Mutants & Masterminds
2nd edition cover
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| Designer(s) | Stephen Kenson |
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| Publisher(s) | Green Ronin Publishing |
| Publication date | 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Superhero fiction |
| System(s) | d20 System |
Mutants & Masterminds (abbreviated "M&M" or "MnM") is a superhero role-playing game written by Steve Kenson and published by Green Ronin Publishing based on a variant of the d20 System by Wizards of the Coast. The game system is designed to allow players to create virtually any type of hero or villain desired.
In the late 1990s, Steve Kenson had an idea for a superhero setting that he had been contracted to produce. Through a series of misfortunes, the project fell through and he was left with a partially completed manuscript. Shopping it around to various publishers, none were interested (superhero game popularity had declined at that time) until he talked to Chris Pramas (President of Green Ronin Publishing) about the setting.
Pramas made the offer to publish the setting if Kenson would also create a superhero game system based on the d20 System. Kenson agreed and got to work. Over time, it became clear to him that the game would need to be released only under the Open Game License. Releasing the game under the d20 Standard Trademark License, as originally planned, would have prohibited the inclusion of ability generation and character advancement rules. Presenting a complete game was seen as taking precedence over having a d20 logo on the product, so the decision was made to use the OGL without the d20 license.
Mutants & Masterminds was published in 2002; the setting, which was once known as Century City, became Freedom City was published in 2003. The first edition of so-called M&M books featured graphic design and art direction by the design studio Super Unicorn, but other firms provide the artwork on all subsequent releases.
A second edition of the Mutants & Masterminds system debuted at Gen Con in 2005 and saw wide release in October of that year.
A third edition of Mutants & Masterminds came out in 2011. In the previous year Green Ronin Publishing had released another superhero role-playing game, DC Adventures. Both games have the same mechanical system and are fully compatible.
Mutants & Masterminds' game mechanics are based on the OGL d20 System, designed by Wizards of the Coast, however it is a highly modified version of that basic system. The largest differences pertain to character creation, injury and damage, and hit points, as well as the addition of Hero Points and, obviously, super powers. There are also numerous other differences such as the elimination of character classes and attacks of opportunity, a modified Skill list, a very different Feat selection, and the fact that any equipment possessed is considered a part of the character and purchased in a manner similar to powers.
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