However, you may wish to sim- This is the classic Mimic type: a villain able to duplicateply treat the villains power level as fluid, changing it as the subjects powers, often the powers of multiple sub-needed to reflect the Mimics current capabilities. Defenses: Dodge 3, Parry 0, Fortitude Will 0. Sorcerers are often vulnerable to certain holy rituals andSome Sorcerers are ancient menaces, their lives unnatu- relics.rally sustained by their sinister arts. own hand). Totals: Abilities 12 + Powers 44 +hyperactive and social, and love using their illusion pow- Advantages 1 + Skills 4 (8 ranks) + Defenses 8 = 69 points.ers to sew chaos and steal food or shiny baubles. Offense: Init +1, Bite +34. The Mystic Passage spell of the archetypes Magic array is sufficient to permit theRituals are a Sorcerers doomsday machines and infernal Sorcerer to go virtually anywhere in the blink of an eye,devices; defeating an evil Sorcerer is often a matter of pre- although limited to places the villain knows fairly well.venting the villain from acquiring the necessary elementsfor a ritual, or stopping a ritual before it is complete and This power allows the villain to escape earlier confronta-unleashes whatever corrupt magical powers the villain tions with the heroes leading up to the final encounter,wishes to call upon. This often leaves only a thin line revenge for whatever happened to leave the Psycho wan-between them and obsessed vigilante heroes. The last survi-year, and the best unarmed fighters in the world are invit- vor manages to reach the heroes and warn them of theed to attend and fight each other for the prize of being de- danger facing the world before he, too, perishes. they can read opponentsminds to learn their deepest fearsThe Brain may exult in its and desires. It is designed to mimic the traits of others and altersway of looking at human foibles and virtues from an out- its structure to do so, perhaps using nanotechnology,siders perspective. Only after the goodDELUXE GAME MASTERS GUIDE 117MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS guys realize theyve been hoodwinked do they discover For a twist on this scenario, the villain might not be im-evidence (a discarded mask or the unconscious form of personating the characters heroic persona, but his secretthe real person) that the villain is long gone. Totals: Abilities 18 + Powers (Close, Damage 12). Those who lead minions usually havefeel free to select two different themes to provide more higher ranks of the Intimidate skill.interesting power options and increased mobility, such asa stilt-themed villain whose powersuit also provides them Multiple Jobbersoften with complimentary powerswith super strength, or an aerialist who throws trick feath- may even serve the same master and provide a potenters that explode or entangle targets. Many players may be inclinedable to fool unusual sens- to simply capture or knock out both charac-es. Skills: Perception 8 (+11). Being a mutant in the Marvel Universe, means having to deal with the fear that comes with being different. The Immortal Overlord has Immunity to Aging, at the least,From beyond the stars, the Alien Overlord comes to con- and often Regeneration or true Immortality, meaningquer! A minor alchemist who stumbles uponthe Philosophers Stone is more of a Jumped-Up Nobody UNDEAD SORCERERarchetype, but a masterful alchemist is easily the equal ofa full-fledged Sorcerer. In this regard, the Livingplus Magic or Weather Control. villains Mental Blast, or become subject to Mind Control, turning against the other heroes.120 DELUXE GAME MASTERS GUIDECHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPESCAPERS down the fugitives! Perhapsthe brain is actually just a disembodied intel-lect, such as an artificial intelligence, digitizedpersonality, or a spirit lacking a physical body.In this case the life support is some otherequipment allowing it to function, such as acomputer or magical touchstone. and may have additional powers related to their form, such as special forms of movement, additional limbs, and growth.DELUXE GAME MASTERS GUIDE 149, The words you are searching are inside this book. Robotic brutes tend to be lieutenantsor minions rather than master villains by nature.See the end of this chapter for sample