Friday, May 20, 2011

After vampire super-heroes

Our Vampire: the Masquerade campaign is reaching it's end. I have asked my player, what she would like to play next. We have agreed, that we play Vampire, then something else, then Vampire again. Vampire: the Masquerade is our favorite game no question. But even though it is awesome, Storyteller needs his breaks or he can find himself out of new ideas or repeating himself. So, that's why we play Vampire, other, Vampire. We get to play Vampire a lot, but still get to play other games so Vampire doesn't wear out.

Another reason for this is, that I have several games I haven't played or even read. I want to try several of them out. Not sure, are they the games I will return to play again and again, but interesting enough for me to want to try out.

Why Mutants & Masterminds?


Few weeks back, when I started to see the finish line of V:tM campaign, I asked my player, what would be a cool game to try out next. Preferably one of those we haven't played previously. She quickly picked Mutants & Masterminds from the shelf and told that this game would be next. I was quite surprised, because I know she is not that interested in super-heroes. But that would be totally different, and also she would like to try it out. So we decided, that after Vampire chronicle it will be Mutants & Masterminds

Character Creation


If you start to build your character with rulebook, there are so many options what you can do that I suppose if you just pick all those cool stuff, your character would be a mess. That's why I asked my player to first describe her character, her character's powers, background and uniform. It is easier that you first think of what kind of character you want to play, and then apply character creation rules and powers to your concept. That way you keep your focus on your character you will play, not on all the neat powers there are available.

Not sure has she already started to think about her character, but I will post her concept and character creation process when the time comes.

Super Adventure


I think, I will get inspiration to the adventure from character concept. So at the moment, I don't have any idea what kind of super adventure I will or want to run. I want clear start, stuff in between and clear end. Maybe one bad guy with The plan and minions. Maybe that bad guy is not revealed at the beginning but clues lead character after him. Epic final battle would be great. I also want it to be long enough for character to gain a level or two, but short enough so it doesn't derail too much.
This is something, I really, really need to write down. Usually I don't write whole adventures, just few ideas here and there. I like to GM and build the story as the story goes on. This will be different. I want to know what happens and when to keep whole adventure really intense.

Reading Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition


Currently I am reading the book. Fortunately I have played True20 (Blue Rose) and D&D3 so basics of D20 system are familiar so I don't have to go through all the learning process of a new game. There are tons of character feats and powers, what I can basically skip if I have an idea how they work. I need them in character creation, but can read them with my player while doing that. Then I need to know the powers for the bad guy which is basically the same as character creation learning process of skills, feats and powers.

What I wait the most from this book is all GM tricks and stuff. I have read super-hero comics a lot, but it's over ten years ago. I have seen new super-hero movies, but they aren't in my opinion cartoonish enough.

What Kind of Setting I Want To Run?


I don't know, if the core book contains any setting information yet. I hope there's something in GM section what will help me to build super-hero setting even though super-hero comics aren't my hobby so I lack of sources. I guess that there's this city included. Even though I usually don't use ready-made material in games but make my own, I guess Mutants & Masterminds will be an exception. So, thumbs up that there are enough GM help to start a campaign. Ready made adventures I won't use, even if there was some available in the core book.

How Will It Go?


No idea. It could be a blast as it is something different that we have ever played together. Actually, I haven't played a single super-hero RPG ever. So this will be totally new thing for me. I hope, it will be fun, there will be dangerous situations and cool action. Lots of action. I want there to be certain amount of humor, and I want it to be more light than grim. Of course, the bad guy should be bad, but I don't want my super-hero game be all Gotham City. I want it to be a high adventure with great special effects, some jokes, dangerous and mad powerful villain... Maybe I will even make weaker side-kick for character to be her friend. Or let my player decide how his side-kick is. So she has someone to interact even behind her mask.

Side Note


Uh, I am not sure do I have second edition or do I have second print of the first edition... Hmm...

No comments: