6
  See the Cast section.
  RAJAH 
  PL 11
  See the Cast section.
  WRAP-UP
  If the heroes manage to defeat or evade the soldiers, they 
  can explore the island. There isn’t anywhere to imprison 
  captives, and while defeated mercenaries either remain 
  captured or lay low, Rajah attempts to return to the lab to 
  eventually take his revenge on the warriors who defeated 
  him.
  If the heroes are defeated, the soldiers take them to Dr. 
  Sersei’s compound and lock them in the holding cells 
  with Meerar (Area 14 of Scene 4), which they will need 
  to escape before they can continue. Alternatively, if the 
  encounter with Rajah and his guards begins going poorly 
  for the heroes, you can have Roof and his rebels (see Scene 
  3) step in here to stage a rescue or create a distraction.
  SCENE 2 
  INVESTIGATION
  SEARCHING THE ISLAND
  Once the heroes arrive on the island they have three 
  primary goals: disable the island’s defenses so they can 
  eventually leave, search for the location of Dr. Sersei’s 
  hidden base, and finally confront Dr Sersei to stop her 
  plan. There’s some overlap to these goals, since searching 
  the island also involves crossing a lot of its terrain, such 
  that by the time the heroes find the concealed base, they 
  may be quite close to it. You can treat the whole process 
  as a single challenge sequence:
  Time: 10 minutes
  Checks: Athletics (to cover the difficult terrain; DC 22), 
  Expertise (suitable to the environment; DC 18), Investiga-
  tion (DC 20), Perception (DC 20), Speed (to search at high 
  speeds; DC 25).
  Success: With 4 successes, the heroes determine there is 
  a facility hidden somewhere on or in the volcanic peak 
  on the island. With 6 successes, they discover the facility’s 
  cloaking field and the hangar or dock entrances. With 4 
  or more successes, the team also learns that the base has 
  two to three dozen human guards and at least a half-doz-
  en unusual creatures protecting it, based on the tracks—
  perhaps an overwhelming enemy force.
  Consequences: If the heroes fail two checks, they trigger 
  one of the traps on the island (see Traps, previously). If 
  they fail three checks, they draw the attention of a patrol 
  of four mercenaries, who attempt to intercept them (see 
  Patrols, previously). In either case, if the heroes overcome 
  the consequence and resume their search, they need a 
  successful DC 15 Stealth check to resume, which doesn’t 
  count towards their successes for the challenge. If they fail 
  that test, they encounter another trap, monster, or patrol 
  (roll 1d20: 1–6 = trap, 7–14 = monster,15–20 = patrol).
  WRAP-UP
  The most likely outcomes of this scene are that the he-
  roes are captured by Dr. Sersei’s forces or they discover 
  the location of Dr. Sersei’s hidden base. Unless the heroes 
  bypassed the process of searching for the base entirely, 
  overcoming the doctor’s forces in a massive frontal as-
  sault, there is an opportunity for them to receive assis-
  tance from an unexpected source in the following scene.
  SCENE 3 
  ROLEPLAY
  THE UNDERGROUND
  In this scene, the heroes encounter a rebel element on Dr. 
  Sersei’s island, one that may be able to help them in their 
  mission. They also discover the island itself has secrets.
  One of the doctor’s early experiments, a dog chimera 
  MAPPING THE ISLAND
  The adventure assumes you use the Island Base map 
  from Appendix 1 for Aeaea, with the adjustments 
  described here. Note that the numbered areas on 
  the map correspond to different descriptions in this 
  adventure; ignore the map key given in the Appendix.
  If you want to extend the adventure, use only the in-
  stallation map from the Appendix, but make your own 
  large island map (or download one from your favorite 
  mapping website), up to a few miles across. A larger 
  map makes locating and disabling the missile batter-
  ies a greater challenge, and provides more chances for 
  random encounters with the island’s wildlife and traps.
  278
  278
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  named Roof, accidentally discovered a series of caves 
  and tunnels beneath the island. In exploring them, Roof’s 
  implant and mental conditioning were disrupted by the 
  unusual forces at work in those caves, freeing him from 
  Sersei’s control. Since then, he has managed to free a 
  handful of other chimeras and rescued a few of Dr. Ser-
  sei’s experimental subjects. The caves provide the small 
  group with shelter and protection, since they are invisible 
  to conventional sensors. The disappearances have begun 
  to concern Dr. Sersei, who has her personnel on the look-
  out, but she is also too focused on the completion of her 
  plans to concern herself with a few stray experiments with 
  nowhere to run.
  Roof and his allies become aware of the heroes’ arrival 
  quickly: It’s a small island and chances are the heroes 
  make some noise in their approach or on arrival. Even if 
  the heroes slip onto Aeaea undetected, the rebels find 
  them right around the time the heroes are either in trou-
  ble or discover the location of Dr. Sersei’s headquarters. Ei-
  ther of these occasions are the best times to introduce the 
  rebel faction. They approach the heroes, either looking to 
  rescue them from Sersei’s forces, or hoping the strangers 
  are enemies of the doctor and willing to help rid the island 
  of her reign of terror.
  ROLEPLAYING ROOF
  Roof began life as an ordinary dog years ago as one of Dr. 
  Sersei’s earliest violations against the laws of nature. His 
  changes are less powerful or sophisticated, but because 
  they occurred more slowly he has had considerable time 
  to adapt, making him a natural guide to others whose 
  transformations have been sudden. Roof is compassion-
  ate and empathic but understands little about modern 
  culture or humor; he speaks plainly despite his intellect.
  Roof is patient and greatly values life. He acts slowly and 
  deliberately, which frustrates some of his followers who 
  would like to see swift action to free other test subjects.
  ROOF 
  PL 3
  Use the Scientist archetype with the Bestial template applied. 
  Roof’s skills include Expertise (Jungle) 2 and Expertise 
  (Philosophy) 2 in place of Pop Culture and Current Events, and 
  Treatment 6 (+10) in place of Technology +6. Do not use the 
  minion rules for Roof.
  THE REBEL ENCLAVE
  Use the Hidden Temple map from the Appendix for the 
  underground tunnels and passages beneath the island. 
  The Main Entrance (Area 1) on the map appears to be 
  a natural cave formation rather than being the top of a 
  structure, and the entire complex is underground. The 
  area features curious tunnels and structures that appear 
  almost melted out of the volcanic rock, with a disturbingly 
  organic feel to them. Old pieces of statuary littering the 
  complex depict inhuman creatures. It’s unclear what the 
  maze-like structure was used for or who built it.
  The underground complex has the property of block-
  ing all signals. Communications with the outside world 
  are cut off, and sensors cannot even detect the complex, 
  much less anything inside of it. This property has helped 
  to free some of Sersei’s chimeras and keeps them hidden. 
  What causes it is unknown, and the heroes won’t be able 
  to determine it in the short time they have to explore the 
  island.
  The true nature and origin of the underground complex is 
  left as a mystery for the GM to explore in later adventures, 
  if desired. It may have been created by an ancient human 
  civilization—either island natives or an outpost of some 
  far-flung empire—or it could be distinctly non-human. Its 
  creators could have been technologically advanced (with 
  ancient functioning mechanisms still hidden in the com-
  plex), wielders of magic, or some combination of the two. 
  There could be secrets and dangers there waiting to be 
  unlocked by the unwary and seized by the ambitious—
  potential hooks for future adventures involving Aeaea 
  and its inhabitants.
  THE REBELS
  A small band of nine rebel chimeras call the underground 
  complex home: Roof (dog), Nocha (panther), Skraw 
  (hawk), Calum (bat), Nara (rat), Wendy (alligator), Garcia 
  (piranha), and Jono and Fono (monkeys).
  How adversarial this scene is depends on the heroes and 
  their actions. Roof and his fellow rebels approach the he-
  roes, either to help them overcome a trap or other adver-
  saries, or to offer them a safe haven. Some of them are 
  not overly inclined to trust strangers, however, and may 
  challenge Roof’s decision to help the heroes and reveal 
  the location of their hiding place to them. 
  The rebels’ attitude towards the heroes starts out as indif-
  ferent. It takes a DC 15 Persuasion check to win over half of 
  the rebels, and a DC 20 check to win them all over.
  If the heroes fail the DC 20 check, Nocha the panther 
  chimera challenges one of them to single combat to 
  prove themselves. Use the Altar Chamber (Area 10 of 
  the Hidden Temple map) for their arena. Nocha sees 
  this as both an opportunity to eliminate a potential 
  threat and also to undermine Roof’s position of respect 
  and leadership with the rebels. How the heroes conduct 
  themselves during the challenge affects attitudes at least 
  as much as whether they win or not: Do they respect the 
  chimeras’ rules and do they demonstrate restraint and 
  mercy? If so, Roof can convince the rest of his group that 
  the newcomers are potential friends and allies.
  ROLEPLAYING NOCHA
  Nocha was a fisherman until Dr. Sersei offered him an 
  extraordinary sum of money to participate in her “medical 
  research.” He was transformed using the same process 
  that created Rajah, but has rejected the bloodthirsty 
  instincts his new DNA provides. Even with his disgust at 
  his new violent urges, he is antagonistic and aggressive, 
  distrusting even his fellow rebels and especially Roof’s 
  long service to Dr. Sersei.
  279
  279
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  Nocha is considerably more powerful than the other reb-
  els, and believes that if he must shoulder the burden of 
  protecting the weak, he deserves to lead.
  NOCHA 
  PL 11
  Use Rajah’s statistics (see page 286).
  REBELS 
  PL 6
  Use the Soldier, Green archetype with the Bestial template. 