robotminions.NAME IDEASArtifice, Galatea, Mechanix, Tin-Man,Techno, TronixCLASSIC BITSThe following are some classic bits associ-ated with the Robot archetype:REBUILD AND RETURNRobots are notoriously diffi-cult villains to get rid of;never having been alivein the first place, theyreessentially impossibleto kill. Even a destroyedrobot can potentially berebuilt, and robotic computer mindscan be copied to backup files and downloadedinto new bodies, potentially including upgradesand improvements.You can choose to treat this in game terms as Immor-tality. After a series ofmight be maliciously messing with the do-gooders by incidents that make everyone doubt their sanity, the Impshowing them up and making them look bad in public. Totals: Abilities 34 + Powers 9 + Advantages 2 + Skills 5 + Defenses44 + Advantages 3 + Skills 4 + Defenses 13 = Total 100 points. You can use and sheer bulk rather than quickness, although he is of-the fighting styles mentioned in Chapter 7 as templates ten far quicker than most expect. Mimicking multiple subjects often the most efficient mannerresults in a strange composite appearance for the Mimic. Try one of the sub-categories links above. Offense: Init +3, Claw +2 (Close, Damage 4). Offense: Init +2, Bite +0 (Close, Damage 5).With various villains possessing powers like animal con- Defenses: Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude 0, Toughness 2, Will 2.trol, shapeshifting, and mimicking the traits of different Totals: Abilities 18 + Powers 30 + Advantages 0 + Skills 3 +animals, as well as a tendency to acquire pets, heroes may Defenses 0 = Total 15 points.encounter many different types of animals. demonhunter. Cookie Notice Totals: Abilities 16 + Powers Powers: Strength-based Damage 1 (Bite), Growth 10 23 + Advantages 0 + Skills 0 + Defenses 10 = Total 17 points. rescue these innocent people and what to do with them once they have. Looking for more? The fights could offer valuable information to certain School of Shadows how to fight, how to obey ordersparties, perhaps even allow a mimicking villain to copy the and, worst of all, how to work as an actual team. Comic book monsters may be creatures out of leg- Acute Smell, Ultra-hearing). Angered by reminders of previous nobody Expertise: Magic or Science 6 (+7), Expertise: Pop Culture 6 status. A slightly smaller version Powers: Reaction Damage 5 (When touched), Growth 8can suffice for the similar allosaurus. Many oftheseblue collarvillains are happy to leave business at the Jobbers straddle the Power Level between villains and minions, and can also represent elite minions of104 DELUXE GAME MASTERS GUIDECHAPTER 3: ARCHETYPESespecially powerful villains, such as an Elder Evils demon- I MISS THE OLD GUYimbued shock troops or an Overlords royal guard. Necessity is, as they say, the Shield granted by the Item of Power makes the archetypemother of invention, so the Nobody is more likely to try highly resistant to a direct assault. 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. up situations where the heroes attacks hit each other asThis kind of rivalry can add an interesting roleplayingelement to the Martial Artists appearance, along with anopportunity for complications and hero points.THE SECRET TECHNIQUESome Martial Artists know one or more eso-teric techniques, allowing them to perform su-per-human feats. around the world or in the far corners of the universe.As the heroes begin to suspect this new champion of ITS A MAD, MAD WORLDjustice is too good to be true, they discover they are right:hes just a disguise for the Imp, who is actually creating A series of just plain weird things start happening to themany of the crises in order to swoop in and handle the heroes: clouds made of actual cotton; cartoon charactersproblem! 