Super-Vision #1: Introducing... Super-Vision

Hi, and welcome to the first installment of Super-Vision! I’m your host, Mutants & Masterminds Line Developer and designer Steve Kenson. This monthly feature will update you on all the news related to the award-winning Mutants & Masterminds Superhero Roleplaying Game and its related products. Here you get news, updates, answers to your questions, and occasional goodies like optional rules, bonus material, sneak previews of upcoming products, and whatever else we dig up from our M&M files.

Not-So-Secret Origins

Green Ronin Publishing attended the Origins game convention in Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend of June 24-27 and we had a great show! In addition to our usual demo events, we participated in Origins’ “Superhero Spectacular” with Mutants & Masterminds events and superhero seminars. Also available at the show for the first time in the U.S. were the second (revised) printing of the Mutants & Masterminds rulebook, the long-awaited M&M Annual #1, and the M&M Character Folio.

New at Your Game Store

Speaking of new product, the new stuff available at Origins is now available at a game store near you!

The revised second printing of the Mutants & Masterminds rulebook takes the World’s Greatest Superhero RPG and makes it even better! We’ve taken all of the corrections available to date and added them to the book, adjusting a few powers and abilities based on your feedback. We also included a two-page extended example of character creation featuring the Raven from Freedom City.

The M&M Annual contains a grab-bag of goodies for your M&M games. It includes material on running street-level games, including Greek gods and heroes in your game, and expanded rules for creating powered armor characters. There are rules options for combat, Hero Points, and power creation (by yours truly), along with additional material for the Freedom City campaign setting: learn more about the Golden and Silver Ages of Freedom City, and take a look into its future with Freedom City 2525! The Annual also includes several short adventures and the complete errata (incorporated into the 2nd printing of the rulebook).

Last, but not least, the M&M Character Folio follows in the footsteps of Green Ronin’s award-winning d20 Character Folio, providing you all the space you need to keep track of everything about your favorite heroes! This 16-page folio includes handy reference tables, room for all your hero’s stats, crime files and adventure records, and places to sketch our your secret headquarters and vehicles, too!

Look for all three at your local game store, today!

Coming Soon

So, after such a sudden burst of M&M goodness, you might ask, “what’s next?” Glad you mentioned it!

Coming up for Mutants & Masterminds is the Foes of Freedom villain sourcebook for the Freedom City campaign setting. Foes expands upon material from the Freedom City book, providing you with over 50 new nefarious villains to plague your heroes. It includes a number of villains mentioned but not detailed in the Freedom City book as well as all-new menaces. Foes of Freedom also details organizations like the Foundry and the mysterious Labyrinth, run by the immortal Taurus. You’re going to need somewhere to put all these villains, so the book also details Blackstone Prison, its staff, technology, and its hard-bitten warden, a man with secrets of his own to keep.

We plan to have Foes of Freedom available for sale at the GenCon Game Fair (August 19-22 in Indianapolis, Indiana) and available in game stores shortly thereafter.

Click below for just a sample of the villainy you’ll find in Foes of Freedom--the sinister Dr. Simian! (You'll also find this month's Superlink Spotlight on The Algernon Files, from Blackwyrn Games.)

Dr. Simian

"Humanity has forfeited its place as the Earth's dominant species."
Power Level: 13
Concept: Genius Super-Ape
Name: Dr. Simian
Other Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile
Affiliation: Former member of the Crime League
Nationality: None
Age: 28
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 640 lbs.
Eyes: Black
Fur: Black

Background

It began as an experiment in the nature of intelligence, attempting to enhance the mental capabilities of primates. ASTRO Labs used a variety of methods on different test subjects. The results were not overly promising. Combined with protests about the use of apes and monkeys as experimental subjects, it was only a matter of time before the project was closed down. Its director, Dr. Carmine Mosley, didn't want to see that happen. He knew he was close to a breakthrough, he just didn't know how close. So he took it into his own hands to disregard the company's guidelines on safety and procedure. He used experimental and unproven methods on the most promising of the experiment's subjects, and he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.

Dr. Mosley's death and the disappearance of his experimental subject spelled the end of the primate enhancement project. Although ASTRO Labs and the Freedom City authorities searched for the missing ape, they were unable to find him. Little did they know just how good he had become at evading their search. Mosley's experiment awakened a tremendous intellect in the African gorilla, an intellect born in pain and torment caused by humans. The ape killed his tormenter and fled, finding shelter in the underground tunnels and abandoned subway stations beneath Freedom City.