  In addition to this, Skraw, and Calum have Flight 2, Wendy 
  and Garcia have Swimming 2, and Nara, Jono, and Fono have 
  Leaping 1 and Movement 2 (wall crawling 2).
  WRAP-UP
  If the heroes win over the rebels, they gain their assistance 
  in dealing with Dr. Sersei. The rebel chimeras know exactly 
  where the hidden complex is on the volcano, where the 
  entrances are, and about the security systems and layout 
  within. They can also accompany the heroes, if they wish, 
  or help create distractions to split the base’s defenders.
  If the heroes fail to win over the rebels, they remain captives 
  and must escape before locating Dr. Sersei’s headquarters 
  on their own. If the heroes need a break, their arrival and 
  capture might lead to the mercenary patrols discovering 
  the underground complex. They launch an assault, which 
  distracts the rebels and gives the heroes the opportunity 
  to escape. The conflict also allows them a chance to strike 
  at Sersei’s base with fewer mercenaries present there.
  For a twist in either outcome, a defeated Nocha might 
  betray the rebels to Dr. Sersei in hopes of currying her 
  favor, disappearing from the underground and moving 
  quickly through the jungle to get to the hidden base first 
  and warn them that the heroes are coming. The characters 
  and their new allies might walk into a trap!
  SCENE 4 
  CONFLICT
  THE LAIR OF DR. SERSEI
  This scene describes Dr. Sersei’s headquarters, built in and 
  on the volcano dominating the island. It also looks at the 
  opposition the heroes face inside the installation and the 
  risks they take in invading or infiltrating it.
  THE ISLAND INSTALLATION
  Dr. Sersei’s secret headquarters on Aeaea is built around a 
  central geothermal tap of the volcano, which provides all of 
  the energy needed to run the base and its equipment. The 
  installation has a ring-shaped underground structure, with 
  several above-ground buildings connected to it on the 
  upper slopes of the volcano. The whole of the above-
  ground structures are concealed by a sophisticated 
  cloaking field (see Cloaking in Scene 1).
  General Features: The construction of the 
  installation is primarily light metallic panels with 
  Toughness 8. All of the doors are sliding pocket 
  doors, operated by adjacent control panels. The 
  doors are also Toughness 8, unless specified otherwise. 
  Ceiling light panels provide normal illumination 
  throughout the installation, controlled from switches 
  by the doors of each room.
  Security: The doors of locations listed as Secure Area 
  are usually kept closed and locked, only accessible 
  to personnel with the right access code or biometric 
  scan. Overriding the locks in these areas is a DC 25 
  Technology check. All areas of the base other than 
  Areas 6, 12, and 13 (Dr. Sersei’s private apartments) 
  are also monitored from the Security Station at Area 15. 
  Overriding the monitors in an area is a DC 25 Technology 
  check while avoiding their notice is a DC 25 Stealth 
  check. Characters can pinpoint the sensors in a given 
  area with just a DC 15 Perception check and they are 
  only Toughness 3, making them fairly easy to attack 
  and destroy, eliminating the ability to monitor that 
  area until the sensors are repaired.
  280
  280
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  1. HANGAR
  This long, wide area serves as both a landing strip and 
  hangar bay for aircraft used on the island. Dr. Sersei’s 
  mercenaries have four two-person sky-cycles for patrols. 
  There is also a small stealth aircraft called the Helios:
  Sky-Cycles  
  30 EP
  Size L, Strength 5, Speed 7 (air), Defense 8, Toughness 7, 
  Features: Blasters (Ranged Damage 7)
  The Helios 
  46 EP
  Size H, Strength 8, Speed 8 (air), Defense 6, Toughness 11, 
  Features: Blasters (Ranged Damage 8), Cloaking (Radar and 
  Visual Concealment)
  The hangar is floored in reinforced concrete (Toughness 
  8) and has a sliding bay door at the open end, which is 
  Toughness 10. One of the island’s tractor beam emitters is 
  located in the hangar bay, near the bay doors, for guiding 
  incoming aircraft, or capturing them and bringing them 
  into the hangar. If an aircraft is captured, a squad of eight 
  mercenaries led by one of the chimeras greets it upon 
  arrival in the hangar, with prisoners taken to the holding 
  cells in Area 14.
  2. MACHINE SHOPS
  The rooms immediately off the hangar contain machine 
  shops, equipment, and spare parts for the maintenance of 
  the island’s aircraft, along with stairs down to the barracks 
  in Area 7 where the mercenaries bunk down. Heroes can 
  find potentially useful equipment in the shops for jury-
  rigging devices, if they look. See Jury-Rigging Devices in 
  Chapter 7 of the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook for details on this. 
  Alternately, players can spend a Hero Point to Edit the Scene 
  and add a needed piece of equipment in the machine shop.
  3. WORKSHOPS
  These workshops contain equipment and supplies for 
  the maintenance of the installation, particularly the 
  geothermal station. The workshops are minimally used 
  and, in addition to supplies, hold a half-dozen industrial 
  robots, used to construct the base, but only occasionally 
  used for maintenance. The robots are normally shut 
  down and stored in this area. Dr. Sersei can activate them 
  remotely from any computer console in the installation, 
  and dispatches them to supplement guards if she realizes 
  she’s under attack. Otherwise, they’re inactive.
  INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS (6) 
  PL 7
  Use the Large Robot stats from Chapter 3 of this book, except 
  the built-in weapons are actually the robots’ construction 
  tools, like arc welders and water-saws.
  4. STORAGE
  These areas store bulk food items and other supplies, 
  primarily for the mess hall, and contain stairs down to the 
  armory in Area 10.
  5. MESS HALL
  An industrial dining hall with a series of long plastic tables 
  and chairs (Toughness 5) where the mercenaries take their 
  meals. A full kitchen is located in the back of the room, 
  with two swinging doors that access it. Dr. Sersei usually 
  eats alone in her quarters and the chimeras in the base 
  rarely ever eat here.
  6. DR. SERSEI’S QUARTERS
  Secure Area. This area is set aside as Dr. Sersei’s personal 
  apartment. This upper portion serves as a combination 
  bedroom and sitting room, with bathroom and closet 
  space off the main room and a spiral staircase making 
  its way down to the level below (Areas 12 and 13). 
  The curved wall at one end is made of a high-strength 
  transparent carbon composite (Toughness 9) affording a 
  broad, spectacular view of the island below. At present, Dr. 
  Sersei is only in her quarters to eat or sleep, and she does 
  both sparingly now at this critical phase of her project.
  7. BARRACKS
  This large barracks contains rows of bunk beds and stor-
  age lockers for the mercenaries working for Dr. Sersei. 
  There are usually about a dozen personnel sleeping on 
  their off-shift in here at any given time.
  SLEEPING MERCENARIES (12) 
  PL 4
  Sleeping guards aren’t wearing armor or carrying rifles 
  but keep their pistols nearby. See the Mercenaries in the 
  Adversaries section for details.
  8. LABORATORIES
  Secure Area. The labs are a series of “clean” rooms with 
  sealed doors and air-filtration systems, allowing Dr. Sersei to 
  work with any number of potentially dangerous biological 
  materials and experiments. At present, the laboratories 
  are dedicated to preparing the payload for the doctor’s 
  latest scheme: Large numbers of genetically-engineered 
  mosquitoes, which will be dosed with her chimera virus 
  once en route to their targets. The mosquitoes are being 
  hatched and the larvae quickly cultivated to maturity to fill 
  biological stasis containers for transport and release.
  9. HIGH-ENERGY LAB
  Secure Area. The high-energy lab is a long, vertical shaft 
  running alongside the main magma vent of the volcano. 
  Tall, bubbling cylinders of fluid run from floor to ceiling—
  the growth vats for Dr. Sersei’s chimera virus—while 
  robotic arms assemble the stasis containers being filled 
  with mosquitoes in Area 8. The three large, robotic 
  arms dangling from the ceiling can reach anywhere in 
  the room and have Strength 10, Dodge and Parry 8, and 
  Toughness 10; anyone operating their controls can use an 
  Intelligence or Vehicles check in place of a normal attack 
  check to strike or grab with the arms.
  281
  281
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  The dock also holds diving gear for a dozen people.
  The chimera Mako spends most of her time patrolling and 
  exploring the ocean around the island, but if alerted to 
  intruders she returns to the docks to guard the area.
  MAKO 
  PL 12
  See the Chimeras in the Cast section for details.
  12. DR. SERSEI’S APARTMENT
  Secure Area. This area and the adjoining library (Area 13) 
  are the lower level of Dr. Sersei’s private apartments, con-
  sisting primarily of a kitchen, bathroom, and storage ar-
  eas, along with a small office next to the library. Dr. Sersei 
  makes limited use of these facilities.
  13. LIBRARY
  Secure Area. This area is Sersei’s private study and retreat, 
  lined with shelves filled with books and taxidermy sam-
  ples under glass: mounted and pinned insects, preserved 
  bones and skeletons, stuffed and mounted animals, and 
  more. A large tank filled with exotic fish takes up part of 
  the far wall in place of a “window” (as this level is deep 
  underground) and may give the impression that this room 
  is underwater, though it is not. A search of this room and 
  a successful DC 15 Perception check turns up some of Dr. 
  Sersei’s handwritten notes about the chimera virus. A DC 
  20 Expertise: Biology (or similar skill) check can decipher 
  enough to get a clear sense of what the virus does: mutat-
  ing a small fraction of people into human-animal chime-
  ras, while killing the majority of those infected.