10 = Total 60 points.Brute demons are dull-witted creatures that bully and Six-foot-tall carnivorous pack-hunters, deinonychus arepummel their prey. On the other hand, theaction. Name Ideas: Bullwhip, Cat-O-Nine, Chainbringer, Creeping Ivy, Filament, Lash Master, Man-O-War, Ribbondanc- er, Rocktopus, Urumi 19 pointsTHE NEW ORDER YOURE NOT LAUGHING NOWAfter the heroes take down a local crime lord, one or more A common element of the Jobber life is humiliatingof the Jobbers in their employ decides to pick up the reins defeat, and the Jobber has taken one too many quips orand take over the organization. The lighter a story isDELUXE GAME MASTERS GUIDE 127MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS PSYCHO OBSESSIONS D20 OBSESSION Animals: Obsession with pets or animal friends, targeting animal rights issues or the fur industry, a 1 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). Some cults may be try- Defenses: Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fortitude 4, Toughness 2, Will 2. ing to infiltrate normal institutions to exert secret control Totals: Abilities 10 + Powers 3 + Advantages 1 + Skills 4 + over society, while others may be trying to summon alien Defenses 5 = Total 23 points. The more theyfor a while. 100% Upvoted. Low-light Vision), Shrinking 8 (Permanent, Innate). Even larger and more powerful versionslowing it to make different types of attacks. In some sources, undead suddenly Black Hand, Bloodsport, Golden Tiger, Shadow Dragon,seem to develop considerable hand-to-hand combat skills Steel Fist, Thunder Fist, White CraneDELUXE GAME MASTERS GUIDE 113MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS TACTICSCLASSIC BITSThe following are some classic bits associated with the The Martial Artist is a close-in fighter with plentyMartial Artist archetype: of tactical options, thanks to a full range of combat advantages. A variant of the Immortal Overlord is the Temporal Over-ARMORED OVERLORD lord, who may also be ageless, but appears throughout history due to the ability to move back and forth betweenA common archetype in the comics, the Armored Over- different eras. Offense: root itself and move about using its branches and roots. The Vampire likely Vampire story as well, with a seductive female vampireflees if confronted or thwarted in claiming a victim. When choosing additional powers for the archetypes ar-BLUNDERING NOBODY ray, go for things that make a good show. In essence, the villain ence, so the other players cant tell the dif-can pull off a near-perfect ference quite so easily.deception, circumventingdiscovery due to gaps in The classic way the good guys figure outknowledge, at least so long the truth is the real heros willingness to sac-as the victim fails to resist rifice for the greater good, and knowledgethe mental effect. For example, a villain who Revenge-obsessed Psychos tend to want more than just tosnaps over an international crossword puzzle competition kill the target of their revenge; they want their vengeanceor the like might become Mr. +6, Mind Lash +7 (Close, Damage 7; Will Resists), Unarmed +7Jinx faeries are withdrawn and grumpy, and cause bad (Close, Damage 2). the user.THEMES OMNIPOTENT NOBODYThe primary variations on the Jumped-Up Nobody in- The most extreme type of Jumped-Up Nobody is a plotvolve the exact nature of the Item of Power. Eventually, it comes down toheroes learn of the Vampires quest for the artifact when a confrontation at the artifacts resting place, wherean archeologist or renowned collector of ancient manu- the heroes have to keep it out of the wrong hands andscripts turns up missing or dead, and drained of blood. Per-An underground freestyle, no-holds-barred martial arts haps the Martial Artists first step is to wipe out the scrollscompetition is held at a particular place and time each guardians so they cannot stand in his way. Next Page. They tend to be among the most alien and Seductive Puppeteers turn out to be truly hideous, theircreepy of Puppeteers (along with the Spawn Puppeteer, appearance of beauty an illusion or some other manifes-following). Some Testers are self-appointed judges oflike their elaborate games and twisted ideas of what worthiness, and may seek to eliminate those who do notconstitutes fun. meet their high standards.Entertainment is the main idea of the Imp for the Imp, THE TRICKSTERanyway. possible. The heroes have to act quickly if they aretures its foes on their innate inferiority and how the odds to save her!are mathematically stacked against them. the heroes lives to learn everything about them. Vampire Mimics do not just copy powers; they steal them!TAINTED MIMIC In addition to the Mimic power, the villain has a long- lasting Nullify effect against the powers it copies. It turns out the per-do