History TabletopGame / MutantsAndMasterminds

* TheAgesOfSuperHeroComics: The core book actually has a historical summary of every major age, encouraging [[GameMaster [=GMs=]]] to use them as a guide for the tone of a campaign.
** UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks: The game assumes a default setting of the present, but there is a sourcebook dealing with this era.
** UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks: Another "historic supers" setting, sharing a sourcebook with UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks.
** UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks: This is one of several "historic supers" settings, sharing a sourcebook with UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks.
** [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks The Iron Age Of Comic Books]]: The game assumes a default setting of the present, but there is a sourcebook dealing with this era.
** UsefulNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks: The tone and setting assumed by default for the game. A modern day supers [[TheVerse 'verse]] where the DarkerAndEdgier excesses of the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Iron Age]] are over, and there's a bit of [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] idealism returning to the world.
** {{Manga}}: Not actually an "Age" per-se, but there is a 2E sourcebook that lets players build everything from {{Sentai}} and [[MagicalGirl Magical Girls]] to {{Mecha}} and {{Mons}} Trainers.

** UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks: Another "historic supers" setting, sharing a sourcebook with MediaNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks.

** MediaNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks: The game assumes a default setting of the present, but there is a sourcebook dealing with this era.
** MediaNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks: Another "historic supers" setting, sharing a sourcebook with MediaNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks.
** MediaNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks: This is one of several "historic supers" settings, sharing a sourcebook with MediaNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks.
** [[MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks The Iron Age Of Comic Books]]: The game assumes a default setting of the present, but there is a sourcebook dealing with this era.
** MediaNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks: The tone and setting assumed by default for the game. A modern day supers [[TheVerse 'verse]] where the DarkerAndEdgier excesses of the [[MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Iron Age]] are over, and there's a bit of [[MediaNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] idealism returning to the world.

A tabletop RPG from Creator/GreenRonin Publishing, ''Mutants & Masterminds'', also known as ''[[FanNickname M&M]]'', describes itself as "The World's Greatest [[SuperHero Superhero]] Role-Playing Game." Creator/DCComics sure seemed to think so. The game uses a heavily modified version[[note]]So heavily modified that it is now legally ''not'' a version[[/note]] of the UsefulNotes/D20System from ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]]'', and its [[PointBuildSystem point-buy character creation system]] is designed to allow players to create just about any character they can think of. In fact, the "Roll Call" section of [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200516023936/http://www.atomicthinktank.com/ the Atomic Think Tank]], the official ''Mutants & Masterminds'' forum, contains fan-submitted stats for [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny pretty much every fictional character that's ever existed]], from ComicBook/{{Superman}} to ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' to [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Shaggy Rogers]][[note]]Even JustForFun/TropeTan[[/note]].

** UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks: The game assumes a default setting of the present, but there is a sourcebook dealing with this era.
** UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks: Another "historic supers" setting, sharing a sourcebook with UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks.
** UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks: This is one of several "historic supers" settings, sharing a sourcebook with UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks.
** [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks The Iron Age Of Comic Books]]: The game assumes a default setting of the present, but there is a sourcebook dealing with this era.
** UsefulNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks: The tone and setting assumed by default for the game. A modern day supers [[TheVerse 'verse]] where the DarkerAndEdgier excesses of the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Iron Age]] are over, and there's a bit of [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] idealism returning to the world.

* CharacterLevel: "Power Level" (not to be confused with PowerLevels), though they don't mean quite the same thing as in other [[UsefulNotes/D20System d20-derived]] games. "Power Points" are what actually increase your character's abilities -- Power Level only restrict how you can spend your points (e.g., adding up the strength of your attack and its accuracy together cannot exceed your PL times two, so you can't raise one sky-high without sacrificing the other; same goes for pairing up several kinds of defences with each other).

* TheSixStats: As a game using the UsefulNotes/D20System, M&M 1E and 2E had them. 3E changed the names on everything, and added "melee attack bonus" and "ranged attack bonus" as abilities (with attendant skills) instead of being handled by a separate value.

** In 2E and 3E, any Power can be made into an "Array" through the use of Alternate Powers/Effects, which lets you assign multiple Powers under the same base power to reduce the cost in Power Points. The trade-off is that you can only use one specific Power in your Array per turn, And because all such items are considered to be part of the same power, nullifying or weakening one removes or weakens all of them. To use an example suggested by the Hero's Handbook, "[[SelectiveMagnetism Magnetism]]" is a Control power that, by itself, gives a ranged Blast attack. It can be made into an Array with Move Object so long as the objects moved are metal in nature.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': Most magic can only be accessed through being a magical CharacterClass or using an enchanted item. Rare "Occult Rituals" can be learned by anyone but take hours to perform, require multiple difficult skill checks to succeed, have nasty side effects from a MagicMisfire, and often exact a heavy cost on the ritualist.