  14. HOLDING CELLS
  Secure Area. A circular area lined with 10-foot by 10-foot 
  cells, this part of the base is primarily used to hold poten-
  tially dangerous experimental subjects but can serve just 
  as well for prisoners. Each cell has a sliding door made of 
  a carbon-composite with Toughness 11, capable of being 
  rendered selectively transparent or opaque. The cells con-
  tain a fold-down cot and sanitary facilities and little else. 
  When closed, they have their own air recycling system, 
  which can pump in an anesthetic gas when triggered by 
  the security station: Cumulative Affliction 10 (Resisted 
  and overcome by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Inca-
  pacitated). Overcoming the control panel set next to each 
  cell door is a DC 25 Technology check. It is DC 30 from in-
  side the cell, and requires cutting or breaking through the 
  Toughness 11 material to get at the inner workings.
  • 
  Meerar: In one of the cells is Meerar, an experimental 
  octopus chimera who proved resistant to Dr. Sersei’s 
  conditioning. While less powerful than other chime-
  ras, she possesses a unique shape-shifting ability. 
  She is mistrustful and has an Unfavorable attitude 
  towards others. If freed from her cell, her attitude im-
  proves to Neutral and she might be willing to help 
  the heroes—at least to escape—though she is quick 
  to accuse them of plotting against her. Meerar knows 
  With access to the control panels in this station, the heroes 
  could shut down all of the power to the installation, leaving 
  only emergency power systems for lights and ventilation 
  working. This requires a DC 20 Technology check. They 
  could also overload the magma-tap, causing feedback 
  that would lead to a massive volcanic eruption! This is a 
  DC 16 challenge sequence, requiring five total Degrees 
  of Success. Technology is the primary trait for checks, but 
  allow the players to come up with their own approaches, 
  which may include damaging or compromising some of 
  the equipment. If the challenge is successful, the system 
  overloads 1 minute (10 rounds) later, and the Damage 
  rank 18 eruption destroys the entire installation.
  Dr. Sersei is usually in this lab, assembling her missile 
  engines. She is accompanied by her bodyguard, the 
  serpent chimera Saar, as well as four mercenaries.
  DR. SERSEI 
  PL 9
  See the Adversaries section for details. Dr. Sersei prefers to 
  attack with the lab’s robotic arms
  SAAR 
  PL 12
  See the Chimeras in the Cast section for details.
  MERCENARIES (4) 
  PL 6
  See Dr. Sersei’s entry in the Cast section for details.
  10. ARMORY
  Secure Area. This room holds weapons and armor for the 
  off-duty mercenaries along with extra armaments. Most 
  of the time, the armory contains 20 each of the following:
  • 
  Blaster pistols (Ranged Damage 5)
  • 
  Blaster rifles (Ranged Damage 8)
  • 
  Tasers (Ranged Affliction 5 [Dazed, Stunned, 
  Incapacitated; resisted and overcome by Fortitude])
  • 
  Body armor (Protection 4)
  If you have access to the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook, the 
  armory can have up to 10 of each type of grenade listed in 
  Chapter 7. Feel free to include any other equipment here, 
  and players might want to spend Hero Points to Edit the 
  Scene to add any piece of equipment they need.
  11. DOCK
  Holographic camouflage conceals a sea cave along the 
  western cliffs of the island (DC 25 Perception check to 
  detect from the outside). The back of the cave has been 
  dug out and turned into a docking area for small water-
  craft. Another half-dozen sky-cycles can launch from here, 
  and there is also a small exploratory mini-sub, designed 
  primarily for scientific exploration.
  Mini-Sub 
  11 ep
  Size L, Strength 6, Speed 5 (water), Defense 8, Toughness 8, 
  Features: Robot Arms (Strength 8)
  282
  282
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  the layout of this level of the installation, but not 
  what Dr. Sersei is planning.
  • 
  Toro: The only other inhabitant of the holding cells is 
  Toro, a minotaur-like bull chimera. He also proved re-
  sistant to conditioning, but is uncontrollably violent. 
  Toro is Hostile towards anyone, even if the heroes 
  free him, and he has a +5 circumstance bonus on his 
  Insight checks to interaction aimed at calming him 
  or improving his attitude. Toro doesn’t attack the he-
  roes until he’s free of the cell. While imprisoned, he’s 
  simply non-communicative and sits silently or paces 
  inside his small cell.
  MEERAR 
  PL 7
  Use the Master of Disguise archetype from Chapter 3 for 
  Meerar, with the addition of Extra Limbs 4.
  TORO 
  PL 13
  Use the Brute archetype from Chapter 3 for Toro.
  15. SECURITY STATION
  Secure Area. The circular chamber in the middle of the 
  holding cell area serves as the security station for the base. 
  From here, consoles control all of the sensors, monitors, 
  and weapons systems, as well as the systems and doors 
  of the cells in the holding area. Hacking into the security 
  consoles without the thumbprint and retinal scan of an 
  authorized user is a DC 30 Technology skill check. There 
  are normally two mercenaries at the station to monitor 
  and operate it. The security station can be sealed-off with 
  Toughness 11 carbon-composite sliding doors the same 
  as those used for the holding cells in Area 14, also with ad-
  justable opacity. When the doors are closed and opaque, 
  no one can see into the station, but those inside can use 
  its monitors to observe what is happening outside.
  MERCENARIES (2) 
  PL 6
  See the Mercenaries in the Adversaries section for details.
  16. COMPUTER CORE
  Secure Area. This climate-controlled room contains the 
  main computer servers for the base, arranged in rows. 
  The computer core is linked to systems throughout the 
  base and the island and access to this room is strictly con-
  trolled, since it is only needed to address issues with the 
  computer hardware itself. Characters with access to the 
  computer core have a +5 circumstance bonus on Technol-
  ogy and related skill checks involving hacking the base’s 
  computer systems. Destroying the servers in this room 
  (Toughness 5) takes down most computer-controlled sys-
  tems on the island, leaving only emergency and manual 
  back-ups functioning.
  17. SECURE CORRIDORS
  The corridors on either side of Area 14 and either side 
  of Area 16 are lined with sensors and a series of six stun 
  weapon platforms built into the walls. If anyone accesses 
  the corridor without a proper authorization code (known 
  to Dr. Sersei and her chimeras and mercenaries), the swiv-
  el-mounted weapons attack up to six targets in the cor-
  ridor each round with a +8 attack bonus using an Afflic-
  tion 8 effect (resisted and overcome by Fortitude; Dazed, 
  Stunned, Incapacitated). If there are fewer than six pos-
  sible targets, the turrets concentrate their fire, making a 
  team attack. The turrets are Toughness 8, requiring a DC 
  15 attack check to hit one, although an attacker adjacent 
  to a turret gains a +5 circumstance bonus to hit it.
  18. MISSILE LAUNCH SITE
  This area on the map is not physically connected to the 
  main complex and is likely to remain unknown to the 
  heroes. It is a concealed launch site for both defensive 
  missiles and the long-range missile carrying Dr. Sersei’s 
  chimera virus. Most of the launch facility is underground, 
  with the aboveground portions only visible during a 
  launch. Otherwise, finding the site is a DC 25 Perception 
  check. See Scene 5 for details on the launch and the he-
  roes stopping it.
  Several smaller test missiles carrying mosquito payloads 
  are already here and prepped for launch but can only 
  reach the nearby mainland. This won’t give Dr. Sersei the 
  global distribution she wants, but she’s willing to use 
  them as a last-ditch effort to bring about her master plan 
  (see Scene 5).
  ADVERSARIES
  In addition to the traps and devices described under The 
  Island Installation previously, heroes invading the base 
  face up to three dozen mercenaries working for Dr. Ser-
  sei, five chimeras, and the doctor herself, all described 
  in greater detail in the Cast section. Their placement, ac-
  tions, and tactics are:
  MERCENARIES
  The mercenaries work in three shifts of twelve each, so a 
  third of them will be sleeping and another third off-duty 
  unless the heroes alert the base to their presence. In that 
  case, all of the mercenaries will be alert and on-duty. Some 
  may be out patrolling the island or searching for intruders, 
  depending on how the heroes arrived and what they have 
  done since. At least a dozen mercenaries remain at the 
  base at all times to handle operations and protect their 
  employer. Under normal circumstances, the mercenaries 
  remain at duty stations within the base. In alert situations, 
  they patrol the corridors and rooms in pairs, looking for 
  intruders. At least four stay with Dr. Sersei to protect her.
  CHIMERAS
  Saar the snake chimera stays by Dr. Sersei’s side unless 
  specifically commanded to do otherwise. Rajah is eager 
  for a fight (especially if he encountered the heroes earlier), 
  and travels with a team of eight mercenaries to respond 
  283
  283
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  to any alarms. Horn and Tusk stick together, patrolling the 
  Upper Level. Mako prefers to stay near the docks (area 11), 
  but is quick to call Rajah to join her if she spots intruders. 
  The chimeras all fight to protect Dr. Sersei, but they don’t 
  exercise much in the way of teamwork or coordination, 
  and it is possible for the heroes to split them up and take 
  them down one by one. Once the heroes begin attacking 
  Dr. Sersei, any remaining chimeras will join the battle as 
  quickly as possible, with one arriving every other round.
  Note that although the chimeras all have Regeneration, 
  you may want to decide that a defeated chimera stays 
  down unless the story calls for their reappearance. 
  Otherwise, dealing with all five chimeras can turn into a 
  “whack-a-mole” scenario where the heroes take down 
  one, only to have it recover in the time it takes them to 
  take down the next ones. Clever heroes may take steps to 
  restrain defeated chimeras to prevent this.