so. bition to conquer the world. Hell show them all! Previous Page. MONSTER-MAKERUnfortunately, their work costs, and often costs big, so toarrange a source of income, the scientist sells high-tech Ever since Frankenstein, a classic image of the Maddevices to customers willing to pay, usually providing Scientist is as the modern Prometheus, stealing fire fromweapons to criminals and even other supervillains. The Item often imprints on itswielder such that no one else can use it. They often seek to rule theworld as their due, given that they are the most evolvedand developed intellect, and some even wish to bestowthe same gift on the rest of humanity, turning othersDELUXE GAME MASTERS GUIDE 119MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS MASTERMIND PL13 STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE -1 0 0 0 0 9 8 2 POWERS OFFENSE INITIATIVE +0 Perception, Damage 6 Levitation: Flight 2 (MPH) 4 points Mind Blast Perception, Affliction 8 Psionic Force Field: Protection 14, Impervious 10, Sustained Mind Control Ranged, Damage 11 Telekinetic Blast +9 24 points Psionics: Array (26 points) DEFENSE 9 FORTITUDE 10 Mind Blast: Perception Ranged Damage 6, Resisted by Will, DODGE 9 TOUGHNESS 14/0* Subtle 2 26 points PARRY Mind Control: Perception Ranged Affliction 8 (Resisted by WILL 15 *Without Protection bonus Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Subtle 2 1 point POWER POINTS Telekinesis: Perception Ranged Move Object 8, Subtle 2 ABILITIES 36 SKILLS 26 1 point 35 Telekinetic Blast: Ranged Damage 11, Indirect 3, Subtle POWERS 62 DEFENSES 165 1 point ADVANTAGES 6 TOTAL Telepathy: Mind Reading 13 1 point Psychic Senses: Senses 4 (Danger Sense; Mental Awareness, COMPLICATIONS Extended 2) 4 points Disdainful: Prefers to avoid physical conflict and effort. Even if they interrupt the process, the Robots brideA cunning Robot sometimes takes advantage of its free- might still come to life, but with the unexpected fault ofdom from the needs of the flesh, distracting foes with having an all-too human sense of feeling. wide breadth of knowledge, as well as formidable combat skills.The Alien Overlords powers may be innate, part of a non-human physiology or the result of an accident or genetic Immortal Overlords predictably take the long view ofexperimentation (perhaps to create some type of super- things; their schemes can take considerable time to comesoldier). Advantages: Connected, Equipment 2, Quick Draw, Ritualist. Those who call them dan- NAME IDEASgerous are short-sighted fools unable to see the value oftheir work. Otherwise, they also have to deal with a city full of people suffering from the same sort of insanity as their foe!CAPERS For a twist, perhaps the villain has already released theAdventures involving the Psycho may include the following: chemical into the environment. The character is generally bored and seeks chal-lenge or excitement by pestering the heroes in different Mythologies from many different cultures have stories ofways. Demonicfor power or willing to explore and use forbidden secrets. Mind Control INITIATIVE +0 thing they control in the game (their character). Optionally, you may wish to have printed copies of the many Mutants & Masterminds books available from Green Ronin Publishing (but they are not required in order to play or run a game.) Still, that doesnt mean the other sciences cannot get in on the action. Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition (v1) - This is still quite the usable sheet, with perhaps even more useful widgets and cogs than the new one. They also delight in using illusions villains power.to trick their foes into attacking each other, or that somecrisis is occurring when actually nothing is happening (or TACTICSsomething else entirely is going on). lain time to gloat and arrange a proper demise for the in- terfering heroes.Exactly what the ritual is intended to do is up to the GMand depends on the Sorcerers ultimate goals. tack check. MASTER OF THE MARTIAL ARTSWhile not much of a direct threat to a group of superheroes, Although the archetype is a fairly formidablethe Master of Disguise is capable of doing quite a bit fighter, some Masters of Disguise are trueof damage to their reputations and personal rela- adepts in the arts of combat.