Campaign Handout of DOOM
For David's Supes Game

Genre & Tone

Genre (in comic terms): Mid- to late Bronze Age

	If you don't understand this, that's fine.  What it basically means is that the tone is somewhat serious without any over-the-top melodrama or anything; and there are moral shades of gray, but in many cases a defined good and evil are still visible.  Like the Bronze Age of comics itself, an international perspective on supers will be emphasized (though a lot if not most of the action will take place in Erie – see “The City” below); however, issues of feminism will not be explored, and civil rights will generally only be relevant as it involves metahumans.  Political and religious viewpoints may be explored from time to time.
	The genre is characteristic of comics of the mid-70’s through the early 80’s; but the game itself will be contemporary, probably starting sometime in 2005.
	Gameplay will be moderately lethal: unarmed attacks and many powers can be either subdual or lethal, but most weapons – with the exception of those that do bludgeoning damage – can only do lethal damage.  You can choose to do less damage with a melee attack than what is rolled; you don’t have the same luxury with ranged weapons, but in most circumstances you can choose to lower the rank of a power when you use it.  I will make an attempt to keep PC deaths low in exchange for sometimes letting my villains get away – or at least not killing them outright.
	PCs are expected to be heroic but, in keeping with the genre, to have certain flaws that could potentially cause setbacks.  Anti-heroes are discouraged but may be tolerated if compelling enough, and I take a hard line on loner heroes – there can only be one, if any at all.
	The game will lean toward mid- to low realism without getting too fantastic; powers will therefore be mostly handled exactly as the book describes them.

Character Creation

Starting Assets
Power Level: PL 4 (70pp); players will first level up at 75pp and then at 15pp intervals.  Power points do not have to be immediately spent.
Equipment: You are encouraged to buy at least one or two ranks in Equipment for your character.  You can choose to leave some equipment points unspent to be filled later.  If you spend a hero point, you can “suddenly” acquire equipment that fills up these points even in the middle of a fight.  Equipment you find will not take up any points but may not be permanent; if you would like to keep an item, you can buy it into your normal equipment.
Living Space: Each character may have an apartment or townhouse for free; characters can own a house for free if they live with others.  (If your character has taken a wealth penalty, an apartment is all that is available.)  If there’s a group headquarters, PCs can elect to forego their free home and simply live at the group HQ; but this is not required.

Characters will not start out very powerful and their lives won’t be very glamorous, but this will definitely change over time.  Most of the early conflicts and adventures will be somewhat street-level, and gradually they will start to encompass more and more of the world.

Roles
One character should be the leader (who may or may not invest in ranks of the Leadership, Inspire or Master Plan feats).  Unless the players would really rather work on a pure street level, this or another character should be the financial backing of the group, buying enough equipment points to afford the group’s headquarters (which must have the living space option unless it is simply a meeting place).
Other party roles are not enforced, though it is suggested that players try to round out the party together.
I do encourage at least keeping a superhero theme in character concept, though you don’t have to sweat much trying to fit into the genre – just keep it in mind.

Backstory
I am not requiring much detail in backstories: a character concept, their immediate family (if relevant) and a vague sense of where your character comes from is enough.  After all, your heroes are really just starting out; they have, however, been around long enough to understand their powers and/or other abilities.  (If you want to play a “newly awakened mutant” or a similar archetype, you can apply uncontrolled or unreliable to some of your powers and buy them off later.)
Having a secret identity is only slightly encouraged: being a public, full-time superhero is fine.  Unless I have a way to fit it into the story, we will generally not roleplay your characters’ everyday lives.
If you really want to write up a detailed backstory and fill out a character survey, I won’t stop you or anything.  Just let me see the results.

Wealth
	We will use the optional wealth system to keep track of buying power and for acquiring goods outside of regular equipment.  Base starting wealth is +8 and can be increased by the Benefit feat or by having more than 5 ranks in the Profession skill.  As a 1pp drawback you can choose to start with a base wealth of +4 instead.