  DR. SERSEI 
  Dr. Sersei is focused on completing her chimera virus 
  carrier the whole time the heroes are on the island. She 
  spends virtually all of her time in the high-energy lab in 
  Area 9, even after the heroes enter the base. On the face 
  of it, Dr. Sersei isn’t much of a threat to a team of super-
  heroes (although see the Unleashing the Beast sidebar).
  WRAP-UP
  While Dr. Sersei wants to spread her virus-laden mosqui-
  toes worldwide, she does have several short-range mis-
  siles already prepared for launch in area 18. Thanks to her 
  voice controls, she can order the launch if she fears defeat, 
  allowing her to at least target several nearby human pop-
  ulations. Unless the heroes have located and destroyed 
  the secondary launch site, move immediately to Scene 5 
  (possibly giving Dr. Sersei or her chimeras time to escape).
  SCENE 5 
  CHALLENGE
  MISSILE CHASE
  You can choose to have the heroes defeat Dr. Sersei and 
  her followers before her scheme is fully realized, or you 
  can make the final challenge of the adventure stopping 
  the doctor’s chimera virus from spreading across the 
  world! If Sersei has the opportunity, she launches a mis-
  sile from Area 18 on the Island Base map, carrying stasis 
  containers of the virus-laden mosquitoes. The missile is 
  designed to split at a certain altitude, scattering smaller 
  propelled containers toward nearby cities where they 
  land and release their contents into the environment.
  Time: 1 round
  Checks: DC 18. Speed (to catch up with the missile), 
  then an attack check (to damage the missile or knock it 
  off course), Technology (to hack into the missile’s guid-
  ance systems), or a Strength or a movement effect rank 
  (to push the missile off-course). If the heroes pursue in a 
  vehicle (either their own or one from the Area 1 hangar), 
  Vehicle skill checks may be required to maintain a close 
  distance to the missile.
  Success: The challenge proceeds in stages, with the 
  heroes needing to accumulate 3 successes on Speed or 
  movement effect checks to catch up with the speeding 
  missile, then 2 or more successes on other checks to deal 
  with the missile’s threat.
  Consequences: If the heroes fail two or more Speed checks, 
  the missile outpaces them. If they fail a total of four or more 
  checks before achieving a total of 5 successes, the missile 
  splits and scatters its payload before the heroes can stop it.
  WRAP-UP
  If the heroes manage to stop the missile, a premature 
  detonation kills the insects within, as does crashing in the 
  ocean.
  EPILOGUE
  Ideally, the heroes are able to defeat Dr. Sersei and her min-
  ions and either prevent the launch of the chimera virus or 
  stop the missile in mid-flight before it can be released. The 
  criminal scientist can be turned over to the authorities to an-
  swer for her crimes, the same for her mercenary agents. The 
  fate of the chimeras is a more complex matter. Those that as-
  sisted Dr. Sersei might also need to answer to the authorities, 
  but there is the question of whether or not they are culpable, 
  given they were essentially created to obey her and sub-
  jected to heavy conditioning. There is also the matter of the 
  rebel chimeras on Aeaea. The heroes may simply choose to 
  leave them there, but chances are international authorities 
  will want to occupy the island to ensure no further threats, 
  unless the heroes convince them it is not necessary.
  The heroes may be able to take over the island base and 
  make use of it themselves as an HQ. Aeaea is far from civi-
  lization, but heroes might have high-speed transportation 
  or even teleportation or the like to get them to hot-spots 
  quickly. Alternately, the island could serve as a kind of re-
  treat or safe-house. They may want to hand it over to Roof 
  and any surviving free chimeras to give them a safe home 
  away from the outside world.
  If you prefer a more “explosive” ending, Dr. Sersei might 
  have some type of self-destruct mechanism that sends 
  a feedback loop through the geothermal tap in Area 9. 
  Heat and pressure quickly build up, causing a massive vol-
  canic eruption that wipes the island off the map. The same 
  might happen if the heroes deliberately tamper with the 
  tap, as described in Scene 3.
  This adventure can easily lead to new adventures:
  • 
  Thanks to their mental programming, any chimeras 
  who escape capture will dedicate themselves to free-
  ing Dr. Sersei.
  • 
  A handful of gene-altering mosquitoes may escape 
  the exploding missile, leading to the random cre-
  ation of animal-powered villains on the mainland.
  284
  284
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  • 
  The mysterious complex inhabited by the rebel chi-
  meras may lead to strange new discoveries, release 
  alien magic, contain ancient technology, or imprison 
  an ancient danger.
  CAST
  The following are the major characters encountered in 
  The Island of Doctor Sersei, including their backgrounds 
  and the relevant game stats from this book you can use 
  to represent them.
  DOCTOR SYBELLA SERSEI
  Dr. Sersei’s crimes are those of execution, rather than goal. 
  After a career of brilliant discoveries, dozens of respected 
  scientific papers, and countless student lives improved, 
  Dr. Sersei fell into deep depression as she watched the 
  Earth’s inhabitants continue to push their world to the 
  breaking point. 
  The geneticist firmly believes only radical actions and 
  transformation of humanity as a species can save the 
  Earth and all life thereon from extinction. That her plan 
  violates bodily autonomy on a global scale and will cause 
  billions of deaths is merely an “unfortunate side-effect.” At 
  the least, their deaths will be relatively swift and painless 
  in comparison to the inevitable collapse of civilization and 
  the terrible wars that would follow.
  The kind of towering arrogance that led Sybella Sersei 
  to play God with the future of Earth and humanity is 
  reflected in the environment around her, which is almost 
  entirely bent to her will. She created the various chimeras 
  on Aeaea, both to test her theories regarding hybrid DNA 
  phylogeny and to provide capable and obedient guards 
  and helpers. She has secretly experimented on her hired 
  mercenaries as well, dosing them with biochemicals 
  without their knowledge. Dr. Sersei feels any disagreement 
  with her vision involves either a lack of intellectual 
  capacity to understand it, a lack of will to pursue it, or 
  both, so heroes have almost no chance of convincing 
  her that she is wrong, either factually or morally. Give Dr. 
  Sersei a +5 circumstance bonus to Insight and Will checks 
  to resist any effort to sway her from her intended goals.
  She is only PL 9 and, while armed, doesn’t have a lot 
  by way of defenses. However, a number of elements 
  of the adventure are set up to give Dr. Sersei layers of 
  defense between her and the heroes, allowing her the 
  opportunity to challenge them before coming down to a 
  final confrontation. These defenses include the following:
  • 
  Dr. Sersei has the benefits of the Sacrifice extra of the 
  Summon effect for all her underlings, mercenaries, 
  and loyal chimeras. This means when the doctor is 
  successfully hit by an attack, she can choose to have 
  one of her followers suffer the effects of the attack 
  instead. A mercenary or chimera jumps into the path 
  of the attack or otherwise gets between the attack-
  er and Dr. Sersei. Award the player of the attacking 
  character a Hero Point when this happens, but it’s a 
  means of using the doctor’s followers to absorb the 
  effects of some attacks that would otherwise take 
  her out. Keep in mind the chimeras have Regenera-
  tion and might be able to absorb multiple attacks, 
  given the opportunity to recover.
  • 
  Sersei has direct voice control over all of the systems 
  of her headquarters, and uses them against the he-
  roes as the opportunity allows. Unless the heroes 
  disable the main computer systems or cut the base’s 
  power, Dr. Sersei can open and close (and lock and 
  unlock) doors and direct automated systems, includ-
  ing the industrial robots in Area 3, should she need 
  reinforcements. You may also create new systems  on 
  the fly she can control, like concealed turrets. If you 
  do so, award each hero a Hero Point.
  • 
  Rather than directly confronting the heroes, Dr. Ser-
  sei tries to stay one step ahead of them. Her goal is to 
  launch her chimera virus, so she allows her followers 
  to run interference, and closes and seals doors be-
  tween her and the heroes, long enough to distract 
  them and complete the loading and launch. Once 
  285
  285
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  that is done, she gladly tells the heroes what is hap-
  pening, assuring them they have no chance of stop-
  ping it. They must choose between capturing the 
  criminal scientist or stopping her scheme (or splitting 
  up in order to do both).
  DR. SERSEI 
  PL 9
  Use the Mad Scientist archetype from Chapter 3 for Dr. Sersei, 
  with the following changes:
  Containment Suit: Protection 12, Immunity 10 (life support)
  BioChem Dart Gun: Ranged Affliction 12 (Variable 3; Dr. 
  Sersei can effectively choose the effect of each degree of the 
  Affliction just before she fires the weapon (as a free action). 
  The effects are generally resisted and overcome by Fortitude 
  (DC 22) but the doctor can also use dart payloads resisted and 
  overcome by Will (“programmed neurotransmitters”). Mix-
  and-match as you see fit, based on Dr. Sersei’s assessment of 
  the heroes and their capabilities.
  Offense: BioChem Dart Gun +6 (Ranged, Affliction 12)
  Defense: Dodge 6, Parry 4, Will 12, Fortitude 6, Toughness 12
  CHIMERAS
  Dr. Sersei has created a number of human-animal hybrids 
  she calls “chimeras,” after the legendary beast made up of 
  different animal parts. Some of her chimeras have proven 
  disappointing, but a few have become loyal helpers, ex-
  amples of Sersei’s vision for a future world. Generally, the 
  chimeras use the Hybrid archetype from Chapter 3 with 
  the appropriate modifiers for their “stock” animal type. To-
  date, Dr. Sersei hasn’t experimented with any insect DNA, 
  so there are no ant, fly, or spider type chimeras (yet), but 
  most of the other types listed for the Hybrid archetype are 
  possible. The heroes may encounter the following chimeras 
  on Aeaea, along with Meerar and Toro, the octopus and bull 
  chimeras, kept in the holding cells in Area 14, and the ad-
  ditional rebel chimeras from Scene 2.