Dr. Simian, as he called himself, crept out at night. In his initial weeks of sentience, the super-ape absorbed knowledge at a prodigious rate. Within months, he had the equivalent of multiple Ph.D.s just from reading stolen books. Eventually, he discovered other inhabitants of the underground. He offered his services to the Foundry, and worked with them behind the scenes. It gave him access to equipment and research materials he needed. The two parted ways when Dr. Simian no longer needed the Foundry, although their relationship remains cordial. Dr. Simian is still one of the Foundry's loyal customers and contractors.

Ultimately, Simian chose to go it on his own. He wanted nothing from humanity, save obedience and recompense for his suffering, and that of many other creatures. Using his scientific genius, Dr. Simian has constructed many devices to take his revenge on humanity. Each time, heroes in Freedom City and elsewhere have thwarted his ambitions. In particular Freedom Leaguer Johnny Rocket has proven a constant thorn in Simian's side. Dr. Simian has been captured and imprisoned before, but he swears no human cage can hold him for long. Inevitably, he escapes to hatch a new plot to overthrow humanity as the dominant species on Earth.

Using Dr. Simian

Dr. Simian is a mad scientific genius driven by ambition and revenge. He considers himself a moral being. After all, he did not ask for great intellect to be bestowed upon him. Since it has been, he feels it is his duty to make sure humanity pays for its crimes against nature and the animal kingdom. In Dr. Simian's view, humans are dangerous and malicious children, not deserving of their place at the pinnacle of nature's hierarchy. Therefore he seeks ways to conquer the Earth and subjugate humanity for the greater good. Simian foresees a world under his rule where the natural order is protected and humans are kept away from dangerous tools and ideas.

Dr. Simian's utter disdain for humans sometimes causes him to underestimate them. He has more respect for non-humans, like Talos or Taurus, and deals with them more like equals. Even so, his arrogance and belief in his own superiority is nearly boundless.

Generally, Dr. Simian establishes (or reactivates) a hidden laboratory and begins hatching a new plot. His plans usually revolve around a particular invention. Simian's creations include methods for transforming humans into apes (either physically, mentally, or both), mind-control devices, methods for destroying human technology or infrastructure, "uplifting" other animals to sentience (and giving them humanoid characteristics), and so forth. Such devices often require certain rare components or resources, which Simian arranges to have stolen or (less often) purchased, which may tip heroes off to his schemes. The device may also require a "test run," alerting heroes to the danger. When Simian is ready, he unleashes his fiendish scheme. Freedom City is his favored target, although he has been known to go elsewhere.

Tactics

Although formidable by human standards (which he points out at nearly every opportunity), Dr. Simian is no match for many heroes on a purely physical level. He also disdains physical conflict as beneath his towering intellect, preferring various minions and devices to do his dirty work. His lairs are often mined with traps, specially designed to deal with heroes he's expecting (especially Johnny Rocket). Genetically enhanced animals serve as guard-beasts and agents, along with robots and remote-controlled weapons.

Dr. Simian prefers to operate from a concealed headquarters, so heroes might not confront the ape mastermind directly until they can find him. The only evidence they see of Simian's schemes are his minions carrying them out. Dr. Simian has also been known to use various decoys, either to lure heroes into traps at a false headquarters or to escape. The heroes who believe they have captured Dr. Simian may have only caught a robot, a complex dummy, or even an ordinary ape dressed like him. Dealing with Dr. Simian is like a chess-game, and he tries to stay several steps ahead of his opponents.

Dr. Simian: PL 13; Init +2; Defense 16 (+4 base, +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft, fly 60 ft.; Atk +9 melee (+5S/reach 5'/crit 20, punch); +7 ranged (+12S/L/120' range/crit 20, ray projectors); SV Dmg +5 (Force Field +12), Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +10; Str 20, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 18.

Skills: Bluff +8, Computers +16, Concentration +12, Craft (mechanics) +16, Diplomacy +8, Disable Device +16, Repair +16, Science (biology) +16, Science (chemistry) +16, Science (physics) +16, Sense Motive +11.

Feats: Assessment, Attack Focus (ranged), Headquarters, Inspire, Leadership, Minions (genius leader, Loyalty 33), Photographic Memory, Point Blank Shot, Toughness.