Origins
You must pick an overarching origin for your powers or other special abilities, though you do not have to belong completely to a single one.  What follows is M&M’s listing of origins, how common it is in the campaign world and any special rules:

Alien: very rare (restricted)
Divine: disallowed
Magic: uncommon
Mutation: (both accidental & genetic) common
Psionic: uncommon
Super-Scientific: (intentional mutation & gadgetry) uncommon, (chemical & cybernetics) rare
Training: common with limits (no powers without special justification; physical abilities max at 22; mental abilities max at 24)

Power Descriptors
All powers must have descriptors of some kind, and most if not all of your powers will have a descriptor linked to your origin.  A single power may have as many descriptors as you wish (within reason) as long as they do not contradict one another.
Most power descriptors will be acceptable, except for sources: alien (which is restricted) and divine (which is disallowed).  If you want to use a descriptor that isn’t in the book, you should run it by me.
Keep in mind that many power descriptors will be transparent.  What this means is that descriptors that describe the same thing (or something similar enough) will be considered the same in game terms: for example, an Absorption (Electricity) power will work exactly the same against a blast with a lightning descriptor; or, a Nullify (Psionics) power will be just as effective against powers with the source: psychic descriptor.
Descriptors that are only loosely connected may have diminished gameplay relationships, but I won’t go into that here.

Campaign Setting

The City
At this point I honestly don't know what I plan to do in regards to the physical setting itself.

- More Information Later -

Cosmology
	Unless your character uses magic, you will know precious little about how the campaign cosmology works.  Players with magic-using characters can get a briefing on it; users of certain other powers (such as cosmic energy control) may get a much vaguer explanation.

History
Powers have been around throughout human history but have only recently (since the late 1960’s) become less rare.  They have had little effect on the flow of history itself; though recent politics very much involve metahumans, and local histories may incorporate their deeds.

Language of Supers
Metahuman (neutral, mostly legal): covers all origins except training and gadgetry.  Meta (neutral, slang), super(hu/man) (positive, common), supe (neutral to positive, slang)
Mutant (neutral to negative, mostly common): covers mutation and super-scientific (intentional mutation) origins.  Mutie (negative, slang), freak (negative, slang), accident (negative, common), aberrant (negative, legal), gifted (positive, common), evolved (positive, common), Homo Superior (positive, legal)
Psion/Mage (neutral, mostly legal): covers psionic and magic origins (magicians are generally not differentiated outside of legal terms).  Psi (neutral, slang), psyke (neutral to negative, slang), psychic (neutral to negative, common), telepath (neutral, common), wizard (neutral to negative, common), sorcerer (neutral to negative, common)
Vigilante (neutral to negative, mostly legal): covers all origins, but especially training or gadgetry; applied only to those who fight crime.  Mask (neutral to negative, slang), cape (neutral to negative, slang)

Aliens (what few there may be) have no special terminology.  Terms such as cyborg, android, robot and machine are applied to the rare cybernetic-origin character; they vary in connotation from neutral to negative.  These characters have no legal existence.

Society
Supermodern technology is generally hoarded by its inventor or the government.  The world at large is thus the same in terms of technical development.
In the U.S. few laws have been passed concerning metahumans.  Political and legislative concerns that every character will be familiar with include:
·	Proposed ban of the military use of metahumans by the U.N. (unresolved)
·	Debate about the legal status of metahumans, especially mutants (unresolved)
·	Metahumans are urged to register with the MRaCC, the Metahuman Registration and Confirmation Committee, specifying exactly what they are capable of.  Many see this as an invasion of privacy or a waste of money since the committee has no way of confirming what a metahuman claims his powers are.  The government has yet to decide what to do with the information gathered.
·	Known metahumans banned from political activity but retain voting rights (ongoing appeal for revision: to only include telepathic and mind- and emotion-controlling metahumans)
·	Rare but growing preference for metahumans in certain jobs based on their powers; known metahumans tend to have lower wages.
·	Vigilantism is begrudgingly tolerated if lethal force or illegal methods are not used (or discovered).
·	Debate about concealment of identities: currently a masked accuser does not have to reveal his secret identity in court (strong movement to change), but arrested supes are unmasked.
·	Mind-reading is not admissible as evidence in court but can be used as grounds for retestimony.  Without proof use of mental powers and super-senses is not illegal.  Mind control and mental transformation, however, are illegal if discovered.
·	Debate over whether knowledge of criminal intent by powers is grounds for arrest (unresolved)
·	The powers of incarcerated metahumans can be suppressed by almost any means necessary, up to and including drug-induced coma.  Recently a few private-owned penitentiaries specially designed to hold metahumans have appeared.
Various established religions have different ways of viewing metahumans, ranging from Hinduism’s adoration to Fǎlún Gōng’s outright condemnation.  I will have another handout on this later when it becomes relevant.
	Some general statements about U.S. political views of metahumans (though note that these are not hard-and-fast facts):
·	The political left tends to view mutants (in particular) and other metahumans themselves more favorably than the right.
·	The political right tends to view vigilantism more favorably than the left.

