There’s so many d20 systems out there besides Dungeons and Dragons, and yet people more often than not just hack 5e anyway. I do not hate D&D 5th edition as much as some hardcore tabletop gamers do, but I understand their frustration. As robust as 5e is, it’s only one game in a sea of awesome TTRPG experiences. One such example is a certain superhero RPG, which just so happens to be getting a new edition.
Mutants and Masterminds 4th Edition is the latest edition of the beloved cape classic. Unlike the high fantasy of typical TTRPGs, Mutants and Masterminds revels in its comic inspirations. Unlike classic D&D character creation, Mutants and Masterminds frontloads much of its player character creation. Instead of weak adventurers getting stronger, heroes have a baseline of power, with “upgrades” being lateral rather than vertical.
This makes perfect sense for a comic booky setting. Think about it: Spider-Man wasn’t “gaining levels” so he could eventually duke it out with Thanos. He’s always been strong in his own right, but he never becomes a god. Okay, technically he did for like a billionth of a second, but that happened once. And it certainly wasn’t because Spider-Man was grinding away XP to gain the Beyonder’s powers.
It’s a long story.
All this to say, if there’s a comic book you’ve always wanted to play as a TTRPG, Mutants and Masterminds is the way to do it. It’s not really a game with “lore” per se, but moreso a sandbox for a GM and the players to create their own world of supers. The d20 system will feel familiar, but that’s where its similarities with D&D end.
Mutants and Masterminds was one of the crunchiest d20 systems out there, and it’s definitely intimidating for newcomers. Fortunately, 4th Edition streamlines the character creation process with cool archetypes. With the included adventures, 4th Edition makes it easier than ever to start saving the world.
You can back Mutants and Masterminds Fourth Edition on Kickstarter here.
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