Powers: Gadgets +12 [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 12 pp]; Super-Intelligence +10 [Extra: Super-Wisdom +5; Source: Mutation; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 35 pp].

Equipment: Hover-chair [Powers: Ray Projectors (+12 Weapon); Power Stunts: Dual Damage; Extras: Datalink, Flight, Force Field, Mental Protection; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 5 pp; Total: 62 pp].

Weaknesses: Disturbing (he’s a talking ape!).

Totals: Abilities 68 + Skills 18 + Feats 18 + Powers/Equipment 109 – Weaknesses 10 = Total 203 pp.

Capers

King Simian: Dr. Simian comes up with a way to make himself a giant both physically and intellectually. He builds a "growth-ray" transforming him into a colossal super-ape (with Growth +16, Continuous). Increase Dr. Simian's physical capabilities accordingly. The giant ape rampages through downtown Freedom City, challenging the heroes to stop him, if they can. Once he has defeated them, he intends to claim control of the city, destroying anyone else who dares oppose him! The fight can culminate with Dr. Simian climbing to the top of Pyramid Plaza (Freedom City, p. 49), with flying heroes buzzing around him. The heroes may find a way to reverse the effects of the growth ray. Alternately, they might be able to use it on themselves, becoming giants equal in stature to Dr. Simian to fight him directly!

The Prime-Apes: Seeking allies and worthy successors, Dr. Simian creates a cadre of super-powered primates as his allies. Gamemasters with access to the Time of Crisis adventure book can use the Primate Patrol (Time of Crisis, pgs. 32–36) as templates for these villainous versions of the Earth-Ape heroes. In fact, heroes who met the Primate Patrol may mistake Dr. Simian's new "Prime-Apes" for their heroic counterparts (putting them at an initial disadvantage). The Prime-Apes can become regular teammates and minions for Dr. Simian, or the process that gave them their intellect and powers may be temporary, fading over time, or reversible with some technical know-how from the heroes.

Monkey See, Monkey Do: The Freedom City Dr. Simian makes contact with his Earth-Ape counterpart from Time of Crisis (p. 33). The two masterminds decide to work together to destroy their mutual enemies and conquer two Earths! They do so with a scheme to force Earth-Ape and A-Terra (the Freedom Universe's Earth) to merge into one. This will transform the inhabitants of both worlds into human-ape hybrids and, in the chaos and confusion, the Drs. Simian will seize control. The heroes may receive forewarning when strange "ape outbreaks" occur as the two universes begin to bleed over into each other. A team-up with Earth-Ape's Primate Patrol may be in order. Perhaps at the climax of the adventure, the player characters and the Primate heroes have to fuse together into "amalgamated" superhumanapes to take on the two master villains!

Superlink Spotlight: The Algernon Files

Here in Superlink Spotlight we take a look at the latest and greatest in M&M Superlink products available from third-party publishers.

This month’s Superlink Spotlight is The Algernon Files from Blackwyrm Games (www.blackwyrm.com), the first M&M Superlink product available in hardcover. This 128-page book is a collection of heroes, villains, and neutrals, presented by Algernon, the holographic gentleman’s gentleman of the Sentinels superhero team.

Algernon Files details four ally or hero teams: the aforementioned Sentinels, the aerial Aerie, the government-sponsored Arsenal, the secret Christian organization called the Covenant. There are three master villains (the time-traveling Praetorian, and the mystical Sepulchre and Serpent Queen), and four villain teams: the Black Knights, Hell’s Belles, the Prometheans (a family of supers living outside the law), and the Sinister Circle. There are also about a half dozen independent heroes and more than a dozen solo villains.

The presentation of the charaters is very clean and readable. Particularly useful is the table of “Public Knowledge” included with each entry, telling you what a Knowledge skill check reveals about that character at various Difficulty Classes.

Although focused primarily on providing characters, The Algernon Files does a nice job of adding short sidebars of optional rules relevant to certain characters, such as options for super-speed, super-strength, gadgeteering, and sorcery. There is also an appendix with 20 new feats, and some new power options.

Along with the characters, the book has several headquarters and vehicles, with maps, diagrams, and M&M game states. These are usable with the characters in the book, or you can lift them for use in your game in conjunction with some other characters.

The Algernon Files retails for $24.95 and is available from Blackwyrm Games and at fine game stores everywhere. If your local game store doesn’t carry M&M Superlink products, be sure to ask them!