  RAJAH (TIGER CHIMERA)
  Rajah was one of the first successful creations of Dr. Sersei’s 
  new, more refined chimera virus and is, by far, her most loy-
  al. The fierce tiger chimera longs for the promise of a world 
  where he will be free to roam and hunt and where there 
  will be others of his kind. Rajah finds the secrecy and con-
  finement on Aeaea frustrating, but is willing to abide as his 
  maker wishes. He finds the arrival of intruders an exciting 
  opportunity, and takes command of any effort to capture 
  or eliminate them. Rajah hunts for the missing and escaped 
  chimeras in his spare time and is similarly frustrated at his 
  inability to find them. Once he engages in combat, the tiger 
  chimera unlikely to back down.
  RAJAH 
  PL 11
  STR 8, STA 8, AGL 7, DEX 3, FGT 8, INT 0, AWE 4, PRE 2
  Powers: Claws 2 (DC 25; Penetrating 10), Healing Factor 10 
  (Every 1 round), Tiger Movement, Leaping 2 (Leap 30 feet at 
  8 miles/hour), Movement 3 (Safe Fall, Sure-footed 1, Wall-
  crawling 1: -1 speed rank), Speed 4 (Speed: 30 miles/hour, 500 
  feet/round), Tiger Senses 7 (Accurate: Hearing, Acute: Smell, 
  Danger Sense: Choose Sense Type, Darkvision, Ultra-hearing)
  Equipment: Blaster Rifle, Commlink
  Advantages: Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 2, 
  Equipment 4, Evasion, Favored Environment (Jungle), Fearless, 
  Great Endurance, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Power 
  Attack, Startle, Takedown, Tracking, Uncanny Dodge
  Skills: Acrobatics 8 (+15), Athletics 11 (+19), Close Combat: 
  Claws 4 (+12), Expertise: Survival 12 (+12), Insight 8 (+12), 
  Intimidation 12 (+14), Perception 10 (+14), Ranged Combat: 
  Guns 6 (+9), Stealth 11 (+18), Vehicles 4 (+7)
  Offense: Init +11, Blaster Rifle +3 (Ranged, Damage 8), Claws 
  +12 (Close, Damage 10), Unarmed +8 (Close, Damage 8)
  Defense: Dodge 12, Parry 12, Fort 9, Tou 10/8, Will 9. 
  Totals: Abilities 80 + Powers 41 + Advantages 19 + Skills 43 (86 
  ranks) + Defenses 15 = 198
  HORN (RHINO CHIMERA)
  The loyal Horn works as Rajah’s lieutenant and is the 
  strongest and most resilient of the chimeras serving Dr. 
  Sersei. As a human, he was a scrawny office manager at 
  the university with Dr. Sersei, who was enthralled by her 
  passionate rants about how the world should work. Horn 
  is loyal, but fairly lazy. He enjoys bossing people around. 
  Although he respects Rajah, the only chimera Horn is 
  friendly with is Tusk.
  HORN 
  PL 13
  Use the Hybrid archetype from Chapter 3 for Horn, with the 
  following changes:
  Rhino Animal Type: STR +3, STA +3 and Protection 3; rather 
  than claws, his penetrating damage is a horn
  Offense: Initiative +9, Horn +12 (Close, Damage 11)
  Defense: Dodge 12, Parry 12, Fortitude 13, Toughness 14/12*, 
  Will 10
  UNLEASHING THE BEAST
  If Dr. Sersei is cornered or in desperate straits, she may take the option of using a mega-dose of her own formula on her-
  self! This causes an instant and massive transformation, turning the scientist into a powerful, hulking brute of a creature. 
  Dr. Sersei gains all of the abilities of the Brute archetype from Chapter 3, a PL13 foe who should pose a fair challenge for 
  a group of PL10 heroes! Sersei explodes into her new form by unleashing a Shockwave attack against everyone nearby, 
  and flies into an unchecked rage against her foes.
  Alternately, if you prefer to have Sersei escape, she might dose a chimera or one of her mercenaries with the formula, 
  transforming them into the Brute to distract and occupy the heroes just long enough to cover her escape aboard the 
  Helios or the mini-sub.
  286
  286
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  
  MAKO (SHARK CHIMERA)
  A former SCUBA diver and the most recent of Dr. Sersei’s 
  experiments, Mako was a “proof of concept” to demon-
  strate that her chimeras could manifest aquatic genetic 
  traits and therefore settle the oceans as well as the land, 
  further distributing the humanoid population. While 
  Mako was enthusiastic about the chance to explore the 
  ocean without her restrictive diving gear, the reality has 
  been more uncomfortable and awkward.
  Mako needs to spend at least an hour submerged in salt 
  water every day, and spends much of her time in the dock 
  area of the installation or exploring the island’s reefs and 
  waterways. Mako is solitary, which suits both her and the 
  other chimeras, who dislike her. She has a difficult time 
  controlling her bloodthirsty new instincts, even more so 
  than Rajah, and might even turn on allies when seized 
  with the frenzy of combat and the kill. 
  MAKO 
  PL 12
  Use the Hybrid archetype from Chapter 3 for Mako, with the 
  following changes:
  Shark Animal Type: AGL +1, STA +1, Immunity 1 (drowning), 
  Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation: Water), Protection 
  3, Swimming 2; rather than claws, her penetrating damage is 
  teeth
  Offense: Initiative +10, Bite +12 (Close, Damage 8)
  Defense: Dodge 13, Parry 12, Fortitude 11, Toughness 12/10*, 
  Will 10
  SAAR (SNAKE CHIMERA)
  Saar is a wiry and powerful wrestler, and speaks in a low, 
  hissing tone. She is the most cold-blooded and detached 
  of the chimeras loyal to Dr. Sersei, doing what she is told 
  out of a sense of survival and the promise of eventual 
  reward. She serves as Sersei’s bodyguard out of a sense 
  of practicality, keeping herself close to the seat of power 
  until she can learn to escape her programming. Apply the 
  Snake modifiers to Saar’s abilities. In the Earth-Prime set-
  ting, Saar could easily be mistaken for a Serpent Person, 
  and might even have some deep genetic ties to them. If 
  the underground ruins on Aeaea are connected to Ophid-
  ian Lemuria, Saar might even be able to fool ancient 
  spells or mechanisms there into thinking she is a Serpent 
  Person. See Atlas of Earth-Prime and Freedom City for 
  more about the Serpent People.
  SAAR 
  PL 12
  Use the Hybrid archetype from Chapter 3 for Saar, with the 
  following changes:
  Snake Animal Type: AGL +2, Enhanced Advantage 2 (Improved 
  Grab, Improved Hold), Movement 1 (Slithering), Protection 2
  Smart: Saar has retained more of her intellect than most 
  chimeras; her INT is 2
  Offense: Initiative +12, Claws +12 (Close, Damage 8)
  Defense: Dodge 14, Parry 12, Will 10, Fortitude 10, Toughness 
  10/8*
  TUSK (BOAR CHIMERA)
  The boar chimera Tusk is almost as excited by the prospect 
  of a fight as Rajah, but lacks the tiger’s fierce ambition. A 
  slacker by nature, he volunteered for the chance to gain su-
  per powers and so far finds the experience exciting, though 
  he doesn’t apply his new strength and senses to any partic-
  ular end beyond playing video games. Tusk is fine following 
  orders, hanging out with Horn, and awaiting the fruition of 
  Dr. Sersei’s plans to remake the world. He is assured that he 
  will have a prominent place in the new world and be able to 
  live like a king. The notion that he would not be rewarded 
  doesn’t even enter Tusk’s fairly limited mind. 
  Of all the chimera’s serving Dr. Sersei, Tusk is the least 
  loyal. He sees the entire gig as a day job, and is beginning 
  to miss the comforts of the mainland, like cheeseburgers 
  and streaming services. Heroes who scout the installa-
  tion and spy on the defenders likely see him complaining 
  about the healthy food, missing a concert by his favorite 
  band, or otherwise expressing his dissatisfaction.
  TUSK 
  PL 11
  Use the Hybrid archetype from Chapter 3 for Tusk, with the 
  following changes:
  Boar Animal Type: Str +2, Sta +2; rather than claws, his 
  penetrating damage is tusks
  Offense: Initiative +9, Tusks +12 (Close, Damage 10)
  Defense: Dodge 12, Parry 12, Fortitude 12, Toughness 10/8*, 
  Will 10
  MERCENARIES
  A crew of three dozen hired mercenaries works for Dr. Sersei 
  to provide security and added muscle on the island. In ad-
  dition to their pay, the mercs receive regular “performance 
  supplements” from the doctor, which include an additive to 
  make the mercenaries more pliable and cooperative. Their 
  attitude towards their employer is unusually Helpful and 
  the mercs gain a +5 circumstance bonus on checks to resist 
  efforts to get them to betray or compromise Dr. Sersei in 
  any way. In spite of this, the mercenaries are not overly fond 
  of the doctor’s chimeras; their attitude is only Indifferent to-
  wards them and the feeling is largely mutual.
  Apart from hunting or looking out for escaped rebel chi-
  meras (see Scene 2), the mercenaries have little to break 
  up their routine, making them lax. Heroes get a +2 cir-
  cumstance bonus to Stealth and other checks to avoid the 
  mercs’ notice or otherwise catch them off-guard in an en-
  counter until they are alerted to the characters’ presence.
  If the heroes choose to hit-and-run, taking down a few de-
  fenders at a time, keep track of the remaining soldiers and 
  try to adjust defenders is various locations accordingly.
  MERCENARIES (36) 
  PL 6
  Use the Soldier archetype from Chapter 3, except their 
  weapons are kinetic force-blasters rather than conventional 
  firearms: blaster pistols +5 (Ranged Damage 5) and blaster 
  rifles +5 (Ranged Damage 8).
  287
  287
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  APPENDIX: ASTONISHING ADVENTURES!
  
  288
  288
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  A
  Abilities ............................................................75
  Ability Strain ...................................... 231–232
  Advantages .....................................................75
  Adventure Design .....................................195
  Adventure Elements ....................... 176–179
  Aikido .............................................................226
  Aircraft carriers ..............................................16
  Aliens ........................................................ 25–26
  Alternate Dice .............................................232
  Amusement Park ............................. 242–245
  Animals (minions) ........................... 142–145
  Animated Tree ............................................148
  Anti-personnel land mine .........................23
  Antitank guns ................................................14
  Anti-tank land mines ...................................23
  Antitank rockets ............................................14
  Ape .................................................................142
  Arcane Cultist ..............................................146
  Assassin (villain) .................................... 78–80
  Autogyros ........................................................16
  Avalanches ...................................................183
  B
  Bat ...................................................................142
  Battle cruisers ................................................15
  Bear .................................................................142
  Blob ................................................................148
  Bodyguard ...................................................154
  Boss ................................................................154
  Boxing ............................................................226
  Brachiosaurus .............................................147
  Bronze Age ......................................................20
  Brute (villain) .......................................... 81–84
  Bystander .....................................................145
  C
  Capoeira ........................................................227
  Castle ................................................... 244–247
  Cat ...................................................................143
  Challenge Scenes ......................................200
  Challenges ......................................... 178–180
  Chase, The (scene) ...................................2010
  Civilians (minions) .....................................145
  Bysteander .............................................145
  Reporter ..................................................145
  Scientist ..................................................145
  Collapses............................................. 183–184
  Combined Scenes .....................................208
  Complications ................................................77
  Composite (villain) ............................... 84–87
  Concept ............................................................73
  Conflict Scenes ...........................................202
  Conquest ............................................ 159–164
  Cosmology .............................................. 38–40
  Other Dimensions .................................. 39
  Parallel Earths ......................................... 38
  Space ......................................................... 38
  Crime Lord (villain) ............................... 87–90
  Criminal .........................................................154
  Crocodile ......................................................143
  Crook ..............................................................155
  Cruisers .............................................................15
  Cultists (minions) ............................. 145–146
  Arcane Cultist ........................................146
  Cult Acolyte ............................................146
  Cult Adept ..............................................146
  Cult Initiate ............................................146
  Cult Master ............................................146
  Cyber-Rats ....................................................217
  D
  Deinonychus ...............................................147
  Demons (minions) .....................................147
  Demon, Brute ........................................147
  Demon, Imp ...........................................147
  Demon, Tempter..................................... 47
  Demon, Warrior ....................................147
  Destruction ........................................ 164–164
  Dinosaurs (minions) ....................... 147–148
  Brachisaurus..........................................147
  Deinonychus .........................................147
  Pteranodon ............................................148
  Stegosaurus ...........................................148
  Tyrannosaurus Rex ..............................148
  Disasters .............................................. 183–187
  Dog .................................................................143
  Dolphin .........................................................143
  Dragon ..........................................................149
  Drone .............................................................152
  E
  Earthquakes ..........................................23, 184
  Elder Evil (villain) ................................... 90–93
  Electromagnetic Pulses ..............................23
  Elemental (villain) ................................. 93–96
  Elephant ........................................................143
  Escape Plans ........................................... 60–61
  Escort carriers ................................................15
  Escrima ..........................................................227
  Extortion ............................................. 169–171
  F
  Faerie, Jinx ....................................................149
  Faerie, Trickster ...........................................149
  Fallout ...............................................................23
  Fencing ..........................................................227
  Field Artillery ..................................................14
  Fighting Styles .................................. 228–129
  Fires ...................................................... 184–185
  Floods ............................................................185
  Flying boats ....................................................16
  Fog ..................................................................185
  Frame-Up, The (scene) .............................212
  G
  Gang Leader ................................................155
  Gargoyle .......................................................149
  Genre ...........................................................9–25
  Giant Flytrap ................................................149
  Giant Insect ..................................................149
  Gods ..................................................................27
  Golden Age ................................................9–17
  Goon ..............................................................155
  Government Agent ...................................151
  H
  Halftracks .........................................................15
  Hawk ..............................................................143
  Hearts & Minds (scene) ............................214
  Heavy tanks ....................................................15
  Henchmen ......................................................47
  Herd Animal ................................................143
  Hero Creation .................................... 185–186
  Hero Point Tradeoffs .................................194
  Hidden Temple ................................. 246–249
  High and Low Realism ................................24
  History ...................................................... 40–41
  Hitman ...........................................................155
  Horse ..............................................................143
  Hybrid ....................................................... 97–99
  Hyena .............................................................143
  I
  Imp (villain) ........................................ 100–102
  Incredible Shrinking  
  Heroes, The (scene) .............................216
  Insane Asylum .................................. 248–251
  Investigation Scenes ................................204
  Ionizing Radiation ........................................23
  Iron Age ................................................... 21–23
  Island Base ......................................... 251–253
  Island of Dr. Sersei (adventure) ... 274–287
  J
  Jeeps .................................................................15
  Jet fighters ......................................................17
  Jobber ................................................... 103-106
  Jujutsu ...........................................................227
  Jumped-Up Nobody (villain) ....... 107–109
  K
  Karate .............................................................227
  Kidnapping ........................................ 166–169
  Knockback.......................................... 232–233
  Krav Maga ....................................................228
  Kung Fu .........................................................228
  L
  Lairs ...................................................... 241–259
  Lava ................................................................185
  Law ....................................................................42
  Lethal Damage ................................. 233–234
  Lieutenants .....................................................47
  Light tanks ......................................................15
  Lion .................................................................143
  M
  Mad Scientist (villain) ..................... 111–113
  Magic ........................................................ 27–29
  Martial Artist (villain) ...................... 113–115
  Mass Combat .................................... 234–239
  Master of Disguise (villain) ........... 116–118
  Master Villains ................................................48
  Mastermind (villain) ........................ 118–121
  Medium tanks ................................................15
  Militant ..........................................................153
  Mimic (villain).................................... 122–124
  Minion Archetypes .......................... 142–157
  Missile Silo .......................................... 252–255
  Modern Age............................................ 23–25
  Monkey .........................................................144
  INDEX
  
  289
  289
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  INDEX
  INDEX
  Monsters (minions) ......................... 148–149
  Animated Tree .......................................148
  Blob..........................................................148
  Dragon....................................................149
  Faeries .....................................................149
  Gargoyle .................................................149
  Giant Flytrap .........................................149
  Giant Insect ............................................149
  Tulpa........................................................149
  Mortars .............................................................14
  Muay Thai .....................................................228
  Murder ................................................. 169–171
  Mutation .................................................. 29–30
  Mystic Ninja .................................................150
  N
  New Leads Table ........................................205
  Ninja (minions) ...........................................150
  Mystic Ninja ...........................................150
  Ninja Adept ............................................150
  Ninja Master ..........................................150
  Ninja Novice ..........................................150
  Ninjutsu.........................................................228
  NPC Personal and  
  Verbal Quirks Table ..............................207
  O
  Omnipotent Villains .....................................49
  One-Hundred Adventure Ideas Table ..222
  Organizations ........................................ 44–45
  Agency ...................................................... 44
  Conspiracy ............................................... 44
  Cult ............................................................ 45
  Institute .................................................... 45
  Space Patrol ............................................. 45
  Syndicate .................................................. 45
  Origins ...................................................... 25–39
  Overlord (villain) .............................. 124–127
  Outline Approach ......................................196
  Owl .................................................................144
  P
  Patrol boats .....................................................15
  Plot twists Table .........................................201
  Police Chief ..................................................151
  Police Officer ...............................................151
  Politics ..............................................................42
  Popular Culture .............................................44
  Power Level ............................................ 73–75
  Power Play (adventure) ................. 260–273
  Powers ...................................................... 76–77
  Powers and Society ......................................35
  Precipitation ................................................175
  Prevalence of Powers ..................................34
  Prop fighters ...................................................17
  Psionics..................................................... 30–31
  Psycho (villain) .................................. 127–130
  Pteranodon ..................................................148
  Public Servants (minions) ............. 151–152
  Government Agent ..............................151
  Police Chief ............................................151
  Police Office ...........................................151
  SWAT Officer ..........................................152
  Pump shotguns .............................................22
  Puppeteer (villain) ........................... 130–133
  Q
  Quicksand ....................................................185
  R
  Rat ...................................................................144
  Recoilless Rifles .............................................20
  Reporter ........................................................145
  Reputation ......................................... 229–230
  Rewards ........................................................181
  Robot (villain) .................................... 133–136
  Robots (minions) ............................. 152–153
  Robot, Colossal  ...................................152
  Robot, Drone .........................................152
  Robot Jockey .........................................153
  Robot, Large ..........................................152
  Robot, Medium .....................................152
  Robot, Small ..........................................152
  Roleplay Scenes .........................................206
  S
  Scientist.........................................................145
  Secrecy .............................................................37
