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A tabletop RPG from [[Green Ronin]] Publishing, ''[[Mutants]] [[Magic Ampersand|&]] [[Diabolical Mastermind|Masterminds]]'', also known as ''[[Fan Nickname|M&M]]'', describes itself as "The World's Greatest [[Superhero]] [[Tabletop Games|Role-Playing Game]]." [[DC Comics]] sure seemed to think so. The game uses a heavily modified version<ref>So heavily modified that it is now legally ''not'' a version</ref> of the [[D20 System]] from ''[[Dungeons and& Dragons|Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]]'', and its [[Point Build System|point-buy character creation system]] is designed to allow players to create just about any character they can think of. In fact, the "Roll Call" section of [http://www.atomicthinktank.com the Atomic Think Tank], the official ''Mutants & Masterminds'' forum, contains fan-submitted stats for [[Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny|pretty much every fictional character that's ever existed]], from [[Superman]] to [[Sailor Moon]] to [[Scooby-Doo (animation)|Shaggy Rogers]] to whoever else you know.
 
[[Green Ronin]] has recently published ''DC Adventures'', a licensed [[Tabletop Games|RPG]] based on [[The DCU]] and using the 3rd edition of the ''M&M'' rules.
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** Charisma in 1E/2E, and its 3E successor, Presence, are the best examples by far. It costs more to raise than raising everything associated with it on its own.
* [[Experience Points]]: "Power Points." In a refreshing change of pace from most [[Tabletop Games|RPGs]], they function identically to the [[Point Build System|points]] characters receive at character generation.
* [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]: The superhero universes this game is based off of tend to be this way, so the rules support the necessary flexibility to build anything from [[Our Vampires Are Different|vampires]] to [[Everything's Better with Dinosaurs|dinosaurs]] to [[Instant Awesome, Just Add Ninja|ninjas]] to [[Lord of the Rings|ringwraiths]].
** The default Mecha and Manga setting is explicitly intended as an anime-genre kitchen sink: there's martial artists, mech pilots, sorcerers, [[Mons]] trainers and [[Magical Girl]]s.
* [[Game System]]: A derivative of the d20 mechanic from D&D3E, though with a completely different character creation system (a [[Point Build System]] instead of a [[Class and Level System]]).
* [[The GM Is a Cheating Bastard]]: Some uses of "GM fiat", where things happen to the PCs with them getting a chance to respond, are allowed, but give the affected players a Hero Point in compensation.
* [[Grappling with Grappling Rules]]:
** In 2E, about as bad as any other d20 game with the caveat that particular powersets have grapple bonuses that can guarantee success.
** The system was changed for 3E/DCA to reduce the ridiculous levels of grapple bonuses at the expense of making it very difficult for even an optimized grappling build to secure a hold.
* [[Guns Are Worthless]]: May or may not be in play, depending on the characters' power level. At low levels, they're a legit threat; by mid level it would take a really terrible roll (or a really fragile character) to even cause a bruise, and at high level it's almost impossible to hurt someone with a normal gun.
* [[Henshin Hero]]: One possible function of the activation modifier. Can be taken further with the "Metamorph" extra for Morph, giving you entirely different characters except for that ability.
* [[Heroic Spirit]]: Represented by the Extra Effort and Hero Point rules, which allow [[Player Character|PCs]] to, for example, get a [[Heroic Second Wind]] or temporarily gain [[New Powers as the Plot Demands]].
* [[Hit Points]]: [[Averted]] completely and replaced by damage saving throws. Characters are knocked out/killed by failing the save by a large enough margin, and narrower failures penalize subsequent saves until the character is healed, making this gradually more likely.
* [[Homing Projectile]]: A power feat called Homing can allow many powers to work like this.
* [[Immortality]]: All eleven types can be purchased even as a starting character. While some of the types are pretty expensive, some cost ''no'' points because they are purely fluff. Not aging requires a point because it protects against [[Rapid Aging]] attacks, but a substance restoring your youth had no real game effect.
* [[Immune to Bullets]]: Doable both by total "immunity" to bullets only and simply having a high enough impervious toughness low level damage ''like'' bullets can't even force a damage roll.
* [[Instant Death Bullets]]: Inverted: A single bullet from the core weapons can't KO an average person without power attack or a critical hit.
* [[Legacy Character]]: Possible. Several premade characters are examples of such.
* [[Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards]]: [[Averted Trope|Averted,]] since there are no [[Class and Level System|character classes]]. True [[Badass Normal]]s, lacking any powers or devices which give them powers, are at something of a disadvantage in combat and raw power. But they can make up for it in [[Weak but Skilled|other ways]]. Magic is however one of the strongest descriptors in terms of alternate effects (there is little to nothing knowing the right spell can't give you).
* [[Minmaxer's Delight]]: Since the system favors [[Character Customization]], in order to best reflect [[Superhero|the source material]], character creation requires more [[Game Master]] oversight than most RPGs.
** Attacks with Perception as their range can hit anyone the character can perceive with an accurate sense (sight, touch, or some super-sense alternative), at any range, without requiring an attack roll. There are only minor disadvantages such as the modest cost increase, the inability to aim blind, and no ability to boost damage through critical hits or combat maneuvers. Some groups use [[House Rules]] to ban or mitigate it by forcing such attacks to allow an additional saving throw instead or by stipulating that Perception range attacks be at a rank below PL.
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* [[One Stat to Rule Them All]]: Mostly [[Averted]] from 2E up, though it's been noted that high-Strength/Toughness builds are statistically more likely to win a fight than high-Defense/Accuracy builds, even if they're at the same Power Level. Constitution/Stamina is as close as it comes. Every 2PP you spend on it gives you +1 to 3 different values, which would each cost 1PP per +1 to purchase independently. It's the only Ability that's cost-effective no matter what.
* [[Play-By-Post Games]]: There are several on the Internet, hosted on both the official M&M forums and third-party sites. [[Freedom City Play By Post]] is the [[Shameless Self Promotion|largest, most active, and longest-running]].
* [[Player Mooks]]: sidekicks and minions.
* [[Point Build System]]: Necessary in order to accurately reflect the source material—you can mix-n-match powers, abilities, and skills to make anything from a [[Flying Brick]] to a [[Badass Normal]].
* [[Polyglot]]: Notoriously expensive to build. It's generally cheaper to simply pay to become an [[Omniglot]] then roleplay it as limited to whatever languages you would have taken.
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* [[Universal System]]
* [[The Verse]]: [[Freedom City]] is the default setting and "[[Superhero]]es" is the default genre, but the system works for [[Universal System|just about anything]].
* [[With My Hands Tied]]: Anyone can escape from restraints with DC equal to their dexterity+sleight of hand+19. Rope is DC15, meaning anyone but the most disabled can escape with time while handcuffs are DC20, meaning anyone trained or more even slightly more dexterous than average can eventually escape.
* [[You All Meet in An Inn]]: The two stock adventures from the rule book are "You all meet when supervillains rob a bank [[Bruce Wayne Held Hostage|while you're in line in your secret identity]]" and "You all meet when a benefactor invites you to form a super team".
* [[You Can't Thwart Stage One]]: If the players look like they'll thwart stage one, the GM is encouraged to [[The GM Is a Cheating Bastard|cheat]], [[Railroading|put the plot back on the rails]], and give the PCs some Hero Points in compensation.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Tabletop Games]]
[[Category:Mutants and Masterminds]]
[[Category:Tabletop Games]]
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