A tabletop RPG from Creator/GreenRonin Publishing, ''Mutants & Masterminds'', also known as ''[[FanNickname M&M]]'', describes itself as "The World's Greatest [[SuperHero Superhero]] Role-Playing Game." Creator/DCComics sure seemed to think so. The game uses a heavily modified version[[note]]So heavily modified that it is now legally ''not'' a version[[/note]] of the UsefulNotes/D20System from ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]]'', and its [[PointBuildSystem point-buy character creation system]] is designed to allow players to create just about any character they can think of. In fact, the "Roll Call" section of [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200516023936/http://www.atomicthinktank.com/ the Atomic Think Tank]], the official ''Mutants & Masterminds'' forum, contains fan-submitted stats for [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny pretty much every fictional character that's ever existed]], from Comicbook/{{Superman}} to ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' to [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Shaggy Rogers]][[note]]Even JustForFun/TropeTan[[/note]].

* UniversalSystem: Being a PointBuildSystem revolving around supers, the game tries its best to allow for any superhero to be built from Franchise/{{Superman}} to [[Franchise/XMen Cyclops]] to [[Franchise/FantasticFour Doctor Doom]] to even Manga/CardCaptorSakura.

* KeystoneSuperpower: Mechanically, any Power can be made into an "Array", which lets you assign multiple Powers under the same base power to reduce the cost in Power Points. The trade-off is that you can only use one specific Power in your Array per turn. To use an example suggested by the Hero's Handbook, "[[SelectiveMagnetism Magnetism]]" is a Control power that, by itself, gives a ranged Blast attack. It can be made into an Array with Move Object so long as the objects moved are metal in nature.

* MagicAmpersand: ''Mutants & Masterminds'' along with 2E supplements ''Wizards & Warlocks'' and ''Mecha & Manga'', with an occasionally teased supplement for teen comics to be named ''Hunks & Heartbreakers''.

** Attacks with Perception as their range can hit anyone the character can perceive with an accurate sense (sight, touch, or some super-sense alternative), at any range, without requiring an attack roll. There are only minor disadvantages such as the modest cost increase, the inability to aim blind, and no ability to boost damage through critical hits or combat maneuvers. Some groups use HouseRules to ban or mitigate it by forcing such attacks to allow an additional saving throw instead or by stipulating that Perception range attacks be at a rank below PL.

** The superhero universes this game is based off of tend to be this way, so the rules support the necessary flexibility to build anything from [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] to [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs dinosaurs]] to [[GratuitousNinja ninjas]] to [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings ringwraiths]].

* StandardStatusEffects: M&M has several of them. Pretty much every non-Damage attack power qualifies -- Confuse, Dazzle, Fatigue, Mind Control, Nauseate, Paralyze, Stun, etc. 3E condenses them all into a single customizable power, Affliction.

* StockSuperpowers: And quite a few non-stock ones too. You'd be hard-pressed to find a character or ability from SuperHero comics that you can't build, in several different ways.

** Dexterity can also be a dump stat. Raising an ability score is expensive, so it's only worthwhile if the score boosts an attack and multiple skills. Dexterity only boosts two skills, Sleight of Hand and Vehicles, neither of which are useful for many character concepts, and while it applies to ranged attacks (an important ability) it's cheaper to just put points into the Ranged Attack advantage instead. Dexterity also boosts the skills acrobatics, escape artist, and stealth, and also affects initiative bonuses, and reflex saves( in 1E and 2E, at least).

** Dexterity can also be a dump stat. Raising an ability score is expensive, so it's only worthwhile if the score boosts an attack and multiple skills. Dexterity only boosts two skills, Sleight of Hand and Vehicles, neither of which are useful for many character concepts, and while it applies to ranged attacks (an important ability) it's cheaper to just put points into the Ranged Attack advantage instead. Dexterity also boosts the skills acrobatics, escape artist, and stealth( in 1E and 2E, at least).

** Dexterity can also be a dump stat. Raising an ability score is expensive, so it's only worthwhile if the score boosts an attack and multiple skills. Dexterity only boosts two skills, Sleight of Hand and Vehicles, neither of which are useful for many character concepts, and while it applies to ranged attacks (an important ability) it's cheaper to just put points into the Ranged Attack advantage instead.

A tabletop RPG from Creator/GreenRonin Publishing, ''Mutants & Masterminds'', also known as ''[[FanNickname M&M]]'', describes itself as "The World's Greatest [[SuperHero Superhero]] Role-Playing Game." Creator/DCComics sure seemed to think so. The game uses a heavily modified version[[note]]So heavily modified that it is now legally ''not'' a version[[/note]] of the UsefulNotes/D20System from ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]]'', and its [[PointBuildSystem point-buy character creation system]] is designed to allow players to create just about any character they can think of. In fact, the "Roll Call" section of [[http://www.atomicthinktank.com the Atomic Think Tank]], the official ''Mutants & Masterminds'' forum, contains fan-submitted stats for [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny pretty much every fictional character that's ever existed]], from Comicbook/{{Superman}} to ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' to [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Shaggy Rogers]][[note]]Even JustForFun/TropeTan[[/note]].