  SHADOW Close Troop ..............................218
  SHADOW Invasion (scene) .....................218
  Shark ..............................................................144
  Silver Age ................................................. 17–20
  Skeleton ........................................................145
  Skills...................................................................75
  Sky fortress ........................................ 256–259
  Skyscraper Penthouse ................... 258–259
  Snake, Constrictor .....................................144
  Snake, Viper .................................................144
  Society ...................................................... 42–44
  Soldiers ................................................ 153–154
  Militant ...................................................153
  Soldier .....................................................154
  Soldier, Elite ...........................................152
  Soldier, Green ........................................154
  Soldier, Veteran .....................................154
  Sorcerer (villain) ............................... 136–139
  Squid, Giant .................................................144
  Stegosaurus .................................................148
  Storms ................................................. 185–186
  Street Informant ........................................156
  Subway Station ................................ 254–257
  Sumo ..............................................................228
  Super-Science ........................................ 31–33
  Swarn, Devouring ......................................145
  Swarm, Irritating ........................................145
  SWAT Officer ................................................152
  T
  Tae Kwan Do ................................................229
  Tanks .................................................................15
  Technology .....................................................42
  Templates (minions) ....................... 156–157
  That Was Too Easy Table ..........................203
  Theft ..................................................... 173–176
  Themes ................................................ 115–116
  Toolkit Approach .......................................198
  Tough .............................................................156
  Training ............................................................33
  Traps ..................................................... 187–193
  Capture Traps ...............................187–188
  Deathtraps ....................................188–191
  Evading ..........................................191–193
  Tulpa ..............................................................149
  Tyrannosaurus Rex ....................................148
  U
  Underwater ....................................... 186–187
  Underworld (minions) ................... 154–156
  Bodyguard ...................................................154
  Boss ..........................................................154
  Criminal ..................................................154
  Crook .......................................................155
  Gang Leader ..........................................155
  Goon ........................................................155
  Hire Killer ................................................155
  Street Informant ...................................156
  Tough ......................................................156
  Using Minions .............................................151
  V
  Vampire (villain) ............................... 139–142
  Villain Motivations ............................... 51–56
  Goals .................................................. 51–54
  Justifications .................................... 54–56
  Villain Organizations ........................... 69–71
  Goals .................................................. 69–70
  Motif ................................................... 69–70
  Resources ................................................. 71
  Structure ............................................ 70–71
  Villain Roles ............................................. 49–51
  Villains in Combat................................. 56–59
  Villain Tactics .......................................... 56–63
  Villain Teams ........................................... 65–69
  Motifs ........................................................ 68
  Resources ................................................. 69
  Types .................................................. 65–68
  Villain Types ....................................................49
  Brute .......................................................... 49
  Disaster ..................................................... 49
  Manipulator ............................................ 49
  Schemer .................................................... 49
  Skulker ...................................................... 49
  W
  War of the Minds (scene) ........................220
  Wealth ................................................. 230–231
  Whale .............................................................145
  Wind ...............................................................186
  Wolf ................................................................145
  Wrestling ......................................................229
  Z
  Zombies (minions) ....................................156
  Mind-Controlled Zombie....................156
  Skeleton ..................................................156
  Zombie ....................................................156
  
  290
  290
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS  
   
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and 
  is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights 
  Reserved.
  1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or 
  trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; 
  (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including 
  derivative works and translations (including into other computer 
  languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, 
  upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in 
  which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) 
  “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, 
  publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game 
  Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, 
  procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does 
  not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the 
  prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game 
  Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this Li-
  cense, including translations and derivative works under copyright 
  law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Iden-
  tity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying 
  marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, 
  storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, 
  artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, 
  concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or 
  audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, 
  enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and spe-
  cial abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, 
  magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graph-
  ic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly 
  identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, 
  and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trade-
  mark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are 
  used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associ-
  ated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Con-
  tributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, 
  edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Ma-
  terial of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee 
  in terms of this agreement.
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that 
  contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only 
  be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a 
  notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be 
  added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the 
  License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any 
  Open Game Content distributed using this License.
  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You 
  indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use 
  this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, roy-
  alty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License 
  to Use, the Open Game Content.
  5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contribut-
  ing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your 
  Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient 
  rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT 
  NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPY-
  RIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modify-
  ing or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, 
  and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any 
  original Open Game Content you Distribute.
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product 
  Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as ex-
  pressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner 
  of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate 
  compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered 
  Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Con-
  tent except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agree-
  ment with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. 
  The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not 
  constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The 
  owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall re-
  tain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must 
  clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing 
  are Open Game Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may 
  publish updated versions of this License. You may use any autho-
  rized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open 
  Game Content originally distributed under any version of this Li-
  cense.
  10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License 
  with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise 
  the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless 
  You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
  12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with 
  any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the 
  Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental 
  regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so af-
  fected.
  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail 
  to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 
  30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall sur-
  vive the termination of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unen-
  forceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent neces-
  sary to make it enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 , Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, 
  Inc., Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on 
  original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Modern System Reference Document, Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards 
  of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, 
  Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins, 
  Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based on material by Jonathan 
  Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, 
  Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
  Mutants & Masterminds, Copyright 2002, Green Ronin Publishing; 
  Author Steve Kenson.
  Advanced Player’s Manual, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin Publishing: 
  Author Skip Williams.
  Silver Age Sentinels d20, Copyright 2002, Guardians of Order, Inc.; Au-
  thors Stephen Kenson, Mark C. Mackinnon, Jeff Mackintosh, Jesse 
  Scoble.
  Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin 
  Publishing; Author Steve Kenson.
  Mutants & Masterminds Hero’s Handbook, Copyright 2011, Green 
  Ronin Publishing; Author Steve Kenson.
  Mutants & Masterminds Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, Copyright 2019, 
  Green Ronin Publishing; Authors Steve Kenson, witrh Crystal Frasier 
  and Lyz Liddel.
  LICENSE
  
  291
  291
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  DELUXE GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
  The Superteam Handbook puts the focus on the heroes and their team, 
  with details for players and gamemasters alike to make their team cohesive, 
  dramatic, and fun! Heroes can work closer together than ever before with 
  new, team-focused powers, advantages, and attack options. Eight pre-made 
  hero teams—ranging from PL 5 to PL 12—serve as Mutants & Masterminds 
  campaign kickstarters, with guidelines, resources, and advice for running 
  a variety of heroic campaigns, along with background and statblocks for 
  their members to use as player characters, rivals, or villains. Will you save the 
  planet as part of the globe-hopping UNIQUE, battle to keep the streets safe as one of 
  the street-brawling Ferroburg Four, or take on ancient aliens from the cockpit of your own giant robot as a 
  member of MagnaForce? Whatever you choose, be stronger than the sum of your parts with the Superteam Handbook!
  IT’S ALL 
  ABOUT  
  TEAMWORK
  Available Now From Green Ronin Publishing!
  
  TAKE YOUR GAME  
  TO THE NEXT LEVEL!
  FREEDOM CITY, 3RD EDITION
  www.greenronin.com
  Visit a world not our own, but strangely familiar—a world of heroes 
  and villains, of wonders and dangers, and limitless adventure! The 
  Atlas of Earth-Prime is a trip around the world of the Freedom City 
  and Emerald City settings for the Mutants & Masterminds RPG. Your 
  heroes can explore the sites and perils of all seven continents, as 
  well as fabled Atlantis, the Lost World, and the strange realms of 
  Sub-Terra that lie at the center of the earth. Packed with locations, 
  heroes, villains, and worldwide agencies, the Atlas of Earth-Prime is 
  the campaign setting book Mutants & Masterminds fans have been 
  waiting for!
  Product Code: GRR5514     MSRP: $59.95     ISBN-13: 978-1-934547-76-2
  Format: 272 page full color hardback
  ATLAS OF EARTH PRIME
  With the Mutants & Masterminds RPG you have the power to become a 
  hero. Freedom City gives you the world’s most renowned city of heroes 
  to rescue from the forces of evil! Called “the greatest superhero setting 
  ever,” the award-winning Freedom City is a fully realized and detailed 
  metropolis that can serve as a home base for your heroes or just one of 
  the many places they visit while saving the world of Earth-Prime from 
  disaster. Your heroes can fight the forces of SHADOW, puzzle out the 
  schemes of the Labyrinth, and defeat the alien invaders Syzygy and the 
  Meta-Grue. With dozens of foes and hundreds of locations, Freedom City 
  gives you everything you need to run an exciting Mutants & Masterminds 
  campaign. Use it on its own or in conjunction with Emerald City and the 
  Atlas of Earth-Prime for world-spanning action!
  Product Code: GRR5511     MSRP: $32.95     ISBN-13: 978-1-934547-60-1
  Format: 320-page, full color hardback with poster map     
  
  Lindsay’s life changed the night she first saw her beloved grandfather in 
  his superhero guise as The Knight Light. It changed again the day a strange 
  storm granted her unique powers. Despite a rare genetic condition, she 
  now feels strong enough to take up his mantle, but can she balance his 
  protectiveness—and her own frailty—against her new abilities and her 
  desire to do good? Time is running out as a bitter villain plots revenge 
  against the city with a new storm that could sweep them all away.
  Height of the Storm is the first Nisaba Press novel to explore Earth-Prime, 
  the setting of the hit superhero RPG Mutants & Masterminds.
  GRR7003  •  ISBN: 978-1-934547-09-0  •  MSRP $15.99
  Available Summer 2019!