Popular Culture
	There is little focus on the superhero in comic books since they’re on the news every night.  Therefore American comics are different, with more fantasy, science fiction or even realistic content instead of superheroes.
	Metahumans have some presence in entertainment, particularly action movies or public performance as stuntmen.  A few sound-controlling metahumans have met some success in music as one-man bands.  There are several super-intelligent or super-wise metahumans applying their powers in various other genres of art.
	A number of religious beliefs or cults, most spin-offs but some from scratch, have sprouted which focus on metahumans (particularly mutants) and their place in the world.  Most are small or fade away quickly, but traverisme (Traverism) has been around for at least twenty years and continues to grow.  Based on Catholicism and seeing metahumans as something like modern-day saints or even seraphim, it was founded in and is based around Montréal, Québec.
House Rules
•	A character with the Master Plan feat can use Knowledge (tactics) for the check instead of Intelligence if he or she has ranks in it.  Because otherwise Knowledge (tactics) is actually kind of useless in the system.
•	A character cannot use extra effort to gain an alternate power or an extra, but he or she can still use it to gain a power feat normally.
•	Visual senses are by default continuous instead of permanent at no cost, but they still cannot be affected by extra effort.
•	Generally a single Immunity cannot be purchased for more than 10 power points.  Exception: players wanting to create undead or constructs can buy Immunity (Fortitude effects, critical hits) while buying off Constitution (in total this costs 22pp) but should consult the GM first.
•	Players must consult the GM if they wish to buy Mimic for more than 4pp per rank (not counting extras/flaws); its extra Perception is not available without a strong case.  Limiting the power's use to one particular type of target (such as mutants-only) is encouraged but not required.
•	Shapeshift should be limited to a certain category of forms (such as animals).
•	Feats with certain social requirements (such as Benefit, Minions, Sidekick, Connected, Contacts or Well-Informed) cannot be mimicked unless the player can figure out some way to rationalize it that the GM has not foreseen.
•	Players who wish to buy Super-Sense (precognition) or Super-Sense (postcognition) are strongly encouraged to take the uncontrolled flaw or a GM-approved limitation.
•	Barring exceptional circumstances (discuss with the GM firsthand), Space Travel must be taken as an alternate power of Flight (and obviously he or she must also have Immunity [life support] in order to survive in space) unless the player is willing to buy them both separately.  For a device or vehicle with Space Travel, consult the GM.
•	Players must consult the GM if they wish to buy Boost or Drain for more than 3pp per rank (not counting extras/flaws).
•	Transform cannot be purchased for more than 5pp per rank (not counting extras/flaws); Mental Transform cannot be purchased for more than 2pp per rank (again, not counting extras/flaws).  Taking the flaw (range [touch] -1) is encouraged but not required.
•	PCs are limited to a single rank in Super-Movement (temporal movement) and should select a specific time either very near or very far from the present.  A good guideline would be either no greater than one minute in the past/future or no less than ten years in the past/future (also, as the rules, you must choose either the past or the future).  Players are strongly encouraged to take the unreliable flaw or a GM-approved limitation.
•	Super-Movement (dimensional movement) is restricted: players who wish to take it must consult the GM.
•	The extra Heroic for Summon (Minion) and Duplicate is not available for PC purchase barring unforeseen circumstances.  Their extra Horde is restricted: consult the GM.
•	Magic which imitates any powers with house rules must also conform to those limits.