  
  Leap into exciting adventure in any era from 
  the Industrial Revolution to the modern day 
  and beyond. The Modern AGE roleplaying game 
  allows you to shape the setting to suit your 
  style—whether it’s gritty action or high adven-
  ture, urban fantasy or a dystopian future. With a 
  new, classless character-building system, twenty 
  levels of advancement, and optional rules for 
  psychic and magic powers, you can create the heroes 
  your world needs. Along with an innovative stunt system, rules for 
  thrilling chases, and an introductory adventure, you’ll find all the action you’re after 
  inside the Modern AGE Basic Rulebook. 
  Available Now! 
  Modern AGE Basic Rulebook is © 2018 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.  
  AGE, Green Ronin, and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
  These Days, 
  the World 
  is Filled 
  with Danger
  These Days, 
  the World 
  is Filled 
  with Danger
  
  Infinite Realms
  Three Powers
  Infinite Realms
  Three Powers
  Infinite Realms
  Three Powers
  Infinite Realms
  Three Powers
  The world we know 
  is one of many planes of existence. 
  Some are alternate worlds, where 
  history took strange, even apocalyptic paths. Some are Otherworlds: weird realms where magic 
  leaves its blazing mark through cities built on the back of monsters, and the floating warships of 
  demigods. Finally, demon princes with wills of iron rule the Netherworlds, planes with twisted 
  natural laws and legions of tormented souls. In ornate archways or simple alley doors, gates 
  connect the myriad planes. You know where to find them. You’ve been initiated into the truth.
  You might belong to the Sodality, an organization that protects the innocent and explores 
  the planes, or you might be an agent of Aethon: a transhuman operative who protects Earth 
  from strange forces, and manipulates the histories of alternate worlds for your AI masters. 
  Battle gods and cyborgs, navigate the cold war between transplanar empires, and uncover the 
  mysteries at the heart of Threefold.
  The first original setting for the Modern AGE roleplaying game, Threefold presents a vast 
  Metacosm able to support virtually any character concept—even any genre—within it. Threefold 
  includes characters with extraordinary powers, and provides additional rules and powers 
  for soul talents, magic, psychic disciplines, occult rituals, and technological enhancements. 
  Threefold unleashes the full potential of Modern AGE, and requires the Modern AGE Basic 
  Rulebook to use.
  Available Now! 
  ADVENTURE ACROSS countless Worlds!
  A CAMPAIGN 
  SETTING FOR
  The world we know 
  is one of many planes of existence. 
  Some are alternate worlds, where 
  history took strange, even apocalyptic paths. Some are Otherworlds: weird realms where magic 
  leaves its blazing mark through cities built on the back of monsters, and the floating warships of 
  demigods. Finally, demon princes with wills of iron rule the Netherworlds, planes with twisted 
  natural laws and legions of tormented souls. In ornate archways or simple alley doors, gates 
  connect the myriad planes. You know where to find them. You’ve been initiated into the truth.
  You might belong to the Sodality, an organization that protects the innocent and explores 
  the planes, or you might be an agent of Aethon: a transhuman operative who protects Earth 
  from strange forces, and manipulates the histories of alternate worlds for your AI masters. 
  Battle gods and cyborgs, navigate the cold war between transplanar empires, and uncover the 
  mysteries at the heart of Threefold.
  The first original setting for the Modern AGE roleplaying game, Threefold presents a vast 
  Metacosm able to support virtually any character concept—even any genre—within it. Threefold 
  includes characters with extraordinary powers, and provides additional rules and powers 
  for soul talents, magic, psychic disciplines, occult rituals, and technological enhancements. 
  Threefold unleashes the full potential of Modern AGE, and requires the Modern AGE Basic 
  Rulebook to use.
  ADVENTURE ACROSS countless Worlds!
  The world we know 
  is one of many planes of existence. 
  Some are alternate worlds, where 
  history took strange, even apocalyptic paths. Some are Otherworlds: weird realms where magic 
  leaves its blazing mark through cities built on the back of monsters, and the floating warships of 
  demigods. Finally, demon princes with wills of iron rule the Netherworlds, planes with twisted 
  natural laws and legions of tormented souls. In ornate archways or simple alley doors, gates 
  connect the myriad planes. You know where to find them. You’ve been initiated into the truth.
  You might belong to the Sodality, an organization that protects the innocent and explores 
  the planes, or you might be an agent of Aethon: a transhuman operative who protects Earth 
  from strange forces, and manipulates the histories of alternate worlds for your AI masters. 
  Battle gods and cyborgs, navigate the cold war between transplanar empires, and uncover the 
  mysteries at the heart of Threefold.
  The first original setting for the Modern AGE roleplaying game, Threefold presents a vast 
  Metacosm able to support virtually any character concept—even any genre—within it. Threefold 
  includes characters with extraordinary powers, and provides additional rules and powers 
  for soul talents, magic, psychic disciplines, occult rituals, and technological enhancements. 
  Threefold unleashes the full potential of Modern AGE, and requires the Modern AGE Basic 
  Rulebook to use.
  ADVENTURE ACROSS countless Worlds!
  The world we know 
  is one of many planes of existence. 
  Some are alternate worlds, where 
  history took strange, even apocalyptic paths. Some are Otherworlds: weird realms where magic 
  leaves its blazing mark through cities built on the back of monsters, and the floating warships of 
  demigods. Finally, demon princes with wills of iron rule the Netherworlds, planes with twisted 
  natural laws and legions of tormented souls. In ornate archways or simple alley doors, gates 
  connect the myriad planes. You know where to find them. You’ve been initiated into the truth.
  You might belong to the Sodality, an organization that protects the innocent and explores 
  the planes, or you might be an agent of Aethon: a transhuman operative who protects Earth 
  from strange forces, and manipulates the histories of alternate worlds for your AI masters. 
  Battle gods and cyborgs, navigate the cold war between transplanar empires, and uncover the 
  mysteries at the heart of Threefold.
  The first original setting for the Modern AGE roleplaying game, Threefold presents a vast 
  Metacosm able to support virtually any character concept—even any genre—within it. Threefold 
  includes characters with extraordinary powers, and provides additional rules and powers 
  for soul talents, magic, psychic disciplines, occult rituals, and technological enhancements. 
  Threefold unleashes the full potential of Modern AGE, and requires the Modern AGE Basic 
  Rulebook to use.
  ADVENTURE ACROSS countless Worlds!
  
  The Expanse Roleplaying Game brings James S.A. Corey’s award-winning 
  series of science fiction novels to the tabletop. 
  Using the Adventure Game 
  Engine (AGE) rules that 
  power Green Ronin’s 
  Fantasy AGE, Blue 
  Rose, and Modern AGE RPGs, The Expanse 
  takes players to a far-future solar system where 
  humanity is divided: Martians, Belters, and the people 
  of old Earth struggle for political power and resources, 
  but older, alien, forces are stirring in the universe, and 
  human history is about to take an unexpected new turn. 
  The Expanse RPG applies the fast-playing, stunt-powered 
  AGE system to spaceships, solar colonies, adventure, and 
  intrigue in the far-future, where the actions of the charac-
  ters may change the course of history!
  James S. A. Corey’s 
  256-page, full color hardback • $49.95 • GRR6601 • ISBN: 978-1-934547-97-7
  Available Now!
  Roleplaying game
  
  The Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide is an expanded resource creating 
  exciting campaigns and worlds for the Mutants & Masterminds 
  Superhero Roleplaying Game. In this book you’ll find a collection of 
  useful tools and references for the M&M Gamemaster, including:
  • 
  Villains! Detailed information on how to create, design, and run 
  villainous foes for your M&M series, plus an entire chapter of evil 
  plots, and more than a dozen ready-made and detailed villain 
  archetypes of different themes and power levels, including the 
  cold-blooded Assassin, the workaday Jobber, and the rampaging 
  Robot.
  • 
  Archetypes! More than villains, you’ll also find archetypes 
  for minions, monsters, and supporting cast characters. Need 
  a scientist, crook, robot, zombie, or dinosaur for your next 
  adventure? They’re already detailed for you!
  • 
  Challenges! Not just foes to fight, but challenges for heroes to 
  overcome, from disasters to deathtraps. The detailed challenge 
  system allows you to describe endless perils for your heroes!
  • 
  Worlds! A look at how to create your own superheroic settings 
  from scratch, covering history, cosmology, power sources, 
  origins, and much more, including the different comic book 
  genres and styles of play.
  • 
  Scenes! The new adventure design chapter provides examples 
  for how to use the Mutants & Masterminds rules to pull off all the 
  strange shenanigans you see in comics, from high-speed chases 
  to shrinking your heroes to the size of mice! Drop them into your 
  own adventures or cannibalize the rules for your own nefarious 
  schemes!
  • 
  Options! New rules options and systems, including how to 
  modify the M&M system for other styles of play, mass combat, 
  and more.
  • 
  Adventures! The Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide contains two 
  complete Mutants & Masterminds adventures to get you started! 
  Battle a brutal crime syndicate seizing control of the city’s 
  underbelly, or battle human-animal hybrids on a mad scientist’s 
  private island!
  Produced and Published by Green Ronin Publishing, LLC
  3815 S. Othello St. Suite 100, #311 Seattle, WA 98118
  www.mutantsandmasterminds.com   •   www.greenronin.com
  Deluxe Gamemaster’s GuiDe is © 2019 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. Mutants & MasterMinds, super-powered by M&M  
  and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
  ... plus nine fully detailed and ready-to-use Lairs, complete with maps and 
  game information! With the M&M Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, running 
  your own Mutants & Masterminds series has never been easier.
  GET READY TO MASTER THE WORLD!
  THE GM’S BEST FRIEND!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Super Hero Games/Mutants & Masterminds/3rd Edition/Deluxe Gamemasters Guide.pdf